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*•
ANSWER
4|
ANSWER
TO
|l(rrti;iMal md gistovifiil (^vvotji
IN
ARCIlBISIlOr (ONNOLLY'S
EECEI^T LECTURES.
BY
,■':
JOHN G. MAHiSIIALL.
HALIFAX, N. S.
PRINTED BY WILLIAM MACNAB, 11 PRINCE STREET.
187!?.
ANSWER TO ERRORS, &c.
SiiVERAL porlioiis of the lectures on religious; doctrines, recently
delivered in a charcli in this city, by Archbisljop Connolly as re-
ded in the E.
cha-
<?s.s', newspaper, are of sucli an important
ractcr, and so contrary to Scripture, and primitive Christianity,
as to require a public refutation. True Christians are required,
and feel it their grateful duty to " contend earnestly for the faith
once delivered unto the Saints." An inspired Apostle has said,
"it is good to be zealously afToclcd always in a good thing."
Most especially docs this apply where Ihe interests of Divine
truth are concerned. On the right understanding and belief of
that truth, depends in a great degree all individual and social
duty and happiness. 1 therefore neither make, or claim, any apol-
ogy for the free remarks I shall here ofl'cr regarding the most ma-
terial and erroneous parts of these lectures.
To take the errors in ihe order in which they appear in the
journal, the first passages for remark are in the fulK wing words :
" The necessity of a revelation and of a sure rule of faith, which
he contended the Bible was not, and went on to elaborate this
last. lie said that the Bible could not be the rule of faith, be-
cause the best part of the New Testament was not written, till
the Christian religion had become stnead over the earth."
It must bo concluded that by the word Bible, the Lecturer
meant the inspired Scriptures contained in the book we call the
Bible. Now here it may first be asked, is it either pious or rea-
sonable 1o suppose, that an infinitely wise and gracious being, whc
has given us a revelation to be an enh'ffhfsner and a guide, would
leave it so imperfect as to require to be supplemented and perfect-
ed by fallible human beings, by nature mentally and moralljf ig-
norant as to spiritual and eternal truths ? Every truly enlighten-
ed and unprejudiced person will at once reject such a profane
I'
't •
idea. Scriptmo thus expressly con<1emns it : — " Add tlinn not
unto liis words, lost he reprove thee, and thou bo found a liar."
Trov. XXX. G. *' To the law and to the testimony ; if they speak
not according to this word, it is beeauso there is no lig-Jit in them."
Isaiah viii. 20. " If any man speak let him speak as the orueles
of (lod." 1 Peter iv. 11. Ami in the last ehapter of the Revela-
tions it is said : " If any man shall add unlo these things, God
shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."
In proof of the Scriptures being a p(Mf('ct and the oidy rule for
Christian faith, — numerous faels and authorities will now be given,
with corre»*ponding remarks. All the Old Testament Scriptures
which we now possess, were ever held by the Jewish Church to bo
Sacred Oracles ; and with a few interruptions, were in constant
use from the respective periods in which they wciC written, down
to the close of the existence of that Churcli ; and partially since,
among that people. Christianity received, and has always re-
garded and used them, as such divine oracles, and as coin)ected
with the equally inspired Christian Scriptures. The books of the
New Testament Canon, were all written within the very first
period of the Christian church, and by the inspired Evangelists
and Apostles whose names they bear ; ajid went immediately into
use as sacred and binding authorities among all the christian
churches, in the numerous places of the varioiis countries in which
those Churches were established. The Church of Rome had
nothing to do with the composing of these Scriptures, or with
their first conveyance to those churches. Most of them were
written and conveyed to churches, in numerous places, be/ore any
Church was formed at Rome. From the original manuscripts
containing those sacred writings, numerous copies were almost
immediately made, and were conveyed to the various churches,
so that in comparatively a few years, the most, if not all, of those
churches, possessed the whole of the New Testament Scriptures
now held by us. The Jews carried copies of the Law and the
Prophets wherever they were dispersed, and the Christians did tho
same with their Scriptures.
In answering the latter part of the cited passages of the first
lecture, it is needful to show the respective times of tho circu-
liilioii of soveral of llio cailiost of tlio Xow IVsUvmoiit Scrip-
tures. Those times, uccordiiig' to t!ie stamlard clironolojry, and
tlio l)08t iiiilliorities nvc. u.s folNnvs : — Tlio j^ospel liy Mittliew ac-
conliiij;- to emineiit critics w;is written, uiul werit into ciivulutioii,
as early as about 8 years after the ascension of our I.nnl. Tijo
one hy Luke, about \') years after that event. The averajj:;(? time
of the writing and cireuhition of the b()<»k of Acts, and the 21
Epistles, is only about 30 years after the Ascension. Some of
thfMM much earlier. All these Scriptures were in tise in the same
•IfMicration in whicii the inspired Kvan;.^f'lists and Apnsth.'s tau;;ht,
and are in perfect acc(;rdance with all the truths of Christianity
which they had been teaching : and the whole of wliii.h truths
they faithfully and accurately embodied in the New Testament
Scriptures. Not a word has any of them said, as to any nrtd
tcachini^s, by themselves or others, bein;;' orally transmitted for
standards or j'Miides, reg'arding faith ov practice.
Now here, some facts and remarks mny bo usefidly given, as to
the traditiiju of oral teachings, Ibr the essential purpos^.'s just
mentioned. Our Lorvl in giving tlu." command to all the j)(>ople to
" Search the S<niptures," said not a word, to enjoin or sanction
tli(! oral tradition of the oi<if teachings of his sacred system of
religion. On the contrary, from what he did say concerning tra-
ditions, we are not oidy authorized but boimd to reject them, as
no valid I'oundations for faith. In Matthew xv., and ^lark vii.,
we !hid him rcproacliing and condemidng the rulers in the Jewish
church, lor rejecting the " Commandments of (Jod," and " mak-
ing His word of none (tflect," through their "traditions;'' and
for "■ teaching for doctrines, the commandnKnits of men '* In
tli(j E()istle to the CN^lossians, and in that to Titus, ther(> are warn-
ing.>-', against the " tiaditions of men," and the " commandments
of men, that turn from the truth." There is no passage of Scrip-
tures, containing any intimation or allusion to oral Iradilinns being
needed, in addition to the "■riliii>j.'<, nor any mention of tlicir
forming a part of the foundations of Christian doctrines. Con-
sidering the numerous and great imperfections of even the wisest
and best of men, as to perception, memory, judgment, and all other
mental fiiculties, it is simply impossible, that any one tradition
^-
s <
could be orally liainlccl (htwn, pun' anJ uiiiinpiiirod, in Icllor and
spirit, ovou liirouf^li one «^on(Mati()ii ; ami if so, wli.it must bo
said as lo all llic lliu'iuatioiis aud clian^^cs of nearly two thousand
vourH. ri'(l(.'r IIm! pr<'cc'diii;j^ disponsutioii, ilic laws and preccpt.s,
givori directly by (Jud liiinseU", wero by tlio divine ('((tnniand, cutu-
rnilied lo wriiiii;^", by Aloses ; and tlio lilv(j coininaiid was jj^iven,
tliat I lie pooplo should be lau{^lit mti of them : atid iliat t;iey should
preserve and consianlly study iIkmu, aii<l lo.icli tlicni dili;^eiilly to
their children thronj;hout all g'ene'iiiions. In the I's.iliijs, Pro-
verbs and otiu*r books of the«c Scriptures, the /a?/", fsiuiu'.rs, and
ff'titimottic!^, are inonlioned aa fully Hulllcient for instrucilou and
ft'uidunce. Ah ref;i;iir(l.s on.- glorious and vasil}' sup 'rior gospel
systeni, divine \visd«)m fo-esaw ihaL tin? irulhs conveyed i»y in-
spired oi'id <eaching, if lefl unr.'cordcd, liinon^x fruil and fallible
men, would incviiably, veiy soon, eiilier bo eniiiely losi, or be
impaired, or totally corrupleil. Divinf? benevole!ico, Iherefore,
so arranged, (hat llie whole of the truths of that gracious sysh.MU
were cofnuiitted lo writing, during th(! same generation in which
they Were taught by our Lord, and his inspired Apostles.
In the New Testament, as in the Old, tlicre are passages show-
ing the perfect sulliciency of the Scriptures as a complete, and (ho
only rule for Chrislian faith and conduct. In reference to all the
Scriptures, it is said in Hum. xv. 4, " Whatever things were
toritlcn aforetime were wrilion I'or our learning, that we, through
patience and comfort of the Scri()lure?, might have hope.' Also
inCor. X. 11, "Now all these things happened unto ihem for
onsamples, and they aic ivn'ltcn for our a<hnon!iion, upon whom
the ends of the world are come." Then, as to the New Testa*
ment (John. xx. 31), " Tliese are ivrillen that ye might lelieve
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that btdieving, ye
niight have life through his name." This go.-ipol alone, contaiufi
nearly every Christian doctrine. As to the book of Acts,
many of the most important doctrines arc clearly set forth in it.
— In Komans xv. If), the Apostle says: "I have written the
more boldly unto you, in some sort, as putting you in mind."
And of what was he putting them in mind, but of the divine trntha
contained in the Epistle, which, as may be seen, contains many of
llic most rssoiiti.'il doctiincs mid procc pts of tlio CJospcl ? And h'3
put tlit'in ill trrifiiiij^ tliut tlicj mij^lit be ulwiiyH belonj tiicin, and
thcrcfiiru not bo furgolten or csi'apo froni their menioiT. In 2
Cor. xiii. ho. .says : " We icrite nono oilier thinj^s unto you than
what yo road or acknowlcdj^o ;" and xiii. 10, " Thercf.iro I tirilc
(heso thiiij^s bcin;^ absent, losi, Idling present, 1 should use sharp-
ness." And the words " those things," mean, ol eourse, all tho
things (leclanHl in the Kpistlo. and which are numerous and of tho
deepest importance. In the next Kplstlo, that of (lalulian.^, which
is of equal value as to doctrine and precepl. he nays in vi. 11,
" Ve see how largt.' a h.'ttcr I have written unto you, with minn
own hand."' The next to the Kphesians, i.-s rerv full, as t(» nearly
all the doctrines as well as practical duties of C'hiistianiiy In
the next, to tho IMiil., iii. 1, he says
T.
) write the same things
to you, to me, indeed, is nor. grievous, but I'o" you it is safe."
Jlerc the Apo.-tle, doubtless, means tlu' *' same things " he had
bel'orc orally tau;:hl them ; and by saying it wa.s safe to write
those things, it k clear that ho meant that their retention of tiioin
might not depejid mcrel}' on the remembrance of the oral teaching,
but that they slnnild always have those same truths before them,
in that vritlen and therefore N'"/-e n.„il })i'rm<inc,il form. In the
next Kpistle, Col. iv., is the charge, "' When this Kpi.>,tle is read
among 3'ou, '.ause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodi-
ceans, and that ye likewise read the Kpistle from Laoilicea." This
I'lpistle to the Colossians is very full as to doctrine and <luty.
Next, 1 Thcs. V. o7, '• I charge you by the Lord that this ICpistle
be read unto all the hoi}' brethren ;" and 2 Thes. iii , " If any man
obey not our word by this Kpistle, note that man, and have no
company with him." Next Epistle. 1 Tim., he is most solemnly
tharged to " observe these things " and to " kec[) th's command-
ment," meaning, of C()urse, the doctrines and precepts containoil
in the E[)istle. And in tho second Kpistle to him, he is tharged to
the same eflect. In the following Kpistle to Titus, he i.s command-
ed "these thing.s speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authori-
ty," — referring also to the written truths of doctrine and duty
contained in the Epistle. The Epistle to tho Hebrews embodiea
j^evcral of the raost important doctrines both of the Old and of the
|i
New Testament dispensations.
The two Epistles of St. Peter arc very pointed as to committing
to writing the truths orally taught, so that they might not bo
impaired or escape from the memory. In 1 Ep., he says at the
conclusion, "1 have writfoi briefly, exhorting and testifying that
this is the true grace of God wherein ^e stand ;'' and in 2 Ep.,
"T will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have
these things alwa^'s in remembrance;" and, further, "This se-
cond E[)islle, beloved, I now write unto 3'ou, in both which I stir
lip your pure minds by way of remembrance, that ye may bo
mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy pro*
phets, and of the commandments of u-^ the Apostles of the Lord
and Saviour :" and he mentions his brother Paul as " in all his
Epistles, speaking of these things."' In duhn 1 Ep. he says,
" that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you ;" and,
further, "this, then, is the m<?ssage which we havehe;i.rd of him,
and declare unto j'ou." Tin's Epistle declares several of the most
important doctrines, as well as precepts of Christianity. The
same Apostle John was commanded to " write i;i a book" all the
things which he saw, and which we find recorded in that sublime
book of " Kev(;lation." All these books, lun'o refern.'d to, to-
gether with the other b joks of the Nov Teslaiucnt, taku'n as a
whole, contain every docfn'ih", precept^ and other truth of our di-
vine Christianity ; and, therefore, I repeat, they ahme, form a
full and perfect standard or rule of our faith concerning it.
In 2 Tim., chap, iii. is the following passage : — " All Scripture
is given by inspiration of (iod ; and is prolilnble for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the
man of God may bo perfect, thoroughl}- furnished unto all good
works.
Now, if the Scriptnres bo so amply suHlcient to elfect
those perfect ends or purposus, what possible need can there bo
that any traditions or any other means should be devised or
employed to secure them. All such meaiKs ma}* well be termed
superfluous, and belonging to the works of supererorjatlon. AYhy
should the mind of weak, impgrfect man, in the arduous course of
seeking salvation, be burdened or perplexed with the considcra
9
tiun or obaorvance of any such unnecessary works ? Can ho dosiro
or expect anything; more than beinf^ made />(?;•/(?<■/, and hclnfi; tho'
rowjhlij furaished for the full porfornianco of aZ^ i^mcfical (jood? Is
there, or can there be any st;ito or condition, liore or hereafter,
beyond that of perfection ; or can any individual bo fin-nished
more than " (horow/hlij,"' as the text declares. Why, there never
Ji'is been, or ran Ijc, a saint ni)on earth, or an angel in heaven,
])ropared or matured beyond the condition mentioned in the text,
and which c(jndition it declares the Scri[)turcs are fully suflicient
to secure. If Protestants possessed no other authority in proof
of the truth and sndiciency of the lluie of Faith, founded on the
Scriphires ahjtu', this text of itself affords the most valid and
am|)le testimony on tho point.
A few passiigcs maj' now bo given from tho writings of the
earliest christian authors, — Fatliers as they are generally called,
— to show, that in tlie imblic services of the churches, the Old
and New Testament Scriptures were read, for doctrinal and prac-
tical instruction, without a word as to oral traditions.
The
learned and eminent Justin Martyr, wrote in defence of Christi-
anil}-, ab(jut lOS years after the Ascension of our Lord, lie was
contemporary with I\)lycarp, who was taught of St. John ; and
in the parts of his writings relating to the public services of the
Clirislians, he says, — '* In their religious assemblies, first of all,
the writings of the Prophets and Apostles arc read. The Clerk
read until it was suQiciont
an
d when the reader had ended, the
bishop made a Sermon, by way (d' instruction and exhortation to
the indtation of lho!«e excellent things which had been read. And
when ho had linished his discourse, they all rose up, and offered
their prayers to God." TertuUian, who wrote a few years after,
says : — " In our public assemblies, the Scriptures arc read, psalms
sung, sermons prcaclied, ami i)rayers presented."' And " that they
read the Scri[)tures according in tho quality of their i)resent
times." And furtlier he says; — " After the celebration of tho
Lord's Supper, every one sung a hymn out of the Bible, or of his
own composing. Clemens Alexandrinus, a Presbyter, and another
of the early Christian writers, says : — "'A good Christian's life is a
continual festival ; his sacrifices are prayers and praises, reading
«.;
. 't.
10
of Scriptures before meat, and sing-iiig of psalms and liymns at
meat." The celebrated Cyprian, bishop of Carthago, and an
eminent writer of a later period, says of one Aurelius, whom ho
designed for a presbyter, that " he was first to begin with the
office of reaiUnf/ " lie says of another, named Celcrinus, a lector,
or reader, that " he read the law rind the gospel, to all the people."
Origen, another celebrated christian writer, calls Ihe Sermons
" explanations of the lessons." Of tlu; sermons of Origon, ilhas
been said by a learned and eminent liistorian of the cluirch, that
he first began with a short exordium, and tlxMi explained verse
after verse, or sentence after sentence, showing the natural and
literal Ki*znilication of the words, and then the spirilnali/cd, or
mystical meaning of them ; and concluded with a suitable iii)pli-
cation of all, either " by way of exhortation to piety and virtue,
or by way of dehortation from vice and impiety."
There is not a word by any of tiiose celebrated primitive writers
and teachers, nor by any otiiers, during several succeeding cen-
turies of the church, to intimate that oral h'adiiion.i were lawful,
or held, as forming any part of the Christian rule offni'h. It
rested in the inspired Scriptures alone ; and was drawn from that
source. It is unhappily true, that in subsequent and apovta'iaing
times, like as by the coirupt hejds and leaders in the Jewish
Church, oral traditions were invea'^'d and became established in
the churches, and continued more iiiul more to supersede the
Scriptures, until for along course of ages, down to the commence-
ment of the great Reformation in the fifteenth century, they had
put the inspired oracles almost entirely out of sight and use. It
is well known, by whom and for what purposes, this treason was
committed.
The next unfounded assertions of the lecturer to be here re-
futed are as follows : —
"The Old Testament was rarer than rare jewels. A copy was
a rare treasure. There were serious disputes among those who
possessed copies ; and it was even doubted whether the original
copy had not been destroyed in the destruction of the Temple.
For the first IlOO years, the bible existed only in fragments. The
church made vast progress in Ihrse years, during which the
Bible could not have been the Rule of Faith. The teaching in-
11
spii'oil ami continued of the chiircli must have alone been the
rule of Faith."
It is really surprising tiiat a learned dignitary, — who must be
thought to bo well acnuainted with those Scriptures, and their
use in the Jewish and Christian (^Muirchcs, at the period referred
to, — should have been so bold as to make those assertions, which
can so easily be shown to becontrar}'- to the faois. During several
hundred years before Cluistianity, the Jevvs had the Scriptures of
the Old Tc.slanieni. constantly in use, in the Services of the Tem-
ple, and in the very nnnuwous Synagogues throughout tlie whole
of Judea and Galileo, and partially in Samaria also ; ami likewise
in their Syna£>"Oi»,uos in manv other countries. We read in nil the
four gospels, of oui" fjord going into l.heir Synagogues, and occa-
onally teaching in them ; and also in the Temple. In Luke iv.
SI
are the ioUowing passages : — " And he came to Nazareth wliero
he had been brouglit up ; and as his custom was, he went into the
Synagogue on Ihe S.ibbath day, and stood up for to road. .And
there was delivered unto him, the book of the proi)het Esaias."
After "eadiiig certain passages which related to hims(;If, " ho
closed the book and gave it again to the minister and sat down.'*
In Acts xiii. 11-15 are those passages : — " They came to Antioch
in Pisidia, and went into the Synagogue, on the Sabbath day,
and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the
prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them, saying,
— Yc men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation
for the people, say on." In verse 27 of the same chapter
— " For they tluit dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, be-
cause they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the pro-
phets, which are rea<I every Sabbath day, they have fuUilled
them, in condemning him." Again in Acts xv, 21, " For Moses
of old time, hath in every city, them that preach him, being read
in the Syiuigogues every Sabbath day?* It is obviously the mean-
ing of these last words, that the readings were (rom the inspired
first books of the Scriptures called the Pentateuch written by
Moses. The following words, in Acts xvii. II, are said of tho
Bcreans : — " These were more noble than those in Theasalonica,
in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
12
scarcliCHi the Scriptures daily, whether those thinj^s were so." In
a previous part of the sairio chapter it is yuid of Paul and Silas,
— " they came to Thessalouica, where was a Synagog'uo of the
Jews ;" and tliat " Paul, as his manner was, wont in unto them,
and three Sabbath days, reasoned with them out of tlie Scrip-
tures." It is thus seen, that the Jews in these citi(^s of Anlioch,
Thessalouica, and Berea, far distant from Judea, had their Syna-
goj^ues, in which the Scriptures were ro<]fnlarly read. The same
was the case, throu^jliout all the other parts of the Roman Empire.
The Scriptures mentioned in all the foregoing passages, were
those of the Old Testament, which the lecturer has said, was
rarer llian rare jewels.
A copy was a rich treiisure.
N
ow
hero it may be mentir iiod, that the foregoing citations from the
New TcHtanicnt, relating to the Old Testament Scriptures, and
their extensive use, are also in the New Testament of the Komati
Catholic Church, in what is called the Douay version of their
Scriptures, which is doubtless in the possession of the learned
Lecturer, and therefore his assertions as to that niril'/ of the
" Old Testament
ai
c the more astonishing. As to the Douay
version, as it is called, although in several parts very erroneous
and imperfect, it is not so altogether variant from our Standard
Protestant version, us many persons innigine. Tt is called
'•'Douay/' from having been prepared at the city of Douay, in
France ; and it is presumed was revist.Ml and formed, chielly from
MSS. and the Latin Vulgate. This last named was in one of the
early centuries, prepared by father Jerome, as he was called, by
the direction of the then Bishop of Rome, and this ViiJgatc itself
was framed from a previous Version, called the Hula; numerous
copies of which had been transcribed ami circulated, but many of
them, it is said, were extremely incorrect.
But now as further proof to refute the lecturer's assertions of
the rareness of the Old Testanieiit Scriptures at the times ho men-
tioned ; the following extracts from that authentic and invaluable
work, — Dean Prideaux's Connections, kc, arc confidently sub-
mitt(^d. After mentioning the finding of the original copy of
the Scriptures in the Temple, and iis delivery to the pious king
Josiah, the Dean writes: — " By hia orders, copies were wntten
13
out from this original, and search being maJc for all other parts
of Holy Scripture, both in the Collog-tis of the Sons of the Pro-
phots, and all other places where they could be found, care was
taken, for transcripts to be made out of these also, and thence-
forth, cc^pics of the whole became mnltipliod among the people ; all
those who were desirous of knowing the laws of their God, either
writing them out themselves, or procuring others to do it for tluMu ;
so that within a fow years after the holy city and temple were
destroj'cd, and the authentic copy of the law which was laid up
before the Lord, was burnt and consumed with them, yet by this
time, many copies both of the law and the prophets, and all the
other sacred writings, were got into private hands, who carried
them with them, into captivity.— That Daniel had a copy of the
Holy Scriptures with him, in Babylon, is certain, for he quotes
the law, and also makes mention of the prophecies of Jeremiah,
which he could not do, had he never seen tliem. And in the sixth
chapter of E/ra, it is said, that on finishing the temple, in the
sixth year of Durius, the priests and the Levites were settled in
their respective functions, according as it is written in the law of
Moses. Hut how could they do this according to the written
law, if they had not copies of the law then among them ? And
this was nearly Sixly years before Ezra came to Jerusalem.
" And further, in Nehemiah, chap.viii., the people called for the
law of Moses, to have it read to them, which the Lord had com-
manded Israel, which plainly shows, that the b)ok was then well
known to have been extant. All that Ezra did in this matter,
was to get together as many copies of the sacred writings as he
could, and out of them all, to set forth a correct edition ; in the
performance of which, he took care of the following particulars .
First, — He corrected all the errors that had crept into these
copies, through the negligence and mistakes of transcribers ; for
by comparing them one with the other, he found out the true
reading, and set all at rights.
" Secondly, — He collected together all the books of which the
Holy Scriptures did then consist, and disposed of them in their
proper order ; and settled the canon of Scripture, for his time.
These books he divided into three parts: — 1. The Law. 2. The
14
V
Prophets. 3. The Cethubim, or Ilagiographa ; i.c , the Iloly
Writings ; which division our Saviour himself takes notice of,
Luke xxiv. 44, where says : — 'These are the words which I spake
unto you, while I was jet with j'ou, that all things might be ful-
filled which are written in the Law, and in the Prophets, and in
the Psalms, concerning me.' For there, by the Psalms, he means,
the whole third part, called the Hagiographa ; for that part be-
ginning with the Psalms, the whole was, for that reason, then
commonly called by that name : as usually with the Jews, the
particular books are named, from the words with which they begin
— JosephuB makes mention of this same division."
The Dean on mentioning the division of the law into sections
by the Jews further says, " It was made for the use of their Syn-
agogues and the better instructing of the people there, in the law,
for every Sabbath day one of these Sections was read in their
Synagogues ; and this we are assured in the Acts of the Apostles
was done among them of old time, which may well be interpreted
from the time of Ezra. Until the time of Antiochus Epiphanes,
they read only the law ; but being then forbid to read it any more
in the room of the fifty-four Sections of the Law, they substituted
fifty-four Sections out of the Prophets ; the reading of which they
ever after continued. So that when the reading of the Law was
again restored, by the Maccabees, the section which was read
every Sabbath out of the Law, served for their first lesson ; and
the Section out of the Prophets for the second lesson ; and so it
was practised in the time of the Apostles."
With regard to Synagogues, that eminently learned commenta-
tor, Dr. Adam Clarke, has thus written, in his comment on Math,
4, 23 : — " Synagogues, among the Jews, were probably not older
than the return from the Babylonish captivity. They were erect-
ed not only in towns and cities but in the country, and especially
by rivers, that they might have water for the convenience of their
frequent washings. There might be many Synagogues in one
city or town, provided it were populous. Jerusalem is said to
have contained 480. This need not be wondered at, when it is
considered that every Jew was obliged to worship God in public
either in a Synagogue or in the Temple. Service was performed
1;
ill them three times a day — Morning, Afternoon and Night. Not
less than ten persons of respectability composed a Synagogue."
From the foregoing historical facts given by the Rev. Dean
and Dr. Clarke, taken in connection witli the New Testament
passages previously cited, it may well be concluded that at
the period referred to by the Lecturer when as he stated the Old
Testament Scriptures were so e.vtremehj rare, there were at least
a thousand or more Synagogues in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria,
besides a great number in all other countries under the Roman
dominion as well as in all other lands; and in all of which Syna-
gogues those Scriptures were constantly and regularly read.
Nearly 300 years before Christianity appeared^ a version of the
Old Testament Scriptures, called the Septiiai/int, was formed from
the Hebrew into Greek which was the prevailing language through
a great part of the Roman dominions. This version was chiefly
intended for the use of the Jews in the various countries other
than Judea in which they were dwelling, and were used in their
Synagogues in those countries and extensively used in Judea also.
Moreover, in addition to all the Hebrew and Greek copies of
those Scriptures in constant use in the thousands in all of Syna-
gogues in Judea and other countries, copies of them were pos-
sessed by vast numbers of families and individuals.
It is thought thaii it was from that Septuagint version our Lord
and the Apostles gave their citations of Scripture.
Now considering the numerous Scriptural and historical facts
and particulars which have here been given on the subject, what
must be said of those unreserved and posltim dictxims, as to the
scarcity of the Old Testament Scriptures ; and also regarding
those of the New Testament revelation. They have by those
authentic proofs, been shown to be altogether unwarranted and
clearly refuted.
As to the statement, that " for the first 300 years the Bible
existed only in fragments," it is quite sufficient to say, that all
the Scriptures were in use, and whefher they were in one book, or
roll, or in several, was a matter of no importance. It may well bo
concluded, that the Septuagint version was in one volume. It
has already been shown, that all the Scriptures of the New TeS'
:K
I
I , •
rr
i
«f
16
lament were written and in use within a brief period following the
Ascension ; and some of them but a few years after that event.
By the word Bible in the passage cited, must, of course, be under-
stood, all the Old and Now Testament Scriptures. Surely the
learned lecturer's Chronology, and assertions on the points in
question, are ruinously defective, Ilis further assertion, that
during those 300 years, " tiic Bible could not have been the rule
of Faith," is quite sufTiciently disproved, by tiio testimonies
which have been given by the writings of. Justin Martyr, Tertul-
lian, Clemens Alcxandrinus, and Cyprian, who lived during suc-
cessive periods within those 300 years. The last named, — a most
eminent character and martyr, — flourished in the third century.
It is indeed true, that not long after those 300 years, the Bible
became " a very rare book in Europe," as the lecturer lias said,
and the reasons for it can very readily be given. Numerous his-
torical liicts and instances have frequently been publicly aflbrded,
in proof that in that subsequent period, many corruptions and
defections from primitive chriiitian truth, became rapidly preva-
lent in the churches ; — and that of withholding the Bible from
the people, was one of them ;— and that traditions, dogmas, and
superstitious observances, contrary to the Scriptures, were m-
vented, and taught, in place of those inspired Oracles ; and there-
fore, it became generally true, that during the eleven centuries the
lecturer has mentioned, the Bible, — a^ he has said, — was not " in
the people's hands as a rule of faith." He has further stated,
that during those eleven centuries, " the Church had been
spreading, and spiritually subdued England," and the various
other countries he named.
It is indeed the fact that during those centuries all those coun-
tries were subdued and in general despotically held under the do-
minion of an ecclesiastical system and power, in a great degree,
in contrariety to primitive and Scriptural Christianity. The lec-
turer has expressedhisbelief that " no one would say that nothing
but falsehood had been taught during those centuries , and even
yet men turn to those ages of faith, with wonder and admiration
and despair/' Of course no one will be so wild and reckless as
lo say that " nothing but falsehood," was then taught ; but yet
17
whatever may be said as to the "wonder and admiration," it is
not at all surprising but quite consistent with Scriptural know-
ledge and sound intelligence, that men should view those ages of
faith in traditional oral teachings and observances with hlank
ilespair.
The ftirthor errors in that first lecture, to bo next brought un-
der oxarniiiation, arc contained in the following passages : —
" This guide had boon provided in th(3 church, which was sent
to Trnvh nil unfiniis, which had the pr(jiMiso of God to be with it,
until tho ';oiisinnintitiofi of the world. If tho church was to teach
all nations, all nations were to listen and hear tho church. Who
w^cro tho church? Not the people, not tiic faithful all over the
world, — for if they were to teach, who were to listen? — but tho
Bifhops, the Pastors of the church, tho successors of tho Apos-
tles ; to one of whom Paul was sent to know what he should do,"
Tiie like announcements appear in the succeeding lecture.
Here arc truly marvellous and alarming utterances, which pro-
bably may astonish even some of the knj members of the Archbi-
shop's communion. Its laify have ever been remarkably distin-
guished, for liberal pecuniary and other support to their church ;
and it does seem rather hard that they should be considered as
forming no part of it. But they have been plainly told it, by tho
very highest authority. Whatever this laity may think of it, all
other lay members of churches will not merely demur to tho cliO'
turn, but utterly disbelieve and condemn it.
Now let us intelligently view and examine this absurd and hu-
miliating announcement. First, as to the origin and true mean-
ing of the word church ; and next, how it is to be understood in
the light of Scripture, and primitive Christianity. The original
word, in Greek, from which our English word church is derived,
simply means an assembly or congregation, the nature of which
is to be understood, from connecting circumstances. A very
learned commentator on the Scriptures, has described the word,
with reference to the church of Christ, as meaning, — " the whole
company of Christians, wherever found ; because by the preach-
ing of the Gospel they are called out of the Spirit and maxims of
the world, to live according to the precepts of the christian reli
-*»
1.
IS
gion. This is sometimes called tho Catholic, or universal Clmrch,
because constituted of all the jnifessors of Christianity, in the
world, to whatever sects or parties they may belong ; and iiencc
the absurdity of applying tho term Catholic, v}\\\c\i signifies wm-
versal, to that very small portion of it, tho Church of Rome. In
primitive times, before christians had any stated buildings, they
worshipped in private houses ; the people that hiul been converted
to God meeting together in some one dwelling house of a fellow
convert, more convenient and capacious than the rest ; hence the
Church that was in the house of Acrjiuila and Priscilla, Rom. xvi.
3, 5, and I Cor. xv,, 19; and the Chiirdi thai was in the house of
Kymphas, Col, iv., 15. " In the proper use of this word, there
can be no such thing as The Church, exclusively. There may be,
A Church, and the Churches, signifying a ^)a/'/('c?(l'0- congregation ;
or the different assemblies of religious people ; and hence tho
Church of Rome, by applying it exclusively to itself, abuses tho
term, and acts as ridiculously, as it does absurdly. Church is
very properly defined in the 19th Article of tho Church of Eng-
land, to be ' a congregation of faithful men, in the whi<;h the pure
word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly administered,
according to Christ's ordinance.' "
Now out of a great number of texts of Scripture, in which the
words Church and Churches are used, the following will be quite
sufficient to show that they are to bo understood according to the
meanings just mentioned : — " And the Lord added to the Church
daily such ae should be saved." — Acts ii. 4t. " Then had the
Churches rest, throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria,
and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the
comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." — Acts ix 31.
*' Then pleased it the Apostles and elders, with the whole Church,
to send chosen men of their own company to Autioch, with Paul
and Barnabas." — Acts xv. 22. Here we see a '''whole Church"
mentioned, distinct from all the Apostles and Elders. Now who
composed this Church? certainly laymen only, for the Apostles
and Elders are separately named. But further, " And so were
the Churches established in the faith, and increased in number
daily." — Acts xvi. 4. Who will believe that all these " Churches "
19
iircTi,
1 the
leiice
; uni'
I. In
they
'crted
fellow
CO the
II. XV i.
mtie of
there
lay he,
;ation ;
ce the
ses the
^rch is
)i Eng-
le pure
stered,
and their " daily increase " consisted of hishops and priests only?
Again, " And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the
Elders of the Church. — Acts xx. IT, and in verse 28, the Apostle
thus instructs and charges them : — " Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He
hath purchased with Ills own blood." Here again, we see the
distinction between the Elders or Clergy, and the laity, called the
Jlock, and the Church. Now, according to the lecturer's doctrine
that tlic clericals alone composed the Church, the Apostle made
a great mistake, and should have charged them to feed themtclves;
but evidently this was not what he meant. It is true that since
the Apostles time, and down to the present day, there have been
some in the sacred office, who, like those described by the prophet
Ezekiel, literally fed themselves with the 'fat' of the ' ofTerings '
but fed not the flock ; or if they "fed them at all, fed them with
tainted and unwholesome food. The Apostle called the elders
merely "overseers'^ of the flock, and in another place says of it
" Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers
of your joy." Even Peter, Rome's mck and Primate, charges the
Elders to " feed the flock of God," but not to be " lords over
God's heritage." Further, as to laymen being included in the
word churches, St. Paul, after mentioning Priscilla and Aquila,
as his helpers, says : — " Greet the Church that is in their house."
— Rom. xvi. 6 *, and again, "Salute the brethren which are in
Laodicea and Nyraphas, and the church which is in his house."
Col. iv. 15. Now is it at all credible that the Churches in these
houses were composed merely of bishops and other clerical per-
sons ? Such an absurdity cannot be imagined. They were simply
male and female laity who thus assembled for worship and chris-
tian edification.
The Epistles to the Christian believers at Corinth, Galati?,, and
Thessalonica, are directed to the Churches respectively, and these
were not constituted of bishops and priests, as stated by the
Archbishop ; but were composed of lay persong, — men and women,
husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants ;
and in other relative positions^ for whom the epistles contain
,► ...•
\i
1
I-
K'
20
directions, as also for conduct in the various employments and
engagements of secular life. In 1 Tim. chap, iii., the Apostle
says of a " bishop^'' ho must bo, " the husband of one wife," —
" one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in sub-
jection with all gravity, (for if a man know not how to rule his
own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God ?) Now,
in these few words of iiisjnrcd Kcrij)turc, tliere arc two pointK
clearly made out aj^ainst the Archbishop ; and the teachings of
Rome, namely — a (Jlmrch iij not composed merely of a bisliop, or
the clergy ; and also, that a bi:<hoi>, and doubtless a!i arrhhishnp
also, may for kind c<)niitaaiunshii>, and fur comforl, have a wife and
children ; and dcacuiifi also, as mentioned in another part of the
epistle. But these enjoyments, approved of by heaven, tlioy
wilfully reject, or rather are arbitrarily and unjustly de[)rived.
In James v. 14, the " elders of the church" are mentioned.
The Apostle John, in his ord ' Epistle, — when remarking on the
conduct of the " prating" Diotrcphes, towards sojiie of the bre-
thren, — says, he " casteth them out of the church." Surely
these were not bishops and other clergy. But even more
than enough, on the point, has been given from the Scriptures.
A few proofs may be added from church history, in the earliest
ages ; and they shall first bo given, regarding the bishops, and
other eminent characters of the Church of Rome. Clement, its
third bishop, following Linus and Anencletus, about A.D. 70, in
treating of the constitution of the church, mentions it as com-
posed of two parts, — " the Clergy and the laity." Fabianus,
and Cornelius also, bishops of Home in the third century, were
chosen, " by the suffrages of the clergy, and the people" and
also a previous bishop, named Anterus, in the second century.
In a letter of the clergy of Rome, to the clergy of Carthage, the
conclusion says ; — " the brethren which are in bonds salute you,
and the presbyters, and the whole Ciiurch." This clearly shows
the same distinction of clergy and laity^ in the constitution of a
church ; and oi Rome too. The celebrated Origen, TertuUian, Ire-
neus, and other eminent christian writers, iu the second and third
centuries, mention the same distinction, of the dergy and people
^3 componeat parts of a church. Ignatius writes;— "if the
21
prayer of one or two, have so great a force, how much more pre-
valtMit must that bo, which is maJe by the bishop, and th«; whole
church." Dioiiysius bishop of Alexamlria writes, that when lie
was banished to Cephro in Lybiu, there came so many f-hiistians
unto him, that even there he " iiad a church." Cyprian says,
there is but one bishop in a church at a time. And Cornelius,
bishop of Rome, in tlie third century, objects to Novatian, that
he did not remember, " that there oufjht to be but one bish(»p in
a church." lynatiits', and otlior christian writers have said the
same.
But further, it will here be well to show some of the principal
powers and rights of the laity of the church, duriiifi; several
ol the earliest centuries. They cho.io their bishops and had the
power of deposing them, for heretical doctrines, and gross vices
and immonilities ; and were consulted by their bishops, and by
them informed as to all material affairs concerning the church.
As to the choice of bishops, Eusebius, tho ecclesiastical historian,
and bishop of Croserea, who lived in the third century, says of the
church of Rome, on the death of its bishop Anterus : — " All the
brethren met together in the Church to chose a successor, where
all the people unanimously chose Fabianus." On his death, as
stated by Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, Cornelius was chosen
bishop of Rome " by the suffrage of the clergy and the people."
And Cyprian says the same as to Churches generally. At the
ordination of the Clergy tho whole body of the people were pre-
sent. So, as Cj'prian writes, "an African Synod held Anno 2'i8,
determined, that the ordination of Ministers ought to be done with
the knowledge and in the presence of the people, so that either
the crimes of the wicked may be detected, or the merits of the
good declared; and so the ordination may be just and lawful, be-
ing approved by the suffrage and judgment of all." Pontius, a
deacon of the Church of Carthage, says that Cyprian was elect-
ed its bislK'p " by the favor of the people ;" and Cyprian himself
in one of his epistles, acknowledges himself that bo was chosen
" by the suffrage of the people." And further, all the people of a
diocese were present at church censures. In the third century,
Origen describes an offender as appearing "before the whole
22
^
church." Clement, the third bishop of Rome, in the first cent ,
in his beautiful epistle to the Corinthian Church calls tlie censures
of the church " the things commandccl by the multitude." And
Cyprian writes of two oflending sub-deacons, and an Acolyth, that
they were to be tried "before tlie whole people." No offenders
were restored to the peace of the church without the knowledge
and consent of the whole diocese, for the same bishop Cyprian
says " they were to plead their cause before all the people " He
also wrote, that it was ordained by a synod, " that except in dan-
ger of death, or an instantaneous persecution, none such sJKMild be
received into the church's peace without the knowledge and con-
sent of the people."
Also letters from one Church to another before being sent, were
read before all the Church. Thus Cornelius, previously mention-
ed as bishop of Eome in the third century, declares that " what-
ever letters he received from foreign churches," he " always read
thern to his most holy and numerous people." Cyprian and his
people and other Churches, as might be shown, did the same.
Now considering all the inspired Scriptures on thv? suUjcct, be-
fore given, and these numerous testimonies as to the people being
a distinct and essential part of the constitution of a ciiurcli, and
as such, having the exclusive rights and powers described and
declared even by bishops of Rome and of other large places ; and
during hundreds of years of tlie Primitive Cliristian Churches, it
s indeed astonishing that the Arciibishop, who knows all these
things, as well as the writer, or probably better, should, after ask-
ing " who is the Church ?" have made the assertions, tliat " not
the people," not even "the faithful," but " tiie Bishops, the
Pastors of the Church, the successors of the Apostles, form the
Church." Such are the errors and mis-statements of an Arch-
bishop, which by a mere layman have been so readily and fully
refuted. What kind of a body would a Church be, if indeed it
could be called one, which consisted merely of the Bishops and
other Clergy, without the flesh and blood of the people ? It would
be a sktleton indeed, a more scarecroio.
And now must be noticed several other errors of the Archbishop,
comprisod within a very few words. He says " Paul was sent to
23
one of the successors of the Apostles, to know what he should
do." And in the next lecture he said that successor was a
'^ priest." It is scarcely possible to crowd a greater number of
blunders or mis-statements, — call them which you will, — within
such a limited number of words. It may first be remarked, that
none of the particulars of this narrative concerning" Paul, have
ever become known, except from the Scripture account in Acts>
chapters ix. and xxii. The narrative is in the Archbishop's New
Testament, the same as in our Protestant version. Now, let us
look at these Scripture particulars, and compare them with the
Archbishop's account, and thus ascertain his several erroneous
statements. First, according* to the Scripture, Paul was told by
the Lord to go unto Damascus, " and there it shall be told thee
what thou must do." lie was not sent to Annanias, as stated by
the Archbishop, nor was Annanias or any other person named to
him. Instead of Paul being sent to Annanias, this "disciple"
as he is called in the narrative, was sent by the Lord, to Paul, or
rather Saul, which then was his name. Next, the Scripture calls
Annanias merely " a certain disciple," not a word about his being
a successor of the Apostles, or a priest, as stated by the Arch-
bishop ; or of his holding any ofl]ce, or following any particular
occupation. A successor of the Apostles he certainly was not, for
they were all then alive. This conversion of Paul was only about
four years after the ascension of our Lord ; and James, the first
of the Apostles who left this world, was not martyred until four
years after Saul's conversion, being eight years subsequent to tlio
ascension. The next errors of the Archbishop, Annanias was
neither a priest nor an Apostlo. A ])r(('sf he could not have been
for there never has been, nor ever will be any 2iriest under our
Ciiristian dispensation, but the one "great High Priest of our
profession," — the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But even if it were
conceded that the ministers of the Ciiristian Ciiurch can properly
be called priests, there ib not a word to show that Annanias was
one. He is merely called "a certain disciple," that is, a scholai',
or professor of Christianity. Like Simon, " at the seaside," ho
may have been a tanner^ or a tailor, a tent-maker, or a weaver.
None have ever known any more about him than the Scripturo
24
Btatement, that he was " a certain disciple," and was living at
Damascus. Not a word is there to raise even a supposition that
be was either priest or Apostle. In the very brief statements o
the Archbishop concerning Paul and Annanias, we thus see that
he has committed, — to use no stronger terms, — no less than four
positive errors, namely: — as to t\\o person sent, — Annanias being
an Apjbtle — a successor of the Apostles — and a priest. To saj' no
more, so many erroneous statements regarding such a short
Scripture narrative, must, with every intelligent and unprejudiced
person, powerfully tend to limit, if not to destroy the belief of all
the other material parts of the Archbishop's lectures.
Having thus from Scripture and the records of primitive Chris-
tianity shown and refuted the principal errors in the Archbishop's
first lecture, the like will now be done as to those in the succeeding
lecture. The first passages of it, lor comment, are the following :
" The doctrines of the church, for a time, were so taught and
believed, by the faithful, that no dogmatic definitions of councils
were needed. But time after time, one heretic and another arose,
taught false doctrine, and denied the infallibility of the church."
Here, it may first be remarked, and must be borne in mind by
the reader, that the word church, as employed by the Archbishop
all through his lectures, means the Church of Rome, from its
commencement to the present time ; and as being the only true
christian church. This will not be denied to be his meaning of
the word, for it is so understood and held by all the priesthood,
and other adherents (f that communion. The Archbishop has
clearly shown, that he used it in that sense, by this subsequent
passage: — "Take away from the separated churches, all they
retained of the doctrines, and practices, and liturgies of the
church which they denounced, and what would remain for them,
but doubt, and despair, and contradiction, and all the evidences
of human uncertainty." Here, as in other parts of the lectures,
is what may be called, an attack on all churches dissenting from
the Church of Rome, and an implied if not direct censure, or con-
demnation, for their not being connected with it.
In proceeding to comment on the passages first cited, it may
be remarked^ that as to the doctrines of the early churches, in all
25
places thoy were so generally Scriptural, and free of serious error,
that, it is true, no council was needed, to define them. More-
over, in all the earliest centuries, the churches were independent
of each other ; and that at Rome, was merely one of them ; and
not the largest, and for the three first centuries, not even the
most influential. Antioch, and Alexandria, and even Carthage,
were equal to it, and in some particulars before it. A celebrated
church historian, has written of the Church of Rome, in the fol-
lowing terms : — " It would seem to have been purposely appoint-
ed by Iiifitiito Wisdom, that our first accounts of the Roman
Church, should be very imperfect, in order to confute the proud
pretentions to universal dominion, which its bishops have, with
such unblushing arrogance, supported, for so many ages. If a
line or two in the Gospels, concerning the keys of St. Peter, have
been made the foundation of such lofty pretentions, in his sup-
posed successors to the primacy, how would they have gloried if
his labors at Rome had been so distinctly celebrated as those of
St. Paul, in several churches. What bounds would have been set
to the pride of ecclesiastical Rome, could she have boasted of
herself, as the Mother church, like Jerusalem ; or even exhibited
such trophies of Scriptural fame, as Philippi, Thessalonica, Cor-
inth, or Kphesus."
As to the holding of General Councils to which the Archbishop
has referred, there were such nearly constant and general perse-
cutions of the Christians during the three first centuries that none
could be safely or conveniently held , and it was only after the
Emperor Constantino, adopted Christianity and in A. D., 325 that
the first General Council of all the churches — the celebrated Coun
cilofNice — was held. It is said about 300 bishops attended it.
It was not held at Rome, but at the city of Nice in Bythinia.
The Bishop of Rome, through infirmities, could not attend, but
was represented in the council by two Presbyters. Eusebius the
historian, bishop of Cieserea, attended it, and has given some ac-
count of its proceedings. The council was hold chiefly with re.
ference to the heresy of Arius of Alexandria, who denied the eter-
nal and full divinity of the Saviour. There were no discussions
iu the Council regarding infallibility in any church, pope, or bisliopj
f
■
I
6
None of the early heresies referred to by the Archbishop had any
reference to infallibih'ty in any human quarter, for such a dogma
or supposition was never imagined in relation to any church or
institution or power, on this earth. It was not invented until
many centuries after, when it first appeared, as claimed by the
Church of Rome, and it gradually advanced in belief and power
as the Roman Pontift", through ambitious schemes, imperial favor,
and gaining territory, increased in ecclesiastical and secular
power and influence : and after bringing the other Western
Churches under his dominion.
An investigation will now be more particularly made into the
presumptuous and profane claim of infallibility in the doctrines
and teachings of the Church of Rome. It forms, we know, the
very key stone, or foundation, of all the unscriptural doctrines
and observances of that church. The Archbishop has repeatedly
asserted it, but has given no scriptural or other evidence for its
verification.
So far, indeed, from any such continued infallibility, in any
visible church on eartli being promised in Scripture, wo are there
informed, in various places, that df'foctions, errors, and heresies,
should very early and very frequently occur, and at times almost
universally prevail in that visible Church. In Acts xx, the
Apostle Paul, in his affecting address to the Elders of the Church
of Ephesus, warns them in those emphatic terms, " For I know
that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in amongst
3'ou, not sparing the flock. Also, of your own selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after
them." In 2 Peter, ii, is the following inspired prediction, " But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who 'privlbj shall bring in
damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them : and
many shall follow their pernicious ways ; and, through covetous-
ness, shall they, with feigned words, make merchandize of you."
In the Epistle of Jude we are told "There arc certain men crept
in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemna-
tion — ungodly men," &c. In 1 Timothy, iv, are these very re-
markable and expressive passages, " Now the Spirit spcaketh ex*
)ngst
men
I after
■' But
there
fgia
and
tous-
lou."
^rept
nna-
re-
pressly, that in the latter ihnes some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, forbidding
to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." And, again,
in 2 Thessaionians, ii, is this very pointed and remarkable predic-
tion or prophesy, "That day shall not come except there come a
falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed — the son of
perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as God, sitteth in
the Temple of God, showing himself that ho is God." And in a
following verse, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work,
only he who now letteth, will let (or hinder) until he be taken
out of the way, and then shall that wicked be revealed," &c.,
and in a subsequent verso it is said, " Whose coming is after the
working of iSatan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders,
and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish."
Some of these predicted defections, and apostasies, took place
very eaily, and, to a very great extent; in the Asiatic Churches
of Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea, — a majority of the
seven. This was about, or very shortly after the time the Church
commenced at Rome, and hundreds of years before any submis-
sion or subjection to a Roman Church, or its supremacy or infalli-
bility was claimed, or even imagined. Some of those Churches,
if not all, had been planted previous to the one at Rome. If
there must be infallibility somewhere, it may be asked, was it in
any or all of these earliest but apostatizing Churches ; or was it
in the mother of all the Churches — the one at Jerusalem ? If at
all existing, it must at that time have been in some of tliem. Yet
they have all long since vanished away, and there is no record,
or even "tradition" of their having transferred that infallibility
to Rome. From the description given by our Lord himself of
those four Asiatic Churches, it is plain enough, that there was
no infallibility in any of them.
The Scriptural passage cited by the Archbishop in support
of the asserted infallibility of the Church is in Matthew xxviii 20,
— "Lo I am with j'ou alway even to the end of the world." He
has not given the previous and connected passages. They arc
I
,1,
^f
(.■
■■
'I
•ii-'
•
28
these, — " Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing* them
in the name of the Father, and of tlie Son, and of the Holy Ghost
— teaching tliem to observe all things whatsoever I have com-
manded you, and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of
world." Of course these words were not intended to apply to the
disciples only, whom our Lord was then addressing, for they were
soon to depart from life. They apply", doubtless, to all his faith-
ful followers in every age and country, who should continue to
teach others. And what were they to teach ? Not the " Iradi-
tions of fallible men.'' They were to teach all things whatsoever
he had commanded them ; and nothing contrary to those things.
And so the gracious Lord has ever been, and will be, with all his
ministers and other followers who shall continue to teach the
truths He had commanded, and has in the whole of his Sacred
Word directed to be taught. Ho has been, and ever will be, with
all such faithful disciples, to enlighten, to guide, to support and
comfort them, while so engaged in His glorious service. But
how can these passages be wrested and applied to support the
doctrine of infallibility in any visible Church here below, or to
show that they apply to the Roman Church exclusively, or to any
other organized and visible Church whatever? They have no
reference nor contain the least intimation regarding inJallihiUly in
the Church or in any bishop or other official, or in any person
whatsoever. He has promised the like presence and support for
all his followers who prove obedient, for he says, " He that hath
my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me,"
and " 1 will love him, and will manifest myself to him." And,
again, "If a man love me, he will keep my Words, and my
Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our
abode with him."" The Scriptural truth is, that the real Church
of Christ is composed of all true and obedient believers. Al
^'lough these may be connected in visible fellowship, under vari-
iu.i human denominations, yet they all agree in holding Him as
-•"'•! Head, in all His Divine and gracious offices ; they hold all the
essential and saving truths of His holy religion, obediently ob-
serve His precepts, and enjoy the light and comfort of His Spirit.
The express passages of Scripture to show that such characters
29
alone compose His true spiritual Church or kingdom upon earth
arc too numerous to be here inserted ; and for every true enlight-
ened Christian they need not be cited. As to the claim of infiilli-
ble teaching bj' any Church these few Scriptural passages, among
many others which might be given, are alone sufficient to refute
it — James i., " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that givctli to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall
be given him." Eplicsians, vi., Take the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God." And lastly, 1 John, ii., " But the
anointing wliicli yc liavo received of Ilim, abideth iu yon, and ye
need not that any man teach you."
A variety of facts and instances in authentic church history
may now bo given to prove how wholly unfoundod is the claim of
the iiifaUihiiitij of the Church of Rome.
" In the year 351, Liberius of Rome, after two years exile, was
not oidy prevailed on to receive an Arian creed, but even to reject
Athanasius." " Liberius, by these unworthy means recovered
liis Bishopric. The See of Rome at tiiat time, had secular charms,
suflicient to seduce a worldly mind. Whether Liberius repented
of his h^'pocrisy or not we have no evidence." Where at this
time was the constant infallibility of the Roman Church. Its
Bishop, or Pope, as probably th(i Archbishop will call him, most
solemnly professed himself an Arian heretic. The infallibility
seems to have entirely vanished for a season. The Roman Church
itself will be among the first most strongly to denounce the heresy.
A few years previous to this awful defection a Council of Bishops
at Antioch deposed Athanasius, and ordained an Arian Bishop iu
his stead. About the same time an Arian Council, influenced by
the Emperor Constantius, deposed an orthodox Bishop of Con-
stantinople, the metropolis, and appointed an Arian in his place.
It is true another Couucil iti Egypt protested against these pro-
ceedings, but the Metropolitan See continued for about forty
years under Arian government. During this period Councils of
Bishops condemned each other, and divisions arose ; and exten-
sively prevailed, in the Churches regarding an essential part of
Trinitarian truth.
I
80
The following passages, relating to our subject, are taken from
Milner's Church History : — " In the year 680, a general Council
Was called at Constantinople : The Emperor Constantino Pogo-
natus presided : The Monotbolito heresy was anathematized ;
and its several abettors were condemned, among whom was Ilono-
rius a bishop of Rome. A certain proof that infallibility was
neither allowed, nor pretended to, at that time, by the Italian pre-
late. For the legates of Agathon, who was then bishop of
Rome, were at the Council, nor do we find that any opposition
was made by them, or by their master, to the condemnation of
Ilonorius." Here, then, arc two bishops of Rome, Liberius and
Honorius, — shown to be condemned heretics. Many persons
think, that there have been a number of others, quite as devoid
of infaUibiUty.
In the eighth century the introduction of images and pictures
into the church, and tlieir worship commenced. " Origen, in hia
treatise against Colsus, observes that it is not possible that any
one, by worshipping images, should attain the knowledge of God."
Athanasius and Lactantius strongly inculcate the same truth.
Towards the end of the fourth century some approach towards
this evil appeared in the church. Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus,
observes that he found a linen cloth hanging on the church door,
painted, and having on it the image of Christ, or of some saint.
" Observing this," says he, " so contrary to the authority of the
Scriptures, I tore the cloth." The famous Jerome published in
Latin an Epistle of Epiphanius concerning this subject, and added
his own testimony on the point. So evident is it that at that
time images were absolutely prohibited in the Church of Christ.
Augustine also gave his opinicm against images, and said
«— " They are of more force to pervert the soul than to in-
struct it ; and when images are ever placed in the temples, and
had in honour, error creepeth in." All those renowned fathers
just named are claimed by the Roman Church, were integral
and most important members of her system, and her infallible
teachers of her infallible doctrines, but according to her doctrine
and practice on this point, for centuries past, they must have
been heretics. On that supposition, she should have treated
81
them as such ; but she did not do it, but liolds them in honour to
this day. Where was the infallibility on the point at this period.
It is true the second Council of Nice, in the eighth century estab-
lished this Idolatry, but the British Churches execrated this
Council of Nice, and some even of the Italian bishops protested
against the growing evil. In the same eighth century a Council
of three hundred and thirty-eight bishops was held, to decide the
controversy concerning images, and they declare, "Jesus Christ
hath delivered us from idolatry, and hath taught us to adore
Him in spirit and in truth, but the devil, not being able to endure
the beauty of the Church, luith insensibly brought back idol-
atry, under the appearance of Christianity, persuading men to
worship the creature, and take fur God a work to which they give
the name of Jesus Christ.'' In a subsequent year of the same
century a Council of three hundred bishops at Frankfort upon
Maine condemned that Council of Nice, and the worship of images,
— an Italian Bishop was one of this Frankfort Council. In the
succeeding century a Council of ^Paris agreed with that Council
of Frankfort in the rejection of the decrees of the second Council
of Nice, and in the prohibition of image worship. Now, accord-
ing to the claims of supremacy and universality by the Roman
Church, all these Councils of Bishops belonged to her, and form-
ed a large portion of her infallible teachers. But it may well be
asked, where, amidst all these opposing Councils and conflicting
decrees, did the infallibility and uniformity insisted on really re
main ? We Protestants say it was not amorg any of them ; but
we further say that the truth on this image subject was with the
Frankiort and the two other condemnor councils, and with the
renowned Roman fathers, whose similar testimonies have already
been giren.
These historical facts have been hero introduced merely to as-
sist in exposing* the asserted absurd and unscriptural claim of in-
fallibility, and uniform teaching in the Roman Church. " The
celibacy of the clergy was by many dignitaries in the Church
strongly opposed. Even the doctrine of transubstantiation itself,
the favorite child of Pascasius Radbert, was still denied by many,
and could not, as yet, gain a firm and legal establishment in £u-
■■:; .
;f-\
vV'
n
82
ropo. About the year 1265 a National Synod was bold in London
under Otbobon tbo Pope's legate. Tiiis Synod, in which Welsh,
Scotch, and Irish clergymen wore present, as well as English, was
looked on as of great authority, and as a rule of Ecclesiastical dis-
cipline to the Church. One of its canons provides against com-
mutation of oflctices, and forbids the archdeacon ever to receive
money on such accounts, for " sucli pructiccH," says tlio Synod,
" amount in eflbct to tlio grant of a liconce to sin." This is ano-
ther proof against the doctriiio of ct)iitinMed Roman iiirallibili''y.
Lot it be remetnbored that tlio Synod was hold " under tlio Pope's
legate." Now wo como to some groat and uiubV'-putcd facts iii
the history uf the Roman Church ; and if thoro were no others they
would alone be perfectly sufficient to destroy altogether this as-
serted claim of infallibility. Tlio whole of Christendom had been
distracted for nearly forty years by a scliism in the Popedom.
The famous and sanguinary Council of Constance met in 1114 to
settle this contention, and to consult and determine on other Ec-
clesiastical subjects. At this time, throe pretenders to the chair
of St. Peter, namely John XXIII, Benedict XIII, and Grogcry XII,
severally laid claim to infalUhility. The Council deposed the
whole of tiicm, and chose as Pope, Martin V. Here tlie solemn
and important question arises, where did tlie infallibility re-
repose during those forty years of controversy? There could, of
course, be but one Pope, and which of them was the man, or ra-
ther the infallible Vicar. The Council determined that it was not
with either of them. Now with the Pope alone, according to the
Roman doctrine then, an(J,now, the infallibillity rests. Of the
three pretenders, one of them had as good a right to it as either
of the others ; but the Council agreed, in effect, that neither of
them possessed it. What then had become of it during all these
years ? Had it vanished into thin air or become annihilated.
There was here a kind of interregnum, as political historians
would call it, and of a very anomalous description. Certain it is,
the infallibility was nowhere to be found. Protestants beg to de-
cline believing or trusting such a vagabond phantom, which might
suddenly vanish away, just when they needed it most. That
same Council of Constance passed a decree to forbid the laity the
33
ine Uhiirch of Rn •
ioo Archbishop states -—." \r
In a previous nart „f ti- ^nered,
f'om the writings of the foHn *• ™"' " '''" »<•»"«, by extr, .
Pnan, that during severe ^r?' '"'='"™*' Origen "«. r
•"■rferofthemiblipr u. '^''"'^'"•'■■estcentarie. ,.^" *""' ^y.
tfe Soriptufe?' roTd^'f J"'''^ ---'"": r e"!^';" "
P-alms or hymns ;-then S» ^"'^ ^°^'=">'«"t ;-»«;"! "^
■ninister leading them rt-"" ' ""'' '»«'- Players bt .,T.^
andobs;;.ant,7r' •'"'°"' ^^ «" any onho?;" *'"'»"""•
^^-«Mintr:;„te4-/WMeh se/^^^
»'■■*. 'n the Roman Church ' "" "'"' "'^ »««" material' "i;:
^^^e Archbishop further says:-
8 "** '^ «r astray, tk«* xi ^ _.
34
Died to the laity was received by all the believers in the Apostolic
age, is evident from what is said on the subject in 1 Cor. xi., as
to the whole church observing the ordinance, whore both the ele-
ments are mentioned as being received by all. In the second cen-
tury, Justin Martyr says ; — '• the elements being blessed, the
deacons give to every one present of the 'consecrated bread and
wine." Ireneus, bishop of Lyons, in the same century, mentions
" the broken bread " which was then given by the minister, unto
the deacons, who distributed it to the communicants, and after
that, the cup, which the deacons in the like manner delivered.
Bishop Cyprian, of Carthage, in fourth century, says, — " the
deacons offered the cup to those that were present." And this
receiving of both elements, by the laity was observed in all the
churcl js, that of Rome included, for upwards of a thousand
years, as Ecclesiastical history shows. Even that wicked Coun-
cil of Constance, — early in the fifteenth century, — which caused
Huss and Jerome to be burnt, in passing their decree, denying the
cup to the laity, admitted, that " in the Primitive church, this
Sacrament in both kinds, was received by the believers." What
must now be said, as to the Archbishop's " proof of what the
practice of the Church had always been ? "
The next part of the lecture for remark, is that where the Arch-
bishop mentions " the power of Mary," as having " ever " been
one of the " doctrines of the Church, from the beginning." In
answer it is quite sufficient to say, that there is not a word or the
slightest intimation either in the Scriptures or in the history of
Christianity, by writing or otherwise through many hundreds of
the first ages of Christianity as to any power or influence of the
Virgin Mary in the way of mediation, intercession or otherwise.
It is merely one of the inventions of the Church of Rome in the
later ages and which rapidly advanced in influence until it became
as it is now, universally prevalent and dominant.
The next mistakes of the Archbishop, though not of serious mo-
ment, are regarding Tertullian. He says :
« The power of the Pope must have been as great then as it
has been since, for otherwise so great a doctor as Tertullian could
not have been excommunicated."
36
At tills period — the commencement of the third century — and
for hundreds of years after, there was no character who bore the
name of " Popey There were bishops of Rome like bishops in
other places Next mistake, — Tertullian never, in any way, be-
longed to the Church of Rome, and it had no power over him.
At first he was connected with a church in Africa, and voluntariUj
left it, chiefly because ho thought it was not sufliciently severe in
its discipline, and that its members were not strict enough in self-
denial and general conduct. He joined the Montanists, an heret-
ical sect, but after a short time loft them. His departure from the
African Church was not through excommunication. It was vol-
untary secession.
The next passage of the lecture, for remark, is truly of a most
extraordinary nature, as proceeding from a learned man, skilled,
as it must be presumed the Archbishop is, as to literary and log-
ical productions. It is in the following words : —
"That the church was the infallible guide of faith then, as she
claims to be now, since she required submission to her decrees."
Now it may be concluded, that the Archbishop has been well
instructed in logic ; for skill in which art and accomplishment,
the dignitaries, and other leading persons in his Church, are par-
ticularly distinguished, — most especially those called Jesuits.
But manifestly, he is here, altogether at fault in his conclusion,
that his Church has been, and is now, *' the infallible guide of
Faith," since (or because) she required submission to her de-
crees." By the same kind of logic, it must certainly be concluded,
that the propnets of Baal, in the time of the prophet Elijah ;
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who set up the golden image, for
worship ; the founders of Hinduism ; the heads and leaders of the
system of Chinese idolatries ; and also, of Mahometanism, which
by its sword and devastations, required submission and accept-
ance, were all infallible guides of faith ; for they all required sub-
mission to their doctrines and decrees. Certainly the learned
Archbishop has, in this instance, committed such a blunder as to
logic, as gives ground to infer the weakness, or nullity, of the whole
of his arguments.
One of the concluding passages of the lecture, and the last
/
86
which will here receive any comment, is in the following words :
"In like manner, for 18 centuries, the Church had taught^ and the
world had heard, not searched the Scriptures, which were the
property of the Church ; and which were but the proofs of her
doctrines, and not the doctrines themselves."
Here, the Archbishop has been extremely deficient in the logical
and consistent construction of his entire argument, by the admis-
sion, " the Scriptures are the2)roq/l9of the doctrines of the Church,
and not the doctrines themselves." On this point of proof, the
whole question and decision may safely be permitted to rest ; and it
can readily be turned againsL him, so as to destroy his whole case.
It must be manifest to every ordinary mind that if the proof for veri-
fying and deciding any subject or matter whatsovor, depends on
any written memorial ; the writing itself must contain some state-
ments or information, concerning the subject. Now, it is certain,
that there is not a passage, or word, in any part of the Scriptures,
to prove, or give the least ground for the belief of the doctrine,
that any traditional oral teaching, eitlier alone, or combined with
Scripture, shall form the rule ef christian faith ; no word, or the
slightest intimation, in Scripture, of the impious tenet of the in-
fallibility of any Church, Council, Pope, or other earthly institu-
tion or 2>erson; — Nothing about Mass, as now performed in the
Church of Rome ; — not a word, or hint, as to the cup in the Sa-
crament, being denied to the laity ; nor the least word as to the
"power of Mary." None of these things, nor the least intima-
tion concerning them, are contained in the Scriptures. The Arch-
bishop has not attempted to give Scripture proof of any one of
them. On the contrary, by the words, — " not the doctrines them-
selves," in the passage cited, he has virtually admitted, that they
are not in the Scriptures. How, then, as he asserts, can they be,
" the proofs of the doctrines.^" This writer confesses his utter
inability to reconcile the conflicting partJ, in this extraordinary
announcement of the Archbishop ^ and for examination and deci-
sion refersiittothe professors of mental philosophy, logic and meta-
physics, in St. Blary's, St. Xavier's, Dalhousie, and the other Pro-
vincial Universities. But although unable to overcome and remove
this difficulty, of the Archbishop's creation, the writer is bold
37
enough to assert, that none of those last mentioned doctrines of
the Church of Kome, form any part of Scriptural and genuine
Christianity.
And here may appropriately be given, the following remarks of
a very eminent Christian minister, and learned Commentator, at
the conclusion of his comments on St. Peter's second Epistle :
"We have now passed over all the canonical writings of St. Peter
that are extant and it is worthy of remark, that in no place of the
two Epistles already examined, nor in any of this Apostle's sayings
in any other parts of the sacred writings, do wo find any of the
pecuUai' tenets of the Romish church : not one word of his or the
Pope's mpremacxj ; not one word of those who affect to be his suc-
cessors; nothing of the infalUhility claimed by those pretended
successors ; nothing of imrgatory, penances, pilgrimafjes.^ auricular
confession, poicer of the keys, indulgences, extreme unction, masses,
and prayers for the dead; and not one word on the most essential
doctrine of the Romish Church, transubstantiation. Now all these
things have been considered by themselves, most essential to the
being of that Church is it not sirange that he, from whom they
profess to derive all their power, authority and influence, in spiri-
tual and secular matters, should have said nothing of these most
necessary things '/ Is it not a proof that the holy Apostle knew
nothing of them ; hat they are no part of the doctrine of God ;
and although they distinguish the Church of Home, do not belong
to the Church of Christ?"
And now although some may think that this answer was not
needed, and probably others, that its style of remark is too free
and pointed, yet by every true Christian and unprejudiced person
the following facts and circumstances will be considered to afford
a full vindication as to both those objections. The Express, news-
paper, in which the several doctrines and subjects contained in
the lectures were given, in such a precise and fully detailed form
is the organ of the Roman Catholic Church here, and it may con-
fidently be assumed that its editor would not have ventured to
publish the lectures as he has done, without the approval and
sanction of the Archbishop. And further, if there had been any
mistakes, or errors, in the publication of the lectures, the Arch-
bishop would, of course, have had them corrected, but nothing
of the kind has taken place. Again it is universally known, that
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38
all the other Churches believe and hold the Sacred Scriptures to
be the only ride of the Christian faith, and, therefore, the Arch-
bishop's emphatic denial of its being such a rule, is, in reality, an
oflfensive imputation on all other churches ; and, in eifect telling
them, that they are in dangerous or ruinous error. But still fur-
ther, the Express, paper, circulates extensively in the city and
country, and is read by persons belonging to all the other
churches. It is regularly on the table of the Young Men's Chris-
tian Association, and in other public places. Under all these
circumstances, the writer feels, that in bis present eflbrt to exhibit
the authority of the inspired Scriptures, as being the Supreme and
only rule of the Christian faith, and to expose and refute perni-
cious errors, he is not only fully justified, but is performing a
Christian dutv.
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