.

A PLEA

FOR THE

UNITY OF THE CHURCH :

CONSISTING OF

LECTURES DELIVERED IN THE EPISCOPAL CHAPEL,
BEDFORD CIRCUS, EXETER, IN THE WINTER OF 1832-3.

BY THE
REV. WILLIAM SCORESBY,

MINISTER OF BEDFORD CHAPEL ;
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETIES OP LONDON AND EDINBURSI;

CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE, ETC.

“ There shall be one fold, and one Shepherd."-

John X. 16.

LONDON :
JAMES NISBET, BERNER'S STREET :

SOLD IN EXITER BY CURSON; SPREAT ; AND BALLE;

AND BY OTHER BOOKSELLERS.

MDCCCXXXIII.

238,

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND

HENRY, LORD BISHOP OF EXETER,

THESE LECTURES,

DESIGNED AS AN HUMBLE EFFORT

FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN UNITY,

ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

BY HIS LORDSHIP'S OBEDIENT

AND FAITHFUL SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

That the present is a time of peculiar peril and trial, not only to the United Church of England and Ireland, by law established, but also to the Church of Christ as a body, must be manifest to all who, unbiassed by prejudice, and uninfluenced by personal considerations, are free to take & candid survey of the state of the world. For when the secret enemies of religion, combined with avowed infidels and opposers of the Truth, are permitted to triumph-speaking great words against the most High, and seeking to wear out the saints of the most High, and thinking to change times and laws'the holy Church universal must necessarily feel that “this day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy.'' Doubtless the Lord will eventually resolve the dark thunder clouds which threaten us, into a more serene and genial sky; but not, perhaps, till we have both been awed with the elemental