goodness of Him “whose tender mercies are over all His works,” to doom to
“irretrievable perdition,” _millions_ of His creatures for the
non-performance of an _impossibility_. We consequently limit this awful
sentence against those who “love unrighteousness,” and wilfully reject
the _offer_ of salvation. The context forces us to this application of
the anathema. But I am not asking in what sense we are to _understand_
the threat of scripture, but applying to it the same reasoning through
which the Athanasian Creed is attacked; and I assert that _literally_
understood, the texts which I have quoted, as undistinguishingly doom to
perdition _all_ who do not believe the gospel, as does the Athanasian
Creed all who do not hold the Catholic Faith.
But if we are to ascertain the sense of scripture by comparing it with
scripture, the text with the context, why are we to be debarred from
ascertaining the sense and meaning of our Church formularies, by the
application of the same canon of interpretation? Why are so invidious
objections to be conjured up and bruited abroad against our Church, by
tying us down to the _letter_ of her forms, to the utter disregard of
their meaning, and the spirit in which they have been imposed? I cannot
express my own view of these monitory clauses, better than in the
language of a contemporary divine, “their connection and relative force
is this: whosoever desires to be saved it is necessary that he hold the
Catholic Faith, and if he who has this faith keep it not, for he cannot
keep it except he has first had it or held it, he cannot be saved, but
without doubt shall perish everlastingly. The warning, therefore, is
directed to him only who keeps not the faith which he has been taught,
which has been put into his hands, which he has had hold of.” {45}
But my Diocesan affirms, and although it is your own opinion also, I take
the liberty of canvassing it in his Lordship’s statement, feeling that
the sentiments of the Spiritual Head of the Church in this Diocese, must
carry with them even greater weight than your own. His Lordship says,
“granting (though the Creed makes no such concession) that five hundred
millions and upwards of Pagans and Heathens, out of eight hundred
millions inhabitants of our globe, are not meant to be included in this
sweeping anathema, it should be remembered that the whole Greek Church,
professed Christians as they are, must of necessity be included, as its
members after mature consideration are at variance with other Churches
respecting the procession of the Holy Ghost.” {46a} As a point of
_doctrine_ I am much disposed to question the “mature consideration,” I
should rather impute the schism to the imperious and unbending
dispositions of the respective parties, the _Patriarch_ versus the
_Pontiff_. But be that as it may,—I would exonerate our Church from the
odium of gratuitously condemning to irretrievable perdition, those who in
_her own opinion_ substantially differ nothing from her in this respect,
but do keep undefiled the Catholic Faith.
“They do not,” says _Archbishop Bramhall_, “add the word _filioque_ to
the Creed, and yet they acknowledge that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of
the Son, which is the very same thing in sense.” {46b} And again—“_Peter
Lombard_, _Thomas à Jesu_, _Cardinal Tolet_, and many others, do make the
question about the procession of the Holy Ghost to be verbal only,
without reality, and that the Grecian expressions of _Spiritus Filii_ and
_per __Filium_, do signify as much as our _Filioque_.” {47a} _Bishop
Pearson_, _Bishop Beveridge_, _Dr. Waterland_, and many others of our own
divines are of the same opinion.
In explication of the doctrine of the Personality of the Holy Ghost, the
Athanasian Creed says—“the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son,”
the Greek Church holds that which as _Bishop Pearson_ says, plainly
contains this truth, that the Spirit is _of_ God the Father, and _of_ God
the Son. The Creed says, “neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but
proceeding,” and beyond a _procession_, distinguishing Him from the
Father and the Son, but whether this procession be_ temporal_, _eternal_,
or both—whether from the Father _and_ the Son, or from the Father only,
the Creed _determines_ nothing—and the distinguishing property ascribed
by the Greek Church to the Holy Ghost, is a _procession_, _Εκπορενσις_.
{47b} “The Greek Church,” says _Dr. Bennet_, “does unanimously maintain
the _temporal_ procession of the Holy Ghost, from _both_ the Father and
the Son. And since this Creed may be understood in that sense, therefore
in the use of it we do _necessarily_ declare no more than what the Greek
Church does as cordially profess and contend for as ourselves.”
“Though the distinction,” says the same writer, “was so well known to all
our Reformers in this nation, yet their prudence and moderation would not
suffer them to take notice of it in any public and authentic manner.
They would not recede from _Rome_ any further than was necessary, upon
the account of the _Roman_ corruptions, and therefore they did not reject
the _filioque_ from the _Nicene_ Creed or the Creed of _St. Athanasius_,
nor did they declare themselves against the _Greek_ Church by adding any
such term, as must necessarily determine in what sense they understood
the _procession_.” {48a} _Literally_ taken, therefore, the Greek Church
is _not of necessity_ included in this sweeping anathema, and as his
Lordship states it, “excluded from the merits of the Redeemer’s death
hereafter,” any more than five hundred millions of Heathens are condemned
to irretrievable perdition by the _literal_ acceptation of Mark xvi. 16.
To affirm the necessity of the Catholic Faith to salvation, is simply to
say what our Lord himself says, in the above text. To affirm that he who
_having had_ the Catholic Faith _rejects_ it, is to say no more than is
said, Heb. vi. 4, Luke ix. 62, Matt x. 13, and 2 Peter ii. 21, with many
other like places.
It would appear then from page 51 of your pamphlet, that we differ
nothing in our application of these clauses; the only difference between
us is, that taking this view of it, I can _unreservedly_ make my
Subscription, and conscientiously hold with our eighth Article, that this
Creed “_ought thoroughly to be received and believed_.” But if in my
conscience I believed that such an application of them was untenable, I
confess I could not so easily lay aside my scruples, as it would appear
you were ready to do, provided you could obtain the “sanction of the
opinion of the Archbishop of Canterbury,” an opinion which being not _ex
cathedra_, but private and personal, his Grace would not permit you to
consider as “of greater value than that of any other _individual_, who
may possess in an equal degree the qualifications of a competent judge in
such a matter.” {48b}
But you ask “whether when we read Mark xvi. 16, we can find in that awful
threat against those who do not receive the GOSPEL, a sanction for the
even more appalling threat contained in the Creed.” {49a} In what sense
it is more appalling you have left us to discover. But by this
observation, you would seem to aim at some distinction between not
receiving the _Gospel_ and rejecting the “very essentials of
Christianity.”
“The Creed,” you say, “consists of a series of propositions deduced by
fallible man.” This of necessity would be the case, since _the truth_
was by the wisdom of God committed to the keeping of fallible man, and
with it, the command to “take heed to THE doctrine.” But the question is
are they correct deductions from the _infallible_ word of God? You admit
that they are, all “must admire,” you say, “the extraordinary subtlety
and acuteness with which _erroneous theories_ are rejected, and _the
correct deductions from scripture_ are maintained,” {49b} and again “the
matters treated of in this Creed are of such _fundamental_ importance and
so including the _very essentials of Christianity_.” {49c} If so, if the
deductions be _scriptural_, the spirit of the clauses cannot be
otherwise, for “_he_ that believeth not shall be damned,” and I presume
that by believing you would contend for the necessity of a _sound_
faith—“the truth as it is in Jesus.”
“You are not,” you say, “so feverishly sensitive as many good men of our
Church as to Trinitarian definitions, esteeming a lively ‘faith working
by love,’ the grand desideratum of the gospel,” {49d} and so no doubt in
a right sense it is. But _South_ draws a distinction between a lively
and a _living_ faith, “our faith must not only be _living_ but _lively_
too.” Admitting this distinction, how far behind you does the Unitarian
(or rather _Humanitarian_, if sects would but assume their most
appropriate designation), fall in the profession of a like faith? He
holds after a fashion, St. Paul’s “word of faith,” Rom. x. 9, and in
works of kindness to his fellow creatures and _morality_, falls nothing
behind the most orthodox Trinitarian. In this sense his faith is lively,
and _artlessness_ and _simplicity_ are the boasted characteristics of his
Creed. He “confesses with his mouth the Lord Jesus”—but then it is that
he “was a man constituted in all respects like other men, subject to the
same infirmities, the same _ignorance_, _prejudices_, and _frailties_,
that he suffered death, not to appease the wrath of God, not as a
_satisfaction_ to divine justice, not to exhibit the evil of sin, nor in
_any sense whatever to make atonement to God_ for it; for this doctrine,
_in every sense_, and according to every explanation they explode as
_irrational_, _unscriptural_, and _derogatory from the divine
perfections_, but as a _martyr to the truth_, and _as a necessary
preliminary to his resurrection_.” {50} They confess Jesus with the
mouth, but they deny the _gospel of Jesus Christ our Redeemer_. And is
this believing to the saving of the soul? is this a “confession unto
salvation?” Is this THE doctrine? But the rulers of Christ’s Church are
to charge some that they teach _no other_ doctrine, than the doctrine
which is according to godliness, and great is the _mystery_ of godliness.
They are to rebuke sharply that men be _sound_ in the faith. We must in
short teach the truth _as it is in Jesus_,—THE faith and not A faith; and
woe to us if from any mistaken notions of Christian charity, of that
charity which “rejoiceth in the truth,” we hesitate to declare that to
reject “the very essentials of Christianity,” is a “drawing back unto
perdition.” At the same time when in the fulfilment of our bounden duty,
our positive obligations, we declare the threat of scripture, for we
declare no more, we might hope at all events from those whose every
sentiment would seem to breathe of Christian benevolence, to have credit
for declaring it in the spirit of that charity which “_hopeth all
things_.”
Of the _form of absolution_ in the Service for Visiting the Sick, you
say, “no small harm is done to our reputation by sanctioning that which
in plain honest language cannot be defended.” {51a}
The Roman Catholic will tell you that you cannot in plain honest language
defend any construction of the words “this _is my body_,” but their own.
You put, however, a different construction upon them, and with no harm
done to your reputation.
The Bishop of Norwich says of this form, “I have heard many Clergymen
express the pain they felt in uttering it, shrinking, as conscientious
minds ever must, from the assumption of a power of so awful a character,
while others from equally conscientious motives, abstain altogether from
pronouncing it.” {51b}
I hope I do not misapprehend his Lordship; but the impression of his
opinion left on my mind by this passage, is, that no _conscientious mind_
can comply with our ordination vows but with _pain_ to itself. With what
pain and reluctance then must his Lordship cause these solemn vows to be
administered, and trusting that they are _conscientiously_ made, how from
_conscientious_ motives a man can abstain from the observance of them, I
confess I cannot clearly see. Nor, can I think it quite just to the
great body of his Clergy to take a _weak_ conscience as the standard by
which to measure the integrity of, perhaps, a better informed one.
But if his Lordship _so_ construes our formularies, as implying an
assumption on the part of the _Minister_, of a power, the arrogating of
which can fall nothing short of blasphemy, namely, that “unless we as
Ministers of the Church, ‘do forgive’ and ‘absolve,’ the sins of a dying
man must descend with him to the grave, with all their fearful pressure;
and _that if we choose to retain them_, _he cannot escape their
consequences_,” {52a}—in other words, assuming a power like the false
Prophets of old, “to slay the souls that should not die, and save the
souls alive that should not live,” {52b}—if such be his Lordship’s view
of our forms, a man need not be gifted with an over-sensitive conscience
to shudder at the arrogance, the use of them must involve.
Yet in such a sense, his Lordship would seem to say, that our Church’s
absolution was viewed and “believed by many of our earliest Reformers.”
Let us then try the Service in question, not by its _iotas_, but by its
obvious sense and meaning. Let it be made its own interpreter, and we
must at once be convinced that such was not the spirit in which it was
imposed by our Reformers, that they contemplated no such construction of
its words, as that of implying a power, of “loosing of the debt of
eternal death,”—or as _Bishop Burnet_ says, to “_pardon_ with relation to
God.”
For if so, why remind the sick person, that “after this life there is an
account to be given to the righteous Judge, by whom all must be judged
without respect of persons.” {53a} Does the form objected to imply any
such arrogant assumption on the part of the Minister? On the contrary,
is not the commencement of it _precatory_? to the effect that _Christ_,
not the _Priest_, “would of his great mercy _forgive_ the penitent his
offences.” Does the Priest pronounce the absolution in his own name? On
the contrary, he pronounces it in the name of Him who sent him to declare
the forgiveness of sins. Does he declare it on any other than the
_gospel terms_? He declares it only to those who “truly repent and
believe in Christ.” But can he see the heart? How then can it be
supposed that he should himself believe, or what danger is incurred of
deceiving the dying person into the fond hope, that he shall, in virtue
of the Priest’s absolution, be clear when he is judged hereafter? Or if
for a moment, the dying person had so deceived himself, must not the
delusion be dissipated, on hearing the Minister _after_ he had pronounced
his _absolution_, put up to the throne of mercy that earnest and
affecting petition, in behalf of him “who most _earnestly desireth_
pardon and forgiveness”—but to what purpose, if he believed that he had
but the moment before forgiven him? what can be more utterly at variance
than this prayer, with the imputed arrogance of the form of absolution?
“The truth is, that in the Priest’s absolution, there is the true power
and virtue of forgiveness which will most certainly take effect—_nisi
ponitur obex_—as in Baptism.” {53b}
“But who,” you ask, “shall venture to put these words into the mouth of
fallible men, and authorize them _in any sense_ to apply them.” {54a}
“You believe us,” you say, “to be in the fullest sense ambassadors of
Christ, charged with a message of reconciliation.” {54b} But say that
you were delivering this message at the bed of a dying person, and he
replied to it, yes sir, so I read in my bible. How would you lead him to
believe that your ambassadorial declaration of his forgiveness, was
likely to be of more avail to him, than his reading the message for
himself? “Sin,” says _Hooker_, “is not helped unless it be _assured_ of
pardon.” {54c} But what assurance can you give the penitent, beyond that
he can read for himself, unless you have _authority_ to declare his
pardon in virtue of your official character? If it be not so, the
distribution of the bible may be considered as having in a great measure
superseded the further necessity of a _Christian Ministry_, and rendered
our Saviour’s institutions of none effect.
“But why,” you ask, “_assume_ to execute our commission in terms which
under any construction are presumptuous.” Under their _proper
construction_ I would submit that they argue no assumption or presumption
whatsoever.
Let us say that you had recently been sent out as “an ambassador in the
fullest sense,” to Canada, in pardoning the rebels in accordance with
your instructions, and a compliance on their parts with the terms, should
you have deemed it a distinction involving any important difference,
implicating you in an act of presumption, or derogating any thing from
the prerogative of your sovereign,—had you said, _I_ remit you your
outlawry, and absolve you from all your offences.
But I should much question, supposing the rebels had by some means
possessed themselves of your instructions, and having ascertained from
them the terms on which pardon was offered to them, whether they would
have considered reading this document to each other, the same thing as
having the gracious message of pardon delivered to them on _authority_.
The former is the principle of sectarism. But if you believe that there
is any virtue in your office, if you believe that you are empowered to
declare the message of reconciliation with more effect than a layman,
define your position with regard to your heavenly Master, assert your
delegated authority, that of being in the “fullest sense an ambassador of
Christ;” prove that it means something, or give up your claim to an empty
title. If there is nothing analogous in the office, why assume to be an
ambassador? or why should the Apostles have led us to infer a delegated
power, by declaring themselves to be ambassadors, ministers of the
gospel, and stewards of the mysteries of God?
But for a weak and fallible man to assume a power in any sense, to remit
or retain the sins of another, how shall we divest such a notion of
presumption, or reconcile it with the enlightened and enquiring spirit of
the nineteenth century?
We are baptized, as I have always understood, for _the remission of
sins_. Say then, that a person desired baptism at your hands, but that
on examination you thought you had found him wanting in the necessary
qualifications, that he had not faith. Would you baptize him? But if
part of the grace of Baptism be the _remission of sins past_, by
withholding from him the sacramental means whereby they are remitted, do
you not _retain_ them? And under such circumstances, would not the
virtue of your commission—the “power of the keys,” be brought home to
you? And considering the life-giving effect of Baptism, if you are
tempted to measure God’s ways by our ways, must it not strike you as the
very height of presumption, to say as you do—_I baptize thee_? But as
the remission of sins is a result of Baptism, and as we have not
according to the old puritanical objection, any “scripture warrant” for
the words with which we administer that mystery, would it argue greater
presumption to say in words that _mean no more_, “_I absolve_ thee of all
thy past offences?” The Greek Church seems to have viewed the matter in
this light, for as we learn from _Bingham_, they perform the rite in the
_optative form_. “_Baptizetur servus Christi in nomine Patris_,
_&c._—let the servant of Christ be baptized, &c.” {56}
But say, that you had mistaken the thoughts of the heart of the would be
convert, would not “the tremendous responsibility” of which his Lordship
speaks be neutralized as it respected both the convert and yourself, by
the comforting consideration that there is an after appeal to One that
judgeth righteously, at whose tribunal the act or sentence of His
official on earth will be reversed, if pronounced in error, but
everlastingly confirmed if otherwise? Is absolution therefore a matter
of indifference? Why then was the Christian ministry ordained, and its
authority sealed by the assurance of its divine Founder,—“he that
despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth Him that
sent me?”
Your third objection lies against the words, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,”
as they are used in our Ordination Service.
The old cavil, as it is mentioned by _Hooker_, was “The Holy Ghost we
cannot give, and therefore we foolishly bid men receive it.” {57a}
Your objection to the use of these words would seem to be, that in their
literal sense they imply a power of commanding his gifts. But surely
there is a wide distinction between the _dispenser_ of a spiritual gift,
and the _giver_ of it. “God,” says _Jeremy Taylor_, “is the fountain of
the power, man conveys it by an external rite . . . God is the
consecrator, man is the minister; the separation is _mysterious_ and
wonderful, the power great and secret.” {57b}
Now, if a Bishop really believes that the _Imposition of Hands_ is a
divinely instituted rite, the means ordained by inspiration of Christ,
and used by his Apostles, whereby the gift of the Holy Ghost is conveyed
and received, for the ministration of the mysteries of the gospel
dispensation:—if he believe that he is a minister of the Spirit, an
apostolically appointed steward of these mysteries, I can see nothing
“foolish,” nothing presumptuous in his saying at the very moment that he
believes that he is _dispensing_ the gift—“Receive ye the Holy Ghost for
the office and work of a Priest in the Church of God, now committed unto
you by the Imposition of our Hands.” It would, at least, tend to show
that he had _faith_ in the efficacy of his ministration. But to imitate
the significant act of our Saviour and his Apostles, ever performed by
them with a specific object, and ever resulting in a _blessing_, in the
communication of some _spiritual gift_, to have recourse to the sign,
with _no faith_ in the thing signified, esteeming it but a barren
ceremony,—would seem to me to be but little short of an “indefensible”
mockery of an external rite, hallowed to spiritual purposes by the
authority of inspiration.
If you can believe in the _mystery_ of the sacraments, if you can believe
that “the bread which we break, the cup of blessing which we bless,” do,
by the prayer and solemn invocation of the Priest, become, in some
inexplicable and mysterious manner, the “Communion of the body and blood
of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful
in the Lord’s Supper:” if, in _this faith_, you hesitate not to give the
consecrated elements to the communicants, manifesting the signification
of the rite, by the words, the “body and blood of Christ, take,
eat—drink:”—I can see but little reason why you should stumble, at the
not more mysterious communication of the spiritual gift for the office
ministerial, by the Imposition of Hands. They are mysteries; but the
whole gospel dispensation is a mystery:—we must become as “little
children” or we cannot receive them—for no sooner do we grow _wise_
enough to ask “how these things can be,” than we are certain to reject
them as “foolishness.” Some boldly, like the Socinian, as requiring a
“prostration of intellect,” too humiliating to be submitted to—others
hiding from themselves their want of faith, under the garb of humility,
under which garb, I wish, that frequently something more of rationalism
may not lurk, than its wearer would either willingly suspect or
acknowledge.
But you request the Archbishop of Canterbury, “that it may be allowed by
his Grace’s authority or sanctioned by his opinion, that in this form,
all that relates to the gift of the Spirit” (the _ministration_ of it
rather, since the Bishop is not the fountain of the power—not the
_giver_), “may be considered precatory.” {59a}—_Precatory_!—“the great
mysteries of our religion are _all_ by way of solemn prayer.” “The form
of words,” says _Jeremy Taylor_, “doth not alter the case, for _Ego
benedico_, and _Deus benedicat_ is the same, and was _no more_, when God
commanded the Priest in express terms to _bless the people_.” {59b}
But what is there in the words, “receive ye the Holy Ghost,” to prevent
your taking them in the sense which would seem “to suit your own views?”