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by the apostles themselves, or by eminent men, their legitimate successors.

Such is the nature and constitution of the church, as it was originally established, by its supreme head, from whence the apostles, and their successors, the bishops, have derived their commission; and by an appeal to ecclesiastical history, it will be found, that under this form of government, has the church continued to the present day.

In the elucidation of this important subject, I have, as I trust, the reader will observe, diligently resorted, not to the works of Partisans on either side, but, to the genuine monuments of antiquity itself.*

* The apostolic canons were made by several councils in the three first centuries. The first canon is this. Let a bishop be ordained by two or three bishops. Second, Let a presbyter or deacon be ordained by one bishop. Thirdly, let neither presbyters nor deacons per'form any thing without the bishop's permission. It is upon the concord or disagreement of teachers, upon which, either the unity or divisions in the church, are directly and immediately built.

The welfare therefore of the christian church, (which consists in unity, the truth of the doctrine, and obedience

The multiplicity of religious opinions in the present day, unhappily for us, tend to

to the institutions of Christ,) depends in an eminent degree, upon the due qualifications of its ministers; and if it were not in the power of bishops, to ordain fit persons for this office, to reject those, whom they found unqualified for that trust, and to preserve forms of wholesome doctrine, it would be impossible to keep the church in her original purity, because to use the language of a learned divine, "He who went out to sow, might carry nothing in his sack but cockle and darnel."

Matthias was admitted to the apostleship, by the immediate appointment of God, Acts i. 26, and St. Paul was called to it, by Christ himself from heaven. Availing themselves of these examples, some people imagine that every qualification for the ministry, consists in what is termed an inward call, by which is meant, a suggestion from the Spirit of God, to undertake this office. These internal feelings, sometimes induce a pious man, to enter into this sacred employment; and I feel no disposition, either to censure, or speak uncharitably of any sect or party, who may conscientiously differ from me, in religious sentiments. But I am now enquiring, whether the scriptures do not positively require an outward call to the ministry, unless like St. Paul, we can prove to the satisfaction of others, an inward call, by miraculous endowments? Speaking of such as are taken from among men and ordained for the service of God, the apostle to whom I have just alluded, observes, "that no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that was κ k

countenance dissent from the establishment, as if men are different beings now, from

called of God, as was Aaron ;" and how was Aaron called of God? the choice of the Almighty was sealed by the intervention of a human agent, he was chosen and separated to the ministry, by the voice of God—he was invested, anointed, and consecrated by the hand of Moses. The example of Aaron, then, as a type of the Christian priesthood, is as strong for the outward appointment, as for the inward call, and it appears throughout the New Testament, that the gifts or talents of church officers, are every where distinguished from their outward commission, and described as previous qualifications for it. Not only bishops and presbyters, are required to wait for a commission, but even deacons, however endued with natural and spiritual abilities, could not assume their office, till they had been approved and commissioned by apostolic authority; hence, we are told that the apostles directed the people to look out seven men, full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom, whom we, say they, may appoint, Acts vi. 3. Stephen, one of the number, is said, in particular, to be a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, yet they were not permitted to exercise any clerical offices, till the apostles had ordained them, by praying and laying on of hands. Some call, as from God himse'f, is to be experienced, by all who devote themselves to the service of the sanctuary. I am far from intimating that this call resembles that which was given to the apostles, a voice or suggestion coming directly from the Holy Ghost-for though God may reveal his will in this manner, yet we have no

what they were in any former state of the world, and grown too wise in this refined age,

reason to think that he does. The motion is less perceptible, disposing the mind in a gradual and silent way, to enter into the service of God, partly from a sense of obligation to him, for his redeeming love, partly from a compassion for the ignorant and perishing multitudes around us, and partly from a desire to be an honoured instrument in the Redeemer's hands, to establish and enlarge his kingdom in the world.

With her characteristic moderation, the church of England demands of her candidates for orders, "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, to take upon you this office and ministration, to serve God for the promotion of his glory, and the edifying of his people?" The answer is, "We trust so:" and she gives them, in her authorized exposition of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, an infallible criterion, to decide whether they are so or not, a criterion much more worthy of attention, than any rapturous sensations-the criterion of a heart enlarged with heavenly affections, and of a life "conformed to the image of Christ."

Dr. Buchanan, in his Christian Researches, page 120, observes that the bishop of the church of Syrian christians, would not listen to the proposal of a union with the English clergy, until he was convinced that their orders were derived by episcopal succession from the apostles, And upon this principle, about thirty years since, when reformed episcopacy was to be established in the independent states, the persons elected to be the

(which prides itself on liberality of sentiment, as it is called,) to submit to any ordinances,

first bishops, previously came from America, to receive consecration from the hands of British bishops.

"It would not be right, (says Mr. Wesley,) for us to administer either baptism or the Lord's supper, unless we had a commission so to do, from those bishops, whom we apprehend to be in succession from the apostles." Journal from 1743 to 46. Page 348.

St. Paul says, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ?" This cup is still to be blessed; and if the prayer over the elements, can be effectually and scripturally used, by any private person, why did the apostle make it the privilege of the church? God forbid, I should presume to limit the divine mercies! It is for that being alone, who sets bars and doors to the sea, and said hitherto shalt thou come but no farther, to set bounds to the current of his mercy, of which the ocean, as it is the most abundant, so is it the most appropriate emblem. But if a peculiar privilege be assured to those, who are admitted into covenant with God, who would not have recourse to those hands, which are authorized to contract the covenant? For my own part, that I may adopt the language of a late pious, and learned divine, "I would not for the whole world, unworthy as I am, doubt I have the sacraments or have them not; and I heartily thank God, for making me a member of the church of England, which so administers the sacraments, as that they are effectual and sufficient, for the present grace, and future salvation of every one, who receives them with an honest and true heart."

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