will of course admit, should all be men of good report. But is this the case? That it includes many excellent men, is not denied; but it is a lamentable fact, and too notorious to be concealed, that it also includes. ministers of a very opposite character, who are a reproach, not only to the Christian ministry, but to the Christian name, who are nevertheless permitted to continue in office. And is that church which tacitly sanctions evils in her ministers, which the apostles would have punished by excommunication in her members, to be held up as the most pure and apostolical form of Christianity in the world? The attempt is ludicrous; for were a resemblance in constitution admitted, there is a complete opposition in practice.*

* Not long since a most disgraceful circumstance occurred at The Rev. Mr.

in was so completely intoxicated, that he could not read his sermon. He had no sooner read his text, than he fell forward upon the cushion. When he recovered his erect posture, he attempted to proceed, but could not. He then talked to the congrega. tion about an election for a minister which was to take place at a neighbouring town early in the week, and exhorted them to give their votes and influence in favour of the Rev. Mr. Several of the con

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gregation began to leave the church, which when he perceived, he exclaimed, Pay your shot first, I tell you, and then you may all go.' Had this been the first instance of delinquency in the life of this gentleman, no blame whatever could have been attached to the church on account thereof; for the apostolical church itself had its delinquents: but when wickedness is systematic, and continued in for years; and when those whose office it is to exercise discipline on the clergy, after knowing the fact, connive at such offences, and permit such offenders to continue in the ministry, then the evil becomes entirely chargeable to the discipline, or rather to the want of discipline in the national church. This want of discipline is deeply deplored by the pious members of the church of England, both clergy and laity. It is confidently said that application for the removal of this notoriously immoral minister was made some time since to his bishop, who returned for answer that he belonged to the Dean of and therefore could not interfere. The dean was applied to, who said he had nothing to do with him; but referred them to his diocesan. So he is permitted to continue, to the disgrace of the Christian ministry, to the encouragement of vice, and to the grief of every pious mind in the neighbourhood.

I would say of eulogy what a late ingenious writer has said of ornaments. "Eulogy becomes none except the handsome. To all others eulogy only attracts people's eyes to behold infirmity and ugliness."

But when you describe the church of England as the most pure and apostolical form of christianity, you perhaps refer not so much to her ministry, as to her form, or manner of worship. That there is much resemblance here will not readily be believed, till it be proved that formularies of devotion were used in the apostolical churches-that in those formularies baptism and regeneration were terms of the same import -that they acknowledged other priests besides Christ -that in baptism they signed with the sign of the cross-that they consecrated the bread and wine in the eucharist-that they had an altar, and knelt before it-that they repeated a creed aloud, and turned their faces towards the east-and that the minister read prayers in a surplice, and preached in a gown.

In the preceding observations I have endeavoured to avoid exaggeration, and aimed at a plain statement of truth; after the examination of which your readers may judge of the exact agreement between the worship of the church of England and that of the apostles.

I remain,

Reverend Sir,

Your Servant in the cause of truth,

J. STANLEY.

LETTER II.

REVEREND SIR,

You profess to believe the church of England to be "the most perfect form of Christianity," to be "enlightened by the faith, and strengthened by the blood of martyrs," "founded upon the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone;"" and as to human security, supported by the laws of the land, and connected with the most vital parts of the constitution :"* yet, somewhat inconsistently, you seem, though you affect to conceal your fears, to apprehend dreadful things from a combination of Methodists against it. "Our church," you say, "circumstanced as I have described it, has once been overthrown by a sect in many respects resembling the Methodists, by the Puritans."+ The excesses of those times are certainly much to be lamented; but they were very few in comparison with those which have in general attended national revolutions.

But what were those Puritans? Persons without religious principles, or whose principles were so accommodating as always to yield to the will of their superiors? Persons over whom the pride and emolument of office had such absolute influence as utterly to silence the voice of conscience, and, if not to annihilate, at least, throw the moral sense into a profound sleep? No: they were men in general of unconquer

PREFACE.

THE Author of the following Letters is a decided friend to the free and unfettered discussion of theological subjects; being persuaded that such discussion, if prosecuted in a christian temper, will tend ultimately to the refutation of error and the establishment of truth.

There are two evils into which controversialists are in danger of being betrayed. The first is, undue deference to established systems and great names. The grand subject of enquiry frequently is not so much "What is truth," as how such opinions accord with a certain system, which has been revered for ages, and which has received the sanction of multitudes famed for learning and science? Implicit deference to the supposed wisdom of ancestors, and the perfection of human religious institutions, perpetuated the reign of Popery for many centuries. Nor was it till Luther and his coadjutors in the work of reformation ceased to know any "man after the flesh," and to make their appeal from human authorities to the "law and the testimony," that the manacles of superstition were broken-the anathemas of papal Rome despised-and the common people raised to the high honour of an acquaintance with those "scriptures which are able to make men wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." To correct misrepresentations, and to establish truth, regardless of human authori