THE CHURCH OF THE MIDDLE AGES. THE CHURCH OF THE MIDDLE AGES, SERMON, ?|reacf)fU in tfje Cfjurc!) of ^t. iBary Uf UoUt, GLOUCESTER, MOXDJi; MJV 8, 1837, AT THE VISITATION OF THE VENERABLE JOHN TIMBRILL, D.D. ARCHDEACON OF GLOUCESTER. BY JOHN GOULTER DOWLING, M.A. OK WAUHAM COLLEGE, OXFORD, RECTOR OF ST, MARY DE CRVI'T, GLOUCESTER. LONDON: I'OIl .1. 'i. AM> I. Kl\ IN(i ION; AM) J. I.. LF.A, T. JI.W, AND L. URYAM, ULOI CKSTKn. 18.'J7. GI.OTJCESTER : A. A\n 1), M. WALKER, PRINTERS, Wedlgate-Strcet. T(l THK VKNKltABLi: JOHN TIM BRILL, 1)1). vnCllDKACON OI (il.orCF-STKR, .KSn TIIF, HKVKI^KND J'HE CLKRGV OF Tur: i)i;\Ni'.p\ <>) (.i.(ii"CKsTi:i: THIS sKinroN 1^ iJi'si'KCTii I I > i\s(i;iiii.i» The JVriter fias found it itnposnible to co/nmif this Serntoii to the presn icithout uppe)iding aoiiie Noten. He knows not whether he should apologise for their being so few, or so many. Should any complaint be made on the ground of their number, his excuse, which he cannot but think a very sufficient one, is the copiousness of the subject. If tltey are thought fewer than the text requires for its complete illustration, he can only say that he would have been glad to make them more numerous, but that he considered himself bound to answer the call of his Brethren icithout delay. Glmicester, May 1'), 1837. A SERMON. St. Matthew xxviii. 20. " Lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD." The passage in connection with these words presents us with a very striking picture. A few poor and dejected men are gathered together in a solitary spot, in expectation of one whom they had learned to love and to venerate as a being more than human. Their mysterious visitor soon joins them, and they bow before him in speech- less wonder. Great indeed is the contrast be- tween those feeble dou])ting worshippers, and Him who "came and spake unto tliem, saying. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." It is, however, just the dilTerencc be- tween man and (Jod. Jn the one we see our- Helves ; in the otlnr we see our Redeemer. It was on this interesting occasion, when the A])ost]('S ('xliil)iti(l the vcrv cxcmplificalion of mora] and j)hysical weakness, and our Loid had iissertcd in the most emplialic words liis attribute .oyi(TiMi ava^aivoucriv Iv raTg xapdian; ai/Tuv^ TTug olov T£ 'iv^ena av^pag TrevvTai, Koi £i/y>>uTTiag sa-TSp-n/xsvoui, Taaav Trw oUou/xBvw iJ.tra^a>.{ir b\U(Te Tr)V a/jLipi^oMav^ km to Jeoj £|£j3a?*fv, Eipmuiy Ka\ l^ou kya //.sff vnuv iliJi.i Trajag ra; vfJLepag^ £Ui TYii (TirJT£\£l(x,g Tou aiuvog. B. Theodoret. Interpret, in .Terft- mia* cap. i. v. 8. Tom. ii. p. 407. Edit. Sohulze. 11 selves. For they equally stand in need of sup- port, and they are servants of the same gracious Master. Regarding, therefore, the words of the text in this light, and believing, as we do, that every word of God must have its fulfihnent, we are certain that the Lord's promise has l)een accom- plished. He has ever been with his Church.' He has never ceased to bless the work of his Ministers. He has always been present in the administration of the sacraments, blessing with supernatural powers the cleansing waters of Baptism, and communicating himself in the blessed Eucharist.- When his Ministers have 1 " Quia Veritas ipsa dicit iteruni, Ecce ego robiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem seculi, procukiubio eiunt semper in Ecclesiii, ruin quibus ille sit, eruntque fortissimi ac robustissimi pugnatores Dei, adversum quos ille qui nunc ligatus est in abysso, solutus, totis viribus perniittetur belligerare, quos divina gratia idoneos rcddet adversum tam immanem bestiam diniicaro, <•( victoros de ea existt^re." S. Agi^bard. dii I'rivil. et.Iurc Saccrdotii. Tom. i. p. 1.38. Kdit. Baluz. - 'AvToj o\ KM vuv £7t\ tyi; KoXuu$ridj>3ii roli 7ri(rTtaoii«. ap. ('l. I'i'. 7'oin. I. . It. 12 proclaimed the tidings of salvation, and "taught that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, men should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world,"' he has caused his word to come Tvith power, imparting to it a living energy. And " where two or three have been gathered together in his name, there has he been in the midst of them."^ We further believe that the promise is being accomplished still. We regard ourselves as going forth to our work supported by the presence of our Master. That, feeble though we be in our- selves, the power of God "is made perfect in our weakness."^ That we are endued with the powers with which he has been pleased to intrust the Ministry for the edification of the Church. And that to us he will, in the exercise of his wisdom and goodness, vouchsafe his blessing. But here I panse ; for it would ill become any one standing in this place, on an occasion like the present, to substitute assertion for argument, or decline giving an answer to any fair ol)jection that may be raised against our principles. We regard the text as affording the guarantee of the Saviour's promise for the perpetuity of the Church. But it is objected, that in this sense it has not been fulfilled. That this is so far from > T\i\\%. II. 12 2 Matt. xvin. 20. :< 2 Cor. x\\. 9. 13 having been the case, that during a long course of ages, error and false doctrine overran what was called the Christian world, and utterly de- stroyed the simplicity of the Gospel. This objection threatens to remove from us one of the firmest warrants we can find in the sacred volume for support in the trials and difficulties of our ministry, and even lirings into question the vera- city of the Saviour. My present ol)ject, therefore, is, in dependence on Divine help, to attempt to meet it. I have chosen this as the subject of to- day's discourse, not because I am not fully aware of its difficulty,; not because I am not conscious of the hazard to which it must be exposed in hands so feeble; but as having been led to deem it of urgent necessity that our attention should be directed to it in the present condition of the world and of the Church. The members of the Clmrcli of Kngland are, it must b(! confessed, very unfavourably situated for arriving at a proper estimate of tlic condition of the Churcli (hiring tlie period usually denomi- nated the Middle Ages. Enjoying as we do, by the gracious Providence of (iod, a purity of doc- trine and a simplicity of worsliij) truly aj)()stolical, we are a|)f to look back fu limes less enlightened with contempt and prejudice. We are so deeply convinced of the scriptural tnilli of our creed, and the primitive eliaraeter of our eerlosinsticnl polity. 14 and see them so Avell ada[)ted to the wants of the human mind, and of the human heart, in the exist- ing state of society, that we are little accustomed to look with indulgence upon the opinions which were current in ruder periods, or to reflect whether other states of society may not have had other wants. This state of feeling Avould alone be suflicient to make us unfair to the earlier Church. But there is another circumstance which has had a still more direct tendency to produce this effect. I mean our constant warfare with tlie Church of Kome. As that Church represents itself as iden- tical with the Church of past times, and as it has been too commonly admitted by Protestant con- troversialists that it does actually correspond in faith and discipline with the Western Church of the Middle Ages^ many of us have come pretty much to think, that in our controversy with Rome we are virtually contending with the Church of the period in question, and consequently regard it with suspicion and jealousy. I may remark too, that the measure wdiich has sometimes been dealt out to those who have enter- tained the more favourable opinion, has scarcely contributed to bring us nearer to a correct view of the subject. On the one hand they have been denounced as admirers of the spiritual despotism of an ignorant period; and on the other hand they have been suspected of a secret inclination to the 15 doctrines of Kome. But at all events, it is time for us, my brethren, to submit the whole matter to a serious and careful examination. If we are not prepared to lose the warrant of our Ministry, or to give up our Lord's promise as a signal in- stance of a prediction not fulfilled, it becomes us fairly and openly to meet the difficulty to which I have referred. Our Lord promised that he would ])e with his Ministers " unto the end of the world ;" and yet (we are told) during a long course of ages the Church was in grievous ignorance of the truth, and taught very dangerous errors. This is the difficulty,' — which I have endeavoured to state forcibly and fully. The subject is evidently one that cannot properly be treated with ])revity.* But it may perhaps be found possible to suggest in a few remarks, considerations which may tend to break the force of the objection, hi the ]io})e of effecting this I would remark — 1 I would be understood as freely confessing my belief, flial if tlie truth was not preserved in the Church, it was not preserv imI at all. The notion that it was pri'sorvcd in separated cnminunities can scarcely l>c regarded as any longer tenable. .\s to the All)igense8 and Wahlenscs, the distinction bt'twoen (hose sects, and the futility of tlie attf'mpts to maintain the otiioiloxy of tiie one, and the anti- quity of tlie other, seem to have been fully estalilished. 2 " Habebit tamcn in his iectoris mei curiosa vcstigatio, etsi non copiam satietatis qui delecletur, qualenicunque lamen causam inquisitionis, qua melius exerccafur." Walafridus Siraho de Hcbiis Ecrlesia-iticis. Bibl. PP. Tom. iv. col. .'i7'2. r. Ivlit. 1.^7-''. 16 I. That the fact which is assumed to MILITATE AGAINST THE LITERAL FULFILMENT OF OUR Lord's promise is greatly over- stated ; and II, That allowing to a certain extent THE truth of the FACT ASSUMED AS THE OBJECTION, IT still CANNOT IN ANY SENSE BE REGARDED AS IMPEACHING HiS VERACITY. In the first place, then, I humbly submit, that it may safely be maintained, that the representa- tions which are commonly made of the state of the Church during the Middle Ages are unfair and overcharged. The peculiar position of the Anglican Church, to which I have already ad- verted, has concurred with modern arrogance and sciolism in producing a conventional estimate of the elder period of the history of the existing European nations, which those who have made any kind of acquaintance with the original sources of information know to be very far from correct. There is reason, to think that the whole subject has been very greatly misunderstood and misre- presented. But no part of it has suffered more than that which relates to religion. For here additional agencies have been at work in pro- ducing and per2)etuating error. The notions of individual critics with regard to the interpretation 17 of the prophecies,* have had very considerable influence in forming and modifying the opinion which generally prevails among us. And whole generations have grown up in false views of his- tory, because a writer of note has perhaps left the straight path of literal interpretation, or mis- taken the sense of a particular prediction. The period which is represented as that of spi- ritual darkness and degradation is comprised in the thousand years which followed the extinction of the Western Empire.^ Now, though it has been very common to speak of the whole of this long series of centuries as bearing the same general characteristics, and as deserving to be de- scribed in the same terms of oj)pro]H-ium and contempt, a moment's reflection might lead any one to exfiect that the various divisions of it must dilfer very materially, and tliat the pecu- J Tlie attempts wliidi have be^n made to establish a correspon- dence between the ehiirdi of Rome and llie prophecies rehilinp to Antichrist, have |)rol)ably done more than any tiling else towards producing the studi(>s have been chicHy among the later Greek thcologic .Hii«p«,T|pf| «if neglecting or undervjibiing il. IS liarities of one age could not be found to exist, in the same intensity at least, in another. And this is the fact, A mere glance at the records of Church-history is suflicient to convince us that the condition and spirit of different periods in the Middle Ages differ as they do in other times. For somewhat more than two centuries the Church maintained a doubtful conflict with the conquerors of the Western world, alternately enriched and despoiled by the superstition or violence of rude chieftains. Better times' succeeded when the earlier Carlovingians, who imited the dignity of genius with military and political talents, had learned to respect the character of the Clergy, and to protect and encourage moral and intellec- tual worth. The great feudal aristocracy which was established under the later and more feeble monarchs of this dynasty, w^as little favourable to the prosperity of the Church. The Clergy were gradually accustomed to seek from the ser^ of Rome the protection which they could not obtain from their native princes. The Popes at length came to exercise an acknowledged sove- reignty. The schoolmen grew up to inculcate 1 Lorenz's Life of Alcuin, whicli has recently been translated, contains much interesting information of a popular character respect- ing this period. But many of the German divines, even of the better class, still speak with so much levity and indistinctness on religious subjects, that it is often no easy matter to find out the objects witli whicli they write, or the principles of the writers. 19 the theology, and the canonists to maintain and teach the laws, of Rome. Bnt this was at the beginning of the thirteenth century. For it was only at this late period that the system of Papal dominion was fully developed. Now^ it may be safely affirmed, that during the first and second of the periods 1 have marked in this rapid survey — that is, till the latter part of the ninth century — the doctrine of the Church remained very much what it had been in the days of Jerome and Augustine.' There w^ere super- stitions doubtless, (but this is a part of the sub- ject to be noticed hereafter,) yet the substance of Christian opinion remained wonderfully uniform.^ The Churches on the North of the Alps had all publicly recorded their disapprobation of image- worship'* in the course of the eighth and ninth 1 Note A, in tlie Appendix. - I say u'onderfalli/ iinit'onn, in reference to (he degree. But the fact was a natural coMsiMjuence of the course of slmly pursued \)\ all who studied at all. The ancient divines were iMi|»licitly followed as teachers, and imitated as models, liy all whu sought to obtain or to conmiunicatc theological knowledge. Towards the very end of the ninth century, Notker, surnamed the Stammerer, a monk of Si. Gall, who died in 9 1 "2, wrote to a friend re<-ommending him a course of theological s(untences," (Peter Iyoml)ard, JJishop of Paris, 11.59 — I KV4, ) was therefore his contemporary. ^ I'ield, of the Church, l^jok iii. i hap 7, and .\|i|i' ndix to Book III. * It is well for it to be distimtly borne in miml, tliat tin* niaicli of intellect, though proceeding in our own times under peculiar Hrf^im^tiincpM, i« no nmi'lfy. It rommencod crrtninly us e«rly 22 niul, somewhat later, the enthusiastic study of the ancient chissics among the higher and more learned classes of society, tended to draw oil' men's minds from religion altogether. It was not, however, till the German Reformation had shaken the whole fiihric of the Papal ascendancy, and the church of England had reasserted her indepen- dence of foreign domination, that the Romish party took the last fatal step, and intrenched it- self in an unsocial and schismatical position, from which it would almost seem that it cannot he dislodged hut hy some signal interference of the providence of God. So much then for the first consideration, namely, that the state of the Church during the middle ages is generally misapprehended. II. I now come to the second position I ven- tured to lay down, namely, that allowing (as I freely do,) that the Church was during that long interval greatly under the influence of supersti- tion and error, this was not the case to such a degree, or in such a way, as to involve any vio- lation of the promise contained in the text. as tlie thirteenth century. No one doubts the acuteness and industry of the early Schoolmen, who were in their way as much men of a " movement" as the German Rationalists. Italy, at all events, before the end of that century, possessed a national litera- ture. Dante was born in 123.5. And in the following century, Boccaccio and Petrarca, and Chaucer too, were, m tliought and feeling, moderno. 23 In all inquiries of this natuir we ought con- stantly to rememl)er, that it is aljsolntely impos- sible for US to determine what quantity of gospel truth is necessary for salvation,and that we are quite unable to decide what amount of error Is compatible with the soul's eternal safety. The whole tenor of Scripture leads us to conclude that what God regards in man is not the extent of his know^ledge, but the sincerity of his faith ; and that when the soul has cordially received the revealed truth, whatever it may be, which is made known to it, it is in a justified state, and has a personal interest in the mercy of the gospel.' '' The righteousness which is of faith speakcth in this wise." ... '' That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt l)e saved. "'^ Ignorance and error are part of the lot of man in his present state of degradation. At the ])est, " we have the treasure" which (lod lias imparted "ineartlini vessels.""* The analogy of Scripture would lead us to tliink that there has never been a Saint, however great his knowledge and holiness, who has attained on earth a full conception of the whole scheme of • "Nihil pcriciili, vcl damnationin inest liio, (|ui sunt in Cliristo Jesn, ab ipso illuminali p(!r fidem." 'I'lioni. A(iuin. Secunda 2u«. q. 2, :ir. .'J. 2 Rnm. X. r,, W. ' -1 Cnr. iv. "• 21 salvation. \\\* coinniouly jiult^f upon this prin- ciple of those around us. We make allowances for those who differ from what we believe to be the truth, on the ground of the imperfection of the human understanding, and because we think that certain dangerous errors and practices are still compatible w^ith sincerity and the love of truth. Let us carry this charity with us in our inquiries into the past history of the Church, and be equally candid in estimating the errors of an opposite character* to those on which we are so ready to look with indulgence. The Church was setup as the pillar and ground of the truth. The faith and the inspired docu- ments to which in the providence of God the faith was committed, were consigned to its keep- ing. And so far as relates to its fidelity to this solemn trust, the promise of God is pledged for its indefectibility. Now the faith^ committed to the Church was evidently the great fundamental truth, "that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses J Note C, in the Appendix. 2 " Tiiis is then the foundaticm whereupon the frame of the Gospel is erected ; that very Jesus whom the Virgin conceived of the Holy Ghost, whom Simeon embraced in his arms, whom Pilate condemned, wliom the Jews crucified, whom the Apostles preached, lie is Christ, the Lord, the only Saviour of the world : other fou7t- dation can no man lai/," Hooker, Discourse of Justification, § 23, Works, vt)l. II r. p. 454. Edit. 1820. 25 unto tliem." This was " the word of reconcili- ation" which under the Gospel God committed to his ministers. And this the Church has ever faithfully preserved.' The doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation she has ever main- tained inviolate. Just as the Jewish Church, in spite of all its transgressions and corruptions, did its office in preserving the know^ledge of the unity of God : so the Christian Church has under all the circumstances of its history, maintained the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel. Through the times of the greatest darkness she has confessed the faith in the very same terms as we do. The thre3 creeds have, ever since they were first em- ployed, distinctly exhibited the doctrines of the Church. This is surely a signal proof of the Saviours presence. For the greater we suppose the ignorance and corruption of the Middle Ages, the more difficult must it have been to preserve soundness of doctrine in the most mvstcrious sub- jects of Christianilv. Well, Ijiit you aHow that there wore errors — ' " Dixit DoniinuM C'liristiis, prtrdicabilur Evcmgelium in laii- vetKO mundo, :ti) noii jxTiliicluiii est ad cxitmii f Item illml ; et porta- infer t nun jira-valibuut adversun h'ccU-.siam, id est, !id\ crsuM fidom nosfram, an hoc fnlsuni oxtitit ? an non extiteruiil plmimi ha-rcsiarcliif, t} runni |>(i(ontiw*iiiii, ct Kegt'» iinpii, qui fuli'in oppug- naniiil, necpic iaiin*ii potiicriint vinccrc cam, rf oxtinguerc ?" Ana.^ta>tiiiM Althas cotitra .Jiidii-os, a|). CnniHii lyrlionc* .Ant. IsHif. fia^nRgf. 'f'oni. ri. I', rii. p. I.^. c ■26 yes, undoubtedly, serious and pernicious errors. There was much superstiton, much ignorance, and consequently much error. The imagination got to have too much scope in holy things. Opinions of uninspired men, and perversions of scriptural truths, gradually came to be regarded as part of Christianity. The superstitious practices of en- thusiasts were admired and imitated. An extrava- gant veneration for the sacraments tended to pro- duce, what at last it did almndantly produce, false doctrine and formality. We allow all this. Yet we still believe that Christ was with his Church' and his Ministers. For why might he not be ? Surely he did not promise, w^hen he engaged to be vy^ith them to the end of the world, that the outward condition of society should continue un- changed. He did not promise that mankind should maintain the same degree of civilization. But it is quite clear that all changes affecting the condition of society must have more or less influ- ence on the Church. What grew up within the Church, was the natural result of what was going on without. For the Church to have maintained an uniform position in intelligence and sound doctrine, the state of society must have remained uniform too. We cannot help seeing that the one could not but have affected the other. As society 1 Note D, in the Appendix. 27 passed from the state in which it existed under the Roman Empire, and assumed that form of greater simplicity which it bore through the greater part of the Middle Ages, it was inevitable that so great a change should tell upon the Church. Men in whom the imagination predominated over the intellect, who were affected more by feeling than by reasoning, craved after something more material and sensible than what was sup- plied by the letter of revelation, and they gradu- ally adopted the growth of their own hearts as part of the substance of their religious opinions. This was just what was to have been expected. It was after all, very much what had come to pass in the divinely constituted " commonwealth of Israel." Unless God had made such changes in his providential government of the world as would perhaps have interfered witli man's free-agency, we see not how it could have been otherwise. The facts I liavc conceded cannot fairly be urged against the fuUilmcnt of our Lord's inoniise. l)e- causc his ])rf)misc only ciii^aizcd Iiim 1o iircscrvc the fundamental |)rinci|)les oi' the gos|)(l. and to make them of jiractical eflicacy on ihc human heart. 1 have hitlicrto su[)|)Osc(l the corrujjtious which grew up in the ("liurch during tiie period we liave in view, the natural effect of known causes, and regarded them as being counteractive, so to speak. c; 2 28 of tlio purposes intended Ijy the Divine Author of Christianity. I might perhaps safely go a step further, and ask if there is not reason to think that they were made the means of pro- ducing most important good ? Nations in the condition in which the inhabitants of We&tern Europe were during the times in question, needed much visible recognition of spiritual truths ; and the very errors of the Church tended to cover the face of the earth with the outward marks of re- ligion. It is not easy to see how they could have been preserved from absolute barbarism but by the controlling influence of the priesthood ; and minds such as theirs would have been little likely to yield to this moral power but at the call of superstition. Heathen tribes were to be con- verted ; and we have been taught by our own experience, that unless Omnipotence visibly in- terfere, that is an object not easily or speedily accomplished, when Christianity is presented to them in its native purity, and is recommended to them merely by moral suasion. As we can- not see how in the usual order of the Divine government, the state of religion could have been otherwise than it was during the Middle Ages, so we ought to be cautious how we venture to pronounce that it was desirable that it should have been otherwise. Let us take care that we do not rashly assail a great and important chapter 29 in the history of God's dealings with our species. He who gave the Gospel, surely best knew, how it would most effectually promote the benefit of mankind. To doubt that the Gospel was at work even in the most corrupt periods of those times, is not only to close our ears against the testimony of contemporary history, but to shut our eyes to what we might see around us. The writings of contemporary annalists and biographers abound with the most beautiful instances of the triumphs of Divine grace. And when kings, and priests, and penitents, yea and books too, have passed away, — their good deeds are fresh and blooming still. Our fairest temples and our noblest cha- rities are most of them due to the worst portion of those times — I mean the later portion — when the march of improvement was fast bearing down the simplicity of the earlier period. And what is of still gr(;ater importance to us, it was then tliat Christianity sunk so dcej) into our institutions and legislation, thai it would recjuirt.' tlic liand of violence to uproot it. \\ hilc, therefore, we arc; thankful to the gracious Ciivcr for our greater privih'gcs, ht lis krep up ii; our hearts •' the communion of saints,' by entertaining a grateful sense of what we owe to the ancient (liurcli ! Ihil I liave trespassed (juite h)ng enougli upon your attention. Ms brethren, we li\e in unusual 30 times — in times of great excitement. 1 make not allusion to the fact as intending to recur to any exciting to])ic of present interest. It has been a gratification to nie to liave been al)le to select a subject for my discourse that is little of kin to our every day matters of communication. It is ever a privilege to be able to travel away from the turmoil of the present into the dignified stillness of the past. But let us not return un- improved. We need all the comfort and all the wisdom we can gather for our support and guid- ance. i\.nd there is much, very much, to instruct us, both in the fidelity with which the Lord has observed his promise, and in the corruptions which have been allowed to mar the beauty of the Church. While the words of the text shine brightly on the page of revelation we cannot want consolation. The Church is founded upon a rock ; and it is unbelief to doubt the gracious promise, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." We have seen that the chief danger of the Church is in not adhering to ancient and Scrip- tural principles, but in taking up the feelings of the times and in working them into religion. Let it be our care to search out and abide by the great fundamental principles of the Gospel — to cling to the truth which is taught in the word of God : and where there is anv doubt about its 31 interprelutioii, to employ the noble canon of re- ceiving " what has been always, and universally, and everywhere received in the Church."^ Perhaps one of the most important lessons we learn from inquiries of this nature is, the danger there is in excessive opposition even to obvious corruptions. There are many of the errors of the Church of Rome that are hut exaggerated repre- sentations of acknowledged truths. Many spring from valuable and important principles. Let us take care that we do not push our opposition too far.^ Let us take care that while we attempt to 1 Ciim sit perfectus Scripturaruni canon, sibique ad omnia satis, superque sufficiat, quid opus est ut ei ecclesiasticic intcUi- genti.t jungatur auctoritas ? Quia videlicet Scripturam sacram pro ipsa sua altitudine non uno eodemque sensu universi accipiunt; sed ejusdem eloquia aliter atque aliter alius atque alius interpretatur ; ul pent' quot homines sunt, tot illinc scntentia- enii posse videantur. — In ipsa item catliolica Ecclesia magnopere lurandum est, ut id teneamus quod ubique, quod semj)er, quod ab onuiibus creditum est. Hoc est etenim vere proprieque, catholicuni (quod ipsa vis nominis rati(ique dccjarat) quod omnia fere universaliter comj)reIicndit. Sed hoc ita demuni tiet si sequamur univeisilalem, antiquitateiu, consensionom. Scqucmur :iu(em universitatem hoc modo, si hant unam tidem veram esse latcamur, quam (uta |)er orbeni terraruni confitetur Kcdesia. Aniiquitatem vero ita, si ab his seiisibus nulhi- tenuH recedamus, quos sancUjs Majores ac I'atrcs nostros «'elobiiisse manifestum est. Consensioncm quoquc itidcm, si in ipsii vcdistafe, omnium Sacordotum pariler el Magi^lrorum (K'fmitiones sentoii- tiasque secfiMiiur. Vincent. I/criii. ( 'omnmnit. |) ."{17, •ilH. Jviit. Halo/. ' Qui nnir«- f|i' finji«'n via impingit, sed tamen impingit in errorem. Dubitare autem possumus, utri miseriores sint, an qui errorem contrahunt ob cau- tionis defectum ; an qui veritatem repudiant ob ejusdem cautionis excessum. Muratori, de Ingeniorum Moderatione in Religionis- Negotio. Lib. 1, c. 2, p. 14. Edit. 17/9. 1 Hujus adventui plenum expectationis obsequium pra;be- amus. Nee defendi ante Dominum servi irreligiosa et inverecunda festinatione properemus. S. C^yprianus, de bono Patientia^ p. 220. Edit. Oxon. 2 Tam solicite, cauteque Veritas investiganda, atque prodenda est, ut Christianae simul Caritatis, ut modestise, ut justitiae maxima ratio habeatur. Quamobrem maledictis, et conviciis perpetuo absti- nendum, calumnite non segnius, quam pestis fugiendae ; hominem graven! ars mimica, virulentai irrisiones, declan)ationesque, minime decent ; in errores vero potius, quam in errantes dimicandum j, tibique, vel quum triumphas de errore deprehenso, exuenda omnis* ambitio. Muratori, in opere supra litato, lib. rir. c 14, p. 577. 33 you, my Kevereud Brethren, tliat it is our obvious duty to seek diligently the information* -which may qualify us " to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us,"^ and that we have solemnly devoted our- selves to the work of providing our Hocks with the bread of life. But whatever degree of pro- ficiency we may attain in professional studies, may He " who alone worketh great marvels" en- able us all faithfully to preach the Gospel — to teach our people to rest their hopes of salvation on the one foundation, Jesus Christ, to look for the preventing and assisting help of the Holy Spirit, to live in prayer, to ''adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."^ Al)ove all, may He make us such in our lives, that we may in our measure be able to say to them with the Apostle, " Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."* To you, my l)rethrcn of the laity, I will only say, that we anxiously desire your lovi'. your conticU'iicc. your co-ojx'ratiou. (iod allows you the honour of greatly liclpiiig u^ in oui- work. Without disturljint^ (•cclcsiastical oidci-, all may assist in making known the Ciospcl of Peace. TTonoinable as it is publiel) to |)ror]aim tlie trntli, it is not h'SS excellent to henelit our fellow men ' Nod* K, in tin- ,\|»|)<'iiilix. ■J I IVt. III. I.'). •■• Til. II. 10. * I (or. M. I. 34 ))y our liolinoss aiul oviv prayers.' May avc all prfach ])y our lives ! May the Holy spirit cause the light of faith to burn brightly in us, and may Ave " let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven,"^ and confess that with us at least is fulfilled the Saviour's promise, " Lo, I am with you ahvay, even unto the end of the world." ' KjiXov to oia 'Koym ut jultclur qund volunt. Talcs nos annt Dcus, (jualcs fuluri sunuis ipsinn dono, nor. qualcs Mumiis nosiro mcrilo. Sua l»onn Dcus pra-videt, |ir;r^fii, ;idju»a), I'l rcmuncrat in ni-. N'cmn bonus ni^i Hohi" 3() Dous, ((111 lion est alterius buiu) bonus. Homines auteni, non pro- prio, sed Dei bono, sunt boni ; qui est fons et oiigo bonltatis ; immo qui est bonitas, a quo oinne bonum, et sine quo nihil boni." S. Agobavdus, (Archbishop of Lyons, 81G— 840,) do Fidei Veritate, 0. XIII. Opera, Tom. ii. p. 22, 23. Kdit. Baluz " Subtihter igitur expendat fidelis examinator et pius, quanta fuerit hominis iniquitas, quam nee (|uisquam hominum, net; quilibet angelorum, nisi Dei soUus sanguis valuit expiare. Nee se mereri aliud quam supphcium credat homo, qui post purgationem bai)tismatis, qua etiam parvulis legni coelestis janua aperitur, tametsi qusrdain (Hgua venia suspi- catur se gossisse magis quam novit. JMulta sunt tamen plura, super quibus divini judicii severitatem formidet. Quamquam etiam de bene gestis timendum est, cum tantus vir dicat, omnes justitias noatrae quasi panniis memtruatce. Justitia enim nostra, hcet inter- dum coram liominibus splendeat opere et sermone, in conspectu Dei sordescit prava cDgitatione." Servatus Ijupus ( Abbot of Ferrieres, 842 -8G2) de tribus quwst. ap. Sirmondi Opera. Tom. ii. col. 950. A. Edit. Venet. " Nullus tollit peccata, nisi ille de quo dictum est, Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi : cui nullum bonum homi- iiis impossibde, nullum malum est insanabile. Quomodo autem Apostolus Petrus ostendit (|ui ait, Non corruptibilibus argenfo vel auro redempti estis de vand vestrd contersat ione paternae traditionis, sed pretioso sanguine quasi ugni incontaminati et immaculati Christi." Florus Magister (Deacon of Lyons, 852.) de Missa. in Bibl. PP. Tom. IV. col. 660. d. Edit. 1575. Note B, p. 19. The Council of Frankfort, (794,) in its second Canon, (Concil. Labbe, Tom. vii. col. 1057- d.) condemned the second Council of Nice, which in 787 had established the worship of images in the Eastern Church. T!ie Cliurch of England had already taken the same line of conduct. " Anno 792, Carolus rex Francorum misit synodalem librum ad Britanniam, sibi a Constantinopoli directum, in quo libro (heu proh dolor) multa inconvenientia, et verae fidei con- traria reperiebantur ; maxiine, quod pene omnium oiientalium 37 doctorum nou minus quam trecentoruiu, vel eo aiiipliiis episcoporuin unanima assertione oonfirmatum fuerit, imagines adorari debere, quod omnino ecclesia Dei execratur. Contra quod sciipsit All)inus epistolam ex authoritate divinarum scripturarum mirabiliter affir- matam ; illamque cum eodem libro ex persona Episcoporum, ac principum nostrorum regi Francorum attulit." Rogeri de Hoveden Annal. ap. Scriptores post Bedam. And the Council of Paris, (824,) which also condemned image worship, thus complained of the conduct of the see of Rome : " Maximum voliis in eo obstaculum erat, eo quod pars ilia, quae debebat errata corrigere, suaque aucto- ritate hujusce superstitionis errori obniti, ipsa prorsus eidem super- stitioni, non solum resistere, verum etiam incauta defensione contra auctoritatem divinam et SS. Patrum dicta nitebatur suffiagari." Synod. Paris, ad Ludov. et Lotharium Imp. It is proper to state, that as I have not at present access to tiie collections of Goldastus, (Imperialia Decreta de cultu Imaginum,) or Mansi, (Concil. Tom. XIV.) I liave copied the last extract from Dr. Gieseler. LeI.rbuch der Kirchengeschichte. 2en BandesErsteAbtheilung, s. 80. Bonn, 1831. Agobard, who, according to his editor, the learned and moderate Baluze, only spoke the sentiments which were then universally entertained in France, (Not. ad Lil)rum de Imag.) thus phiinly ex- pressed his opinion: " Quicunque ali(|uam picturam, vel fusilcm sive ductilem adorat statuam, non exhibet cuitum Deo, non honorat angelos, vel homines sanctos, sed simulachra veneratur. Agit hoc nimirum versutus et callidus humani generis inimicus, ut sub pra;- textu honoris sanctorum, rursus idola inlroducat, rursus per divcrsas efligics adoretur; ut avertat nos ab spiritahbiis, ad carnaHa vero demergat ; ac per omnia simus digni ab .Aposlolo audirc : () insrn- sati, ({uis ros fcuscinavil ? — ^ec iterum ad sua laliljuia frauduienla rccurrat astutia, ut dicat se non imagines sanctorum adorare, sed sanctos. Ciumat enim Deus : (lloriain ttwam til/cri iinti i/aho, 7icc laudem meam Kculplilibus. — Si autem aUcpiis homo adoratur, m-I anpehis, pia-lcr enin <)iii et D9 though they hold it but weakly, and as it were with a slender thread, although they frame many base and unsuitabl-^ things upon it, things that cannot abide the trial of the fire ; yet shall they pass the fiery trial and be saved, which indeed have builded themsehes upon the rock, which is the foundation of the Church. If then our Fathers did not hold the foundation of faith, there is no doubt but they were faithless. If many of them held it, then is therein no impediment, but many of them might be saved." Hooker, Discourse of Justifica- tion. § 14. Works, vol. in. p. 442. Afterwards he goes on to show that they did hold the " foundation." — But even the testimony of Hooker is of less importance for the purpose for which I cite it, than the following very remarkable passage of the great Sa.xon Reformer. Luther thus expresses himself on this very subject in his letter on the opinions of the Anabaptists. Vol. iv. p. .375, of the Altenburg edition of his Works. " Wir bekennen aber, dass unter dem Paps- tumb viel Christliches gutes, ja alles Christlich gut sey, und auch daselbst herkommen sey an uns: Nemlich, wir bekennen, dass ini Pamstumb die rechte heiliche SchrifFt sey, rechte Taufte, recht Sa- crament des Altars, rechte Schliissel zur Vergebung der Siinde, recht Predigampt, rechter Catechisnnis, als zehen Gebot, die Artickel desGlaubens, das Vater unser." Of which the following translation is as literal as I can make it. " We acknowledge however, that under the Papacy there is mmh Christianity, yea ull Christianity, and moreover that the same is thence derived to us : That is to say, we acknowledge, that in the Papacy there is the true Bible, true Baptism, true .Sacrament of the Altar, true keys for the remission of sins, true oflice of preaching, true catechising, for instance tlie Ten Commandinent.s, the Articles of tiie Creed, the I^ord's Prayer." Surely I need no other apology for w hat some perhaps may deem excessive diarifv. Note E, p. .'i.'l. " D.ita est vobis quu-dam urbs pro|)ria, rives rdigiosi, in (piu »i roncorditer et spiritualiter, Domino pnrstanle, transigitis, cddeslis jam patri.i; pmfiguratione paurlctis. Nojile amnre dcsidiani, (piam Domino i-fignfiscitii ddiomini J'r;r'Kl("i \ribi'•. 10 turarmii iiistniinentu dugiuatii'a fuai oxpositoiibiis suis, qui veri sunt Horiferi campi, ctrlestis paradisi ponia siuu ia, luidc ct tuleles anima' salubriter imbuantiir, vt lin;;iuc vestrx' non caduco, sed fruc- tifero niniis insJruantur eloquio. Qiiapropter desiderantor introite my>teria Domini, ut sequentlbus iter indicare possitis, quia magna- verccundia- pondus est iiabore quod legas, et ignorare (uiod doceas." Cassiodor. Institut. Divin. Lictionum, c. 32. ap, Bibl. PP. Tom. vi. col. 77. E. Edit. 1575. Never was the admonition of Erasmus more suitable than it is at present. " Videtis jam inverti mundi scenam : aut deponenda est persona, aut agendse sunt sue cuique partes." Colloquia, p. 230. Londini, 1773. THE END. Bi/ the same Author, A LETTER to the Rev. S. R. MAITLAND, on the OPINIONS of the PAULICIxVNS. 8vo. 2.v. UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY ilhli ill AA 000 563 999 2 THE folloidng Sermon was preached without the least idea of its publication, which was requested immediately after the service of the Sunday evening on which it was pronounced. It appears as it was delivered, with the exception only of the extract from the Jpjjendix to the Report of the Hibernian Society. The Author requests that his friends and congre^ gation will receive it as a token of his affectionate good zoill. As to the sentiments it contains, they are, it is hoped, derived from the blessed word of God: the fears it expresses result from the invariable testimony of experience upon the subject to which they relate. The whole matter is referred to God, who *' doeth according to his will among the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth," with fervent prayers that his blessing may accompany this effort to advance the glory of his name. The Author of this Sermon feels gratified by the rapid sale of the first edition, and the demand ichich is still made for it. This reconciles him completely to its publication. He has added a few notes to explain and to confirm the assertions he has felt it necessary to make. Cjmberwell, October 10, 18J2.