upon his ministerial character, and his right to preach the gospel, and to be accounted a minister of Christ, and a steward of the mysteries of God.

But in the Tractarian theology, this test of ministerial character is repudiated, or set at nought. It virtually declares that moral or religious character in a minister of Christ is no object-or at least an object of a subordinate kind,* and that in trying the validity of a minister's character, or of his ministerial functions, the question should not be; is he holy or unholy-skilful or unskilful in the word of righteousness-is he the preacher of truth, or the teacher of error? but the grand inquiry should be has he been ordained by a bishop, and by a bishop descended from the apostles, in that genealogical line formed by those monsters of iniquity-the popes of Rome; then, though he may be an ignorant man, and a wicked man, yet he has the one thing needful of a true minister of Jesus Christ. Now what is this but to declare in opposition to our Lord, that the tree may be corrupt, but the fruit may be good; and that men may easily

*Ordination is a rite, partaking in a high degree of the sacramental character: and as the sacraments be effectual because of Christs' institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men, so the grace of ordination may be conveyed down by virtue of our Lord's institution, even through the hands of evil men. Nor is it much to the purpose as regards our duty towards it (the church), what are the feelings and spiritual state of its officers. Tracts 77, 89.

gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles.*

That we are guilty of no misrepresentation on this subject is evident from the following extract: "a minister may be deficient and untaught, so that his sermons shall exhibit a wrong system of doctrine. The sacraments may be administered by hands impure enough to sully their sanctity: he may nevertheless be a messenger of the God of the whole earth, by whose words a christian congregation may be instructed and nourished, though in the main the given lesson be falsehood, and the proffered sustenance be little better than poison."+

How surprising is this language! how fitted to awaken consternation and alarm in every pious mind! A man to be the victim of error and immorality, the dispenser of falsehood and poison, and yet an useful and edifying preacher! O the evils of prejudice, or party spirit, or of blind attachment to worldly systems! Is this in accordance with the truth that "the elders should be ensamples to the flock," and that, "if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch ?"

* Shall this Apostolic Succession be conveyed down to the priesthood of Protestant England through the medium of such wicked and impure vessels as these. ?

The answer to this question involves a principle of great importance of such importance, that, did people rightly understand it, all the conventicles in England would fall in a day. That principle is this: that the efficacy of the ministration is not affected by the unworthiness of the minister.-F. A. Glover, Rector of Charlton.

+ Melvill's Sermons, vol. 1,

1

According to this sentiment we must believe that there are cases in which the servant of God is a less dignified character than the servant of the devil,—and that dean Swift* was more truly a minister of Jesus Christ than Dr. Watts. The man of immorality and vicethe publisher of books to corrupt the public mind-the seducer of females-the shameful destroyer and heartless panegyrist of Stella and Vanissa, more truly a minister than that amiable man, whose psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs-whose blameless life and pastoral care-whose versatile genius, and whose voluminous productions prove him to have been one of the most useful, pious, and intelligent ministers that England ever saw. Yet in the estimation of Puseyism, he was no minister at all, and not worthy to be compared with the dean of St. Patrick's, merely because he was lacking in the article of episcopal ordination!!!

The

Why should a sentiment containing such an outrage on Scripture, on reason, on morality, and on common sense, be promulgated and maintained? The answer is obvious. time is come, or at least is coming, when every human institution, and every order of menand every pretender to apostolic dignity must be brought to the light of divine truth. Now

* A thoroughly irreligious man.-W. Wilberforce, Esq.

K

74 APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION AN APOLOGY, &c.

there is a great body of the clergy who could not endure that light, lest their deeds should be reproved: but still, for political reasons their clerical reputation must be provided for, and kept up; and unable of making a successful appeal to their piety or zeal, or usefulness, they fall back on the succession, making it their strong hold in the day of trial; and, forgetting the claims of righteousness and of truth, give utterance to those bold assertions concerning it, which can only be reconciled with the principles of infidelity, or with religious insanity, or with a desire to support at all hazards, the dignity and consequence of their clerical profession. But this defence will soon fail them of support. The Bible is against it, reason is against it-morality is against it-the piety and intelligence of the world is against it-therefore it is doomed to fall, and will soon become like chaff, which the wind driveth away.

CHAPTER VIII.

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION UTTERLY USEless.

Utility an important test-Apostles still our teachers—no need therefore of successors-mast eminent preachers and writers unsuccessional-Canterbury Cathedral-grandeur-enormous wealth-Bishop of London-number of City ChurchesJohn Wesley--Wickedness of Canterbury--Thom--Boughton-Dunkirk Church-public houses-Sabbath trading-frequenters of taverns, theatres, horse races, &c., connected with the succession South sea Islands evangelized without it,-Jamaica not evangelized with it-wonderful success of the missionaries -but succession good for nothing.

sensus moresque repugnant,

Atque ipsa utilitas, justi, prope mater et aequi.*

Horace

MONSTROUS doctrine of apostolic succession, "thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting." What benefit didst thou ever confer on the world or on the church of God; what beautiful structure of zeal, and piety, and benevolence, was ever supported on thy foundation? To say that many a holy and useful minister has been in the succession is nothing to the purpose; but it would be to the purpose, and it would be most convincing to shew

* Common sense and morality are against it, and utility itself the mother nearly of right and equity.