Englands towers: or, The church of England

Front matter

ENGLAND'S TOWERS:

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

UNDER GOD^

Preface

not be hid^ and thence she continually emits a radiant brightness.

The Church is not like a candle placed under a bushel^ but is a light which shineth in a dark place^ shedding upon every path the holy beams which she reflects from Christ the Sun of RighteousnesS;, and may now be found by men of every age and of every clime.

Let us often walk about the spiritual Zion, the Churchy and go round about her; let us consider dilige^itly the defences and walls of this glorious city of our God ; let us regard her excellency and her strength; let us mark well her towers, her bulwarks, and her palaces; and talk of the unspeakable privileges and blessings of being citizens of this city, of being heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, to our children and to the rising generation, to the intent that when they come up they may shew their children the same.

Her foundations are upon the holy hills. The Lord loveth the ^ates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob — and those who by a true faith in Christ dwell under the defence of the Most High, may with great truth be said to abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Walk about Zion and go round about her, tell the towers thereof. Count up the broad lines of

PREFACE.

V defence which have been created in the city of Christ's holy Church.

Consider how each holy martyr^ who has sealed the truth with his blood, contributed his share to strengthen and cement together those protecting towers which constitute our safe-guard and our defence.

Consider, or (as it is translated in the margin,) set your heart to her bulwarks, even the bulwarks raised about you by the 3 creeds, which have existed from the early ages of Christianity^ and of which indestructible bulwarks of our most holy faith, it is justly said in the 8th Article, The three creeds, Nicene creed, Athanasius^s creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles^ creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture " .

" Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the generation following.'^ Christians are here enjoined to contemplate again and again continually, the fabric of the spiritual Jerusalem, wonderfully raised, and as wonderfully preserved; to consider attentively the parts designed for use, for strength, for ornament, that they may be enabled to instruct posterity iu the nature and history of this holy building, and

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PREFACE.

Id their duty of forwarding and defending the same from generation to generation." — Bishop Home,

" W alk about Zion^ and go round about her : Tell the towers thereof."

Although this exhortation applies generally to the members of the Christian Church throughout the worlds may we not with feelings of peculiar satisfaction comply with it^ as members of that pure and reformed branch of Christ's holy Catholic Church, to which it is our exalted privilege to belong?

Do not the immediate circumstances of our times call upon us more particularly ^Ho tell the towers and mark the bulwarks/' re-erected by our venerable Eeform^ers, in order to repel from our spiritual Zion the soul destroying corruptions of the Apostate Church of Rome?

Let us consider the Church of England during the earlier and later periods of her history; and let us mark the nature and history of those bulwarks and defences which have been erected within the walls.

The history of the early British Church supplies us with abundant evidence, that when the Church of Christ w^as first planted in this island, the towers and bulwarks to defend our Zion from corrup-

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VII tion were erected firm and strong ; and that those fortifications and defences were kept in good repair and well manned^ till the emissaries of Rome at length undermined them with Popish corruption, and eventually fastened the iron yoke of popish slavery upon the necks of our citizens.

That those towers and bulwarks w^ere well manned long before Popery was known in this country, may be concluded fi'om the constancy with which St. Alban, the first British Martyr sufi'ered for the truth's sake ; and that they were kept in good repair by the early British Christians will appear from the zeal with which, in the fourth Century, they rejected the Pelagian heresy, and sought the assistance of two Gallic Bishops to refute it.

The firmness with which Dinothus, abbot of Bangor, at the beginning of the 7th century, refused to acknowledge the usurped supremacy of the Pope, and asserted the allegiance due from all British Christians to the British Archbishop in opposition to the claims of Augustine the Roman monk, who, at the instigation of Pope Gregory the Great sought to fasten the chains of papal tyranny on the British Christians — is another memorable instance of the fidelity with which the towers of the ancient British Church were defended against Romish usurpation and corruption.

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PREFACE.

Dinothus abbot of Bangor^ was a true Protestant (though the term Protestant was unknown for many centmies after his death ;) inasmuch as he entered a firm and vl^^ protest against one of the very worst corruptions of Popery (because it is that corruption which ^ if admitted, ^V^s^^re5 the introduction of all other popish corruptions), namely, the usurped supremacy of the Bishop of Rome.

This celebrated reply of the abbot of Bangor will be found in pages 223 and 224 of the present work. 4

As time rolled on, the towers which constituted the defence of our spiritual Zion against the corruptions of popery were gradually undermined by the papists, and that tower which, during many centuries, had nobly resisted the the usui^ed claims of authority made by the popes, at length, at the Norman conquest, w^as eifectually undermined, and shortly afterwards fell into complete ruin: Then the papists entered the Zion of the English Church, end the papal supremacy being no longer protested against^ but admitted, the emissaries of Rome found no difficulty in destroying those other bulwarks of the British Church, which had defended the citizens from the other corruptions of Popery, nor was there greater difficulty in fastening the iron yoke of popery upon the necks of the wretched citizens themselves.

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IX

The towers and bulwarks of the Zion of the English Church continued to be in miserable ruin, and the citizens of that once fair city to be the most degraded slaves of popery^ from the Norman conquest to the Blessed Reformation, and it was the happy privilege of our venerable Reformers to be the instruments in the hand of God in not only breaking off the iron yoke of Rome from the necks of the poor papally enslamd English people ; but also in rebuilding those noble fortresses and towers, which had once effectually defended the citizens of the Zion of the English Church against papal aggression and papal supremacy.

The history then of these towers and bulwarks — of their erection at first and especially of their re-erection by our venerable Reformers, after they had been in ruin for centuries, is well deserving of our attentive study at all times ; but in the days in which our lot is cast, when the most persevering and untiring efforts are made again to destroy those towers, which were re- erected at the cost of the life's blood of our venerable Reformers, and again to impose the iron yoke of Popish slavery on the necks of the English people; it becomes an imperative duty of every true lover of pure Gospel truth in England to ponder over and over again the eventful history of the rebuilding of those towers and

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PREFACE.

bulwarks of defence against Popery^ and whilst we thus consider the history of those spiritual bulwarks, we should never neglect at the same time to mark well the nature and use of those towers of Defence ; to ponder with the view of properly valuing^ the bulwarks which we possess in the Reformed Church of England^ against papal aggression and papal menial Slaverij^ and to look well to it^ that we not only keep our defences in good repaii'^ but also that we keep them manned by a faithful and true; and not by q treaeherous garrison.

And here we have arrived at a pointy in which the object of the present work rises into full \dew^ and therefore may at once be pointed out to the Reader.

The object of this work is to take the reader by the hand^ as it were^ and to walk with him round the walls of our spiritual Zion. To point out to him the elaborate towers re-erected by our venerable Reformers, and cemented by their blood for the effectual repulsion of papal error in all if s forms; and to impress upon the mind of the reader the importance of setting a proper value upon the impregnable defence, which the Church of England, under God^ affords him against popery ; and also the importance of keeping those bulwarks hi repair, and manned by good men and true.

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XI

The necessity of doing this is more especiallypressed upon all lovers of pure Christianity by recent events^ and the following words of Bishop Butler in a sermon preached by him before the House of Lords a century ago, will convince us of the vast importance of constantly walking round our towers, and marking well our bulwarks.

"It is to be remarked, further, that the value of every particular reHgious estabhshment is not to be estimated merely by what it is in itself, but also by what it is in comparison with those of other nations, a comparison which will sufficiently teach us not to expect perfection in human things. And what is still more material^ the value of our oton ought to he very much heightened in our esteem, hy considering what it is a. security from; I mean that great corruption of Christianity, popery, tohich is ever hard at work to bring us again under ifs yoke,^^

Let the following words of the same great master of our Israel — one of the most profound thinkers and reasoners that this or any other country has ever produced — be pondered and well-weighed, and the exceeding great importance of that tower by which the Beformed Church of England repels the corrupt dogma of Papal supremacy, will become apparent.

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PEEFACE.

When it is considered that the following: sentence is the language of a man not accustomed to employ idle declamation^ or rhetorical expressions of any kind; but of a man who thought so deeply that not only every sentence, but even every word seems to have been carefully and anxiously weighed by him before it was uttered, his judgment on this subject should be the more attentively regarded.

The passage occurs in the aforesaid Sermon before the House of Lords, preached by Bishop Butler in Westminster Abbey, June 11 th, 1747.

'^Whoever will consider the popish clai s to dispose of the whole earth as of divine right ; to dispense with the most sacred engagements; the claims to supreme absolute authority in religion ; in short the general claims which the Canonists express by the words. Plenitude of power; whoever, I say^ will consider Popery as it is professed at Rome^ may see that it is manifest open usurpation of all human and divine authority."

Index

Atonement of Oiirist, necessity of .^24 — 131

Agatlio, Pope 230

Bible open, blessed effects of 26 — 32

costly price of 33

Blood of the martyrs tlie seed of the Gospel 60

British Church independent of Home 214 — 227

Bangor, Abbot of 223—224

Butler, Bp. on religious persecution 264, 265

Butler, Bp. on British freedom 271

Cowper 10 11 12

Coin, the spiritual 25. 26

Council A, ii good if composed of good men 91, 92

Council, General, is not infallible > 104

Chahners, Dr. on Christian Unity 122, 123

Christ, and not St. Peter is the rock on which the Church

is lJuilt 204—209

Dionysius on unwritten verities 89, 90

Disunion, alleged, of Protestants 114—117

Emblem supplied by darkened popish Churches 6

Error, fixedness of 103

Error by which Dissenters liinder unity 121, 122

Fountain of truth 20, 21

Falsehood of papists 53, 54

Galileo 3

Guide, unerring, assumed need of 98, 99, 100

Brookes on 100

Chaplains ofK. James XL on 100

Giffard's Dr. assertion that oral tradition is more certain

than Scripture 110, 111

Husbandry, the Christian 16 — 20

Household, the Chrstian 21, 22

Hales', blood of 168—171

Henry VIL K. and cupbearer 143

Inspiration of the Scriptures viynually denied by the Papists 5

Instruction of an open Eible 8, 9, 10

Indulgencies and pardons 153 — 160

Images, worship of 172 — 176

Jom-ney, the Christian 23 — 25

Justification by Christ's merits applied by faith and not by i:;dex. xv

Latimer, Bp. Martyrdom of 33 — 44

Presentiment of his martyrdom 61

Light of God's word 62, 63

MaHyrdomtlie greatest promotion , 61

?-Ielancthon condemned hy Latimer when a papist 89

Jain-stem, Lifm'cate, ;^".oxjish dogma of the ^^lass 133

- lass, the, tried by the X. T. hy the IMartyrs in the Tower

of London 186 190

lass, the, Abp. Cranmer on 191, 192

Bp. Latimer on 193—198

Bp. Hidley on 193

Church of England on 199,200

Nature, hook of 1, 2, 3

Oxford, Articles 1st, and 2nd 182

Oxford, Articles the 3rd 191

Popery essentially opposed to the religion and spirit of

Chribt 55—58

Prayer, necessity of 64 — 69

Prayer in a tongue not understood by the people is (1) opposed to Scripture 70, 71 ; (2) contrary to the custom of the Primitive Chm'ch, 72 ; (3) is void of devotion, 73—77 ; (4) is unedifying and uninstructive 77 — 81 ; (5) conveys no warning to the sinner 81 ; (6) yields no comfort to the aflflicted 81, 82 ; (7) does not promote the Communion of Saints 82, S3.

I'arallel between the unreformed Chm'ch of England and the Jewish Church in our Saviour's time 86 — 88

Popish rule of faith teaches not faith in God but faith in

Papists divided in opiriion as to the particular authority

in their Church possessing infallibility 104

Pope, the, not infLillible 105—108

Purgatory and the 3fass 160—166

Pilga'images and Relics 166 — 172

Protestantism of the Church of England not a mere negation of error .243—246

Revelation, Book of • 1, 2, 3

Ridley, Bp. martyrdom of . . r , . 33 — 44

Reason, powers of, not abrogated by God 93, 94

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INDEX.

Reason dethroned and suppressed by papists 94, 95

Reformation, English, blessings of 237 — 242

Reformation, English, Commercial benefits of 246 — 248

Religious 263—265

Political 265— 273

Stafford, George, opposed by Latimer 85

ScalacoBli , » 91

Scriptm'e obscurity not removed by a study of the fathers 112,113

Supererogation, -works of 152, 153, 160

Saints, invocation of . . 176—179

Superstitious practices 179—181

Supremacy, papal, unsupported by Scriptm'e 209 — 214

Supremacy, papal, more nominal than realin England prior

to the Norman conquest 231, 232

Supremacy, papal, firmly resisted by Bishop Ridley. . 233 — 237

Treasure, the Heavenly 22, 23

Treachery of the papists 47, 48

Tradition, oral, not an infallible interpreter of Scriptm'e. . . . 109

Tradition placed above Scripture by the papists ........ 109

Tradition 7iever appealed to by our Blessed Saviom', who always referred to Scripture Ill

Transubstantiation Bp. Latimer on 183, 184

— — Church of England on 184, 185

Theodore, Abp 228, 229

Tenterton steeple and Goodwin sands 268

Unfairness of papists " 48 — 52

Uncertainty, apparent, in the meaning of Scripture is part

of our probation lOL 102

Union, alleged, of papists 114

Uniformity, is not unity 115

Unity, true 116, 117

Warfare, the Christian 13, 14, 15

Wine, the Celestial 26

Wihnott on an open Bible 28 — 32

on English martyrs 44 — 46

Wesley, John, on Chm-ch of England 118—120

Worcester Synod .- 222. 225

Chapter I. The Bible In The English Tongue

There are two Books which the Almighty in his goodness has spread out for the perusal of all his rational credituies, the Book of Nature, and the Book of Revelation.

The study of both these books, that application of the mind to their perusal which will lead to the discovery of these laws, by which the Almighty is pleased to govern the creatures of his hand — is the inalienable birth-right of every rational being.

Hence any system which would so fetter the human mind as to forbid it to peruse either of these books, except under restrictions and limitations laid down by no law of God, but by the mere arbitrary will of human tyranny, must be regarded as a system essentially hostile to the well-being of

B mankind; and as a deadly foe to that freedom of mind, with which the Almighty has hountifully endowed our species.

And such a foe to mental freedom^ and to the well-being of mankind^ has been for ages, and still continues to be, the Church of Rome: Before the Reformation, and since the Reformation in those countries wh'ch did not shake off her iron yoke, she would not allow the Book of Nature to be studied except under the restrictions which she had imposed ; and as to the book of Revelation she for ages allowed, and still continues to allow far less freedom in it's perusal.

Her language has ever been, "Think not that you can be permitted to bring a free mind to the tracing out of the laws of God, as they are to be traced out in the Book of Nature and in the Book of Revelation; it is dangerous to attempt to peruse either of them without the intervention of the priesthood ; you stand in need of an infallible guide ever at hand to direct you in the study of both these books, otherwise you will arrive at wrong and even mischievous conclusions ; and that infallible guide I offer to all who will acknowledge my authority thus to deal with the Books of God, and will submit to my unerring decisions."

Acting upon this principle the Church of Rome has for ages been accustomed to forbid the study of

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the Book of Nature and the Book of Revelation^ except under the restrictions and Hmitations which she has thought fit to lay down.

The way in which the Church of Rome was wont to place restrictions on the perusal of the Book of Nature^ and to punish persons for the discovery of indubitable scientific facts, if they dared to disregard those restrictions, is no where more conspicuous and remarkable than in the cruelty which she exhibited in immuring Galileo within the walls of the Inquisition for the brilliant discoveries which he made in Optics and Astronomy.

And if the world has become too enlightened, even in Popish countries, for even the tyrannical Church of Rome any longer to place her ban upon the progress of scientific research, and if she can no longer bind her fetters upon the human intellect before she permits the Book of Nature to be studied, her practice is the same as of old with reference to the Book of Revelation, and no free perusal of that is permitted to her people.

These considerations have only to be duly weighed in order that every impartial reader may appreciate the incomparable blessing which our venerable Reformers were instrumental, under God, in conferring upon the people of this nation, when freedom of mind to peruse the Book of Nature was not only restored to Englishmen (by the exercise of which freedom in scientific studies England has arrived at her present elevated position in the scale of Science); but also every Englishman^ since the Blessed Eeformation, has inherited as his birth-right an open Bible ^ to the study of vrhich he may biing a mind as free from all restrictions as God has permitted the human intellect to be.

The Scriptures must be excluded before the fabric of popish superstition, based as it is on the foundation of human tradition, can be erected.

To withhold the Scriptures from the people is a necessary, stroke of policy in the Church of Rome, because her corruptions cannot co-exist with the fi'ee circulation of the pure word of God. Were the laity of the Church of Eome permitted the free and unrestrained perusal of the Bible, the flagrant and glaring discrepancy between many of her doctrines which are wholly unsupported by Scripture; the large number of her practices which are wholly unsanctioned by the word of God; und the still larger number of her superstitions which ene positkely condemned by Holy Writ — all these things would become so manifest, even to the simple and unlearned reader of the Bible, that a large number of her votaries would renounce her communion, and would no longer submit to the spiritual tyranny which she exercises over the minds and consciences of men.

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The Romish practice of withholding the Bible from the people is deroo^atory to the word of God^ and is practically to cast the highest censure upon it : For to treat the word of God as if it were so imperfect that without the intervention of human aid its effects would not only not be beneficial^ but would even be mischievous to the souls of men — is not only to shew the highest disrespect to God by the Inspiration of whose Holy Spirit the Scriptures were indited^ but tirtiially to deny that inspiration which even the Church of Rome verlally acknowledges.

The practice of the Church of Rome in withholding the Bible from the people on the alleged ground of it's doing them hurt^ should they peruse it without the intervention of the priesthood^ is an act of impiety fully symbolized by the act of Uzzah^ described in the following words: And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor^ Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it : for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah ; and God smote him there for his error ; and there he died by the ark of God." (2 Sam. VI. 6. 7.)

The way in which the papists darken their churches, and exclude the light of the glorious sun in order that the glimmer of wax candles may be come visible at noon-day, is a true and correct emblem of the moral darkness which they create in men's hearts^ when they withhold the Scriptures in order to make way for the less than candlelight of their own superstitions and traditions.

By withholding the word of God, moreover, the Church of Rome deprives the people to an awful extent of the instruction^ comfort^ warning^ and encouragement, imparted by the Holy Scriptures.

On the other hand the most beneficial effects accrue to the souls of men from the Church of England practice of giving them free access to the pure and unadulterated word of God.

Who shall say what blessed results have followed and continue to follow, in a large multitude of cases, in consequence of the Scriptural practice of the Church of England in this vital particular.

The Church of England pursues a course which is in direct antagonism with the practice of the Church of Eome on this momentous question.

E[ow large an amount of Scripture has the Church of England appointed to be read in the daily service ! What care she has taken to provide in the authorized version a correct and faithful translation of the Bible ; the faithfulness of which is acknowledged by a large number of Protestant dissenters, who use it both in private and in their public services, and thus pay the highest possible tribute to its general fidelity and correctness !

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Hence it appears that the Church of England is so strong a national bulwark against Popery on this fundamental pointy that Popery cannot otherwise regain its baleful ascendancy in this country than by completely uprooting and destroying the Church of England : The one system cannot be built up until the system which is in direct antagonism with it is removed out of the way.

The beneficial results of the practice of the Church of England in this important particular are further to be seen in the effects produced by the admission of the pure light of God's holy word in preference to the less than candle-light of human tradition.

The papist layman^ moreover^ whatever draught of God's word he may obtain, does not obtain it until after it has flowed through many impure and corrupted channels; whereas in the Church of England, which allows the free circulation of the Holy Scriptures, the people obtain clear and pure draughts of the water of Life at the Fountain Head of Inspiration.

The beneficial effects of the practice of the Church of England in this most important matter are to be seen in supplying the people with the instruction, comfort, loaryiing, and encouragement, imparted by God's Holy Word, of all which those who are under the popish system are deprived.

Who shall say how many careless sinners have been awakened from the slumber of sin by the startling warnings of Scripture against impenitent sinners^ either heard read in our Churches^ or perused at home ?

Who shall say how many afflicted souls have been encouraged to put their whole trust and confidence in God's mercy^ by hearing read in their mother tongue those blessed promises of Scripture^ which assure the Faithful of support from God in their troubles ■

V^^ho ^liall say how many weary spirits have found rest^ and how many heavy-laden penitents have found the burden removed by those blessed announcements with which the Bible in their native tongue has made them familiar ?

The entrance of thy word giveth light/ saith the Psalmist^ ^ Yea^ it giveth understanding to the simple.' How strikingly has this scriptural statement been verified in numberless instances in the Church of England since the blessed Reformation.

The blessed efiects of the pure word of God in conveying instruction to the ignorant in that wisdom^ which renders those who receive it wise unto Salvation, are forcibly described in the following passage of Hooker. " The end of the Word of God is to save^ and therefore we term it " the Word of Life." The way for all men to be saved, is by the

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knowledge of that Truth which the Word hath taught. And since eternal life is a thing of itself communicable to all^ it behoved that the word of God, the necessary mean thereunto, be so likewise. Wherefore the w^ord of Life hath been always a treasure, though precious, yet easy, as well to obtain, as to find; lest any man desirous of life should perish through the difficulty of the way. To this end the Word of God no otherwise serveth, than only in the nature of a doctrinal instrument. It saveth because it maketh wise unto Salvation^^^ Wherefore the ignorant it saveth not; they that live by the word must know it. And being itself the Instrument which God hath purposely framed, thereby to work the knowledge of salvation in the hearts of men, what cause is there wherefore it should not of itself be acknowledged a most apt and a likely mean, to leave an apprehension of things divine in our understanding, and in the mind an assent thereunto ? For touching the one, since God, who knoweth and discloseth best the rich treasures of his own wisdom, hath, by delivering his word, made choice of the Scriptures, as the most effectual means whereby those treasures might be imparted to the world, it followeth, that to man's understanding the Scripture must needs be even o^ itself, intended as a full and perfect discovery, sufficient to imprint in us the lively character of all things necessarily to be acquired for the attainment of eternal liieJ^—HooJcer's Ecc, Pol. Booh V.

The blessed effects of the free circulation of the Word of God in giving comfort to the afflicted may be illustrated by the following passage in the history of the poet Cowper : His mind was in state of terrible anarchy^ and five months were passed in one unbroken dream of despair. By degrees^ the blackness of horror began to disperse^ but he still ^ carried a sentence of irrevocable doom in his heart/ A visit from his brother was attended by the happiest results. ^As soon as we were left alone/ writes Cowper^ ^ He asked me how I found myself.' I answ^ered, ^As much better as despair can make me.' We went together into the garden. Here^ on my expressing a settled assurance of sudden judgement^ he protested to me it was all a delusion burst into tears and cried out — ^ If it be a delusion^ then am I the happiest of beings ? Something like a ray of hope was now shot into my heart ***** Something seemed to whisper to me every moment^ — Still there is mercy."

The period of his recovery was now approaching, but the circumstances attending it cannot be told in such aff'ecting language as his own. ^ I flung myself into a chair near the window, and seeing a Bible there^ ventured once more to apply

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to it for comfort and instruction. The tirst verse I saw was the 25th of the 3rd Chapter of the Romans : Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his hlood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, ' Immediately I received strength to beheve^ and the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement he had made^ my pardon sealed in His bloody and all the fulness and completeness of His justification. In a moment I believed and received the Gospel. Whatever my friend^ Madan, had said to me, so long before, revived in all its clearness^^^eVA demonstration of the Spirit and ivith poioer. Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent tears, overwhelmed with love and wonder.' His religious joy flowed into verse; the following poem he called a Specimen of his First Christian Thoughts. It was the earhest song of the harp that had hung so long upon the willow tree."— Willmots Lives of the Sacred Poets Vol IL 231—233.