THE HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL'S WORK ON THE " UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE."

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 334, 28 July 1849, Page 3

THE HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL'S WORK ON THE " UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE."

The sensation produced by Mr. Noel's secession from the ministry of the Church of England was stiong beyond what can well be supposed by any who did not know the amount ot his popularity; a popularity obtaimd, — not by his being a branch of a noble family, buc oa better and purely peisonal grounds ;— by his consistent piety ; his ministerial devotedness and usefulness j his varied information ; his skill in bting ing that information to bear upon diversified subjects; and bis rich, graceful, and subduing, though chaste and unostentatious, eloquence in the pulpit, and especially on the platform where lie was the unwearying and always welcome advocate of almost every scheme devised by the expansive Christian philanthropy of the day. That such a man, after officiating for nearly a quaiter of a century in the priesthood of the Established Church, should at length voluntarily, deliberately, and as a solemnly conscientious act publicly performed before God and the world, retire from that ministry, was a startling occurrence ; and the announcement that a work from his pen on the subject would soon appear, created an anxious curiosity to learn from himself his reasons for so decisive a step. The book, notwithstanding its size (upwards ol G4B octavo pages) and its price (twelve shillings) sold with an almost unprece* dented rapidity, and soon became the theme of general convers .tion, as well as of commentin the press. The Tiactarian and High Church journals denounced it in teims winch were rather luiious than simply spvere : while the low Dissenting writers extolled it as something nearly 6\iper-human in its excellency, and at least one Dissenting Minister in London went to the extiayagant length of holding in his Chapel a series of " Services," as he called them, for the public leading of the Essay. Up to the dales of our latest accounts from England the warfare lesjpecting the work seemed to grow more and

more intense, and the contending parties descended more and more into a bitterness of attack and rejoinder which may well be rebuked by the spirit of the book itself, which everywhere is a reflex of its author's candid, amiable, and loving disposition. He writes, as he has always striven, for truth rather than for victory j and no impartial reader, however he may dissent from his views, can doubt that he lias advanced them from the best motives and with the most entire sincerity of conviction. Our present purpose is not to enter upon any discussion for ourselves of the questions treated in the volume, but merely to give such an analytical review of its contents, as with the aid of a few extracts which we shall iuterweave, may, in a degree, supply the place of the work itself to those who may not have an opportunity of seeing it. The Preface, which is brief almost to meagreness, adds little to our previous knowledge that the author has become a seceder. Indeed the work altogether disappointed those >vbo expected a racy auto-biographical detail, being just such a book as might have been wiitten by one who had been a decided Dissenter all his life. The Preface is chiefly chaiacterjsed by its tone of candour and affection towards many Prelates and Pastois who remain in union with the Slate. Mr. Noel sajs— "The reasons for separation appear to me clear, but I do not expect others to think as I do. la claiming my own libert) of judgment 1 learn to respect theirs. To remain in the Establishment with my views would be crimiual— with theirs it is a duty.' 1 The " Introduction" rightly lays down Iho principle that the lawfulness of an Union between Chinch and State must be tested by the supreme authority of the Word of God. Mr. Noel lh<?n pioceeds to define the meaning of iho terms *« Church," " Stale," and " Union." The Church is described as "either a congregation of professed disciples of Jesus Christ in any place, or the whole company of his tiHe'disciples throughout the world." The State is " the governing power in the nation, including the legislative and executive power." The Union between Church and State, theiefore, is defined in the question, thus stated for discussion, " I have, then, to inquire in the following pages, whether it is the will of Christ, as deducible from the Woid of God, that the Christian congregations of this country should receive the salaries of their Pastors from the State, and be consequently placed under its superintendence." The Essay is divided into three Parts, "The Principles of the Union between Church and State ;" "Its EflecJs 5" and " The Means of Promoting a Revival of Religion." The Pails are conveniently sub-divided into chapters and sections. The fiiit chapter is headed, " General Considerations which condemn the Union." 1. It is condemned by the Constitution of the State." The duties of a State Episcopal e are, "To determine, in the last reßO't, the creed, the canom, the discipline, and the mini-ters of the Establishment. The Establishment can neither amend one of the articlei of its creed if erroneous, nor add to their number if the creed be defective, without the assent of the Statr. Without the concurrence of the State it caunot meet; to enact a canon, 'nor enact a canon when met, nor execute a csnon when enacted. It cannot execute discipline upon offending clergymen, or other?, except in courts of which the State appoints the judge, »nd from which the State receives appeals. And, lis'ly, the State both nominates its prelates and determines by law the appointment of all its pavtors. Now the State is unfitted by its composition to execute this episcopate." To discharge ecclesiastical functions lightly, the State should be both united and religious. But it is neither. Even Mr. Gladstone does not claim for its members an) thing moie than the attributes of supeiior intelligence ami average moiality. When pai ties are nemly balanced, a few ineligious membeis (and it is notorious that there are more than a few such), may determine the most impoitaut ecclesiastical matters. To leave the determination of such questions in such hands is a crime and an absurdity. The effect of the union does not depend upon w liat the State ought to he, but upon what it v; and to advocate it because the State is bound to be truly Christian, is the same as to say that a thief ought to be made the trustee of a properly because he is bound to be honest, or that the Lotd'g Supper ought to be administered to a wicked man because he is bound to be virtuous. — (2.) It is condemned by the parental relation, — a ground on which Mi*. Gladstone and others have defended it. But the analogy fails j because, while children are placed under parental control without any choice of their own, the State is an elected father, having no more power than his children aie pleased to concede, and forced b\ them to lesign his office at the end of seven years ; while parental control is exercised only through childhood, the State control is exercised over manhood } and while parents pay for the education which they control, the national father makes the children themselves pay for it. if the House of Commons be the national father, it is a father so irreligious, and holding such contradictory views on religion, that the children should be withdiawn from its control. — (3.) It is condemned by history. This section, which extends to sixty pages, gives an elaborate historical sketch of Church Establishments ancient and modern, with the view of showing that their operation has alwa>s been detrimental to the rights of conscience and to the progress of sphitual religion. From the dajs of Paganism, when " the priest preached for the despot, and the despot governed for the priest," down to a recent date, the union has been "the alliance of force and iiaud to degrade the nations, the compact of the priest and the potentate to crush the lights of conscience, the combination of regal and prelatical tyranny to lcpress true religion," — (4.) It is condemned by the Mosaic Law. In England the Establishment is supported by taxes imposed by State authority ; while in Israel tithes were imposed by Divine authoiity, and the temple and all the synagogues were built by voluntary contributions : — in England the State assumes a control over the Church, ami diicctly or ultimately belects its paatois ; while in Israel no human authority was permitted to interfere, and God himself appointed the pnebthood : —

in England one sect is unduly exalted and all others depressed, while in Israel all the citizens were religiously equal :— in England the State enfotces the support of religion j while in Israel there was no compulsory payment for the purpose. In all their great features the two systems are thus opposed, and " a3 the one has the sanction of the Almighty, the other must be contrary to His Wi 11." —(5.) I3y the Prophecies of the Old Testament. The full accomplishment of various predictions, such as that pious kings and queens shall be as fathers and mothers to the whole Chinch of Christ in their dominions, is hindeied by the union, through which the Soveieign is made to rend the Church, by elevating one part and unjustly depiessing another. — (6.) It is condemned by the New Testament. Its more cautious advocates are content to maintain that the New Testament is silent on the subject. Others, however, as Mr. MoNeile, have thought that they found the principle in the parable of the net cast into the sea— the parable of the lares and the wheat—the fit st five verses of the 13th chapter of Romans— l. Peter, ii. 13, 14— and the allubion in the Apocalypse to " the earth helping the woman." Mr. Noel examines these passages at gieat length, to show that such an application of them is unwarranted j and contends that Christ's declarations before ViU l e, and on the payment of tribute, and several passages refeiring to Christ's headship of the Church, to Church discipline, to the character and suppoit of pastors, &c, embody piinciples which condemn the union. The Second Chapter applies the principles thus laid down to the particular cane of the Union between the Church and State in England. The first section treats of the Maintenance of Christian Pastors, and upholds these propositions:-— " 1. That the right of the clergy to tithes was originally founded not on private gitts, but on public enactments. " 2. That the Church property of tho biihops is a gift from the Crown. " 3. That the Church property of this part of the kingdom waa transferred by act of Parliament fiom Catholic priests to Protestant pastors. " 4. That the State is tho proprietor of this Church property, which it grants, resumes, distributes, increases, or diminishes as it thinks lit. "5. That all persons holding tit heable property must contribute to the maintenance of the oliiiny, whether they approve of the contribution or no', since the clergy may enforce the payment of their duds by process of law." Numerous texts are quoted and examined, and the conclusions drawn from them are — " 2. That Christ has commanded each Church to maintain its pastor when possible. "3. That it a Church be too poor, other Churches ought to aid. "4. That the Churches should likewise support evangelist! who preach to the heathen. "5. That Christ lias committed to his universal Church the duty of supporting his ministers through* out the world. " 6. That if, in any case, a pastor or evangelist cannot obtain adequate support from his Christian brethren, that he may labour in any secular calling for his own maintenance." The system pointed out in the New Testament and I hat prevailing in the Establishment are contrasted. Mr. Noel infers that — " Christians who allow their pastors to be paid by the State, disregard the will of Christ; impeach bis wisdom; neglect their duty; injure the-r Christian characters; manifest a woil'lly selfishness by so king to escape from just remuneration for services received; beg alma for Christ's officers from Christ's enemies ; excite prejudices agaiust the Gospel in the minds of irreligious tithu^payers ; impair the use of the ministry ; place the ministers of Christ under the pay and influence of ungodly persons ; and proclaim to the world that tho disciples of Christ cannot maintain his woibhip and publish his truths unless worldly men and unbelievers of every class will help them." The Second Section treats of the Supremacy of the State. The Crown exercises a jurisdiction including all Chinch discipline, and Bishops and Patio rs have no authority but from the Crown. This is he'd to be incompatible with the tights of Christ as Head of Ilia Church ; and " iv allowing the S'.ate this spiritual dominion OTer it, the Church has become treasonable, rebellious, adulteiuUb, and unnatural." It may be alleged that the King is only the he-id under Christ : — but where is he appointed to be so ? " Did our Lord appoint the profligate Charles 11., or the Romanist James 11. to be His vicegerent ? It not, the E3tab. lished Churches had no more light to make cither of those persons their head without the consent of Christ, than a convention of liishmen mi&ht make the Pope their supreme ruler under the Queen. 1 ' The Scriptural mode of appoin'ing bishops al&o differs from that in the Establishment. The Established Church cannot determine the number of Churches to be phced under their superintendence ; neither has the Church any voice in their appointment. It is equally helpless in the matter of its pastora. " Contrary to the law of Christ, to apostolic precedent, to the practice of the first three centuries, and to common sense, the Churches, for tho sake of State pay, allow ungodly pastors to be forced upon them by ungodly patrons through the fiat of the State." Tbe Suite dictates the doctrines to ba taught, and the Establishment cannot correct errors, such as baptismal regeneration. Christinns should avoid those who cause divisions, and ministers who do not preach the Gospel ; but Statutes are still in force which render attendance at the parish Church compulsory. The Establishment is without self governmentjutjeannot exclude ungodly peitoas, or put away immoral minuter*. It has " übdicaied its rights for the State's bribe," and has " become not merely the world, but compromises with the most disreputable part of the world." It hinders the free preaching of the Gospel, giving to each incumbent, however ungodly he may be, the exclusive right of preaching in his own parish, and the Bishop, who may be equally worldly, can refuse to license any other. I The third Section 13 on Patronage. No less than 5,596 out of 11,000 clergymen are chosen by pnvatj penons. Instead of the Churches appointing the pns tors, the right belongs to the owners of'estatea, who to j a great extent are worlJl/ men. Connected with this is the principle of Coercion, ticated of in the fourth Section. The lule of Christ for the support of relig on is, " Every man, as he purposeth in hi& he.vi so let him gi/e, not grudgingly or of nc eaMiy, for God lovcth a cheerful giver." The Anglican rule is, " Eveiy man, according as the law j>.e-i ril^cs let him pay, for the rector shall have his ughr." Pious peisons are prevented showing ibeir Curiatian generosity by supporting their own pastors, and ia a majority of cabes have to expend on unfaithful pastors what would have secured men of a different class. Worldly men are alienated fioin religion, aud Dhscntcis sufl'er,

having to mpport not only their own ministers, but others from whom they derive no benefit, and also a system to which they arc opposed. Mr. Noel concludes this Fart with the following recapitulation ;— • " Let us now recapitulate what has been said, The Union between the Church and the State in any country, involving as it does the subordination of the Church to the State, ii unprincipled, absurd, andraisehievout. The State being the world, it is a close alliance between the church and the world — which Christ has forbidden. The church being in epiiitUHl things the parent, and the State its child, it is an unnatural sub* ordination of the parent and the child. History u ■ bundantly condemns it ai uniformly hostile to spiritual religiou ; and it is condemned by the provisions of the Mosaic economy, by the language of the Hebrew prophets, and by the express declarations of Christ, and his apostles. "The Union of the Churches with the State in this country rests upon four main principles, — the legal maintenance of the pastors, the supremncy of the state, patronage, and compulsion. la supporting the Union, Chrutians who are charged by the authority of Chriat to support their own pastors, have devolved tliia duty upon the State ; and being bound to interpret and enforce Christ's lawa for themselves, they have committed to the State, that is to the world, the right to superintend them ; thus allowing the supremacy of 'he world to encroach upon the mpremacy of Clniit. It is Christ'i declared will that they should select their pastori wi h the greatest care, according to the direction which he has left for this purposs ; and they have | left the nomination of their pustors to othcis who are for the most part men of the world, not reserving to themseWes the liberty of objecting to the inuus've nominee. And while every offering to God should be free, the Christian minutcrs ought to receive no contribution which can hinder their usefulness, Anglican Christians allow the State to alienate thousands from the Gospel by compelling them to pay for the support: of good and bad pastors indiscriminately on pain of the spoliation of their goods. The support of the fii st of these principles of the Union involves Anglican Christians in the guilt of a selfish and covet 'its dis'fgard of positive duly. Their allowance of the Stute supremacy is infidelity to Christ their King and Head. The third principle which they support is destructive to their spiritual welfare; and the fourth rem'ei 3 them schismatical towaids their dissenting brethren, and uncharitable to every other iccusant. All these four principles are un^-criptural, coirupt, and noxious ; and and by placing the Churches of Christ under the influence of men of the woild hinder their free action, deetrov their spirituality, and perpetuate tlieir conuptions." The second part of the Work treats of the Effects of the Union, and will afford abundant matier for another article like the present.