*

his knowledge of the sects among the philosophers of Athens was greater than his information on questions which affect the Church of England." Dr. Short's is no singular case. The ignorance of Anglican ministers upon the history and constitution of their own church would astonish our readers. A memorable instance of this has recently come to light in this city, and we allude to it because the well-known conscientiousness and high character of the party concerned give the instance all the greater authority. The Rev. D. T. K. Drummond, for whom personally we entertain the very highest respect, has shown, in one of his recent tracts, that he never, till within the last few days, had examined, or at least understood, the canons of that sect of which he was a minister; or at all events, that he was ignorant of what it regards as by far the most important part of its services,— the communion office. Mr. Drummond was, for years, a minister in that body, and it does not appear that a shadow of suspicion ever crossed his mind that its constitution contained any thing either positively erroneous, or sinfully defective; indeed his character is a sufficient guaranty that no such thought ever found harbourage in his breast, for had he but entertained the suspicion, he would not have remained one day in that communion. And yet in the constitution and liturgical offices of that sect, there existed all the while a plague-spot so deadly, that, on its discovery, Mr. Drummond is compelled, as he values his own soul, to come out of Babylon, that he be not a partaker of her sins and punish. ment. Such will also be the result to which pious ministers in the Church of England will be brought, should they ever unprejudicedly and dispassionately examine her constitution. And should Mr. Drummond, as we doubt not he will, continue his investigations in the spirit in which he has commenced them, we shall be astonished, indeed, if his love of truth, and of Him who is the truth, does not lead him to renounce all communion with the Church of England, as he has already done with the Scottish prelatic sectaries. A sifting time is at hand; and when the breath of the living God has blown over the thrashing floor of the Church, we confidently anticipate that only the chaff shall remain in the Church of England.

* Edinburgh.

THE END.

Stereotyped by S. DOUGLAS WYETH, No 7 Pear St., Philadelphia.

HISTORY

OF THE

EARLY RISE OF PRELACY.

BY THE

REV. SAMUEL MILLER, D.D.

PROFESSOR IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT PRINCETON

PHILADELPHIA:

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1840, by A.

W. MITCHELL, in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Printed by

WM.. S MARTIEN.

Stereotyped by

S. DOUGLAS WYETH.

6

EARLY RISE OF PRELACY.

ONE of the most plausible arguments in favour of prelacy, is drawn by Episcopalians from the early rise of the prelatical system. The argument is thus stated-"Bishops, as an order superior to presbyters, are freely acknowledged by Presbyterians to have. existed toward the close of the third, and, beyond all doubt, early in the fourth century. Now, in what manner shall we account for the introduction of such an order? Can any man believe that it was an innovation, brought in by human ambition within the first three hundred years? Is it supposable that men of such eminent piety, self-denial, and zeal as the ministers of the first two hundred and fifty, or three hundred years are represented to have been, could have been disposed to usurp unscriptural authority? But, even if they had been wicked enough to be so disposed, can we believe that any temptation to do so then existed, when it is known that, by gaining ecclesiastical pre-eminence, they only became more prominent objects to their pagan enemies, and, of course, more exposed to the fury of persecution? But, even supposing them to have been so ambitious and unprincipled as to attempt encroachment on the rights of others, and to have had ever so strong a temptation to do it, can we imagine that such an attempt could have been successful? would the rest of the