Transcribed from the 1866 Hatchard and Co. edition by DavidPrice,
BY
REV. EDWARD HOARE,
INCUMBENT OF TRINITY CHURCH, TUNBRIDGEWELLS.
LONDON:
HATCHARD AND CO. 187 PICCADILLY,
Booksellers to H. R. H. the Princess ofWales
and the Royal Family.
1866.
p. 2LONDON:
Strangeways and Walden, Printers,
28 Castle St. Leicester Sq.
Heb. x. 12.
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice forsins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
We live in very anxioustimes. Different phases of error are following each otherwith great rapidity, like waves before the gale on a stormysea. A very short time ago we were deeply distressed by thesceptical tendencies of certain able writers,—tendenciesstill in rapid progress, though public attention has beenrecently directed into another channel. Now we are startledby the open declaration of Romish doctrine, and open practice ofRomish ceremonial, by men who have accepted office in a churchwhich declares these very doctrines to be “blasphemousfables and dangerous deceits.” It has become,therefore, absolutely necessary that we p. 4should understand the reasons why theChurch of England has separated from that of Rome, and why it isthat we raise our voice against these innovations. I amwell aware that such a subject is distasteful to manyminds. Some shrink from the trouble of controversy, andwould rather have their whole attention fixed on that which theyfind helpful to their own souls. Others think ituncharitable; and maintain that, provided a person beconscientious in his practice, we need feel no anxiety about thetruth or error of his creed. But I am persuaded that itwill not do so to deal with truth. These are days in whichwe must know what we believe, and why we believe it. If wedesire to stand fast, we must know our standing-ground. Andif we desire to see our young people growing up as witnesses forthe Lord Jesus Christ, we must not merely strive to call forth inthem a religion of feeling, but must train them in soundScriptural principles, that they may be able to give an answer toevery one who asketh them a reason of the hope that is inthem. The Romish question is forced upon us by the enormousefforts which the Church of Rome is making for the recovery ofits ancient supremacy in England; and I must say, and say it withthe p. 5deepestgrief and humiliation, I fear we have been betrayed, in manycases, by men who, as clergymen of the Church of England, havepledged themselves to the very principles they arebetraying. It is high time, therefore, that we shouldunderstand the ground of our solemn protest against Rome, andthat we should not merely study truth in its simplicity, butstudy it likewise in its opposition to Romish error. Ipurpose, however, God helping me, to direct your thoughts thismorning to one point of the controversy. I cannot attemptthe many points on which we are at issue. I confine myself,therefore, to one; and that is, the teaching of the