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?"

by Thomas Tregenna Biddulph

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

“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.

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.