LETTER XIII.

Mr. EDITOR,

true.

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION is true, or it is not This subject is not idle and speculative, it is connected very closely with religion, and the religion of protestants, or I ought to say with the religion revealed in the scriptures-the religion of God. There is or there is not a standard of truth, I mean religious truth. If there be a standard, it is the Bible, that book is a record of God's dealings with his creatures; and in a country professedly christian, acknowledging the scriptures as the basis of christianity or real religion, I need not urge this point, that this holy book must or ought to be our only guide-" All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," 2 Tim. iii. 16, So that whatever pretensions men may put forth as to religion, either as it regards doctrine, discipline, or

practice, we must go to the fountain head for direction and see whether these things be so or not.

It is perfectly useless to refer to human authority when we have divine. The opinions of men are fallible, whether they might have been denominated divines, or fathers, or commentators. God has given

to us-even the meanest-his word, to be a light to our feet and a lantern to our paths, and I trust that the time is come when christians will pay less attention to human authority and more attention to divine, that every opinion, and sect, and denomination, and doctrine, will be brought to the crucible of revelation, and tried as silver and gold is tried on the fire. This n furnace of divine truth, is wisely adapted for purifying, so that all wood, hay, stubble, may be consumed, and that alone which is precious remain.

I might have multiplied authority upon authority, from mere human writers, in examining this subject of apostolical succession, as put forth by THE OXFORD PARTY in the nineteenth century; but of what avail would this have been? it would only have been opposing the opinions of one set of men against another, and thus have left the sincere and anxious enquirer at a loss to decide which was right: something like an ancient custom in this country, when the truth and justice of a man's cause was decided by an appeal to arms.

I have endeavoured to examine this pretension by the scriptures the safest, the surest, the best, the only directory-believing this to be the proper standard, the only guide, respecting a subject that is primarily a religious one, although it may be regarded

by the mere politician a fearful engine of party or political power, to be used and directed against the liberties of the people. I take it that we are not to judge of a subject as to its truth or falsehood by its effects or consequences, and reject a truth because we apprehend certain consequences will result; but if we have the means of testing an original subject, it must stand or fall on its own merits irrespective of all consequences. The real question-the original subject-the genuine primary truth involved in this enquiry is a religious one, and there is no other mode of testing its truth or falsehood for our approval or disapproval, but by that assay of truth, the revelation that God has made to man.

If my political liberty were to be endangered by the truth of God as it regards religion, I must not as a religious or christian man seek to evade the truth for fear of my political privileges. If apostolical succession were of God, I am bound to obey God rather than men. But in order to try this question whether it be true or false, I must not try it by its effects or consequences civilly or politically, but I must try it religiously, and abide the consequences.

There can be no doubt that our civil and religious liberties are alike threatened and endangered by this question, and if it should be proved to have no foundation in the scriptures, then, not only religion, but civil and religious liberty would be benefited. But abstractly the question must be tested by the scriptures-whether apostolic succession be of God, or whether it be a pure invention of man,

for religious, civil, and political domination over the rights, privileges, and consciences of his fellow men.

In my last letter I endeavoured to show that all apostolic rule and power was to cease and determine at the second appearing or coming of the Lord, and that this event had occupied the attention of christians and infidels. I then gave a few quotations to justify this remark, and will now proceed to the only proof that we have upon this vital subject.

cons

Peter says, in the year of our Lord 66, "We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and COMING of our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Peter i. 16 James, in the year 60, writes to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, in the midst of their persecute from their unbelieving brethren, and encourages them in the midst of the fiery trials which they had to endure for Christ's sake, in this manner-" Be patient therefore, brethren, UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD. Stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord DRAWETH NIGH, behold the Judge standeth before the door," chap. v. 7. This is sufficient to show that all through the apostolic ministry, THEY were "looking for, and hasting unto, the coming of the day of God."

I have already directed attention to the question put by the disciples to their Lord "Tell us when' shall these things be? and what shall be the sign' of thy COMING, and of the end of the world?" Matt. xxiv. The matters then about which they so anxiously enquired, were the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem, the coming of the Lord, and the end of the world (or age), and what should be the sign' of

6

these things-" But when' shall these things be, and what sign' will there be, when these things shall come to pass?" Luke xxi. That the Lord did not tell them the precise time when all these things should be fulfilled, that is within forty years, is accounted for by his declaration, " But of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is." Matt. xiii. 32. But that the Lord would have them know the time of the fulfilment of these things by the signs' is manifest, therefore our mode of ascertaining when the coming of Christ, &c. should take place, must be by attending to the signs. If we can prove by the scriptures the signs fulfilled, we necessarily prove that the events connected with those signs are also fulfilled.

What then are the signs? They are enumerated by the Lord, who said, "Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ: take heed that no man deceive you. Ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars; see that ye be not troubled:' for all these things must come to pass, but the end' is not yet. Nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. THEN shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake, &c. But he that shall endure unto the end' the same shall be saved." Matt. xxiv. 5-8.

I beg to remark, that all these were to be signs to The apostles; they were some of them at least to