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Note H.-Page 90.

The doctrine that a series of ordinations transmitted in a visible succession from the apostles, is necessary to constitute a valid ministry in the church, if strictly followed out to its legitimate conclusion, would lead any one of us, either to become a seeker, and wait for a new apostleship, or else to unite with the church of Rome. While Roger Williams, acting on this principle, came to the one conclusion, we have known those who were led by it to the other. The sentiment we have here stated, was in effect most strongly asserted by the Archbishop of York, in the British Parliament, during the debates of the year 1558. The bill before the House, was for attaching the supremacy of the church to the Queen of England. The archbishop said, that if the church of England withdraw from the church of Rome, she would by that act directly forsake and fly from all general councils; and he proceeded to prove that the first four councils of Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon, had acknowledged the supremacy of Rome.* He then presented to their view this alternative for consideration. Either the church of Rome is a true or false one. If she be a true church, then we will be guilty of schism in leaving her, will be excommunicated by her, and the church of England will become herself a false church. If the church of Rome be a false church, then she cannot be a pure source of apostolical succession; and the church of

* Hansard's Parliamentary History, Eliz. 1558.

England must be false, because she derived her ordination and sacraments from that of Rome.

The question we know was decided in favor of separation from Rome; but the speech of the Archbishop presents to the successionist, the horns of a dilemma, between which it would seem difficult to choose.

We have said that the principle of lineal descent from the Apostles would lead one directly to the Church of Rome, because we suppose that if the line of succession can be traced to any one of the Apostles, it can be traced to Peter. Yet, who can bring forth the register to show an unbroken chain of ordinations from him? In the days of Ezra, those who would be acknowledged as priests, were required to prove their right by the genealogical register. On the principle of Apostolic succession, we may make the same requisition now. And in answering such a demand for historical proof, we hear Bishop Stillingfleet saying, "We find bishops discontinued for a long time in the greatest churches. Where was the Church of Rome, when from the martyrdom of Flabia and the banishment of Lucius, the church was governed by the clergy?"+ The learned Cardinal Bellarmine says, "For above eighty years, the church, for want of a lawful Pope, had no other Head than what was in heaven."

That celebrated Cardinal and historian Baronius, who had well nigh filled the Papal chair himself, says, "How deformed was the Roman Church, when harlots no less powerful than vile, bore sway at Rome, and at

* Ezra, II, 62.

+ Irenecum, p. 576.

their pleasure changed sees, appointed Bishops, and what is horrible to mention, did thrust into Peter's chair, their own gallants, false Popes! What kind of Cardinals can we think were chosen by these monsters ?*" "Come here," says Stillingfleet, "to Rome, and here the succession is as muddy as the Tiber itself." The Church of England in the Homily for Whit-Sunday, declares that "the Popes and Prelates of Rome, for the most part, are worthily accounted among the number of false prophets and false Christs, which deceived the world for a long while;" and prays that the gospel may be spread abroad, "to the beating down of sin, death, the Pope, the devil, and all the kingdoms of anti-christ." Various historical chasms might be pointed out, but we have only room to quote these admissions of successionists themselves, which are weighty on account of the source from which they

come.

Godwin, in his history of the bishops, has shown that among the English Bishops, many links are wanting which cannot be supplied. He has shown, too, at what enormous prices the English Bishops bought their ordinations, in the eleventh century, when simony prevailed in Italy and England. They committed a crime in view of which Peter pronounced Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitterness, and to have no part or lot in the kingdom of Christ. Then there are decrees of councils, pronouncing null and void all those ordinances, wherein any simonaical contract existed.

The

* Baronius, Tom. X, and Rights, of the Christian Church, quoted in Eclectic Review, vol. V, p. 382, 384.

facts which the providence of God has developed, indicate that it is not his design that his church should be made dependent for her ministry, on an outward and visible succession. Was not this plainly shown, when between Leo IV, and Benedict III, a wicked woman filled St. Peter's chair?

Note I.-Page 102.

The four brothers whom we have referred to, as grandsons of the Rev. James Brown, deserve to be held in lasting remembrance, as illustrations of the truth, that "the generation of the upright shall be blessed," and as bright examples of those virtues which make increasing wealth a blessing to the individual, and to society. The man of business or of fortune, who identifies his happiness with the public welfare, and devotes his wealth to the promotion of christianity, multiplies his own sources of enjoyment, and at the same time becomes a benefactor to his race. In this country, especially, where a mercantile spirit is so widely spread, we should hold those in honor, whose lives convey just lessons concerning the true use of money. With great propriety, this may be said to have been done by these four gentlemen, of whom we speak: John, Joseph, Nicholas, and Moses Brown.

JOHN BROWN, Esq. was a liberal promoter of religion and literature in the town of Providence. He was warmly attached to the interests of the Baptist Society,

and laid the foundation stone of the College, in 1769 He was distinguished by untiring industry, and by a sound practical judgment, so that although he was engaged in many enterprises, he seems to have suc. ceeded in all that he undertook. He doubtless possessed much of a public spirit, which he evinced in his efforts for the improvement of the town. In his day, Main-street was a sandy and disagreeable walk; he first caused it to be paved, and although at that time he had twenty sail of ships abroad upon the sea, he might be seen busily engaged in the work himself, in order to be sure that it was properly done. In view of his great success as a merchant, it is gratifying to be able to say of him, that "his liberality kept pace with his riches."

JOSEPH BROWN, LL. D., was long an active member of this church, and though engaged in mercantile business, was distinguished as a lover of science, and especially for his attainments in natural philosophy. For this, his genius particularly disposed him, yet he seems to have been equally at home within the realm of taste. This temple, which he planned, is a proof to us, that he must have been devoted to, at least, one of the fine arts, for no one could have succeeded in producing a structure of such nice and fair proportions, without having given much attention to the study of architecture. He was a warm friend of the college, in which he held the office of Professor of Experimental Philos. ophy. As a citizen he was peculiarly useful, for such was his knowledge of philosophical mechanics, combined as it was with good taste, that he was consulted

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