First, then, surely, these things being so: it is well to know them.
If they are so, we have need of _patience_, but surely we have need
also of _fear_. In the days of Jehoiachim, King of Judah, when
iniquity abounded, and wickedness came to that pass, that the Word of
the Prophet’s Roll, was not honoured, but “cut with the penknife,”
and “burned in the fire,” what was even the additional sign of the
hardness of heart then prevailing? When this was done, “_yet they
were not afraid_, nor rent their garments: neither the king, nor any
of his servants that heard all these words.” The utmost that was
done was only this:—that “Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah, made
intercession to the king, that he would not burn the Roll, but he
would not hear them.” And, if now in our day our evil state be such,
that, as I have said, if we do not discard, yet we much disbelieve
God’s teaching; following any teacher of heresy or schism, whom we
please, or following just the rule of our own private spirits; if
thus doing, we have lost practically from among us, that is, from
among the great bulk of our people, the belief of there being any
Christian priesthood: the true doctrine of the nature, power, and
importance of the sacraments: (I speak not of places where, under
peculiarly advantageous circumstances, Catholic truth has been more
closely brought home, but of the general state, if you “numbered the
people” throughout the land, in our dense city populations and
crowded manufacturing towns; nay, in our wild rural districts and
sequestered villages also,) if throughout the country generally our
evil state be such, that not one in a hundred of our population ever
dreams of coming to communion; if, again, when we, as God’s
ministers; press upon them their duties, and privileges in such
matters, speaking plainly, boldly, and without circumlocution the
Church’s language; if then “bye and bye they are offended;” if, being
offended, they will, as it were, excommunicate themselves, _and think
nothing of it_; if, indeed, we seem to be living especially in that
time and place where men “will not endure sound doctrine,” surely
there is need _of fear_! yet, for all this, _where_ are our fears?
_where_ are our lamentations? _where_ are the signs of our
repentings! Nay, on the contrary, we have _not_ feared; we have
_not_ mourned; we have _not_ humbled ourselves; rather we have
boasted, and been puffed up, as if we were better than our
neighbours! Oh! I ask again, where indeed are our prayers; where our
sorrows; where our fastings, for the sin and misery of our state?
Where are our “supplications offered up with strong cryings and tears
unto him that is able to save us,” with the hope “that we may be
heard _in that we fear_.” “Mine eye runneth down with rivers of
water,” says the prophet, “for the destruction of the daughter of my
people.” “Oh! that my head were waters,” he says again, “and mine
eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the
slain of the daughter of my people.” But, alas! is it _so_ with us?
Rather is it not—that we are _not_ humbled: we are _not_ ashamed: we
are _not_ alarmed. We are in evil case, but we see it not. We are
in awful blindness; and yet _so_ blinded, we find not our want of
eyes. We are dull and heavy with sleep, yet _so_ inapprehensive,
that we think ourselves in light and vigour: we cannot see the signs
of woe, nor hear the sounds of warning!
And where are our means or hope of our remedy? The remedy for such a
state of things? _Surely_, _if any where_, _first_, _in being
awakened_, _next in humiliation_, _and then in patience_. We “have
need of patience,” and all other things will fail without it. But
with humility, and with patience there may be hope; “a hope that
maketh not ashamed.” Oh! if we seek God rightly, “surely there must
be hope in thine end, that thy children shall come again to their own
border,” as saith the prophet.
If I humbly may, without going through other hopes, or ways of
remedy, however nearer, more immediate, and more depending upon
ourselves, (such for instance as the remedies that might come from
the godly gathering together again of the Church’s National Synod);
without dwelling upon such topics, I will direct your thoughts to one
source of consolation and hope of remedy yet wider, more general, and
more complete; more powerful and direct (if ever it please God to
grant it us) than any other means, to salve our wounds, and restore
the efficiency of our Church’s working for the salvation of souls.
Surely there may be hope to heal our distractions, and to restore
true faith and doctrine among us, (nay, even to do _more_ than this,)
by a general council of the Church, if it please God to allow such to
be again assembled. I know not what should forbid the hope. A
general council of Christendom, East and West together might do such
things for us, that “then should our mouth be filled with laughter,
and our tongue with joy;” till it should “be told out among the
heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them whereof they may”
well “rejoice.”
Why should we not pray, and hope, that universal Christendom might
meet again in council. I do not mean now, at once. I fear we are
not fit for such a council, if it came. We should refuse to submit
to it. We should despise its authority; and too probably, at once
repudiate its decrees. If it were to come so, and we _so_ to receive
it, we might only be filling up the measure of our iniquity. But,
_if_ we prepare for it, God may give it us, when we can receive it in
a better temper. If we prepare for it, hoping for it, longing for
it, and being ready to submit rightly, and give due weight to it, God
may make it our remedy, and the healing of all our distractions,
heart-burnings, and disorders. We may become again a united people
among ourselves: or even if all the nation _will_ not be re-absorbed
into the Church, yet we who are of the Church may be again of one
mind, and _re-union in Christendom might follow_! Oh! if this were
so indeed, “who should express the noble acts of the Lord, or shew
forth all his praise?” “Then,” indeed, “should the earth bring forth
her increase, and God, even our own God should give us his blessing.
God should bless us, and all the ends of the world should fear him!”
Oh! then, let him who would deserve well of the Church of England,
pray yet for such a day; and set forward constantly and continually
the mind and temper which shall first long for, and next be prepared
for, such a council. The temper which would not presumptuously
reject, but gladly accept such appeal to smooth our differences and
sharp contentions, is perhaps our best defence against the danger, or
the charge of schism; and when we are in such a mind, let us not
fear, but rather let us humbly hope, that the general council will
come. Nay, be not impatient: be content to wait for years upon
years, seeking to grow towards it, in love, and preparation for it.
Perchance it would be of the Lord, even were it now ordered by
authority that one day weekly, besides the Church’s continued rule of
a weekly fast, should be set apart; (and gladly by many would it be
observed) as a day of humiliation, and of prayer: if it were
appointed, for seven, for fourteen, nay, for forty years, (it may be
needful a generation should pass away, as was the case in those that
came up out of Egypt;) whilst we earnestly continued to supplicate
and beseech our God that it might please him thus to grant us peace
and consolation: that what we lack might be restored to us, even “the
years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the canker-worm have
eaten;” a renewed strength, a good courage, a sound discipline, a
believing heart; surely all things are possible with him, “He bloweth
with his wind, and the waters flow.” To HIM let us pray, and in HIM
let us trust, who can “renew our strength as eagles:” who is “mighty
to save:” “who only doeth wondrous things:” who can “make a way under
us for to go,” even when there seemeth no path, and disentangle all
the knots, even of men’s evil hearts, and evil passions. But “_we
have need of patience_.” “Let us run _with patience_ the race that
is set before us.” “_In our patience_ possess we our souls.” In
this spirit, therefore, let us then thank God, and hope in God, and
proceed upon our way!
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