Russia, come into the same union, and submit also to the "papal supremacy?" If we think it our duty to conform in all things with some ancient church, why not with the Greek, which is much less corrupt? The truth is, that to unite with any church in what is opposed to God's word, is itself a sin, and what nothing can justify. Schism is a great evil, and should be conscientiously avoided. But heresy, or departing from the truth of God, is worse. Nothing will more truly unite men in religion, than the renovation of their hearts by the grace of God, and a sound and holy faith in Jesus Christ. This spirit of unity may be possessed by those who do not externally commune together in this world.

We had better, indeed, be divided into many denominations, than to unite in what is false and unscriptural. The many corruptions which have crept into the church are of themselves a good proof of the vast importance of our faithfully exercising the right of private judgment, that we may try these spirits.

It may be well here to repeat what has been so often repeated, that reforming a church is not making a church. Rejecting what is false, makes no change in what is true. A church may be both corrupt and divided, as was the church of Corinth, and yet continue to be a church. There was a time when God's church in Israel was so very corrupt, that the prophet Elijah thought that he was the only one who did not unite with the others in bowing to idols; but he determined, though, as he thought, alone, to reject what was false, and hold fast to what was true. Happily, he was not alone; there were, at that very time, seven thousand Protestants. So, too, had Joshua, before him, protested against the idolatries of God's chosen people, and solemnly declared that, though all the others worshipped idols, he and his house would serve none but the true God. And so should Christians still refuse to bow to an image, and to worship a piece of bread,

though in consequence they must, as thousands have done, suffer martyrdom.

§ XV. Denying the scriptures to the people is also by Protestants condemned. It is directly contrary to the command of Christ, who bids us "search the scriptures," that we may have a saving faith in him our Saviour. In his discourses, he evidently supposes that his hearers had read the scriptures, as no doubt they had; and he appeals to them accordingly, as did also his apostles. "What saith the scriptures?" is a question which they put to the people. St. Paul tells the Romans, "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope." And to Timothy he writes, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." And he speaks of it as a great blessing to Timothy, that "from a child he had known those holy scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation." 99* We have already seen the high commendation bestowed upon the Bereans, who, when they had inspired apostles for their teachers, still searched the scriptures daily for themselves, that they might know the certainty of those things wherein they had been instructed. And we are informed, too, of the happy effects of this their "noble" conduct: "Therefore, many of them believed." Through the comfort of the scriptures, they had hope. No other book on earth has such comfort to give. What claim have they to freedom or independence, who dare not read this word of God but by the permission of a priest?

The policy of this prohibition is evident. If

2 Timothy iii. 15—17.

people search the scriptures, they will be likely to see wherein many have departed from the word of God. From the same policy, other books are forbidden. The Papists will not allow their people to be present at Protestant worship, not family prayers. This is among the means by

even at

which their boasted unity is maintained. To keep them in ignorance, is the surest way to preserve implicit faith and blind subjection.

§ XVI. The claim of the Romish Church to Infallibility we view as very false and presumptuous. That it is false, her many errors, and departure in so many things from the word of God, abundantly prove. A knowledge, indeed, of our fallen nature, might prepare us to expect that the church which has erred the most, should most confidently claim to be free from error. Of the merits of this claim, I leave them to judge who read her history. Councils, even of the ancient church, consisted of individual, fallible men, subject to err; and that they sometimes did err, even in things pertaining unto God," is too evident in their clashing, contradictory decrees. "Wherefore," as our Church said in her XXIst Article, "things ordained by them as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they are taken out of the holy scriptures." It is enough for my present purpose to add, that the Protestant Episcopal Church makes no such claim of freedom from error, and she protests against such claim in any other church.

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§ XVII. On the doctrine of Human Merit we differ essentially from the Church of Rome. She holds that men may merit salvation by their good works. We believe that our works, wrought through faith in Christ, and in obedience to God's command, are pleasing to him, and are an evidence of our faith

and sanctification, and they strengthen our hope of being accepted in the Beloved, and blest in heaven; but we ascribe no merit to man which entitles him to claim salvation as his right or due: nor, indeed, dare we say of ourselves, or of the best saint on earth, that he is so sanctified as to live wholly without sin. The best Christians come short of what God's perfect law requires, and daily have need of repentance. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." We boast of no perfection, and we see no merits but in Jesus Christ. "By grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”*

§ XVIII. Connected with their doctrine of Human Merit is that of Supererogation; or that man can do, and that the saints have done, more good works than what is necessary to their own salvation. These meritorious works they suppose to be collected into one vast treasury, of which the pope claims to have the key, and the power of dispensing it to the good and salvation of whom he pleases. That it may pass the more current, they add to this treasury the merits of Jesus Christ, which may seem to render it inexhaustible. But that the saints have added any thing to it, or have merits sufficient to save themselves, or that the pope has authority, more than any other minister of Christ, to say who may or may not partake of Christ's merits, we utterly deny.

The most of these points I mention briefly, and would that the reader should bear it still in memory, that my object is not to refute what we deem to be the errors of Popery; in that case, there would be very much to be said; but to show, what probably at the present day is not generally known nor well

Ephesians ii. 8.

considered, how many and how important are the particulars against which we protest, with some few of the reasons of the hope that is in us. As I am informed, from high authority, that there are some who are likely soon to break from our ranks, except we seasonably or soon submit to the papal supremacy, I wish that they may do it with their eyes open, and that others may judge whether or not it will be wise to follow them.

§ XIX. From the little said under the two last heads, the reader will be prepared to hear, and will scarce need to be reminded, that, on the great and very essential doctrine of Justification, the Protestant Episcopal Church differs materially from the Church of Rome. But, considering that another of the bishops of our Church has recently published an able and full vindication of our doctrine on this momentous subject, it will suffice here to mention it as among the doctrines in which we profess to be reformed.

§ XX. The next that I would mention is their doctrine of Purgatory, which is among the most profitable, (in a pecuniary view,) of the tenets of the Romish Church. The money which it has brought and still brings into the coffers of that church is incalculable.

It is my earnest desire not to misrepresent the tenets of any denomination of Christians, and not. to say any thing to increase the differing opinions by which the members of the "One Catholic and Apostolic Church" are unhappily in this world divided; but on the contrary, would willingly make any concessions, which the truth of God will admit, to promote unity among the disciples of Christ. The doctrine of Purgatory, as held by the Romanists, is, in itself, were it true, of such immense importance to mankind, and in its practical results, as