New-York tribune., 1873-12-13

all this he would surely be Judged not to have any de-
cided repuguance to Presbyterian ordination. But
Cranmer and the other leaders OF the English Reforma
ton left record direct and conclusive evidence
OF their opinions this subject Their opinions II
be here remarked are asceraned by Inference from
few old phrases left standing In the Prayer Book but
from their personal declarations, supported and illus
trated as these by their uniform conduct.
DR.. Drumm comedies that the Church Of England
in communion with the other Protestant churches but
he sets forth hypothesis to account for which
not but consider historically groundless. His expana-
ton in substance that the Reformers generally be-
lieved I'm Episcopacy the true ana right form OF
church government and that, for this reason the En-
gsh kept up their connection with their Protestant
brethren. and maintained communion with them until
t ceased & to be virtue the real
its hight the English accorded with the Continental Re
ferent, which church might adopt reject at It's Will
II their liberation or forbearance either side'
during the period TO which refer IL was exercised eo
ward the English more than by them and was 80 under
stood by both parties.
his Address the Mobiles of the German Nation struck
at the root OF the tree by denying the existence Oh
sal priesthood of disciples company OF pious III
adeser could choose of their number to be their MN
as If all the bishops in the world had consecrated him
This doctrine was the keynote TO the Reformation ~
in all count rie aud by none enphaticaly than by
Cranmer. With him was mingled with very Strong
infusion OF Erasans. " IL all the bishops ana priests
in region dead" be SAYS 1t Is not forbidden by
the divine law that the king OF that region should
clares that bishops priests originally and intrn
scay the same class OF ministers and that or ordination
and consecration comely ceremonies but are not
necessary I is true that Lutheran Reformers had
no objection Episcopacy as an ecclesastca arrange
me1t. existing lure humane Bishops retained in
Sweden and, the form OF superntendents. IN Den
mark The Lutherans expressed thelr view I'D tne oiai
caldic Articles where they affirm the parity of the
clergy declare Episcopacy, or the precedence OF one
over others q human institution and assert that when
ordinary bishops become enemesof the church, re-
fuse ordain the church can dispense with them since
with the church the right 70 call elect and ordain
ministers. Melanchthon wanted bishops. and Luther
would not have objected to them as preventive
tyranny Of the civil authority. In England. gen;
orally speaking the SANE aSp wnn ant
by the name Of superintendent The principles Of Cal
vim this subject were In harmony with those OF Luther
Melanchthon, and Cranmer. / am acquainted with the
story of the intecepted letter which Srype has taken
up his Life OF Parker bat know OF no evidence to
lead think that Calvin wished to have Eplscopaey
introduced into the Reformed churches which mad gwen
tain bishops and ho felt no repugnance TO the exercise
OF presidency. superintendence OF ohclal superiority
by the church Such station in reality though not In
name, he leld himself at Geneva. When swiss diynes
which they wished TO see reformed; but to bishops
such they had no repugnance When English divines
went SIasburg, Zurich or Geneva, they felt not the
slightest scrupes account of the parity of the clergy
which they found TO DO there established
grew warm This controversy mp partly out OF the
fondness which Bagish dvines acquired during their
For long period the advocates of the Anglican pohty
the defensive T1is was not from any spirit Of
forbearance much less OF cOndescens0n TOWARD the
foreign churches but because they had no thought OF
claiming for their poity jWs drino sanction, and
any obligation TO adopt it, A jure dFipO theory OF
church polity first broached on the Puritan side.
The Anglcans opposed them by denying that forms OF
Gnuron M oct waved hot in the latter part of Ella
beth reign class Of defenders of Epscopscy arose. OF
whom Hooker is the chief. who held that this poity be-
ay prevailed and being conducivo to order should be
everywhere retained unless peculiar circumstances for
bid acceptance. These writers, however, do not
ser the ure dicno theory in the proper OF the
terms, since they recognize the foreign Protestant
churches as true churches and their ministry lawfully
OF foremost Episcopal divines OF the seventeenth
SHiingfieet usher Thought that the churches Ho
land had less for dropping Epscopacy than the
churches OF France yet he says, II do profess that
with like a.ction should receive the blessed sacra-
ment at the hands OF the Dutch ministers If in
Holland, should do at the hands of the French min
listers If / at Charenton" Hall loves and reveres
Protestant churches abroad as the dear sisters or
Another element requisite to constitute the full
blown doctrine of jre divino Episcopacy This was the
sacerdotal theory the doctrine of continued particu-
lar priesthood. which the Reformers had unanimously
rejected IL TO be claimed that the clergy are
through virtue of the exclusive right of the Episcopal
order to cOnsecrae and ordaD, sepcrpetuating body
transmitting through an unbroken channel the grace that
qualities ministry for their office that the church
tho body of the aityhave lost out OF their hands the
power create aud orain their minister's This theory
logically carried with it the rupture OF communion with
the non-EpscopaI Protestant bodies, and as far 1t
As the alleged fOrbearance OF the Anglican Church
and OF It's dvnes nonngis more apparent III the history
the English Reformation than the Difference felt and
expressed 10y the Anglican leaders toward the ReOrmers
the Continent, who led in the great revolt against
Rome and the guides of the Protestant religious
communities abroad. The circumstances OF England in
party naturally led the English seek the
counscs and lean upon the sympathy OF their conti
mental brethren Certain 1t Is that the former perpetu
ally turned foreign dvines tor advice When the
troubles arose among the English eXes at Frankfort be-
ward Bishop Ely. aud their opponents. led by KNOX
the first manifestation of the differences that led to the
on the question whether ministers should be equal
power whether precedence should be given to
OF them Both factions by colnnon instinct appealed
10 Calvin for advice Afterward, when the Puritan
troversy broke forth in England both parties applied foT
encouragement and support to zarch ana Geneva The
personal mhuouce OF Calvin and Buinger in En-
gland, especially after Ridley and Cranmer adopted the
swiss doctrine OF the Sdcrainent was Tor ong time
well nigh authoritative Their treatises were the text
books IN theology recommended 10 the clergy every
where IN Their hands Their names were spoken with
reverence. We in the writings OF Hooker at time
when the contest with the Purtans beginning to
break up TINS old naD OF unqualified respect Tor Calvin
how much OF this eeng still remains. Hooker not only
saws that Calvin did the he could III his church
rangemenS at Geneva but no pr0n9unces an elaborate
and glowing euOgy upon him and his wrltings-ln en-
cOnium which fear that many VINO are accustomed TO
praise Hooker without STINT have never read II be
said that In the Puritan conflict the Anglican divines
system and from expressions disparasiug TO the for
eign churches. this Is true Whitgft asserts this
But this reserve, due in great part though 1t
was TO traternal feeling was partly conse
Hevetic RefOrners and their churches This iii which
leads Whitgft to quote Calvin Zwinge Bullnger. aud
aus he himse; regarded them With profound resoect
ana esteem In the first three Protestant reigns do
not find the Anglican Church. nor any party IN the An
gcan Church, taking airs In reference to other Prot
bodies There was no temptation 10 this sort OF
arrogance /; and if II had shown itself. it would have
met with swift rcbuke from the great men who
guiding the fortunes OF Protestantism the Continent
sacerdotal theory of the ministry is responsible
for the separation. far as 1t exists OF the Church Of
England from the other Protestant churches. In
England however the Puritan churches were shut out
on an independent ground, as beng schsmatlcal The
sacerdOta theory conriOutOn OF the school OF Laud
Germs OF II may perhaps he found earlier. II may be
implied in isolated expressions OF former Anglican
writers; but 1t takes than swallow TO make
Spriug Thomas BecOn the chaplain OF Cranmer,
earnestly contends his voumnOus Catechism, that
priest IN the Eucharstic service is the equivaleL
not OF "sacerdos" but Of "presbyter," ana that II