will not even take the
trouble to inquire what it is. It may be, for what they know, a question
of theism or atheism; but they will not admit, whatever it is, that it
can be more than secondary to the preservation of a good understanding
between Christians. They think, whatever it is, it may safely be
postponed for future consideration--that things will right
themselves--the one pressing object being to present a bold and extended
front to our external enemies, to prevent the outward fabric of the
Church from being weakened by dissensions, and insulted by those who
witness them. Surely the Church exists, in an especial way, for the sake
of the faith committed to her keeping. But our practical men forget
there may be remedies worse than the disease; that latent heresy may be
worse than a contest of "party;" and, in their treatment of the Church,
they fulfil the satirist's well-known line:--

"Propter vitam vivendi perdere causas."

No wonder they do so, when they have been so long accustomed to merge
the Church in the nation, and to talk of "Protestantism" in the abstract
as synonymous with true religion; to consider that the characteristic
merit of our Church is its "tolerance," as they call it, and that its
greatest misfortune is the exposure to the world of those antagonistic
principles and views which are really at work within it. But talking of
exposure, what a scandal it was in St. Peter to exert his apostolical
powers on Ananias; and in St. John, to threaten Diotrephes! What an
exposure in St. Paul to tell the Corinthians he had "a rod" for them,
were they disobedient! One should have thought, indeed, that weapons
were committed to the Church for use as well as for show; but the
present age apparently holds otherwise, considering that the Church is
then most primitive, when it neither cares for the faith itself, nor
uses the divinely ordained means by which it is to be guarded. Now, to
people who acquiesce in this view, I know well that Ambrose or Augustine
has not more of authority than an English non-juror; still, to those who
do not acquiesce in it, it may be some little comfort, some
encouragement, some satisfaction, to see that they themselves are not
the first persons in the world who have felt and judged of religion in
that particular way which is now in disrepute.

2.

However, some persons will allow, perhaps, that doctrinal truth ought to
be maintained, and that the clergy ought to maintain i