OF THE

CHURCH

OF

ENGLAND.

"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."1 Tim. iv. 16.

THE services of the Church of England for "the Ordering of Deacons and Priests, and for the Consecrating of Bishops," appear to me to breathe the spirit of this passage of Holy Scripture, and to give a most lucid and faithful exposition of the text, together with the chapter from which it is taken.

Turn to the chapter. The Holy Spirit therein declares, that, "in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith. The nature of the apostacy is then described, and the character of the agents by whom that apostacy was to be effected and continued, is clearly pourtrayed. "Doctrines concerning devils," or demons, shall be circulated "by seducing spirits."

Demons were considered, by the Heathen, to signify the spirits of departed men, who were deified, and placed as mediators between the immortal gods, and mortal men. Apostate Christians would fall into the same error, and teach that men and women should act as mediators between God and man; although the Lord expressly declares that there is "but one Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus." It is likewise predicted that restraints should be laid upon marriage-" Forbidding to marry;" and a

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distinction made between meats, as if one kind of food were more holy than another-"Commanding to abstain from meats!"

The agents, we are told would speak lies hypocritically, or knowing them to be lies, doubtless in order to make " merchandize of men's souls;" and thus the consciences of such men would become callous, and seared with a hot iron.

Is there any difficulty in discovering to whom this refers? None whatever. How many tongues at once become vocal to proclaim aloud that the apostate Church of Rome is guilty; and can easily be convicted out of her own mouth!

Timothy, the first Bishop of Ephesus, is reminded of his duty in the sixth verse: "To put the brethren in remembrance of these things," and by so doing, says the Apostle, "thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." "But refuse profane and old wives fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness." Preach the truth;-protest against error;—warn the Church. In doctrine be pure; in practice holy; in study diligent give thyself wholly to these things, that thy profiting may appear unto all. And as many have turned aside, and as many more will turn from the truth, "Take heed unto thyself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." "For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Now compare all this with the services to which I have referred in the opening sentence. In them sound doctrine is enforced; practical holiness pressed upon the minister and his family; the Bible is distinctly avowed to be the only rule of faith, and the usurpations of Rome strongly condemned; while in the subscription to the 39 Articles, required of every candidate for Holy Orders, a decided

protest is entered against the corruptions of the Papacy. "But who is sufficient for these things?"

"Our sufficiency is of God." Pray for us, dear brethren, that we may have grace to fulfil the ministry which we have received, and that we may give ourselves wholly to the office which we are called to sustain, as watchmen and stewards in the Church of God.

But can we, as pastors in the Church of England, faithfully discharge our office in the Church of Christ, and duly attend to the directions contained in my text, and in the chapter from which it is taken?

In other words-Is there THAT in the teaching of the Church of England, which, if duly followed out by her ministers, will enable them to be "workmen, who need not be ashamed," and to discharge the duty enforced in the text "Take heed to thyself, and to the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee?"

We answer in the affirmative, with gratitude to God, and proceed to prove the answer, by shewing

1st-THAT THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TEACHES APOSTOLICAL DOCTRINE; AND

2ndly-THAT THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND FOLLOWS APOSTOLICAL ORDER.

May He who has promised to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask him, pour out upon us the influence of that blessed Spirit at this time, and touch every heart, for Jesus Christ's sake.

1st-THEN, THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TEACHES APOSTOLICAL DOCTRINE.

I must touch upon several points, in order to prove that the Church of England does teach Apostolical doctrine. 1st-Of faith in the Holy Trinity. This doctrine is with great simplicity and clearness, inculcated in all our services. The practical tendency of this holy truth is seripturally enforced. We have been baptized in the

name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The infant lips of the children of the church, have been taught to proclaim the praises of God the Father, who hath made us, and all the world-of God the Son, who hath redeemed us and all mankind; and of God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth us, and all the elect people of God. Thus does the church exhibit her confidence in divine revelation, and her delight in setting forth God in His true character. That this is apostolical teaching, we firmly maintain; and also, that it is written, as with a sun-beam, in the pages of the sacred volume. Examine at your leisure the sixth of Isaiah, 1st and 3rd verses. You will find Jehovah manifested in His glory, and before Him even the angels cover their faces. Then compare this with two passages in the New Testament, and you will find-that in the one passage it is said, that the Prophets beheld the glory of the Lord Jesus, John xii. v. 41; and that in the other passage, the Holy Ghost is declared to have spoken the words uttered on that occasion. Acts xxviii. 25, 26. Thus irresistibly forcing this conclusion upon us, that the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Lord of hosts, is the eternal three in That the doctrine of the Trinity is faithfully taught by the English Church, no reasonable man can deny. The doctrine is closely connected with two points which I shall have to discuss more fully. I shall, therefore, pass on to notice the source from which all our teaching is derived our Rule of Faith; for,

one.

2ndly-The Church of England teaches that the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice.

Whatever efforts have been made to shake this truth, they have all proved abortive; and, in fact, they have only tended to bring out, in bolder relief, the clearness with which this doctrine is enforced in the Bible, and in our own Church.

For, to which page of the inspired volume shall we be

referred for any statement to prove the insufficiency of that blessed record? Or rather, in what part of the book of God can we fail to find abundant evidence to prove that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Psalm xix. v. 7. Are we not emphatically told by Isaiah viii. 20—“To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them?" "Were not these things written, that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ: and that believing, we might have life through his name?" John

31. Does not Jesus declare, respecting those who were infected with error, that "ignorance of the Scriptures was the cause?" Matt. xxii. 29. With what eyes can he read the testimony of the Holy Spirit by St. Paul, in 2 Tim. iii. 5, 16: "That all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, &c., that the man of God may be PERFECT." With what eyes, I say, can he read such a testimony, who attempts to deny the sufficiency of Holy Scriptures, and who attempts to impose upon the Church of God any other rule of faith and practice? Surely he has eyes, and yet he sees not. Assuredly he bears a close resemblance to those who "made void the law of God through their own traditions;" and who, (refusing to enter into life themselves,) took away the key of knowledge in order to shut out others. Nor should we for a moment hesitate to regard such a man, as a deceiver, who ought to be opposed and avoided by the Church of the living God. From such "heresy and false doctrine may the good Lord in mercy deliver us." Let us adhere closely to the apostolical teaching of the Church of England, and we shall never fall into the dangerous error of denying the sufficiency of God's precious word. For notice how fully she maintains this fundamental truth in her Articles and Homilies. And let the large portions of Scripture which she introduces into all her services, bear witness to the honour which she puts upon the word of God.