THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND***


Transcribed from the 1826 J. Chilcott edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org

                        [Picture: Pamphlet cover]

                                No. XXXI.

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                     Church of England Tract Society,
                       Instituted in BRISTOL, 1811.

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                              SHORT REASONS
                              FOR COMMUNION
                      _With the Church of England_;


                                   OR,
                 THE CHURCHMAN’S ANSWER TO THE QUESTION,

                       “WHY ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE
                           ESTABLISHED CHURCH?”

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    “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
    peace.”—_Ephes._ iv. 3.

    “Beseeching Thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the
    spirit of truth, unity, and concord; and grant that all they that do
    confess Thy holy name, may agree in the truth of Thy holy word, and
    live in unity and godly love.”

                                                           _Com. Service_.

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            Sold at the DEPOSITORY, 6, Clare Street, BRISTOL;
            And by SEELEY and SON, 169, Fleet Street, LONDON.
          _Price_ 1¼_d._ _each_, _or_ 6_s._ 8_d._ _per Hundred_.
  [Picture: Hand with finger pointing right] An Allowance to Subscribers
                             and Booksellers.

                                * * * * *

             J. Chilcott, Printer, 30, Wine Street, Bristol.
                                  1826.

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    “_O ALMIGHTY God_, _who hast built Thy Church upon the foundation of
    the Apostles and Prophets_, _Jesus Christ Himself being the head
    corner-stone_; _grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit
    by their doctrine_, _that we may be made a holy temple acceptable
    unto Thee_, _through Jesus Christ our Lord_.  _Amen_.”

                                   COLLECT
                      For St. Simon and St. Jude’s Day.

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SHORT REASONS FOR COMMUNION WITH THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, &c.


REASON I.


_I maintain communion with the Church of England_, _not_ MERELY _because
my parents and forefathers were members of her community_.

THE connexion which my parents and forefathers held with the Church of
England I consider to be a sufficient reason why I should continue in
communion with her, if there be nothing contrary to the law of God in
such a connexion.  For the fifth commandment peremptorily requires me to
“honour my father and mother;” and, assuredly, this duty implies
reverence to their example, if that example be not inconsistent with the
rule of God’s holy word.

But as a man’s parents and forefathers may have been members of a
communion, a continuance in which would be manifestly contrary to the
word of God (as, for instance, if a man were born of Popish or Socinian
parents;) I therefore say, that “I maintain communion with the Church of
England, not MERELY because my parents and forefathers were members of
her community.”



REASON II.


_I maintain communion with the Church of England_, _not_ MERELY_ because
she is ancient and venerable_.

HER antiquity is a sufficient reason to justify my continuance in her
communion, if it can be shown that nothing materially differing from the
primitive and apostolic Church, in doctrine or discipline, has, in the
long course of her existence, been introduced into her constitution.  For
the more ancient any Church can prove to be, the nearer is the approach
to the source of Divine authority and sanction.  Now the Church of
England existed long before her corruption by popery; and the labours and
sufferings of her Martyrs in the sixteenth century were employed, not in
planting a new Church, but in correcting gross abuses in one which had
been long established.  They are therefore called _Reformers_.  The
Church of England, as is highly probable, was planted by St. Paul; and we
know from credible history, that there was a church in Britain during the
apostolic age, and that there were bishops who presided in it soon after
that period.

But as that which is ancient may have been corrupted, antiquity alone
would not fully justify my continuance in any visible Church, though it
strongly enforces the necessity of earnestness and diligence in inquiring
about the reality and nature of the supposed corruption, before I venture
to quit the Church of which I have been made by baptism a member.



REASON III