Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 3.djvu/205

 No. 74.]

''The Baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or of men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying. If we shall say, from heaven, He will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, of men, we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.''

who object to our preaching distinctly, and unhesitatingly the doctrine of the Apostolical succession, must be asked to explain, why we may not do what our Fathers in the Church have done before us, or whether they too, as well as we, are mistaken, or injudicious theorists, or Papists, in so doing? This question is here plainly put to them; and at the same time the attention of inquirers, who have not made up their minds on the subject, is invited to the answer, if any is forthcoming, from the parties addressed.

The doctrine in dispute is this; that founded a visible Church as an ordinance for ever, and endowed it once for all with spiritual privileges, and set His Apostles over it, as the first in a line of ministers and rulers, like themselves except in their miraculous gifts, and to be continued from them by successive ordination; in consequence, that to adhere to this Church thus distinguished, is among the ordinary duties of a Christian, and is