they were fitted and qualified; what was their authority; what their powers; how they exercised them; and what says the scriptures on these subjects. I trust that I shall be pardoned in being thus particular in the groundwork of my plan, for if my foundations are not substantial and good, the superstructure may be damaged: I wish to see the truth for myself, and for others to see it. If the Church of Rome is right, according to the truth and revelation of God, let all flock to it, and let every sect and denomination strike their colours, and seek safety and repose within its bosom. If the Oxford party are right, who profess a hatred for Popery and popish domination, let us join them, and make common cause against all opposers. The Church of England, the prelacy and clergy as by law established, are at any rate in great danger between these conflicting parties; but still, if this is right, let us rally round it and strengthen its tottering walls. I have referred to the commission given to the apostles in general terms, but there are some distinguishing and particular powers delegated to them, which it would not be wise to pass over unheeded, before I examine how far their actions correspond with their high commission. When the Lord called his twelve disciples and gave them power, he said (Matt. x. 9), "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; no scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves, for the workman is worthy of his meat;" and further (verse 16), "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, but beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues,

and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak, for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." (Verse 23) "But when they persecute ye in this city, flee ye unto another; for verily say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come."

I

I think we cannot fail to see in these directions an elevated heavenly standard, requiring supernatural aid to imitate; and may we not, in the year of our Lord 1839, look round on all sects, and enquire where we are to find successors to the apostles. We exclaim, in mercy shew us apostolical succession. When our Lord put this question to his disciples, " But whom say ye that I am?" Matt. xvi. 15, "Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it: and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven," (see chap. xviii. 18, and John xx. 23). "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever ins ye retain, they are retained." I am, &e.

AMEN.

LETTER IV.

Mr. EDITOR,

THE last quotation from the scriptures in my third letter, exhibits the climax of apostolic power and authority, for all other gifts are comparatively insignificant to this, the forgiveness of sins; but such is the testimony of God in the sacred volume, that after the resurrection of our Lord, it is recorded, that "He breathed on them (his apostles) and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." This royal prerogative was clearly delegated to the apostles, and if there be apostolical succession in the full, and enlarged, and extended sense of this term, it must belong to some order of men to exercise this power of the forgiveness of sins; and it must be a matter of infinite importance to weak, erring, sinful man, to know with whom this power is entrusted, and what is required

C

of him to be a partaker of this heavenly boon. If there be one sect or party possessing this power or privilege exclusively as successors, and the only authorized, legal, and spiritual successors to the apostles, possessing in degree the same power as the apostles possessed to forgive or remit sins: surely every man would be heard to exclaim, As the hart panteth after the water-brook, so panteth my soul after this sect, that I may receive at its hands the forgiveness or remission of my sins. It may be that apostolic succession has flowed down through, and is confined to the Church of Rome. It may be found limited to the Church of England, to her bishops and clergy, who not only are privileged to declare and pronounce to all them that are truly penitent the absolution and remission of their sins, but authoritatively to pronounce over the dying, "By Christ's authority committed unto me, I absolve thee from all thy sins;" or, as the Church of Rome holds, that after death their prayers and intercessions are available, for pardoning and remitting the sins of an individual which were unpardoned before he died. I feel it to be a matter of deep interest; surely in the nineteenth century it ought not to remain a matter of doubt, if there be a possibility of proof, nor ought the professing christian world to manifest indifference on such a momentous subject as this, nor should the press-that mighty engine— treat this all-absorbing subject with inattention. The time is come, Mr. Editor, when I trust every newspaper in the kingdom will follow the liberal example which you have set them.

It is however quite certain, that the Lord gave this

power to his apostles, and if there be successors they ought to possess the same power: "By their fruits ye shall know them." Before I proceed I will notice the other expression which denotes power, a similar power, "THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN;" that this power was given to Peter, no one can deny who believes the scriptures, that whatsoever he should bind on earth should be bound in heaven, and whatsoever he should loose on earth should be loosed in heaven. It will be observed that the term is in the plural, not the key but the keys, and it is easy to understand by this figure, that as a key is for the purpose of unlocking a door, and so gaining admittance to a house, or city or domain, these keys entrusted to Peter were for the purpose of opening the kingdom of heaven; that is, that he should have the power, for a key is an emblem of power: and in the execution of the trust reposed in him by the Lord of life and glory, we observe in the recorded Acts of the Apostles, that Peter was faithful in the due discharge of his official powers. In the second chapter of the Acts, if I mistake not, Peter uses the first key, when filled with the Holy Ghost, he began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance, and expounded the scriptures of the prophets to the "JEWS, devout men out of every nation under heaven;" and in conclusion he said (verse 36), "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ," and the result of this was, that of these Jews three thousand souls believed, and were added to them, and continued stedfastly in