EPISTLE TO THE READER.

No apology need be offered at any time, for an inquiry into the subject of this volume: for, next in importance to that of personal holiness, is the question, How shall that Gospel, which has produced this holiness in us, be best preserved and perpetuated, that it may produce the like holiness in generations yet to come? Nor is this a duty to be made out by inference alone, for we are expressly commanded, to "walk about Zion, to go round about her; to tell the towers thereof; to mark well her bulwarks, to consider her palaces; that we may tell it to generations following." (Ps. xlviii. 12, 13.) And that the Church which the inspired Apostles, by the direction of the Saviour, and under the guidance of the HOLY GHOST, established in the world, will be more likely to preserve and perpetuate the truth, than any other form of organization, must be so self-evident to him who has any just appreciation of the nature and design of the Gospel, that no argument can be necessary to prove it. But though no apology need be made for considering this subject, the reasons for presenting the public with a new work upon a topic that has been so fully and so ably discussed, may not be uninteresting.

The substance of this work was written several years since, under the following circumstances. The author was born and educated in the bosom of the Congregational Church;

and it was not until he had entered upon the duties of a professional life, that the subject of the organization and order of the Church attracted his attention. He then resolved to examine the question thoroughly, according to the soundest principles of legal evidence, and to draw his conclusions as rigidly as he would from books of law, not dreaming of the possibility of its producing a change in his own views on the subject. For this purpose he read the New Testament through, with all the care and attention of which he was capable, and marked every passage that seemed to him to have any bearing upon the organization or order of the Apostolic Church. These he then classified under their appropriate heads, and arranged them according to their several subordinate topics, upon principles detailed in the work itself. The classification thus made, forms the Scriptural evidence contained in this volume, precisely as it was drawn out, except on the single topic of Baptism, not only before the author entered the Ministry, but before he had even conformed to the Episcopal Church. His conclusions, therefore, are to be regarded as those of a layman, who, up to the time of compiling the evidence embodied in this work, had no partialities in favor of Episcopacy; but whose prejudices, partialities, and supposed interests, were all in opposition to it. In this examination, it was the design of the author, to bring together all the Scriptural evidence; and thus to develop, A Scriptural Draught of the Apostolic Church. Hence he spent no time in discussing the peculiarities of any existing denomination of Christians, nor has he made any allusion to any of their principles or practices, except as they fell necessarily within the scope of his inquiry. He has thus avoided controversy with all preceding writers, and with all existing sects.

To the Scriptural evidence, thus drawn out, the author has added, A brief Historical view of the Church, to the end of the second century. On this head, he has endeavored to ex

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amine and detail all the evidence, afforded by the extant writings of the Primitive Christians, within that period. Indeed, it has been his design, under both heads, to give all the direct evidence there is on this subject, whatever might be its weight; and also, to add such presumptive evidence as bears directly upon the subject under consideration. Consequently, the reader will find that some arguments are very strong, while others are, comparatively, less so. The author's plan required him to notice all the arguments, weak or strong; and to bring forward all the evidence, direct or indirect, that the whole might be judged of, in connection. And it is in this way, he asks that it may be judged. To enable the reader to do this, with more clearness and certainty, the principles upon which all investigations of this kind must necessarily be conducted, have been stated and explained. It is in this way alone, we can ever arrive at any certain conclusions; and it is in this way alone, the author desires his book may be read.

Those, therefore, who read this volume, will not do either the subject or the author justice, unless the whole be judged of together. No well grounded inference can be drawn in any other way; and no candid man, who desires to come to a knowledge of the truth, and who is willing to follow wherever that leads, should ever attempt the investigation upon any other principles. But to those especially, who have been educated in other modes of thinking, does he feel bound to say, that an effort should be made, to lay aside all prejudice, and to rise above that bias of opinion and feeling, which education, habit, and denominational partialities will always produce. These are often mistaken for argument, even by many intelligent and well meaning persons; and hence, should be carefully guarded against. And the author flatters himself, that every one may read this book, without finding his Church defamed, or his motives impugned; whatever he may think of the conclusions drawn.

To these topics, the author has added a few chapters on other subjects, growing out of the preceding, which seemed necessary to give application to the principles discussed, and the conclusions drawn. Without these, it was impossible to connect the Church of the present day, with the Church in the times of the Apostles. And unless this was done, one great end of our inquiry would be lost. These chapters, the author flatters himself, will often be found of peculiar service to Churchmen, under a great variety of circumstances; and he hopes they will not be devoid of interest to others.

Perhaps the author ought also to mention, that some of the topics treated of, in this volume, have been discussed by him, since his connection with the public press, in much the same manner as on the following pages. This is especially the case with the subject of Baptism; and it has been a source of no small satisfaction to him, that these discussions have been found so generally acceptable, and so entirely conclusive, that their re-publication has been repeatedly called for, from a great variety of sources. Several other points of difference among Christians, have been discussed with those who dissent from the conclusions drawn in this book. In this way the author has been rendered familiar with the various claims, interpretations, and expositions of opposing parties, and been able to form a better judgment of the soundness of his reasoning. But he has not changed any thing to avoid any conclusion drawn by others, unless sound and fair argument seemed to require it. And then he has done so, without any regard to the question of how it would affect the claims of any sect, party, or Church. His object has been to make a full and fair view of all the evidence, and to leave the intelligent and candid reader to draw his own inferences, and to make his own application.

In conclusion, the author would remark, that he neither courts nor deprecates criticism. But he may be permitted to

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say to those who differ from him, that, if they attempt either to review, or reply to him, they ought to show, (1,) that the principles he has proceeded upon are unsound; or, (2,) that he has departed from those principles in the investigation; or, (3,) that the mass of evidence has been misrepresented or misapplied. It will not be enough for them to show, that he may have been mistaken on some points, even could that be done, if the principles on which he has proceeded are sound. Or, (4,) they ought to show that he has omitted to mention other important proof, sufficient to outweigh all the evidence adduced. Unless one of these four points can be shown, the conclusions drawn in this volume, must be received as proved. If the author has failed upon any one of these points, he will be much obliged to those who will point it out to him, in that spirit of kindness and charity, with which this work is presented to the public. Truth has in some instances required the author to state facts that will not be acceptable to all; but he has endeavored to do it in the way that would be the least offensive to such brethren as dissent from him.

In order to put it into the power of every one who desires to test the accuracy of the facts stated in this volume, as well as the soundness of the conclusions drawn from the facts, the author has given full and careful references to his authorities, and, as far as possible, to the original authorities. He has thus put it into the power of those who wish to subject his argument to the most rigid scrutiny, with the least possible labor, while at the same time it furnishes the reader with a sort of guaranty, that the facts are fairly stated, on sufficient authority. The author also trusts, that in addition to other advantages which may be derived from this volume, it will be found a general index to the authors from whom all facts and arguments on this subject must be drawn.

That those who are unwilling to lay aside the prejudices of early education; or who are not resolute enough to ask un