flock, I have, at least, the fatisfaction to err with many diftinguished perfons high in authority, both in the prefent and in former times. I would not be thought to fay "errare malo cum Platone, 46 quam cum aliis vera fentire ;" but rather "ami❝cus Plato, amicus Socrates, magis amica veritas." I would wifh to form my fentiments from the records of divine truth, which, with our Church *, I confider as infinitely furpaffing any mere human authority, however exalted. It is one of our glorious privileges, as Proteftants, purchased with the blood of our ancestors, no longer implicitly jurare in verba magiftri", but to apply the "autos epha" to the juftly authoritative language of revelation alone. But, where perfons of dif tinguished eminence agree with the word of God, I hope I fhall always feel inclined to treat their concurrent teftimony with every due degree of refpect and reverence. Permit me to fhew in what manner fome perfons of the highest rank in our church and ftate have spoken of late years on this important fubject. I will go no further back than Archbishop Secker, left this preface fhould greatly exceed the ufual limits. To begin with the venerable Prelate abovementioned. In one charge to his clergy, he tells them, "We have loft many of our people over "to iectaries by not preaching in a manner fuffi"ciently evangelical *." And, in another charge, he exhorts his clergy as follows: "To improve "them *See Article 6. & 21. "them effectually to their future happiness, as "well as to filence false accufers, you must be affi"duous in teaching the principles, not only of "virtue, and natural religion, but of the gofpel; "and, of the gofpel, not as almost explained away "by modern refiners, but as the truth is in Jefus; "Eph. iv. 21.) as it is taught by the Church of * which you are members; as you have engaged, "by your fubfcriptions, and declarations, that you "will teach it yourselves. You must preach to "them faith in the ever-bleffed Trinity; and vin"dicate, when it is requifite, thofe parts of our "creeds, and offices, which relate to that article, "from the very unjuft imputations of abfurdity, "and uncharitableness, which have been caft upon "them." "You must fet forth the original corruption of "our nature; our redemption according to God's "eternal purpose in Chrift; (Eph. ii. 11.) by the "facrifice of the crofs; our fanctification by the "influences of the Divine Spirit; the infufficiency "of our own good works, and the efficacy of faith "to falvation: yet handling thefe points in a doc"trinal, not controverfial manner, unlefs particu"larly called to it; and even then treating adver"faries with mildnefs and pity, not with bitterness, "or immoderate vehemence. The truth, I fear, "is, that many, if not most of us, have dwelt too "little on thefe doctrines in our fermons; by no "means, in general, from difbelieving, or flight"ing them; but partly, from knowing, that formerly b 2 66 66 "merly they had been inculcated beyond their "proportion, and even to the difparagement of "Chriftian obedience; partly, from fancying them "fo generally received and remembered, that little needs to be faid but on focial obligations; partly again, from not having ftudied theology deeply enough, to treat of them ably and beneficially God grant that it may never have been "for want of inwardly experiencing their importance! But, whatever be the caufe, the effe& "hath been lamentable. Our people have grown lefs and lefs mindful, firft of the diftinguishing articles of their creed; then, as will always be the cafe, of that one which they hold in com"mon with the Heathens; have forgot, in effect, their Creator, as well as their Redeemer, and "Sanctifier; feldom or never ferioufly worship"ping him; but, flattering themselves, that what they are pleafed to call a moral and harmless "life, though far from being either, is the one "thing needful. We have already feen, in the preceding dedication, that the Bishop of this diocefe inculcates the fame Practice. He even informs his clergy, "Every principle of Chriftian duty, every exer"cife of faith, of hope, and of charity, in all its "branches, every motive to the love of God, and "of our neighbour is fo connected with the great "religious doctrines of the gofpel, that you can "never want opportunities of introducing them "into your difcourfes, and of fhewing how much The fame edit. page 235, &c. "the 66 86 the due difcharge of a Chriftian's moral duty de"pends upon the livelinefs and ftability of his faith. &c. The present Bp. of Chichester ob"ferves of minifters: "They are engaged to preach to mankind a difpenfation of holiness “and grac; and serious will be the charge, if it "be taught with apathy, or lukewarmness; if it "be not enforced with integrity and zeal t." &c. Bp. Horfeley expreffes himself very strongly on this fubject: Under the influence of these two "pernicious maxims; (1. that the laity, the more "illiterate efpecially, have little concern with the "myfteries of religion, provided they be attentive "to its duties: 2. That practical religion and "morality are one and the fame thing: that moral duties conftitute the whole, or by far the better part, of practical christianity;) it too often 66 happens, that we lofe fight of that which is our proper office, to publish the world of reconcilia"tion, to propound the terms of peace and par"don to the penitent; and we make no other ufe "of the high commiflion that we bear, than to "come abroad one day in feven, dreffed in fo. "lemn looks, and in the external garb of holinefs, "to be the APES OF EPICTETUST." "Unless there "be reinfufed (obferves Mr. Wilberforce) into "the mafs of our fociety, fomething of that prin"ciple, which animated our ecclefiaftical fyftem in "its earlier days, it is vain for us to hope that "the establishment will very long continue: for b3 "the 66 * Charge delivered in the year 1797, pape 23, &c. See the whole paffage from one of his Lordship's charges, cited in Dr.Knox's Chriftian Philosophy, fećt. 20. "the anomaly will not much longer be borne, of "an establishment, the actual principles of the "bulk of whofe members, and even teachers, are "fo extremely different from thofe which it pro"feffes. But, in proportion as vital Christianity can be revived, in that fame proportion the "Church establishment is ftrengthened: for the revival of vital chriftianity is the very reinfu ❝fion of which we have been speaking. This is "the very Christianity on which our establishment "is founded; and that which her ARTICLES and "HOMILIES, and LITURGY teach throughout *." "Wherever thefe teachers (he remarks in another place) have fteadily and zealoufly inculcated the "true doctrines of the Church of England, the "happieft effects have commonly rewarded their "Jabours. And, it is worth obferving, in the view we are now taking, that thefe men, as 66 might naturally be expected, are, perhaps, with"out exception, friendly to our conftitution in "church and state; and confequently, that their "instructions and influence tend directly, as well "as indirectly, to the maintenance of the cause of "order and good government." And he fub"joins in a note, "This is not thrown out rafhly, "but afferted on the writer's own knowledge t." It would be doing great injuftice to my present fubject, if I were to omit a folemn exhortation to his Practical View, chap, vi. edit. 6. page 418, &c.-. The whole paffage, beginning," In the prefent circum"ftances of this contry," &c. Page 416, is well deferv.. ing of notice. + Practical View, &c. Page 10, edit. 6. |