THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH AND THE SIN AND EVILS OF SCHISM. Importance of the subject.-I. Direct affirmation of Scrip- ture.-II. Schism directly forbidden.-III. Unity ob- ject of our Saviour's prayer.-IV. Primitive Church on Unity.-V. Schism a Sin.--VI. Evils of Schism exhausts resources of the Church, promotes unholy tempers, gives Inconsistent facts in use of Liturgies.-Arguments in favor of Liturgies.-I. Holy Scriptures sanction them.-II. From our Saviour's practice and precept.-III. Prac- tice of the Inspired Apostles.-IV. Practice of the Prim- itive Church.-V. Are adapted to our Spiritual wants.— VI. Their spiritual nourishment.-VII. Conservative of Christian doctrine.-VIII. Testimony of non- -Episcopa- Objections to extemporaneous prayers in public worship.— I. Not sanctioned by Scripture.-II. Lead to irreve- rence-III. Are mere forms.-IV. Infirmities of the speaker.—V. May be medium of private and offensive views.-VI. Distract public devotions. American Liturgy-I. It is comprehensive.—II. Particular. --III. Scriptural.-IV. Evangelical.-V. Catholic.— POPULAR OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE CHURCH ANSWERED. I. First objection.-The Church opposed to the spirit of PREFACE. THE circumstances under which the present work was commenced, are briefly as follows: About a year since, the Author was led to prepare a small work, "Reasons why I am a Churchman," which in a few months passed into a fourth edition, and has been instrumental in guiding more than one inquirer into the Church of Christ. A portion of the religious press, however, and some judicious friends, advised to an enlargement of that pamphlet, by presenting the arguments in favor of the Church more fully, and by giving more at length the authorities there cited. To have done this, however, would have entirely changed the character of that work. He determined, therefore, to leave that pamphlet in its original form, and to give the leading arguments for the Church more at large, in a separate work, and, if possible, in a manner suited to the present state of the public wants. To do this has been the object in preparing the present volume; and he now sends it abroad into the world, relying for its usefulness and success only upon God's promise to bless the truth, and guide and guard His Church. He has not written in a spirit of controversy, or merely for the amusement of any class of readers. Human life is too short, and its final issues too momentous, for him to write, or them to read, for such an end. But if, amid the unsettled and changing religious opinions of this century, amid the throwing down of old foundations, and the defacing of old landmarks, any (and he believes that the number of such are rapidly increasing) are earnestly searching after the eternal, unchanging truths of God, which He has revealed, and as He has revealed them, such persons are affectionately invited to study well the the following pages. He alone has the key-note to the present volume, who is willing to receive the oracles of Heaven with the docility of a little child, even though they humble human pride, and break down that idolatrous SELF-WILL, which is the besetting and growing sin of the present age, among us; while, at the same time, they exalt God, and, in Christ, restore fallen man to that oneness with the Father, which was lost at the first apostacy. Should this unpretending volume receive attention from any who differ from the views contained in it, to such he would say, that he will pay all due respect to any effort, made in manly and Christian honesty, to overthrow the main positions here laid down; but he has nothing in store but silence and pity in return for that bitter spirit of acrimony, which, in absence of argument, so often attempts to heap ridicule upon the most awful truths of God, and upon the blood-bought institutions of his only Son, Jesus Christ. The writer has written under the conviction that we live in an eventful day, and that both prophecy and providence point to the future, as fraught with the deepest interest. He has written, therefore, in soberness, but yet with earnestness, and, as he trusts, under the chastening influence of the responsibility which he necessarily assumes, who, in the midst of a distracted world, claims to be a SURE AND SAFE GUIDE IN THE WAY OF THE CHURCH, to a haven of rest and peace. |