NOTES.

Ir may be advisable to condense a part of Thorndike's argument, and to put it in somewhat plainer terms. He proves that the Church has not the power of the sword, by showing, first, that that power was previously lodged in other hands, and next, that our Lord did nothing to alter that previous arrangement; but as all temporal power is resolvable into the power of the sword, so the Church consequently possesses no temporal power: her members, of whatsoever rank and degree, are the subjects of the State, and her revenues precisely on the footing of any other private property. Thus far, in renouncing temporal power as the right of the Church, Thorndike may be said to agree with Erastus; but when he comes to state what the right of the Church is, we find him maintaining, with a skill equal to his candour, the independence and superiority of the Church, in things spiritual, with regard to the State. The right, then, which he claims for the Church, as one inherent in herself, which she owes to no human authority, and which, if need be, she is bound to exercise, even in despite of that authority, is "the right of holding assemblies." This term is a little one, and seems to imply little, but when we examine what it comprises, it will be found amply sufficient: for the right of holding assemblies means, a right to celebrate public worship, a right to administer the sacraments, a right to withhold admission to the one, and participation in the other, to all whom she judges unfit-in a word, the being the exclusive channel by which spiritual blessings are conveyed to the people; the power, in fact, of the keys. Now as this argument is intended to apply to all nations, it is necessary to make two premises-the one respecting its validity, the other its importance. The first premise, and which regards the validity of Thorndike's argument, is, that the Church spoken of is not any peculiar Church, or branch of the Church, as the Roman, the Greek, or the Anglican communion, but the Church Catholic, of which these all are branches; and this is necessary, in order to avoid the mixing up this question with another, viz., the catholicity of any particular communion. Thus we do not argue here whether the Anglican Church is, or is not, the sole channel of spiritual blessings to the Anglican people, but whether the CHURCH CATHOLIC is the sole channel for such blessings to the world at large. Hence the Wesleyan, for instance, and the Dissenter, may safely coincide in the position, inasmuch as it does not touch upon the ulterior question, whether they are, or are not, portions of the Catholic Church. The next postulate regards the importance of the argument, and it is this that there is a certain great advantage derivable from churchmembership. For various reasons, we shall not attempt here to define what, and how great, this advantage is; we merely premise that such advantage does exist, and that it is very great. And here we shall have all sects agreeing with us, and evincing their agreement by their unanimous application to themselves of the term catholic, and their indignant repudiation of the charge of schism whenever it is brought against them. This is a tacit but sufficient acknowledgment that a very high value is set, by all who call themselves Christians, on membership of the Church Catholic. Thus much, then, being granted us, we next notice, that though the Church has really exercised temporal

power, she has generally avoided the name of exercising it; even when the inquisition had found individuals guilty of heresy, she handed them over to the secular arm, with a hypocritical prayer for gentleness and mercy towards them. The Popes themselves were generally careful to distinguish between what they did as Popes, and therefore heads of the Roman Church, and what they did as sovereign and independent princes. We proceed to show that the right claimed for the Church by Thorndike is amply sufficient to maintain her in her legitimate position. "She standeth upon the right of holding assemblies;" and this right she is bound to exercise, even if the temporal authorities should prohibit it. "Men (it has been observed) are subjects before they are Churchmen, and are bound to obey the secular before the ecclesiastical authority." But this proposition is true in one sense, and false in another. Doubtless, if in things indifferent the secular and ecclesiastical authority take opposite sides, men are bound to obey the former; but this has reference only to the living authorities of the communion under which they are placed. The claim of the Church Catholic is prior to all others, and may not be postponed to that of any earthly sovereign. If, then, it be granted that the claim of the Church be paramount where she does command, and the value of membership of the body Catholic be so great and so universally appreciated, it will follow that men, actuated by this belief, will resign all, rather than the privileges connected therewith. If the Bible be believed-and it is the right of the Church in a Christian state of which Thorndike speaks-so high a value will be set upon the sacraments, that to be denied them will be the severest of punishments; one which men, even though not vitally religious, will not willingly incur : hence the power of excommunication is given to the Church as the greatest stretch of authority she may make; and as the Jews put men to death for offences against their ritual, so the Church, not having the power of the sword, thrusts out from her pale those who offend against hers. The temporalities of the Church are guarded by the sword of the civil law; and though we hear of ecclesiastical law and ecclesiastical courts, still they are really rather civil courts, deciding causes connected with the temporalities of the Church.

It is quite true that the lax discipline of modern times, arising out of practical infidelity, has rendered the authority of the Church little more than nominal. Hundreds of thousands are living in a state of selfexcommunication; and even granting the thousand and one communions which are to be found in this land, to be all portions of the one Catholic and Apostolic Church, it is yet evident, that though we may thereby make the number of Catholics greater, we do but increase the difficulties of enforcing any sufficient discipline. The theory of the Church which Thorndike propounds is, doubtless, the true one; but, in order to be practically available, it is necessary to ascertain, first, what communions are, and what are not, Catholic, and also to induce, by a strict discipline among Apostolic bodies, a more just idea of Church authority, and a higher value for the sacraments.

(a). i. e. Not under subjection to any foreign power.

(b). The Montanists were, as is well known, heretics, who sprung up about the year 171, in the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

They were so called from their leader, Montanus, a Phrygian by birth, on which account they have sometimes been called Phrygians and Cataphrygians. It is said by many that Montanus embraced Christianity only with a view of attaining to ecclesiastical dignities. It is, however, quite certain, that not finding the way so open for him as he seems to have expected, he gave out that he was inspired, and that the Holy Ghost had revealed to him certain truths not made known to the Apostles. These points had regard chiefly to discipline, which he made very austere, and refused to communicate with those whose habits he considered too indulgent. Thus it appears-and most important is it to mark this-that Montanus began with a schism even before a council had declared him guilty of heresy. Two ladies of rank and influence, and whom the ecclesiastical historians declare to have been more remarkable for zeal than virtue, named Priscilla and Maximilla, joined themselves to his society, and in a short time he had many followers. The slur cast upon the characters of Priscilla and Maximilla seems to be difficult to account for. It is hardly to be expected that persons of vicious conversation would join themselves to the most severe and ascetic of sects, unless, indeed, they were truly penitent, and then the implied sneer falls at once to the ground. Shortly after this, a council of the Bishops of Asia was assembled, which condemned the opinions of Montanus, and excommunicated his followers. This example was soon followed by the Western Churches; and the Montanists then set themselves up in opposition to the authority of the Church Catholic, and formed a sect, at the head of which were the heresiarch himself and the two women of whom mention has already been made. The tenets of the sect thus established were austere in the extreme: they refused communion with notorious offenders, and held that the bishops had no power to reconcile them to the Church; they held it unlawful to fly in times of persecution, condemned second marriage, and allowed the dissolution of such as were already contracted; they observed also three Lents. With regard to Montanus himself, they merely declared that the Holy Spirit had particularly enlightened him, and that he was not inspired like the Apostles. Of the eminent men who joined themselves to this sect, the most remarkable was Tertullian.-Eusebius Hist. Ecd., Lib. 5; Epiphanius, Hær. 48 and 51.

(c). A most important statement, but to be understood with due limitations.

(d). The comparison is between the Church, founded immediately by God, and the State, founded mediately by his Providence.

;

(e). The question of endowments is one which, though much has been written on both sides, is not one of much difficulty. Thorndike, in this passage, does not speak of building, but of founding Churches and hence, though the passage has been triumphantly quoted in favour of the voluntary system, it makes, in reality, nothing for it. It is a necessary consequence, that in times of difficulty and persecution, each Church should be anxious to have within itself all the elements of ecclesiastical order. Hence we find, that in order to render the Churches as much as possible independent of external assistance, the order of Bishops was multiplied to a great extent, and the number of Churches continually increased; all, however, dependent upon the

metropolitan or patriarchal sec. When, however, the times of persecution passed away, and a freer intercourse took place between the Churches in the different cities, it became no longer a matter of necessity to increase the number of bishops, but rather that of presbyters. The bishops, confining themselves to the peculiar duties of their office, were able to preside over many congregations; and intercourse between those congregations being unrestrained, the Church sought rather the aid of pastors to superintend the spiritual welfare of single villages, towns, or portions of towns. Hence, though it be perfectly true that a greater number of Churches were founded in times of persecution, yet those Churches were smaller in their extent, and more limited in the number of their members, than those which afterwards arose. But when, in addition to peace, the Church also enjoyed wealth, we are naturally led to expect again a new order of things will be observed with regard to the foundation both of congregations and of Churches, properly so called. And first as to the endowment of congregations, or of pastors for single congregations: it soon became the custom in the Church to have many presbyters attached to the service of one building; and this for obvious reasons: the large size of some of the early Christian Churches, and the splendour with which divine service was celebrated, rendered it absolutely necessary that such should be the case; and thus a great number of presbyters frequently attached to one Church had the spiritual oversight of a large number of persons worshipping there. It will hence appear a necessary consequence of rich endowments, that the number even of congregations should be diminished, while their magnitude was proportionably increased. With regard to Diocesan Churches, the same rule will be found to prevail; and another cause also contributed to render them fewer and larger, which was the wealth, patronage, and court favour heaped upon the prelates. The present is not the place to enquire whether the sudden change from a state sometimes of severe persecution, and at all times of great insecurity, to power, riches, and splendour, was one which tended to the spiritual improvement of the Church; but we have to show that the natural tendency of such a state of things was to exalt the dignity and diminish the number of the bishops. Wealth, power, and court favour, even though bestowed by the hand of a Roman Emperor, have their natural limits; and while it was to be expected that those prelates who were about the person of the sovereign would receive imperial marks of his favour and friendship, it was also necessary not to induce too great a difference among the chief pastors of the Church. It was a sound principle, and generally understood, that the office and not the person of Christ's ministers was to be the object of respect: hence, though personal regard might raise some prelates to wealth and worldly power, the principle of which we have spoken raised the rest to something like an equality, at least, as far as this was practicable. And thus the natural limits of these advantages operated in diminishing the number of diocesan bishops; while the peace which the Church enjoyed enabled them, without inconvenience, to preside over more extensive dioceses.

WILLIAM EDWARD PAINTER, STRAND, LONDON; PRINTER,

Tracts of the Anglican Fathers.

VOL. II.-PART VII.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.

BY WILLIAM TYNDALE,

SOME TIME CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH, PRESBYTER AND MARTYR.

(Reprinted from the Works of Tyndale; Edition of 1573),

THE NATURE OF

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST'S DEATH,

AND

THE INFINITE MERIT OF HIS SUFFERINGS:

BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

THOMAS BILSON, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

(Reprinted from the Edition of 1599).

"Ask for the Old Paths."

WILLIAM EDWARD PAINTER, STRAND, LONDON.