The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-01 00:00:00

their heavenly principal ? And yet such seems to be the fact
when they confound church membership with faith, or so
magnify the ministrations belonging to their office as to leave
it to be inferred that except through their instrumentality
there can be no salvation.
In addition, the church has weapons enough raised against
her, warning us how those who ventured on this course
wandered away, endangered their own safety, made wreck
of their faith, and left au exainple to future ages. The Jew-
ish nation has shown us what it is to make a boast of faith,
to ascribe undue importance to outward ordinances, to pride
themselves as the people of the Lord, to be satisfied that they
were Israelites, and that they were of the seed of Abraham.
The proof furnished by the Rotnish church comes nearer
home. In their creed they hold their own, as we do.
Practically, their dependence was—shall I not say,
is ?—in their church. To be without that pale was the
loss of salvation ; to be within that pale was indispensable to
salvation ; to receive absolution from the priest was—might I
not say is ?—security. Having claimed the power of sanctifi-
cation, with the washing away of sips, and that church hav-
ing, in short, placed herself in Christ's stead, we know all
that we will know of what would lead to confusion and ter-
rible consequences.
My Rev. Brethren,—l combat what I hold to be a mistaken
view of the church and ministry, because I believe it to be mis-
taken, and not because it is inexpedient to maintain. If the
doctrine I oppose be true, let it be upheld without reference to
expediency or inexpediency ; but certainly if it be not true, we
have every reason which discretion can furnish to forbid of our
preaching it. Had an enemy devised the plan, he could not
have fallen upon one more likely to effect his purpose. We
have to reclaim the population of the established church of the
land, which has been in a greater or lesser degree estranged
from her through causes to which I am unwillingtoallude, that
I may not seem anxious to accuse my nation ; estranged at least
we may say through causes over which the present generation
are notaccountable, and which we are strongly endeavouring to
remove. Can we admit a doubt concerning the way in which we
should approach such a population ? Must it not be on the
broad principles of the gospel, proclaiming the mercy of God
in not imputing their trespasses into them, but in reconciling
the world unto himself. Are we not to set before persons,
circumstanced as a large proportion of the people of this
country have been, the exclusive privileges of the church as
not the way in which we can expect to draw them within her
walls ? If they are to be so drawn, the apostles must be our
models, who, whether towards the instructed or the unin-
structed people, exercised their office with meekness, raised
no unnecssary barriers against truth, which nature is but too
reluctant to conceive, and who even made personal conces-
sions, if by any means they might win souls. In this one
thing they were incessant, namelpf in proclaiming the only
name under heaven whereby man might he saved. Let this
be our example. Whilst welcannot avoid desiring to remove
the prejudices of our enemies, let us show that our first
anxiety is that they should be converted to God ; and, as our
God will not be evil spoken of, let not ourzeal be ascribed to
party spirit or private interest, which really spring from
honest and just convictions.
I am sure, my rev. brethren, you will judge me candidly
while I specially revert to other matters. When so much is
being accomplished to render our church available to all
her people, I must not be suspected of disparaging her mi-
nistry, or undervaluing their sacred callings. How could I,
knowing, as I must, the disinterested duty, the self-im-
posed exertions, the self-denying labours, which prove to me
their election in God to the office they hold. Oh ! can I think
light of a ministry of which 1 have so many opportunities
of seeing most instrumental to the highest purposes of
divine mercy, which I see so successfully employed in
enlightening the blind, civilising and fertilising the wilder-
ness, and which I see made able, through the grace given them,
to reclaim the profligate, to comfort the mourner, to strengthen
the weak-hearted, and to send light into the darkest re-
cesses of human indigence. What can I but admire the
man who, animated with no other feeling than a zeal for
God's glory and compassion for his fellow-creatures, goes
forth with his Bible in his hand to meet the contradictions of
the infidel and the sneers of the scorner, pursuing the service
of his Lord, not among green pastures or beside the waters
of comfort, but amid scenes of wretchedness and degra-
dations into which only Christian love could carry them.
And so main we love and revere our church, for we be-
lieve that it is founded on the prophets and apostles, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone, and also because
we believe that God has appointed her to great and peculiar
distinction. There are other congregations of Christians
which profess the same truth. We honour those also, and
gladly say, " Peace be with all men that love the Lord
Jesus Christ with sincerity ;" but we attach especial im-
portance to the church of the English nation, and we rejoice
that it has pleased God to distinguish her as a witnesss to
himself. We are thankful that the reformed church, of
which most is known in foreign countries is the church
which has most strictly adhered to primitive doctrine
and discipline, and which most nearly approximates both
in her articles and creed, as well as in the order of her
ministry to scripture itself, and to what may be proved from
scripture. Let us, thelefore, be content with these advan-
tages, and let all boasting be excluded. It is no sign of great-
ness to vaunt of authority. In the sight of man as well as
God, he that humbleth himself is more likely to he exalted
Then he who assumes an air of autnority, which could never be
entrusted to man in after ages as it was to the apostles, unless
men like the apostles were enabled to read the heart. But
though none can forgive sins but God alone, and though rege-
neration is not of the will nor of the work of man but of God,
yet God,whose spirit goeth where it listeth,has given much to us
which we may justly prizeas a talent, and esteem as an office
of infinite importance sufficient to give us cause to tremble
at the position we hold. It is much to sit in the apostle's
seat, and to hold the office they did. We, like the apostles,
are ambassadors for Christ. Our calling is like theirs. We
entreat men for Christ's sake to be reconciled to God. We
are stewards of his mysteries. We are overseers and
shepherdi of his flock. As successful ambassadors, as
faithful stewards, as diligent overseers, and as watchful
shepherds of the flock, if we have the holy spirit work-
ing within us, enabling us to do of his great power, we shall
need no higher honour, and we shall want no greater dig-
nity. And is in no other way can we attain to real dignity.
so in no other way can we assure to ourselves the authority
to which we are called. We cannot in this land of light
maintain the fatal claims which the Roman priests assume,
and which nothing except the darkness in which they
enshrouded their people could enable them to take. We I
pity them, whether deceivers or deceived. God forbid
that we should ever intimate them. The church, the
flock of the true shepherd, will mot fail to be distinguished.
We will, at least, be as much distinguished as it is good
that frail and fallible man should be esteemed. We shall
have to the full as much honour as we can bear. The
greatest joy Christ experienced was when His children
walked after the truth, and the surest sign of an apostle
is when he is diligent in " works of faith, labours of love, and
patience of hope," which his disciples exercised, and were
known by exercising, and which resulted from the
knowledge that God was with them. "To turn many
to righteousness ;" that is real pre-eminence; "to win
souls to Christ ;" that is lasting honour; "to take heed
to ourselves and to the doctrines ;" that is both to our-
selves and them that hear us ; "to preach the word ;" " to
be instant in season and out of season ;" to testify both
publicly and from house to house " repentance towards god
and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ ;" that is to be a
successor of the apostles—to be gentle unto all men ;" in
meekness instructing those who oppose themselves ;" that
is to be a man of God. While many who have been first
shall be last, those who adhere most faithfully, and " turn
many from darkness to light, and from the power of satan
unto God," will have the surest rejoicing, and shall wear the
brightest crown.
• His lordship then retired from the communion, and the
service terminated. We understand that at the request of
the clergy the charge will be published.