ever edifying as ensamples, or corroborative as aids,-the validity of each Official Act arose solely from their Office, which again drew its sanction from the Supreme Head. "Ordination, then, originating in Christ, with Succession, authorized by Him, commencing with the Apostles, and maintained without intermission in their Representatives, is the Outward Sign, by which the Christian Priesthood was at first constituted, by which it at present subsists, and by which it is designed to endure" unto the end." The reasons for the perpetuity of this appointment have been amply detailed, and no single historical fact is supported by more accumulated evidence, than the unbroken Succession in the Ministry from the Apostolic times. We know from early Ecclesiastical Writers, that every particular Church, existing in their day, traced back the series of their Spiritual Governours to the Apos tles themselves, and that the Ordinances, instituted in the beginning, continued by descent in undiminished force. The ParentChurch at Jerusalem furnished the model for other Churches:similar rites were practised, and the same faith held,—the same doctrines were preached, and the same Lord worshipped; and thus were all Believers built upon one Rock, and all reputed Members of one Church, The Sacerdotal Office passed, by uninterrupted transmission, from those, whom Christ had himself called to be the Stewards of his Household; nor did the controversies, on doctrinal or practical subjects among the Christians of those days, affect either the jurisdiction, inherent in the Priesthood, or the Commission, from which it primarily took its rise. The Government of the Church, in its general outline and, essential character, remained uniform and undisturbed. Miraculous power and supernatural endowments, indeed, were gradually withdrawn,-either because their continuance might destroy their effect, or because their ne cessity had abated, and the object, for which they were at first given, had been accomplished. Still, such a measure of grace was afforded, as might sustain that Catholic Church of Christ, which had been incorporated for the admission of all, whom He had, "by his blood, redeemed to God out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." "Those changes in Discipline and Administration alone have been adopted, which were natural to the revolutions of society, or were modifications, inseparable from an Establishment, thus destined for universal reception. The favoured Witnesses of their Lord's life and resurrection, in addition to the high privilege, which they enjoyed in associating with the Son of God, possessed likewise that perfect and unerring testimony, which only personal acquaintance can supply,-yet each generation of Teachers, true to their sacred charge, faithfully delivered to others the knowledge, traditionally committed to themselves. Qualifications and powers, identically, or in all respects, the same as those bestowed on the Apostles, never were the portion of any other Pastours.--yet the prerogatives of Ordination and general Superintendence,-the validity validity and consequent grace, annexed to the Outward and Sacramental Functions of the Priestly Office, and the vicarious authority, by which they admitted and retained, blessed and censured their Flocks, were, in their operation, effectual and unimpaired. Prophecies might fail, tongues might cease, but the Church was to abide for ever,--stablished on those immovable and everlasting foundations, on which alone could securely rest the " means of grace and the hopes of glory"." P. 13. On the imposition of hands, by which both the episcopal and the sacerdotal office is conferred, our Author thus justly remarks. "Outward and Symbolical Signs, indicative of Spiritual Virtue, characterize every Act of Christian Ministration, and, on this Day, the attendant Bishops, themselves "partakers of the Heavenly calling," communicate the distinctive functions of their Order by Imposition of Hands. This is the significant Rite of blessing, consecrating, and ordaining, natural, perhaps, in itself, and sanctioned by ancient and reverential usage :-thus were Patriarchal benedictions given, thus were miraculous healings effected-thus did Joshua, when constituted as the successour of Moses, receive at his Hands the Spirit of Wisdom,-and thus, afterwards, by the Divine Appointment, were the Ministers of Christ ordained, and the Apostolate itself conferred. In our Church, built jointly on Scripture and on Antiquity, this Rite, sacred and authoritative, is reserved to the Superiour Order of her Priesthood,-and practised, when, in their Episcopal capacity, they Confirm, or Ordain,-and particularly, when, in the Solemnity for perpetuating the Apostolical Succession, they perform the holy Office of Consecration." P. 29. Mr. Burney has given us a copious list of references to the most celebrated authors, should the reader be inclined to investigate the subject beyond the limits of a single sermon. We could wish that the books to which he refers were read with more general attention, as they are peculiarly calculated to meet the rising errors of the day. ART. VIII. The Duties and Dangers of the Christian Ministry considered, in a Sermon preached in Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh, on Monday, June 24, 1816, at an Ordination held by the Right Reverend Daniel Sandford, D. D. and now published at the Request of the Bishop and the Clergy present. By the Rev. R. Morehead, A. M. of Baliol College, Oxford, Junior Minister of the Episcopal Cha pel pel, Cowgate, Edinburgh, and Domestic Chaplain to her Royal Highness the Princess Chartotte. Pp. 41. Is. Constable, Edinburgh; Longman and Co. London. 1816. MR. Morehead is already well known by a volume of sermons, which both merited and obtained a large share of public patronage. He has lately published a second volume, which we shall notice very soon, and which we have no doubt will meet (as it also merits) with similar approbation. The discourse now before us is very creditable to the preacher, and peculiarly interesting to our feelings, from the circumstances of the Church, in the communion of which Mr. M. now lives. The Episcopal Church in Scotland is in every particular of doctrine, discipline, and worship, similar to our own, with the single difference of being only tolerated, not established. It exhibits to us in practice, the spiritual authority, which forms the ultimate and the sacred sanction of our own system. We are peculiarly gratified to see a man of Mr. M.'s talents and respectability, educated and ordained among ourselves, supporting with such steady ability and such conciliating candour, the same system, in circumstances so different. We have much satisfaction in seeing him honoured with the high distinction of Domestic Chaplain to our young Princess. If he rise, as he deserves, and as he probably will rise, to high preferment among us, his disinterested services in the humble Church to which he is now attached, will be a source of great personal satisfaction to himself, and will entitle us to hope that he will come among us, actuated by the highest and purest principles of our sacred profession. Our Establishment is interesting to ourselves and important to the constitution of our country. It is best supported, however, by those, who, to a respect for the civil sanctions by which it is guarded, add a reverence for its spiritual authority, on which we would ultimately rest its defence. We are proud of our Establishment ; but we would rather claim the allegiance and the devotion of her members to the ordinance of God, than to the arrangements of inan. On this account, we always hail our Scottish brethren as friends, on whose purity of principle we can rely in every extremity. They have been tried in the school of adversity, and they shew us the value of that principle, which, after all, is the greatest ornament and the best support of our Church. From Romans i. 1. Mr. M. points out first the "duties which follow from a separation unto the Gospel." He considers the divine authority of the ministerial commission and the sacred import of the sacramental seals, the administration of which is exclusively committed to those who are regularly se parated parated unto the Gospel. In this view, as ministers of a REVEALED RELIGION, and administrators of rites which are of divine institution, he justly claims the right to magnify his office, the source and intention of which are equally sacred and salutary. After considering "the dignity of the office of the Christian priesthood," he proceeds in the second place to point out and enforce "the duties which attach to it." He considers in the third place, with great and affecting impartiality," the nature of those dangers which lie in the way of the faithful discharge of the clerical office." Mr. M. concludes his very able and interesting discourse with a slight sketch of the present circumstances of the community to which he now belongs. We could make many extracts, which we are persuaded would please and instruct our readers. We select the following, because the facts are very interesting. They are not familiar to us, but the evidence is unquestionable. "The Episcopal Church in Scotland, of which we have the happiness to be members, was, as you too well know, from its supposed political attachments, for many years an object of suspicion and jealousy in this country; and I believe it is now generally acknowledged, that it was forced to undergo many severities from the dark character of the times, which it required all its firmness and principle to bear with Christian magnanimity and patience. It is, I believe, now as generally acknowledged, that this noble part it performed that throughout every trial and severity, its pastors stood firm to the religious principles which they maintained; and exhibited, amid persecution, and poverty, and neglect somewhat of the faith and fortitude of the primitive martyrs. These disastrous days are passed; the temporary wrath of man, has ended in the praise of God;' and while we of this Church look back with gratitude to those humble but intrepid men who have secured to us the unbroken order of a spiritual descent, we look back with veneration upon those examples of patience, of perseverance, and of piety, which they have so fully afforded us, and by which alone we feel, that the Church they have preserved and adorned, can be, in our hands, either adorned or preserved. To be a member of such a Church, carries with it, indeed, a more than common obligation to become separated unto the Gospel of God,' without any private or less holy view. In the days which it has been our blessing to see, the faith and the purity so admirably displayed by this Church, during the times of her persecution, have as bountifully been rewarded. The political calamities in which she was involved have happily passed away, and the government of our country has wisely and generously felt, that the opposition which principle alone occasioned, would be converted into as strenuous support, when principle also demanded it. In the same auspicious hour, the Church of England stretched out the right hand of fellowship, upon the first notice of the wishes of her holy, though humble, sister, and with the true feeling of apostolical times, acknowledged the equality of her spiritual claims, although unsupported by the outward dignity of temporal distinction. The sons of that great and wise establishment now join in communion, and in every reciprocal interchange of love and duty with their Episcopal brethren in this part of the island. Something of support, as well as of honour, has thus been conferred upon this Northern Church; while she, in return, holds examples, nurtured in her bosom, of a well-tempered zeal, of modest worth, and of professional learning, which well deserve to be studied and copied by the noblest and most prosperous establishments. Thus, happy in her connection from without, she is now no less happy in her situation at home. The jealousy of former times, let us thank God, is gone: the liberal and enlightened establishment from which she dissents, looks upon her almost with a kindred eye; and I am sure I may say, that, of all who dissent from it, she would be the last to touch its privileges with a rude and sacrilegious hand. While she is sincere in believing that her own constitution approaches nearer to the purity of primitive times, she yet acknowledges, with gratitude and veneration, that the established Church of Scotland has well performed its duty; that it has reared and fostered a thinking, a sober, and a religious people; that its roots are interwoven, and deservedly interwoven, with their habits and with their hearts; and she is well aware, that nothing short of its own internal corruption (happily, as little likely to ensue, as it would be deeply to be deplored,) ever can or ought to shake the stability of a Church, the labours and fidelity of whose ministers Providence has so long and conspicuously blessed. In every path of light and of religion, their distinguished names, indeed, may well awaken her emulation; but this is all the rivalry which she can ever feel. It is, in truth, her singular and characteristic glory, that she is not established; and they, I am convinced, know little of the peculiar honours to which she has it in her power to aspire, who, for a moment, would wish her to be so. It is her lofty destiny, (shall I say?) amidst the recollection of her former faith and sufferings; amidst her present friendly ties and friendly dissension; with the respect and protection of rulers, on whom, at the same time, she has no political dependence; fostered in a country conspicuous for the light of genius, of science, and of philosophy; it is more within her reach than perhaps has ever fallen to the lot of any other Christian body, to hold up to the eye of a civilized and inquisitive age, the truth, the simplicity, and the independent dignity of the Gospel; to unite the primitive model of apostolic faith and purity, with every thing enlightened, excellent, and wise, which has been evolved in the course of ages; and while her sons are separated unto the Gospel of God,' free, from political and worldly avocations, at the same time to exhibit them free from the narrowness of any partial sect, and wedded only to the boundless charities of their Master!" P. 34, We' |