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NOTES
ON THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
BY
JOHN RUSKIN, M.A.;
AUTHOR OF
“THE STONES OF VENICE,” “THE SEVEN LAMPS OF ARCHITECTURE,” &c.
LONDON:
SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL.
1851.
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LONDON:
PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY,
OLD BAILEY.
�PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
Since the publication of these Notes; I have received
many letters upon the affairs of the Church; from
persons of nearly every denomination of Christians;
for all these letters I am grateful; and in many of
them I have found valuable information or sugges
tion : but I have not leisure at present to follow out
the subject farther; and no reason has been shown
me for modifying- or altering any part of the text
as it stands. It is republished; therefore; without
change or addition.
I must; however; especially thank one of my
correspondents for sending me a pamphlet; called
“ Sectarianism; the bane of Religion and the Church/’*
which I would recommend, in the strongest terms;
to the reading of all who regard the cause of Christ;
and; for help in reading the Scriptures; I would
* London: 1846.
Nisbet & Co., Berners’ Street.
A
�PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
name also the short and admirable arrangement of
parallel passages relating to the offices of the clergy,
called “ The Testimony of Scripture concerning the
Christian Ministry ”*
* London : 1847.
J. K. Campbell, 1, Warwick Square.
�ADVERTISEMENT.
Many persons will probably find fault with me for
publishing opinions which are not new: but I shall
bear this blame contentedly, believing that opinions
on this subject could hardly be just if they were
not 1800 years old. Others will blame me for
making proposals which are altogether new: to
whom I would answer, that things in these days
seem not so far right but that they may be mended.
And others will simply call the opinions false and
the proposals foolish—to whose good will, if they
take it in hand to contradict me, I must leave what
I have written—having no purpose of being drawn,
at present, into religious controversy.^If, however, any
should admit the truth, but regret the tone of what
I have said, I can only pray them to consider how
much less harm is done in the world by ungraceful
boldness, than by untimely Fear.-'
Denmark Hill,
February, 1851.
A 2
��NOTES,
The following’ remarks were intended to form part
of the appendix to an essay on Architecture : But it
seemed to me, when I had put them into order, that
they might be useful to persons who would not care
to possess the work to which I proposed to attach
them ; I publish them, therefore, in a separate form ;
but I have not time to give them more consistency
than they would have had in the subordinate posi
tion originally intended for them. I do not pro
fess to teach Divinity; and I pray the reader to
understand this, and to pardon the slightness and
insufficiency of notes set down with no more in
tention of connected treatment of their subject than
might regulate an accidental conversation. Some
of them are simply copied from my private diary;
others are detached statements of facts, which seem
to me significative or valuable, without comment;
all are written in haste, and in the intervals of
occupation with an entirely different subject. It may
be asked of me, whether I hold it right to speak thus
hastily and insufficiently respecting the matter in
�6
NOTES ON THE
question? Yes. I hold it right to speak hastily;
not to think, hastily. I have not thought hastily of
these things; and, besides., the haste of speech is con
fessed; that the reader may think of me only as
talking to him, and saying; as shortly and simply as
I can; things which; if he esteem them foolish or idle;
he is welcome to cast aside; but which; in very truth;
I cannot help saying at this time.
The passages in the essay which required notes;
described the repression of the political power of the
Venetian Clergy by the Venetian Senate; and it
became necessary for me—in supporting an assertion
made in the course of the inquiry; that the idea of
separation of Church and State was both vain and
impious — to limit the sense in which it seemed to
me that the word “Church” should be understood,
and to note one or two consequences which would
result from the acceptance of such limitation. This
I may as well do in a separate paper, readable
by any person interested in the subject; for it is
hiodi time that some definition of the word should be
o
agreed upon. I do not mean a definition involving
the doctrine of this or that division of Christians, but
limiting, in a manner understood by all of them, the
sense in which the word should thenceforward be
used. There is grievous inconvenience in the present
state of things. For instance, in a sermon lately
published at Oxford, by an anti-Tractarian divine, I
find this sentence,— “It is clearly within the pro
vince of the State to establish a national church, qt
external institution of certain forms of worship
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
7
Now suppose one were to take this interpretation
of the word a Church/’ given by an Oxford divine,
and substitute it for the simple word in some Bible
Texts, as, for instance, “ Unto the angel of the
external institution of certain forms of worship
of Ephesus, write,” &c. Or, “ Salute the brethren
which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the ex
ternal institution of certain forms of worship which
is in his house,”—what awkward results we should
have, here and there ! Now I do not say it is pos
sible for men to agree with each other in their re
ligious opinions, but it is certainly possible for them
to agree with each other upon their religious expres
sions ; and when a word occurs in the Bible a hun
dred and fourteen times, it is surely not asking too
much of contending divines to let it stand in the
sense in which it there occurs ; and when they want
an expression of something for which it does not
stand in the Bible, to use some other word. There
is no compromise of religious opinion in this : it is
simply proper respect for the Queen’s English.
The word occurs in the New Testament, as I
said, one hundred and fourteen times.
*
In every
one of those occurrences, it bears one and the same
grand sense : that of a congregation or assembly of
men. But it bears this sense under four different
modifications, giving four separate meanings to the
word. These are —
I. The entire Multitude of the Elect; otherwise
* I may, perhaps, have missed count of one or two occurrences
of the word; but not, I think, in any important passages.
�8
NOTES ON THE
called the Body of Christ; and sometimes the Bride,
the Lamb’s Wife; including- the Faithful in all ag-es;
Adam, and the children of Adam yet unborn.
In this sense it is used in Ephesians v. 25, 27, 32 ;
Colossians i. 18, and several other passag-es.
II. The entire multitude of professing- believers in
Christ, existing’ on earth at a given moment; in
cluding- false brethren, wolves in sheep’s clothings
g-oatspand tares, as well as sheep and wheat, and
other forms of bad fish with g-ood in the net.
In this sense it is used in 1 Cor. x. 32; xv. 9;
Galatians i. 13, 1 Tim. iii. 5, &c.
III. The multitude of professed believers, living'
in a certain city, place, or house. This is the most
frequent sense in which the word occurs, as in Acts
vii, 38; xiii. 1; 1 Cor. i. 2 ; xvi. 19, &c.
IV. Any assembly of men : as in Acts xix. 32, 41.
That in a hundred and twelve out of the hundred
and fourteen texts, the word bears some one of
these four meaning-s, is indisputable.
*
But there
are two texts in which, if the word had alone
occurred, its meaning’ mig-ht have been doubtful.
These are Matt. xvi. 18, and xviii. 17.
The absurdity of founding- any doctrine upon the
inexpressibly minute possibility that, in these two
• The expression 11 House of God,” in 1 Tim. iii. 15, is shown to
be used of the congregation by 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17.
I have not noticed the word KvpiaKq (olicla), from which the
German “ Kirche,” the English “ Church,” and the Scotch
“ Kirk ’’ are derived, as it is not used with that signification
in the New Testament.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
9
texts, the word might have been used with a dif
ferent meaning from that which it bore in all the
others, coupled with the assumption that the meanino; was this or that, is self-evident: it is not so
much a religious error as a philological solecism;
unparalleled, so far as I know, in any other science
but that of divinity.
tNor is it ever, I think, committed with open
front by Protestants. No English divine, asked
in a straightforward manner for a Scriptural defi
nition of “ the Church,” would, I suppose, be bold
enough to answer “the Clergy.” Nor is there any
harm in the common use of the word, so only that
it be distinctly understood to be not the Scriptural
one; and therefore to be unfit for substitution in a
Scriptural text. There is no harm in a man’s talk
ing- of his son’s “ going into the Church”: meaning
that he is g’oing to take orders; but there is much
harm in his supposing this a Scriptural use of the
w’ord, and therefore^ that when Christ said, “Tell
it to the Church,” He might possibly have meant,
“ Tell it to the Clergy.”
It is time to put an end to the chance of such
misunderstanding. Let it but be declared plainly
by all men, when they begin to state their opinions
on matters ecclesiastical,-that they will use the word
“ Church” in one sense or the other;—That they will
accept the sense in which it is used by the Apostles,
or that they deny this sense, and propose a new
definition of their own. We shall then know what
we are about with them—we may perhaps grant
�10
NOTES ON THE
them their new use of the term, and argue with
them on that understanding; so only that they will
not pretend to make use of Scriptural authority,
while they refuse to employ Scriptural language.^
This, however, it is not my purpose to do at present.
I desire only to address those who are willing to
accept the Apostolic sense of the word Church, and
with them, I would endeavour shortly to ascertain
what consequences must follow from an acceptance
of that Apostolic sense, and what must be our first
and most necessary conclusions from the common
language of Scripture respecting these following
*
points:—
1.
2.
3.
4.
The distinctive characters of the Church.
The Authority of the Church.
The Authority of the Clergy over the Church.
The Connection of the Church with the State.
These are four separate subjects of question; but
we shall not have to put these questions in succession
with each of the four Scriptural meanings of the
word Church, for evidently its second and third
meaning may be considered together, as merely ex
pressing the general or particular conditions of the
Visible Church, and the fourth signification is entirely
independent of all questions of a religious kind. So
* Any reference, except to Scripture, in notes of this kind
would of course be useless: the argument from, or with, the
Fathers is not to be compressed into fifty pages. I have some
thing’ to say about Hooker; but I reserve that for another
time, not wishing’ to say it hastily, or to leave it without support.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
11
that we shall only put the above inquiries successively
respecting’ the Invisible and Visible Church; and as
the two last, — of authority of Clergy, and connec
tion with State—can evidently only have reference
to the Visible Church, we shall have, in all, these
six questions to consider :
1. The distinctive characters of the Invisible
Church.
2. The distinctive characters of the Visible Church.
3. The Authority of the Invisible Church.
4. The Authority of the Visible Church.
5. The Authority of Clergy over the Visible Church.
6. The Connection of the Visible Church with the
State.
1. What are the distinctive characters of the
Invisible Church; that is to say, What is it which
makes a person a member of this Church, and how
is he to be known for such? Wide question—if we
had to take cognizance of all that has been written
respecting- it, remarkable as it has been always for
quantity rather than carefulness, and full of con
fusion between Visible and Invisible : even the article
of the Church of England being ambiguous in its
first clause: “ The Visible Church is a congregation
of Faithful men.” As if ever it had been possible,
except for God, to see Faith 1 or to know a Faithful
man by sight. And there is little else written on
this question, without some such quick confusion of
the Visible and Invisible Church ;—needless and
unaccountable confusion. ^For evidently, the Chui ch
�12
NOTES ON THE
which is composed of Faithful men, is the one true,
indivisible and indiscernible Church, built on the
foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone. It includes all
who have ever fallen asleep in Christ, and all yet
unborn, who are to be saved in Him ; its Body is
as yet imperfect; it will not be perfected till the last
saved human spirit is gathered to its God.
.A man becomes a member of this Church only
by believing in Christ with all his heart; nor is he
positively recognizable for a member of it, when he
has become so, by any one but God, not even by
himself. Nevertheless, there are certain signs by
which Christ’s sheep may be guessed at. Not by
their being in any definite Fold—for many are lost
*
sheep at times : but by their sheep-like behaviour;
and a g’reat many are indeed sheep which, on the
far mountain side, in their peacefulness, we take
for stones. To themselves, the best proof of their
*
being Christ’s sheep is to find themselves on Christ’s
shoulders; and) between them, there are certain sym
pathies (expressed in the Apostles’ Creed by the term
“communion of Saints”), by which they may in a
sort recog
n
*ise
each other, and so become verily visible
to each other for mutual comfort.2..The Limits of the Visible Church, or of the
Church in the Second Scriptural Sense, are not so
easy to define: they are awkward questions, these,
of stake-nets. It has been ingeniously and plausi
bly endeavoured to make Baptism a sign of ad
mission into the Visible Church; but absurdly
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
13
enough; for we know that half the baptized people
in the world are very visible rogues, believing
neither in God nor devil; and it is flat blas
phemy to call these Visible Christians; we
also know that the Holy Ghost was sometimes
given before Baptism, and it would be absurdity
*
to call a man, on whom the Holy Ghost had
fallen, an Invisible Christian. The only rational
distinction is that which practically, though not
professedly, we always assume. If we hear a man
profess himself a believer in God and in Christ,
and detect him in no glaring' and wilful viola
tion of God’s law, we speak of him as a Chris
tian ; and, on the other hand, if we hear him
or see him denying Christ, either in his words or
conduct, we tacitly assume him not to be a Chris
tian. A mawkish charity prevents us from out
speaking in this matter, and from earnestly endea
vouring to discern who are Christians and who are
not; and this I holdf to be one of the chief sins
* Acts x. 44.
, t Let not the reader be displeased with me for these short and
apparently insolent statements of opinion. I am not writing* inso
lently, but as shortly and clearly as I can; and when I seriously
believe a thing1, I say so in a few words, leaving* the reader to de
termine what my belief is worth. But I do not choose to temper
down every expression of personal opinion into courteous generalities,
and so lose space, and time, and intelligibility at once. We are
utterly oppressed in these days by our courtesies, and considera
tions, and compliances, and proprieties. Forgive me them, this once,
or rather let us all forgive them to each other, and learn to speak
plainly first, and, if it may be, gracefully afterwards; and not only,
�14
NOTES ON THE
of the Church in the present day; for thus wicked
men are put to no shame; and better men are
encouraged in their failing's, or caused to hesitate
in their virtues, by the example of those whom, in
false charity, they choose to call Christians. Now,
it being’ granted that it is impossible to know, de
terminedly, who are Christians indeed, that is no
reason for utter negligence in separating the no
minal, apparent, or possible Christian, from the pro
fessed Pagan or enemy of God. We spend much
time in arguing about efficacy of sacraments and
such other mysteries; but we do not act upon the
very certain tests which are ( clear and visible.
We know that Christ’s people are not thieves—not
liars—not busybodies—not dishonest—not avaricious
—not wasteful—not cruel. Let us then get our
selves well clear of thieves—liars—wasteful people
— avaricious people — cheating people—-people who
*
do not pay their debts. Let us assure them that
they, at least, do not belong to the Visible Church;
and having thus got that Church into decent shape
and cohesion, it will be time to think of drawing
the stake-nets closer.
to speak, but to stand by what we have spoken. One of my Ox
ford friends heard, the other day, that I was employed on these
notes, and forthwith wrote to me, in a panic, not to put my name
to them, for fear I should “ compromise myself.” I think we are
most of us compromised to some extent already, when England
has sent a Roman Catholic minister to the second city in Italy,
and remains herself for a week without any government, because
her chief men cannot agree upon the position whieh a Popish car
dinal is to have leave to occupy in London.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
15
*-I hold it for a law, palpable to common sense,
and which nothing1 but the cowardice and faith
lessness of the Church prevents it from putting in
practice, that the conviction of any dishonourable
conduct or wilful crime, of any fraud, falsehood,
cruelty, or violence, should be ground for the ex
communication of any man :—for his publicly de
clared separation from the acknowledg’ed body of
the Visible Church: and that he should not be re
ceived again therein without public confession of his
crime and declaration of his repentance. If this
were vigorously enforced, we should soon have greater
purity of life in the world, and fewer discussions
about high and low churches. - But before we can
obtain any idea of the manner in which such law
could be enforced, we have to consider the second
question, respecting the Authority of the Church.
Now Authority is twofold: to declare doctrine and
to enforce discipline; and we have to inquire, there
fore, in each kind,—
3. What is the authority of the Invisible Church ?
Evidently, in matters of doctrine, all members of the
Invisible Church must have been, and must ever be,
at the time of their deaths, right in the points essen
tial to Salvation. But, (A), we cannot tell who
are members of the Invisible Church.
(B) . We cannot collect evidence from deathbeds in
a clearly stated form.
(C) . We can collect evidence, in any form, only
from some one or two out of every sealed thousand of
�16
NOTES ON THE
the Invisible Church. Elijah thought he was alone
in Israel; and yet there were seven thousand in
visible ones around him. Grant that we had Elijah’s
intelligence; and we could only calculate on collect
ing the TtWh part of the evidence or opinions of the
part of the Invisible Church living on earth at a
given moment: that is to say, the seven-millionth or
trillionth of its collective evidence. It is very clear,
therefore, we cannot hope to get rid of the contradictory
opinions, and keep the consistent ones, by a general
equation. ^But, it has been said, there are no contra
dictory opinions ; the Church is infallible. There was
some talk about the infallibility of the Church, if I
recollect right, in that letter of Mr. Bennett’s to the
Bishop of London. If any Church be infallible, it is
assuredly the Invisible Church, or Body of Christ;
and infallible in the main sense it must of course be
by its definition. An Elect person must be saved,
and therefore cannot eventually be deceived on es
sential points: so that Christ says of the deception
of such, cc If it were possible” implying’ it to be
impossible. Therefore, as we said, if one could
get rid of the variable opinions of the members of
the Invisible Church, the constant opinions would
assuredly be authoritative : but for the three reasons
above stated, we cannot get at their constant opi
nions : and as for the feelings and thoughts which
they daily experience or express, the question of In
fallibility—which is practical only in this bearing—is
soon settled. Observe, St. Paul, and the rest of the
�17
CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
Apostles, write nearly all their epistles to the Invi
sible Church :—Those epistles are headed,—Romans,
“To the beloved of God, called to be saints”; 1 Co
rinthians, “ To them that are sanctified in Christ
Jesus”; 2 Corinthians, “To the saints in all
Achaia ”; Ephesians, “ To the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus ”; Philippians, “ To all the saints which are at Philippi” ;
Colossians, “ To the saints and faithful brethren
which are at Colosse”; 1 and 2 Thessalonians, “To
the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the
Father, and the Lord Jesus”; 1 and 2 Timothy, “To
his own son in the faith ”; Titus, to the same;
1 Peter, “ To the Strangers, Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God ”; 2 Peter, “ To them that
have obtained like precious faith with us”; 2 John,
“ To the Elect lady ”; Jude, “ To them that are
sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus
Christ and called.”
There are thus fifteen epistles, expressly directed
to the members of the Invisible Church. Philemon
and Hebrews, and 1 and 3 John, are evidently also
so written, though not so expressly inscribed. That
of James, and that to the Galatians, are as evidently
to the Visible Church: the one being general, and the
other to persons “ removed from Him that called
them.” Missing out, therefore, these two epistles,
but including Christ’s words to His disciples, we find
in the Scriptural addresses to members of the In
visible Church, fourteen, if not more, direct injuncB
�18
NOTES ON THE
tions C( not to be deceived.” * So much for the (( In
fallibility of the Church.”
Now, one could put up with Puseyism more pa
tiently, if its fallacies arose merely from peculiar
temperaments yielding to peculiar temptations. But
its bold refusals to read plain English ; its elaborate
adjustments of tight bandages over its own eyes, as
wholesome preparation for a walk among traps and
pitfalls; its daring trustfulness in its own clairvoy
*
ance all the time, and declarations that every pit it
falls into is a seventh heaven ; and that it is pleasant
and profitable to break its legs;—with all this it is
difficult to have patience. One thinks of the high
wayman with his eyes shut, in the Arabian Nights;
and wonders whether any kind of scourging’ would
prevail upon the Anglican highwayman to open
“first one and then the other.”
«4. So much, then, I repeat, for the infallibility of
the Divisible Church, and for its consequent autho
rity. Now, if we want to ascertain what infallibility
and authority there is in the Visible Church, we have
to alloy the small wisdom and the light weight of
Invisible Christians, with large per-centage of the
false wisdom and contrary weight of Undetected Anti
Christians. Which alloy makes up the current coin of
opinions in the Visible Church, having such value as
we may choose—its nature being properly assayed—
to attach to it. •
* Matt. xxiv. 4; Mark xiii. 5 ; Luke xxi. 8; 1 Cor. iii. 18, vi.
9, xv. 33; Eph. iv. 14, v. 6; Col. ii. 8; 2 Thess. ii. 3 ; Heb. iii.
13 ; 1 John i. 8, iii. 7 ; 2 John 7, 8.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
19
.There is, therefore, in matters of doctrine, no such
thing as the Authority of the Church. We might as
well talk of the authority of a morning- cloud. There
may be light in it, but the light is not of it; and
it diminishes the light that it gets; and lets less of
it through than it receives, Christ being its sun. Or,
we might as well talk of the authority of a flock of
sheep—>.for the Church is a body to be taught and
fed, not to teach and feed : and of all sheep that are
fed on the earth, Christ’s Sheep are the most simple,.,
(the children of this generation are wiser): always
losing themselves ; doing little else in this world but
lose themselves ;—never finding themselves; always
found by Some One else; getting perpetually into
sloughs, and snows, and bramble thickets, like to
die there, but for their Shepherd, who is for ever
finding them and bearing them back, with torn fleeces
and eyes full of fear. This, then, being the No-Authority of the Church
in matter of Doctrine, what Authority has it in
matters of Discipline ?
Much, every way. The sheep have natural and
wholesome power (however far scattered they may be
from their proper fold) of getting- together in orderly
knots; following each other on trodden sheepwalks,
and holding their heads all one way when they see
strange dogs coming; as well as of casting out of
their company any whom they see reason to suspect
of not being right sheep, and being among them for
no g-ood. All which things must be done as the time
and place require, and by common consent. A path
B 2
�20
NOTES ON THE
may be good at one time of day which is bad at
another, or after a change of wind; and a position
may be very good for sudden defence, which would
be very stiff and awkward for feeding in. And com
mon consent must often be of such and such a com
pany on this or that hillside, in this or that par
ticular danger,—not of all the sheep in the world: and
the consent may either be literally common, and
expressed in assembly, or it may be to appoint officers
over the rest, with such and such trusts of the common
authority, to be used for the common advantage.
Conviction of crimes, and excommunication, for in
stance, could neither be effected except before, or
by means of, officers of some appointed authority.
5. This then brings us to our fifth question.
What is the Authority of the Clergy over the
Church ?
The first clause of the question must evidently
be,—Who are the Clergy? and it is not easy to
answer this without begging the rest of the ques
tion.
For instance, I think I can hear certain people
answering, That the Clergy are folk of three kinds,—
Bishops, who overlook the Church; Priests, who
sacrifice for the Church; Deacons, who minister
to the Church : thus assuming in their answer,
that the Church is to be sacrificed for, and that
people cannot overlook and minister to her at the
same time ; — which is going’ much too fast. I
think, however, if we define the Clergy to be the
“ Spiritual Officers of the Church,”—meaning, by
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
21
Officers; merely People in office;—we shall have a
title safe enough and general enough to begin
with; and corresponding too; pretty well; with St.
Paul’s general expression 7rpoi<rrap.svoi, in Rom.
xii. 8; and 1 Thess. v. 13.
Now; respecting these Spiritual Officers; or office
bearers; we have to inquire; first; What their Office or
Authority is; or should be; secondly; Who gave; or
should give; them that Authority ? That is to say;
first; What is; or should be the natn/re of their office;
and secondly; What the extent, or force of their
authority in it? for this last depends mainly on its
derivation.
First; then; What should be the offices; and of
what kind should be the authority; of the Clergy ?
I have hitherto referred to the Bible for an answer
to every question. I do so again; and behold; the
Bible gives me no answer. I defy you to answer
me from the Bible. You can only guess; and dimly
conjecture; what the offices of the Clergy were in
the first century. You cannot show me a single
command as to what they shall be. Strange; this;
the Bible give no answer to so apparently important
a question! God surely would not have left His
word without an answer to anything' His children
ought to ask.
Surely it must be a ridiculous
question—a question we ought never to have put;
or thought of putting. Let us think of it again
a little. To be sure;—It is a ridiculous question;
and we should be ashamed of ourselves for having
put it:—What should be the offices of the Clergy?
�22
NOTES ON THE
That is to say, What are the possible spiritual neces
sities which at any time may arise in the Church,
and by what means and men are they to be sup
plied ; — evidently an infinite question.
Different
kinds of necessities must be met by different autho
rities, constituted as the necessities arise. Robinson
Crusoe, in his island, wants no Bishop, and makes
a thunderstorm do for an Evangelist. The Uni
versity of Oxford would be ill off without its Bishop ;
but wants an Evangelist besides; and that forthwith.
The authority which the Vaudois shepherds need,
is of Barnabas, the son of Consolation; the autho
rity which the city of London needs is of James,
the son of Thunder. Let us then alter the form of
our question, and put it to the Bible thus : What are
the necessities most likely to arise in the Church ; and
may they be best met by different men, or in great
part by the same men acting in different capacities ?
and are the names attached to their offices of any
consequence ? Ah, the Bible answers now, and that
loudly. The Church is built on the Foundation of
the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself
*
being the corner-stone. Well; we cannot have two
foundations, so we can have no more Apostles nor
Prophets : — then, as for the other needs of the
Church in its edifying upon this foundation, there
are all manner of things to be done daily;—rebukes
to be given; comfort to be brought; Scripture to
be explained; warning to be enforced; threatening's
to be executed; charities to be administered ; and the
men who do these things are called, and call them
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS
23
selves, with absolute indifference, Deacons, Bishops,
Elders, Evangelists, according to what they are
doing at the time of speaking. St. Paul almost
always calls himself a deacon, St. Peter calls him
self an elder, 1 Pet. v. 1, and Timothy, generally
understood to be addressed as a bishop, is called a
deacon in 1 Tim. iv. 6 — forbidden to rebuke an elder,
in v. 1, and exhorted to do the work of an evangelist,
in 2 Tim. iv. o. ,?But there is one thing which, as
officers, or as separate from the rest of the flock,
they never call themselves,—which it would have
been impossible, as so separate, they ever should have
called themselves; that is—Priests, c
Ht would have been just as possible for the Clergy
of the early Church to call themselves Levites, as
to call themselves (ex officio) Priests. The whole
function of Priesthood was, on Christmas morning,
at once and for ever gathered into His Person who
was born at Bethlehem ; and thenceforward, all who
are united with Him, and who with Him make sacri
fice of themselves; that is to say, all members of the
Invisible Church, become at the instant of their conver
sion, Priests ; and are so called in 1 Pet. ii. 5, and Bev.
i. 6, and xx. 6, where, observe, there is no possibility
of limiting the expression to the Clergy y the condi
tions of Priesthood being simply having been loved
by Christ, and washed in His blood. r-The blasphe
mous claim on the part of the Clergy of being more
Priests than the godly laity—that is to say, of hav
ing a higher Holiness than the Holiness of being
*
one with Christ,—is altogether a Romanist heresy,
�24
NOTES ON THE
dragging after it; or having- its origin in; the other
heresies respecting- the sacrificial power of the
Church officer; and his repeating- the oblation of
Christ; and so having- power to absolve from sin:
—with all the other endless and miserable false
hoods of the Papal hierarchy; falsehoods for which;
that there mig-ht be no shadow of excuse; it has
been ordained by the Holy Spirit that no Christian
minister shall once call himself a Priest from one
end of the Mew Testament to the other; except
together with his flock ; and so far from the idea
of any peculiar sanctification; belonging- to the Clergy;
ever entering the Apostles’ minds; we actually find
St. Paul defending himself against the possible im
putation of inferiority : “ If any man trust to him
self that he is Christ’s; let him of himself think
this again; that; as he is Christ’s; even so are we
Christ’s” (2 Cor. x. 7). As for the unhappy reten
tion of the term Priest in our English Prayer-book;
so long as it was understood to mean nothing but
an upper order of Church officer; licensed to tell
the congregation from the reading-desk; what (for
the rest) they might; one would think; have known
without being told;—that “ God pardoneth all them
that truly repent,”—there was little harm in it; but;
now that this order of Clergy begins to presume
upon a title which; if it mean anything- at all; is
simply short for Presbyter; and has no more to do
with the word Hiereus than with the word Levite;
it is time that some order should be taken both
with the book and the Clergy. For instance; in
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
"25
that dangerous compound of halting poetry with
hollow Divinity, called the Lyra Apostolica, we find
much versification on the sin of Korah and his com
pany : with suggested parallel between the Christian
and Levitical Churches, and threatening that there are
“Judgment Fires, for high-voiced Korahs in their
day.” There are indeed such fires. But when Moses
said, “ a Prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you,
like unto me,” did he mean the writer who signs
y in the Lyra Apostolica ? The office of the
Lawgiver and Priest is now for ever gathered
into One Mediator between God and man; .and
they are guilty of the sin of Korah who blas
phemously would associate themselves in his Media
torship.
As for the passages in the “ Ordering- of Priests”
and “Visitation of the Sick” respecting Absolution,
they are evidently pure Romanism, and might as
well not be there, for any practical effect which they
have on the consciences of the Laity ; and had much
better not be there, as regards their effect on the
minds of the Clergy. It is indeed true that Christ
promised absolving power to His Apostles: He also
promised to those who believed, that they should
take up serpents, and if they drank any deadly thing,
it should not hurt them. His words were fulfilled
literally; but those who would extend their force to
beyond the Apostolic times, must extend both pro
mises, or neither.
Although, however, the Protestant laity do not
often admit the absolving power of their clergy, they
�26
NOTES ON THE
are but too apt to yield, in some sort, to the im
pression of their greater sanctification; and from this
instantly results the unhappy consequence that the
sacred character of the Layman himself is forgotten,
arid his own Ministerial duty is neglected. Men not
in office in the Church suppose themselves, on that
ground, in a sort unholy ; and that, therefore, they may
sin with more excuse, and be idle or impious with
less danger, than the Clergy: especially they con
sider themselves relieved from all ministerial func
tion, and as permitted to devote their whole time
and energy to the business of this world. No
mistake can possibly be greater. . Every member of
the Church is equally bound to the service of the
Head of the Church; and that service is pre
eminently the saving' of souls.
There is not a
moment of a man’s active life in which he may
not be indirectly preaching ; and throughout a great
part of his life he ought to be directly preaching, and
teaching both strangers and friends ; his children,
his servants, and all who in any way are put under
him, being given to him as especial objects of his
ministration. So that the only difference between a
Church officer and a lay member, is either a wider
degree of authority given to the former, as appa
rently a wiser and better man, or a special appoint
ment to some office more easily discharged by one
person than by many : as, for instance, the serving' of
tables by the deacons ; the authority or appointment
being, in either case, commonly signified by a marked
separation from the rest of the Church, and the
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
27
privilege or power of being maintained by the rest
*
of the Church, without being forced to labour with
his hands or encumber himself with any temporal
concerns.
Now, putting out of question the serving of tables,
*
and other such duties, respecting which there is no
debate, we shall find the offices of the Clergy, what
ever names we may choose to give to those who
discharge them, falling mainly into two great heads :
—Teaching; including doctrine, warning, and com
fort : Discipline ; including reproof and direct
*
administration of punishment.
Either of which
functions would naturally become vested in single
persons, to the exclusion of others, as a mere matter
of convenience : whether those persons were wiser
and better than others or not: and respecting each
of which, and the authority required for its fitting
discharge, a short inquiry must be separately made.
First, Teaching.—It appears natural and wise that
certain men should be set apart from the rest of the
Church that they may make Theology the study of
their lives: and that they should be thereto in
structed specially in the Hebrew and Greek tongues ;
and have entire leisure granted them for the study of
the Scriptures, and for obtaining general knowledge
of the grounds of Faith, and best modes of its de
fence against all heretics: and it seems evidently
right also, that with this Scholastic duty should be
joined the Pastoral duty of constant visitation and
exhortation to the people 5 for, clearly, the Bible,
* E&vata, in 1 Cor. ix. 12.
2 Thess. iii. 9.
�28
NOTES ON THE
and the truths of Divinity in general, can only be
understood rightly in their practical application; and
clearly, also, a man spending his time constantly in
spiritual ministrations, must be better able, on any
given occasion, to deal powerfully with the human
heart than one unpractised in such matters. The
unity of Knowledge and Love, both devoted alto
gether to the service of Christ and his Church, marks
the true Christian Minister ; who I believe, when
ever he has existed, has never failed to receive due
and fitting reverence from all men,—of whatever
character or opinion; and I believe that if all those
who profess to be such, were such indeed, there
would never be question of their authority more.
But, whatever influence they may have over the
Church, their authority never supersedes that of
either the intellect or the conscience of the simplest
of its lay members. They can assist those members
in the search for truth, or comfort their over-worn
and doubtful minds j they can even assure them
that they are in the way of truth, or that pardon is
within their reach : but they can neither manifest the
truth, nor grant the pardon. Truth is to be dis
covered, and Pardon to be won for every man by
himself. This is evident from innumerable texts of
Scripture, but chiefly from those which exhort every
man to seek after Truth, and which connect knowing
*
with doing. We are to seek after knowledge as silver,
and search for her as for hid treasures ; therefore,
from every man she must be naturally hid, and the
discovery of her is to be the reward only of personal
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
29
search. The kingdom of God is as treasure hid in a
field; and of those who profess to help us to seek for
it, we are not to put confidence in those who say,—
Here is the treasure; we have found it; and have it;
and will give you some of it; but to those who say;—
We think that is a good place to dig; and you will digmost easily in such and such a way.
*
-Farther, it has been promised that if such earnest
search be made; Truth shall be discovered : as much
truth; that is, as is necessary for the person seeking.
vThese, therefore; I hold; for two fundamental prin
ciples of religion;—that; without seeking, truth cannot
be known at all; and that, by seeking, it may be dis
covered by the simplest. I say, without seeking it
cannot be known at all. It can neither be declared
from pulpits, nor set down in Articles, nor in any wise
“ prepared and sold ” in packages, ready for use.
Truth must be ground for every man by himself out
of its husk, with such help as he can get, indeed, but
not without stern labour of his own..- In what
science is knowledge to be had cheap? or truth to
be told over a velvet cushion, in half an hour’s talk
every seventh day ? Can you learn chemistry so ?—
zoology ?—anatomy ? and do you expect to penetrate
the secret of all secrets, and to know that whose price
is above rubies; and of which the depth saith,—It
is not in me, in so easy fashion ? - There are doubts in
this matter which evil spirits darken with their wings,
and that is true of all such doubts which we were
told long ago—they can “ be ended by action alone.”*
* (Carlyle, Past and Present, Chap, xi.)
Can anything be
�30
NOTES ON THE
As surely as we live; this truth of truths can only
so be discerned: to those who act on what they
know; more shall be revealed; and thus; if any man
will do His will; he shall know the doctrine whether
it be of God. Any man:—not the man who has
most means of knowing’; who has the subtlest brains,
or sits under the most orthodox preacher; or has
his library fullest of most orthodox books—but the
man who strives to know, who takes God at His
word; and sets himself .to dig1 up the heavenly mys
tery; roots and all; before sunset; and the nig-ht come;
when no man can work. Beside such a man; God
stands in more and more visible presence as he toils;
and teaches him that which no preacher can teach—
no earthly authority gainsay. By such a mail; the
*
preacher must himself be judged.
Doubt you this? There is nothing’ more Gertain
nor clear throughout the Bible: the Apostles them
selves appeal constantly to their flocks; and actually
claim judgment from them; as deserving it; and having
a right to it; rather than discouraging’ it. But; first
more striking than the repeated warnings of St. Paul against
strife of words ; and his distinct setting forth of Action as the only
true means of attaining knowledge of the truth, and the only sign
of men’s possessing the true faith. Compare 1 Timothy vi. 4,.20,
(the latter verse especially, in connection with the previous three,)
and 2 Timothy ii. 14, 19, 22, 23, tracing the connection here also ;
add Titus i. 10, 14, 16, noting’ “in works they deny him,” and
Titus iii. 8, 9, “affirm constantly that they be careful to maintain
good works; but avoid foolish questions;” and, finally, 1 Timothy
i. 4—7 : a passage which seems to have been especially written for
these times.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
31
notice the way in which the discovery of truth is
spoken of in the Old Testament: “ Evil men under
stand not judgment; but they that seek the Lord
understand all things/’ Proverbs xxviii. 5. God overthroweth, not merely the transgressor or the wicked,
but even “the words of the transgressor/’ Proverbs
xxii. 12, and “the counsel of the wicked/’ Job v. 13,
xxi. 16 ; observe again, in Proverbs xxiv. 4, “ My
son, eat thou honey, because it is good—so shall the
knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, when thou
hast/twwZ it, there shall be a reward/’ and ag'ain,
“ What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall
he teach in the way that he shall choose /’ so Job
xxxii. 8, and multitudes of places more; and then,
with all these places, which express the definite and
personal operation of the Spirit of God on every one of
His people, compare the place in Isaiah, which speaks
of the contrary of this human teaching: a passage
which seems as if it had been written for this very
day and hour. “ Because their fear towards me is
taught by the precept of men j therefore, behold the
wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the under
standing of their prudent men shall be hid.” (xxix.
13, 14.) Then take the New Testament, and observe
how St. Paul himself speaks of the Romans, even as
hardly needing his epistle, but able to admonish one
another; “ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the
more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in
mind.” (xv. 15.) Any one, we should have thought,
mig'ht have done as much as this, and yet St. Paul
increases the modesty of it as he goes on; for he
�32
NOTES ON THE
claims the right of doing as much as this, only
“ because of the grace given to me of God; that I
should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gen
tiles.” Then compare 2 Cor. v. 11, where he appeals
to the consciences of the people for the manifestation
of his having' done his duty • and observe in verse 21
of that, and 1 of the next chapter; the “pray” and
“ beseech/’ not “ command” ; and again., in chapter
vi. verse 4, “ approving ourselves as the ministers of
God.” But the most remarkable passage of all is
2 Cor. iii. 1; whence it appears that the churches
were actually in the habit of giving letters of recom
mendation to their ministers j and St. Paul dispenses
with such letters^ not by virtue of his Apostolic autho
rity; but because the power of his preaching’ was
enough manifested in the Corinthians themselves.
And these passages are all the more forcible; because
if in any of them St. Paul had claimed absolute
authority over the Church as a teacher; it was no
more than we should have expected him to claim; nor
could his doing so have in anywise justified a suc
cessor in the same claim. But now that he has not
claimed it—who; following him; shall dare to claim
it? And the consideration of the necessity of joining
expressions of the most exemplary humility; which
were to be the example of succeeding ministers; with
such assertion of Divine authority as should secure
acceptance for the epistle itself in the sacred canon;
sufficiently accounts for the apparent inconsistencies
which occur in 2 Thess. iii. 14; and other such texts.
So much; then; for the authority of the Clergy
�83
CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
in matters of Doctrine. Next, what is their autho
rity in matters of Discipline ? It must evidently be
very great, even if it were derived from the people
alone, and merely vested in the clerical officers as
the executors of their ecclesiastical judgments, and
general overseers of all the Church. But granting’,
as we must presently, the minister to hold office
directly from God, his authority of discipline becomes
very great indeed; how great, it seems to me most
difficult to determine, because I do not understand
what St. Paul means by “ delivering a man to
Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” Leaving
this question, however, as much too hard for casual
examination, it seems indisputable that the authority
of the Ministers or court of Ministers should extend
to the pronouncing a man Excommunicate for cer
tain crimes against the Church, as well as for all
crimes punishable by ordinary law. * There ought,
I think, to be an ecclesiastical code of laws; and
a man ought to have jury trial, according to this
code, before an ecclesiastical judge; in which, if he
were found guilty, as of lying, or dishonesty, or
cruelty, much more of any actually committed vio
lent crime, he should be pronounced Excommuni
cate; refused the Sacrament; and have his name
written in some public place as an excommunicate
person until he had publicly confessed bis sin and
besought pardon of God for it. The jury should
always be of the laity, and no penalty should be
enforced in an ecclesiastical court except this of
excommunication.
c
�34
NOTES ON THE
This proposal may sound strange to many persons;
but assuredly this, if not much more than this, is
commanded in Scripture, first in the (much abused)
text, “Tell it unto the Church”; and most clearly
in 1 Cor. v. 11-13; 2 Thess. iii. 6 and 14; 1 Tim. v.
8 and 20; and Titus iii. 10; from which passages
we also know the two proper degrees of the penalty.
For Christ says, Let him who refuses to hear the
Church, “ be unto thee as an heathen man and a
publican.” But Christ ministered to the heathen,
and sat at meat with the publican; only always
with declared or implied expression of their in
feriority; here, therefore, is one degree of excom
munication for persons who “ offend” their brethren;
committing’ some minor fault against them; and
who, having been pronounced in error by the body
of the Church, refuse to confess their fault or repair
it; who are then to be no longer considered mem
bers of the Church; and their recovery to the body
of it is to be sought exactly as it would be in the
case of a heathen. But covetous persons, railers,
extortioners, idolaters, and those guilty of other
gross crimes, are to be entirely cut off from the
company of the believers; and we are not so much
as to eat with them. This last penalty, however,
would require to be strictly guarded, that it might
not be abused in the infliction of it, as it has been
by the Romanists. We are not, indeed, to eat
with them, but we may exercise all Christian charity
towards them, and give them to eat, if we see them
in hunger, as we ought to all our enemies; only we
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
35
are to consider them distinctly as our enemies: that
is to say, enemies of our Master, Christ; and ser
vants of Satan.
As for the rank or name of the officers in whom
the authorities, either of teaching- or discipline, are to
be vested, they are left undetermined by Scripture.
I have heard it said by men who know their -Bible
far better than I, that careful examination may
detect evidence of the existence of three orders of
Clergy in the Church. This may be; but one thingis very clear, without any laborious examination,
that “bishop” and “elder” sometimes mean the
same thing, as, indisputably, in Titus i. 5 and 7,
and 1 Pet. v. 1 and 2,. and that the office of the
bishop or overseer was one of considerably less im
portance than it is with us.. This is palpably evi
dent from 1 Timothy iii., for what divine among us,
writing of episcopal proprieties, would think of say
ing that bishops “ must not be given to wine,” must
be “ no strikers,” and must not be “novices”? We
are not in the habit of making bishops of novices
in these days; and it would be much better that,
like the early Church, we sometimes ran the risk of
doing so; for the fact is we have not bishops enough,
—by some hundreds. The idea of overseership has
been practically lost sight of, its fulfilment having
gradually become physically impossible, for want of
more bishops. The duty of a bishop is, without
doubt, to be accessible to the humblest clergymen
of his diocese, and to desire very earnestly that all
of them should be in the habit of referring to him
c 2
�36
NOTES ON THE
in all cases of difficulty; if they do not do this of
their own accord, it is evidently his duty to visit
them; live with them sometimes, and join in their
ministrations to their flocks, so as to know exactly
the capacities, and habits of life of each; and if any of
them complained of this or that difficulty with their
congregations, the bishop should be ready to go down
to help them, preach for them, write general epistles
to their people, and so on: besides this, he should of
course be watchful of their errors—ready to hear
complaints from their cong’reg’ations of inefficiency
or aught else; besides having' general superintendence
of all the charitable institutions and schools in his
diocese, and good knowledge of whatever was g'oing’
on in theological matters, both all over the kingdom
and on the continent. This is the work of a right
overseer; and I leave the reader to calculate how
many additional bishops—and those hard-working
*
men, too—we should need to have it done even
decently. Then our present bishops might all be
come archbishops with advantage, and have general
authority over the rest.
*
* I leave, in the main text, the abstract question of the fitness
of Episcopacy unapproached, not feeling any call to speak of it
at length at present; all that I feel necessary to be said is, that
bishops being- g-ranted, it is clear that we have too few to do their
work. But the argument from the practice of the Primitive
Church appears to me to be of enormous weight,—nor have I
ever heard any rational plea alleg’ed against Episcopacy, except
that, like other things, it is capable of abuse, and had sometimes
been abused; and as, altogether clearly and indisputably, there is
described in the Bible an episcopal office, distinct from the merely
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
87
As to the mode in which the officers of the Church
should be elected or appointed, I do not feel it my
business to say anything- at present, nor much
respecting- the extent of their authority, either over
each other or over the congregation, this being a
most difficult question, the right solution of which
evidently lies between two most dangerous extremes
—insubordination and radicalism on one hand, and
ecclesiastical tyranny and heresy on the other: of the
two, insubordination is far the least to be dreaded—
for this reason, that nearly all real Christians are
more on the watch against their pride than their
indolence, and would sooner obey their clergyman, if
possible, than contend with him; while the very pride
they suppose conquered often returns masked, and
causes them to make a merit of their humility and
their abstract obedience, however unreasonable: but
they cannot so easily persuade themselves there is a
merit in abstract ^obedience.
Ecclesiastical tyranny has, for the most part,
founded itself on the idea of Vicarianism, one of the
most pestilent of the Romanist theories, and most
plainly denounced in Scripture. Of this I have a
word or two to say to the modern cc Vicarian.” All
powers that be are unquestionably ordained of God ;
so that they that resist the Power, resist the ordi
nance of God. Therefore, say some in these offices,
ministerial one; and, apparently, also an Episcopal officer attached
to each church, and distinguished in the Revelations as an Angel,
I hold the resistance of the Scotch Presbyterian Church to Epis
copacy to be unscriptural, futile, and schismatic.
�38
NOTES ON THE
We, being- ordained of God, and having- our cre
dentials, and being- in the English Bible called am
bassadors for God, do, in a sort, represent God. We
are Vicars of Christ, and stand on earth in place
of Christ. I have heard this said by Protestant
clergymen.
Now the word ambassador has a peculiar am
biguity about it, owing- to its use in modern poli
tical affairs; and these clergymen assume that the
word, as used by St. Paul, means an Ambassador
Plenipotentiary; representative of his King, and ca
pable of acting for his King. What right have they
to assume that St. Paul meant this ? St. Paul never
uses the word ambassador at all. He says, simply,
“ We are in embassage from Christ; and Christ be
seeches you through us.” Most true. And let it fur
ther be granted, that every word that the clergyman
speaks is literally dictated to him by Christ; that
he can make no mistake in delivering his message;
and that, therefore, it is indeed Christ himself who
speaks to us the word of life through the messenger’s
lips. Does, therefore, the messenger represent
Christ ? Does the channel which conveys the waters
of the Fountain represent the Fountain itself? Sup
pose, when we went to draw water at a cistern, that
all at once the Leaden Spout should become ani
mated, and open its mouth and say to us, See, I am
Vicarious for the Fountain. Whatever respect you
show to the Fountain, show some part of it to me.
Should we not answer the Spout, and say, Spout,
you were set there for our service, and may be
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
39
taken away and thrown aside * if, anything1 goes
wrong with you. But the Fountain will flow for
ever.
Observe, I do not deny a most solemn authority
vested in every Christian messenger from God to men.
I am prepared to grant this to the uttermost; and all
that George Herbert says, in the end of the Church
porch, I would enforce, at another time than this, to
the uttermost. But the Authority is simply that of
a King-’s messenger j not of a King’s Representative.
There is a wide difference; all the difference between
humble service and blasphemous usurpation.
Well, the congregation might ask, grant him a
King’s messenger in cases of doctrine,—in cases of
discipline, an officer bearing the King-’s Commission.
How far are we to obey him ? How far is it lawful
to dispute his commands?
For, in gTanting, above, that the Messenger always
gave his message faithfully, I granted too much to
my adversaries, in order that their argument might
have all the weight it possibly could. The Mes
sengers rarely deliver their message faithfully; and
sometimes have declared, as from the King, messages
of their own invention. How far are we, knowing
them for King’s messengers, to believe or obey them?
Suppose for instance, in our English army, on the
eve of some great battle, one of the colonels were to
give this order to his regiment. a My men, tie your
belts over your eyes, throw down your muskets, and
follow me as steadily as you can, through this marsh,
♦ “ By just judgment be deposed,” Art. 26.
�40
NOTES ON THE
into the middle of the enemy’s line,” (this being pre
cisely the order issued by our Puseyite Church
officers). It might be questioned, in the real battle,
whether it would be better that a regiment should
show an example of insubordination, or be cut to
pieces. But happily in the Church, there is no such
difficulty; for the King is always with his army: Not
only with his army, but at the right hand of every
soldier of it. Therefore, if any of their colonels give
them a strange command, all they have to do is to
ask the King; and never yet any Christian asked
guidance of his King, in any difficulty whatsoever,
without mental reservation or secret resolution, but
he had it forthwith. We conclude then, finally, that
the authority of the Clergy is, in matters of dis
cipline, large (being executive, first, of the written
laws of God, and secondly, of those determined and
agreed upon by the body of the Church), in matters
of doctrine, dependent on their recommending them
selves to every man’s conscience, both as messengers
of God, and as themselves men of God, perfect, and
instructed to good works.
*
6. The last subject which we had to investigate
* The difference between the authority of doctrine and dis
cipline is beautifully marked in 2 Timothy ii. 25, and Titus ii.
12—15. In the first passage, the servant of God, teaching
divine doctrine, must not strive, but must “in meekness instruct
those that oppose themselves;” in the second passage, teaching
us “ that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts he is to live
soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,” the minis
ter is to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority—
both functions being- expressed as united in 2 Timothy iv. 3.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
41
was, it will be remembered, what is usually called
the connection of“ Church and State.” But, by our
definition of the term Church, throughout the whole
of Christendom, the Church (or society of professing’
Christians) is the State, and our subject is therefore,
properly speaking, the connection of the lay and
clerical officers of the Church; that is to say, the
degrees in which the civil and ecclesiastical govern
ments ouoht to interfere with or influence each
orther.
It would of course be vain to attempt a formal
enquiry into this intricate subject;—I have only a
few detached points to notice respecting it.
There are three degrees or kinds of civil govern
ment. The first and lowest, executive merely; the
government in this sense being simply the National
Hand, and composed of individuals who administer
the laws of the nation, and execute its established
purposes.
The second kind of government is deliberative ; but
in its deliberation, representative only of the thoug’hts
and will of the people or nation, and liable to be
deposed the instant it ceases to express those
thoughts and that will. This, whatever its form,
whether centred in a kinoo or in any number of
*
«/
men, is properly to be called Democratic. The
third and highest kind of government is deliberative,
not as representative of the people, but as chosen
to take separate counsel for them, and having power
committed to it, to enforce upon them whatever
resolution it may adopt, whether consistent with
�42
NOTES ON THE
their will or not. This government is properly to
be called Monarchical, whatever its form.
I see that politicians and writers of history con
tinually run into hopeless error, because they con
fuse the Form of a Government with its Nature.
A government may be nominally vested in an indi
vidual ; and yet if that individual be in such fear of
those beneath him, that he does nothing but what he
supposes will be agreeable to them, the Government
is Democratic; on the other hand, the Government
may be vested in a deliberative assembly of a
thousand men, all having' equal authority, and all
chosen from the lowest ranks of the people; and
yet if that assembly act independently of the will of
the people, and have no fear of them, and enforce
its determinations upon them, the government is
Monarchical; that is to say, the Assembly, acting’
as One, has power over the Many, while in the case
of the weak king, the Many have power over the
One.
A Monarchical Government, actino- for its own
interests, instead of the people’s, is a tyranny. I
said the Executive Government was the hand of the
nation; — The Republican Government is in like
manner its tongue. The Monarchical Government
is its head.
All true and right government is Monarchical, and
of the head. What is its best form, is a totally
different question • but unless it act for the people,
and not as representative of the people, it is no
government at all; and one of the grossest block-
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
48
headisms of the English in the present day, is their
idea of sending- men to Parliament to “ represent
tlieir opinions.” Whereas their only true business
is to find out the wisest men among them, and send
them to Parliament to represent their own opinions,
and act upon them. Of all puppet-shows in the
Satanic Carnival of the earth, the most contemptible
puppet-show is a Parliament with a mob pulling
the strings.
Now, of these three states of government, it is
clear that the merely executive can have no proper
influence over ecclesiastical affairs. But of the other
two, the first, being the voice of the people, or voice of
the Church, must have such influence over the Clergy
as is properly vested in the body of the Church.
The second, which stands in the same relation to the
people as a father does to his family, will have such
farther influence over ecclesiastical matters, as a
father has over the consciences of his adult children.
No absolute authority, therefore, to enforce their
attendance at any particular place of worship, or
subscription to any particular Creed. But indis
putable authority to procure for them such religious
instruction as he deems fittest, and to recommend it
*
* Observe, this and the following conclusions depend entirely
on the supposition that the Government is part of the Body
of the Church, and that some pains have been taken to
compose it of religious and wise men. If we choose, knowin glv and deliberately, to compose our Parliament, in great
part, of infidels and Papists, gamblers and debtors, we may
well regret its power over the Clerical officer; but that we
should, at any time, 80 compose our Parliament, is a sign that
�44
NOTES ON THE
to them by every means in his power; he not only
has authority, but is under obligation to do this, as
well as to establish such disciplines and forms of
worship in his house as he deems most convenient
for his family : With which they are indeed at liberty
to refuse compliance, if such disciplines appear to
them clearly opposed to the law of God ; but not
without most solemn conviction of their being- so,
nor without deep sorrow to be compelled to such a
course.
But it may be said, the Government of a people
the Clergy themselves have failed in their duty, and the Church
in its watchfulness ; — thus the evil accumulates in re-action.
Whatever I say of the responsibility or authority of Govern
ment, is therefore to be understood only as sequent on what I
have said previously of the necessity of closely circumscribing
the Church, and then composing the Civil Government out of
the circumscribed Body. Thus, all Papists would at once be
rendered incapable of share in it, being subjected to the second
or most severe degree of excommunication—first, as idolaters,
by 1 Cor. v. 10; then, as covetous and extortioners, (selling ab
solution,) by the same text; and, finally, as heretics and main
tainers of falsehoods, by Titus iii. 10, and 1 Tim. iv. 1.
I do not write this hastily, nor without earnest consideration
both of the difficulty and the consequences of such Church Disci
pline. But either the Bible is a superannuated book, and is only
to be read as a record of past days; or these things follow from
it, clearly and inevitably. That we live in days when the Bible
has become impracticable, is (if it be so) the very thing I desire
to be considered. I am not setting down these plans or schemes
as at present possible. I do not know how far they are possible;
but it seems to me that God has plainly commanded them, and
that, therefore, their impracticability is a thing to be meditated
on.
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
45
never does stand to them in the relation of a father
to his family. If it do not, it is no Government.
However grossly it may fail in its duty, and however
little it may be fitted for its place, if it be a Govern
ment at ail, it has paternal office and relation to the
people. I find it written on the one hand,—“ Honour
thy Father;” on the other,—“Honour the King:”
on the one hand,—“ Whoso smiteth his Father, shall
be put to death ;” * on the other,—“ They that resist
shall receive to themselves damnation.” Well, but,
it may be farther argued, the Clergy are in a still
more solemn sense the Fathers of the People, and the
People are their beloved Sons; why should not,
therefore, the Clergy have the power to govern the
civil officers ?
For two very clear reasons.
In all human institutions certain evils are granted,
as of necessity; and, in organizing such institu
tions, we must allow for the consequences of such
evils, and make arrangements such as may best keep
them in check. Now, in both the civil and ecclesias
tical governments there will of necessity be a certain
number of bad men. The wicked civilian has com
paratively little interest in overthrowing' ecclesiastical
authority; it is often a useful help to him, and
presents in itself little which seems covetable. But
the wicked ecclesiastical officer has much interest in
overthrowing the civilian, and getting the political
power into his own hands. As far as wicked men
are concerned, therefore, it is better that the State
* Exod. xxi. 15.
�46
NOTES ON THE
should have power over the Clergy, than the Clergy
over the State.
Secondly, supposing’ both the Civil and Eccle
siastical officer to be Christians; there is no fear
that the civil officer should underrate the dignity
or shorten the serviceableness of the minister; but
there is considerable danger that the religious en
thusiasm of the minister might diminish the service
ableness of the civilian. (The History of Religious
Enthusiasm should be written by some one who had
a life to give to its investigation; it is one of the
most melancholy pages in human records, and one
the most necessary to be studied.) Therefore, as far
as good men are concerned, it is better the State
should have power over the Clergy, than the Clergy
over the State.
This we might, it seems to me, conclude by un
assisted reason. But surely the whole question is,
without any need of human reason, decided by the
history of Israel. If ever a body of Clergy should
have received independent authority, the Levitical
Priesthood should; for they were indeed a Priest
hood, and more holy than the rest of the nation.
But Aaron is always subject to Moses. All so
lemn revelation is made to Moses, the civil ma
gistrate, and he actually commands Aaron as to
the fulfilment of his priestly office, and that in a
necessity of life and death : “ Go, and make an
atonement for the people.” Nor is anything’ more
remarkable throughout the whole of the Jewish
history than the perfect subjection of the Priestly
�CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
47
to the Kingly Authority. Thus Solomon thrusts
out Abiathar from being priest, 1 Kings ii. 27;
and Jehoahaz administers the funds of the Lord’s
House, 2 Kings xii. 4, though that money was
actually the Atonement Money, the Ransom for
Souls (Exod. xxx. 12).
We have, however, also the beautiful instance of
Samuel uniting in himself the offices of Priest, Pro
phet, and Judge; nor do I insist on any special
manner of subjection of Clergy to civil officers, or vice
versa • but only on the necessity of their perfect unity
and influence upon each other in every Christian
kingdom. Those who endeavour to effect the utter
separation of ecclesiastical and civil officers, are
striving, on the one hand, to expose the Clergy to the
most grievous and most subtle of temptations from
their own spiritual enthusiasm and spiritual pride; on
the other, to deprive the civil officer of all sense of
religious responsibility, and to introduce the fearful,
g'odless, conscienceless, and soulless policy of the
Radical and the (so called) Socialist. Whereas, the
ideal of all government is the perfect unity of the two
bodies of officers, each supporting and correcting the
other ; the Clergy having due weight in all the national
councils; the civil officers having a solemn reverence
for God in all their acts; the Clergy hallowing all
worldly policy by their influence; and the magistracy
repressing all religious enthusiasm by their practical
wisdom. To separate the two is to endeavour to
separate the daily life of the nation from God, and to
map out the dominion of the soul into two provinces
�48
NOTES ON THE
—one of Atheism, the other of Enthusiasm. These,
then, were the reasons which caused me to speak
of the idea of separation of Church and State as
Fatuity; for what Fatuity can be so great as the
not having God in our thoughts; and, in any act
or office of life, saying in our hearts, a There is
no God.”
Much more I would fain say of these things,
but not now: this only, I must emphatically as
sert, in conclusion :—That the schism between the
so-called Evangelical and High Church parties
in Britain, is enough to shake many men’s faith
in the truth or existence of Religion at all. It
seems to me one of the most disgraceful scenes
in Ecclesiastical history, that Protestantism should
be paralyzed at its very heart by jealousies, based
on little else than mere difference between hioh
and low breeding. For the essential differences, in
the religious opinions of the two parties are suffi
ciently marked in two men whom we may take
as the highest representatives of each — George
Herbert and John Milton ; and I do not think there
would have been much difficulty in atoning those two,
if one could have got them together. But the real
difficulty, nowadays, lies in the sin and folly of both
parties; in the superciliousness of the one, and the
rudeness of the other. Evidently, however, the sin
lies most at the High Church door, for the Evan
gelicals are much more ready to act with Churchmen
than they with the Evangelicals; and 1 believe that
this state of things cannot continue much longer;
�49
CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS.
and that if the Church of England does not forthwith
unite with herself the entire Evangelical body; both
of England and Scotland; and take her stand with
them against the Papacy; her hour has struck. She
cannot any longer serve two masters; nor make curt
sies alternately to Christ and anti-Christ. That she
has done this is visible enough by the state of Europe
at this instant. Three centuries since Luther—three
hundred years of Protestant knowledge — and the
Papacy not yet overthrown ! Christ’s truth still re
strained; in narrow dawn, to the white cliffs of Eng
land and white crests of the Alps;—the morning star
paused in its course in heaven;—the sun and moon
stayed; with Satan for their Joshua.
But how to unite the two great sects of paralyzed
Protestants ? By keeping simply to Scripture. The
members of the Scottish Church have not a shadow
of excuse for refusing Episcopacy ; it has indeed been
abused among them; g'rievously abused; but it is in
the Bible; and that is all they have a right to ask.
They have also no shadow of excuse for refusing to
employ a written form of prayer. It may not be to
their taste—it may not be the way in which they like
to pray; but it is no question; at present; of likes or
dislikes; but of duties ; and the acceptance of such a
form on their part would go half way to reconcile
them with their brethren.
Let them allege such
objections as they can reasonably advance against the
English form; and let these be carefully and humbly
weighed by the pastors of both churches : some of
them ought to be at once forestalled. For the
D
�50
NOTES; ETC.
English Church; on the other hand; must cut the
term Priest entirely out of her Prayer-book; and
substitute for it that of Minister or Elder; the pass
ages respecting absolution must be thrown out also;
except the doubtful one in the Morning’ Service; in
which there is no harm; and then there would be
only the Baptismal question left; which is one of
words rather than of things; and might easily be
settled in Synod; turning the refractory Clerg'y out of
their offices; to go to Borne if they chose. Then;
when the Articles of Faith and form of worship had
been agreed upon between the English and Scottish
Churches; the written forms and articles should be
carefully translated into the European languages;
and offered to the acceptance of the Protestant
churches on the Continent, with earnest entreaty
that they would receive them; and due entertain
ment of all such objections as they could reasonably
allege ; and thus the whole body of Protestants;
united in one great Fold; would indeed go in and
out; and find pasture; and the work appointed for
them would be done quickly; and Antichrist over
thrown.
Impossible : a thousand times impossible !—I hear
it exclaimed against me. No—not impossible. Christ
does not order impossibilities; and He has ordered
us to be at peace one with another. Nay; it is
answered—He came not to send peace; but a sword.
Yes, verily: to send a sword upon earth; but not
within His Church; for to His Church He said;
“ My Peace I leave with you.”
�
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Victorian Blogging
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A collection of digitised nineteenth-century pamphlets from Conway Hall Library & Archives. This includes the Conway Tracts, Moncure Conway's personal pamphlet library; the Morris Tracts, donated to the library by Miss Morris in 1904; the National Secular Society's pamphlet library and others. The Conway Tracts were bound with additional ephemera, such as lecture programmes and handwritten notes.<br /><br />Please note that these digitised pamphlets have been edited to maximise the accuracy of the OCR, ensuring they are text searchable. If you would like to view un-edited, full-colour versions of any of our pamphlets, please email librarian@conwayhall.org.uk.<br /><br /><span><img src="http://www.heritagefund.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/attachments/TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" width="238" height="91" alt="TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" /></span>
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Notes on the construction of sheepfolds
Description
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Edition: 2nd ed.
Place of publication: London
Collation: 50 p. ; 21 cm.
Notes: Stamp on front cover: Bishopsgate Institute. Reference Library. Printed by Stewart and Murray, London. Part of the NSS pamphlet collection.
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Ruskin, John [1819-1900]
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Smith, Elder and Co.
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1851
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N565
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Christianity
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<a href="http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/"><img src="http://i.creativecommons.org/p/mark/1.0/88x31.png" alt="Public Domain Mark" /></a><span> </span><br /><span>This work (Notes on the construction of sheepfolds), identified by </span><a href="https://conwayhallcollections.omeka.net/items/show/www.conwayhall.org.uk"><span>Humanist Library and Archives</span></a><span>, is free of known copyright restrictions.</span>
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Text
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English
Christian church
Christianity
NSS