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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, do gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant lo nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I ■<>' niirminntiriiii ■ i<i»>|rwniit- immMm JHMlftil l««|i|IIHHillllHI»#»«tW>««w«Ww>w»ntw»»M-... g :x!; '* ' ^ , T !:i "*i w w t yi .:; !C! y r? ?w n- 1 S' JE Iv r E s OS* L E T T E R S, TO THE REV. J. A. MULaCK, PRE3B¥TER, OF 'THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND : BE IN G A REPLY TO CERTAIN CHARGES AGAINST ^ THE METHODISTS IN A; SERMON PREACH- H ED IN THE DIFFERENT CHURCHES, '^ IN HIS PARISH. w BY BENJAMIN NANKEVILE^ WESLEYAX MINISTER. " F'wf itere arc many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, speoialJy they of the circumcision : whose mouths must be stopped ; whosubvert whole houses, teaching things which tncy ought not, lor filthy lucre's sake."— Titus i. 10. 11. CAHLETON PLACE : PSINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY J. C. POOLS. ^ '•'i'' jJa Kl »*««t.^Kiii-S^IJ*'ifeA»«WW-^" ■ S E 11 I E S 'f! 0# ^; f E T T E R S, TO THE REV. J. A. MULOCK, PREbBYTER, OF THE CHUHCH OP ENGLAND r B E r N G A REPLY TO CERTAIN CHARGES AGAINST THE METHODISTS IN A SER vlON PREACH- ED IN THE DIFFERENT CHURCHES, IN HIS PARISH.. BY BENJAMIN NANKEYILL, WESLEYAX MINISTER. li f I -n For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision : u-hose mouths must be stopped ; who subvert whole houses, teachinfi: things which tney ought not, ior filthy lucre's sake.'— TiTus j. 10, 11. ! I i \ ' II CARLETON PLACE: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY J. C. POOLE. 1850. ^o -^ "2^ <i<^ JUN ? ") 1935 M- I .. ji. ,.ijU fs-?u t,. J ,1, i^ . -^ '.- -i-i. .^ -!» ^» ii'l ^Ocf'l i PREFACB. To THE Reader, Controversy, tea rhristian mind must alway? he a painful exercise; yet the slate of society, 1 lanienl to •ay, even religious society, renders it sornefimes neces- tnry to correct mistakes, elicit truth, expose error, res- cue character, and stop the march of misrepresentation. The motives whereby the Rev. Mr. Mulock has been led to commence, and continue his accusations against the Methodists, 1 do not attempt either to question or investigate; yet this must be acknowledged by all, that the Methodists have as just a right to defend themselves a«8 their opponents have to accuse them. li is my firm opinion that truth fears no investigation and I can assure my Reverend opponent that it is not his sarcasm, nor bold and unwarrantable assertions, will prevent nie Irom rindicating the irutb, and expos- ing error. 1 have a pamphlet now before me, its title is ♦' The causes of the increase of Methodism and disseniion. considered in a sermon preached at the visitation of the Reverend, the Archdeacon of Leicester." I would recommend Mr Mulock to peruse this little work, 1 think it would check and guide him in his future con- duct :— much, lower however he cannot descend. Soon therefore, he must rest (if indeed his turbulent spirit i* susceptible of quiesrerce) We hope his mind will toon tegin to move in an upward direction. m I '? I In tije preface to the pamphlet referred to above, the writer, after speakin^r of the •' diminished utiachmeut of the mass of the people to the Established Church, Says, "But the Clergy too irefjuemly have shewn them- selves exasi)erated al the fact j and have betrayed a degree of anger and passionate resentmeal in tlieir conversations with parishioners as well as in their iljscourserf from the pulpit, which has only widened the breach. Some have attempted to meet the evil by the circulation of little tracts, levelled against the Methodists in which, however, the same spirit of in- vective has sometimes been discovered." Here we see the character of Mr. Mulock portrayed. On this subject of self defence, and the investigation of the points at issue, between the Rev. Mr. Mulock and myself, we enter without fear, yet not without re- jt>rerj we lament the necessity which is laid upon us m«>i*e especially considering the quarter from whence it comes. We believe, if the Methodists as a body, have erred at all, in reference loan uafeigned desire to cultivate friendly relations with the Church of England, it has been in allowing the impulses of that desire to carry them too far. We recollect when iin England seventeen years since, the Church was arraigned be- fore the tribunal of public opinion, she stood trembling on the precipice of destruction and was forsaken by all others, the Methodists, faithful to their professio is of attachment, came to her rescue. The public press ia the interests of the Church, was not at that time slow to acknowledge the obligation: it caused the empire to ring from end to end with eulogies of the disinterest- ed friendship of the Methodists to the Church. But in the season of calm and peace) her [ministers I to above, the ed utiachiueuc shed Church, .'shewn Ihein- 'e betrayed a leul ill their 1 as in their )rj!y widened neel the evil jd against the e spirit ol in- ." Here we • investi<Tation '. Mr. Mulock ot without re- laid upon us from whence s as a body, sned desire to li of England, liat desire to iin England arraigned be- lod trembling rsakeu by all rofessio IS of iblic press in at time slow 1 the empire > disinterest' irch. ler [mioisters rise LP and assert, ''there is no church but cur church, no ordination but our ordination, no ministers but our ministers, no sacraments but our sacraments," and thus carry on a kind of persecution against us: while we wish to follow " peace with all men and holiness with- out which, no man can see the Lord," what will the Church do in her approaehing struggle ? who will defend her then ? We are determined in future, at all hazards, the Lord being our helper, to vindicate our rights and privileges although it may bring us into con- tJlct with the pitiable and inherent weakness of the Rev . Mr. Mulock, and kindred spirits with himself. '• Where there is shame," says Dr.. Johnson, " there may in time be virtue," but we fear that Mr. Mulock it past shame, for in his conduct, we can neither discover the gentleman, the scholar, nor the r'hristian. AUTHOR. •mm 1W I t. \^ ll f i' -^. \ I \ I LETTER I. March 19(A 18S0. To The Rev. J. A. Mulock, Rev. Sib,-— Having heard ly thos»e who x^ese at church last Sunday, nnd the preceding Sab- baths, that your sejinon, if it can le called cne, was entirely directed again&t the A'elhcdJMP, and ihal nothing like it ha.' ever been heard, in point of unbrotherly and unchristian temper, except in the bitter and nne^anclifud jjirit of Bogue and Bennet's History of liic Dissenters, I should feel very rrjuch obliged, ly being favoied with a perusal of } our disccime ; ard to frl'cit this indulgence is the object cf ihe piesent letter. Nor can this, I should hope, Le deeir.ed an im- pertinent or unreasonable request. In your setmon you have advanced and ur^ed serious charges against the Methodists ard my- self, under which I cannot he silent : for silence wight induce jou and others, equally weak with yourself, to conclude that they are just and unan^ «werable. ^ Besides, Sir, I am informod that your so call- ed sermon contains misrepresentations and slan- derous accusations against the entire body. You know Sir, that against slander there is no defence. Hell cannot boast so foul a fiend, nor man deplore so foul a foe. It stabs with a word, with a shrug, with a look, with a smile. Sir, it is the pestilence' walking in darkness, spreading contagion far and Wide, which the most wary traveller cannot avoid. It is the heart searching dagger of the dark assas- sm. It is the poisoned arrow whose wound is mcnrable. It is the morlal sting of the deadly adder. Murder is its employment, innocerce Its prey, and ruin its sport. You, Sir, may have been unwittingly led (for what I know) to make those misrepresentations and slanderous accusations, against the Metho- disis : but which are not on that account, more just in their nature, nor less injurious in their op- eration, with respect to those of whom they are exhibited, and wh.nh therefore an imperious sense of religious duty compels me, as far as possible to correct. ' The common law of our country condemns no man before he is heard : the accused is f„lj,, ap. prized of all the charges with which he stands in- our so call- is and slan- body. You no defence, man deplore ^itli a shrug, e pestilence ^ion far and innot avoid, dark assas- 3 wound is the deadly innocerce ly led, (for esentations he Metho- ount, more in their op- n they are rious sense s possible, idemns no is fully ap- stands in- f > dieted : and ample time is allowed him to prepare tor his defence : and surely the law and spirit of uur common faith is not less equitable and lileral. In this business Sir, 1 wish to do equal justice U) you and to myself, and would therefore prefer the original accusations, in their full form and force to the sketches thereof, which I can other- wise produce, from notes taken bv a number of respectable persons who listened to your discourse: or to your furthcoming pamphlet, as I have been informed by a person who heard you say to an agent of the publisher's tliat you icoidd drmv the pen through apart of it or leave out tvhat you did 7iot wish to be printed^ in re-icriting your man- uscript. At this Sir, I demur and bitterly com- plain, as unchristian and unjust. Had not char- acter^ moral and christian, been involved, you would have a right to withhold any part of your manuscript.— If indeed Methodists are the people wliich you have declared them to be, then it would become them to sit in shameful silence in the dust: but if they are of another cliaracter, then truth rises up and demands their Vindicati0n. f so- licit your manuscript for this pur})osc. Your conduct. Sir, will be tested by the judg- ment of the church and the world. The lives. ! 8 «. I^ll' in 8 tempers a,.d labor, of the men against wh„m vo« strongly mveigh, prove that the judgment you have pronounced against them, is as ill founded. *'\I' ',* "^^" ^"'' "ncharitable. Had you, Sir, confined your animadversions up- on (he Methodists to your own church, you would have acted a wise and and faithful part, and have thereby rendered it unnecessary for me to address you m the words in which the Great Head of the Church reproved the hypocrites of the legal e.stah- I- .ment in his day. Matt. vii. 3, 5. : and add .; .^r ""'^' "''"'='* ''^ as follows :~ Ihe text teacheth us these lessons, 1. Those «''o are most censorious of others, are u-sually more notorious and culpahle themselves 3 it ^^ hypocrisy to spy smaller faults inothVrs, aiMl nut see greater it, ourselves. 3. It is impudence '• I'-tend to judge others for sins, in wlS "" »« ourselves. 4. The best way to prevent r-h and severe J.dgingof others, fs t„ loU first >" o our own hearts and «ays,-our cl,u,i,v i„ lliu. k,„d ought to begin at hon,e. I have heard that you challenged me to n.eot you, oelore two Magistrates, cor>cerning wl,at 1 1-e told Do..or Spencer. Sir, I can meet y"u and th« couHicin. statements betweett you I it whom vom Igment you ill founded, (Versions up- you would t, and have 5 to address iead of the egal estab- : and add 1. Those ire usudlly es. 2. It tljers, and mpudence vhich we ) prevent ' iook first -liaiiiv in to u.eoi ing wJiat an meet eeu you and the Doctor, at a proper time and place, as I have the evidence of the person who was present, and heard what you both said, taken before two 4 Magistrates. I have it also in writing, given me by the individual referred to, in the presence of another person. So I think your boasting is ra- ther premature. I have no love for controversy, neither am I in the habit of delivering discourses on controversial points . — a regard for truth, alone, has obliged me to step forward on the present occasion, to defend the Methodists from the grievous charo-es you have brought against them and to chastise ec- clesiastical arrogance. I intend to give the public an (opportunity to examine and weigh the evidence which will be brought before them, in the mode T intend to adopt, viz. of writing you a series of leUers, on I he principles involved in your attack. Y.»u, Rev. Sir, have opened your battery a- gaiu>t us for some time past, you have represent- e<i us as fanatics, sectarians, and schismatics. You have asserted ih it the Methodists have no lawful ministry, without ordination, conse- quently, they have no sacraments, they are no r i.i i ' ),i f.f! 10 church, tlieir system i.s a lyinsr system, and to cap the whole, their ministers are liars ! Thus have we l)oen by you, Sir. misrepresent- ed condemred, and anathematized ; and thus the harmony of the j^earefuJ inhabitants of differ- ent neighborhoods lias been disturbed ; and a party spirit created ; and the message hrotight bv you to the sanctuary, has been anything but that which Angels delivered on the plains of Bethle- hem '.—'' Glory to God in the Highest, peace on earth ; good will towards men." We have been reminded rather of the object and manner of the intended visit of the disciple of Gamuliel to Da- mascus. In addition to my attempt to answer your char- ges against the Methodists, I shall notice the fol- lowing particulars : — I. The docirim of Baptismal Regeneration, II. The ceremony of Confirmation. J 1 1. Apostolic Succession. ■ i : IV. Scriptural Ordination. V\ The true position of the Methodists in re- lotion to TuF. Churcik S^-c. i I 1! n ^, and to epresent- aiif! thus of fliffer- ; and a ought by but that Bethle- peace on Tve been 3r of the 1 to I)a- )ur char- 3 the fol- c7'ation. ■i * ' U. ts in re- I In this letter T li Inthisletlor I have given you a eonoise detail of the points at issue ; and bo it well remember- ed, that to the whole process of your indictment, we plead not guilty. YourSy with deserved respect, Reverend Sir^ BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. REPLY. March '2M, 1850. Sir, Having just now received your letter & seen the signature I beg to return it unread. your obedient servant, JOHN A. MULOCK. Mr. B. Nankkvill. Carleton Place ^ m -*. 12 LETTER IT h- J I i '1' i To The Rbv. J. A. Mulock, Rev. Sir, — I am not permitted to have access to your manuscript, although I solicited it for the purpose of viudicatitig the character of a large bcnly of Christians, 'vhoare generally esteemed for their usefulness and zeal, in every good w«^rd and work. That this is the view in which .the exertions of Methodist preachers are regarded by many pious and influential clergymen, who have much belter opportunities of knowing them, than you posse.^s, will be evident from the published testimony of a clergyman, who in the year 1830, wrote a work called '' Ireland, and the Remedy for her Evils." ''It may exciie a smile of contempt," writes this pi- ous and talented minister, *'upon the cheek of the high and aristocratic senator, or churchman, to name as intelligent an<l active co-operators in the increase of religious kiiowledi;e, the Methodists. But all couu- tries, and all sects and denominations, may be challen- ged to produce a body of men possessed of more zeal, i^reater abstraction from all p)ersonal advantages and wtai'h. Ireland and the proiesiant churches, are deep- I 13 ive access it for the f a large eemed for •od w«^rd rhich ,the jarded by »'ho have em, than ublished ar 1830, Remed/ IS this pi- the high name as irease of ill couu- challec- Te zeai, ges and iro deep- ly indebted to them for the absolute, and uadeniaU« preservation of the scriptural faith, in parishes and towns, where, without their appearance, the veiy name would have been wholly extinct, and not a single fam- ily in the lower ranks have remained to occupy (in many places) the now revivingchurches. Let not, therefore, iheir advances be treated with distrust, or regarded with coldness : they have been sure and secret friends to the Establishment, and this fact, the most talented leaders of our opponents have repeatedly, even with sor- row admitted." Look, Sir, at this picture and your own, and confess your ignorance of that body of christians whom you have publicly slandered and unjtistly maligned, and yet Sir, you have the hardihood to assert that the Methodists commenced the attack ! Vou cannot but recollect the conversation I had with you on the Stb line of Ramsay, when I told you that it originated in two yotmg men conver- sing together on the subject of confirmation : and that both of them were members of your own church! You, Sir, in amazement exclaimed, Is not Rose a Methodist ? and on my observing no, nor never was, you replied, then I am dC" ceived ! After this conversation, in my own stu- dy you told me *• you were called a liar at th« church door, by one of the Methodists." And, on my expressing my regret for this and soliciting the name of the individual, you named a person who I I 14 f I : \l novrr was connected with tfic Methodist Church ! AfiiL vSir, Wore you not asked by a young man, a Mothodisl, (in your own kitchen,) who .was rhe person, that brought you the stories in circu- lation ; and you said you never told any person, and never would. Had he been a Methodist, wouki you have withheld his name? So, when foiled on every hand, you again attempt to rally by confessing, — "I preached the same sermon on seven differ- ent Sundays thinking that would put lying lips to silende ! No, I was mel by Mr. Stevenson, that redoubtable champion of schism, who gave me an insulting letter to peruse at my leisure." Now, iSiir, I question the verity of your state- ment, that, that letter was either insulting in its language or intention, although it was written, AFTER your attack upon the body of which Mr. Stevenson is a creditable and worthy meniber, so that all your attempts to justify yoiir conduct, and to censure the Methodists, are futile and base On the ground of these charges, Sir, I once more venture to meet you. That some member of the church, which you have so grossly defa d, should do this, is plain ; but that it should be at- tempted by au individual of the humble rank of \o St Church ! ' uung man, I who was es in circu- any person, Methodist, So, when pt to rally even dififer- iftg lips to ^enson, that :> gave me sure." _ your state- king in its as written, which Mr. lember, so r conduct, futile and « - •ir, I ones e member y defa d, lid be at- le rank of the writer, can ^oarcjely lail to cNcite youri^u^- prise. 'i hut oiie who cuimot boasi oi iinniediate descent IVoin some hijih arislocratic iamilv, must Stand prcporlionahly low in your estim;ition, yon afford your hearers sntrieient piuof, in your so called reply to my forniCr pamphlet, wlien, Sir, you assert, thai, "many of the:te old Authins wrote more than Mr Nankevill could read in his whole life, even were he to reach the aire of thnje sicore years and ten." Wtjuderiul ! Let it be branded on your forehead ! one man can write more thnn another can read, should he live three score years and ten, and then your hearers may depend on the truth of your statements made on all future attacks on tie Methodists. " Yes there w^ere giants in those days, beside whom Benjamtn Nankevill with all his ignorance, would appear small indeed." Again, " Mr. Wesley in his Jour- nals, refers to means, employed to teacbsome of the Methodist preachers to spell and read." Now Sir though I am somewhat of Seneca's opinion, " That all beggars have descended from princes, and princes from begg^irs ;" yet I do not consider it necessary to trace back my pedigree, in order to see if I could find among my ancestors, some mighty names for wealth renowned, (no matter ^'1 1 I ■ 1 I i 16 Ijow that wealth was accumulfed,) nor to solicit the aid of surronnding ministers, to vilify and de- grade an already insulted and injured people to qualify me lobe heard in defence of that'body of christians which yon, Sir, liave maligned. I respect rank, wealth and station; but mr Bible teaches, in what concerns the glory of God not to accept the persons of men. ] think Sir, the above statements came from you with a very bad grace. I ask what is the reason assigned in the prelacc to the Book of Homilies, for (heir ori. gill ? why Sir, we are told that manv of the min! isters ' have not the gift of preaching,' sufficient to instruct the people committed to their charge.'— u A"'* Archbishop Leighton complains that his (vhurch was a fair carcass without a spirit." Bishop Burnet, speaks on this subject with great concern. " I say with grreat regret," says he «' I have observed the clergy in all places through which I have travelled rapists, Lutherans, Caivinisis and Dissenters, but of them al) our clergy are the most remise in their labour* in private, and the least severe in their lives :— unless a better spirit possess the Clero-y, arguments, and what is more, laws and authority, will not prove strong e- nough to preserve the Church." See IriuRNET's Histo- ry or Hrs OWN Times, Vol. 4, PACEg 41 J, 480. i think Sir, Dr. South very justly says** many ft man has run his head against a pulpit, who ►r to solicit ify andde- .til at body gned. ; but mr ry of God hink Sir, itli a very signed in ' (heir orL ►f the min- fficicnt to liarge.' — f that his )irit.'* ect with ? observed travelled, rs, but of ^ir labour* -unless a and what strong e- ^'s H18TO- 0. » ** many ►it, who 17 who would have cut an excellent figure at a plough tail.'' Lord lienly sa}'s : — " On inspecting the list of dignitaries it will be found that not more than one in twenty of them has any claim to piefernnent, on the ground of I'leological or even of literary aiiainmenis. Parliameniary influence, family connexions, party gratitude, have filled up the vacan- cies as they occurred, with the sons, brothers, and fa- vorites of ministers and their adherents. This species of patronage, lias generally been considered, as so nmch oil to grease the wheels of government, ihai t!ie machine of ihe state may roll on the more smoothly. 'Widely as ihe several parties that have governed tlie country for a century past, have differed in oiker iliings, jhey have all agreed to regard the Church as a source of public patronage, which might fairly be employed ei- ther lor tiie gratification of private parridlity, or as the price ot so much parliamentary influence.'' '' Here," says the Rev. Stewart Batej«, D. D. " Is the reason why the ainecurcs cannot be abolish- ed. Here is the reason why zealous Churchmen are not ashamed to clamour to parliament, (or an increase of churcn revenues, while they are fully aware that near half a million sterling, of the revenue already se- cured to the church, is devoured by a body of eccleBias*- tical drones; a pack of dumb dogs ihaf cannot bark, bleeping, lying dow.n, loving to slumber, greedy do^i which can never have enough. *> " They know well that mere politicians cannot be averse to increase the revenues of the c-iurch, A Utile n, n m niore oil may raufje ihe wheels of siaie to rol! on the more smoo hly. And all this might be borne wilhuut any veiicineiu emotion, couid our attention be confiiitjj to the mere economical part of the question, li is im- nieHsureahly better to expend a few hundreds of thou- sands in Iceepinj; an aristocracy quiet at home, than to lavish millions in support of miliip.ry armaments abroad. Ji"iiit when we riew the question in its religious bear- in^"**, and recollect that this politico-ecclesiastical, semi- popish, semi-proiestaiit, institution, is held out to the ,')eof)Ie as the church of the living God :— that multitudes of unconverted and heretical men, Demases and Judas- ps, and 5^imon Ma^uses, are thrust into the pulpits as liie ppirifual (rwdes, which the <jovernment has provided fcr millions of immortal beings, then indeed, the mingled emotions of grief and indignation can neither he disguis- ed nor repressed." We then feel inclined to beseech the aood men ^' ho -jre -n ihe Church, Sir, in the laniruage of Holy Scripture, " Come out of her my people tliat vf be not partakers oi her sins, that ye re- ceive not of her plagues. '^ Atid now, Sir, in closing this letter I would say, beware, in your zeal for the church, of putting ''darkness for light and light for darkness," the ('ecisions of interested men, for the laws of God subjection to the episcopal clergy, for obedience to. Christ :— the doctrines of your church as con- tained m yo"jr prayer book, for the gospel :— the { I 10 to roll on the borne without on be confiiied on. It i$ ini- Ireds of thou- home, than to iments abroad, eligious bear* liasiical, semi- eld out to the hat multitudes ses and Judas- ; pulpits as the IS provided for , the mingled ker he diaguis- le a<>;)d men lanojuaore of my people that ve re- tor I would h, of putting iness." the iws of God r obedience irch as con- ospel : — the I dictates of human anihority, for Christianity : — a political establishment, (iressetl out by moilorn fan- cy and nouiished bv the riches and glories of this worUl, for the church of Christ. / amy Rev. Sii\ your obedient servant , . V BENJAMIN NANKEVIIX. LETTER HI. To The Rev. J. A. Mllock, Rev. Sir, — I do not wonder at the painful f^ef- ings produced by your discourse, in the mind of every chrislian, even of your own church, who has listened to you, for several Sundays past.- - But, Sir, what must be the feelings of every Melb- odist that was present, to see the ashes of liO- parted worth disturbed in its silent repose — when they saw by you, Rev. Sir, the graces of those who are resting in Abraham's bosom, blackened widi the vituperating tongue of calumny — when the characters of such self denying lieralds of the love of God as Dr. Coke and the Rev. Francis Asburv, H .^1 (!. ' ii are forced through the ordeal of insulting accusa- t.on and (hat by one who might count it his high- est honour, to sit at .heir feet, and learn the plain- est senfments of humility, and .he first principles of char„y. If, Sir, " our Fathers" are L allow- eel, by you, (even beneath the clods of the valley) their less worthy sons expect. What other object could yo„ have in view ^. n ,0 degrade ,l,e names of Dr. Coke and the' Kcv. Francs Asbury, and their successors i„ of- Do you not think, you were as large as any domi-pope when you said:— , " All these assertions about VVeslev,' Cke ami Asbury .refa-.chood,!- That " n; letters of orduiafon were ever issuc.l by Wesley, f challenge the world, yes, all the Me.hodis.s tha ever.,.^^^^ 1 Why, Sir 'you ni„st be a mightv Goliath ' It >s no wonder, that the armies of Israel ^yere dis- mayed and greatly afraid . Here, you in.ima.e, that Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury thrust themselves I into an office to which they had not been called ; an office in which they had no business. What, but the most pitiable prejudice and unprincipled injustice, could draw forth the above remarks ; statements that have not a shadow of truth for their support ; as will be proved by the following facts. Mr. Wesley's intimate iriend and fellow- laborer, the Rev. Henry Moore, says : — '' At the conference lield in Leeds in ITSi, Mr. Wes- ley declared his intention of sendinf,^ Dr. Coke and some other preachers to America: Mr. [licliard VVhaicoai and Mr. Thomas Vasey offered themselves as Missionaries for that purpose, and were accepted. Bei'ore they sail- ed Mr. Wesley abridged the common prayer book oi the Church of England, and wrote to Dr. Coke, then m London, desiring him to meet him in Bristol lo receive fuller powers; and to bring with him the Rev. Mr. Creighton. The Doctor and Mr. Creighton according- ly met him in Bristol ; when with their assistance, he ordained Mr. Richard Whatcoat, and Mr. Thomas Va- s sey, Presbyters for America, he afterwards ordained Dr. Coke a Superintendent, giving him letters of ordi- nation, under his own hand and seal." — Moore"* Lifk OF Wesley, Vol. 2, page 193. These letters of ordination may be seen in the Rev. S. Drew's Life of Dr. Coke, page 66 ., And here, Sir, I would add tiie authoritative testimony of tlie English Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, for 1825. "Mr. Wesley, in point of fact, did ordain bishops for the American Societies, though he iafeuded them to III' !■ I t f i\ 02 W be called Superintendents : whether the name (Bishcp) ii«'id or had not the sanction of Mr. Wesley, is now of the least possible consequencj, as '.he Episcopacy itstlf was ofiiis own creatine:."— Engmsh Wesleyan Maga. ziNE for J 825, pai^e 1S3. Again, the Rev. Henry iMoore observes; — '•Mr. Wesley gave to those episcopoi (bishops) whom lie oRDAfNED, ilie modest, but highly expressive title of Superintendents, and desired that no other might be used. + * :!; ^ ^ ^ That our brethren in office are^ true scriptural bishops, J have no doubt at all : nor do I wish that ilie title should be rehnquished, as it is grown inio use, and is known by every person in the U. S. to des- ignate men distinguished only by their simplicity and abundant labours.'' — Moore's Life qv wesley. Vol 2, pages 199, 29:^. Rev. Sir, from these indubitable testimonies it is abundantly evident, that, notwithstanding your contradictory assertions, the episcopal office of the Methodist Church in the United States was created by Mr. Wesley himself. Again, Sir, you affirm that : — " The Conference in the United States did not receive Coke and Asbury as bishops,^^ and that "this statement, in the Methodist discipline, is a falsehood.''^ ' ■■ ■-i Here, Sir, I consider you as wild and erroneous as before, and scarcely deserving notice. As a proof, Sir, 1 would refer you to ' Dr. Coke's Bio- grapher, a Wesleyan Methodist Minister, in Erio-. i I I le (Bishcp) ■, is now ot opacy itsfclf VAN MaGA- ves ; — iO|)s) whom sive title of T might be ze are^ true r do 1 wish grown in 10 . JS. to des- piicity and EYj Vol 2, timonie<5, islanding •pal office ;ates was es did not and that ipline, is erroneous e. As a ke's Bio- ', in Er)g- i I 23 lanu,' (with whom I was personally acqiiaintcJ) a man of talent, learning and piety: Mr Drew observes that: — .' Dr. Coke, in conjunction with Mr. Asbury, publish- ed during this visit, a small volume, containinir 1^7 pa- res respecting the doctrines and discipline ot^the Meih- odLSi Episcopal Church in America, with explanatory notes."' In the fourth section of that book the orrlina- tions powers, duties and responsibility of bishops or superintendents, are clearly pointed out and ex- plained. , , , , I ^< A bishop is to be constituted such, by ilJe general Conference, and the laying on ot the hands of two or three bishops, &c.''-Cokp's Life, page 55. From this, it appears, that the authority vested in the hands of Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury by Mr. Wesley, by, and with the consent of the Ameri- can Conference, was precisely the sawc, with that which is possessed by the bishops of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, in the United Slates, at the present time. Four years after their church was organized, in the Minutes of Conference for the year 1789, it is asked, *' Who are the persons that exercise the Episco- pal office r' ^ ^^^.^^.^ Ans. "Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury. — Bound Minutes, vol I, page 76, Two years after the organization of their church, i t The Rev. Jesse Lee 24 gives the foIK A^burv re,e„ e, y.""^' f '^•^'- ^^ Coke a,W Francis "" 'hepTsZuiZI'l "" "'""'"• The President copal church „ , t UnidSu "'"?'."" ''^"""''^' '''''■ ^^'W. page 106 """"'' ^""«s of Amerioa."-CoKE's adIV,'r f "•'" ""questionable evidence may be added he testanony of one of the elde,st and mo. rt!.?', "'""■"^^^ ^'"- Waters, who refe we had craved hi<, a,lv,v= . ^ "''^'^' a'"'er •alee effec, .i, d ' 1/ us" w " f'^"' ^ ""' ''""" "-" erale formal manTra » /.' T ' '^"^ ''""* '" « 'l^lfb- Pose, .n whici h "e wis no "r"" "*"^'' '"'' "'=" >'- "- o< any discern JerarsffrviT' , ^'^'^ C|.!arle„er on ',he occasion, a, well a^f !^ "' '"• church government, that we lei 7 ^'^ ^"'"^ -— 'v.E;isc„p:.u!^-!!^B:io:r:ol:':; ^ I I ^i account le n (pub- in 1787,) be done in of bishops (on to the I'i Francis 3 President lodisl epis- "—COKE'S e may be and most ! of Mr. ho refer- I Metho- hurch; — 'EY, after could not n a delib- tliat pur- E very- ley's cir- y part of edly de- it to last i I (continues the Rev. W. Waters) the business of Gen- eral Assistant, Superintendent, or Bishop, has been THf;sAME, only since we have become a DISTINCT CHURCH, he has with the assistance of two or three elders, ordained our ministers."— VVatehs' Life, pages 103. 104, 105. Now, Rev. Sir, I call upon you, and it will be no disparagement to you, either as a gentleman or a christian, to acknowledge your error, as pub- licly as vou preferred your accusations: and thus make restitution^ to an unjustly slandered body of christians ; or stand accused at the bar of public opinion as a defamer. ., I ask. Sir, would it not be wise and prudent, in you, to attend to the advice given by Gamaliel to the bigoted and persecuting dignitaries of the Jewish Church : — - *' Refrain from these men, and let them alone, tor if this counsel, or this work be ot men, it will come to nought, hut if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lestliaply ye be found even to fi<>ht against God." St. Paul, in his 1st Epistle to the Corinthians having enumerated the benefits which the Israel- ites enjoyed, the sins they committed, and the punishments God inflicted upon them, adds by- way of application, " Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Yours ^ with deserved respect^ ' ^ - BENJAMLV NANKEVILL. f i':!' 11 IP m FlH' LETTER IV. To Thk Rev. J. A. Mulock, Rev. Sir, — I assure you, the part which I feel called on to sustain, in this unpleasant transaction cannot possibly be more ungrateful to your teel- ingSj than it is to mine. If, Sir, it were a private concern, and merely relating to myself, my pres- ent feelin^-s would lead me to drop it, andoblitcr ate the last impression of it from my recollec- tion ; but, it is not private, & dierefore, that can- not be. That the Methodists and myself have been arraio^red, and condemned, by you, is a matter of publicity, through tie whole country. The nu- merous congregations which attended your church- es, and listened to the ten pest of defamation, poured u) on the Methodists, from your pulpits, are witnes.^es. For their salus, then, as well as, for tl e sake of truth, tl ey must 1 ave an oppor- tunity, (should they think proper to avail them- selves of it,) of jidging ai d detern iinng, the rea^ state and merits of the case ; I, therefore, pro* ceed to notice tlie ren.ainder of your allrsaticns. ■i sy, ( 27 liich I feel ransactiou vour feel- ! a private my pres- indoblitfr recollec- , that can- have been i matter of The nn- urchurch- famation, ir pnipits, s well as, an cppor- :iil them- >,the rea' fore, pro* •eatkns. Sir, you assert:— '^ Mr. Wesley never ordain- p^^ for England, I would like to know what Mr. ^ Sankevill means, by ' other sources,' the letter of orders on page 38, of Mr. NankeviU's pamphlet, \K 3 fabrication, never issued by Mr. Wesley.'' 'I ^ ,]ust allow me, Sir, to inform you ; with re- ■ gard to the Methodists, I possess one great advan- tage over you. I know them : you do not, or yo'^i never would have engaged in this contr«»ver. . «y, or ventured an attack upon the body. With ] ihe standard writings of the Methodists, T have also some tolerable acquaintance: of them, your jo-norance is profound. ^ Sir I shall now proceed, to illuminate your darkness on these subjects, hoping, it will prevent vou from falling into error, in futur^. ' ►'Mr Wesley, (says the llev. VVilham Myles) had hitherto ordained r^iinisters only for America, and Scol^ la 1 but trom this period. [1787, four years be tore h.s ^ 'ea h] being assisted by other presbyter, ol the Church I of England: be set apart a certain number of preachers for .he sacred offiee by the impositton o h.s --^ ^ ^ nraver, without sendinj? them out otRngland.'-Mv..LS VL > . M,«-.n«v OP THE People CALLED Meth- ChRONOLOGICAL tilSlORV OF IHbl cur ODISTS, pasre 135. ^ , r-i r» l J See Sir, also Wesley's Life by Dr. Coke and Mr. Moore, page 500, mul l.lu^h with shame :- '■The eonlerence after Mr. Weslev's Jeath, .ook, there- lore, the true ground, in considering the acl of admission i ^ - > i'-l 28 into ihe minisiry. so as to be devoted wholly to it. anrlad no to exercise the pastoral charge, lo be a true and scripiu Jnto fall ral ordination, both to preach the word and to adminis terlhe sacraments, making wholly light offhe absd'^'^^' ^^ pretensions of a few among the preachers who ihoiify|!^''^»'^"^^ that they had received something more than their brjlll ^" S'^^"! ^ ren, from 5he mt-re ceremony of the imposition of Mr the ehii] Wesley's hands subsequent to their ordinary appoint Mr. \ ment."~Wi:sLEv's Life, Dige 253. .. , ,.' jSow, Sir, I would ask is it not obvious - ^ i ' ^ r,.i . .1 1 . , . produce! 1. 1 hat there were ordained muiisters, in the f. . Knglish connexion, at the time of Mr, VVcoley'slic says death ? u £y^ 2. That the preachers, in connexion with him: p^^p^,,.^ were invested with equal power, with himself, to ivLril ordain. - ' ^^j ^^mi 3. That his own example authorized the ordi- ^ '\v7 nation of ministers, for England, when, in their nvKle k judgment it was necessary. ' , , Rev. Sir, you say :-" No preacher, presumed „„i be ; to adtninister the sacraments during Mr Weslev's life. Deny this, who can !" " '""'* ' To your statement. Sir, af.er «ll your apparent „|.f j'' triumph, I give a full and ilat denial ; and (ell v you once more, of Methodism, your ignorance is ,,,.''' profound ! ! For, " in one case he gave to one of ^ the preachers, leave to baptize and give the sac ^'°" '^" rament, in particular circumstances, allhoueh be ■'."" ^"^ ^ jicatior M, 2^ lolly to it, anlad no other ordination than his * heing received le and scripujjjjito fall connexion,' at the conference, like the icMo adminis jpp^t . a^a allowed two others, Mr- Highfield in ' whn^''''"" England, and Mr. Myles in Dublin, to assist him an their brJ'ilr^^g'V^"^ the sacrament, to the great onence ot 'osition of Mr ^^^ church people there. " nary appoint Mr. Wesley's innovations, on church order, in Dublin, appear, from several of his letters, to have vious r p^Q(]uce(l somewhat outrageous attacks upon him, sters, in tlie f^.,,,^^ several quarters, m that city. In one of them . f»'' VVeoley'slic says :— " Every week I am bespattered in the public •n with hiiTii papers : many are in tears on the occasion : ma- himself, to jiy terribly frightened, and crying ' O what will tlieond be?'" , theordi- What, think you, was the reply, this good mau , en, in their niade to those who, like yourself, were so fright- ened about tliose innovations ? " ' What will the , presumed ^jk] Ij^ p» why, glory to God in the highest, and r. Wesley's jje^ce and good will among inen." Such, Sir, was his reply to those high chu^^h ir apparent ^,1,^^,^^^^ g^^ Wesley's Life, page 252. ; and (ell y^^^^^ g-,,^ profess to be achristiau^ a clergyman jnorance is ^^.|^,, boasts of your origin from the Apostles. Do e to one of ^^^^ ^^.^^^ ^^^.^^ ^^^ possessed their spirit, when e the sac- ^,^^^^ ^^.^^ ^^^ ,^^^^^ of orders, page 38 were a fab- llhough he y,^^,; ,,ever issued by Mr. Wesley? Now Sir, 'f : :! i 30 allow mc to say, I have the letter, lying before me, in a bound volume of VVeslevan Tracts for the times, published by John Mason, bo.»k steward, Wesleyan Conference oflice, 14 City i^-oad, Lon- ; don. These tracts are piiblif-hed by tlie authori- ty of the conference. You may find this letter, tract 1st, page 9. Sir, there are too many, who, though thev du not rob their neighbor of liis substance, yet do not think much of taking from him his good name.— But if " a good name is better than precious oint- ment," it is more valuable, to an honest man, than any worldly possession, whatever, yea, I miiy add, than life itself: to deprive him of it, or to '\ take measures to that purpose, is an act of the most cruel and attrocious injustice. The man of religion, therefore, will be so far from bearing false witness against another, that he will be cau. tious how he insinuates anvthinsf to his disadvan- tage. Nay, he will be Inclined to put a favorable construction, upon actions that are* doubtful, and even upon those, which, in some respects, might be termed blanfe-worthv. — " Put them in mind," 9 says the Apostle to Titus, " to speak evil of no man." But, Sir, if it be a sin, to speak evil of one man; what is the guilt of him, who can anathematize and defame, yea, without a sigli, (^ 1 o I ting before racls for the »k steward, n,oacl, Lon- lie authori- this letter, i^h ihev du , yet do not xl name. — ecious oiiit- ouest iniui, vea, I iTiciv of it, or to act of the rhe man of 3m bearing vill be cau. s disadvan- a favorable ubtfulj and 3cts, might i in mind," evil of no erxk evil of , who can iout a i^'gHi c,ect from ll.e pr,le of .cr.pi.ral <.,l,nst>u>.. >, wo „,ir,ls of all tlie protestant ministers m ( li.-.-t.|n. ,l,„H,witlitl>e millions of i.nmorul souls, umler their itastoral care. Yo'> Sn,.M:-The MelhodUts never ,»e- ^rmedto wdcnn till the year 1836, 45 years uf- Icr Mr. Wesley's death, previous to tluttttiMii ,„«s called receiving into full connexion, why lasitnotdmie hefo.e'! Because the memory of Wedey toas fresh in their minds. Here, again, Sir, we have a .pocimon of your ignorance of that body, that you have most fou v ami unjustly maligned. Sir, 1 ask, what .sord- nntion The Rev. Richard Watson says, itib.- nation im- i>c , „,„ „,icrs or of ininanii!; uTI.e act of conlerr.ng ho y °"'"^' °' , ^,„i .person into the min.try ol ^f^^^H^^,,^, with or without th« laying on ol hands. w B.Bi.ic*i. DicT.oKAKV Art. Ord.nat.on. Cranmor, Archbishop of Canterbury author ot the Homilies of the Church of England, says :- <I„ the New Testament, he that - »PP".nte -o be a hishop or priest needeth no consecration ^y^''^ ^^ ,u efor .lection or appointing thereto ,s ^»ff'<='--;" • Esslv on the doctrine and order ot the Evangeltcal Church, &c. , « If any pious lavmen were banished to a desert and havin, no regularly consecrared priest --;>^?^;^J^ weretoa,reatochoa.e (or that office, one^ot that nun ber, married or unmarried, tui. mau wou^u b. as iruiy i« M 32 a priest ns if he had been rohsecrated hy all the bishops in the world. Augustine, Ambrose, aud Cyprian were chosen in this manner.' Rev. Richard VVhately ArcL- bishop of Dublin. Note N page 89, The Kjnodom op CiinisT. Now, Sir, llial tt.is was Mr. Wesle>''s view is clear from ll.e facts I have referrcl you to before m allowing his preachers to adminiMor the sac- raments without the imposition of hands. filVr7'"'!lf^*'- ^^^^'^V's proceJings -says (he Rev R,e mrd Wa.son-boll. as lo America and Scot- I n<n wou ,1 have been as valid o„ Scriptural grounds, ■■■"I il.ere heen no o<!.e, form used than sin,ple prayed lormen already in ,l>e ministry going /orti, on an impor- tant m,8s,onbu. ns the New Testa.nent exhibited a prof- t..ble example o( imposition ol hands in the caseofPatti a,M Barna ,as who had been long belbre ordained to the !hs est order ul the n.inistry, when sent (orth into a new fie; do/ labor, th,s example was followed.''- Lesley's I;;;c.^p,ge.53. See also a note, at, he bo„on. or .-he, tha't'^M?' W r-"*'"?' "•'.^^"■'""'"'. " "-il appear' that M. VVesleys ordmanous, both for .4menca and Scotland stood upon much the same ground. The ft^ll powers of the ministry had before been conv yod to the l-antes, bu, now they had a special designatio , o e.. St^ 1 '" T" "T" '" " ■"" »"" P™"li- 'Pl'ere. ply hat thetr former ord.nation was deficient a., to the right of administering the sacraments which it convey- ed: for then how cnme Dr. Coke-vho was al.eady a presbyter of the Church c( En-land -t. ,,.\ T. ' i ' ! I f r- ' bishops an were ly ArcL- ODOM or view IS befoie he sac- ^ys the I Scot- rounds, prayer impor- a prof- ofPaui I to the a new esley's 01" the appear a and le full to the . exer- phere. ot irii- to the nvey- adv a amed I I 83 again, wlun, according to Mr. WesIey^s own view he cculd r.oi be higher in order than a presbyter, al- though iiis powers might be enlarged as to their apj lica- iion ') More of this, Sir, when we nolice, in a letter to you, Scriptvral ordimition. But th is is enough to scatter all your Sophism and unholy siatenienis into something worse ihan smoke. With great respect^ yoursy BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. LETTER V. To The Rev. J. A. Mulock, Rev. Sir, — Vou assert tha'.,'/* bishops and pres* byters, are not the same order. Burnet every- where contradicts the as&crticns of Mr. Nanke* vill." Before, Sir, I proceed to a direct reply to )^our unfounded assertions, I would observe, that when our blessed Redeemer a&cerided up on high, he gave gifts unto men. And he gave some apostles', and fiome prophets, and some evangelists, and ill 'it n p Ml 11 l! 34 some pastors and teachers ; for tlie perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry ; for theld- ifying of the body of Christ." But in this large enumeration of gifts and offices, however, ther^e is no mention made of kings or popes or diocesan bishops, whose functions as heads of the Church required special notice. If the offices appointed by your church, were scriptural and of divine au- thority, we ought surely to have met with such a passage as this in the New Testament ; ^'And he gave their Graces the mo:,t Revered the Arch- bishops, by divine providence. The Right Rever- end the Bishops, by divine permission. The ve- ry Reverend, the Deans. The Worshipful, the Chancellors. The Venerable, the Arcluleacons. The Reverend, the Prebendaries, and Canons. The Reverend (he Priest, Rector, or Viear ; and the Reverend the Curate." Sir, I cannot find this text in my Bible, nor do I think vou can in yours, yet jpou dwell with a great deal' of emphasis on your holy church bein^ maligned ; yea, sir, you affirm that your church is the purest, the simplest, the most Apostolical, of any church upon earth, and by you we are bran<ied with the charge o,f schism nwd fanaticism, because, forsooth, we do not join it. Let, however, any unprejudiced per- effecting of for the ed- 1 this large \^er, there or diocesan the Church s appointed f fhVine air i^ith such a ; "And he the Arch- ght Rever- • The ve- hipful, the 'cluleacons. id Canons. ViiydT ; and lot find this m in yonrs, Tiphasis on a, sir, you £ simplest, ipon earth, charge o,f 3th, we do udieed per- S5 son compare the above list of dignitaries with the New Testament, and then say, where schism and fanaticism is to be found. Diocesan Episcopacy, is, we fearlessly assert a mere human invention. I have been quite amu- sed, Sir, at the remarks you made about the " Eru- dition of a Christian Man," because that hook with all the Popery it retains, flatly denies your asser- tions. Concerning the order of deacons the book says : — •'Their offire in the primitive church wa?; partly to minister meat and drink, and other necessaries to the poor, and partly to minister to the bishops and priests. Then follows this remarkable passage : I know. Sir, that you will not like it, because there is too much pure protestantism in it, but I must quote it notwithstanding, here it is : — *' Ofthese two orders only, thai is to sav. priests and deacons, Scripture mnketh express mention, and how tliev were conferred of the Apostles by prayer and im- position of hands: but the primitive church afterwards rppointed inferior decrees, as sub-deacons, acolytes, ex- orcists &c. but lest peradventure, it rai^ht be thought by srrpetbat such nuiliorifies powers and jurisdiction, as patriarchs, primates archbishops and metropolitans now pl| If ■i ! ■1 ! m • S6 hare, or heretofore af any i-me had justly and lawful- ly over other bishops, were given them bv God in holy scripture, we think it expedient and necessary that all men should be advertized and taui?ht, that all such iawi^ul power and auihority of any one bishop over au- other, were and be given them by the consent, ordinan- ces. and positive lawsofiviKN only, and not by any or- dinance of God in holy scripture; and all such power and authority vvhich any bishop has used over another, vvh.ch have not been given him by such consent and ordinance of men, are in very deed no lawful power, out plain usurpation and tyranny." What clo you think of Bishop Burnet, ami the Eruaition of a Christian Man" now, Sir, why they are really as bad against your high preten- tions, as those hated dissenters. Sir, it is surpassingly strange, at least to me, that you should contradict the quotations in my pamphlet, (pages 13 and 14) as well as assert that ''there was not a correct one in the whole " when they were given verbatim from your onVh standard works. Sir, I am afraid this must pro- ceed from a heart unrenewed hy orace, unless your works are like the Homilies I possess, the one set, written by Archbishop Cranmer, the other by the Rev. Sir Adam Gordon, Bart. M. A a«cl are said to be written in a modern style, out I i: ■ I and lawful- Grod in holy iary tliat all at all sucli up over art- It, ordinan- ' by any or- such power er another, Jnsent and ful power, f, and the Sir, why h preten- it to me, IS in my as assert whoJe," 'our own ust pro- 3, unless iess, the aer, the •t. M.A. yle, but I 8T llie modern ones have very liitle resemblance to the origiual: but to proceed to the investigation of the bubject before us. "In the reign of Edward 6ih, [about 'he year 1517] a very grave and learned assembly ol'selecl divines was called by the King's special order for debating the settle- ment of thino-s according to the word of God, and the practice ol the primitive cliurch. It consisted ol Cran- |ner, Aichbishop of Canterbury, the Archbisho]) of York and many other prelates and divines of the first distinc- tion." The list of names may be seen in my former pamphlet, page 14. The account of their proceedings, Dr. Stillingfleet assures us he took himself, "from the authentic manuscript of Archbishop Cranmer, »hen first published. To the questions propounded to the assem- bly by order of the King, those eminent divines gave in their answers severally, on paper, which were all sum- med up and set down by the Archbishop of Canterbury himself." I will give one question with the answer and refer you to my former pamphlet, page IC. for oth- ers. Question, " Whether bishops or priests were first :— and if the priests were first, then the priest .made (he bishop.'* Answer, *' The bishops and priests were at one time* and were not two things, hut both onb office ia the be^i ginoiag of Christ** religion," ...I ! . Archbishop Usher's plan, for comprehending the Presbyterians and Episcopalians in the time of Charles 1st was also founded upon the principle of bishops and presbyters being the same order. ^^ "It ought 10 be UQderslood," says Dr. Samuel Miller. Uiul, among those who espouse the episcopal side, there are three classes." '' The iirsi consists of those who heiieve that neither Christ nor his Apostles laid down any particular lonn 01 ecclesiastical government, to whick the church is bound to adhere in all ages. That every church is tree cousistentiy with the divine will, to frame her constitu- uon agreeably to her own views, to the state of society and 10 exigences ol' particular times. These prefer the episcopal goveinment, and some ol them believe that it was ine primitive lorm: but f.ey consider it as resting on the ground of human expediency alone, and not of Divme appointment. This is well known to have been the op,,,,,„ of Archbishop Cranmer, Griudai, and Whuegiit, oiiJishop Leighton, of Bishop Jewel, olBish op Burnet, oi Dr. VVhituker, of Bishop Reynols. of Archbishop Tiliotson, ci Bishop Croft, of Dr. JSt.lling- fleet, and ol a long list of the most learned and pious di- vnies 01 the Church of England, Horn the reformation, down to the present day." Emory's Defence of - Our Fathers," pages 5, 6. Dr. VVhitaker, one of the greatest protestant champions ui the days of Queen Elizabeth and James 1st:— m< I «. .. i rehending the time of principle le order. luel Miller, copal side, hat neither cular lonii ! church is jrch is iree if constitu- of society ! prefer the eve that it as resting and KOT of have been udal, and 3I, oi Bish. Leynols, of r. >Suiling- d pious di- formaiion, s of " Our rotestant aeih and « Formerly there was no difference between a pres- byter and a bishop for the placing of bishops over presby. byters was a human a«Tangement devised to take awaf schisms, as history testifies."— Whit akeri, Opp, pages 509, 510. Mosheim : — '* The rulers of the church were called either presby ' ters or bishops, which two titles are in the New Testa- ment, undoubtedly applied to both." Eccles. Histort Vol. 1, pa^e 101. Thus you see, Sir, the snpcnority of bishops to presbyters is, not only by the first reformers and foundors of the Church of England, but by many of its m >st learned and eminent doctors since, not pretended to be of (Uvine, but only of human , institution : not grounded upon scripture, but on- ly upon the custom or ordinances of the Church of England. , •^ The truth is, that in the New Testament there is no mention of any degree or distinction of orders, but only of Deacons or Ministers, and of Priests or Bishops."— Burnet's Hist, of the Reformation, Vol.1 Ap. pagt 321. \ ..^; So says a declaration of the function, &c. which was signed by more than thirty-seven Civilians, and Divines, among whom were thirteen Bishops. The book entitled. The Institution of a Christiau II n 1^ ^^aii, subscribed hv the ol^m^u • /^ and confinned 5, p'^t^t f I'.^^^r^''-. Presbyters by scripture t„ be .L ri*? f ""^ hough S . Paul consecra.ej and ord.re.l Bl,,,' by ,mpostu>,. of bands : vet .here i, no..,.f • > naiion, rEi,inn/n .. '^"iment, m this f.i.iandj was not any prate'v? >f rv- v'ne r<sht, but .he caavenienoe .ff h Vr . church governra.n.t,, the s.l " , V°™ '^'^ Jearned awi pious S.iir V "''^°™^""n. ^"ur |.> be the 1 ? '"^''■'''""'™'"''"Jpn.ves I oe the SiiKimeni of Amhhtct, r. and others c'licf r»f„ -'^rchbish.p Cranmer, 6th a„d Qa« PI r?;*' ''""^ "' Edward the VVhi.etiS Btlfo 7t ? •^"''" ■' "'Archhish.p /w^« 385. '='*"r'h, S.C. /renjfo.j, c,4. 8, o.. Sii; i;;! . ':!.: "'.'':; ''^^""'"^^' -'■oxford, 'Authority andp'ovver bVcod'^U 7. T" T"^ 'he judgrae„t of St Pau r^ '"'" Ambrose, A.stiu Thf ? ' '^''/-''^"^»'"". Jerome, . -^ 'Still, I lieod >rus, &c. &o. I I vocation » 'jops and and siysy ^ Bishops ^i^dn rule . e^fection tiie pos- e main in this ^ of* J>i. brm of tioii of 1, your proves Einmer, ird the »ishop SiU ch, 8, [ford, 3/1695 been ome. I 41 See. alo, tlio Life i-f VVhitogifi, page 293 ; '* The first English Jieformeis acknowlej.roj only two orders ot church otljcers, bishops and deacons to be of Divine jippointment." And now, Sir, after the perusal of this letter, 1 hope you will ask yourself, who it is that, — " Reckless of consequences, hesitates not to falsify hinaself, if he may inflict a wound upon the Church of Christ?" Who is it. Sir, tliat, — *' First miscalls, (hen misapplies, then misrepre- sents and finally brands himself with falsehood?^* Is it Benjamin Nankevill, or John A. Mulock ? I beseech you, Sir, by the mercies of God, and for the honor ofchristianity ; and by the allegiance you owe your only Lawgiver, Jesus Christy to weigh these things, in an impartial and unbiased mind. May his spirit of truih judge hetwixt us, upon these points^ and teach us his will. To his i* luence 1 commend you, and remain, ReiK Sir^ yours, ^c, BENJAMIN NANKEVILL ' — ■ r 'W! 43 m'r LETTER vr. To The Ret. J. A. Mulock, Rev. Sir,— Another of the charges, you, in the progress of accusation, against the Methodists, have preferred and urged, is, that they have been guilty of d,e sin of schism; and that, therefore the.v are scHisMAfics ! That no ground may be afforded to the charge of unfairness, I will give your extravagant and olfensive remarks :— On March 3d, at ^vhat (I believe) you call James s Church, you said : " My Brethren.-I hope I shall never hear^f any „f you, in this parish, entering a Methodist Meeting House, for it is a heinous sin, thereby you would be encouraging the sin of schism, which IS a sin as wicked as murder, if not more so for It IS classed with mwder, and other crmies * y *„ March 10th, Carleton Place, My Brethren,-! hope this is tl>e last time I shall have to warn you agaiasf going to Methodist Meet- tngs : li ,t be a sin to go once, how much more, I 43 ou, in the ^thodists, lave been lie refore, I may be will give s : — you call r hear loi lethodist thereby, schism^ lot more nd other II Place, le I shall St Meet- Jh more. I to go often ! • * * * They who contribute the smallest sum to dissenters are encouraging schism^ are committing sin ! In truth, I do not see how a man can go on his knees, day nftcr day, and yet so to a Methodist meeting. You keep your chil- dren from Taverns, lest they learn to drink : from Shanties lest they learn to swear : and yet, you send them to McUiodist meetings, where they learn dissent^ which is worse ! Oh let me iu- treat you to keep your children from the Metho- dist Sunday Schools." Now, Sir, 1 am sure, from i/ow, I have no fa- vors to expect, amd am, therefore, thankful that I have none to solicit : and hence, Sir, I proceed to inform you, that your conduct is the very es- fcence of spiritual despotism. To every discern- ing mind, it indicates conscious moral weakness. Christianity repudiates it as unholy ; and true wisdom rejects it as impotent and unworthy.—- And for one whom such conduct attracts, it will repel a hundred from your churches. 1 am exceedingly sorry that I am compelled, in self defence, to draw, what I consider, a con- trast, between the Church of Christ, ^x\d the Church of England, The Christian Church is one outward and vis- 44 ibIcSocietv, divinely i„.,i,,,e,h, he mo,, admi- rable .,,.1 glorious Sooicy under He.ven. Zi U.rM,a„ Cf.urcl., ,.s a society divine 1. instituted en, n. atover «,.ciety, i.s not of dL Zlj CHR.ST. m..; |,ere, .hall I en.reat Z l-J -..!. .he i,„pa.tiHh,, of a christian, who In, t ^.u.gbut,n,.ha„d,hewillofGo inv! "to .e C A„.c/. «/ England, and the Co«.,;/«,,v« of the Chokch or C„«,sT, and see if they are T so-e„es..f,uitead„r.ent frame: . fe oT. a - ^~. 'I- other aZ>,Vme institution: ,!,"";„! rest,ng ent„ely upon the authority «nd Ml "f God. The Church of England is constituted and ' governed by Act., of Parliament : ti.e Church of Chn t, ^, ^^^^^^^^^ ^urch of omple The K,ng or Queen as the case may be IS the Head, of the Church of En-land - rJ is the Bead of M.ou.n murS^r^Tt onT:: eludes from its pale all other Churches ; the other includes all who fear God and work rigf^eousn ss .net-ery Church, under Heaven. There has «.sle<I bu. for a fev. oemunes. the othe t 45 St admi- • Mind . If the stituted, , but of URCH of >u, Sir, iJMs no. i<Mv, to ttion of ^tion of are not ^ne, a 'ie one vill of niy of 'dand •ch of d ex- iy be IRIST ! ex" other tiess, has ion more than eighteen hundred years. The one may fall and come to an end, but the other will remain iorcver. By your (aking it for granted, that, your Ecclesiastical establishment, and the Church of Christ .-ire one, and then inferring, that a departure from the f»rmer, is a departure from the latter you have greatly erred. And, hence, Sir, I ask, where is the sin of schism ? JJow, your 19ih Article informs us, that: — *' The visible Church ot Christ is a congreijalion of faithful men, in liie vvi)ich liie pure word of God i« preacheil, and the Sacraments be duly ministered accor- dino; to Christ's ordinance in all those things ihal of ne- cessity are requisite to the same.'' Therefore, to .separate from a minister, who is a sinner, and his wicked ungodly hearers, can be no separiition from the Church of Christ, of which they form no part ; but, on the contrary, to continue in fellowship with them is (o become one witii those, who are not members of his Cliurch. Do you not remember, Sir, that (he first Re- formers were counted Heretics, and open Schis- malics, by die high Churchmen amongst whom they lived ? Sir, it has ever been so. As a proof 1 wo^ild refer you, to that misguided Princei Charles 1st and his furious primate, Laud, theM <. i ; fi .1 'I A', i i I? Sir, and kiadro.I spirits are the real Schismatics who by their intolerance cause us to .lopart. ' I would, here, put you in mind of a fact, that has escaped your reading or memory. Upon the earnest solicitation, of the Queen of Bohemia with he K,„.,herbrothcr, [Charles .St, in the year 1631] a collection ivas or.lered ihrouqhout Kn-.- land lor the poor persecuted ministers of Palatine who were banished the country for their reli-rion' In the brief which was oranted for this purpose was this clause :-« Whose cases are the more to be deplored, because this extremiiy is fallen upon them for their sincerity and constancy, in the true religion, which we, together with them pro- fess." Archbishop Laud excepted a-ainsf this clause, anddenittd, that the reliirion of the Pala- tine Churches was the same wiih ours, because- •hey were Calvinists ; and their ministers had not Episcopal or,lination. Laud acquainted the k«ng with his objection. The clause was ordered to be expunged, and the brave unhappy Pala- tines were thus -.ubhely disowned by the govern- ors of the Churcn and not allowed to be the pro- lessorsofthe same true ^eli^rion. How unchris- tian and schismalical (his ! And now. Sir F ask do we not see your own character portrayed, m the conduct of Laud .' • ismctticsy art. act, that Upon the mia with the year tHit P^ng- Palatine, relio-ion. purpose, he more is fallen ^y, in the lem p ro- ll* list this he Pala- because ' ers had ited the ordered y Pala- govern- the pro- unchris- ^r, I ask >ed, in 47 Schism is, indeed, a division, or separation, but not in the sense generally supposed. You know fir, the papists, since the lleioriu\lio!i took pi ce in Europe, have been sufllciently la- vish, in bestowing the (ulions epithet of S'Ms* rnaiics^ uY^^m your church ) and you, Sir, have not been sparing, in giving the same opprobrious appeHation to the Methodists. But do the holy Scriptures authorize this conduct? do they justi- fy you in calling those Schismatics, who in obe- dience to the Apostolic command, separate them- selves from the ungodly members of any church, and meet together, from time to time, for their nmtual instruction ? Surely, Sir, if you say they do, you demonstrate your ignorance of the Scrip- tures, and the nature of true religion. The schism condemned in the New Testament, can have n^ place but in the body of Christ; and, it does not consist in the separation of the body from the world, but in its being divided in, or against it- self. And now, Sir, I ask, in reviewing the above, do you not think a pers<^n may separate from your church, without the least danger of thereby, sep- arating himself from the ONR scriptural, aposto- lic and catho:ic Church ? And now, having so laroelv discussed this point, I hope you will not 1 i «•:■' be displeased al my treatinsf upon '« ,!,ri:' ■"■' ""'""? y""" "'^^^ assertion, upon il,e heinous s,„ of Schism," as solem,. cam and occlesiastical scareoro^vs . BeLeve me, Sir, Methodism isn.t a lhin.„f yes- iniiuenU. I is r lo, '7 T"' "" '""'"^' ''"^^ mud, less hv "^ •"' P'-"'"'-'*^i°» •■ an.| «orkoff , ? "^ "'"^""'-^ °^ ''^ being a the revw'T'f ^''^ '^^^"^""^^. ">at under God, wir t; ;;t"" ^^'''"''r^'' -•'" ti,e •hors's .-,) I '"' ""''"■ "^'"^ of their. fa- - ^'"_~'.nd.c.m<al(empt to crush Methodism. »i«s outh-ved lie-, r ""'""'«ble (ruth : it ' - b«-'f God ,0 answer^ 2 ,;:r'f *-''' '•' the body rpn,nV« ^^'^^^ tione ia . Mr, let me once more infornj ■i f issertioni ' solemu g of yes- ■om your ter how •n : an'J Meth- beintj a eaven's essinos parted ' God, tij the 3Jr.fa- i*eii is ith : it pros- l will ^d to ne ia n to fofju :i f 49 vou. that ages liave tested the wisdom of tlie learned Gamaliels counsel, in the case of the Apostles,— Acts V, 38, 39 : follow it in reference to the ministers of the Methodist Church, and you will have no cause to regret it, in the final day. Your hostility is impious, and as such, it must prove utterly unsuccessful. Vou may pos- sibly inflict injury or pain on a few individuals ; hut the daughter of Z ion laughs you to scorn. " . With due respect, yours, SfC.^ ' " ! BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. • ,».' *■' I^ETTER VTT. To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. Rev. Sir, — Concerning theMetliodists, in the course of your accusations against tliem, you assert- ed, that, " they have no lawful ministry : no sac- iraments, and no church :" that, " tlieir so called «^V*:ucli, is not a church of Christ. It was founded ill schism— cradled in deception— supported by miposture— -continued in falsehood— it is a lyr^ system." g ¥. " ■ *; r'^' WW. Such sentiments of which the above is {;ut a small specimen, happily carry ah>ng with them, their own confutation. Tiiey seem indeed more like the lavings of insanity, than the words of truth and soberness, and in reftecting upon them, It IS difficult to say, whether pity or contempt* should predominate. • An.t, tliese dreadful consequences result from our not having apostolic S2Wcession and episco^ pal ordination / In a work, now before me, [written, Sir, by one of your school,] the author says, that the Presbyterians, in Scotland, *' are in a state of unjustifiable separation from the law. liil bishops; and consequently, are cut off from the apostles fellowship and catholic communion.'' Presbyterian ministers are denominated, " hu- maniy-appointed professors of the art of persua- sion." So that, all dissenters are in the same predicament with ourselves. Now, Sir, If your notions are correct, then all Protestant churches that lack this amazing blessing of apostolic succession, and an immense majority of them do, are no churches ; their ministers,- . muiisters and their sacraments, no sacraments ;^ec. clesiastically considered, indeed, thev are annihi- lated. Now to a pious & charitable mind (I know f.. e IS uut a vith them, Jeed more words of pon them, .'ontempt, suit from Ld episco- fore me, he author id, *' are I the law- off from nunion." J, "hu- persua- le same then all blessing najoritv ers,- . nts; ec- annihi- r know not tl,at it isso with yours, Sir,) there wust be .ometliing painful and revolting, one would tlunk, in e very idea of uprooting the reformed church- es of Scotland, France, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Denmark and America; together with all the Independent, Baptist and Methodist churches. Oh, Sir, the recollection of the great, (and to use vour own words) s^ood mm, by whorn they were founded,- Luther, Calvin, Knox, Bucer, Melancthon, Beza, Zuinglius, Wesley, &c. &c. of the emhient servaiits of God, whose pta.se .8 in all the churches that have adorned their annals, and of the numerous believerMhat have been con- verted and trained up for glorv, within their pate, I should think, Sir, would lead yon to pause, and doubt, whether, after all, there misht not be some flaw in the argument, or in your .iudoment, whicn is fraught with such fearful consequences. Uow shocking the thought, therefore, that a hiffh epis- copalian, like yourself. Sir, distinguished for no- thing but bigotry and intolerance should, wrihout evidence, vea, a^aimt all evidence, take a kind- ot savage 'delight, in reducing these lenowne^ ministers, of Christ to mere "humanly-appointed professors of ihe art of persuasion •» in turning these fair portions, of the christian vineyard of .1 f^^W^ h -it , the Lord, into a howling moral wilderness : and m handing over their millions, of devout wor- shippers, like unbaptized pagans, to the uncove- nanted mercies 0/ God. Now, Sir, you must allow me, to speak mv m-nd freely, on those principles involved in your charges against (he Melhodists; and in doing so you must, also, permit me to take exceptions \o your own church: for, if you give, you must ex- pect to take. I think this is fair, and I want nothmg more, but-ihis I am determined to have. Sir, I do not deny that your church i« a de- partment of the Church of CHnrsT, neither can you mfer this from my previous letter. In that letter I was contrasting the Constitution of your church, wifh the Constitution of , he Church of Christ and J confess, the resemblance is very famt Your church, Sir, is the least reformed, «1 all the reformed churches: and, on various grounds, justly obnoxious to the charge of bein.. ^em,.papistical, we shall adduce ample evidence" .vet, Sir, we will not, we dare not assume her ex- elusive (one, nor imitate her offensive example by denying her a place among the reformed prolest- ant churches. You assert, that " the Methodist, •hun investigation." Allow me to tell you, Sir ness : and 5vout wor- tlie uncove- speak my ed in your 1 doing so, eptions to I must ex- 1(1 I want d to have. I is a de- either can In that )n of your HURCH of 5e is very *eformed, ti various of beinor o ividence ; e her ex- ample by i prolest. Bthodisls you, Sir, 53 v-e court it. It is the glory of clirist.aniiy that it shuns not the severest search : it is bigotry and error, only, that love to hide themselves in dark- ness, and g^o^v touchy and alarmed, if you seek to bring tiiem into open sight. Yon assert, that the Methodists have no law- ful ministry, &c. The Hon. and Rev. Charles Knox (a divine of your o.-n church) has wr.t en a sermon, descriptive of true minlMcrs and o the true church. I cannot do better, perhai>s, th. n give you a few extracts from hi. sernvn,. T h« Iriter observes,-" True ministers derived au- thority from Christ, the head of ihe church U a ie-frs, also, from this writer, that, '< to mvade the authority so derived, is to be guilty ot a s.n,- Sar to th'u of Korah .hich God declared to be worthy of death." It necessarily follows, if the elerv of the Church of England, derrved author-^ Uv ^om a commission, issuing from Christ the Ld of the Church, that, is, legislative and ex- ecutive power, as the legi''™^^^. r """^f '';. church by relinquishing their d.vine right to gov- ern he' church Jorthat.hich is merely lu.man Ihev have profanely betrayed their trust. For, a^ SnistLof the establishment, t! sy have no. ^;^orauthority,l>utwhatlhey derive from a. i ! . J ■\ u i U ,1. '■ if- « If v. 1. I t 64 commission, issuing from tl,e Queen, who is ,he head ofthe national cliurch, which is constituted and governed by acts of parliament. The same writer says : ''To set up any church authoriiy, as founded upoa arorsrrr"'''''°^«^'""---^aruuda^^^^^^^^ Hence, Sir, .according to this authoriiy, (and it ■syour own, and I have no disposition to quarrel with hitn, or you, upon the subject,) the Queen and par Imment. havii.g set up a church au.hori- ty, foundea upon human appointment, have been guilty of a fundamental act of schism : and have been guilty of a sin, similar to :hat of Korah Mind this. Sir : "All aulhorily in .he Church.must be derived froo, Christ : Euch a bond of union, lo Christ m! , otherwise, we cease to be his Church." '""' So says the Hon. and Rev. Charles Knox; but S,r a) authority, uUhe Church of England, as es.abl.hed by law, is derived from the civil (Uv- er. Hence It follows, that the Church of Eng- land, according to this author, has, lon^ since, ceased to be tke Chnrck of Christ. Reln^'sw church ! I might here reton upon you, all your \ ge s, s 111 II 55 ^ho is the instituted 'tied upon idamental , (and it ) quarrel 3 Queen auihori- ve been nd have ►rah. ed from St exist, •x; but ind, as il povv- f Eng- since, ly, Sir, latical II yowv for- ,He epithets, against the Methodists yet I hear -but my foibearaaoe is not tor your saUe tTf;r the J, of n>y sincere friends, connected with youi chuich.. , shall now proceed to ans>ver yoor g^e ch- „« «nd trust I shall be able to prove the contra fr'to very unbiassed mind. The ^uest-on o h decided is, who are, and who are n o t, h 'ministers of Christ ? I-^ - 'f' ^,^X' Paul himself:-" Am I not an Apostle ? Here ,rque Uon is fairly stated ; and the answer fo- tws " Have I not seen Jesus Chv.st our Lord ? lows. i^-i>^ fnr.P Iflbenolan Are not ye my work in the Lord . 1 1 ^ Apostle to others, yet doubtless 1 <->""" J" „ the sealof naine aposrleship, are vt • I 9 Now it never could be the mien Cor. xx, 1,2. iNow , u I apostleshjp fQ* Pniil torest the proolot inb cipuo j- „on "* ^'/ ^"'/° ' ,^",^;„„ a ^en Jesus Christ." upon the fact of his ba^.n ^^^. Hundreds of persons saw tl e Lo d a ^^^ unection: thousands prior to ihat eve of whom, has ever pretended, to '^■^'^-^^ 4Do<le. That he was an Apostle, >»e P^^^ ' J^y 2 .' 'sive fact, that God had wrought etfectual- ^^Vy hi: "inist;.-" The seal of mine apostle- ^Vi'ir^ are ve in the Lord. snip, art )k. x i-„r»w 'hem,- Matt. " By their fruit, ye shall know Jiem, .1 * "H Hi; m ;>? t3V fcv 56 vii 20. The teacher, truly and divinely author- ized, .s compared to « a g„„j „ee" brin<ri„„ rj. " f ° '^f • ' '•^"Z - " 'hefraits of ,1,^.^^^ unto the glory and praise of God." Thi, Sir a rule that is equaily applicable to the man akl to h,s muustry. A rule (as mig|., be expecled wh,ch a 1 may under.t.n.1. These are LZ^ o fee the Church of God." Neither do "ve thmK, whatever may be said bv inodorn ^e,].! or Pu.,eyite men of popish pru.ciples, respecU 1 the " uwmterrupt,' succession anri ,1. ^ tives thereunto belonging, ", bat Lr,^itrZ" and when tbey h«d a better opportu^i: !,',:' tamu,g the po.u, they themselves claim;.! .ucral exclusive right.. " ^^ To thi6 conclusion. Sir, we are mo.f ho -i ducted hy the ,U article, r^^Z^^lt^ .ng m the congregation" which expre^sesnot of such monopoly and exclusion r^ T^ bert, Lord Bishop of SarTm n k' ^'"''''' ^''■ the Artirl. .1 • . ' " ^"^ Exposition of me A I tide, planjiy ev nees tli=i .» .. it were quite of another mind " '""^^'^''' "^' of it he says :-. ''" ^" '''* ^^P'^nation. locdt.o,,, llie authoritjr of dispensin^r i ^^y author- ising forth, iteousness 1^*5, Sir. is ' iiiaa and sxpecled) the men 3r do we espectiog preroga- 'iier (iajs, ''^ascor- f J^uch ani pity con- «inister- nothiij^. es, Gil- sitionof pilers uf anationj sle .- (he- pensin;*^ I 57 the things of God. The sfcoiul is the defining in very general words, what is thui which makes a lawful call." On th« second pai-t of ihisj Article, which is tlie definition here given of those that are " lawfully called and sent,'' his Lordship speaks:— "This is put in very general words, far from that ma- giste.ial stiffness in which some have taken upon ihem^ to dictate in this matter. The Article does not resolve- this into any particular constitution, but leaves the inatu ter open a^d at lar-e : tor such accidents as had happen- ed, and such as might still happen." Then, Sir, the learned and liheral author of the Exposition goes on to suppose the case of « a com- pany. of christians," placed in peculiar and unto- ward circiimstances who : — '•Finding some who had been ovdoined, although to the lowe'r functions should submit itself entirely to * their conduct: or fmdino: none of those, should by com- mon ccnseni, desire some of tiieir own number, to rnm- Uter to them in ho!y things, and-hould tipon that be- ginning, grow jp toa regulated constitution, though we Te very sure that ibis is quite out of all rule; and coulcT not be done without a very great sin^, unless the neces- aitv were great and apparent: yet if the tieccessily is- real and not feigned, this is not condemned or annu ed- by the article, for when this grows toa consulution, and when it was beguti by the consent ot a body who. are supposed tohave an authority in such an exlraoriiv I 58 fl iM m Dary case, whnlever some hotter spirits have thought of this since that time : yet we are very sure, that not only iliose who have penned the Articles, hut the bodv of this Church for above halfan age after, did notwithstanding those irregularities acknowled.<?e the foieic^n churches so constituted to be true churches, as to all th'e essentials ct a church, though they had been at first irregularly for- med, and continued still to be in an imperfect state.— Our Reformers, had also in view two famous instances Jn church history, oflaymen that had preached and con- vened nations to the faith. It is true, they came as ihey ought to have done, to be regularlv ordained, and were sent to such as had authority so to do : so Fru- nient.us preached to the Indians, and was afterwards madeapnesstandabishop by Athanasius. The Kin^ ofthe Iberians before he was baptized himself, did con- vert his subjects, and as, says the historian, he became ^ij.e apostle of his couatry, before he himself was initia- T^e Bishop further supposes similar circiim- stiuiccs, wherein episcopal ordination cannot be tbfamcd, &nd then adds:— "In that case, neither our Reformers, nor their sue ressors, for near eighty years after the Articles were published, did ever question the constitution of such churches.*' Thus groundless and ill Mipporled, Sir, are your oefaroations of li,e Mell.odists, uliich your ear haih been widely extended greedily (o receive and ^ f 59 vour tongue and pen so officious to publish to the worUl. But sutler, Rev. Sir, 1 beseech, you the counsel of one who would be a friend. Put away far from you that little augerous, unmanly, bigot- ed spirit by which you advise the members of y„ur church to shim our phce^ "J loorship, and the company of Methodist mmislers, as be- ing notorious schismatics and sinners ! Indulge tlie more christian and catholic dispo- sition Dr. Nicols recommends, who informs the world, with pleasure, — " or the charitable coirespondence, and strict decree Clergy, and scneol ihe Dissenting Ministers. -INich. DeF., I'AOE 115. Sir it is because vou are so ignorant of us, that vou do not love us better. Shyness begets es- uangetnent : estrangement, aversion and ^versmn prepares the mind, not only to receive with pleas- ure, but industriously to propagate gross misrepre- sentations, tube accusations scandalous and lit- tle things, ittierly withovt foundation and con- trary to truth. Had vou freely conversed with the Methodist ministers around you : or consurri.aated that friendship begun between yourself and the unwor- 60 % writer of (l„s epistle, y.,u had saved yourself a good deal of publi,. mortilioalion, which your injurious accounts (both of iheir principles and practice) have now unhappily drawn upon you. Cu It.vale at length, Sir, a familiar acquaintance ■with lliero. Their acquaintance will do you hon- our: will edify and enlarge your mind: willaive you juster notion, of men and thini?,, than a t^ero college education is capable .,f doing: and pic- pure you for that happy world where hi<.otrr •nd party-zeal no more aliemte pious spirits t but where all the children of God are gathered logeth- er m one. ° I shall resume (Iiis subject in my next. . ronr.s 6i'c. BFNJAMIN NANKEVILL, tt L E T T E R V 1 1 1. f To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. j^EV. Sir,— Should you still conteiKT that the Hierarchy of the Establishment only has author- ity to send labourers into the Lord's vineyard, what will you say of the many excellent men, who, of various denominations, and in various countries, have, independently of that authority, and by the success of their labours in translating the scriptures, preaching the Gospel, and admin- istering her ordinances, exhibited indubitable and imperishable demonstrations, of the validity of their divine call and appointment as the messen- gers of the churches, and of the glory of Christ, not only in ancient but also in modern times. What character, Sir, would you assign to a Doddridge, a Watts, a Carey, a M;irshman and a Ward &a ; the men sert out by the " Londoi) Missionary Society ,'' or those by the " Wesleyan Conference," who in common with their episco- pally ordained brethren of the '' English Church," ■i« ft^ Iiave successfully labored in diffusing the know ledge and blessings of (he GospeJ,'and are hon' ored of God, as instruments in the conversion of the Heathen, and in the edification and estab- lishment of christian believers in their most holv faidi. ^ And where would you place a Paul, the great Apostle of the Gentiles, who gives, in the page of inspiration, the following account of his calllo the ministry : — ''But r certify you, hrfthren, ihai the gospel preach- ed of me IS not after men, for I neither received'it of men lieifher was 1 taught is, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ: neither went I up to Jerusalem, to them which were Apostles before me: but I went into Arabia, and returned again into Damascus, then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, butother of the Apos- tles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother • and was unknown l>y face unto the churches of Judea which were in CJirist ; but they had heard onlv that he' tv'h.ch persecuted us in times past now preached the iauh which once he destroyed." And, Sir, did they question the propriety of hia conduct? nay, but adds the Apostle " they dori- fied God in me." FJere, then, permit me to say. Rev. Sir, that the Methodist preachers claim, for the exercise of the christian ministry a (/mwe ctf//. ««©£ 63 e know- are hon- rsion of d estab- ost holy le great he page J call to preach" of men, '^ Jesus which >ia, and years I '- Apos- ?r : and Judea, hat he ed the of hia glori- , (hat rcise : " Though he should be a m;in both of eminent piety, and ofsup^'eriortalents, and though there be no objectiori to him on the ground of doctrinal belief, the Wesleyan Conference would not dare to admit into its rciniMry a c ididate, who could not co ncientiously avow his sol- emn belief thai he wa? ' moved by the Holy Giiost' to take upon him ' ihis oflice.' "—Wesleyan Tracts, No. 4 page 5 This, however, is only the supreme authority : there is one also, inferior and subordinate, which they rejoice to acknowledge, aud which they have derived, under God, from Mr. John Wesley, (who during his life appointed all the Methodist preachers) and since his demise, from the Confer- ence, which was instituted, legalized and estab- libhed by him. See his '^ Deed of Declaration' which he had enrolled in his Majesty's High Court of Chancery, ilSi.-Myles's Chronology of the Methodists, Lon Edit., page 145. If, Sir, you enquire, by what authority John Wesley sent forth preachers, ! would answer, the authority of a minister of Christ- Besides, he had been episcopally ordained, and was himself once a presbyter of the Church of England, and being fully persuaded, (as they certainly are) that bishops and presbyters, in the primitive church, are the same, and only dilTerent designations for t/.e 3 same office, he believed himself fully justified on this ground, as well as in the sight of God, to ap- point or ordain his own preachers. See, Sir, "Archbishop Usher's Model of Church Govern- ment, or Episcopal and Presbyterial government conjoined" which the venerable prelate contends ** was the order of the primitive church," in proof of which, after bringing in some text of scripture, his Grace quotes from the Writings, the corrobora- ting sentiments of St. Ignatius, Tertullian, and Cyprian, and then adds : — *' That ihe same also was inserted in the Canons of Egbert, who was A.chbisl.op of York, in the Saxon times, and afterwards into the body of the Canon Law ifself. True u U, that in our church, this kind of pres" l)yterial government hath been long disused : yet see- ing it still .irofessetb, that every pastor hath a ri-lir to rule the church (from wbence aiso the name of Rector was given at first unto him) and to administer the dis- ciphne of Christ, as well as to dispense the doctrine and sacraments, and the restaintof this exercise of that nghtpr^ only from the custom now received in Ins Realm. No man can doubt, but by another law of io!l . "' ^'*^'^'•^"^« "^^y be well removed." -Mc/ ri;^ I^ "' ''"^"'""^"^^ ^^«^"' J'^^^45, pub. ll^midls ^' ^'^^'^'' Commentary on Acts 20, . n- and ^5 . Sir I bav3 Weighed this matter with a great deal of attention, and upon the whole, am fully satisfied, both from scripture and antiquity, as well as from the history of your own church, (I should be Mad, Sir, if you had been better acquamted with it, for then you might have avoided the mor- tifyincr position yoa now occupy,) that presbyters have ''a ridit to, and did from the Apostles' times, actually ordaiu. Its " validity" is to be further examined, by tlie fruits of which it has been producti^'e. To pursue this subject inali the avenues through which if would naturally lead us, would be a tedious, al- thott-'h not an' unpleasant task, but as 1 study aU the conciseness which I judge consistent with the subject, a brief review at present must suffice. 1 shall therefore only add, that the Methodist preachers, have, by the blessing of the Lord been enabled to preach the Gospel throughout the Uni- ted kmgdom of Great Britain, aitt. America, thence it pi««S to mmerom Ulamfe, in the bosom of the oceati and has crossed the watery world, to plant the Gospel among the Heathen it* the Ea t ; they ZT!\m> reachea Africa South and Wert, and penetrated the interior .-f that Continent where the/ bare al*> preacbad the gospel, and by tbeir i'l it il I i i I i I lir a ;; T* 66 means ike degraded Hottentot has been tau<rbt to know, " he is a man." The Methodists have en- dearoured to njalce ifnown. or extend the know- ledge of religion, hy the establishment of chris, tian schools,the dissemination of the holy scrio tures, combined with the preaching and practice of the gospel : they hare been blessed in eve.y place, in tucniug mer, from (Jarkne^ to Ijahl »„A from the power of Satan unto God. And in theextetjded field of their arduous labors, which •s now diffused through both hemisphere^ it ha. been their joy to witness the happiest results, in the domestic quiet, the social order, the benero- ent co-operation, with other christians, the hoir I.ves, happy deaths of their people, the decisive and satisfactory evidences of a « divine call," to the work of the ministry. And what, though ther have not the official sanction of your „,is,!opac^' and though you call forth your puny etfort to de- base It Heaven has indubitably applied the broad seal of its approbation.. The above, Sir, may answer as a rebuff to your unfounded, mean and contemptible assertion, that «« God has Ujl the Methodists, ! r as well as the following extract taken from a shrewd writer who cannot be iu*-." f ectcd of Methodism, who justly says : taught to, have en- le know- of cf/risr, •ly scrip- pcactice in evei;^ ight, and And in S which s, it ha«. suits, in benero- the holy ctecisive iall," to igh the/ icopacy, t to de- c broad; r, may an and extract, e SU»c. &7 '* That these people, have, in the last fifty years, in- iiructcd more of the lower orders of the people, in the obligations of Christianity, and have called more from gross vice to piely and virtue than the Church has ever done eince the Reformation, while at the s*me iime» ihey have not nost Goyernmeut one farthing, but have been treated with insult and contempt.»-^See Buck a Theological Dictionapy, Vol. 8, page 123. London Edition, 1806. By this time, Sir, I think that even your nar* row mind must discover, that Methodism was founded and built by true christian ministers, thai their church is at least a department of the church of Christ, and consequently, they have true chris- tian ordinances, &e. I believe your friends will be surprized, Sir, and that an ingenuous blush will cover your own face, when they and you find that your account of us is absolutely without truth and quite contrary to fact. Sir, before I close this letter, allow me to notice your remarks on the increase of Methodism : you gar, " Mr. Nankevill boaslingly tells of the in- crease of the Methodists,.but, is numerical strength a proof of their righteousuess > Is it not rather aa. evidence of tlieir ungodliness ?"■ Rev. Sir, in what A>es the true glory of the «hurch consist > The nominal church, it is true \m^% presented an imposing aspect to the worlds. !i 1 ■! ( .;s» when we behoia llie solemn pomp, that charnii the 'hen ;onsider llie immense revenues poured into the coffers of His church « who for our sakes became poor," when we observe tl,e nu- merous retinue, addressed as " lords over Gods heritage," now professedly in the service of Ilim who was once attended only by Fishermen and Pubhcans. when we behoid crowned and mitred heads, for you well know, Sir, the King or Queen .s supreme head, vested with power to exercise all manner of ecclesiastical jurisdiction. There is one ihing," savs Bishop Burnel •'.., wannng to compla.e the reforma.ion'of Z churrh which IS ,0 restore pritni.ive discipline against sea da- lous persons, the es.abJishin. the government of th, church in ecclesia5ti.al bands, and lalcing it „ut ofiay hands which have so long profaned it : and have exno sedthe au.honiyof the church, and the censures o? it chiefly excommunication, lo the contempt of the nation • «o that the dreadCulest oCall censures i, ao>v become thV most scorned and despised."-H.sT. Reform. pac.e367 See also 2C Hen. 8th cbap.l, 37 Hen. 8th "chap." 17, 1 Eliz. chap. 1. ^ Sir the glory of the church consists not in any- «hing human, or earthly, nor in worldly riches &c. butin knowledge ir, purity, m benevolence, char- ity, meekness, selfdenial, devotedness to God. ,,^ Hei- glory will also consist in (he numberof ♦hose who truly belong to her. « The kingdom. I t charms revenues ' who for e the nu- ?r God's 2 of Ilim nen and d mitred r Queen 'xercise ef "yet church, t scanda- t of th« ut of Jay 'e expo- res of it nation : >rne the »ge367. chap. nany- es&c, , char- ed. berof (loms 69 of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and o. his Christ." Thus the world will be- come the church, and the church the world, and it shall be said without a hyperbole, " the whole xvorld is gone after him." Hence, Sir, a« it respects Methodism it may be said, *' a litde one has become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation," Methodism has been an apostle to thousands, and we thank God yet is, and instead of her ^' ship sinking," as you intr mate, she was never more active, vigorous anc efficient: this is proved by thousands and tens ol thousands flocking to her standards. Sir, our blessed Saviour never carried on his sacred cause with rage, bitterness, falsehood in- vective, slander, and calumny. Such methods* the Papists made use of, and so did the persecu- ting Churchmen of foriiicr days ; what a pity U is thaUhe same leaven should be seen iermentmg ui you ; but, Sir, you cannot injure us, you may and will injure yourself, nor can the love of God dwell with such tempers, and therefore if you are wise vou vrill seek to have them destroyed. Tour obedient seroant^ ^1 >0 LETTER IX. To Thi! Rev. j. a. Mdlock. ,t,I!T' ^'^r' P'*""'^^'' >■«". in my first epistle itl rf- ""*r; ""°"« °"'^' """g^' ">« >»«"-' Btrous doctrine of 5«pM«„„/ reffe«,raMo«, dis- tinctly taught in the office of baptism : the follow, ingare some of the particular proofs, taken from the theZ;. ^"""^''^'"^'y after baptizing the infant, ine priest says : — . ' r\,.! K r • f^ Srafled into .he body of Chri.f* wt t " ''" ""■""' """> ^'-so'y God roi: And again : — lhu^'h!u'^"'"^f"^ """>'"' '"0^' *"«^ciful Fa,hcr iuonfic';"' '° '""" ''"" *■"' "•'- <"- Ci,ild b, And, to place the matter bejoml all doubt, the followmg declaration is appended ,o the bapti mal service: — * »re' lUtizTJ"- ''^' ??"'' '^'°^''' '^'« Children which I 71 t epistle the mon- on, dis- i follow- from the 2 infant, his Child Christ's for the$9 i\ Father ant with Child by ibt» the ptismal a which sin, are I sage Now Sir, can you inform me, where this pas- GjcI's word ? I would like to see it is in for then, all controversy, on the baptism of infants roust forever ces.se. . «« A«ain if we carry out th6 above idea, the church ro^bids^he futreral service to be read over :oabaptized mtants." , «• u» (If I am not wrongly informed, Sir, this was the case with yourself, not long since, although the parents of the child were both members of the Church of England.) '< Thus uiibaptvzed infanrs are classed with excom- municated persons ^ self-murderers, and homologating liie abhorrent afld cruel popish dottrine, that baptism is essential to salvation, and hence that infatits dying un- baptized, perish everU^^tingiy ."-S^e th^ Scottish Pres- STTERiAN, Article Prei^acv. , Now if there be any meaning in words, and il the words we have jtist quoted, are to be. taken in their common, obvious, literal and popular acceptation, (and the language is as plani and perspicuous as it can be) ihey most certainly teach the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Sir, we may further show, not only from the baptismal service, but also from other parts of the Book of Coinmon prayer, that the Church of Eng- Jand holds the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. I refer to the Catechism. In answer to the ques- lion: — ■ !«' i ^jL^ >i^( I : fi A If.- ''a. Wliogaveyouihisname^- The catecftumen is required <o repl^ : _ TJ)e child is also laught the nnn.-.i j . the efficacy of ,he sacf.rn^n^ ^^ '^"°'""'' "f hiJ'ctJ^n ""'"'' ^''"'""^'"' *•"> Chris. „,dai„ed i„ A. Two only, as general;,- nece.carv,. an J spiri.ual grace. ""'"''"''''« «'gnof an inward a. What is ihe ouiwa.d, visible si.„ l>a,>tisn ? ' "'^'O'e sign, or form in A. Waier. • . QVVha. is ,l.e inward anu spiritual gra.e» ''---^•'-vea^e,-:C--^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Now, Sir, I ask is it not surprising to you (hat any d,s.enters shouJd send their duldrcl uZ CM or England Sabbath schools as is son e- ♦^mos the case, where it is required, ns a te " Jf a,«.i...wperro:;d:tsSdTrsr' (( ii& baptism, child ot tnnc of ained in 'nation, rd. ;nt? Dward ^rm in' ghte- the )me- st of tthe drst I dist» or any dissenter, in such schools, is to tell lies, by saying : his Godfathers and Godmo- thers gave him his name^ whereas he had no sponsor., or perhaps, was never baptized at all. Again, in affirming that : hy his baptism he xoas inade a member of Christ, the child of God and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven, while all this was utterly false. And now. Sir, T ask, did not you, in the very neighborhood where you commenced your attack on the Methodists, select Methodist teachers to carry on your own Sabbath school ? And what was yotir object ? Why, you said : — " ril take them by guile /'* Now, Sir, look for one moment at the incon- sistency of your conduct, and blush with shame. Your language to your members now is : — " Oh let me intreat you to keep your children from the Methodist Sabbath schools /***•♦ IVho are the greatest enemies to the church ! /'* And now. Sir, allow me to say, through you, to those Methodist teachers of your own selection, and to all classes of dissenters : do not s«nd your children where they are taught the sentiments al- luded to above i but send them where they we- «• traiaed up ia the way they should go." Its m 1!^!, H Sit, tlw words employed in llie Burial sr >, . teacl. llw doctrine ol baptismal reg«,eration.- The farst direction given in tl,e Rubric prefixed to that service, i, tl.at «' Jt is „ot t„ be used for an, that die tinbaptized," however holy and useful, their lives may have been : but it is> and must be used for all, however vile and worthless, who have been baptized : except " the excommuni- caie, and those who have laid violent hands on themselves." • I^iTl''^ °^ baplisma] regeneration i, taught in the 27tli Article :— ^ "Bapiism," says thai Ar.icle « is „o, only a sign of prolensmn and mark of difference, whereby Chrftia/ men are discerned from others that be no. ehris e,^ed but ,. IS also a sign of Regenera.ion or new B,r!h' whereby as by an instrument, Ihey that receive bap s™ r'gh.ly, are grafted into the Church : the promises o/r g.veness ol sin, and of our adoption to be the son, Ir Ood by ,he Holy Ghos, are visibly signed .d sea eV Xr'LrS "" ■''''''' ---" ">• vir.u: 0/ Again, Sir, the 69th canoh utters the followine denuiieiatioi; :— ° " Jf any mir.ister be duly informed of the danger of death of -ny infant unbapti.ed in his parish, ai dTere upon desired to go to the place where the sa d i nfant e' niainelh. to bap.,i,e the same, shall either wiltu llv r" use 80 10 do, or shall sD defer the time as i n i. rf ! .i^rough his default, untap,i.ed, the Im nlf^il,:: ^^ ii rial f.r'V).;f. eration. — prefixed to jed for any id useful J and must less, who comm un I'- ll and s on 1 is taught a sign of Christian brisfened, Jvv Ilirth, e bapfisra ses of for- »e sons of i sealed : virtue of :)lIo wing langer of id ihere- nfant re- '> refuse it diet/i ter shaii 75 bfesuspetided for ihree months, and before his restitution ahall acknowledge his fault, and promise before his or- dinary, that he will not wittingly incur the like again." it is hiire evidently implied, that the child dy- ing unbaptized, dies unre gene rated, and corise- <juently its soul is lost. But what proportion is tlwJre, between the guill incurred and the penalty inflicted ? The guilt is that of sending an immortal soul to perdition, by not applying a few drops of water to the body; and the penalty for such soul destruction, is only three montlis suspension, and the promise not to do the like a^ain. Surely, Sir there is required, some revision of the criminal laws of your church, or some revision of its doctrines. Rev. Sir, the passages which I have quoted, from the standards of faith in the Church of Eng- land, viz. the Bouk of Common prayer, the arti- cles and canons, evidently prove, that the doc- trine of baptismal regeneration, is held by your church. «' That all persons partake o( the new Birih who are rightly baptized, or in other words, that regenerating grace invariably accompanies the applicaiion of the bap- tismal fluid, when administered in dae ecclesiastical or- der. The whole population of the country, therefore, who have been baptized by the ministers of the Church of England, although from the dawn of reason multl- ludes of iheoi ae?er ma-nif«sted a single gympiom ui pi- I ii 1 • \ 4 i 1 )R-m ■1 i 76 eiy, but on the contrary, hare shown ereiy sign of unholy disposition and unrenewed been regenerated."— James's Dissent, pa^'eVo. an these havd I shall continue this subject in my next. With due respect, yours, ^"c, BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. M - L ETTE R X. To ThB Rj5V. J. A. MULOCK. Ret. Sir,- /„ my Uiit letter, I oommencad without oo,icl„ding my remarks on baptismal re- generation. { shall now resume the subject o.r, many of the clauses in the Baptismal ,er- fenJeZ 7 ''"'''''^'''"'^' «"'' P«™icious in thei, tendemy & consequences, that it is by no means a matter of surprise to me, that numbers of the en.,ghfened, p.ous, and conscientious of the cler- fZ'.n T ^"""'^^ *" "P^^l^ °"'' «nd to give t'..cc,u,vocaI utterance to their sentiments, hava amonted over those objectionable expxemom, "0 such terms as lbs foUowing .^ ^ I gt of an est bar a VILL. •ili^ A ncaa, lal re- »• 1 ser- their leans f the cler- give 7t " I would most solemnly protest," say* the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, in alluding to the doctrine of baptismal regeneration^ as taught by his own church '' I would most solemnly protest against that mosi se- rious error of contemplating all the individuals of a bap- tized congregation as converted, as having all once known the truth, and entered upon the ri«ht path, though some may have wandered from it, and others may have made little progress, as not therefore, requiring (what all by nature and most, it is to be feared through defective principle and practice require) that iransformation by the renewing of the mind, that ' putting off the old man, and putting on the new man' which is so emphatically en- joined by St. Paul to his baptized Romans and Ephesi- ans." — See Bishop Ryder's primary charge, to the cler- gy in the diocese of Glouce'^ter. *' Fully convinced," says the late Rev. Melville Home, " That Baptism never was designed to convey regen- eration, and has no such promise (as the Church of Eng- land teaches) I confidently conclude that no mortal ever was so regenerated. The erpectation, therefore, I treat as universally vain and fallacious. I believe it was lh« g^rtat leading errors, which ^pst, esseftEiatf/ cc^rmpttecl christtafi trurb; and f>r«>!))ixtyiy, wiUbdiihe h^^tfto he g^n* 0i»liy baii»b$J itf}im f fee eb«$n;£ik. A mnk€» 9-1 ^verf thing vital tu chmtrdmtf^§>'styniti» t&e f^metitsiut ©tTjpr©- f?»i:»€— iwakef imth ot no eflfe'Ct — ^u^medmiU^ ^€nmn€ wmk o( the Bpirlt — r»e»f«^ lb$ neetmUy &i re^uUtice ztid e0n7etfk»tif f«» decent fx»c»raiki$ — i$^r«<ilKZ«;» reUp&si — iK»b$tiiet9fef the (mm ^f g&dUnem tm ih» fowet ^f jir, »o4 im» d^tt^€4 (I Wm^t) mme fmMf Ibsm ^nj «me f 1 ^ IF n Ym •Ingle error, which has been branded oa the black 01 heresy." ♦ Please bear in mind, Rev. Sir, that this isth» testimony, not of a dissenting minister, but of a c ergyman, respeeting th« doctrine of his own church. Rev Sir, that this is thedoctrine of the church «>f England may be further proved from the tes- nmony of the orthodox and consistent clergy a beheve Sir, you are one of that number, at least, I have heard so) I say orthodox, because. Sir, the writer of the pamphltt, to which I referred, in my preta^ce to the reader, has selected that appeU lal.on to distinguish the Puseyite and high ehureh clergy from the evangeiical. Is it not a pity, there should be auch schism in your own church >- The orthodox >ou are. avfaw, refer to the Prar- er-book as their standard : and in this particular. (My preach its doctrines. The evangelical, pr,- [ter making their appeal to the New Testament and conceal or explain away, thedoctrine. .-^W l-rayer-book, and dare preach the gospet " Ob Vhat presumption !" ^ EwneZ'J?." "1 2°""!"°" ^*»«' "■' "'• •i'^-etriD. oi black Wm n's is th» but of a his own i church ihe te». ergr, (I at least, Sir, the rred, ii> Ltappel- I church tj, there ch?- e Pray- Pticular, il, pr> ta merit •>''t?i^ %i Ok trine ol Yau are to understand, therefore, that these two bcwiiea of the clergy are to be thus distingaisiW ed. The evangelical, in this day of enlighten- ment, are the heterodox, with that old-fashioned b.)ok theN"\iW Testaruiiit, as thiir staivUrd, and: are in the estimation, of the great body of tho»© hated dissenters. The other party, you know. Sir, are orthodox, with the Prayer book as their standard, and are in the estimation, o£ all sound churchmen and papists. The latter, however, by preaching the tenets of the church. These you, know, Sir, are much more corsistent than ttie former. Because the sound, orthodox, anti-evaiv- gelical clergy preach baptismal regeneration..— The former evangelical clergy, believe not a word about it. Need I remind you, Sir, who is> so well inform- ed, in the history of the Ghu-->h, that there ban long been a controversy, am^r-; churchmen, upoa this subject : one ;/acty niiUitaining, that b^piis- mal regeneration la the doctrine of the- Church of England ; and thp other pnrty, tha^ it i« npt tb^ doctrine of scriptore : -wid botb opinions are co.^ tect : it Is as true, that this is the doctrine of thft- Praycr-book, as that ii is not, the doctrine, of tlwb ox You are aware Sir, that one of (Ms orth partr .„ a sermon founded on the words in Ma... 38, 19, 20, thus paraphrases his text •— whole communities, colTsliVr '"'"''' ''"' """""' 'slenW ,0 hem "j"^" "'^'"-hoiv? even by admin- done "hen .,"h ,> ^'"="«>ent of regeneration. Thi, «'i'le to, t™e Wn.lc^^h ^ ''.''"'" ""-^ ''^^» 'hem life The d?r r , ".' ""■"'"'""' "f «'^^«a! by «he inscr We ^ra ° oHl "'""'"' "'"' **'""'^'"' «e3 are, whi i, a,e c, „? """""'' ^'"" ">08e du- l'««''on' .he a? L'Tr""' "P"» '"-> calling and 'he-r elecLon, in hkir.dr.Ld '"h '",' "''"'"an land ,■ "«« J»le, all i» well : fc« ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ :Ti his orthodox •ds ill Matt. disciples of, » but nations en and chil- I by admin- don. This whatsoever liven them 5 of eterna! I to receive ;he number clergy 111 'Urch isjaf* 5 favoured those du- lling and tian land : into the [0. »fte, we Iph «>f a ffowf -i» 81 thai spiritual talent which was committed to his trust, and he tears lest it should be impaired by any act ol voluntary transgression : but the moment he is taugiit 10 look on baptism as a mere empty rite : to unhallow the ceremony : to expect a new birth of the Holy Ghost, independent of the sacrament to which the Saviour has allied the blessing : from that moment all his fac- ulties become bewildered — he is no longer attentive to his duty that he might grow in grace, but wailing the moment when that grace shall begin to act, &c." * Many more quotations, Sir, I could give from different authors, connected with the Church of England, on this subject, but the above must suthce. Such, then, are the absurdities promulgated by the orthodox ministers of the Church of Eng- land, legitimately derived, Sir^ from your own authorized formularies, which positively and un- ambiguously declaiG, that baptism is a saving ordinance : that it is identified with regenera- tion and conveys renewing, converting, justify- ing and sanctifying grace to the soul. But, Sir, where is the proof of all this ? Can it be substantiated by an appeal to facts ? And now, Sir, I seriously ask, can you or any of the orthodox clergy, produce one text from tne New * Rev. W. Harnes, Minister oi ^t. Pancras. London. F J 83 Testament, or proof, that God has promised to bestow regenerating grace, in the adminislra- tion of this sacrament. Among all the errors, that ever were propaga- ted, scarcely one can be selected, which has pro- ved so pestilent and destructive, as that of Bap- tismal regeneration. BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. m m LETTER XL To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. Rev. SrR,-^in this letter I shall call your atten- tion to the rite of Confirmation, and notice, or make some strictures on your observations on this rite. In your last attack on the Methodists you said : — ' " On the Bishop's coming round, I preached a sermon on confirmation, in which, lest I should give offence, I made not one solitary remark of my own.^^ This, Sir, I believe to be true, because it cor- responds with what you admitted to me before, '! S ised to ilnistra- ropaga- bas pro- sf Bap- VILL. atten- ice, or ns on )dists, iclied hould irk of i cor- jfore, 83 ihat, tU principal part of yom sermon, you got from three Letters, written by a Presbyter to a Methodist. But does this .lusiify you, ^vhen you knew that these letters were the most clefamato y ihat were ever penned ? By so doing, do you not identify yourself with him, and become ;. partalcerof his sin ? ^ .- «„„ The meaning of the word " Confirmation as used in the New Testament, simply imp hes ; strengthening, comforting, settling am establish ing those in faid, and obedience, who have been savingly converted to God. That this ceremony of confirmation, is no part of genuine and pnm- itive Christianity, I again avow, and I tlnn'^ those premises are defensible. RUes and cere- monies, of human institution, have «ln>°^y"^^- Ibly corrupted the simplicity, and destroyed the spirituality of the chrii.tian church : hence the Great Head of the Church, foreseeing the abuse that would be made of every thmg external m re- ligion, instituted no more than two rites, viz. BV'smand the Lord's Supper and those of such entire simplicity, as to confine the corrupt inventions of man, within the most narrow l.m- its possible. The Church of England as well as other pro- testant churches rejects five of the seven, said Pi i m to be sacraments in the cliurcli of Rome, among which is confirmation. '^ This" it has been re- marked, " is not a sacrament, because it wants one of the essential qualiliesof a sacrament, not having been ordained by Christ himself," and not being according to the definition of the word given in the Church Catechism, '' an outward and visible sign of an inward aiid spiritual grace." Rev. T. Biddulph, in a tract circulated by the Bristol Tract Society—No. 8, page 5. Hence, Sir, (as declared in your 25th Article ) It is not a ceremony, ordained of God Now what is not ordained of God, is only a mere hxi^ man appointment ; so after ail vour liourishin- about Mr . NankeviU calling it a human arrange^ ment ; he stands side by side, with the compiler of this article ! I can assure you, Sir, this is hon- orable company. I believe that, in your church, no one is allow- ed to partake of the Lord's Supper till such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed. Thus in the Church of England no one is permitted to observe an express com- inand of our Lord until he has first yielded to the usurped authority of fallible men : he cannot en- joy the benefit of a sacrament instituted by Christ unless he previously attend to a ceremony insti' its among ►een ru- t wants ent, not >" and e word Lit ward ;race." by the rticle ) Now re hu' shing, ange- mpiler s iion- illow- 1 timo )usio land, corn- to the )t en- hrist, insti- 85 tutod by '' the Church f a ceremony which the same church acknowledges, God has not or- ^ The confirmation spoken of in Ihe.sacre.l scnp- lures, by no means refers to any specific reli- gious'ceremony, or the laying on of liands. The text usually urged for it, (Actsviii, 14,) an.i wliich you quoted, surely has no weight. 1 eter and John's going down to Samaria to pray, and lay their hands on those whom Philip bapti- zed is, surety, no precedent, no directum, no institution, nor command, for our bishops to d- likewise. For, the end for which the ApostU.. did it, it is expressly said, (ver. 15,17.) was. that they might receive the Holy Ghost, that is, lis miraculous gifts :— ..,,-. ,, .' Ap.d thev prayed for .hem. an.l U.U.eir _hand. upon ihem, and they received the Holy Ghosl. Tliat it was bis miraculous gifts ( such as pro- phesying, speaking with tongues, &c.) to form them into a church cannot be disputed ; because they were something visible and obvious to sense; something whiohstruck the wonder and ambition of the wicked sorcerer ; for it is said :— .. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered tiiein money." ^ t *Ua« Besides as Dr. Whitby justly observes, if they^ .11 i i i;i/ Hi I- H^ ■ 86 laid not their hands on all who were baptized it inukes nothing for confirmaiion : if they did then himon Magus, also was confirmed, and received the Holy Ghost ; which i liiink you will, by no means admit. » ;■ "" Besides, Sir, there is not a word in the whole narrative about con/irmat.oi). You may connec- tfae above text with the one you quoted from Acts XIX, as well as, those passages which occur in t.»e x.v and xv chapters, which speak of confir- mation as the effect of public instruction andad- xnonition, and assert, that " the Apostles confirm- ed the disciples by the laying on of hands :" but no such thing appears to have been <]one. The connecting link, between what is said of confirm- ing, and what is said of the imposition of apostol- ic hands has never yet been pointed out ; and ne- ver will. The two acts were altogoiher difler- ent m their nature : the one being the communi- cation ol miraculous power, the other simply preaching the gospel. Sir, is it not surprising, that wise and good men-men who profess to understand the scrip, tures m their connexion aiidharinonv, should thus conlound and connect things so es'seniially dif- ferent ; and thus practise such delusions, on the Ignorant and unwary . 87 You refer to Ilcb. vi, 3, in Jcfcnce ol the hn- positiou of hands in confirmation, In tlmt pas- a.e the aposil. , alluding to "the fir.t pnncp cs^^ ol rclision speaks ol •' the laying on o hancU: <x„d a bit follows the mention of the " doclnne of baptisms," you consider it as referring to the run of confiunatlon. The learned Dr. Clarke ts ol oninion, that the language refers to the— iS^ on of tl.e i.a,uls ot the per.ua brmgu,, .uo .,cu I a.; ..cr,fice, win- co,.lessed las .u,s over n ar^ U.en gave a lo lue i.riest, lo be offered to Ood, that n „„o ° mukeaiouemeui Ibr his ''''"'^Sressions .^ • • • = . „i i,.,„,l« • the uue sactilicial system , 'in.e iinposuion ol hands , tne uut = aud by uad ihroush it, the comraun.cai.on ol the ^a » "1 .nfis of the lio.y spirit, lor the htstructton ol tnau- k„.d\nd the ediiication of the caurch." Dr. Owen, Dr. Doddridge, and Mr. Sco t, however, think it refers to the laying on o. the apostles' hands, by which miraculous power %vas conferred, as an attestation of the ''■« • ° ^"^ gospel. It is very evident that >t has no conn x- iou with apostolic confirmation, which was not idenlfied, as is "the laying on of hands witji •' first principles," but with advancement, estab- lishraent, and » perfection" in religion. Not finding, however, sufficient authority m the New Testament, you informed your hearers, that the rite was derived from the PatrUrchs.- 8 1 I bU f^l ,%* ^>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / 4- ^ A [A 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 50 jM 1.8 U 1IIIII.6 i^ V] ^ /J A -cM "^^ <% > ^> * ^^-V V 'VJ* .^ /(^ ^^ £? € llUIUgl"cl[JiUlj Sciences Corporation ^ WA ^ <N^ O^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 £". & I* -^ ( : 88 Now, Sir, it is true that the Patriarch Jacob put his hands on the heads of Ephrain and Ma' nasseh, and blessed them ; that is, as simple young people are taught, confirmed them— There is one thing, however, wanting in this cir- cumstance to render it analogous to mode,-n con- firmation ; and that is, that Joseph, the beloved lather, stood as Sponsor, to his own children > which the Church of England, on no account You quoted, also, from the Fathers, commen- '■■ms with Tertullian : and.his is the mostanci- e.il author in which mention of it is found : who l.ved about the year 200. But, by this time, k H wol known, a great variety of superstitions, ■''=" ''Khculous and foolish r.tes, were bro«..-l.t in- to ilie Church. A'A you are also, I presume, not ignorant .hat conl.rma.ion was then performed (notasit is wi.h ";) ^'nm'.Miatelj^ after bapli,m ; as it is note, ■«.^o, tlnoughout the Greek Church, and all the cuurones of ,he East. A due regard to this will .ead you to (he true meaning of that expression, "_' your office, which yo„ are so embarrassed ia ci.«r,ag up, where the bishop declares to God - 80 That He halh vouchsafed to rcs^enemte these his se7n)ants by water and the Holij Ghost, and to ^Ive them forgiveness of all their sins. An expression, taken ][)iT)lab]y from some ancient Liturgy, and ^hich was suitable and well adapt- ed to the practice of those times, but is utterly incongruous and unsuiiable lo ours. And as, Sir, you quote from Tertullian, I pre- sume you are aware that he observes: — « We are not baptized that we may cease lo sin but because we have already ceased." Now when this was the case, and immedic»te- ly after baptism, coiirirmation was administered there was some decency and propriety in the bishop or presbytei's addressing Almighty God as baviiig vouchsafed to regenerate these his ser- vants with water and the Holy Ghost. But how d Terent, alas! vastly different, tho case at present is, with the mulutudes who (lock to our modern confirmations. How rude and unserious, they rush to receive this episcopal grace In how perfunctory and slight a manner the ceremony is performed. What riot and dis- order fre(|uenl}y concludes the day— is too obvi- ous to the world, and would seem, perhaps, in- vidious, if set in its proper light. 90 Sir, I shall now notice tlie ii.oel serious and awful part of the confiririation service, viz : the prayer which the bisliop presents, previous to the imposition of hands; a prayer which can- not but be prcduictive of the most injurious, if not latal consequences to the souls of men. Concerning promiscuous multitudes, consist- ing in some instances of scores and iumdreds of young persons of both sexes, the bishop thus addresses the Pivine Being : — "Alm^hiy r.nd ev^rlU'Irg- God, who hast vouch- safed to reizejiemti' L'^e?^F thy servants by Waier and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto ihem forgiveness of all Their sins: * ^ * =»= » Having thus pronounced a most absolute par- don over them, lest this should be too little to satisfy the doubting sinner, and appease his up- braiding conscience, he feels the consecratino* iiand of the bishop resting on his head, and hears himself distinctly and personally certified, and assured from the bishop's mouth, that this is a token of God's favour and gracious goodness to him in particular. Now I ask, Sir, what is the obvious and natural construction which the per- son puts upon all this ? Why surely, unless he thinks the whole solemnity a farce, and that the lir 91 bishop and priest ( his spiritual guides, whose lips are to preserve knowledge, and who are^o he the mouth of God to him ) have conspired to put a dangerous cheat, upon his soul, he must conclude his soul to be in a happy and sale state, in a state of favour with God, and a partaker ot that forgiveness, which his gracious goodness hath promised in the gospel oi Chris . bir, 1 have the Church Catechism, enlarged, explam- ed, &c. as used in the United States, which bears me out in the above remarks. I will here introduce a few questions with their answers. «' a What do you mean by confirmation ? - A The solemn laying ol the hands of the bishop, accompanied wUl. prayer, on tUose who have been bap- tized, and are come to years oi discretion. a Wiivdoyoucall thisconiirmation? A For'several reasons. 1st Because by this ordi- nance I ratifiy and confirm the vows and promises, which I made, or which were made in my name al my baptism. a What is the second reason 'I A 2d, Because the bishop, as chief mm.ster ot God's church, ratifies and confirms m the name of Christ, the promises made to me in that sacrament. Q VVhat is the third reason'? A 3 J, Because 'God's favor and goodness,' are .oti- firmed or renewed to me. a. What is the foanh reason'? 92 A. 4cli, Bpcau.^e, if I recei/e coo/lrm^r K Ian. eonr„.,„.., „. '..ren,„.:n:/™ 'I *? H^r' Ghost , he ocnfor.er,' n„d have .he p I n ke of h. ' ^.Mers, 1 beg leave to make a kxv remarks, f, it not <noonsistent, and solemn mockery m, vo„r part to present to the bishop, po,.s„„s foroonfir. •nation, who, according to your own doctrine were never bapti;.ed? And yot this was vour conduct at the last visit of the bishop to Carle- ion Place, fvo persons were i)resented to his ordslnp for confirmation, who had no other bap- lm.n than what they received from the hands ol Method..t mxr„s(ers. One of these persons was S f1 by a Meihodist episcopalian bishop ia '"e .. h., the other, by one of our own minis- ers ,„ ,h,s ,,,„^i„^^_ ,f ^^^ ^^^^^.^ ^^^ ^^^,^^,^^ '{ he.r bapt.sm, then I ask, what vows had Ihev to ral.fy and confirm, which were made in ihei'r names at baptism ? Havin,. no sponsors, sttrely the.r confirmaoon is null and void. As;a>n, anotl,er object of confirmation, is that whrfT"'< rT T^ ^"^ confirmed or 'sfrer-gthened' r . ""'^ ^''"'^' "'e comforter,' a,°d havo he promt.es of being defended bv God's grace, that tliey may contijiue his forever. proper. i 'Holv of being- ill's /or- md an- ks. Is 'ii your con fir. Dctrine s your ^arle- to his r bap- nds of s was lop ill :ninis- lidhv « i lliey their urely that Jned' have racc^ Can you, Sir, for one moment conceive, that those thoughtless, giddy, and profligate young persons, such as are commonly confirmed by modern bishops are His, or tliat by the act of confirmation they are defended from future sin ? Why, Sir, I could point you to a person who af- ter receiving confirmation from the hands of tha bishop at h\s last visit, spent the whole cve- ninf^ of the lay in a ball room. Sir, ask yourself the question, whether the con- tinuance of thi« ceremony in its present form of administration, be either for the honor of the ad- ministrator, or the benefit of the church? Whe- ther it hath not the tendency to cherish a delu- sive hope, and to speak peace to such persons as are not by their conduct entitled to peace ? I, with all humility, submit to the consideration of those whom it more immediately concerns; who should be faithful in God's house ; and to watch for mens' souls as those who must give account to the Great Shepherd who will shortly come ; before whom, it will be a tremendous tiling to have the immortal souls of thousands required at their hands. Your obedient servant, BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. ' :i 04 LETTER XII. To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. Rev. Sir, — Not having finished my remarks on Confirmation in my last, I beg the privilege to call your attention once more to this subject. I find by the order of your Common Prayer Book, that :— ''All persons bapiized, when (hev come to compe- tent years and are able to say the Lord's Praver, Creed and the Ten Commandments, and the Answers ot the shm Catechism, are to be brought to Confirmation." The bishop having asked :— ''Do ye here in the presence of God and this con- gregation renew the solemn promise and vow that wa^ made in your name, at your baptism, &c." Upon their answer *' we do," proceeds here- upon to declare in the most solemn manner, (as seen in my previous letter) even in an address to God himself, that he has vouchsafed to regen- erate these his servants, by water and the Holy Ghost, (note, Sir, Not hy water only, hut also by the Holy Ghost, and to give them the Jor^ giveness of all their sirw. m emarks ivilege subject. Prayer compe- , Creed s ot the alion." is con- '-at was here- r, (as [dress egen- Holy talso Jor^ 95 I pray you, Sir, in the name of tlic great Flead of the church, to inform me, what warrant has the bishop to pronounce a man's sins all forgiven and himself regenerated by the Holy Ghost, ui>- on no other grounds, than his being able to re- peat the sliort Catechism, and declaring that he stands by his baptismal engagements. Will you sav Sir, that this is the christian doctrine concern ing the terms of acceptance and forgiveness with God ? Ave good vows and resolutions, declared in the gospel infallible or proper proofs, of a re- generation by the Holy Ghost? Isaman^sp'o- fessing that he repents, aud pronming that ^e will live godly, that actual repentance and amendment of life, ivhich alone can ensure the divine pardon and favor. Are there not miltitii l^s whi call Christ thoir Lord, and publicly profess to stand by their bap- tismal covenant, whom yet he will reject with abhorrence at last ? Will you inform me, Sir, how his lordship upon this mere profession and promise, presumes to declare to Almighty God, and to assure the person, that he is regenerated, forgiven, and without all peradventure, in a state of favour ivithHeaven, The expressions you must acknowledge, are couched in absolute, and strong terms, you must excuse me, bi.t I be- i 1 * ^ >»i ^ml' 06 lieve in my conscience, thai (his rite as prrform ed in your church is awlully delusive, and inju- rious to the souls of men. See, Sir, the inconsistency of jour church for in the 25th Article it is declared that it has not'any Tisible sjgn or ceremony ordained of God. Yet we think hy you, great importance and dllcacv are attached to it. Hence, Hooker savs :— ' '♦ The Fathers every where impute lo ii, rhai rrid or grace of the Holy Gho^^t, not wi.ich maketh us at first christian men, but when we are made such, assisteth us m all virtue, and armeth us against temptation and £in. m to It is to these " Fathers" that you referred delence and support of this rite, particularly iertulhan, who says :-^ . ;' We do not receive the Holy Ghost in Baptism, but being pureed therein, we are prepared for the Holy Ohost." ^ And a^ain : — ''At the imposition of hands the soul is illuminated t)y the Spirit." Another of these sage Fail.crs observes, that, *' When our Lord said to Nichodemu;, 'Except'a man enter M \ ! ^' ^^^''^'^ ^"^' confirmed, he cannot: ent w h f"^'"' '^ ^°^' ^^^" ^'^ ^^^' " i^ notsuffici- ent without the other, the Spirit cannot operate without 9T porfortti. and inju- irch, for 5 not any >ci. Yet II S^ft or IS at first issistetii tion and rred, in larJy to isiHj but »e HoJy GTiinated , that, M mail to say annoi. suffici- i^ithout thfi water nor the water without the Spirit. Th«rt- fure, it was necessary (obe regenerated by both »":ra- ments, viz. by baptism and confirmation.'' * Law says of confirmation, that it is, *' A means of conferring grace by the prayer and im- pesition of the bishop's hands." Thus, though the Church of England teachei that all who are baptized, are regenerated, yet it seems, the work is not complete, till the cere- mony of confirmation is performed : for, if this be neglected, the soul, after all. is in dangerof being lost ! This is the impression which your church endeavours to produce, on the minds of her young disciples. And, which you, Sir, la- bored to produce on the mind of '^ ^ung roan, a member of another church whe ' him, that, so great was its important you had not attended to it, you would . par- dized your soul's salvation 1 The remarks of the Rev. T. Scott, on the above subject, are very judicious ; and being made by an episco- palian, are well worthy attention : — *' The rite of confirmation" says that candid expositor, " as practised by many christian churches, has ofteQ been siaied to be a continuation of this apostolical im- position of hands, for theconfirmation oi new converts by the Holy Ghost ^hus given to ihem. But, it is far from evident, that this was done universally by the "^Lord King's inquiry into ihe constitution, discipline, &c. ol the primitive churcli, p. 83, 87. iii i ! Il ii 9S ipostlef, or those who immediately 8ucce#d«d them.— However, as miraculous powers, rather than sanctify, ing grace were thus conferred, unless such gift$ were oow connected with that observance, the parallel must ^■^* To advance this observance into a sac- rament, and even above a sacrament, (as it is when the Holy Ghost is .apposed to be conferred, by imposition ol hands, and the use of the apostle's words) puts the subject in a very differeni iight. Doubtless it was at first magnified, in order to exalt the episcopal order to whom it was confined, as il they were properly intrust- ed with apostolical authoriiy ; but as miracles are out of the question, to follow the apostles in faith, humility diligence, piety, selt-denial, &c. is tha only ade^^uatj method 01 magnifying either the clerical or episcopal office: assuredly, as this matter is generally nianaged, it must be allowed to be an evil : and it ought either to be attended to in another manner, or not at all." Now, Sir, i might retort, and throw back your own language, aud ask: What think you of tho Rev. t. Scott ? a ro'nister of your own church, who says : " it must he allowed to be an eviV Why, really. Sir, he must be worse than Ben^^ jarmn Nankevill, who you say, calls it a human arrangement! I must be permitted, in conclu- sion, to tell you, you will search th« New Tee- lament in vain to find the origin of this rite. Yours^ with due respect^ . BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. iwni r.jti^t^ici them.— ianctify- fts were lel must lo a saC' 7h^n the posiiioa puts the was at rder, lo intrust- Eire out imilitjr, equate iscopal »8ed, it iher to cyour )ftho lurch, Ben- iman >nclu- Tes- LL. 9b ■:> ♦..*'» I i LETTER XIIL To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. 'Ret. Sifi,— In this letter, I shall, according to promise, notice your claims to " Apostolic Saccessioh,^^ The questio is often asked, "what is meant by this said apostolic succession ? and what are its consequences ? I will then explain the matter as stated by Dr. Huol?, of Leeds, in his two sermonS) on the Church and the Estab- lishment :— ^< There is not a bishop, priest, or deacon among u?, who cannot, if he please, trace his own spixitual de- scent from St. Peter or St. Paul. *' The only ministrations to which the Lord has jiro«'« mised his presence is to those of the bishops, vho are successors of the first commissioned apostles, and the other clergy acting under their sanction and by their authority." Sir, I have given you this extract to show you the source, whence the presbyter of Maryland de- rived his matter, contained in three letters, to a Methodist : from which you obtained your sup©- ilor wisdom, to carry on your unholy crasade, 100 against tlie Methodists. But, Sir, is it not very awful in its consequences, as concerns the mil- lions, wlio have composed the Non Episcopal church of Scotland, and all the continental, pro-, testant reformed churches, if true and unanswer- able. But as a set-off to Dr. Hook and yourself, Sir, I shall produce authority, which will hide you, and your pusej^ite associates, in obscurity invisible ! I sliall commence, with the Rev. Richard Whatel/, D. D., Archbishop of Dublin, in his re- cently published work, *The Kingdom of Christ,' the Archbishop saja :— "There ii noi a Minister, id all Christendom, who is able to traae up, with tny approach to certainty, his own spiritual pedigree. The sacramental virtue, (for such It is that is implied, whether the term be used or not in the principle I hare been speaking of) dependent on the imposition of hands, with a due observance of apostolical usages, by a bishop, himself duly consecra- ted, after having been in like manner baptized into the church, and ordained deacon and priest.^ihis sacra- mental virtue, if a single link of the chain be faulty, must, on the above principles, be utterly nullified, ever after, m respect of ail the links that hang on that one. For, if a bishop has not been duly consecrated, or had not been previously rightly ordained, his ordinationsari . null and so are the ministrations of those ordained by him J and their ordinations of others, (supposing any of • ^9 persons ordaijjcd by him to attain to the episcopal 101 office) and so on without end. The poisonous tafnt of informality, if it ooce creep in undetected, will spread the infection of nullity to an indefinite and irremediable extent : and who can undertake to pronounce that during that long period, usually designated as the Dark Age , no such taint ever was introduced. Irregularities could not have been wholly excluded without a perpetual miracle : and that no such miraculons interference ex- isted, we have even historical proof. "Amidst the numerous corruptions of doctrine and ol practice, and gross superstitions, that crept in, daringp those ages, we find recorded descriptions noi only of the profound ignorance and profligacy of life, of many of the clergy, but also of the grossest irregulariiies in respect of discipline and form- We read of bishops consecrated, when mere children : of men officiaiing, who barely knew their letters :. ot prelates expelled^ and others put info their places, by violence : of illiter- ate and profligate laymen, and habitual Drunkards, ad- mitted to Holy Orders : and, in short, of the preva*- lence of every kind of disorder, and reckless disregard of the decency which the Apostle enjoins. It is in- conceiveabieihat any one, even moderately acquainted with history, can feel a certainty or any approach tt> certainty, that amidst all this confu&fon and corruptioa every requisite form was,, in every instance, strictly- adhered to, by men, many of them openly profane and' secular, unresteained by public opinion, througpb the gross ignorance of the population among wSicli they lived :: and that no one-not duly consecrated or ordain- ed was admiiteiJtosacreetofiices."'— Whatel^^sKin|^* do« of Chrfsf, pages 5B, 59* ' ili I ' fl m Dr. Adam. Clarice, Sir, prcnounces your the- ory, of apostolical succession, as false and clan- gerous: and utterly unworthy, of the charitable and digniaed spirit of Christianity :-. ' '' It is dangerous, as it might involve one of the mpsi importani state questions, that could come before .M^e British public. Mr. Thomas Seeker, afterward. Archbishop ol Canterbury, was the son of a dissenting «iinister,. born in 1693, was baptized after the form of that church, and studied at three dissenting schools •uccesarely, until he was 19 years of age: when, he went to the Unifersiiy of Oxford, and afterward^ea- lered the communion o( the Church of England. He was, m 1732, nominated one of the chaplains of tho King: in 1733, was appointed rector of St. James's : January 5th, 1734, he was elevated to the Bishopric of Bristol : to that of Oxford, in 1737; m 1750, exchang- ed the prebend of Durham and rectory of St. James's for the deanery of St. i>aurs; and, in 1758, he wa« named and confirmed to the Archbishopric of Canier- bqry . He officiated at the funeral of king George 2d • ana the proclamation of his present majesty, whom he had baptized, when rector of St. James's, and whom -With his queen, he married and crowned, 8ih Sepiem- ber, 1761 : and, on the 8th of September, 17t>2, he baptized the prince of Wales, and alterwards, seviral Qi their Majesties' children. > ^ •» *^ Wt hear nothing of his ever having been re-bapfzed. U his baptism was not christian, efficient and leeal oap- fawa, fionsequentiy he could not baptize or cooRc oV- *«• : but ftt did both. X^w were we 4o ailoi. thf i 103 .:,h,ktian and dangerous doctrine, that no baptism «,,chr.st.an antt a ^ .h^t which is conferred EnlnTrthen these monstrosities and abom.nat.on n fo low -Out blessed King is no chnstiao. .or Tw s p^ed b;apersonwuo was never h,ntse« baptized :^and ^^l^^^'^i:;^^ Tnd 'TTTA xhisith^rue sUession in .he church i. added to all mis vne . , ^mhe baptisms and ordi- interrupted and brokea • for aU th« l' J- ^.,^ , nations ol A'cl'b'shop Se-ker no , ^^ ^^ ^ ding in the see of Ca»'"bury , but ^^ g^.^^^, country clergyman, "•'j^'Ji^nd anuchristian : and bishop of Oxlord, were invaio A 11 .uo tfcolesiasucsand hign vuurcuuio"' unholy and unconstitutional doctrines, u Clarke's letter to a Preacher, P'S^^^.^^'JJ^'lf * We are informed, by you, Sir, tbat . « The ^^.cession is not the worse by coming through the impure channel of 1 opery . - ■ • Vou also asserted, that :— Britain . *. The Church of Englatid existed in Bntam S7 yenrs after Christ, it was subdued by he Rc^ J,, and corrupted by their errors, but at ^ 1Ufo;ma.loa thre« off the Roman Jo^e^^^^ from Rome m it is, to Bon» M rt «« » »«• .purity.'* ■'* - ■ ■ 104 Rev. Sir, allow ine fn, „ ^ • '■ "»e ""oral character aS """ '" ^'^'"'^ "' -ost Wicked orC ciir '" '^'^'^- ^^ pope Damasos 2c/ slr!^^^ o. "^^^ P"''^°"e(l -'« of hi. predecel '"^t,^^ ^--"ded ,he ed h,s dead body and .h ' ^''™°«os. behead- - --d .0 have ee S'": r " "' '"'''"'' ^' «"«' lived. Pope J«t I^,T ' T"^'^^' •''at «ct of adultery .Sixirj, ? "''"^'"^'^ '» «he •^--^'xe,. But,toe„d;ir".^' ^'■"' ''-own rfe^'x, himself an I ?' '" '^•^' ">«' Pri- «-d^ng, enui;re::X;;^^^^^^^ («« he caJ], them) <?:, J!' ^"*"^ ''evourers." '---" And Je c rsr?"^"^ '^'^- ^«Cl'at;\:ht;tt' ^''^ "" ^^^'^ "-" one glance a fc r a few 'i*e(i tile o'soned ied (he >eljead- ber.— . 'US 3d, ', that in the els in ! own ncar- Prf. for* bm- - V ' .-* ?ne it id- 105 ^regularly connected with it, and that the " suc- cession'' may be traced through it, is a matter I must leave for you to decide. I certainly should think, however, that this is a desperate refuge, attended with a train of mon- strous absurdities, all which yet, rather than ad- mit the orders of other prolestant divines, and the regularity of their ministrations, you resolutely swallow. That popery is an undoubted fundamental sub- version of the whole r>cheme of Chrisilani y, that it is that not.stacy from the christian faith, describ- ed by St/ Paul, 1 Tim. iv, I, 2, 3, The man. ot sin and the son of perdition, sitting in the temple (church) of God, opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God, foretold by the Hjly Ghost, 2 Thess. ii, 3, 4. ^ And, that the church of Rome, is represented bv the prophetic Spirit in the Revelation of St. John, as an adulterous woman, wbo hath brok. en her marriage covenant that espoused her ta Christ, and is falJen into a st;ate of abomirabla "and open lewdness, multiplying her fornicatiokis, %nd instead of bringing fozth. and cherishing a Jaithful seed to the Redeemer, breathes out hoc- • rid threateuings and persecutions against lh«m» r^ II; .106 from T T" "•*"■ «'a«smi8sion Jo vou 'fir "om this antichristian anj r i . ■'^ ' *"^ tirade. a« J^^^Txhat Itf- '''' ^'«" «or ha. been anytSg £1 T ""?''"'*'^ year. past. «!»,«. .^ , ' *"'" * ""'«?and genuine .po^toKc id ^^^.h "■'"'''' '"'^^"'"g tan becomesVhe 8aSr'~'\" ^^"^g^'g"^ "f Sa! ^m from >d: that ascribed ^d even How olafroua «, your ast that 'd line, 'eclare of this chex. f yotit lurch, Sir, Whit lurch isand ffices Ming Sa- )ow- ist'a ally the it. 107 ,elf off from the body of Christ, hath, ceyerthfr. less his spirit and authority dwelling in it, aod ia commissioned by Christ to examine, ordain, and send ministers into his church, for the edify- ing of his body and perfecting his saints. How, ia every view, marvellous, and transcendent, i» * But harlot as she is, you intimate, she may hrin» forth children as 'veil as a virtuous matrw), and°8ometimes children far better than herself. Poor consolation this, for the. children she brmgS forth in this state of her divorcement : they mns be born of fornication, a spurious and corrupt race This, Sir, is that church of Rome, which you own as your Mother, and from which you claim by ordination tob« ecclesiastically sprung and to which you trace your descent, and from which you claim your Apostolic Succession, and her sons you acknowledge as brethren, duly born il the church, whereas the glorious company li foreign reformed churches, together with th. church of Scotland, and all dissenters, and Metlr odists you utterly disown as your brethren, and affirm, that because they have not the three <»• ders of ministers, their ordination is irregnUr, their communion can be neither lawful nor safe. Where, alas! is the decency, the consistency, i J08 a pan of the true tttZZ7cT''' }>' aclmi„i„ered. accord nfloC'' r"""^"'^ '«' ^"'^ "■ose things .l,a<ofneces^Uv a ^'•°"'"'^"<=*' '« all RomW, eburcJ., tbl. ; • " '''^"'^''^ i'^ f'e -roneous and ^ ^^j 1: 'Jf -""P-e^ b, „oM «ie -est ri.W;re:uTstt '.,:J"";''^' ^''•' confess the \vinp </ f, * ^° >"»" not ministerei ac J, , •'^''■'^'"""'' "'^°> ''"'y «d- »h-chu.c.h:Xe :;;■!: ^.''-''^ -finance., in pj^ ^ , wuer e (he cup u taken feom the pec «<ries, exco^TT T' ''^^^l'"'^"** and idol- «l^e bodv of C "T':' '"*^"' "^^^^^'f ««• f-m ""dpawerdwdtol'.-!,: '""""^ ''^^« ''^ «P'"' ^ •" sacerdotal characters and offi- it 4 ^he chris- miby be rist, f6r the pure be duly e, in all J same.** e pure in tlie ymosi atrou!< >u not )f (he y acl- s, in peo- ' her dol- rom Jirit I no 109 C9« in Christ's church ; the character! and oflicet * therefore, which she pretends to convey, and which you profess to receive from that source, are spurious, and of no validity or efficacy what- . ever. Where now, Sir, is your Apostolic Succes- lioxi ? Is your chain perfect ? Can you trace your descent back to Peter or Paul ? Allow me to en- quire, Sir, whose conduct plainly indicates the heart inclined to popery ? Is it the writer of this epistle or the individual to whom it is addressed ? I can hardly comprehend, why you referred to the church of England as existing in Britain 57 years after Christ, unless you intended to make the impression on your hearers, that you ere not indebted to, nor dependent upon this Romish chain for your succession ; I know, Sir, that this ie maintained by some of your school, that long be- fore the church of Rome had become corrupt, the church of England had obtained its episcopacy, and that the stream thus obtained from a pure foun- tain, has retained its original purity, uncorrupted by, and independent of the church of Rome.— This you know, Sir, is the view of the Maryland presbyter, with whose Letters I presume you are by Ibis ilme thoroughly acquainted : and coase- ..i! -I no quemlj, fully prepared to slander ,he Mchod/,,. Howerer, the above sentimp... '"""W". -'range assertion.,, for TolsZ'J'", '*''"'"''' gospel to n.ake, a'nd SylTLZatV' 't"" •ource r must be permitted m! ^ *° *^'« JW. I. a, ^.rangefC :^rr:riT ""• a' others, the, f^^^&^^-X'S 'TT be It remembered, that these En. Vv^ •" ''" only presbyteria.; ordirn itu^''"^'' ''^"^ Jous to brin«- them !nt^ 1. '^"Sustine, anx* would have beer, Siit^ f succession, as you •ion, by the ^^'Sixarrf"' Many of them subletted tI .' '" '''»'''> that <iJl nearly the cloe of. TTu ^^<^'^ Prove,- English clerJ had bv '^'^ ""'"'^. "«> -i'hout.he;;rsir„^rtLfr^""« P-r to have been satisfied til 'the„ 1^7 '''■ cient order of ihi^^r. ' ^"'^ *"® an* nation. '^'^^'' ""'"^'^ Presbyterian ordi. Now, Sir, --ubsequent history proves ako,that7 Ill Ae clergy, instead of preserving themselves and ihe church from contact with the *' mother o f a. nominations," had recourse again and again to the pope, for the ordination of their bishops, so that in the archiepiscopa! see of Canterbury from the time of Theodore ,A. D. 668, till the year 1414, no les3 than fourteen bishops and archbishops obtained their appointment and ordination at the hands of the pope or the pope's legate. In the Archbishopric of York, during a space of a little over two hundred years, from 1119 to 1343, no less than ten bishops were ordained by the pope or his orders. In the see of Durham, four of its bishops were ordained at Rome during the same period. In the see of Winchester, durmg nearly the same period, six of the bishops were ordained bv the pope. Thus we might go on, from one diocese to another, over the whole of England, and we should find that all of them re- cdived more or less of their bishops from Rome. Now, Sir, bear in mind that the prelates above,^ were given by Rome to England, during the darkest days of the popedom. And as it respects pope Joan, some authors state, ^ that she filled the papal chair for more than two years, Platina, a Romish histotian, who wrote the history of the church, affirms it to be a gene. rallv admitted fact," Prideax, Flavius, lUyncus, - if -- Ir ?ii I u 1< ■' t r 11« MosTieim, tlie compilers of your own Homilief and a large number of authorities belongin<r to iLe church are in favour of it. Now I ask "sir in the name of candour and decency, could this abandoned female transmit the true aposlolic vir- tue to her successors in office ? Sir, Iwill not in- «ultyour understanding, nor the uiiflerstandingi of those who may peruse these Letters, by at- tempting a reply. And now. Sir, having examined your claim to apostolic succession we are prepared to ask in all sincerity, what think you of your claim ? Is it well founded? Doesjt commend itself to your sober judgment and enlightened reason ? Are you prepared to admit, that those who have this spurious and pretended succession, constitute the only true church of Jesus Christ, and that all other chr'sf lans are schismatics and heretics? ' Why thcia, isa, we hu -e only to say, from such an exclusive, monopolizing episcopacy as this we earnestly pra^ to be delivered, a I we pit/ themini«,ter who, supposing there is a diviuf. war- rant for such claims, suffers himself to be so far blinded by error, as to withhold from ministers and members of other churches, an acknowledge- ment of their true relation to the body of Christ' Your obedient servant, ' * . BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. (( m xtijiO vIoH iii'i X^TTEU XIV. To The Usv. J. A. Mulock. Rev. Sib,— I shall now address you on the subject of Scriptural Ordination. You affirm, that the Methodist ministers are not ordained : and you infer from this that they are no minis- ters ! And, I am informed, that on this subject, you make a very solemn parade. .■All pTe-cminence" says Archbishop Seeker "of one churcn above another was nothing originally but an in- ..itu.ion of men for conyemence ando<der."-Vol. ol ^'novv,' sS That .ordination was not necessary, to qiialify for preaching, appears from Paul s preaching before he had been orda.ned. Imme- diately after his conversion, as we have it m the Ix cJpter of the Acts of the Apostles, 20 verse, ».W straightway, he preached Christ .n the •s;nagogues that he is the Son of God." Now Sir he had not received ordination at this t.me :;i wehave no apcount of his ordinat.n takitjg place, until we come to th^ xai chapter. U the 1 I f l< 1 I 114 If Ibeginning of that chapter, when the Holy Ghost said to some of the officers of that church, "Sep- arate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where- unto I have called them : and when they bad fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Here, is the first time we read anythingof the Apostle Paurs ordination. I wouid ask furtlier, Sir, by whom was it that he was ordained ? Not by bishops, according to your acceptation of the word, but by the pro- phets and teacliers. Not by the other apostles : no, but by the secondary officers of the church. From them lie received his ordination : and there- fore, it is warrantable, when a person is so dis- posed, and when providence has given a capa- city and an opportunity to make known Christian- ity to his fellow men. We see further, from the viii chapter of Acts, 4th verse. I shall notice this circumstance from the beginning of the chapter :—«And at that time" (this was after the death of Stephen) " there was a great persecution against the church W'hich was at Jerusalem, and they were all scat- tered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria es:cept the Apostles,'' fthey tarried at Jerusalem.) Now, Sir, who was it that went everywhere, preaching the word I It was not 115 the Apostles, who acted as the pastors of the church of Jer«telem. No, but it was the com- mon members of the church. « They went every where preaching the word." These preachers were made instrumental in doing good, although they had not what you would term regular ordi- nation. But to give you. Sir, more just and fa- Torable impressions of ordination by presbyters; and to sink a little, your esteem of episcopal or- dination, on which you pride yourself so rnucb, 1 recommend to your consideration, the follow- '"l-Shy was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presb>tery,-l Tim. iv, U. So here is an instance, not of episcopal, but of pres- bvterian ordination : an instance of ordmat.onhy pastors, the very same that is practised mtha Protestant churches, scattered through France, Germany and all parts of the continent. Here Sir is an ordinationauthenticated by the word of God : altogether different from the ordination practised by the Church of England ! Do you think it was a valid ordination ? And then, Sir, I ask, is it not a well _:nown and established fact, that presbyters, m the eel- ebrated church of Alexandria, ordained, even .their o«n bishops, for more than 200 years, m the earliest ages of Christianity? ^n m^ fl Again, Sir, bishops and presbyters are, in .scripture, the very same : ami iWe notra dktinot order or office in the Christian Ghuroh. The church at Phillippi had but two orders of church officers viz. bishops and (/e«cow^,— Phill. i 1. And, that the name <?^ce, tt'orAj of a bishop, and presbyter are the same, appears frpm Titus i, 5, 7: For this cause left I thee in Crete, tliat .thou shouldest ordain elders, {presbyters) in eve- ry city, for a bishop must be blaraeless.-nPaul called the elders (or presbyters) of the church of Ephesus 1x)geiher, and cfiarged them, Acts xx, ■;17, 27, to take heed to the flock over which the Holy Ghosthad made them overseers {ox bis- hops.) So 1 Peter, V, 1, 2, The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder (or presbyter) feed the flock of God among you, ta- king the oversight thereof. Hence, Sir, you per- ceive, that to pretend, that ordination by a bishop is valid, but by presbyters invalid, is untrue and cannot be supported by facts drawn from the Bi- .ble, nor from the history of the church of Christ. In the beginning of Christ's religion no such dis- tinction was known. How is It, Sir, that the great blessing (if it b» a blessing) of Episcopal ordination is wanting in the foreign churches } Is it through mcesmtjf ci choi irt \W\ faith^b the satt longs* "Ml mail of first ref< dinals i the ref( in the 11 " what faiii4e Ca copat desiri sures ofili' on c who sary i\m plefi lent er i tha mi on % 1. ta- ci choice} Why, Sir, the ^-W^^^^efoi iri their pubVic confessions and formular|es of dth, bishops and priests are aecl-ec. or.g naj^r tbesltne; ar.d that the p o^ver of ordmafon be- longs enually- to bolh. „ , . . .. Mr;Da Pessis, (say. B-^OP ^«"'"'»'' ^f 'irL" dmaU in Germany, Fraoce, Italy, *c. wuo j the reformation, whom they ™'f '• ^^ t Vthl bishop. in thefr ordinations : and, therefore ' ^^'« ^^"I'^^fd^ « (vhat necessity can be pretended m this case, faio4ea«."-Epis. Asserted, ^c. p. l»l. -can anything he more manifest than that ep,s- copaVordiLionmight be obtained, i chosen and dSd by thera. Hence, Sir, whatever een._ Sou P«s^ «pon the orders and adu.ia.stra .on. SSL';Lthoditminister,.they equally fall :«p^ on «M the Reformed churches, throughoux tl.e ;\:£otestant world. If ours i. an unneces- TananS wanton departure, frorn the primttwe order saP} «"*" TT^T,r ^•l^ it gives roe gTeat/ their.l*.lhe same. ^ ;> ^J- '1^,, „f ^, pleasure to see myself in such cto ' Lnt and «ood coSpaiiy : and unkes yo^/=a«^ , rsomethCrnore den>o„strative, on tins h«ao, 1 "Thnll^ever vet seen, I can assure you, my than I nave ever y^ i T.o«ynlaritV ol mind>yill enjoy full peace, as to the ^egularity^I our ministrations. Is li ■ii 118 Now, Sir, I have yet to learn, and it deserves your serious consideration, whether, by the con- «titution and f/ame of the C hurch of England, sacerdotal ordifiation be really at all necessary to the making of a valid minister, and giving success and efficacy to his ministrations : or, whe- ther there is really any such ordinatio7i, m the Church of England, at all. It seems clearly the sentiment of our first reformers that it was not. For, at the first establishment of this church, un- der Henry 8th, and Edward 6th, all the bishops took out commissions from the crown, for the ex- ercising of their spiritual jurisdiction, in these kingdoms, during the king's pleasure only :^ "And in their commissions acknowledge all sorts of ' jurisdiction, as well ecclesiastical as civil, to havefl6w. ed, originally, from the regal power, as from a sii^' Preme HEAD, and a fountain and spring of all magist^ti- cy witoin his own kingdom." * a, . yea, Sir, even the power of ordination itself, which is reckoned, by you, so important to the episcopal office, the first reformers and founders of your church derived from the king, and exerei- «8iJ only as by authority from him, and during his pleasure. nnvi ■' I mm. il^llf. ^^"-"y f ^^^>„chap. 1.-37 Henry 8th, chap. piZ\f ^^' ^'-^"^"^^'s Hi«t. Refor. i^rl it, -?- i 119 <c Thus Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Bonner Thus Y^P*" commissions trom the "^ ' Ju nattTof th€ kingdom, the King aulhon^e, charge m all V"'^ °' '"^ ' ,;-, J^^ ,„ ordain, withia ,he BishQp m h.s [the I^'»SJl '^7" f ,,^,„ orders, '"nttrl ofthe'eSrcopalauthorUy. and this da- :;;:Te'Klr.g'3 Plealre only.-See Exa..nat.cn af ^tl'rctdir fiwL acUnowaed,e. that ' in the retgn of Henry 8th,, the bishops took out^ and acted by con,mi.sions, in which th,y were but sStern to ti^e kiag'i viceg.eat : bv. .J the reign of Edward 6th, none being .a that oi te tS were immediately -derthe k<3 •. but Eythesecommissionstheydc^aretja^.- pleasure ; and were imi)u , ■ ^^ ^^ ^j^g episcopal Wfromhim: that all the vahdid>ty,s,gm / or weight which they have in y f ^^ ■ i. !! 1'^ \i. i ,i that the magistrate has aulhoritafiVely direcled aDd|,rescribed/iowa„d lo vAom ordination IS to be given. Perhaps, Sir, you rocollect th« judgment of the court in the case of Howel] « fionjuriLg clergyman, ordained by Dr. Hiok(«'* His ordination was pron.mnced'illegai and he was disowned as a clergyman. f And should an ordination oe given ^^in'he bishops of your church in another manner, or ■" another form than that prescribed by (he ma- gistrate, such ordir.ation would be of no leffalitv ora„.hor,.y in your church: the man.o ,.rd!i„ed FrS, ,' " A ^"^^ ^"^"^ '" "''' Church of i^n&Ia. d. A m.n.sier-in the C.burch of Christ le would be ; bu, he would be no minister in tTe Church orEnglaud : nor, would he have p" er and authority t« officiate as a priest therein -1 ^tdT' r '?'"''''''' '^^>'' ^t -" «>^dination. u ould ask of eacli candidate for aiders :- Arey.ou called aecor<}ug .0 ih. wilUf Our Lord J.sns chr.s,, and .he du, order of this Realm 7.>^ Now.Sir, I have directed" your attention to h,s subject to lessen your Ush opinion of your ordination, above other ministers. ' And here I would remind you, once more, of Archbishop ^^^»;^eniimcnts on this subject:— '^'•? f *"" Ji'irtaff Hist. Eng. voThnr^fW ■ H Hi »< That though in the admission of bishops, parson?, ^i^ars and other priests to their office, there be divers comely ceremonies and solemnities used" [he speaketh chiefly of ordination] " yet these be not of necessity, but only for good order and seemly fashion, for if such uffices and ministrations were commiUed without such foiemnitv, and there is no moie promise of God, ihat <Trace is' given m the committing of the ecclesiastical nOice than it is in the commhting of the civil. A bishop mav make a priest by the scriptures »fc so may princes & .rovernors also, and that by the authority ot God com- milted to them, and the people also by their election. For as we read that bishops have done it, so chrisiiati emperors and piinces usually have done it, and the peo- nle before christian princes were, cOii^rnonly did elect Jheif bishops and priests. In the Nfew Testament, he ihat ^is appointed lo be a bi^liop or,a.prte»t, needetn no consecration by the scripture, for election ^r appointing thereto is sufficioni."-Extract frain Archbishop. Gran- mer's M. S. SiiHingHeet's Iten. chhp.Sth, p. 391. "Arcl;bishop Bancroft, and the rest 61 the bishops with him owned the ordination of prosbyters to ue valid, and herl^rore refused to re-ordain the Scottish pr^shyter^ who were then to he made bishops,, declaring, that to cWuht ^t, was to doubt wiiether ther^.be anylawfuh vo- cattn in most of the reformed qhuiches.'VArchbish- op Spotsx^ ood's Hist, page 514. Hence, Sir, I appeal to all^io know the re^l and true 'nature, of your boasted, episcopal ordl- nations, if tra6fedto il^eir proper origin, and right- Iv considerecir whether they ars any thin a more Xlm merely civil ordinations. Now, Sir, I would Wt'be considered to depreciate your ordinations, I i I f«« J m m 122 tills is not my object, but I wish to see you occu- Yy your proper place, among other ministers, and fctanding side by side with ihem, and no higher. Nor let it be here replied, that these bishops, who by the laws of England, are empowered to or- dain, are, at the same time, to be considered as •Buccessors of the Apostles, and liave recei vet] pow- er of ordination, from these founders of tl^echris- tian church, by an uninterrupted lineal descent- for the constitution and law of England, knows nothmg at all of this; it rests not this pov7er, which it comrnits to its bishops, upon any such lineal succession or descent, (which it knows to be a rope of sand, a ridiculous chimera, a thing ^hich no man upon earth is able to make out.) No, but it considers the king or queen, vested (by act of parliament, or the sufTrage of the peo- ple) with a fulness of all power, ecclesiastical in these realms, as empowering and authorizing bishops to ordain. ^ Do you lot recollect. Sir, that this power of or- dmation was once delegated to Cromwell, a lay- man, as vicegeren,t to the King, and by the con- itaution and law of England, this layman had then as much authority to ordain, as any bishop in the realm and any priest whom he had ordained would have been as much a minister, In the churcuof EngJand, and his ministrations as ralid, as if all a. M I Si 123 the bishops of the renlm had laid thoir liands on his head. And perhaps you remember, that Heath and Day, the Bishops of Worcester and Chiches- ter, were deprived of their bishoprics by a court of delegates, who were all lay men. See Echard's Hist. Eng. page 310. Sir, I think, prudence should loudly dictate, that you speak gently as to the authority and or- ders of our ministers, when you know, or yon ought to have known, that they have it in their power to retort. It was therefore, surely, not wise in yc-u. Sir, as well as extremely unkind, to se| tliemupas objects of public odium and avoidance to your people. Your high toned arrogance, <ind downright impudence, will do you no good. The^e remarks are not urged against the Episcopal chuaiqh as such, but gimply, against the unwarrantable pretentions of yourself, and that portion of your church who stigmatize all others, as heretics, schis- matics, and heathens. ^ You, Sir, may yet boast, thatyou have the dig- nities, emoluments, and powers, of this world on your side, but you must give me leave to 'aii.l^, at least, that I have truth on mine. Truth, SItj which is great, and will finally prevail. f Tours, ivith due tespect^ -^ BENJAMIN NANKEVILV. 'H 124 f ■ ■.>.ii ii L E T T E R XV. To The Rev. J. A. Mulock. Rev. Sir,— I have been very mucli amused to Lear of your carrying a large bag of books into your ehurcl,, and ilien with a great deal of par- ade, spreading them out upon your altar t have been informed that these boobs were Wc^' ley's Woife. Why, Sir, I think it is a longtime' since your altar was <.hns adorned by books'so et- ' cettent, except is-h^n the Bible lay on it. And Oil those books were carried there to prove that Mr. Wesley, never, avowedly, left your Church.'. «oy, Sir, I ask, fl^ho rjaid he did .'Surely it was' not I : ,n my former pamphlet, I have Mo recoHec- Uon of sa-ying any sueh thing. I do however re- collect of snying, if not avowed, yet Mr- Wesley and all in connexion with him, are real dissenter., from the^ Church of England, proved to be so- by Mi-. Wesley's conduct, by the canons of the Church, and the Act of Toleration. This, Sir I sWI MSMI, and defy jou to prove the reverse, nei- taer have you attempted to do 'so: true you gave 125 a goodly number of quotations from his Works to prove that he never avowedly left the Church, but, Sir, did you say any thing concerning the facts I referred to above ? I cannot hear that you made one remark on this subject, how could you when you knew that " facts are stubborn things'' so that all your flourishing and parade, was only beating the air, and spending your strength for nought. Now, Sir, suppose 1 ask you, if Mr. Wesley was a dissenter from the Church of England,-— by the Church of England, I mean the whole hie- rarchy, as it is by law established, not only in its doctrines, but in its government and discipline, as containing a part of the legislative power in the civil state, as governed by archbishops, &c. you answer in the negative, as you declared onr the different sabbaths, while carrying on your unholy tempest of defamation against the Meth- odists. Mr. Wesley not a dissenter, and yet preaching, and administering the Lord's Supper, in those places rever consecrated by a bishop, and no bishop had any jurisdiction over them ! TVot a dissenter^ and yet calling a conference ev- ' ery year, admittingmen into the ministry, appoint- ing their stations, and calling them to an account for their doctrine and conduct, sending them all over the three kingdoms, apd into f.)reign part?, i I 156 a widerprovliice than the Archhisljop of Canterbu- ry has : formally ordaining men to administer the ordinances, and yet not a dissenter ! Now, Sir, when you made the statement, tliat Mr. Wesley was not a dis.scnter, you must have known, that Mr. Wesley, nor any man else, could do these «hin«6 as a minister of the cdiurcli of England; and conj^equently he was a dissenter. The Rev. Richard Watson, in (ho life of Wcs- ic7, speaking of these irregularities, observes :— **Tlie irregularily was in principle, a:s great yv he a the first 9tf p wns taken, as at any future lime. Ii was a form of practical and pariiai separation, though not of theoretical dissenr; but it arose out of moral necessity and existed ior some years in such a state, that, had the clergy been disposed to co-operate in this evident revi- val and spread of true religion, and the heads of the Church been willing to sanction itinerant labors amonff Its mmisters, and private religious meetings amono the serious pert of the people, fur mutual edification'' the great body of the Methodists might have been retained in communion with the Church of England "—Wes. ley's Life, page 93. That Mr. Wesley was thus a dissenter will be a matter of praise to thousands^ that he denied himself to be in any wise such, was his weak- ness, and laid him under much inconvenience. Mr. Weftley, speaking of the mimsters of the Church, \>ho like yourself. Sir. calls n« hprntlrg T2T or schismatic?^, obsen'cs, " allliough in tliis case tlie ureacli can never bo liealed." Again, " tho corUinuance of the breach is chargahle on you and you only."— WoMKS, Vol. 3tl, pages 320, 331. Now, Sir, what is a breach, but the act of break* ing a gap, and Mr. Wesley asserts that the con- duct of the clergy was such, that this breach could never bo ho iled. lijar, again, Sir, his biographer. *' The care of the cliurche? now had come upon him, and was increasing ; he had a responsibiliiy lo man as well ai» to God, for the right management ol a people, whom his hxhours, and those of his coadjutors had form- ed into a body distinct Irom the national Churcii, and indeed as to all ecclesiastical control teparate from it." Wesley's Life, page 179. " Church or no Church," observes Mr. Wes- ley, in one of his letters to his brother Charle«, we must attend to the work of saving souk" And in another, " I neither set it up, nor pull it down ; but let you and I build the city of God.'* " Mr. Charles Perronet and some others, for whom Mr. Wesley had great respect, were, at this time, urg- ing him to make full provision for the spiritual wants of his people, as being in fact in a slate of real and hope- less SEPARATfON from the Church." "In 175G, he printed an address to the clergy, plain, affectionate, and powerful : breathing at once, the spirit of an apostle, and the feeling of a brother. Happy if that call had been heard. He might perhaps be infiuea- ,. vt ,1 I 128 eed in ih;s by astilllingerin" hone nf „,.,-• , ,, ' mm of zeal and pie.y amor" 1 ' "^ ''"'1»='"'> ''^' " Established Church ir^liTb ."'""' °'" "'""'" '° '''' !"•' people from the ChlT 1 !"\ ""' ""'"''''""" "f ^^ §»'« "P Mine vie«r, it p^bably was Z,t Wns^' 1!" "'^ '"""^ '^''°" aJclressed, only three retmn-l '' ' "'"^y'"''' Chancerj Tt^roTS^°''"^-^^^^^^^ ^r::rr;:sr'-b"r'^'"--^^ i ** '*^^y*?ars before by Mr. WalkernfTr..^^ . i in their owrwav^^o^^^^^^^ '' ^'' ^'^^'"'^'^^ r own way, to which they had not the same ^all « g'J OS mm the following advice :~ ^«ep your auihoriiy while you live, and afier your This inst] ty in law. theChur With 1 Mothodii I cannot to the fol Rev. Ric «' One c lice has r Wesley, 1 ev?er'4iis v bis lifeiin Churoh,' and that not affect societies, arated ft ed dissei 129 ival of ihcieath, lei ii be given to the worthiest individual, or ra- ters of the ther to the worihiest individuals.'- • * * * Thus Char- >aration of |es gave up as hopeless, the return to the Church, and to foresee tuffgested the plan which his brother adopted, to de- )reventpd ,olve the government, not indeed upon one, but upon ^nder the j^any whom he esteemed the worthiest, lor age, experi- iddressed ^oce, laleni, and moderation,"— Life, page 228. knew, in- gj^^ that the Methodists are dissenters, and '^ ^''^ '"■ M they were declared so hy Mr. Wesley him- ::^i U you might have learned ^^T^^ ^ trtly reo.: Ilegal instrument, enrolled in die High Court ol enrymen is seem J rapher?, Jsley did rs, or to as pro- ro : and lecler- V, Willi i Meth- h, and ild en- cujties iJall.y i! "i with 09. other your Chancery, called A Deed <ff Declarahon.-- This instrument gives them a character, a reali- ty in law. 11 makes them as distincta body from the .Church as any other body in EnglaatJ. With regard. Sir, to the true position of the Methodists in relation .to the Church, perhaps I cannot do belter,- than to direct your attention to the following unjquestionable authority. The Rev. Richard Watson observes t— <' One of the chief reasons why full and ^'^^'^Si^' uce has not been always done to .he »bors ot M • Wesley, has doubtless arisen frtmi the facts, hat what ev«r+.is views might be, he raised up »/«"?'«• j''?''^ bisUfelime, formed a religious body independent oUhe Churoh, whilst yet. notnominally *«rarated i om >t and that since his death, although that ^'^V^'^'^'^'J^l not affect all the members, yet the great mass of the societies, with all the preachers, are ^^ '^P'^/'^^f^ arated from the Establishment, as any bofly 01 pro «d dissenters."— Wbsley's Un, p. am. rii ^ % :^l 13a Tlie Rev. Joseph Benson : — *' As the law now stands, we either are or conceive oarselves to be reduced to the necessity of calling our- selves Protestant Dissen-tera, at the time of regis- tering our houses as places of worship, or of taking the oaths, and obtaining licences, as preachers."— Vindication op the Methodists, p. 33. And, as it regards the Methodist Episcopal €hurch in the U* S., the Rev, Wna. Waters ob- serves :— ' '•We formed ourselrea inter a separate Church. This change was proposed lo us by Mr. Wesley" himself, "after we had craredhiaadviee oft the fubjeci but could tiot take elffeet tril adopted by us, which was done in a deliberate, formal manner, at a confepenc^ called for ihat p¥rpos«, m which there was not a disseniing voice." Thus, Sir, yoH see that the Rev. John Wes- ley and all in connexion with him were dissen* ters from the Church of England, demonstrated ♦o be so by Mr. Wesley's condtict, by the Act of Toleration, by the Deed of Declaration, and by the authoiities above. Is it not a pity, Sir, that so ingenious a man as yourself, like many others gone before you, should pass so peremptory a sentence, m a cause 1^•hich you do not understand? Indeed, Sir, how could you understand it ? How much have you read upon the question ? With what sensible Methodist did you ever calmly conversw on the conceivflr Irng our- of regis- >r taking ;hers.*'— piscQpa! aters ob- ■ch. This ' himself, but could done in a jailed for hn Tv (e&* i dissen* nstrated c Act of and by J a mart >re you, a cause 5ir, how ave you ensibl& OQ the 131 subject ? What do you know of them but the lit- tle fund you derived from the Maryland Presby- ter, and that fund, by this time, you must have exhausted ? Why should you condemn whole bodies of men by the lump ? Before yo-i com- mence another crusade, I advise you to hare a little research, and some pretension to christian feelings, and the manners of a gentleman. Hi. Yours as heretofore^ ^ BENJAMIN NANKEVILL. LETTER XYI. To The Ret. J. A« Mulock. Rev. Sir,— May I now, without seeming to be too presumptions, request you to withdraw your grave charges against the Methodists and myself ? I conscientiously beliere you are in duty bound so to do. From the great plainness of speech, which, in consequence of your im- peachments against our church, I have felt my- self called upon to employ, you may be inclined to conclude, that I am hostile to the Church of England. 1 solemnly disavow any such feeling' iU ^"^ ^'i\ 132 But I aniafraid.that tlie intolerant gpirit of your- self and others of your school will ruin theChurch of England. That your church should assume to be the only true church, and its clergy the on- ly authorized ministers : lh;il the on]y valid or- dinances arid sacraments are administered in ^our communion : that you alone, of all to whom salvation by grace is so freely published, are re- ceived into covenant mercy— all this, Sir, appears to those who differ from you, as nothing else than a proud sanctimonious self-righteousness : and must be regarded by them with unmingled ab- horrence, and if persisted in will be the destruc- tion of your church. There is, Sir, an atroci- ty of character in this spirit, which can unchurch the saints of God of every age, in every christian communion, save one, and consign them, if not to j)erdition, to God's uncovenanted mercies. I would not- willingly omit noticing any of your charges against the Methodists or myself, but in looking over my notes there are two things' which, I perceive, T have not noticed : and as this vindication should embrace the whole, lest if any were passed over, it might be thought un- ans'verable and silence deemed a tacit acknow- ledgement of guilt, I shall now attempt a reply to these omissious. The first is, you ask :— 13^ '* Was there ever such a compound of erron and falsehood as modern Methodism ! /" la answer to this question, 1 need only chal- lenge you to show that any one cardinal doclriiie has been altered : that any one of the primary principles of Methodism, as taught by John Wes- ley has been sacrificed by modern Methodists. So far from this, they nave beeaheld with a tena- city which some have construed into bigotry : and defended and propagated with a zeal which others have brandedjvith enthusiasm. And were we not fearful of being charged with too great a partiality for our own peculiar views, modes of thinking, and plans of operation, we should say. ^'^at such is the strength, beauty, .and compact-, ness, of this spiritual building, that we may bid defiance to its enemies to undermine its founda- tions, or in any efifectual way to mar. its beauty, be- cause we think Its. "builder and maker is God,!' and that it is "built upon the sure foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christhimself be* ing the chief corner stone." Neither can.wc be frowned down by our haughty contemners, nor< laughed out of countenance, by those who liave placed themselves " in the.seat of the scornful," nor yet frightened from our posts by the threats. i)f ouc n:o^t bitter oppoi.enls. . 1S4 The second omission. March 3d, at James's Church, you said in reference to a quotation fro»v. X >r. Buchanan's Christian Researches, page 42 of Mr. Nankevill's pamphlet r— . " I sent to Ogdensburgh for this work, but could not get It : I never read it, yet J hesitate not to pronounce this quotation .u falsehood." ^Warch lOlh, at CarJeton Place, you said:— "I did not bring forward this extract, from Buchanan last sabbath, because I had not got his work : I have sinee got the Christian Research- es, and cannot £nd anything like it between the Now, Sir, It is with great reluctance, tfiari am compelle,!, in self defence, to bring the above extravagant assertions, and unfounded misre- presentations, before the public. Here, several .hmgs are to be observed. 1. You acknowledge you never read the work. 2. You hesit.te not To pronounce the quotation a falsehood. 3. But one bring ,t forward the last sabbath. 4. You have since got the Christian Researches, and cannot ftnd anything like it between the coCors nrLl <J' ^°"'; ^^^'•"■' ^"'1 friends will be sur- Pnsed, Sir, and that an ingenuous blush, will crimson your face, without any comment of my 135 own for they and you cannot but discover, that yourVtalemenls are absolutely without truth, and Lute contrary to fact. I ask, Sir, did you not observe in reading the Christian Researches, that the Kasheshas, is interpreted presbyters, and the ^humshamis deacoiis, and that there is no word jn their translation to denote bishop ; ;and that the Syrian clergy wexe in ifoabt as to the purity of the EnMish ordination, and ask : — '^Whence do you derive vour ordination ? from Rontie, vou derive it froma ekureh which is our ancient enerny a nd with which we can never unite." " I observed," says Dr.. Buchaiian, " that there was reason to beli^^, that the sam^ ordination had descended from the apos- ties 10 the church of Rome. It might be so. But thai church had departed from the faith." Hence, Sir, the Syrian churches deny the va. lidity of your ordination, aBcldeclare, with you they can never unite. Sir see a note at the bottom of the 80th page, of the Christian Researches. And here 1 would remind ' .u, lest you should again assert that^there is nothing like it between the covers, that the tot- lowing note is taken. from your own book. '' It is proper to state for the satisfaction oi those who may differ in opinion with the venerable. bishop, that in the Syriac translation of the New Testament there IS no proper word for bishop, oUier than Kashesha. IJW^' M^ i i S' J'The words Kashesha, and Shnmshana, orproperlr Mishums hana, are the tviro terms for-the two orders ot bi?hop and deacon in the third chapter of 1 Timothy (he terms Episcopal, and Metripolita, have been introduced mto the Syrian church from the Greek. The bishon seemed to be more surprised at the striking out of the <^l ored order of deacon', than at net finding the order of^ , superintendinor priest or bishop." Thus, Sir, from history, and , according to the institrtion of (he New Testament, you may learn that die offices and authority of bishops and pres- byters were absolutely the same. Now do not J>e angry because I advise you, before vou accuse others of /tfftnca^ion and falsehood, \o^ learn ta »peak the truth yourself. Your obedient servant, SF.NJAMIN NANKEVILL, 1S7 LETTE R XVll. To The Rev. J. A. MaLocK. Rev. Sih,— In reviewing the preceding letters, some thinos seem to bear hard uix>n yourself, thia: was designed, for I consider you justly deserved it : other thingiJ may appear to bear hard upoutho Church, of which you are a minister; of this I am sorry, for I wish to live in peace with all men, as far as I am able.^ But then, I have this to' comfort me. It was extorted incur just defence, and when ! reflect on your insolence, wanton, and unprovoked attacks, I am rather sarprised at my moderation,, and I must remind you. Sir, that ev- ery thing unkind and harsh, you may ascribe to- yourself. ..Rev. Sir, It- is not a light thing for a minis- ter of religion to arraign, before a numerous au- dience, sabbath after sabbath, a body of religious people, and in almost the strongest words our lan- gTitage fuxnishes> involve them, as tc doctrine and \ i i :i I 138 practice, principles and morals, in one ijm|uali- ficd, and direful condemnation, ^^nd the man \v})0 undertakes to perform such a work, should by an impartial examination of the subject, use the utmost precaution to guard against mistakes, and know full well what he says, and whereof he affirms, lest in the execution of his design, he spend his strength for nought, and instead of efreci- ing any valuable purpose, do injury; increase his own and others prejudice ; grieve those whom God would not have grieved ; and condemn the guiltless. To those, Sir, who impartially peruse the foregoing pages, it must appear that the Meth- odists, by yju, have been egregiously misrepre- sented, and that the censures pronounced upon them are as UKJust, as they are severe. Our blessed Lord defended himself, against false accusations, and the Apostle Paul followed his example when the interests of religion were involved, and even rebuked Peter sharply, '' be- cause he was to be blamed." These remarks are made, not so much in reference to myself, as to the cause of Methodism, with which this vin- dication may be identified, thougli I^nly writer in my individual character, none being responsi- ble, for the foregoing observations, but the un- worthy writer. I admit, Sir, thai I have air. ryi I 139 dressed you in this lengthened commutiication,- with all freedom, and certainly wiihoul flattery, and in the same spirit of candour, 1 would fin- ish my address, and therefore allow me to remind you that, it is not the imposition of a bishop's hands that will prepare the soul, of either min- ister or lav member for heaven, but " that m ev- ery nation, he Ihat fearcth God, and worketh riehteousness. is accepted of him," and that "nut every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he tlmt^doelh the will of my Father which is in heaven." Through you. Sir, I beg the privilege of atl- dressing the pious members of your church. I hope you, my christian friends, will not think that I wish the destruction of the Church o( Ens?- land. No. may God in mercy prevent it, by caus- ing her to sse, in this her day, the things belong- in" to her peace. We bear it no enmity : God is our witne ss. We wish it from our souls, g l.o. ry, prosperity, purity & peace : the glory of bemg formed according to the perfect plan of ihe prim- itive apostolic church : purged of those things, •v^hich yourselves know to be no part of the re- li.Tion of Christ. We wish to^ see it cstablish- ed^pon the catholic and broad bottom, upon which I 140 II alone it can stand fjrm, even the scriptural foiw. (ktion of ihe aposlles, and prophets, Jesus Christ himself, being its only lawgiver and king ; and not upon the narrow basis on which it now rests, the articles and canons, the institutions and in' ventions of failiable and weak men, on which it can never be strongly and firmly fixed; which are, in the Apostle's language, "wood, hay stubble ; whose end is to be burned.'* ' We hope tliat as your church opens its bosora, and admits the vilest, without demurring at their open violation of God's commands, so it would c*iaritably extend its arms, to take into its com- munion, conscientious persons,- without insisting upon their obedience to the- injunctions and ccm- Tiiands of men. These are some of the impro\nements, we wish to see efi'(&cted in your church, and which I be- lieve a vast number of her members, and some of her pious clergy long to see accomplished. This, my friends, woul^not'at alMesson either th6 glory, stability, or prospi rify of your church. Allow me to remind you of this fact, that her en- emies seem to multiply, and dark clouds to rise around her: popery is making dangerous and mighty inroads on the one hand, and deism on It. 141 ti.» other. But the worst of all bcr f..es is hat classof her ministers, xvho, like .he JVcv. Mr^ Mulock, by their exclusivei.ess, despotistn, and Si Jsur,. ion, unclu.rches all other .ects in christendui =his is the very sp.rU of \nm who said'. — „ "Better to reign m hell, thr.n serve in heaven. There may come a time, Sirs, «s there former- ly I'Ln, when the frame of yo«r Church b«- l, terribly threatened 2^;^^^ sideied as no d^'P'^^^'^/"^^""' . ^ ' „i„. be abandoned, cast out, & rejected by your mm. •sters our con«olat.on is.this, that God ji.dgeth .n the earth, and that he >vill, surely, at the proper season vindicate and plead the cause of the injtt- re d and oppressed. It is not then perhaps, too great a favor to ask, even f, cm you, that before any censure Jhavc o- nounced on Mr. Mulock's proceedings, mil re „arJ to the Methodists, be condemned, you would calmlv consider what I have -ri'^en, and ...en honesilv ask yourselves, in reference to 'hj« strictur'es, ^vhich 1 have.nade on Mr. Mulock 8 attack, teas there not a cause ? And now, Rev. Sir, iu taking n.y leave of yon and -your itiends fo. the present; we will close i± 142 onr remarks, by adopting the language of your own Liturgy, which I would devoutly pray to God, were written on the tablets of the hearts of those who so frequently repeat it. "From all blindness of heart, from pr?de, vain fflor^ and hypocracy, from envy, hatred, and malice and ail uncharitabieness,— Good Lord deliver us." , Fours, as hereto/ore, BENJAxMIN NAKKEVrLL. o our ^ to sof )rjr, ail L. ! I