LETTERS TO A FRIEND,

&c

LETTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

MY DEAR

I HAVE received your letter. What you advance as argument carries no conviction to my mind; but I quite agree with you when you say that "unity without truth is not christian peace; but on the contrary, a conspiracy against the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour."

I love peace, and endeavour, as far as lieth in me, to live peaceably with all men: but I love truth even better than peace, and admire the spiritual heroism which urged

B

:

Luther to exclaim, "Let heaven and earth be blended in confusion, rather than a particle of gospel truth should be given up." Would to God the happy period were arrived, when truth and peace shall dwell together when the glass being removed through which we now see darkly, we shall see face to face, and know even as we are known, and love even as we are loved: and when all our brethren in Christ, of various climes and churches and secessions, the elect of God from the four winds, shall know as we know, and love as we love! Blessed prospect! O that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away and be at rest!

But it may not yet be. Our Lord's intercession for us, for the present, is, not that we should be taken out of the world, but that we should be kept from the evil: the apostolical exhortation so strenuously pressed upon us all, is, that we should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints; and the promises of eternal life are emphatically made to "them that endure to the end." Controversy is inevitable. And in proportion as we are sincere and fervent, controversy

will be pressing. But let us remember always, that sound reasoning, with competent information upon the subject in debate, should give weight to our matter; and that meekness and moderation and modesty and love should be the unaffected characteristics of our O! dear friend, let us

manner.

evermore feel so truly grieved by the painful necessity of opposing one another, as to render it morally impossible for us to use harshness, or railing, or sarcasm in so doing.

For the most part, your appeal is to the written word of God, as the all-sufficient and final rule of faith. In this I very cordially agree. You cannot be more resolutely determined than I am, to maintain this fundamental principle of Protestantism, and to reject all commandments and traditions of men, as doctrines to be believed for everlasting salvation. On this point, I rejoice to think that we are all of one mind, and that our deliberate and unanimous judgment is fully and strongly expressed in the sixth article of the Church of England. Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor

may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

There may indeed be some risk of adding fresh requirements of faith, by those who imagine that fresh inspiration is given in our days, so plenary and direct as to supersede any accompanying exercise of human fallible reason. But this risk does not attach to us, who remain conscientious members of the Church of England; but to you and your companions in separation. And truly, your letter contains intimations, darkly and mystically expressed indeed, yet sufficiently alarming, and no less inconsistent than alarming, of God being above his word, and of the voice of God, rendering any further reference, not only needless, but infidel.

I am willing, nay anxious, to believe that these expressions are but the phrases of the party which you have unhappily joined, and that you do not really mean what they convey. It may be of the utmost benefit to you, to have your attention directed to this point, before you go forward in your present

path; for as yet your direct and unequivocal, and obviously honest appeals, are to the holy Scriptures only.

The points of difference between us are various; but they all hinge upon the authority of the christian church which you once fully and scripturally admitted; and the supposed paramount authority of certain utterances, to which you now yield, even to the renunciation of your former opinion, and the casting away of your former allegiance. I have heard you defend the ordinances of the church, and condemn the sin of schism; but now, what was sin in your eyes has become duty, and what you once esteemed as a duty, you now condemn in me as a sin.

Upon these points it is my purpose to write you a few letters, as I shall be able to command time from my professional and other occupations: and, with the honesty of a friend who is convinced you are in error, and the affectionate earnestness of a brother in Christ, who loves you and desires your present happiness and eternal salvation, I entreat your candid attention. Scriptural argumentation, reasonable deduction, affection