A DEFENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF a**ft Asi,tjr *n 0b L& / fa v P *&+* * ( scr ff&L*> A*sn**4ta*i, &**?' 4AM4C a. vzeif-!** <*&* **is a m,. u A DEFENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OP THE ENGLISH REFORMATION FROM THE ATTACKS OF THE TRACTARIANS; OR, A SECOND PLEA FOR THE REFORMED CHURCH. BY THE REV. CHARLES SMITH BIRD, M.A., F.L.S. LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. AUTHOR OK " LENT LECTURES ON THE CATECHISM." LONDON : J HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY. 1843. LONDON: PltlNTtl) BYO. J. 1MLMEH, SAVOY STHEliT, STIIANO. CONTENTS. PAGE Passage from the British Critic which gave rise to the Plea . . . . 2 Authoritative character of Passage, and of the British Critic (Note) . . .'. . .' 4 " Notice" of the Plea in the British Critic, for April, 1842 . . . . . . 5 " Explanation" of Passage, by its Writer ... . 7 Temper shown in the Tractarian Controversy . .10 Distinction between persons and principles . .13 Views of origin of Tract System . ; 17 Why error not allowed to show its effects at once . 19 The Tractarians not their own masters . .23 Their disparagement of Scripture (Note) . . 24 Their primary mistake, with respect to the CATHOLIC CHURCH . 27 The Catholic Church, how known . . .2ft Martyrs' Confession of Faith (from Strype) . .31 Contrast of Creed of Pius IV. . . .32 Mr. Keble's mistake of office of Common Law (Note) 32 Cranmer's answer to Dr. Smith, concerning the Church 33 Ridley on same subject . . . .36 Latimer on the same . . .37 Ridley .'.'.... 37 Bishop Jeremy Taylor / . . .41 206G37O VI CONTENTS. PAGE The Bishop's meaning illustrated . . .43 The Catholic Churcli no phantasy . . .46 Our Ordination Services Scripture . . .47 Archbishop Tenison and St. Athanasius, against Mr. Newman (Note) . . . . .48 Dr. Wiseman's " fundamental principle of Catholicity" (Note) ...... 50 "Explanation" quoted concerning the "Catholic Church" 53 Mr. Newman on same subject . . .54 Dr. Pusey and Mr. Keble . . . .56 British Critic on Tradition (Note) . . .57 Jeremy Taylor on Catholic Consent . . .59 Bishop Stillingfleet on the Rule of Vincentius . . 59 Tractarianism an unsettled and uncertain System . 60 Mr. Newman's question, what part may be considered equal to the whole . . . . .64 Jeremy Taylor opposed to Mr. Newman Scripture clear as well as full . . . . .65 Conferring of places (Note) . . . .67 SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE how treated in " Expla- nation" . . . . . .70 Feeling of Individuality in Christians . 72 Charge refuted, with respect to purifying effect of Reformation . . . . .73 Hasty and inaccurate quoting same way of viewing Society . . . . . . 78 The Nonjurors (Note) . . .80 Inherent Righteousness not justifying Cross within us (Note) . ' ._ . . ": ." 83 Protestantism, how defined in the Plea . .85 The Doctrine of the Trinity to be found in Scripture, Bishop of London (Note) . . .86 ' Martyrs in Prison'' . . . . .87 CONTENTS. VII PAGK " New view" in Article on Jewel i' 1 '- . . 91 Tractarian Subtleties on Sufficiency of Scripture First, Dr. Pusey's -. . . . 93 Second, Mr. Newman's (20th Article) ; . ' Y 95 Third, Implicit Faith (Tract 80) . V . 97 Last, Development Theory new Heresies Mary . 99 Indefectibility of Church Episcopacy (Note) . 103 PRIVATE JUDGMENT, why unsparingly assailed . 109 Interpretation of Scripture, where lodged .1 ' 110 Two preliminary considerations . . '' 111 Interpreter proposed by Tractarians . '' 112 False definition of " Catholic" . -. * 113 Mr. Newman's office of Private Judgment ' v . 115 Tractarianism a novelty (Note) . : .- : .118 Protestant view of Private Judgment misrepresented 1 19 A " right" defined . . . Vi 119 Reason limited in its powers . . * * ' . 122 Baron Smith quoted . ; : . ' v . 123 Distinction between what is against reason and what beyond . ,^^. '*"< ' v '- . : V 124 Bellarmine on ditto Stillingfleet (Note) . . 124 The " Real Presence" mystified (Note) . 125 Examination of Gal. i. 8 . n . ' ; .126 Disloyalty to our Church (Note) ! v . ^ 128 Proper spirit in judging of Scripture . . . 130 Heretics first questioners of the clearness of Scripture (Note) ',* 1- ^. ' V ' -'I 132 Case of the Bereans . . :1 . i '' ; 133 Homily on Holy Scripture quoted . .136 Bishop of London quoted (Note) . . .130 Tractarian feeling towards the Homilies . .138 Bishop Jewel defended against Mr. Froude's dictum (Note) . V . . . .138 Vlll CONTENTS. PAGE Church of 4th Century . . . .139 Our Lord's decision of the question of Church Autho- rity . . . . . .141 Hooker opposed to Tractarians (Note) . .149 Exercise of private judgment in clear and momentous matters ... ... 150 Peculiar times and seasons . . . .153 Justification by faith assailed . . .153 Preservative principles (Note) . . .155 Wisdom of making subject of Private Judgrnent better known ...... 157 Unity . . . . . .157 Thorndike's views (Note) . . . .159 Early Church. Tractarian opposition to Evidences, &c. 160 Canon of 1571 Quarterly Reviewer (Mr. Sewell) (Note) . . . . .162 Novelties eschewed ..... 163 Authority obedience as a principle . . . 164 Free reading of Scripture endangered . .166 Cranmer's Preface to Bible. St. Chrysostom quoted . 168 St. Gregory Nazianzen quoted . . .170 Prudence the people to be regarded . .172 More particular examination of the " Explanation" . 177 Did our Reformers thoroughly agree with the Foreign ones? . . . . .179 Romish Translations of Scripture (Note) . . 181 Jewel identified with all our Reformers . . 183 Jewel's use of the Fathers . . . .185 Control of the Sovereign over the Church . .186 Independence of our National Church . . 190 Insular Churches (Note) . . . .192 Augustin's treatment of the British Church . .194 Fuller Fox (Note) . . . . .,196 CONTENTS. IX PAGE " Explanation'' of the animus of the " Passage" i. 196 Religious state of English society disparaged (Note) . 200 Immediate object of Tractarians . i 203 Confession of more distant ones . '+ 204 Declaration that no change of doctrine is sought, examined . ? i ' : , v . x. ' ''" 207 Tract 90 . .'/ O. nc ^ !t ' I < ' - >V 207 Signs of danger from Romanism (Bishop of London quoted) ....-- . 208 Signs of conscious Romanizing, in Tractarians ; 'W 209 Effect of long European Peace "I%v 217 Revelations of " ulterior objects" Pope's Supremacy 220 Hooker's testimony to Calvin, Erasmus's to Luther, Bishop Van Milder t's (Note) v nD ' ' ^',' 222 Sacrament of Penance ^ ' ; '' ; >;] .! v 223 Bishop M'llvaine quoted on this point -t ; -J .v 224 Our Communion Service (Note) '''-'i ;1 ' *s.*--i ;n; 227 The Virgin Mary W ' ; ;v:; .oyUi iu^>A ... 228 Extracts from Liguori's Glories of Mary (Note) U 232 Conscience prostrated before the Saints * J' f o : ^ 239 Dr. Pusey implicated in a Romish Prayer ' v k. 240 Leaning to Idolatry exhibited in " Explanation" . 243 Has Protestantism done harm to the country ? Civilization J^jo' io iui . . . 248 Disunion . . i? :>1 " '*'*' . U 251 Simony Hildebrand . ;j>-!in. iiuiiju u*u< .K* 252 Supposed grace of Ordination n^(J ;> ^:' .r 254 State of Clergy before Reformation . . .ii 255 Protestant Missions compared with Romish . . v 257 Proposed revival of Monastic System . .<4 262 Learning and Science promoted by Protestantism . 263 b X CONTENTS. PAGE Abbe Baruel's attempt to fasten French Revolution on Protestantism ..;ii '^-xj ^.,'i . *t%' 205 Jesuits, their restoration and character. Pascal quoted (Note) ... . ai*r. 266 Public and private integrity in England . r ;* 267 The Breviary and Romish devotional writings . 268 Luther, a man of imagination (Note) . : _ 269 Wilber force former parties . . . .270 Burke's satire . . . . . .271 Evils in Society admitted proposed cure rejected . 272 Van Mildert's opinion of Popery as Apostacy (Note) 275 Better cure proposed . inT j i, . i . 277 Doctrine of merits, exemplified in a Convent (Note) . 276 Van Mildert's opinion of the Middle Ages (Note) . 277 Self-examination recommended to Tractarians & f -v' 282 Remarks on British Critic for October 1842 . . ,' 287 Where lay the " sting" of the Passage . . 288 Attempt of the British Critic to shift its ground . 289 Anti-Tractarians neither Latitudinarians nor Puritans 290 Handbill Laud produced against " unprotestantizing" 291 Latest expression of Tractarian sentiments I.-ir - :.< 293 Extracts from Article on St. Athanasius. 1. Lutheran Doctrine of Justification . . 294 Character of our Articles (Note) . : > 294 2. Justification by Works . .295 Bishop Bull's opinion of Popery (Note) v . ; / 295 3. Protestantism reviled . . ; , ; 295 4. Latitudinarianism imputed . >. i > 296 5. Want of Dogmatic teaching its effect --, 296 6. Heresy ascribed to a Prelate v* : '.. 296 7. Mary sinless // J.->- m*-j . ; ;<. F' ,;j. 297 8. Regeneration mysticism. Mary's Intercession 297 9. Saints, as Intercessors lu^-ii >':>. -.. .;/. 298 CONTENTS. XI PAGE 10. Development Theory. Pope's Supremacy Saints Purgatory Celibacy . . 298 11. Alliance of Church and State denounced . 299 12. Mediaeval System .... 299 13. Church Authority . . . .301 Blind comfort sought in Romanism. Rev. G. Spencer (Note) . , . . . 302 14. Church of Rome .... 303 Concluding remarks on the new system, espe- cially on its Doctrine of Justification, and its imperious character . . . 303 Hooker quoted as to Sacrifice (Note) . 313 Postscript . . . . . .318 ERRATA. Pao-e 74, line 9,/or profess, read possess. 131, line 25, for Anathasius, read Athanasius. SECOND PLEA FOR THE REFORMED CHURCH. TOWARDS the close of last year (1841) I wrote and published a pamphlet called " A Plea for the Reformed Church" for the purpose of draw- ing attention, as far as I could, to a very strik- ing 1 passage in the British Critic, which, at the time I took up my pen, had not attracted the notice it deserved and has since obtained. It was so plain a declaration of war by the Tracta- rians against not only the work of the English Reformation, but also against its very principles, (so that not mere amendment, but destruction, is their aim,) that nothing more, it appeared to me, could be desired, in order to open the eyes of all persons in this country to the general scope and design of Tractarianism, than to make the passage, if possible, universally known. It tells its own tale, and convicts the Tractarians out of their own mouth. This passage, well known as it is now is, from the public notice bestowed on it by far more influential persons than myself, yet for convenience of reference, for the sake of those who may not have seen it, and to refresh the memories of others, I here subjoin. Extract from British Critic, for July 1841, at the close of the opening article on Bishop Jewel. " It ought not to be for nothing ; no, nor for any- " thing short of some very vital truth some truth " not to be rejected without FATAL ERROR, nor em- " braced without RADICAL CHANGE that persons of " name and influence should venture on the part of "'ecclesiastical agitators J intrude upon the peace of the " contented, and raise doubts in the minds of the un- " complaining, vex the Church with controversy, alarm " serious men, and interrupt the established order of " things, set ' the father against the son, and the "mother against her daughter, ' and lead the taught " to say, ( I have more understanding than my teacher.' " All this has been done ; and all this is worth hazard- " ing in a matter of life and death ; much of it is " predicted as the characteristic result, and therefore " the sure criterion of the truth. An object thus " momentous we believe to be the UNPROTESTANTIZING, " to use an offensive but forcible word, of the National " Church ; and accordingly, we are ready to endure, " however we may lament, the undeniable, and in 3 " them wires disastrous, effects of the pending contro- "versy. But if, after all, we are not to be carried " above the doctrine and love of the English Re- "formers; if we are but to exchange a congenial " enthusiasm for a timid moderation, a vigorous ex- " tremefor an unreal mean, an energetic Protestant- " ism for a stiff and negative Anglicanism, -we see but "poor compensation for so extensive and irreparable " a breach of peace and charity. The object, impor- " tant as it may be in itself, is quite inadequate to the 11 sacrifice. " WE CANNOT STAND WHERE WE ARE ; W6 must f/O " backwards or forwards ; and it will surely be the " latter. It is absolutely necessary towards the con- " sistency of the system which certain parties are la- " bouring to restore, that truths should be clearly "stated which as yet have been but intimated, and " others developed which are now but in germ. 11 Here occurs a note which says, " As one among many in- " stances of the way in which Catholic truths modify " one another, might be mentioned the tendency of " correct views of the sacramental efficacy of penance, " and of the power of the keys, to adjust the doctrine " of the Church concerning ' sin after baptism? It " is worth considering, whether the opposition which " the ancient religion encounters in our own age, be " not in part owing to the necessity entailed by our " circumstances, of restoring it by degrees. Medicine " is never so unpalatable as when sipped." Then the text proceeds to its conclusion thus : " As WE GO ON "WE MUST RECEDE MORE AND MORE FROM THE PRIN- '* CIPLES, IF ANY SUCH THERE BE, OF THE ENGLISH " REFORMATION." B 2 4 Of my pamphlet animadverting on this as- tounding passage this " manifesto, 1 ' as I called it, " of the Tractarians, so frank, bold, and por- tentous,'* * three several notices have appeared from the parties most immediately concerned. Tliejirst, a short one in the British Critic for April last. The second, a pamphlet published * On the strength of what was generally understood by the public, and never contradicted by the Tractarians, that the British Critic is their authoritative organ, having taken the place of the Tracts for the Times upon their suspension, and also on the ground of the acknowledged fact that Mr. Newman was its editor, till it passed from his hands into those of his brother-in-law, and has contributed articles to it ever since, the " Plea'' (stating all this) described the " Passage '' as the declaration of the party. It has been so treated wherever it has been noticed, in Episcopal Charges, &c- There can be no doubt that the party are content it should be so considered. The British Critic would other- wise, in mere honesty, not to say honour, have relieved any of its friends who wished it, from a share of the responsi- bility, but not a word to that effect has been breathed in i\\cfive numbers that have come out since the Passage first appeared, or in any other Tractarian publication whatever. An attempt has indeed been made to throw doubt on the responsibility of the Tractarian leaders for what appears in the British Critic, but it has not proceeded from themselves. Of course, no one would hold the party responsible for the taste occasionally displayed, but in the case of grave and important declarations of their views and designs as a party, if these are not disclaimed, they must be held to be official, otherwise, the public is trifled with, or something worse. in June last, entitled " Explanation of a Pas- sage, &c., in a Letter to the Rev. C. S. Bird, by the JVriter of the Article on Bishop Jewel." The third, in an article in the British Critic for July, headed " What is meant by Unprotes- tantizing ?" On each of these, particularly that by the reviewer of Jewel, it is my intention in the present publication to make remarks, not so much in self-defence, as because it affords a fair opportunity of more fully stating my views on the fundamental points in dispute. May the Spirit of truth, as well as of charity, be with me, to keep me from all error and bitterness in the continuation of this most important and arduous controversy ! I feel the responsibility of taking up my pen again, but there would be an equal, if not greater, responsibility in being silent. It might then be supposed that I was satisfied with the explanation which has been given of the obnoxious Passage, and that I withdraw my charges against the Tractarians ; which is very far indeed from being the case. " BRITISH CRITIC, April* 1842." In the notice here contained, it is said, " Mr. Bird has done us great service by the publica- tion of his Plea." I felt a little surprised when I read this, and am by no means disposed to 6 agree with the editor and his friends in this statement as matter of fact. But I am glad to see their feeling on the occasion, and am entirely relieved by it from an apprehension that they will look upon the publication of a " Second Plea'' as an unkind measure. They will rather thank me again for doing them the same " great service," by making known their sentiments and designs still more widely. There is a mistake (unintentional I am sure) in some words they ascribe to me, but which nowhere occur in my pamphlet, and which I should be the last to use, " the emancipation of the will." I spoke of the emancipation of the conscience, and of the mind t but never of the will I There is also an omission, which I beg to point out. " The distinctive principles of the English movement " laid down in the " Plea," are stated to be "the right of private judgment, and the emancipation of the will/' The latter, as I have said, is not there at all. But there is a principle to be found there, which 1 wish they had mentioned in its stead, the " suffi- ciency of Scripture." I spoke much on this principle ; and as it is that which imparts to the "right of private judgment" all its value, 1 regret the omission, as calculated to give a very deficient impression of my views. For the kind way in which they characterise the spirit and temper of the " Plea," I heartily thank them. In all that I have written of a con- troversial nature, it has certainly been my anxious endeavour to keep in mind the words of our great Hooker : " There shall come a time when " three words uttered with charity and meekness, " shall receive a far more blessed reward than "three thousand volumes written with disdainful "sharpness of wit." It is gratifying 1 to be told that I have in any degree succeeded. My ad- versaries are the best judges ; and it is generous in them to proclaim their judgment. "EXPLANATION OF PASSAGE," &c. In this Explanation, addressed to me, I am happy to find the same language of courtesy. I mention this, partly that I may pay a just tribute of respect to the writer, who commends the temper of a work animadverting very strongly on the production of his own pen ; and partly that I may have the advantage of his testimony, that I have not injured the cause I came forward to defend, by my manner of de- fending it. It is a sacred cause none can be more sacred in my eyes : I am thankful, there- fore, for this satisfactory assurance that I have not laid on such an ark unholy, or as it respects persons, ungentle, hands. 8 As it respects principles, indeed, he bears a different testimony. Here he says, I have been "severe" I thank him for this testimony also. Had I not been severe, I must have betrayed my cause. Identifying, as I do, the cause of the Reformation with that of the Gospel, how could I speak of principles avowedly hostile to it, without severity ? A person who speaks at all in such a case, must speak plainly. It is no time for silence or for disguise, when, as the Bishop of Calcutta expresses it, " all is at stake." The writer does not blame me for plainness of speech. He draws an accurate distinction be- tween the treatment due to persons, and that due to principles. He says, p. 4, " It is a pleasure to observe that your language, " though naturally, and on your own hypothesis justly, " severe against principles, in which you see nothing "but danger to the cause oi religion, is on the v\hole " far more respectful and even considerate towards " individuals, than that of many on your side of tlie " controversy." I quote this, partly on account of the quali- fication it contains, and partly on account of the distinction. On both these I beg to make a few observations, important, as I think, in the present controversy. With respect to the qualification : the writer implies that many of the opponents of his party 9 have been de6cient in courtesy. I am really at a loss to know to what particular persons this applies. I do not pretend to have seen all that has ever appeared against the Tractarians ; but when I call to mind the names of those whose publications I have read, the late Bishop of Chichester, Mr. Benson, the master of the Tem- ple, Mr. Faber, as learned in the Fathers as in the Scriptures, Dr. M'llvaine, bishop of Ohio, Dr. Miller the historian, Mr. Goode, whose elaborate work seems to have disturbed Tracta- rian courtesy not a little, (see British Critic, No. 63,) not to mention the Bishops who have warned their clergy against Tractarianism in their episcopal charges, (particularly against Tract 90, which the bishops unanimously con- demn, and the Tractarians unanimously sup- port /) when I think of all these, it is impossible to suppose that they are the persons hinted at. They may be compared in temper, as in every- thing else, without disadvantage, to say the least, with the Oxford Triumvirate, Mr. New- man, Dr. Pusey, and Mr, Keble, together with their leading supporters. It ought to be from these that the character of the opposition to Tractarianism should be taken, and not from mere irregulars and sharpshooters, so to speak, who have thrown themselves into this unhappy warfare, kindled by the Tractarians. Have they 10 none of this class on their side ? But what if the Tractarians, as a body, have shown more command of temper than their opponents ? What if they have generally confined themselves to supercilious language rather than what is fierce? Is there anything in this to excite much wonder? Let us call to mind the spectacle usually presented to us, when anything long loved and venerated is suddenly assailed by persons who were supposed to be, arid ought to be, its friends. Is it not, that the assailants, aware how many old feelings and deep-seated principles they are about to shake, advance with a curb carefully kept upon their temper, lest, like persons attacking a hive, they should suddenly bring on themselves the whole swarm of de- fenders, and suffer an instant defeat? Whilst, on the other hand, such of the possessors and lovers of the blessing endangered, as first awake to a full perception of what is going on, (for the majority in such cases are always for a long time incredulous,) fly to the rescue in a tempest of indignation, snatch up the trumpet which the appointed watchmen appear to be allowing to lie idle, and blow it, perhaps, somewhat furi- ously. How often do these well-meaning, but not equally well-judging, volunteers, give the enemy an advantage, by the apparent contrast between his calmness and their excitement! 11 That the enemy should improve this advantage to the utmost, to further his cause, and turn attention from his designs, is only what is to be expected, and it would be useless to deprecate it. The Tractarians have not been slow to do this in our present contest. But surely, there are no real friends to our Reformed Church, who will assist them, by any excess of false candour, to profit by this advantage ! If so, the Church may well take up the celebrated couplet of Canning, and say, " Of all the ills that angry Heaven can send, " Save me, oh! save me, from a candid friend." For my part, knowing how difficult it is to refrain from suspecting bad motives where peo- ple do bad things, 1 am not inclined severely to blame, though I would not imitate, those who, from love of the truth arid of our pure Church, have used hard words against the Tractarians personally. I would rather have the pain of thinking that I was one of those whose pious zeal has led them to do this, than that I had had the heart to rebuke them unmercifully. Better, where the cause of God is concerned, to err in the direction of excess, than of coldness and deficiency. The time may come when the rebukers will be rebuked by One who reads the heart, and who sees how often the severity dis- played is really directed against the thing de- fended, whilst it pretends to strike only the de- fenders. There is an eloquent passage to this effect in Pascal's Provincial Letters, (L, xi.) well worthy of careful perusal. With respect to the distinction contained in the extract from the " Explanation,'* between the treatment of persons and that of principles, it is most desirable that it should be generally agreed in and acted upon. Nothing that I have said will, I trust, be taken to militate against this. It was indeed no more than natural that the writer of the "Explanation" should give me the benefit of the distinction, because he needs it at least as much himself. He says, p. 13, that I have "got hold of a very real, but fatally er- " roneous, nay positively anti-christian theory ;' J hard words, harder than any I used (whatever I might have used) concerning Tractarianism. But I quarrel not with the distinction, because it shelters him, as well as myself. It is a most valuable one, and will, I hope, be more and more recognised and preserved. It opens the only way in which this great controversy, " on " the issue of which," says Dr. Pusey, (agreeing for once with Bishop Daniel Wilson,) " hangs " the destiny of our Church," can be carried on with safety to our Christian feelings, and credit to religion in the eyes of the world that is look- ing on. 1J Let us ut once, then, acknowledge that there is much personal excellence among the Tracta- rians, and that we hope to meet many of them in heaven. It would be a most painful thing not to think this. It amounts merely to confess- ing that men may be much better than their principles. If we denied this, how melancholy a reflection would it be, that so many false prin- ciples of religion are abroad in the world, and that such multitudes are involved in them ! What comfort should we then have, when we turn our eyes to those parts of Ireland, where Protestantism prevails little ? What, when we look beyond the sea to Italy ? How heart- rending would be the sight that Romanism is yet darkening the face of half Christendom, and actually in some places (I know not whether our own country be not one) upon the increase ! God forbid we should cease to cherish the hope, that many, even of those who go through such a round of mere external forms, and are taught such a self-righteous system, as must necessarily tend to extinguish all true religion, do neverthe- less, by the power of divine grace, escape the effect of their own practices and principles I And if this be the case, even in such a country as Italy, where there is scarce a ray of the truth, and Mary is practically worshipped more than Jesus, how much more mav we trust that in- 14 dividuals may escape the natural tendency of their own false principles in a country like ours, where the light is shining- all around, and even they who love it not, are benefited by it ! The Tractarians, indeed, lay claim to an in- ordinate degree of holiness for one another. The British Critic says, " When a man has em- '" braced their views, originally from his sense of " spiritual needs," (we should say from his weak natural propensities, which incline him to forms, rather than the spirit of religion,) " which they " seemed alone calculated to satisfy, andfrom his "perception of the consistent and superior holi- " ness of their advocates, he will find," &c. &c. This is far from modest ; but it has always been claimed by men in their situation. And, as it was once said in the House of Commons by some member, that *' he believed the honourable " gentleman, who had spoken so much of his " own honesty, to be an honest man in spite of " his frequent protestations to that effect," so we may say that we believe many of our opponents to be holy, though they take such pains to tell us this. At the same time, we may suggest that humility is a part of inward holiness, and an essential part. Without this, it is impossible to be truly holy before God. But we may gladly admit, that men may be humble before God, who are not so before men. Luther appears 1,5 from his private history to have been one of these. And the Tractarians, I trust, are amongst the number. It is well to keep in mind the fact, of which all Church history assures us, (is it partly on this account that the Tractarians are beginning to discourage the study of Church history ?) that those who have introduced errors and here- sies into the Church of Christ, have almost always been men externally holy, often in an extraordinary degree when ascetics. The Ro- manists boast of this kind of sanctity. Bellar- mine makes it one of the notes of the true Church. It is a false note, as Archbishop Tenison has shown ; because hermits and friars, and even the dweller on the pillar, have been equalled by the heathen in austerities.* But I am unwilling to say a word about asceticism ; because I would gladly see some more sys- tematic self-denial and subjection of the flesh amongst Protestants than we now see. Our Reformed Church recommends it, and that too in accordance with Scripture. The Tractarians, however, we may tell them, are not taking the right way to restore it, by carrying it to super- stitious excess in practice, or making it ridicu- lous in writings like Mr. Froude's. $ .& .3^*^ * See the Archbishop's account of the Tapolim of Siam, taken from the Jesuits. Bishop Gibson's JReserv., vol. i. 16 It is well also to keep in mind the peculiarity that attends the introduction of errors into a Church previously pure. Men who intro- duce errors into such a Church, will often un- consciously retain much of the very purity they are undermining. Nay, it may even happen, (I mention it as a possible solution of much that we see,) that a certain rash and ill-regulated holiness may be the exciting cause of their un- happy movement. Such is our fallen state, that even desirable feelings, when not guided by scriptural knowledge and tempered with mo- desty, may lead us into erratic courses, fatal to ourselves and others. The late Mr. Irving is an instance to the purpose. He had, we have every reason to think, a zeal for God ; he groaned over the ungodliness he saw in the world ; and in his impatience to heal it in a way of his own, (it matters not that he called it an " apostolic '* way,) he gave the sanction of his personal excellence, and employed all the force of his earnest and impassioned eloquence, to introduce and recommend tenets, which are yet doing the most extensive mischief in this and a neighbouring country. Men who thus injure a pure Church in their desire their impatient and self-willed desire to improve it, will often be found to be men of much imagination. They will have a poetical temperament, an ardour 17 which deceives themselves, an actual delight in treading on the brink of danger a yearning after what is shadowy and mysterious, and a resentment when you attempt to define the objects which they invest with a visionary gran- deur. Woe to a Church that abounds in such amongst her children ! Woe to those who think that they may safely follow such guides! that they can breathe the impure air of the region into which they conduct them ! that they can walk by the precipices, and find their way through the fogs, where they see these men venture with apparent impunity ! Woe to the men themselves, when from desiring the improvement of the Church, they have gone the length of seeking a " radical change,"and from being dissatisfied children have become her enemies ! What will be their grief should it please God to open their eyes, before they die, to the evil they do, and encourage worse men than themselves to do hereafter I I have taken the kindest view of the possible origin of the Tract System. Bishop M'llvaine takes a different view, and ascribes it to the operation of their secret hostility to the true principle of Justification. The lamented Dr. Arnold takes another ; he thinks it due to their extreme dread of the principle of Private Judg- ment. Mr. Percival's narrative of the circum- stances that attended the setting on foot the c 18 "Oxford Tracts," (in which he took a part,) gives a political cast to the transaction, and makes it probable that had the Whigs never come into power, the Tracts would never have come into existence. Some persons, and not without reason, ascribe the movement to the jealousy and dislike felt towards that body of men who, under God, had been the chief instru- ments of a revival of vital piety in the Church, and had effectually checked the defection, which was previously taking place from her commu- nion and would have brought her to ruin. But I care not to inquire which of these several ways of accounting for the rise of Tractarianism, or what combination of them, is nearest the truth. Let us give our opponents every advan- tage, let us take the most favourable view. We can afford to do so ; nor shall we be at all liable to an imputation of compromising our opinion of their principles, because we think and speak charitably of their persons. This course is as open to us as it would be for one man to say to another : Sir, I believe you to be a respectable person, but you carry the plague in your clothes ; you have been to the city of the plague ; and though you seem to have es- caped with life yourself, though you smile at my fears, and have even a theory concerning the plague that it is harmless, nay actually good, 19 I must beg" leave to do all I can to hinder your communicating it to me and my family, and to set the neighbourhood on their guard against the deadly contagion. May I say one word more before I quit this subject? Why does God expose his creatures to the danger of embracing error, recommended by personal goodness in its advocates ? It is to try our faith. To see, whether, in spite of all temptations, we will trust His Word in cases were it has spoken plainly. That there are such cases, where nothing is needed to discern the opposition between the proffered error and the Word of God, but an unsophisti- cated understanding and an honest heart, few will deny. The worship of the Virgin, the bowing down to Images, the adoration of the Wood of the Cross,* and other Romish errors, are of this kind. How such glaring contradic- tions to the letter and spirit of Scripture could ever establish themselves in the outward Church, is perfectly marvellous. We may attempt to * See the " Pontificate Romanian," cited by Bossuet as of undoubted authority. In this Roman Pontifical, the blessing of " a new cross or tablet on which is depicted the Cruci- fixion," by the Pope, is described ; the prayers to be offered are put down ; lastly it is said, " Then the Pontiff, kneeling " before the cross, devoutly adores it, and kisses it." " Turn " Pontifex flexis ante crucem genibus ipsam devote adorat, < c &c." c 2 20 account for it by mentioning 1 the facility with which errors crept in before the early Church had had experience of their tendency, the long and severe struggle Christianity maintained with heathenism, which even in expiring inflicted severe wounds on its conqueror,* the igno- rance of the Scriptures that characterized the dark ages, the fostering aid given, alas ! by a self-interested priesthood, and lastly, the bias of corrupt nature, the force of habit, the prejudice of an education in falsehood, and even the love of consistency, all which combine to keep up such monstrous errors in the present day ; we may mention these or other causes, but the marvel will still remain, that Holy Scripture should be opposed, point blank, by men of mind, and who acknowledge its inspired authority, in matters so plain that " the wayfaring man though a fool " cannot err therein." Now in all such [cases, the lesson we learn is, " Cease ye from man, " whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is " he to be accounted of?" St. Paul gives this view, when he tells the Galatians, that, having now by inspiration delivered to them the Gos- * The vengeance that dying Heathenism took upon Christianity by bequeathing to it so many superstitions, (all of which centre in Romanism,) reminds us of the fabled Centaur leaving to Hercules the deadly legacy of his tunic, wet with his heart's blood. 21 pel, if even he himself afterwards, with all his claims to their regard, should preach to them any other Gospel, or if " an angel from heaven " should do so, they should be so far from listen- ing to him, that they should hold him " accursed," that is, excommunicated, and instead of any longer regarding him as a guide and a friend, should separate themselves from him as an enemy of the Church. Here he evidently sup- poses it possible that they or future Christians might be thus tried ; otherwise to what purpose so solemn a warning ? He seems, therefore, to suppose it possible that even he, a holy man as he knew himself by the grace of God to be, yet still but a man, might, in an uninspired mo- ment, be allowed to fall into vital error as a teacher ; or that a higher and purer intelligence, a good angel, might, for their probation, be per- mitted to be an emissary of false doctrine. At the same time, he takes it for granted, that the Galatians would see no change in his personal character to put them on their guard against his new teaching. They would see nothing in the angel's demeanour, to make them think that he came not from heaven. So that the apostle's language on this occasion amounts to a very striking declaration, that nothing of a mere personal kind that is in man, nay, in any created being, no visible goodness, no external holi- ness, no learning, no eloquence, no intellect, should be weighed in the scale against God's truth, once clearly declared in the inspired and infallible Scripture. This is a homage due to the Divine Being. If He has spoken plainly, let all Creation be silent ; or if it speak, let it be disregarded. To listen to any, who, however unconsciously, utter language contrary to that of Scripture, is to set the creature above the Creator. It may be a severe trial of our faith to hear such language proceed from the lips of apparently holy men ; but we must remember, here lies the trial ! it is in this phenomenon that faith finds its exercise. We must resolutely resist all temptation to believe anything con- trary to Scripture. " Let God be true and every " man a liar.'' I will now proceed to make those observations, which I had more immediately in view when I took up my pen, and which concern the points that lie at the root of this great controversy. My opponent, the reviewer of Jewel, thanks me because I have given the Tractarians credit for being " earnest," "consistent," and even en- dued with " the spirit of martyrs." I have no wish to withdraw one syllable of this commendation, if commendation it be, to ascribe to them " earnestness," in pursuing at all hazards a theory which I hold to be ruinous 23 to true religion, " consistency," which shows itself in a harmony, perfectly astonishing for its minuteness, with the Romish tone of thinking on all points where our Reformers differed from Rome, and "the spirit of martyrs," which, if it makes them willing to endure much, should it so happen, as the consequence of their present determined effort, makes them desirous at the same time of involving all that is dear to us in their ruin. If, indeed, such men had arrived at their present conclusions by the free exercise of their own minds on the subjects in dispute, assisted, but not led blindfold, by external testimony, if they had been at all their own masters in the pending controversy, and had not adopted a theory which places them at the mercy of what- ever they imagine to be the decision of "the Church," (not of our Church, unhappily, in which they officiate, and to whose articles and homi- lies they might be supposed to defer,) it might have been a much more serious question, whe- ther their " earnestness," &c., ought not to make modest persons pause, before they use strong and decided language against their con- clusions. But when we see that they have de- liberately laid themselves down at the feet of a supposed " Catholic Church," (I shall presently show by what test they find this Church,) when we hear them speak with the utmost contempt of the notion of drawing any cardinal truth from Scripture, by the exercise of our own minds, when we read in the pages of the British Critic that to a person trained in " ortho- " dox doctrine" Holy Scripture, if seen for the first time, (" a supposition," they say with con- siderable na'ivet6, " not wholly hypothetical in " some foreign countries,") would do, what to one " fully instructed in the truths of natural " religion " the general course of the world would do " should he for the first time become " cognizant of it," viz. " impress him with con* "fusion, alarm, surprise;" in other words, Holy Scripture would afford as little proof of the presence of God in the one case, as this dis- ordered scene around us, full of sin and rebel- lion against His will, would in the other I* * Lest I should do the British Critic injustice, I will give the reader the whole passage, that he may judge of its meaning for himself. " It is not to be expected that a " Christian, who has been ever so carefully instructed in " orthodox doctrine, and has ever so diligently acted upon " his knowledge, should he for the first time see the New " Testament as a whole (a supposition, we imagine, not " wholly hypothetical in some foreign countries) will imme- " diately recognise its deep and entire consistency with " what he has learnt to believe. For neither would a person " trained in the most careful discipline and fully instructed ' in the truths of Natural Religion, should he for the first time 25 when we see our opponents thus quitting the safe guidance of the Word of God, as a thing " become cognizant of the general course of human affairs, " recognise in them the evidence which they really afford of " God's attributes. In the latter case it is plain to all that " his first impression would be confusion, alarm, surprise." Human sin, which has marred God's fair work in the crea- tion, accounts for the discrepancy the one man would find between the actual course of the world and what he ex- pected, but what is to account for the discrepancy the other would find between Scripture and orthodox doctrine ? Was ever such a parallel drawn ! Arising, I imagine, from the writer's eagerness to provide an answer to the objection taken from the fact he dares not deny, that the first impres- sion of Scripture is terribly against his " orthodox doctrine," so called. B. C. Ixiii. p. 55. The reader of the British Critic will see more disparage- ment of Scripture, p. 61, "A student of its pages would " as much consider himself referred ^by it to the Oracle of " Delphi for instruction in the Gospel, as to his private ex- " mination of the written Word." And in p. 63, we find the following hardy assertion. " As to St. Mark's Gospel, " we should much like to know whether a plain person " reading it who had not been instructed in the Christian "scheme, would have the faintest idea of the doctrine of the " Trinity, or our Lord's Divine Nature, or his Atonement." Let the reader open his Bible, and turn to St. Mark, ii. 7, &c., iii. 29, v. 6, xii. 6 and 36, xiv. 24 and 6164, xvi. 19, 20. Again, p. 57, speaking against the common prac- tice of proving the truth of the Thirty-nine Articles by Scripture, as in use at Oxford, it is said : " Let us appeal " to any of our readers, if they were at any time even or- 26 to be dreaded rather than trusted, and when we find them equally set against the use of their understanding, even in reading the Fathers self-reduced, in short, to a state of total, slavish subjection to their own chimsera of " the Church," we are delivered from all compunc- tion in speaking freely of their conclusions. These conclusions are not their own : they are not drawn from their own minds and hearts, jin- structed by our Reformed Church, and exer- cised on the Scriptures humbly but cheerfully : they are borrowed from abroad, they are fetched from the school doctors they are im- ported from Romish writers. " What greater u theologian," says the British Critic, " has lived " or has conferred more lasting benefits on the " Church, than St. Thomas Aquinas ?" Here we see where they have been to school, And in the article on Bishop Jewel, our English Reformers are condemned, because, as it is ex- pressed, " they disavowed the judgment of Rome, " dinarily thoughtful, who have undergone this process ; has " not their first view of the array of texts in support of our "first five Articles been deeply disappointing ? Have they " not been shocked and alarmed by the miserably scanty " amount of Scripture testimony on which tlte very foundation " of tlieir faith seemed to rest?" 27 " not in this or that particular, but in its gene- " ral bearing on Christian truth /" The Tracta- rians, then, avow that general judgment ! Com- bine these two elements, either of which is sufficient to enslave the mind and conscience, Scholastic subtlety and Romish dogmatism, and you have the essence of Tractarianism. Under these circumstances we need have no modest scruples in giving our opinion of the theory of our opponents,-^-" earnest, sincere," &c., as they are. It is not, as I have said, the spontaneous fruit of their own convictions. It is forced upon them by their adoption of a false princi- ple, on which it will be worth while to spend some consideration. And no natural sharpness of sight can save those from a grievous fall who have voluntarily shut their eyes. The principle to which I allude, is that of making it their first question, " What says the Catholic Church ?" instead of previously set- tling the question, " How shall we know when it is the Catholic Church that speaks to us?" This it is that has led them into their present maze. For in seeking to know what the Catholic Church says, it is absolutely neces- sary to know beforehand what the Catholic Church is ; and this can only be learnt from Scripture. Scriptural truth is the sine qua non 28 of Catholicity. This was the clue used by the early Fathers, (would the Tractarians but listen to them,) as well as by our Reformers, in order to find out the Catholic Church. Had the Tractarians used this clue, then indeed, when they had in any instance and during any period ascertained that the outward Church was speak- ing as the Catholic Church, they might have gone with safety and delight and gathered sweet instruction from her lips. But they have used a very different criterion, one unknown as such equally by the early Fathers* and our Reformers, I mean that of the apostolic succession in the ministry. "Apostolic succession," says the British Critic, " is the outward expression of " Church authority" (Ixiii. p. 78, n.) In- stead of distinguishing by the independent help and paramount authority of Scripture, when the outward Church coincided with the general description of the Catholic Church, and when not, and so basing church authority on that of Scripture, they have based it on that which, because possessed by the corrupt and un-catholic Church of Rome, has induced them to regard her with a favourable eye, to extenuate her errors and superstitions, to avow a general sym- pathy of judgment with her, and to repudiate the judgment and spirit of our own Reformers, u sitting," as the Bishop of Chester well ex- * The Arians had it as well as the orthodox. pressed it some years ago, " in the Reformers' "seats, traducing the Reformation.*' The outward Church, when possessed of the apostolic succession of doctrine, I hold to be an inestimable blessing to a country. I fully agree in all that is said concerning the improbability, the miserable chance, an uninstructed man would have " of picking up his religion for himself," as it has been expressed, or of seeking it in the Bible. No thankfulness can be too great for the advantage of having learnt, while children, the Creed and Catechism, and imbibing the instruc- tion dealt out on Sundays. No one knows how much he owes to his early training in religion. It should make us all zealous promoters of reli- gious education, and firm supporters of the Established Church. But still, the more we value the outward Church, when pure, so much the more we should prize the independent and paramount authority of Scripture, because it is the means of keeping the Church pure ; and we never know when it may come into use as the appointed barrier against a torrent of error and corruption. The people (as a part of the Church) must ever be on their guard that they are not deprived, or beguiled of this protection. They must be suspicious, whenever they begin to hear words spoken to its disparagement. If the Church be faithfully administered, she will 30 not be afraid to be tested by Scripture. By tested, I mean exposed to the continual opera- tion of an unconscious but effective comparison of her practical teaching with that of Scripture, in consequence of the people's familiar acquaint- ance with it. There is in Scripture, more than in anything- in the world, a certain decided " tone and spirit." It would be strange if this were not the case, with a divine book. How are men to catch this spirit, but by familiar ac- quaintance ? The Church, then, while pure, not only in her public documents, but in her practical teaching, will recommend this acquaint- ance. She will feel that her own spirit har- monises with that of Scripture. But when she is declining from her purity, and growing un- faithful to her Lord, she will begin to scatter doubts about the clearness of Scripture, and the danger of reading it with open mind. Then it is that the people ought to suspect that she is in danger herself. Then they ought to cling still more tenaciously and confidingly to the Bible, and to look into it more carefully than was needed before, for the marks of the Catholic Church, that if they find their Church really declining, they may, by the blessing of God on their affec- tionate remonstrance, call her back to her state of simplicity and purity. This was the view of the English Reformers, 31 who bequeathed to us our Church as it is. They loved and honoured the outward Church, (when set free from the unclean embrace of Rome,) how, indeed, could they do otherwise ? they were bishops and dignitaries in her for the most part, as well as truly pious men who saw what honour the Scriptures give to the outward Church when pure. But the more they loved the Church, the more they exalted the written Word. They knew that by means of Scripture, under God, they had cast out impurity of doc- trine and practice ; and that the purity they had restored could never be preserved without pre- serving the supremacy of Scripture. Let us hear the first two articles of a Confession of Faith, drawn up by several of our martyr-bishops, and eminent divines, and " sent abroad out of prison'' at a time when they were daily looking to be led forth to the last fiery trial of their faith and patience, under the cruel Mary. "I. That they believed all the canonical books of " Scripture to be God's very Word, and that it was to " be the judge in all controversies of faith, " II. That they believed that the Catholic Church, " as an obedient spouse, followed the doctrines of this ', book. And therefore she was to be heard accord- " ingly" (Strype's Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 1. Oxf. ed.) Here we see that the Catholic Church is to be known, and if need be, discovered, by her agreement with Scripture; and to be heard ac- cording to that agreement. How exactly op- posite this view is to that of Rome will be seen, if we put in juxtaposition with the above, the first two articles of Pope Pius the Fourth's Creed. " I. I most firmly admit and embrace " the apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, and " all other observances and constitutions of the " Church. II. I admit also " (how cold, com- pared with the " firmly admitting and embrac- " ing " just before !) " the sacred Scriptures ; " according to that sense which Holy Mother " Church, to whom it appertains to judge of the " true meaning and interpretation of Scripture, " hath held and still holds." Here the outward Church appears to have dominion given her over Scripture. Not so the true Catholic Church. She is, as our Reformers authorita- tively expressed it in our sixth Article, but "the " keeper and witness of Holy Writ," not its mistress and infallible interpreter. She receives the law from Scripture, and most willingly appeals to it as her charter and statute book.* * Mr. Keble appears to admit that the Bible is the Church's statute book; but immediately, as usual, spoils the admission, by making Tradition the common law, explanatory of the meaning of this statute or written law. Now, as every one knows, the written law of the land is not ex- 33 Hear Archbishop Cranmer disputing- with Bishop Gardiner and Dr. Smith. He notices the art of Smith in drawing off attention from the Scriptures, and in endeavouring- to re-establish the authority of the Romish Church. " He (Smith) seeth full well, that the more deli-