v~.- y ^ ^A?\. IREiMlCUM; or An Humble attempt to make a Reconciliation be- tween the Bishop of North Carolina and 1 Dissenting 1 Brethren C6e Lt&tarp ottht Unitimiiv of JSortfc Carolina Collection of jRortB Catolmiana TOte noofe femg pregfenteb Gp 2,ofc .1 im»nrt©wsi§ An humble Attempt to make a Reconciliation THE BISHOP OF NORTH-CAROLINA AND SOME OF HIS « DISSENTING' BRETHREN, BT SHOWING THAT They do not differ so widely as the Public have been led to suppose; RESPECTFUL AND FRIENDLY LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE (RICHMOND) FAMILY VISITOR. ADVERTISEMENT. IN the Family Visitor, a religious newspaper printed in Richmond, Virgi- nia, and patronized by Episcopalians as well as by other denominations, there appeared on the 8th of January last, some remarks of the Editor on the con- troversies which have arisen in England and America, with regard to the expediency of Churchmen's uniting in promiscuous societies for the circula- tion of the Scriptures without note or comment; in the course of which he gave it as his opinion, that Bishop Ravenscroft and others who refused to support the principle on which Bible Societies are founded, were utterly " cfifiosed to the distribution of the Scriptures, unless accompanied by the Book of Common Prayer, or by a preacher of the Church" to which l.iey belonged. As the Editor had not seen the Bible-Society-Sermon of Bishop Ravenscroft, but had drawn his information respecting its sentiments from a short notice which appealed in the Raleigh Register, it was not to be sup- posed that he could have had a just or perfect knowledge of its contents : a friend f the Bishop therefore sent him a copy of the discourse, with a re- quest that H would publish certain parts of it in the Visitor, and at the sa (2 ) ■ .1 time correct the misstatements contained in the paper of the^ date abore mentioned. The Sermon was printed entire, but the piece correcting the misstatements was refused admission, because it was too long ! — because it evaded the point at issue I ! — because, from certain allusions, the people could not understand it ! — because Bishop Ravenscroft possibly might not be pleased with it ! ! — because it would have a tendency to produce an unprofit- able, if not injurious, controversy;— because, Sec. &c. — {Visitor, Feb. 19.) The correspondence was here suspended from a desire of preserving peace, and would not have been resumed on the part of the present writer, if another attack upon Bishop Ravenscroft had not appeared in the same paper a few weeks since, in the shape of an extract from the Theological Repertory, This, like the former article, contained gross misrepresentations, which no friend of the Bishop could suffef to pass without censure. A second letter was therefore sent to the Editor ; but, disregarding all the rules which should regulate the press when the character of individuals in high stations is at stake, he returned it to the writer, without giving the shadow of an excuse for his conduct, or even noticing its receipt in his paper. No alternative re- mains but to publish it in a pamphlet form, and in this manner to make an appeal to the good sense and justice of the community at large, who will please to bear in mind, that no unfriendly feelings are harboured by the writer against the Editor of the Visitor, who deserves commiseration rather than reprehension for his want of judgment in selecting and refusing articles intended for the amusement or edification of his readers. N. B. The notes in brackets [] have been added since the letter was first sent to the Visitor, L 'f Scripture. See the third of tha following observations. ( 5 ) I am well aware of the distinction which has been drawn by the editors of the Visitor and Evangelical Magazine, between requiring " an explicit declaration of a person's assent to the doctrines held by any church before he is admitted into its bosom" — and " making this assent the condition on which the Bible shall be put into the hands of those who are sitting in the region and shadow of moral death ;"* and I am well aware that Dr. Miller, in a late letter, has declared his belief that it was not impossible " for a serious inquirer to understand the fundamental doctrines of Scripture, without the assistance of formularies and confessions ;" but had these gentlemen carefully examined the above quoted passages, they would have endeavoured to extricate them- selves from the dilemma in a different manner, or else would have acknow- ledged, what I have the charity to believe, that the language used by the Assembly and the professor was extremely unguarded. f 2. Connected with this subject is the opinion of Bishop Horsley, which has been triumphantly referred to by the Repertory, the Visitor, and the Evan- gelical Magazine, as a complete refutation of Bishop R's. sentiments on the rule of faith. But before we condemn the Bishop ol North-Carolina, on the authority of the Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, let us inquire whether they actually differ \n sentiment with regard to the ' sufficiency of the Scriptures,' and the best method of studying them. The following passages from their respective sermons, igljrqj&in parallel columns, will place the prelates in a more favourable light than some well disposed Christians are willing to view them : — Horsley. Ravenscrofc. " The Bible studied will indeed " That the Scriptures are the well- prove to be what we Protestants es- spring of life and hope to fallen man, teem it, a certain and sufficient rule and the infallible rule of his faith and of faith and firactice — a helmet of practice to every Christian, is assent- aalvation — which alone may quench ed to by all.'" " It is indubitably cer- the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ser- tain, that Holy Scripture containeth man from Psa. xcvii. 7 ; quoted in all things necessary to salvation, so Repertory and Visitor, ifc.) that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not re- quired of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to sal- vation, as it is expressed in the sixth article of our Church." (Serjnon on Interpretation of Scripture, pp. 3, 6.) " It should be a rule with every one " To search the Scriptures, to any who would read the Holy Scriptures profitable purpose, we must begin with advantage and improvement, to with the foundation, and regularly go compare every text, which may seem on, to the finishing of the superstruc- either important for the doctrine it ture, and comparing spiritual things may contain, or remarkable for the with spiritual, (that is, a recorded turn of the expression, with the pa- purpose with its exact fulfilment,) rallel passages in other parts of holy obtain that full conviction of the in- writ ; that is, with the passages in fallible truth and divine authority of * See Visitor, Feb. 19, 1825; and Evangelical Magazine for June, p. 323; and Dr. Miller'* letter addressed to the New-York Christian Journal, and republished in the Evangelical Maga- zine Tor February. [f The General Assembly, fearful of the cousequences which might result from a reasonable construction of their opinions as expressed in 1824, have determined to put doiuii at once all opposition ; and, if we may judge from the following paragraph, as charitable as it is true, have resolved that the whole world shall bend to their authority. " To oppose this institution (the American Bible Society) is to fight against God. And yet we have seen infidels, and ha'f reformed Protestants, UNITING with the Papal hierarchii, iu opposing the circulation of the word of life : as though the volume which Jehovah has adapted to the constitution of man, and sent down from above for his use, and made efficient in his redemption, and commanded to he given unto him, could not with SAFETY be committed lo his hands." — [Narrative of the State of Religion, &c. May 26, 1825.)] * '<■ ^ ■ -^ ..... -_-.««• — ■ — C 6 ) Horslcy. which the subject matter is the same, the sense equivalent, or the turn of expression similar." (Same Sermon.) a Particular diligence should be used in comparing the parallel texts of the Old and New Testaments." " In doing this, you will imitate the Ravenscroft. Revelation, which is indispensable to any thing worthy the name of rational assurance, in working out our ever- lasting salvation." "The duty enjoined, and under con- sideration, [of searching the Scrip- tures,] involves the careful examina- tion and comparison, not only of the several parts with each other, but of each part with the whole." " The unbelieving Jews having rejected the evidence of John the Baptist, to the person and office of Jesus as the pro- mised Messiah, and resisted the testi- mony of our Lord's own miraculous power, in attestation of the same fact, are by him referred to the Scriptures. In which reference it must be clear that our Lord meant such a careful consideratiCn-and comparison of what was foretold by the prophets concern- ing the Messiah^ with the events then be sufficient for correcting tueir er- roneous prejudices, and to produce a rational conviction of the truth.** {Ibid. p. 4.) example of the godly Jews of Bcrea, fuelling before their eyes, as must which is recorded with approbation in the Acts ; who, when Paul and Silas reasoned with them out of the Scripturts of the Old and New Tes- taments, clearly setting before tliemtlie firofihecies concerning the Messiah, and the accomplishment of those pro- phecies in Jesus, whom they preached, 'searched the Scriptures daily, whe- ther these were so.' " (Ibid.) Our Right Rev. Fathers are, therefore, so far from being at loggerhead3 with each other, that they agree perfectly on the subject of the sufficiency of Scripture, and of the necessity of a careful examination of its several parts, in order to make it the power of God unto salvation. But this is not all. Bishop Horsley not. only agrees with Bishop Ravenscroft, but in this very Sermon which has been so much applauded, recommends a method of study- ing the Scriptures, which the invariable usage of Bible Societies renders impracticable j and if the writer in the Repertory will have the candour to correct his mistakes, he will ask Bishop Ravenscroft's pardon, and acknow- ledge at the same time that he acted unfairly in omitting those parts of Bishop Horsley's ^ermon which had reference to the printing of " marginal readings" In reading the article quoted in the Visitor, I observed the words, [" If the Bible be studied in this manner"] occurring in different places; and although " parallel passages" are once spoken of, I should not have known the precise object of Bishop Horsley's remarks, if I had not re- ferred to the Sermon itself, where I ascertained that he had been recom- mending to the " Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge," the publication of Bibles with a "full margin," in order that the " illiterate Christian" might, by consulting the marginal references, compare parallel texts, — and " in this manner" attain that practical knowledge which is ne- cessary to salvation. You may, therefore, judge of my surprise and mortifi- cation, Mr. Editor, at seeing a respectable magazine garbling the sentiments of an author, in order to support the cause of societies which forbid any Bibles to be issued from their presses with marginal readings, and thus pre- c ( 7 ) elude the possibility of studying the Scriptures in the ' manner'' so zealously enforced by the author referred to. 3. The main ground of controversy, at the present time, between Bishop Ravenscroft and his opponents, is the opinion given by him on the subject of the correct interpretation of Scripture. This opinion was alluded to in his Bible Society Sermon, and enlarged upon in a subsequent discourse, en- titled, " A Serrnon on the Study and Interpretation of the Scriptures;" and as the former, being written in haste, and lor a different purpose, could not be expected to be as full and explicit on this point as the importance of the subject demanded, it is proper to quote from the latter so much as will place the author's sentiments on the rule of faith in a clear light, and guard him from misrepresentation. " While it is indubitably certain (says Bishop R.) that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation, as it is expressed in the sixth article of the Church ; it is never- theless equally certain, that uniformity of belief and practice among men, in other words, Christian unity, must depend upon the interpretation given to the Scriptures — upon the sense and application made of the doctrines and precepts therein revealed. It is, therefore, of the last importance to the very being of the Scriptures as the only standard of saving faith, as well as to the comfort of your own souls, that your minds should be grounded and settled on this point. To this end I shall give the rule, and then explain and enforce it, by some plain and obvious examples." M The rule then is, that that interpretation of Scripture is to be followed and relied upon, as the true sense and meaning, which has invariably been held and acted upon by the one Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. In explanation of this rule, it is to be borne in mind, my brethren, that while God hath fully and clearly revealed his will to us, yet he hath so done it, as *to form a part of our trial. While all things necessary to salvation are set forth in his word for our learning, Scripture is nevertheless so constructed, LL ,that " the unlearned and the unstable can wrest dp91| to their own destruc- Aw Hon" and the word of the Gospel is either \ a savour of life or a savour of death,' as we receive and apply it. Now if this was the case in the Apostolic age, as St. Peter and St. Paul both declare that it was, much more is it possible and to be expected in these days of multiplied divisions and latitudinarian departure from the faith ; and, therefore, the more earnestly to be contended against by those who are set for the defence of the Gospel." " If the inquiry then be, which of two or more conflicting doctrines or systems of religion be the right one, and tw be received and relied upon as the truth of God, — I answer, first, " how readest thou, what saith the Scripture ?" Is one of the doctrines or systems clearly revealed therein, or reasonably without force and refinement, to be deduced from what is thus revealed ? Is it free from opposition to the other doctrines and general design of revela- tion ? If so, there need be no difficulty: the doctrine or system thus sup- ported is to be received as true. But suppose the ingenuity of man's wisdom, in support of some favourite system, shall have thrown over the subject such a gloss of perverted Scripture and specious reasoning, as to render it difficult for a plain mind to disentangle the sophistry of the argument, and for an humble mind to resist the authority of great and learned names, and of nu- merous bodies of professing Christians built upon this system, — what then is the only standard to which we can have recourse ? To this I answer, the word of God as received, believed, and acted upon universally by the primi- tive Church " — {Sermon, pp. 6 and 7.) Now, Sir, to apply this rule to one or two disputed doctrines. The eternal generation of the Son of God is a doctrine maintaine** )by the great body of true believers; yet we know that a spirited controversy arose on this subject about two years since, between Professor Stewart and Professor Miller, both { A ( 8 ) generally reputed to be orthodox, learned, and pious^ These gentlemen re- ferred in the first place to Scripture, — but as the passages of Scripture relating to the eternal generation were very few, and as he " ingenuity of man's wisdom threw over the subject such a gloss of perverted Scripture and sfiecious rea* soning, as to render it difficult for a plain mind to- disentangle the sophistry of the argument," recourse was had to "'the word of God, as received, be- lieved, and acted ufion universally by the primitive Church ;" not because th«i writers imagined that the opinions of the Fathers proved the eternal genera- tion, but because (in the language of Professor Kiild) «♦ these opinions de- monstrated the sentiments of many, whose opportunities of knowledge from the earliest preachers of Christianity were most extensive, and whose rank, piety, and research are universally acknowledged by the Catholic Church.* Let us take one more case. Infant baptism has been a subject of a great deal of contention in the Christian Church. The Pcedobaptist confidently refers to the word of God, and verily believes that although there is no ex- press and special command for the baptism of infants, yet its propriety and necessity may be established by inference. And if the justice of his conclu- sions be denied, he refers to the practice of the primitive Church as the best commentary on Scripture, — he refers to the " Semper^ Ubique, jib Omnibus,'* of Vincentius, to prove the fact of universal custom derived from the Apostles. Such is the mode of argument used in the first number of the Pamphleteer, and as the author holds a distinguished rank among the divines ot Virginia, I shall make a few extracts from his work, not for the purpose of arguing the question of infant baptism, nor of defending his mode of reasoning; but merely to show that Bishop Ravenscroft has done nothing more than maintain the principles which have been acted upon by the first men of other denomina- tions. At p. 64 of the Pamphleteer, Dr. Rice commences a " brief account of the most direct and explicit testimonies of the Fathers" on infant baptism, and refers to Origen, of the third century, who has these remarkable words: " The Church hath received a tradition from the Apostles, to give baptism unto infants." t The next testimony' (pV65) is that of" a whole council, consisting of above sixty Bishops;" and the "unanimity of such a number" is adduced as an argument that " there was but one opinion and one practice in the whole Christian Church, with respect to infant baptism." The third proof is from the work which " goes under the name of Diony- sius the Areopagite." In answer to the question, " why children are made partakers of the sacred birth," he says—-" Many things of which we do not now see the reason, are worthy o^-God. We affirm of this the same things which our divine guides have h&.ided down to us. Our divine guides ap- pointed that infants should be admitted after the sacred manner."—" By di- vine guides, saith Maxentius, is meant the apostles." — (P. 66 ) Passing over the testimonies of Gregory, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Jerome, and Paulinus, who flourished as late as the fourth century, we come to Au- gustine of the fiftfi. " In his discourse concerning baptism," he says — " This is held as tradition by the universal Church, when infants are baptized, &c."— (P. 68.) The last testimony is from the decrees of the councils of Carthage and Miletus, which sat in the fifth century, in the second of which it is said " that the Catholic Church, every where diffused, always understood and asserted that this was an Apostolical practice." With much respect, I am, Sir, your obedient and humble Servant, CANDOUR. [Mote. — For an admirable specimen of the ingenuity which some men possess, of supporting opposite sides of a que#(f font ('Afferent times, the reader is referred to the June number of the Evangelical Magazine, ed'-^d by ihe author of the P»mph..teer-3 * See a Dissertation on the Eternal Sonship, by Dr. Kidd, a learned Presbyterian divine of Scotland, chap. xiv. •tt* UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00033986526 This book must not be taken from the Library building. .