ercise of his judgment on any point connected with it.”

Q. Did Bishop White, in his pamphlet, entitled "The case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States considered," consent with those who were adverse to the apostolic origin of Episcopacy?

*

A. Bishop White says, "To those who, being adverse to the apostolic origin of Episcopacy, have considered him (Bishop White) as having consented with them in opinion; he (Bishop White) is ready to declare, on every suitable opportunity, that the contrary was intended to be implied, and that it is obvious, according to his conceptions, on the face of the perform

ance."

Q. Is it arrogant for the Ministry to

Appendix to Charge of 1807, p. 56.

assert the divine institution of their office?

A. Bishop White says," * "Is it arrogant, is it unreasonable, in the Ministers of the Gospel, to assert the divine institution of their office, as handed down from the Apostles; and to deny the propriety of every door to the Ministry of man's workmanship; whether it be that of popular ordination, or the plea of an inward call? It cannot be."

Q. Is immoderate power necessarily connected with Episcopacy?

A. Bishop White says, "In the minds of some, the idea of Episcopacy will be connected with that of immoderate power; to which it may be answered, that power becomes dangerous, not from the precedency of one man,

*Ord. Ser. 1825, p. 13, 14.

†The Case of the Ep. Church, p. 18.

but from his being independent. Had Rome been governed by a Presbytery, instead of a Bishop, and had that Presbytery been invested with the independent riches and dominion of the Papal See, it is easy to conceive of their acquiring as much power over the Christian world, as was ever known in a Gregory or a Paul."

Q. How should we act in regard to the Episcopacy?

A. Bishop White says,* "In regard to the constitution and the government of the Christian Church, we affirm, that that from the beginning there have been the three orders of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons ;' and that this is 'evident from Scripture, and from ancient authors,' meaning the writings of the early Fathers. If the fact be as is

*Genl. Theo. Sem. Address, 1828, p. 8.

stated-and we ought to be supposed sincere in the profession of it—is it not sufficiently important to induce us to adhere to, and not by any act to imply the nullity of, what claims so high an origin?"

SECTION X.

Of Apostolical Succession.

"And lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."-St. Matt. xxviii. 20.

66

"O holy JESUS, who hast purchased to thyself an universal Church, and hast promised to be with the Ministers of apostolic succession to the end of the world."-From the Prayer in the Office of Institution.

Q. Is Apostolical succession essential?

*

A. Bishop White says, "To justify the candidate in believing that he is

*Comment. p. 19.

called according to the will of Christ, he should be convinced, after due enquiry, that the Church to which he looks for ordination, is a true Apostolic Church, deriving its authority from that founded by the Apostles. For since they did confessedly found a communion, and since it did confessedly transmit its ministries, there seems no possible right to the name of a Christian Church at present, but in succession from the originally established body."

Q. Is it important that the Protestant Episcopal Churchman's principles on this point should be settled?

A. Bishop White* says "It is of importance to every candidate, and much more so to the Church, that he should have his principles settled on the present point (Apostolical succession,) since

*Comment. p. 19.