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FEW REMARKS

CHARGE

LORD BISHOP OF GLOCESTER AND BRISTOL

ON THE SUBJECT OF

RESERVE IN COMMUNICATING RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE

AS TAUGHT IN THE

TRACTS FOR THE TIMES, No. SO, and No. 87.

WRITER OP THOSE TRACTS. / -. '
(PUBLISESD WITH HIS LORDSHIPS PERMISSION.) '' -'¦ '

OXFORD,
JOHN HENRY PARKER:
G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON.
MDCCCXLII.

oxford:
PBINTED in- I. SHBIMl'TON.

REMARKS,
The opinions which are commonly imputed in the publi
cations of the day to the Writer of the Tracts on Reserve in
Religious Teaching, are spoken of by the Bishop of Glocester
and Bristol in terms of disapprobation; they, however, are
far from being the opinions really expressed by the Writer
himself. It will be seen in those Tracts themselves, that
those of his Lordship's Clergy, who cordially and entirely
approve of aU the sentiments contained in them, will find no
reason whatever why on that account they should not be
disposed "with a glad mind and will to follow" his Lord
ship's "godly admonitions," in all that he has said on the
same subject. In alluding to those Tracts, his Lordship has
stated a variety of propositions, under the supposition that
something of the kind was intended by those who have
written on this principle in morals, but all of which the
Writer of the Tracts alluded to would entirely concur with
his Lordship in condemning. They are such as are in no
way either expressed or implied throughout those Tracts.
Some of these opinions are such as the Writer happens to
have alluded to in order to refute, and has expressed his dis
approbation of them in terms not less strong than his Lord
ship has himself used.
The Bishop implies that it has been recommended to
withhold the Scriptures from mankind, and thereby " to rob
us of one of the greatest blessings which flow from a pure
rehgion ;" that it has been taught that " the duty of search
ing the Scriptures" is " confined to the Minister." Nothing
whatever of this kind has ever been maintained or contem
plated by the Writer of those Ti-acts.
The Bishop supposes that the Writer suggests some new

4
mode of teaching different from that of Holy Scriptui-e ;
whereas his argument is founded upon the example, the
principles, the express commands, and the general analogy oi
Holy Scripture itself; and is intended to counteract other
methods, which the Writer considers unscriptural, upon the
ground of their being unscriptural. (See Tract 87. p. 48.)
This is the course of the argument throughout ; and it is
expressly stated, " The principle has been founded on Scrip
ture alone." (Tr. 87. p. 6.)
His Lordship speaks as if it had been maintained that we
are at hberty to judge for ourselves what parts of Scripture
are to be withheld; whereas this is the very point against
which the Writer's arguments have been directed, main
taining together with the Bishop that we are not at hberty
to do so.

Charge of the Lord Bishop.
" There is no more danger
ous doctrine than that of
learing to the judgment of
faUible man what parts of
God's Word are to be pubhsh
ed, and what to be kept
back." p. 32, 33.

Tracts on Reseirve.
" Why should we not be con
tent to act naturally with the
Church and Divine Scripture for
our guides? Why should not a
conscience exercised therein . . .
be content to act . . . as the
Holy Spirit dictates, without
shaping om- conduct into this
mould ?" Tr. 87. p. 52.
"Any mode of bringing for
ward God's truth as differing
from these (i. e. the Catholic
Church and Holy Scripture) we
suppose highly dangerous." Ib.
p. 50.
" Surely we know not what
we do, when we venture to make
a scheme and system of our own
respecting the Revelations of
God. His ways are so vast and

mysterious that there may be
some great presumption in our
taking one truth, and forming
around it a scheme from notions
of our own. It may not be the
way to arrive at even that truth."
Ib. p. 56.
His Lordship supposes that some line of conduct is advo
cated which is at variance with that of the Apostles ; whereas
the argument is not only founded on the basis of our Lord's
example as shewn at great length, (in Tract 80. Part i.) but
is confirmed with allusions to that of the Apostles. The
practices which are contrary to this are those which are com
bated by the Writer.

Charge of the Lord Bishop.
" I regard it as contrary to
the Apostolic practice, to re
fuse 'to declare all the coun
sel of God.'" p. 32.
" Were we ashamed to de
clare ' all the counsel of God,^
as we have received it from
the Scriptures, we should at
once forfeit the title of an
Apostohcal Church." p. 33,
34.

Ti'acts on Reserve.
" It might further be stated,
(though I am not aware it has
been,) that a certain Trapprja-m,
or openness in confessing the
truth, was the very characteristic
of St. Paul; it was the very
object of his prayers : and his
request, that it might be that of
others for him, (Eph. vi. 19;
Phil. i. 20.) that this free utter
ance and boldness of speech
might be given him. It was his
boasting that he had thus spoken;
he appealed to his converts that
he had kept back nothing from
them that was expedient for
them to know. ' With great
boldness to speak the truth,' is
one of the first gifts of the Spirit
as bestowed on the Apostles, on
the day of Pentecost : and ' ut
terance' is numbered among the
highest Christian graces, (1 Cor.

i. 5 ; 2 Cor. viii. 7.) Now aU this
is not only granted, but also that
if any thing here maintained
would imply conduct different
from that of the Apostle, would
in any way derogate from the
necessity of that napptjo-ia, it
would of course be to be con
demned in the strongest manner :
of this there could be no doubt.
It is needless to observe that to
withhold the Truth from fear or
false shame, or pride, is to be
ashamed of Christ, to which that
awful warning is denounced.
Let it therefore, if necessary, be
exphcitly stated that if any con
duct is supposed to be here
taught different from that which
would have been practised by
St. Paid among inspired Apostles;
by St. Chrysostom among the
ancient Fathers : and by the
earnest and single-hearted Bishop
Wilson, in our own Church, such
is far from being the intention of
this Treatise." Tr. 87. p. 43, 4.
The Lord Bishop seems to apprehend that our methods of
instructing children in the Ordinances and Privileges of our
Church^ and in the nature of her Sacraments by catechetical
^ Another Tract which has been written by the same Writer in
this series of Pubhcations is No. 86, on " The Indications of a Super
intending Providence in the Preservation of the Prayer-book and in
the changes which it has undergone." The very object of which is
to inculcate a dutiful allegiance to our own Church, and attachment
to her formularies, as the means under Providence of our arriving at
and adhering to the Truth.

teaching is here disparaged ; whereas the great object of the
Writer, with regard to instruction, has been to insist on these
Divinely- appointed methods of instilhng the Truth, " in obe
dience to Parental, and Pastoral, and Episcopal, authority."
(Tr. 87. p. 121.)

Charge of the Lord Bishop.
" That Christ died to save
sinners, that our nature had
become corrupt and depraved
through sin, and that by the
Sacrifice of our Blessed Lord
upon the Cross once offered,
atonement and satisfaction
were made, and the wrath of
God averted, are among the
first truths which we commu
nicate to the youthful Chris
tian ; they are likewise incul
cated in the reception of the
blessed Eucharist, as well as
various parts of the formu
laries of our Church. Upon
what principle, then, can they
be held back in our Christian
teaching?" p. 33.

Tracts on Reserve.
" If we are to look out for
some practical guide to know in
what way we are to hold and
declare Scriptural doctrine :
surely it is our duty to bring
forward ' the faith once dehvered
unto the Saints,' in the fulness
of that Creed into which we are
baptized ; is not this the divinely-
appointed guardian, by which we
may keep what is contained in
Holy Scripture in its due propor
tions : which has been afforded
us as a key to the right under
standing of Scripture, and also
an authoritative annunciation of
what in doctrine, we are to hold
and teach ?" Ib. 87. p. 50.
"The doctrine of the Atone
ment is contained throughout
the whole of the Liturgy, after
this manner of sacred reserve ;
inasmuch as the whole tone,
spirit, and character of it, and
especially the Litany, is expres
sive of this doctrine, and in fact,
conveys it, teaches it, infuses a
right sense of it, more vitally
and truly than any set speeches
could do, in the same way that it
is taught by all our Lord's words
and actions." Ib. p. 93.

"The Church has ever thus
held the doctrine (of the Atone
ment) in its substance, in its ful
ness, in its life-giving power and
reality," i. e. in its two Holy
Sacraments and the services
respecting them, q. v. at length.
Ib. p. 89.
Again, the Bishop seems throughout to suppose that we
recommend studiously and intentionally to withdraw the
doctrine of the ever-blessed Atonement* from our pubhc
teaching; whereas the Writer has strongly disclaimed any
such intention.

Charge of the Lord Bishop.
"But of all subjects, that
Avhich it would, I think, be
most inexcusable to keep back
from the people, is the Atone
ment made by our Blessed
Saviour for the sins of man
kind, since upon that truth
must ever rest the key-stone
of the Christian edifice." p.
33. "We have not so learned
Christ ; nor are we afraid to
declare to the people 'the
riches of His grace,' because
some presumptuous men have
rushed into the errors which

Tracts on Reserve.
" Do we then maintain that it
(i. e. the doctrine of the Atone
ment) is to be intentionally and
designedly withdrawn from aU
pubhc mention ? nothing of this
kind has been ever suggested or
practised by us." Ib. 87. p. 52.
" Surely the doctrine of the
Atonement may be taught in all
its fulness, on all occasions, and at
all seasons, more effectually, more
really, and truly, according to the
proportion of the faith, or the
need of circumstances, without
being brought out from the con
text of Holy Scripture into
prominent and explicit mention."

^ Such a supposition could never be entertained by those who are
acquainted with the fact, that the only Work in prose which the
same writer lias himself published is " on the Passion of our Lord."

the Apostles themselves noted
among contemporary here
sies." Ibid.
" Let us not therefore cease
to proclaim Christ Crucified,
as the most important com
mission of our ministry, and
as the sole ground upon which
we teach our hearers to rest
their hopes of forgiveness and
reconciliation with God." p.
34.

" May we not regulate our
teaching according to the case of
the persons we address, as they
(i. e. the Apostles) did ?" Ib.
p. 53.
It may be said, " that not
withstanding all such abstract
and speculative principles, it is
nevertheless our duty to ' preach
the word' (i. e. Christ Cmoified)
' in season and out of season ;'
and woe be to us if we do it not !
Doubtless it is so ; a ' dispensa
tion is committed' unto us, a
talent which it would be death to
hide." Ib. p. 45.
" Religious knowledge is in
deed the very highest of all
things, a talent of exquisite worth,
the very jewel of great price,
infinitely dirine and sacred. We
do not lower the doctrine of
the Atonement, but heighten and
exalt it, and all we say is, that it
should be looked upon and
spoken of with reverential holi
ness. If it is the name of Re
serve only which is objectionable,
then let the substance of this
article be expressed by any other
which may be found equaUy to
sei-ve the purpose, whether it be
forbearance, or reverence, or
seriousness, or religious caution,
as long as the fuU intention
of it is equally preserved." Ib.
p. 46.
For the sake of those who have not read the two Tracts on
this subject, and are inchned to feel alarmed at the Title, and

10
to suppose that they imply something veiy different from
what the Writer has expressed or ever intended, it may be as
well to quote the following passage.
" But as on this, and some other points to which this subject
refers, there have existed strange misapprehensions, or rather, it
must be said, vague suspicions of some meaning neither expressed
nor intended, it seems requisite to say a little more distinctly, what
it is which has been neither taught nor meant. It will be observed,
that nothing whatever is said in this treatise to recommend our form
ing a system of reserve, nor our watching over ourselves to suppress
the natural expression of what we revere and love, nor our forming a
close society for the freer communication of religious sentiments :
but that we endeavour above all things to cherish in ourselves a
habit of reverence, that we speak as truth dictates, and speak
naturally. What has been said, has been put forth defensively ; — in
order to shew that the assuming of a rehgious tone is so far from
being necessary, that it is highly to be deprecated, as injurious to
ourselves and others ; that in an age which looks so much to effect
and appearance, we must thoroughly study truth and reality. No
rule of silence need perhaps be even thought of by a simple-minded
piety, that has not dimmed the Mght within, nor lost the single eye.
But few of us are of this kind. It has been shewn in the former
treatise to be rather the unavoidable effect in good men, under the
teaching of God's good Spieit, than any thing to be recommended
as a rule ; because all we say is, that such reserve is natural, and
that, where it is lost, religion has lost its best protection and its
strength. We have only to repeat, therefore, our former admoni
tion, (Tract 80, Part iii.) that we follow in this as in aU other mat
ters our Lord's example, who was always watching to do good,
never ostentatiously and unnecessarily obtruding religion ; and, as it
were, ever spoke naturally.
" The fact is, that this is one of the many subjects in which we
have to go back, and learn of children : there is remarkable in chil
dren, together with that openness and freedom which accompanies
simplicity and singleness of heart, that modesty also and reserve
which is here inculcated ; it is one of the most beautiful and interest-

11
ing traits of that age ; like the bloom on the flower ; when this is
spoiled in children, they have lost the highest hopes we can entertain
of them ; it is one of the first indications of the loss of innocency.
" It must also be obsen'ed, that there are among mankind great
constitutional diversities of temper and character, which render the
same free expressions of their sentiments, in some perfectly natural,
which would be far from being so in another ; so far therefore as it
is natural, it will not offend against this rule of modesty : but, of
course, being the teaching of Gon, will be the best means to promote
the cause of His truth." Tr. 87. pp. 108 — 110.

oxroBii :
FBINTBD nr I. SHBIMI'TO?.'.

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