D IS S E NT
FRO M T H K
Church of ENGLAND,
Fully juftified :
And proved the genuine and jufl Confequcncc
of the Allegiance due to CHRIST, ihc
only Lawgiver in the Chujlch.
B £ I N C THE
Dissenting Gentlemans
THREE
LETTERS and POSTSCRIPT,
In Anfwcr to
Mr. JOHN white's on that Subjcft.
To which is ^ddtdy
A LETTER to a BISHOP, *<r.
The FooRTH EoiTioK.
— — *B>i* I ■ II I 11 i^ii. II I 111 ■ I iKM 11
BOSTON^ Printed.
MpCCLXVIII*
r<-m
n
1
E ^ 2
THE
PREFACE.
^)P^^ HE Gentlem-an to whom thefe
^M^^ Letters are addreiTed having
StW )^^ called us forih to a vindication
*'545»^«^ of our religious principles and
pnftice ; we think oupfelves happy thai
without fear of the heavy fines, imprifon-
incnts and deaths, which our Forefathers
fufTered, wc can make our Defence.
A calm and unprejudiced examination of
our caufe is all the favour we aJk. Such an
jexamination, wc are humbly confident, will
Jliew That we feparate from the Church
cf England in no one thing, but in which /he
A 2 I'epa*
iv PREFACE.
feparatcs hcrfelf (yea, but ^\\exc\r\ /be knows
that flic fcpafaies hcrfelf ) from the Church
of Jesvs Christ That wc are Non-^
tonformijls to the Eftablifhmcni only in thofc
points in which the Eftablifhment is noi con^*
formed to the primitive apoftolic plan of dif^
Cfpline and worfliip eftablHlicd in the -word of
Cod 'And that wou'd the Governors of
this Church be pleafed to lay afide ihofo
things which they ihemfelves know and ac^^
knowledge to be ho parts at all of genuine, ori«
ginal, real Chrijlianity ; ar\d to be bur the de*
vices of fallible and weak men ; the difTerence
would be no more; our feparation would at
once vanifh ;r we fhould immediately y'd?//; /i?*
gethery with one heart and one mouth giving
glory to God.
Here wc reft our canfe ; upon that which
is the grand bafis oi Proiejlaniifni, and of a!I
rational and reformed Rcligiori ; viz. That
the Scriptures are a ferfed rule of faith and of
mannen : Whoever departs from this, muft
v/ander into endlefs mazes of Church-tyranny
and Superjlition ; till he plunges at Ju(t into
that
P R E F .4 C E: V
tftat horrkl abyfs of both, Po?£:ry, or th^
Church of Rome..
To every impartial j^ulge our di/fent from
tbe Church of p/7g/a/hi wiil apf^ear, nothing
but a proteft which vvc publickiy make agjinlt
^ nezv Edition of Christianity, luith Cor--
refiious and\4mcndment;Sy which our brethren
©f the Enabliillment have taken upon them
to let forth. We ?re content with the olJ,
\)vit prii'\iiive, plan of clocirincs and r tes
uhich Christ and his ^poflles eflabiQied in
Uie Church : Our brethren are r.ot ; they are
for akering, impro^^n^j upon, anj meaxling
Christ's fcheme : For embellifliino; arsd a-
dorniag it with fome additional fp^t^ndon.;.- and
for m;.king new terms of Chridian commu-
nion befides thofe which Christ made :. In
this we differ from them : And this (;ve pray
it may be noted) this is the only point in. dif-"-
ference betwixt us. Here tlie merits rcll:.
Which of 118 havC' Truth and -Rig ar of
our fide, we readily fubmic to every unbiaf]-. d
jvidgment : Yea, we arc even bold to fjb-
mit it 10 the canfcienct, ai.d the^Wr//^ rejl^lli'
ins^ of our brcihrcn thcmfclvci.
A 3; May
n PREFACE.
May the GOD of Truth judge bctwixr
us! Wc arc afTurcd he will judge. To him
alone be the glory of dominion over con-
fcience, and of all authority in religion ;
ihroughoui all Churches^ and all Age#.
t 0 N.
I vii 3
CONTENTS
OF THE
Three Letters and Postscript.
OF the Churches Ponver to decree Rites, and
Jurhorhy in controverfies of Faith. Page 4—
15, 112, 143—149, 252—237, 247 — 267.
This Power, by the Conftitution of the Church
of EnglMtidf not at all in its Bijhops or Clergy,
but entireJy in the Kin^ aad Parliaments Page
9— iw 137-
Christ the onlj King and LaiogiveF in his
Church, to whom a/5//^ Tubjc<5tion in things per-
taiaing to Confclence aud Rtli^im i^ duc. Page
IX— 26, 17, 268.
Tht
viu C O N!.T'E n t s..
Tke Conftitution of th« Church of England^ zxi&
of the Church of Chrijl extremely different. If
not abfolutdy inconditent and reipugnant to each
other.. Page 17— -.3Q.
The Kings and ^leens^ of England the fountains of
all Power, AuthorUy, and Jurifdidion therein^,
to inftrui^t, dircdl, overrule, apd controul ail
its Jrchbifiops^y, Bijh^ps and Clerg^^ in arli thdr
moft folemn offices and fervlces^ of Religion.
Page 23 — 30, 158 — 161, 278 — 255.
Abfurdlty of the ^i€en\ being Tefted with thii
power. Page 27 — 29, 158— 161, 280^—285.
Q\ the Atbanttftan Cned. Page 30— 32, 132^
223 — 125.
Schism not at all chargeable on the Dijfenterf^
Page 17 — 29. But undoubtedly on the Churchy.
Page 87—90, 136, 176--131.
Of the poftujpc in which the -/;tfr^*/-y«//<fr is to be
r-cceivt^d. Page 130, 237 — '240.. No particu-
liir pofture impo£ed by Diiienters. Page 1,5^ — 17.^
129— 131,, 182.
Of the Sacra?nentaiTffJ}i Page 72—78, 149—-
.Ii54» 272— 276.
Of Sp^nfors' in Baptifm. Page 36 — 43, 1 62 — 169.,
Of Cinfrmation. Page 43—48, xd3 — J 74.
' - Of!
CONTENTS. fc
Of tKc Ahft>luticn dfthe Sick, and the Priefts power
to forgive fins. Page 49 — 53.
Objcaions to the Burial Office, Page 63— -^4.
222—225.
Of the want of Difctpline. Page 67.—
The poAver of the Lay-Chancellor^ to acfmit or re-
jedl from the Lord's-fupper, fnpenor to the
Prieff^y or even Bijhof'i, Page 69— 71,
Various mifrfprefentations^ of Diflenters dlfproved
and correded. Page 53 — 63> i8x — 192.
The Chiirch no efental part of our happy Con-
ftitution. Page 76, 155 — 161 •
Prefbyterian Ordination v^Vi^, Page 90, 196 — 2T4.
Far preferable to that in which Mr. White glo-
' ries, which is derived only from the Church of
Rome, Page 92 — 94, 196—214.
Of the Peoples Right to chufe their 6wn Paftofs.
Page 94, 214 — 221.
The Chttrch of England denies its Members the
t'v^\\X. of private J udg?fient. Page 116.
— — Has fhewn -^ per/ecu (ingS\i\nt. Page 21, 22,
Si'-S;. And a dividing Spirit. Piige 87 — 93.
h
1^ CO NT ENT S^
Is undoubtedly, a, Parfiaf^enfarj^, or pvj7 Con?^
tution, or a Creature of tlie Mag^ljlrate. Page
23 — 120— 122, Ij8, 155, 194, 195, 249, 276
279.
Civil Magifirate has no Authority in the Church
of Christ. Page 21—23, 266,
CfnvocatioTii Engllfli- not; pofleffed 'o| apj, icclefi^
if/} teal Authority. Page; 249.—
Its Bijhsps and Clergy ftrenuoufly oppofcd the Rt*
formatiott from Popery. Page 139—1431 ^59
— 260,
Pcpery not to be encountered or refuted, but upon,
the Principles of, Pfoteftant DiiTenters. Page
26S — 271.
Of LefTons from the Apocrypha : bowing to the
EaJ^y and at the Name ^/^ Jesus. Page loi —
104.
Terms of Minijlerial Conformity unreafonable, un-
chriiUan^ and oppteffive : Lajr Diflcnt juilliied :
the Rife of the Separation. Page 174 — 18 r<,
Th^ eje<aed Minifters in t662. the only brave kt-
ferters of civil a,s wqII as religious Lib.krty t
And the only perfons who appear to have then
underftood the true Revolution Principles, on
which our preftnt Government ilatfds ; and fuf-
fcrcd nobjy in its Defence. Page 178—181.
Mr.
CONTENTS 1^
Mr. Whtjion'% cafe before the Queen and Cotiva-
cation truly reptefented. Page 27—29, 279— •
585.
TIic Prefbytcrian Eftablifhrnent m Scotland v'mdU
cated from unjuft aiperfions. Page 226—232.
Serious and free Thoughts on the prefent ftatc of
the Churchy ia a Letter to a Bifhop. f age
297.
rnn
THE
Diflenting Gentleman's
ANSWER
TO THE
Reverend Mr. WHITEs
Three Letters, &c.
J'^MM'^ Debate of this kind I fliould not havC
^ A )SC ^^V^in theprefent fitiiation of Gurpub-
^ )§( ^^^^ affairs : but as you have done me
^WW^ the honour of publickly addreffing to
me //^r<f<f Jong letters for my conv*idlion and cdifica-
-tion, gratitude and good manners conjlrain me to
anfwer.
As 'worldly confiderations are very ftrong on your
fide, I affureyou, I have an ^•^iV always open to any
thing that can fhew conformity to be my duty*
J) :j] enters ^x^T^oX. men of fo peculiar a turn of mind,
as to love fufferlng and reproach, or to defpife the
dignities, preferments, and lucrative pofts, to the
amount of jnillions a, year, which are ihared am.ong
their feilow-fubjedts, could they with a good Con-
fcience partake of them, as they have a natural
ri^ht to do.
But, notwithftanding this prejudice in favour of
your ari^ument, and all the ingenuity with which
you fet it oiF, I cannot fay it has wrought in mc
B the
C 2 1
tB« conv'KTtion you feemed to hope. So far, SJf,
from tliib, that the more carefully I examine the
grounds of my y^/^/rr^Z/iT/,^ the more thoroughly I
am convinced of its lawfulnefs and expedience ;
t^at it is a debt I owe to God» to Liberty, to Truth
and an a^ of homage and allegiance due to Christ,
the only Lawgiver and King in the Church.
I ihall not enter up©n the enquiry, on which you
largely expatiate, who are the bej} Livers, Church-
men or Diffenters ? And amorgfh which the bcft
means for h»ly living are found ? Let the world
judge betwixt us. Would to God that both .of us
had greater reafon to boafl !
The controverfy betwixt us, Sir, I apprehend,
may eafily be brought to 2l plain ^ndjhcri ifTue, if
you will heartily join in it. It turns u pon the^//^/^
point of the XXth article of your church, t;/z. That
THE Church hath pQnver to decree rites -And cere*
Vionies^ and authority in jnatters of faith. For if
THJi Church haih really this authority and pow-
er, then all objedlions of the Diffenters about fpon-
ibrs, the crpfs in Baptifm, kneeling at the Lord's-
fupper, and every other thing are impertinent and
vain : ih^ Church having this authority ^ ought reve-
rently to be obeyed. And, if inilead of two or
three ceremoriies, it kad enjoined two or three
fcore ; aad if to the thirty-nine articles it had added
an hundred befid^s, we ought meekly t^ have bov/ed
dewn to htv fpirltual jurifdifiion^ and tohave prac-
ti fed and believed as the Church had taught and en-
joined.
But, if on ■ the contrary, Sir, the Church hath
really and in truth, no po^cr at all, nor authority
of this k:ind ; yea, if Christ, the great La^v*
givnr and Kfn^ of the Church, halh exprefsly com-
maadeJ that no power of this kind ihail ever be
claiincd^
C 3 1
claimed, or ever ht yielded, by any of his followers,
xh^n your church is repreheniibie and highjy crimi-
nal betoreGoD, foruilirping this poi^er : and thea
/^<? Z)//t7;/c'rj- are juiiified, and will have honour
before God, for eniering their proteft againit fuch
Vfurpation ; for afferting the rights and privileges
of the Chriuian Church ; and Jianding faft in the
liberty n.vltre'vjith ChriR has ynade the?n fre^.
Our feparation from the edablilhment you are
pleafed to reprefent in very terrifying and black
colours, as a fm of near the firfl magnitude.
* Our Miniders, you fay, have guilt lying heavi-
* ly upon them on account of their fchiftnaiical
* and uncatholick proceedings. — 1'hey are noto-
* rioufly peccant, [i,e, are great fmners) in throw-
* ing off the authority of thofe whom they ought
* to obey and fubmit themfelves to. — Their con-
* di^k^ is fuck as you challenge all the wit and in-
' genuicy of the nation ever to reconcile with holy
y living, You reprefent them as carrxal, evil,
* and deceitful workers, diforderly walkers, whom
* Go© will, undoubtedly, for thefe things, bring
* into jiidgnaent*; 2ind the faithful, far from be-
' ing permitted to QXi'iQV mto ■<ix\j pa ft oral relation
' to them, are not permitted to have any Chrif
* tia/3 c97ninunion with them ; no, not fo much as
' any intimate unneceffary acquaintance and fa-
* miliarity with them in common life f;" with
much more to the fame purpofe.
lou fpeak alfo *« of the Lay- dif enter, 2.% having
* ftained his fowl with guilt \ ; and of the dodrinc
* on which our feparation is built, as being falfe
' and dangerous \, This you wifh me to lay to
* heart, and fenouily to confidei."
B 2 1 have,
- '* Letter I. page 22, gj. t Letter IL p. 8. I Lctte*
iL p. 26. § LtiLcr in. p. 59.
14}
I have, according to your wifli, Sir, lain it io^
iearty and ferioufly confidered. The refult of my
confideradoa I fhall now freely give you ; and ia
retttrn heartily wiih, that laying afide all prejudice
and 'vonrldly attachments ^ you would impartially
confider — What is the true nature and conllitution
of the Chrijiian Church ; and what the allegiance
which, as a fubjeft of Jesus Chris-t, you OM^e
to Him, the only Lawgiver and King in the
Church ; who will fhortly call you to account for
your conduft in this refpedl.
■To come then to the point The Church,
you fay, and folcmnly fubfcri-be it, kath poruoer to
decree rites y and authority in matters of Faith, This-
is the grand hinge upon which the whole contro-
versy turns. Nov/ here, Sir, let me afk you,
First, What Church is k, to whom this au-
thority and power is given ? You will, doubtlcfs,
fay, the Church of England^ for the Church of Eng^
tand exprefly claims and exercifes this power ; and
you avo'^ and defend it in this exercife and claim r
yea, this is the very bafts on which its wkolc framfc
and hierarchy (land. It obliges all its Minifters to
fubfcribe to articles of faith y. which it hath authori'
tatively decreed ; and to ufe in religious worlhip
ceremonies arid rites ^ which it hatk- authoritatively
mjoined.
But mind. Sir, I befeecK you, the confequences
of this claim. If the Church of England hath really
this authority and power ; hath not the Church of
France — the Church of Spain — the Church of Rome
the very fame ? Hath England, in this matter, any
privilege from God, any fpiritual prerogative, any
charter from Heaven, which its neighbour countriejf
have not ? You will not pretend it has. But if it
bas no privilege aor prerogative of this kind, thea
the
[ r-1
ikt Church ef Trance and the Church of Rome Lare
alfo, you acknowledge, power to decree rites and
cere??ionies in G o u's nvorJJyip, and a u t h o r r t v in
points of faith ; confeqoently, all the fopperies and
fuperftitions of \\i?:.'f<:6inifj Churchy at leaft, wkiGh
cannot be proved to be contrary to the word of
God, are to be reverently fubmitted to by all the
members of that Church, and cordially received.
But will not your claiming this power for the
Church abfolutely overthrow the Reformation itfelf,
and fubvert the very foundation of the Churcli you
feek to eitablilh ? For, tii! yoii can ihew, v/hy the
Church of England is poileffed of this power, but
not the Church of Rome ; why a body of acknow-
ledged fallible Men in Britain have authority to
make and to injoin articles of faith, but not a bo-
dy of pretended infallible men at 'Trent \ whence
England canre thus fpiritually-gifted, and en-
dowed beyond all Its neighbour kingdoms — your fq«
paration from the Church of Rome is Incapable of n
juft and folid defence.
To this, perhaps, you will reply-^— But ourChurcfi
hath exprefly guarded againfl any fuch ahufe of tl\e
power it claims, by adding in the XXth Article — .
Yet it is not la^wful for the Church to ordain any t hi Jig
that is contrary /^God'j- ivord nvritten ; neither via f
it fo expound one place of Scripture that it he repug-
nant to another. But, upon this, I intreat yoi^r
patience for thefe two remarks- :
ill, Whatever ceremony or rite then cannot be
flicwn to be contrary to Goo's nvord, yoi^r
Church, yea, the Church of Rojite hath, you ac-
knowledge, full authority to enjoin ; confeqiwint-
ly, ?i% your Churchy by vlrtueof this authority, halh
eajoined the crofs in haptifvi^ it hAth/?^///pwtf^ all/)
B 3 to
16 2
to require yon to crofs yourfdvesy whenever yom
enter the place of worlhip, fay your prayers, look
toward the eaft, touch the bible, fit at Meat •
It \\?it\\ full ponver to enjoin the ufe oi fait ^nd fpi-
tie in baptifm^ chrif/i, c>:treme unftlon^ and an hun-
dred other things, which are no more contrary t»
God'/ <w6rd, than the crofs in baptifm is.
As your Church now confecrates ground^ it has
tvcry whit as much ponver to confecrate the other
element y and to make holy 'water as well as holy
earth ; and to order it to be decently fprinkled upon
its members, [for all things y you know, are to be
done decently and in order) in token that they fhall
Icep themfelv^es pure from fm : It kath /(?iu^r to
confecrate holy knives to cut the facramental bread ;
holy hajins and eivar^ for the priefts to waih in be-
fore the iacrament, holy veflinents and rohesy and a
great variety of holy utenjilsy lighted tapers for the
ajiar, c5r^. (all which, you know. Sir, was done
by your admired bllhop Laud) knocking on the
Lreail, bowing towards the eafl, prodration before
the altar.— All thefe, I fay, and ir.namerable other
titVQxnomtSy your Church claims authority nxid ponver
to enjoin ; for none of thefe can be Ihewn to be
more contrary to the nvord ^y God, or to be a whit
jiiore fuperflitious, ridiculous, or abfurd, than the
€roJ/lng at baptifm, or the f levin confecration of
churches and their yards. But,
2dly, The limitation ov guard y which the article
feems to put upon this po^ver of the Church, is
really of no force, and amounts to nothing at all.
For tho* It fays — that the Church: vtay not ordain
any thing contrary to GodV njuord, fi9r fa ex^
found one fcriptnre as to he repugnant to an--
it her ; yel of this repugnance and cantrarietyy the
Church
C 7 1
CnvKcn ahnty ydu will obferve, and not every
private per/on, is allowed to be the proper y//^^ .•
for elle the article is abfurd ; it adually overthrows
itfclf ; and takes away with one hand, what it gives
with the other. For, if every private per/on hath
authority to judge of the Churches decifions, and
to reje^i them, if they appear to him repugnant to
Scripture, then the Church's authority^ in points of
faith, comes tojuft nothing at all. It is an authority
to decree, where none are bound to fubmit ; that
is, an authority over no body, and authority to do
nothing. But fuch a fenfelefs, unmeaning, imper-
tinent claim, can never be the defign and impart
©f this article. It does claim therefore for the
Church fomc r^al authority to fettle points of faith ;
confequently, to points thus authoritatively fettled
by it, private Chriftians, its members, are reve-
rently to fubmlt, even tho' to their own judgments
they appear repugnant to the word of God.
This, Sir, muft be the real meaning and intent of
the article, notwithrtanding the rejlriflive claufe,
Accordingly, in confequence of this claim, your
Church hath authoritatively decreed thirty-nine ar-
ticles of faith ; and thefe it declares to have decreed
for the fakifiganvay difference of opinion ^ and to ejfa^
hlijh an agreement in true Religion *. The plain
langUi^ge oi authority , Thefe articles it obliges all
its minifters tofubfcribe ; and our Princes, asHeads
and Governors of the Church, have authoritatively
forbid its Clergy to preach any thing repugnant to
them, aad required them to frame their fermons
according to the plan here prefcribed. From all
"^hich It appears, that,' notwithftanding the pre-
t^dcd liutit0tion, there is a real authority claimed
H
• Pieiface to XXXIX articlti.
f « J
pj the Churcli; t&at is to fay, by its Cev^rmrff to^
fettle points of faith. But if there h^ fuch authari-
ty really vefted in them, then the people are bound
to fubmit to thieir decifions, and have no right of
private judgment to examine or reje^ them ; for
th^re cannot \yz tnno contradictory rights ; a
right in governors to prefcribe, and a right in fub-
Jedls to refufe,,-r,T— But if the Churci) of England
has really this authority and right,, the Church of
Rome had it before her ; and,, as the elder and wy-
ther-church^ ought to have been obeyed. The reform
mat ion ^ therefore, as we are wont to call it, was a
rebellion agfiinft fuperiors, a difobedience to tJ>e
siuthority veiled \n' the Churchy and ought, as fuch,
to be renounced by returning to the Church of Rome,
In this manner. Sir, a Rornifh priejl will turn
Hpon the Church of England its own dangerous ar-
tillery ; and by the meer conceflions of this XXth.
article, thoufands of Profelytes have, no doubt,,
been gained from you. Nor, with all your inge*
nuity, would you find rt eafy to ward off the force
.of fuch arguing, Ihould any of your parifhionersbe
likely to be feduced. And this, perhaps, is the
reafon why the numerous converts thefe Priefts arc
faid to make, are gathered all fromyour Church ;
whereas, from amongft the Difentersy you hardly
ever hear of one gained. But,
Secondly. I want much to be enlightened as-
,to THE PERSONS who are in vefted with this autho^"
)rity and ponuer.
You fay, it is the Church ; But ivho^ I pray^ are
the Churchy ia whom this great pomjer is lodged T
You will pleafe to obfcrve well, Sir, not the Bifhops'
and Clergy, y^Yio are wont to fpeakof themfelves ^
^MX fpiritual pajiors and ^uides^ as being over us im
I 9 ]
tif Lord, ViS /!e<ivards of the ntyjierhs, kc. Thit
fonjuer to order the manner of God's worfliip, and
to fettle articles of faith, is not at all lodged in them,
but entirely in the King and Parliament of
ihefe realms.
You need not be informed. Sir, that allthsCJer-^
gy of this kingdom, with all the Bifhops at theii'
head, have not the Icaft authority to enjoin one ce-
remony or rite of worfliip ; or to either ejlabli/l? or
annul One ariicle of faith. No,, but all power and
jurifdidtion relating to thcfe matters is lodged chief-
ly in lay- hands ; it is folely in the King and Par-
liament, and the Clergy are to adt in all things
under their diredtion and controul. The King
and Parliament are in truth xh^ r^dX Fathers y
■Governors, or Bishops of this Church: thefe o'^*
rv have power to make or to unmake forms and
rites of worfhip, and do authoritatively inftrud' and
prefcribe to the clergy what they are to believe —
in what manner, and to whom the facraments are
to be given — what prayers th^y. are to offer up—
what do6!rines to preach — who are to be admitted
to the epifcopate ov prieJlhood,2iTid who to be refu-
fed — by what ceremonies, and prayers, and exhor-
tations they are to be fet apart, and confec rated ta
their office.— — Thefe, with every other circum-
ftancc relating to religion and the worlhip of God,
which is authoritatively prefcribed or enjoined in
your Churchy you know, Sir, not the Bi/hops and
Clergy, but the King with his Parliament, are th«
ONLY pcrfonrwfho have authoritatively enjoined and
prefcribed them.
*^ The Clergy of the whole Land, In convocation
•* aflembled, cannot fo much as attempt any ca-
** nons or conftitutions without the King's li-
*• cence. If tiie King and Clergy make a canon,
« tht>*
[ lO ]
*< tho* It binds the clergy in re ecclejiajlica, yet it
•* docs not bind Laymen*."
Yea, fo far, Sir, were the Bijloops and Clergy
from having any hand in the firft farming our pre-
fent eftabliflied Church, or in ordering its rites and
articles of faith, that it was done not only ^withouty
but in aifiual oppojjtion to them: '* For in the firft
** of Q^Eliz. the Parliajnent ^/c'/zd' eftablifted the
** Queen's fupremacy and the Common-prayer-
" book, in fpite of all oppofition from the BiJ]?ops
*« in the Houfe of Lords ; and the cohvocation then
** fitting. Were fo far from having any hand in
*« thofe church-adls for reformation, that they
** prefented to the Parliament feveral propofilions
*•* in behalf of the tenets of Popery ^ diredly con-
** trary to the proceedings of the Parliament^* —
Hence then^ Sir, I think you muft be abfolute-
]y forced to own (what I know gentlemen of your
robe do not care to hear) viz. That the Church of
England is really a pailliamentary Church ;
that it is not properly an ally, but a meer creature
of the State. It depends entirely upon the a^s
and authority of Parliament for its very cffe nee
and frame. The qualifications of its minifters, their
power
* f7J^ Examination of the Codex, &c. page 114, 148.
** By the 2 5th of Hen. VIII. cap. 19, it is a pra?nunire for
** the convocation to meet without the King's writ : and
*' when th»y are met to do any thing without the King^s
** licence : and then no refolution of theirs to have the
** force of a canon, unlefs the King confirm it. Nor is it
** then valid, if it be contrarient or repugnant to the laws,
** ftatutes, and cuftoms of this realm, or be to the damage
** or hurt of the King''s prerogative royal. — And of this
*' the courts of U^eJIwlnJier-Hall muft judge.'' — Hale in his
Analyfis, page 12, fays, << If ecclefiaftical' laws are hot
•« confirmed by Parliament, the King may revoke and an-
" nul them at his will and pleafure." — Vide Notes on an
Anfwerto theExamination of the Bifhop oi L-endon'sCfidex^
t Fide Prieftcraft in Pcrfeaion, Prcf. p.^4.
power to ofl&ciate, the manHcr m Tvlilch they are -
to adminifter the facraments, are all limited and
prefcribed by authority of Parliament, and this aft"
tkcrity, which at firrt made, can al&aff alter and
new-make it ; can abollfh, or add to its articles or
rites, according to its pleafure, even tho' the whole
body of Bijhops and Clergy ever fo much diflike, or
prorefl: carneitly again ft it.
It is a point thereferc inconiefihU, and abfolutc-
ly out of doubt, that the Church your article
declares to have this authority and/<?'u;fr here, is the
KiNG ^/f^PARLiAMENT of thcfc icalms ; and it is
no otker than they. But,
Thirdlt. The grand point which yet flicks,
Tind which, without your afliftance, I fhall never
^et over, is, how came the civil magifirate by this
authority in the Church of Christ ? Who gave
hini this power to decree rites in Chriftian worfhip,
which ChriJ} never decreed ; and to make articles
of faith which Chrift never made ? Neither Christ,
nor Uye .ip^Jlles^ ever gave him this authority ^
whence then is it derived ?
The fuhje^tion to higher p<3m}ers^ and obedience t^
■viagiftrates^ which the fcriptures enjoin Chr'iflians^
reiates only to civile not at all to religious matters :
Jor this obvious reafon ; that the magijirate at that
time was every where Pagan, The Apoftles there-
fore inftead of paying, or exhorting Chriftians to
pay, any fubjedron to him in religions affairs^ ft're-
niaoufly exhorted them to renounce and diHivow
it — to come out from among them and he feparafe.
They were every where, ,you knov/. Sir, DiJ'en-
ters from the cjiahlified Church,
Christianity is fo far from enjoining, that
it adtualiy forbids, obedience to civil governors ia
tilings of ^ religious nature. It cominaads us to
call
#«// «tf m£in upon earth father cr mafter* , i, €, t*
acknowledge no authority or jurifdidtiou of any ia
matters or religion, but to remember, that Onb<,
<yne only is our tnafier and lawgiver, even Christ ;
and all Chriftians are brethren ; /'. e, (land upon aa
equal foot, having n© dominion ever one another.
Tho' the Princes of the Gentiles exercife dominion <?-
vrr thetHy and they nvho are gi^eat exercife authority
uponthe??iy yet it fhall ndt^ our Lord fays, he f^ ^-
mongfl yotc §. Nay, but your Church replies, ia
this its XXth article, it fhall he fo ,amongJi us, ■.■■
There are fome who h.^.vQ authority ov^r others in
.matters of fatith. — There are other mafiers befides
Ch RisT. — Thus the article and//6^ fcripture mani-
feftly clalh : will you be fo good, Sir, as to adjuft
'the controverfy betwkt them, and tell mc which 1
am to follow.
The Church is Christ's kingdom : a kingdom
not $f this'vjorldi For kis voluntary humiliation and
fufFering ®f death, he ts advanced to the high ho-
nour of b nng fole Lawgiver, Judge, and Sove-
reign in religious matters. He only hath autho-
rity to fix the terms of communion for his followers
or church ; and the terms which He hath fixed no
man upon earth, nor body of men, have authority
to fet afidc, to^altcr, or new-make. And if any
men upon earth fhall prcfume to alter, or new-
«iake, terms of com?nunion in his Church, they arc
guilty of great arrogance, and invade his authority
and throne. But this, we apprehend, is what you
have done. You will not now receive a perfon to
public baptifmor the Lord's-Supper upon the tervps
on which Christ and his Apoftles would have re-
ceived him. Neither Christ nor his Apofiles evar
made \\\.tfign of the crofs, or other fponfors befides
the
• Matt, xxiii. 8, 9. § Matt, xx, a^.
r '5 ]
t^ie parents, necefTarjto a child's baptifm ; nor did
they ever make kneeling a neceflary terAi of receiv-
ing the iacramental fupper ; but both thole you
make ncceilliry ♦. Thus you have taken upon you
to ncvj-model the church of Christ, to change
and fet afide his laws, and to make ethers in their,
room.
Now give me leave to afk you, Sir, by -what
^utkoritydo you prefurae to rcjed thofe h^xtvyour
Church, whom in your Confcicnce you believe
Christ and his Jpoftles would have received into
i'heirj ? Are you wifer than they ? Or is your Churcht
better framed, and more perfe(5l than theirs ? If
an hone ft and fincerc Chriftian now brings his child
to you to be pubHckly baptifed, defiring it may be
done 'without the fign of th^ ct*ofs, and that himfclf
may ftand forth 2i%furety for its education; would
you not refufe him ? Or if he defired to be
admitted to the communion of chrlftians, ■ in the
CJther facrament of the fupper, but that he might
not take it kneeling : Would you not rejcd him ?
But if the fame pcrfon had come to jEsuf Christ
or the /V^:?/?/^/, Offering himfelf and child upon the
Jaihe terms y would they not have received him .^
But how is it, Sir, that you take upon you to re-
jeci from Ckrist^s Family and Church, thofe
v/hom you believe Himself would have receiv-
ed P Is not this lording it over God's heritage, and
ufurping Christ's throne ? Is it not fetring your-
felves up for law mikets Kndruhrs in his kingdom ;
claiming homage from /;// fubje<Sls ? And 'arc not
C his
* The XYVTIth camfH rrqrires, tht miniflcr rtever wit-
tingly to adminili^er the cojnmunioTi to any, but to inch at
kneel. The XXJXth ranofi reqtiii'es, that no. pareni /hnJl
be urged to be prcfent at Lis chiLfs baptifin j nor i)ff ad-
mitted to aniwcr as godLtber foi' his owh child.
t M 3
iih fairl/tJ h\V}C^s^ by the allegiance tlicy own
¥i I M, obliged to ce^t their proteft againll fuck
Aifurpatioii, and toy?^/i^7%/? Jn tU iiberiy ixjhere^
•<ix):ih Christ kas fetib^m fres ?
Where then, let E^e^ appeal to your own fober
judgrcent, does the guilt of fchijm lie : upon^^?^ of
iipon us f Upon «/, who oiler ourfelvcs to coitnnu^
^lion in your Church upon //^^ /,?rw/ which Christ
-appointed, and arc ready to do every thirty jwhich
Christ has commanded : Or upon you^ who abf'o-
iutely /v/*fi7 ///, unlefs, befides what Christ hatk
•ordered, we wiU lubmit alfo to fome orders and
•devices of J 5«/- o^n ? We come as the Lord's ftr-
X'aii{s^^Xi^\ defirc to tat at the Lord's-tshle, withre-
^^erent fubm'ffion to 'Mhis appointments. Nay but,
fay you^ you (hall not -come to the Lcrd's'tabh^
"Unlefs yopu wiU kr^i'l ; /. e. unlefs you will come
in that ^fture, which, tho* Christ in ^'is wifdom
•did not think proper, yet which w£ in c^nr wifdom
have thonght proper /5 or da. in. In other words ;
^lule^s bcfidcs beitig Christ's fervents^ you wili
5ilfo be ^.7r/ ; ^nd. pay fubjeclion to &ur inilitutioa
<ind aul:h<Tiry in this religious rite.
This, Sir, is the true ftate of the controverfy
betwixt OS : jti^ge now, I pray you, with the im-
partiality G^ xChriJfian, nvho makes xhtfchifniy and
•fwho hasrealbn to fear being brought into judgment y
by the great Lan-cglver of the Church, for the un-
happy breaeh which fubtiils. — held great Prelute
v^ho at prclcnc adorns one of the higheft Rations
di ymr Church be heard as Judge betwixt us. — '' Ir
*' all other focicties, the e>:prefs wili of l)x^ founder^
** and the terms of fellowlhip and communion
** which he lias JAid dov.^, 2.re accounted ficred^
"•-' In all o^hcr kingf^oms the w/// of the fuprenic^
^ ^6^vi£r is aiiiu* No one pretends, or dares pre-
/ ** tend.
** tcnJ, to- make laws of equal force with Itiis^
*« How hard tbcii is the face o^. VM;Cf:r:j}ian Ckun/yy
*' or of che K'uiqdom of Christ, when his wiii is
** declared infiij/icient, and xh^ i?ivcut^d luords ani
** d.^cifions of his fuajedls r^re made co-ordinate
*' with kis own, equally e}u:lufive of others of his
** fubje«5ts from the covifnti7iion of their Icllovv-fab-
*• jects ! And how hard is the f«iLe of thoie hslic^
f« vers in hiiHy who defire comniiuiion upon the terwfi
** Goiyhas prefcribedy to be excluded by tKe w^orJs
** of men ; by the inventions of men, impofed
** upon them for /'// precepts ! And how unhappy
'* is the Church, to be reduced by any fuch me-
** thods within 7n>ore narron.vlo.unds than our LoRi>
** hifnfelf has co 71 fined It * ^'*
But you are in readinefs to reforf, :ind wnth great
afTurance tell me, *' That the avoidance of kneel-
** ing infijisd upon by ciu- MiniRers, is not lefs aa
** impofiiion than your injoining it. That vrz
*' do really impofe tlie obfervance of one parti cut ay
** gejlure upon our communicauts. Tii^t^f////.^^
*• is the regular unvaried pradice of our Churches ;
** obferved as conftantly and uriiverially amongil
** us, as >(/?tv//;/^ is amongil yoa,~-//t^^-^r nl!onk:sd,
•' .to be departe;i from ; which our Tvl iniriers re-
•* quire, infij} upon, and refufe to ahats.'' And
you afk me, *» It' one fiiould preGnt hiinfelf to take
•» the Sacrament (landing, or oifcr to take it on
*< his knees, whether I do not think lie would un-
•* dergo fome {t^t^-^ expoilulations, and be plain-
" ly told, Ave had 710 fuch cuftom, nor the Churches
•* of God, aad it would not he given him at
•* all §."
C 2 1 be-
• Bifhop of ff'lnchsjler's Poflfcript to his Anfwer to Dr.
hare's Seimon, page 254.
§ Lctici- II. page 36, 57, 53. Letter III. pa-c 2, 9.
C t6 3
I believe the world will b« furprized^ Sir, and
that an ingenuous hlujl? will cover your own face^
when you find that this account of us \% abfolutely
without truth, and quite contrary la fac^. I have
fpent my whole life amongd the DiJ'enterj,2ind am
acquahit&d with ar great number of their Churches
Jind Minifters ; but nc^'er once, till now, heard
that SITTING at the Lord's-tabTe was ever inftfted.
en as a term of communion with them ; or that it
is their unvaried 'And univerfal \)X-,\di\zt. The con-
trary to this, I know to be truth. In the Church
to which I myfelf belong, there rs a, perfon who
for many years his constantly receiveJ kneeling,
without the leall oiTence to the congregation, or
nny expollulation from the Miniilcr on that ac-
count. In fome of oUr Churches, 1 am well in-
formed, there are frme who rz^^wt Jianding, fome
kneeling : In this every one amongfl us is left en-
tirely at his liberty. Tho' the pofture of y^///V;j;
be generally thought by us moft fiiitable to the
Commeviorative fitp^er of our Lord ; inftituted
inftead of the Pafchal-Supper cf the J^mos \ '<^ndi
mofl agreeable to the Pradicc of C h ri st and ///
Jpcfi:es, who, without all peradventure,y^/ around
the table ; yet in this we are alfleft to follow freel^r
our own perfuafion. Nor is there, 1 believe, a-
mongH our minillers one in five hundred, who
would refufc to give the Sacrament tiihtv JIanding
or kneeling to anyone who thought either of thefe
the fitted poRure of receiving. Cur liberty as tx>
this matter you might have feen in Baxter s re-
forined Liturgy ; where it is exprefsly faid~~'« y^;;^
'* let none of the people he forced to fit, J! and, or
** kneel in the aCl of receivings nvhofe judgment is
•* ugainj} ity And in Dr. Calavif^ brief Ac-
/<ount, ixiT. which you appear to have read
The
[ 17 1
*« The Communicants avionyji Protcfiiant Di'^^enter*:,
«* i^r^ AT LIBERTY /^ f//c T H t I R O V/ N POSTUyLl
** in the time ef receivifjg ; tho' a table gcj!ure is moj}
** corntnonly uftd*."'
Thus, Sir, I have at large coniidercd your
charge of Schism upon the Dijj enter s \ and hvOpe
by this time you begin to think more favourably
of us ; and ^ojujlify our principles as truly catholic
Sind generous ; the only l'road-hotto?n on whicli the
peace of the Church can hcfolidly fixed ; andihdt
the guilt of the feparation lies wholly on your
Church, which infills upon unchristi/\n and un-
SCRIPTURAL tertfjs of communicating with it.
But I hope to finifh your convidion, Sir, and to
wipe off every fpeck of the taint of fchifm from
Diffenters, by calling to your remembrance your
own excellent definition of ihor Catholic or Chrljh'an
Church ; and reafoning with you on it. *< The
*« Catholic Churchy you fay f , // ojie out--'jjard and
*« vifjble Si>ciety Divinely inffif?^ted ; the mofr .^d-
'* vtirahle and glorious Society under Heaven,"''
Mind, Sir, youi' own words ; and it will fc3on end
the debate. If it be a Society divinely injlituted,
tkcn whatever Society is not oi divine, \'\\: iA nierely
human inllitution, is not the Church of Chriji , If
It be a Seciety divinely injfituted, then the ti^rjus of
admifion into thi? Society and the qualifications of
it-R members are divinely fixed y i. e. fixed by the
will and authority of Con : Whatever t;//^/V^ 5(?-
citty then hath its terms of admijfion and the qualt-
fications of its members not divinely fixed, fixed
only by the will and auvhA')rity of men, en not be
the truly Catholic and Chrijlian Church.
C 3 ' Now
♦Letter to iDl-.'i:iciiiGrr;;;.7,7ryj)a»^c ii. | Letter L Y^z^'i-
[ i8 ]
NcAV here fliall I Intreat you, Sir, with the im-
partiality o£ a ChriJiian^Yilio has nothing h\M truth
snd the nx}iii of Cod in view, to Hop a moment and
compare the constitution of the Church of
E upland ^ and the constitution of the Church
o
<?/* Chriji, and fee if they are not Societies of a quite
different Frame ; the one a hunian, the other a di'
vine inftitution ; the one refting entirely on the
authority and will oi 7Heny the other upon the will
and authority oiGOD,
If you enquire after the conftitution and frame
of tke Church of ChriJ}^ where muft you look for
it r only in the Bible §. But if you enquire after
the coniiitution and frame of the Church 'of Eng-
land, where muft you look for that ? in the Statute-
bo'jk in the €a?io?is, and Cej^nnon-prayer-hook^ and
in the Codes of the Englif:)-la^u.
The Church of Christ is a religious eftablifli-
ment, founded upon the Scriptures, as- the only au-
thentic rule of its dodrines and worlhip ; the
Church of England is a civil eRiilil'Ounent,
iounded upon /Icls of Varliavtent, as the only au-
thentic rule of wh.it is to be believed and pradifed
therein. The one -^ fpiritual Jlruflurey built upoix
the foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets, Je sus
Christ himfclf being the chief corner-ftone : the
oth.n- a political frurture^ built upon the founda-
tion of the Lords and Conditions of the realm, the
KiMG, as fupreme head, being the chief corner-
ilone.
Into the Church ofChrif any perfon may be ad-
mitted, who fubm'ts to the terms appointed by
Chr'.fl : but into the Church of England he cannot
be admitted, except Oi:er and above thefe he fub-
mits
\ Th^BiB'^ only k thcRtligion of Prgte,ftant3.C/'///i/i'^^a'or/^,
I 19 1
Wits alfo to terms which human authority hath in-
ftitutcd and devifcd.
In Chrifi's Church the Lord's -flipper is appoint-
ed and ui'cd only iov fpiritual ?ind religious ends ;
but, in the Church of England^ it is notorioufly
both inftituted and ufed for political and ^vorldly
ends, to qualify for a poft. In \\\t former it was
appointed with intention, and as a mean of uniting
aU Chriftians ; and of deftroying all variance and
diftin<5lions betwixt them. In the latter it is ap-
pointed with intention, and as a niean^ of difcrimi-
hating and dividi?ig Chriftians ; and of making a
difiinflion betwixt one and another.
In the Chrijlian Church, no openly debauched
€r fcandalouily wicked perfon has a right to come
to the table of the Lord, or to partake of its pro-
Tifions ; but in the Church of England, if fuch a
perfon has a commiffion from the Kingin the army
or the fleet, or any profitable poft, this gives him
a right to conae to the communion-table, a right to
demand the holy elements at the Prix's hands, as
a qualification for his poft.
Jnxhc fcriptural Church of Chrift, there areno
fuch officers ever heard of as ArchhifloopSy Deans ^
Archdeaconsy P rebendaries ^Canons ^Chancellors ^ i^c.
But there is another Church , you know, Sir,
where thefe'urt officers of great Influence, of high
importance and rank. But whence came this
pompous train I From the apojiolic fountain at Je*
rufadem, or from the corrupted fource at Rome ?
The Church of Chriji never excommunicates,
nor pretends to exercife its difcipllne upon any but
Its ©wn members ; For nxjhat have I to do, the A-
poftle fays, to judge them that ard nvithoui* / But
the Church of Eng/and extends its ecclefiaftical au-
thority over thok v,ho 7jevcr belonged to it ; and
5 I Cor. V, la.
r 26 J
fef a rery extraordinarj a<ft of pow^r, eiitommu-^h'
cates fuch as never ivere of its communion ; that is^
it'Cafts {xxc\l froniy who never were in it. In com-
mon life fueh a thing^would be reckoned marvel louf
indeed. Should I folemnly threaten, yea adually
proceed to caft a perfon d??^/ of my houfc, whoncrer
was in /7, 1 fhould work as great a miracle as was
ever wrought in the Church of Rojue : But miracles,
of this kind, Sir, your Church, you know, fomc-
times works.
Again ; the rod with which the Church of ChriJ¥
chaftifes its delinquents \s^ fpir it ua I yViOl car n^i I \ but
the rod of the Church of England is ceirnaU ^ot fpi^
ritual. By the conftitution of the former, the excom •
munica ted member is only to be deprived of y^/>/*
tnal privileges, fuch as fellowfkip in prayer, (ing*
ing, facrament,6^c. As for his civil property and
rights, it meddles not with thefe ; for ChkistV
kingdom is not of this nvorld ) but by the Conftitu-
tion of the latter, the excommunicated member is*
delivered over to the civil arm, to humble and chaf-
tile him ; he is difabled from aflerting his natural-
rights, from being a witnefs, from bringing adipns
at law, and if he does not fubmit in forty days, a^
writ fhall iffue fortk to imprilon him.
In the Church of Jefus Chriji, thofe who are-
entrufted with eccleiiaftical diicipline are folemnlf
charged before Gqd, and the Lord Jefus ChriJ}^
and the elefl Angels, to be no refpefters of perfon s,
to da nothing by partiality, and not tv prefer one be*
fore another '^ : neither the gold ring, nor the gay
cloathing \, nor pccviniary gifts, are to have; any
influence upon their ecclejiajiical proceedings ; but
the poor are to receive the fame meafure witk the-
rich. But is it thus, Sir, In the Church of E-ng'^
land ^
* I Tim» v. 3Hi \ James ii. %y 3.
r 2T ]
land ? May not a grievous Sinner, according to het
conitilution, be fuffered to cGViviuts F to have par-
don for moncj, and to iki^ea himlelf by a round
fee from the ftrokc of the Cburck's rod ? Yea,
when he is going to be delivered, or adluaJly is de-
livered, into the hands oi the Devii, and Satan ha»
him in his keeping, will not an handfome fum pre-
fently pluck him thence, and reftore him to the
Churches foft and indulgent bofom again ?— ^
You remember. Sir, the Heathen Satyriit,
/,t
vos
Dicite pontijicesy i?i facris quid Jacit aurum,
Perfms, Sat. II,
And you know v.^hat was faid, upon a like occ<if!on,
by a much greater than he — 7"/^' rno?iey perijlo <ivith
thee ; bdcaufe ikou hajl thought that the gift of Cod
( Pardon and Abfblutlon )7nav be pur chafed nvith mo^
ney, thou haft neither part nor lot in this matter *.
Some of the moft facred a(5ls of fpiritua.i jurifdic-
lion, itsfolemn ccnfures and exco7nmunicatj^nj ^ zr^
cxercifed in the Church of England by uvconfecra^
ted ^nd meer laymen. Thefe hold the keys, open or
fhut, caft out or admit to it, according to their
folc pleafure. The Chancellors^ Officials^ Surro-
gates— who a^lminirtcr the jarifdidtion of fpiriiual
courts, and determine the moft important fpiritual
matters, fuch as delivering men to the DeviL &c,
frequently are, and, by exprefs provifion of law,
aliuays may be layynen. And truly, Sir, I greatly
pity you gentlemen of the Clergy , that fome of the
moft tremendous and folemn parts o{ yowT facred
#fficej fuch as excommunications y ahfolutions^ &c.
you
f Afti viii. 20, 21,
you are forced to perform, not according to, h\3^
fometimcs, perhaps, dirciflly againft your ©wa
judgments, as you are authoritatively direded and
trommanded hjxhtk loy-perfons. Forced, I f^jy to
do it, notwithftanding what you u^rge about ^(?ttr
oivn concurrence ; for if you refufe to concur y yoa
are immediately liable to fufpenfton ah officio 6* be-
neficio ; and if you continue obftinate, to be excom^
vmnicated your ownfelves §.
The Church of Jesus Christ never owed its.
fupport ( \t /corned to owe its propagation and fup-
port) to xh^ powers, preferment s, ^nd riches of this*
world ; it was its^^rj^, that it made its way, and
was eftabliflied upon earth, not only 'without ^ but:
in dire& oppofition to them : it commands its Mi-
nifters Jiot to strive, hut to he gentle to all tnen ^
in meeknefs, injlru fling thofe ^who gain fay — (2 Tim^
ii. 24, 25.) But the Church ofEngland, confcious^
<)f its wcakncfs, props itfelf on every Me with civile
dignities and emoluments ; calls in the powers and
fiches of this nvorld to its fupport and defence ; in-
trenches itfelf deep under fhelter oi penal lanvs, and*
from thence thunders out its excommunicajionsyZnd,
threats of fines and imprifonmenis^ upon any wha
fliall dars to write or f peak any thing deragatory to-
its ceremonies and forms of worfliip, or its articles
of faith II ♦ There-
§ There is one thing, fays Blfhop Burnet^ yet wanting to.
compjeattbe reformation of the Church j which is, to reftore
primitive dilcipline againft fcandalous perfons, the cftahliih-
mg the government of the Church in ecclejlafiical-handsj and*
taking it out of lay^handsy-^\\\c\\ have fo long profaned it 5
and have expofed the authority of the Church and the cen-
furcs of it, chiefly excommunication^ to the contempt of the
nation j fo that the drcadfuleft of all cenfurcs,is now become
the "Tnoft fcomcd and defpiftd.-— H^. Reform, Abridge
page 367.
(I The IV, V,VIthf^z«o;2jfolcninly denounce — *'T*hatwho-
'< focYcr flaallaffixmthatthefQrnxDf God's worfhip contained
•» iu.
Tfeerels one dlffieulty more, Sir, which I harfc^
^flen revolved, bu-t could never poffibly get over ;»
it feems to hang as a dead and infuperahle weight.
^ipon the frarre of your Church ; if y oil can kand*»
•fomely remave'it, you will merit L<?;w^^/-^ for a rewards
The Church of England and the Church ofChriJl
feem to be tnxio Societies, abfolutcly dijiin^^ and of.
a quite different conftitution, as they have t^o difr^,
ferent heads, or fountains of po<w€r^ whence
all authority, jurifdl^ion, and miniilrations in the
t^vo Churches feverally fpring. In *hc Chtirch o£
JefusXlhrif}^ himself \s fupremc Heady the only-
Lawgiver and Sovereign : To us there is hut one.
Lord**, One is your Mizjier^ even Christ f. 6avc>
■J}ini to be Head over all things to the Church if,.
All Power. // given to me in Heaven and irt,,
Earthy £o ye therefore teach all nations ||. Christ
*is the o-iiLY fountain of influence, jurifdiAion, and
^ower in his Church, by commiillon from whom
^lone all Its officers ac^.
But in the Church of England^ you well know,
Sir, the Kingy or ^leen^ is Supreme Head,
*< vefted with all poiver to exsrclfe all manner of
■^'«* ecclejiaftical jurifdidlion, and Archhifyops.^ Bi"
floops^ Archdeacons^ and other ecclefiadical per-
•* fons,
'** the Common -prayer ^ hath any thlrg In it repygnant to the
«< word of God— or that any of the XXXIX articles are in
" any part erroneoiis, or fuch as may not with a good cotj*
*< fcicnce be fubfcribed, let him be excommunicated
*' i/y^ y^^7^, and not be reltored until he repent and pub--
■<* lickly revoke his wicked errors."
And by the Acls of Uniformity^ It is enabled— ^<< That if.
'^^ any one (hall declare, or fpeak any thing in the dero-
"<* gation or depraving of the book o{ Common -prayer, he
**< fhall, for thtf^J} offence, fuffcr imprifonment or^e whole
*^* year, without bail or main prize ; and for th^fecond offence
''^* \h^.\l he imprifbriedcturing his life.'"
. * \ Cor. viii. 6. f Mat, xjtiii, 8. % Ephcf. i. 2a*>
Jl Mat. xxviii. 18, 19,
^ fon$ have no pianngr of jurifdii^ion ecclefiafti-
^ cal, but by and under the King'/ Majeftyy whd
«♦ hath full power and authority to hear and dctcr-
•' mine all manner of caufes ecclcfiaftital ; and to
•* reform, and correfl all vice, fin, errors, hcrc-
•« fies, enormities, abufes whatfoever, which by
*• any manner of fpiritaal authoiity or jurifdidioa
** ought or may be lawfully reformed *." —
At the firft eftablifhment of this Church uttdcr
Hen. VIII. and Edn}}. VI. all the fiijh^ps took out
commiffions from th« croww, for 'the exercifing
^i xhtiv fpirtfual jurifdiflion in thefe kingdoms, du-
ring the King's plealUrc only ; •• and in their com-
** miiGons acknowledge all fort of jurifdiftlon, as
•• well ecclefiaftical as civil, to have flowed origi-
•* nally from the regal p^iuery as from a yk-
•« freme Head, and a fount am and fpring of all
•* magiftracy within his own kingdom f .'*
Tea, even the poiver of ordination itfelf, which
IS reckoned a peculiar of the cpifcopal office, the
firft^ reformers and founders of this Church derived
from the king, and exerciied only as by autho-*
rity from him, and during his pleafure. ** Thus
" Cranmer Archbifliop of Canterbury y Bonner Bi-
•* fhop of London, &c. took out commiffions from
** the cro^vn, importing, that becaufe the Vicegc-
** rent [Cromnxjel, a lay perfon) could not perfo-
** nally attend the charge in aU parts of the king*
** dom, the KING authorifcs the Bifhop in his (the.
•* King'^) ftead to ordain, within his diocefe, fuch
*< as he judged worthyof holy orders ; to collate to
** benefices ; to give iaftitution ; and to execute
^«aU
* 26 Hen. VIII. chap. i. ^7 Hfn.VIII. cap. xvii. lEliz.
•i^. i. t BuriiCt'iHin:. Reform. Fart IL Gol. p. 91 ♦
C £5 ]
^ all other parts of the epifcopal authority ; and
^ this duriag the King's pkaiure only*." '^
In confequencc of this supremacy the King
Or Queen of tkis Church h:itk power to excona-
municiite from, er to re-admit into It, indepen-
dent of, yea, in dired oppofitlon to, all its Bijhops
and Clergy^ The King or Quehn revoke, if
they pleafe, anyfpiritual cenfures of the Bijioops or
^Archbijhops ; yea, can fufpcnd, deprive, or cvea
excommunicate, themfelves ; or can, by their pro-
clamation only, without the lead confeiTion, hu-
miiiat'on, or fatisfadtlon for their offence, pardon
^nd rcflore excammunicated perfonsj the vilefl olFen-
ders, to the Church's bofom again §.
Yea, further; they have power to forbid all preach-
ing for a tiaie ; as did K. Hen, VIII. K. Ed^v. VI.
Q^ Mary, Q^F/Iz. — to limit, mftrudl:, and pre-
fcribc to rhe Clergy what they 0;all, and what they
fhall not preach ; as did Q^Eiiz, King Javits I.
K. Charles I. K. Williatfiy &c. — Finally', to the
King or ^leen only does it pertain to declare
'whcit is Heresy, and authoritatively to pronounce
what dofirines and tenets are, and what are not, t(i
be. cenfured as fuch : Nor have all the Bif}?ops and
Clergy^ affemblcd m convocation, the lead autho-
rity to cenfjre any tenets as Z^^r<f//V^/, if the Prince
on tha throne refufe his con Tent.
Now here, Sir, I am prclTcd v^\\\\<m irfupera^Iff
difficulty how to reconcile this conftilution of the
Church of England, with the ccr.Rifution of the
Church of CfriJ}. Are they not mo It indifpmnbly
i'wo different Societies y fiil>iev5t to t^vo different ^ ivn^t-
D limes
* Vid, Examination of the Codex 'Juris, Sec. pn^es 37., 33.
§ A Parfcn was deprlv.^d for ackiltcry ; after v^-ani? a rm'*-
ral panlon cam?,whlcli pardoned tlie adiilterv. It was ad-
jtidgcd \\vjit tl-iC P/xrfon was ipfo fa^9 rcftc^ixu to liis \iLtic-
fc<:€. C#X/ 6 Kcp. 13.
C 26 ]
times Qppojjte^ authorities, animated and governed
by tixjo different Heads ? In Christ's Church Him-
self is the only Sovereign and flead ; He only
hath power to decree ceremonies and ritfes, to fi:i
terms cf communion and authority in points of*
foith : nor hath any earthly Prince power to make
laws in his kingdom, which ihall bind the conici-
ences of his l'ubjc(?ts ; or fovereignly to didate to
his fcrvants and roinifters v/hat they fhall believe^
and what they fhall preach. Yea,, his fuhjeHs are
exprefsly commanded and charged ^to receive no-
thing as doflrif7€ or parts ef religion y which are
only command7n€nts of men^ ,
But in the Church of England there is another.
Sovereign, Larivgiver, SUPREME HEAD befideJ
Jksus Christ ; an aiiihcrity which commands
things which Christ never commanded, which
teaches do<5lrincs he never taught, which enjoins
terms of communion, and rites of religious worlhip,
xvhich Christ never enjoined —What now can I
judge, Sir ! What do you yourfelf judge ! but that
the /ii'<9 Churches are two diftind and quite different
SfKicties (for in one and the fame Society, furelv
thtre cannot be two fttpYeme Heads) that they
;?rciramed after dilTerent models, confill of diffe-
rent members, are governed by different officersi
fcatutes, and laWvS. — C©nfequently, my Si pa ra-
ti on or Di ssent from the one^ does, by no means
infer my Separation from the ether. Vca, what
^m I to judge but that by the alleui/mce. I owa
tQ Christ my ONLY fuprtme Head and Kirg
in fpiritunl matters, I am obliged, to enter my
protefl: ag^^inft the pretenfions and claims of any
other fufrcine Head. For, can a m^m ferve
t^.vo- Majtcrs ? Can he be fubje^ at the fame time
to
* Matt. XV,
[ 27 ]
te TWO fnprgme Heads ? Can he be faithful t^
Christ, the <^«/y King in the Church* and yet
acknowledge another Kingy as a fountain of
rdl magiilracy and power therein ? Surely he can-
not.
Permit me, good Sir, to exercife your patience
a moment or "two more upon this remarkable con*
4raft, and I will damifs the ungrateful fubjjct.
By the coniHtution of the Church of Chrifl^ It Is
cxprefsly ordered and declared — That the Wo mam
Jloall ?iot he fuffered puhllckly to teach, nor /« ^'.A'-/'
authority over the jnan^ , But by the conrdtutlon
of the Church of England^ the Woman is permit-
ted puhltckly to teach, yea, to limit and controul^
in fpiritual and religious matters, and authorita-
tively to INSTRUCT all the BiJJ?opSy and Clergy ^
and Men in the land. Thus did Queen Elizabeth^
thus did Queen Anne, and thus hath every ^leen
authority to do that fits upon our throne ; amtho-
rity X.0 prefer the and diflate to all, both Minifters
and People, what the one are to preachy and the
Other to receive. And was it not, Sir, a very
comely and edifying fight, to behold, the two
Houfes of Convocation waiting upon the good
^ceen [Anne\) in the cafe o{Whifto?i\ books upon
the Trinity, to be infruCled by her Majefty, wdie-
ther they were to be condemned as heretical^ or
not ? That venerable and learned body had folema-
ly decreed them to be d.uigerous and heretical ; but
this their cenfure was of no force, till they had laid
it before the ^leeri, to have ^^r judgment upon the
point. Upon herMajefly's determination it entire-
ly depended, whether JVhiJions tenets wxre to be
rejected by the Church of E?2glatid as erroneous, or
D 2 not*
iTim. ii. 12, f Anno ijir
r 28 3
fiot. Her Majefly, in this cafe, was of a difertni
opinion from her two Houfes of Convocation ; Ae
thought not fit to ccnfure the books : So her Jingle
•^ ill ion, ft range to relate ! htrJiTigle opinion car*
ries it againft that of her BiJJoops and Clergy, Skc
over-rules and fets afide all their proceedings, ^e^
Jirains and ceunterafls them in one of the verj chrcf
of their /»^yf (9/^7/ functions, the guarding againft er-
rors and herefies in the "Church.
Behold here, Sir, a Woman excrcifiiig fpiri-
tnal ccclefiaftical authority over the Man ! Yea,
behold theReprefenlative of the Clergy of the Tvhol«
Jand, a moft learned, grave, and venerable body,
waiting upon a Womak, to learn from ker
mouth what the Church is to believe, and what t(>
rejed-, as to this great tnyjiery of faith : upon a
Woman who could be fuppofed to know as little
©f tkis matter as of the motion of the ftars ; yet
by her fo/e determination, (I repeat it with afto-
jiiftiment, and you hear it, no doubt, with per-
plexity and grief) yotir Church was uncontroulably
and authoritatively dire(fted in this deep and myfle-
rious point. .
I a& you, Sir, in the name of God, Is this the
conftitutiori and frame of the Church of Christ \
Is k not a Conftitiition of a quite different nature ;
a Society not divinely, but humanly inftituted 5
and, therefore, by your own Definition, wot the
Church of Chrljl ? And may not, think yoT3, a
perfon feparate peaceably from it, without any thi»
Jeaft danger of thereby feparating himfelf from the
one fcriptural, apoftolic, and catholic Church ?
When you ftript the. Pope of his Suprkmact,
and gave it to our Princes, you fhould have taken
*«ire not to have left his Infallibility be^
|iind. An iyifallibh Head au4 Dire(5lor of the
C 29 1
Churci'yhc'h IVom.^fn ov Man^hz it rm /f^ or a
She'bijhdpy is a thing plaufible enough, and Ciirriei
& good face : but, to lodge the abfolute diredtion
ti{ \)\t confctcncesyXhz faif ^y Rnd ikt difcipline of
the Church wf'ixhz fallible Head ! to give a Prince^
yea a Lady bred up in all the foftneiFes and diver-
fions of a court, an uncoAtrouIable dominion over
the religious condud both of Clergy and Laity au-
thoritatively to dired what //'(j/d- are to preach, and
what thefe X.0 believe as the doSfritie &/ Christ !
to make her the file Judge in air coii trove rfies
which (hall arife upon any the mod myfterious and
inexplicable points; fo that all the Priejls are to
a/k k7i$n)jledgi at h e r lips ; and whatever llie de-
termines, is to be received by the Chuf ch as Chrif*
tian verity and truth ! This is fuch a Ccnfiitution as
quite fhocks the underftanding, and comes not a
whit behind Tranfuhjlantiatiofiit^d?. Hence, doubt-
kfs, Sir, the triumphs o{ P opijJ} P riejl s OYtv you ! •
Hence their- inroads upon you, and the thoufands
they are continually carrying captive from your
twits ! And hence the fad iiicreafe, and the infults
of Detfisy who taking the fcheme of the Church of
England Xo be that of the Chrijfian Churchy are au-
thorifed by common fenfe, they thinic, not only t* '
rejed:, but to treat it v<^ith contempt !
And now, Sir, having fo largely difcu/red thjs
point, I prefume you are convinced,^'' That this
'* fame peaceable feparationof ours is noty what you
*' call it, apiece of arrant nonfeufe arid contradicii*
**- on ;'' awd that you will cea^c to be {o difpleafed
at our treating your grave- lecliires upon the hei-
lirous fm of Schism, as foUmn Canty and" ccclefrnf-
tlcal fcare cronvf. You fee, iikewife. how sx-
likmely.uaapt, and 'quite wide of the p»mr, are
C i, tic
the/w5 injlanees you bring to illuflrate our caf^.
\Jlz, '' of a wife feparatlng from the bed and board!
*' of her hulband-^Or of. two or thre.e counties
*«' diilikingv a rEu>niirchicaJ gav.ernmeat, and.throw-
•'-mgoff. their allegiance to the King*." Has^-
tke Church q/ E\g^and, SIij^, auy fuch power or au-
tJbtprity.over. lu Dijj'entcrs^ as the hufband has- ovcs
tjx* \v4fc. ? Pray, who gave.k that authority ? Hava
Me ever plighted it our troth ? orr bound ourfelves
by a fol€4nn vow. to honour and obey it to the end o£
am' life.? — Or feuve we ev^er fwora allegiance to it ;.
iff do we o^'^e it any. homage ; . aa. /i^ counties hav^
jfe'0m»and do o v;^. to ..ihe^ King^ P
Ainongft. tlxe peculiar, excellencies- oi:yoiiK. Church
jou-reGkon/^ T:he^ ufe. of> xh^ three creeds in pubf
*^ lick.worfhip; a§ one. of th^ mod efledual andl
*^ p^werfuj. means botii f^r teaching and preferv--^
*^ ing^ th^ Chri-ftiaa, faith , entire and uncorrupt^.
*<- xv^liich .we haye not in our Churches, f." Th«.
CreedcaWtd.xhQ-JppJlle^^ ive kaye. in conftaat-, u^^
i^imongft t^ : . Aad< as.foi? the i}^^ other^ efpeciall]^^-
t\\^ Atbanajtati., we are- oon tent you^ fhonld have-.
fclie honoar of its. being />^^/¥//Vrtp y ourfelves. But.
methinks,. S-^,, it Ihpuld a little, check your* trl-?
umph' avgr u^, herej to rem-eaaber, that, fome c^'
tjie wife ft and moil illuftrioas members, of your^
Chufcnii both Ckrgyia»d Laity, ag count the ufc:
id^ i!/is. Creed, ^^^r, gi^eai;>fin and reproac.h> and witiv
^. H. Tillotfon.y'tvi/Jj'yoiiiveve "i^i^ell ridof it,
Whaf are yo.it^ Sia% , among fl the ii'tv^ an-d un'^
£harita ble mmi}iS who dumn to the pit 'of Hell alL-
who c;v.iini>t receive all the^ dark, and ?nyJierioiLS^
f<)i':tiSct iovx\i\\ th<it creed 1: Do yi>u in -your con-;^
icirr.ce think tiwt tht;re is no Salvation fcr^
thojh\\^}o da 7i^t:,fciitl'fu,Llj h/lc.veiht faveral articles,
*■ itStt . , I . p a^c 7 it,_ t . i.ett. I .. page 5 ^..
ft contnihs ;■ and that ^hof$evcr doth not keep' ^Mt
and itndefiled the faith therein deliver ed^ he. Jhall
WITHOUT D o u B X perijh everlajiingly. ? What !
the many.great and worthy perfbns, bright orna-
ments of your own Church, who inftead of keep*
ing it ijjhoU. and undefiUd^ have openly difavowed^
preached,- and wrote againft it, clying in this difj-
belief, have they iviihout per adventure ever I aft ing"
ly perified. f Alafs \ for the good Doctors- Clarke^
Whitby^ Burnet, ijc, For the illufti'ous
Sir. lfaac,:&c, i^c. Yea, alas! for the wliole
Greek Churciy,'who hav,c ftrcnuoufly rejedled th«
article of the Filioq ; They are gone down, it
fcems, to the ififernal pit ! Aad netwithftanding
their great knowledge and piety in this w^orld, are,
fjor not believiiig the Athanafian Creed, funk into
EVERLASTING DaRKNESS and DAKtNATION il>
the other 1 Do you wonder Deifm prevails, if
this be genuine CJsriJfianity P
It is a fad, I prefutne, indifpn table, that a great
part of the moftlearncd and virtuous of your Clerg/
are departed from the Athanafian dodbrine; and th;il
thofe of them who are not, do by no means thini
its htW^i ahflutely.'a.iidindifpenfably neceflary to SaU
vation. What now muft a Deifi think, when h«
Scars both the. one and the other thirteen limts a
year, moft folem.nl y. declaring in the prefence of."
Ahnighty God, and as iiiftru^ors of- his .people,
that whoever 'will he faved^ it is before all things ^
necefary that, ht hold- the Athan-asian faith ;
and moft pereifipterily denouncing ivirL/ASTin*
Damnation upon thoft who do net believe it ;
that is-, many, ©f them denouncing DAM-NATio^f
Upon ihemfelves / — Is this your ** ponverful and ef/^
*' ft^Hual means of preferving the Chriflian faith ?^^ '
— lilkouid think it one of liuc.mofl e^e^ual to fub^-
t 32 r
•sert and detlroy it. It has no Joubt, been in ftJP
R great ftumblmg-bk)ck in the wslj of Infidels and'
J)C<ws ; and hardened them in their oppofition to
the ReligUn of CnKisT^, when they fee it dDom*
ing to undoubted VLTi^ everiajiing perditioa all who^
do not heartily and fincerely believe (for that muft
be meant hj faithfully) thefe deep and myfterious
points^ which we acknowledge to be inexplicable^
imd far ab©ve the powers of reafon to compre*
hend.
** But the Diflenting Minifters, you tell rae;
••* who have cpmplied with the terms of the tolera*
*< tion, have folemnly fubfcribed the Vlllth arti-
** chi which approves the Athanajian Creed*.**'
Let Dr. Calamy anfwer X, ** The Diffenting Mi-
*' nifters about the city, in a body gave in their
*^ fenfe of the articles when they fubfcribed them,
•* and among the reft of this Vlllth arrticle, in the
•* glofs upon which the damnatory claufes of this
•* Creed are exprefly (fxr/f/^^;*^ the fubfcrip tion. — <
•* And there was fomething of • the fame nature
••done in Several parts of the country." Now the
fathers and predeceffors of the prefent Diffenting
Minifters having made ibis puh lie proteft and de-
claration at their fubfcription, and the Legiflature
having accepted,- er at leaft not rejcded it ; under
the favour of this proteft' th^ir fucceffors may b«v
ftrpjiofed HOW to fubfcribe with the fame difappro^
lution of the damnatory claufe. If it were not to -
be thus taken, there is, I hope, not a Minifter a-
mong U3 but would publicklydifown and renounce
his fubfcription.
I (hould now proceed. Sir, to the examination ^
©>f. other parts of your letters, to fhew the great />;-
fufficiency
f^^Ajjpcndix, page 7S. Jtifcof Mr-5«A-^r,pag€ 2 36^,ri.
t 3$ 1
Ji4JftcU»tj of your arguments and objeftions; aid
to obferve that, in many inftanees, you have ex-
tremely miftaken and given quitt wrong reprefen-
tatinns of our religious principles and pradlice.— -
But I relieve your patience at prefent If thi«
province be undertaken by no other hand, you may
in fome time, by divini permiifioii, Cipcd\ t# teas'
farther from,
# f ^
^fur ttry humhlt ferv«nt\
K D I S S £ N T £ 1)
le:
THE
Diflenting Gentleman's
SECOND
L E T T E R,^c.
SIR,
J^nr^IS with Tome iregrel: 1 ^fOteed in vindica*
J^ tion of my dlifent, as it will cenftrain m^
to lay fome things, which may fecm to b«
difrefpeaful to cjiablijloed forfns of w®rihip. But
Self 'defence is a principle whidh generous minds al-
low ftrongly to operate, I highly reverence and
lefteem, and moft heartily rejoice in the great num-
ber of ilhiftrious and excellent perfons, both CL^rgy
ahd'Laitj, which the Church of Er/^/ahd cznho^ii.
Fut yet, as the i^rcftnt efab/ijhe J forp^ts weredrawit
up when this kingdom jvtft cmerg'd out of Popif-}
darkn^fs ; and as in drawing them up, efpechil re-'
fard was had to the theji weakncfs ©f the people,
v;ho could Hot be all at once entirely brought off
from the old ceremonies and forms : As there arc
feveral parts of our liturgy, and ecclcfiaflical con-
flritution, which a great number, I apprehend^ if
not all onr Bifjops and Clergy, wiih to fee altered :
i\nd finally, as the alteraticn of thofc, and the re-
moving a few things, acknowledged in themfelves
to he iHiitahle andhjdijferefjf.yvowld heal the unhap-
fy bre4ii;hy and reftorc the chief part of the Diflcn-
lers
C 3« 1
terstd the Church. -=.Upon all thefe acootiGts, %
ftiay b« allowed, I hope, with freedom to make ?^y
defence againft your vigorous attacks ; and to repre-
fent my objetStions, and the grounds of my dijjent\
in as ftrong a light as lam able.
The part of a public M9nitifr, and of my Injlruc^
tor ia this affair, which you have voluntarily takea
on you, will allow mc, as I go along, to put you
la mind of a great obje<Etion or two which Diffen-
ters are wont to urge, but which you have quite
overlooked, and to intreat you w"ill diredt me how
to get over them.
*< We letter-writers, fay you, have a privilege
** of fetting down our thoughts as they offer them-
** felves, without fcrupuloufly adhering to ftri(5l arid
** clofe method *,'* This privilege you have in- .
deed with great freedom taken : I fhall therefore
-be indulged the fame.
To begin then with your defence of Sponsori
in haptif^n. It is the opinion of the Dijfenters^ that
when an Infant is brought to be entered by Baptifm
into the Family or Church of Gou, and a folcmn
vcnu and engagement is to be made before the
Church for its religi9us education ; that the Pa-
rents, whofe child it is, and to whom both God
and Nature have committed its education ; that
thofey I fay, are the proper p'irfons to (land fbrth,
and take upon them this great and important truft ;
and to bind themfclves by •% folenin vonv faithfully to
difcharge it. Now our objections te the order and
pradice cfyour Church are,
I. Th?it in a very arbitrary and ftrange manner,
withnm the Icaft ihadew ©f authority from Reafon
or Scripture^ or the ancient pr a ft ice of the Church,
you adually ^bt as ids the Parents in this foltm-
nity;
*^Lct<t. III. page 69,
C 37 3.
iwty; and roR BID them to (land forth, and take,
upon theai this great charge to which God hath
called them." For your XXIXth canon cxprefsly
commands, Th^t no parent Jhali b€ urged *to be pre-
fent at his Child* s Bapiifm^ nor BE admittid tQ
ixnfwcr as Godfather for ni^ own Child, And,
2. Thatyott require other^perfons to appear in the
parents ftead, and to take upon them this impor-
iant trufty and moft foiemnly to proriLife before
God, and the Churchy the performance of that,
-which few of them ever do, or ever mtended to
perform ; or, perhaps, aire ever capable of perform-
ing. What now, S^l^, Is your anfmuer to thefe cb*
Jeiflions of the Diffenters ? Why, truly, the /r/?,
which is indeed the chi^f you very prudently ftp
e-^er ; and attempt not the leafl apology for fetting
nfide the parents ; fo tkat you leave us ftill to con-
iiAtrthis^ as a thing utterly indefenfiblc, unlawful,
•a'bfurd, and which will admit of fio excufc.
But as to x\\Q fecondy viz, the fole?nn vonx) and
thligation under which the Sureties lay thtmfelves,
to this you largely fpeak, and tell me — ** It is a
*« grofs midake to imagine, that the profnifes there
made by the Sureties concerning the future faith
and practice of the child, are made in their e?ii>;^
name : As if thsy engaged thereby, that, wTien it
is grown up, it ihall a^flually believe all the ar-
ticles of the Ghriflian faith, fliali renounce the
Devil and all his works, izc- Whereas the
Church confiders thsfe anfversy as the Child's
anfwers, only made by its Reprefintatives : they
contain ITS />^r/ of the baptifmal covenant, of
contra (51 ; which, bccaufe, by reafbn of its ten-
der age, it cannot ///^//* utter, is utter'd by its
E «* Sureties
4t
ii
t 3* 1
^ ISurtfieS'^'^.'y But if this be, Sir, %grf)fj tn^f-
iakcs the moft cekbrated of your Q'wn 'writers h'-i\«
led us into it^ ** The Sureties "in Bftptifm^ fays
•** your learned Dr. Nichols f, reUghuJIy engags
"*' for the faith of the baptifed ; that they shal4.
"•* ftncer^ly Relieve a U thai is reveale^d in 4h^ Gefpel^
/•* and SHALL dire^ 4-he fiibfequeui anions ef their
** lives by the lanjjs (ff Chrijf," A -cioud of wit-
jielfes, I believe, can be brought from the Dodorf
of your church, whoie judgment is the fame. But
210 wonder the Learned dilFer in fb myfterious a
point— You g© on and affirm-r- *^ That the Sure^
*« //>/ are, by l?ie Church, confidered in this af-
*• fair, no»thernx)!fi than as i^^ mouth of the child,.
*t — You fee, Sir, here are no f^'^mifes Nen en-^
^* ^^^^w^«// which A AY befid^s the Child arc
*< fuppofed to enter into, and to be bound by,
^* Read over the office of public baptifm, you will
*« not find, I affure you, any praniifej orjiipnla'
•*' tions at all made by lh^ Sureties in their own
*^ name : I mean any that are explicit J." But
this account of the mittter appears tome extremely
<Jark ; and ratlier greatly to ftrengtlicn than remoYC
our objedlons. For,
First, It reprefents the Church as a(5ling a very
extraordinary and unaccountable part; viz, as re-
ceiving a child to baptifm on account of its
OWN faiihy and its own pronilfe, uttered by its
Sureties ; -when, at the fame time, it knows, tk$
child neither diOt% nor can, t\\h.tT promt fe or believe
any more than the font at which it is baptifed. It
confiders the child as actually covenanting ^cai,
cQntradingy yea, as the only covenanting and
con*
* Lett. f. page 31. f Nichols's Defence, ^c. Part II,
page 27> % ^^id, patjci 31, 31.
I 39 1
contraAing' ^<f r/)» in. this folemnity, wheit it knowg^
it to be abiblutcly incapahh of either. It reprefeiiu
^e Church as very foJemnly alking-THii Chilis
— Deji thou heH^L^f ? Wilt thou be^ baptifsd ? Dcji
thou for fake thtr Devil P &c. Wkea it is ftilly per-
iuaded of its utter inability to believe, or reiolve»
©r will any thing about it. Now when a Deijf
ftands by, anxl fees a learned and grave Divine thus
afking, and talking, and coveni^nting with aChildy
can you wonder, Sir, if hx2 fmiles^, and Enerriijr
treats the whole tranfadtion as a jeil ?
'* The aripwersy yoa fay, are coitftdered by thr
** Church as only the- anf'wers of theChild^
** and contain its part of the haptifmal covenant ;
^ ivhich becaufe, by reafofi of its tender agCy it can*
•* not itfelf litter^ is to be utVered by its Sureties :*^
That is to fay y the child thtnksy but cannot y^^f^.K*
it really covenants y contrafls^ promt fes^ but not be-
Jng able by reafon of its tender age to- «//^r its goo J
intentions, th^fe Sureties are its- ?n6uth ta utter thern*
for it. But why, good Sir, its mouth to fpeak for
it ; and not its undtrfandlng alfo to think for it ;.
ks ^will to promife for it ; and'inxlesd its foul^ and
its very fe If to covenant and contrad for it ? Is
not the child J by reafon of its tender age, as abfo-
lutely iacHpableof covenanting^ as it is of witering p
of contraHingy as it is of fpeaking ? If the Surety
therefore does one of thefe good oflGices for it, he
undoubtedly does the other alfo^ But,.
Secondly. If there be, a^youfay, n© pro*
piifes NOR engagements nvhich any bejtdes the
Child are fuppofed to enter into, or to he bound hy^
the confequence is' extremely plain, that then there
are no promifes Xihv engagemcnta entered into at
fli^fov its religious education. For the ehild {uvtlj,
4ocs not engage for /// c^n religious education. If
£a the
[ 40 3
tlie Sureties therefore do not enter into any promili
of this kind, it evidently follows,, that there are
no expr6fs engagements entered into by any for the
child's education. And thus, behold, your boaft-
cd doubie fecurity, turns out at lad no feciirity at all 1
But, a Surety not bound ! a Sponfor promifihg «<r-
thing /a Security unengaged I This is language.
Sir, in the mercantile^ whatever, it may be in the
fcholajiic way of life, abfolutely unintelligible. And
to retort your own in (lance ; my Lawyer I fhould
think a very wrong-headed man, who Ihould pre-
tend to lend my money upon a double fecurity^ and
make a merit of fo doing, when at the fame tirae
he confeffed, there were tao pr&niifesy nor. engage^
ments^ by which either of the Securities were expli^
0itly bound.
To be plain. Sir; as for this bufinefs of a child^s^
believing, promifing, covenanting by reprefentativt
or proxy, I cannot but think a gentleman of your
penetration, will eafily perceive it to be a thing
abfolutely inexplicable, impoffib)e, and abiurd ; a
thing utterly repugnant to reafon and common
fcn^ty and without the leaft fhadow of foundation
in the Chrijiian Religion. For if by the conftitu-
tion of the, gofpel covenant, a child may believe by
pr®xy, repent by proxy, voiv^ proriirfey and contra^
by proxy, he may alfo, no doubt, he faved by
proxy, or be damned by proxy. But, into what a
jeft will this turn the religion of Chrijl f
As for the antiquity of this praifltce, Sponfor s in
Baptifmy you have the good fenfe and ingenuity
not to pretend it was ever known, or fo much as
thought of, in the primitive apof o lie Chvivch, Ter-
tullian, who lived about i7;?;?<3 Do7?i. 700. ts the firy?^
I apprehend, of all Chriilian writers, that make*
*»1
I 41 1
amy mention of them. Nor does it at all follow
from what le favs, that thefe Sponfon were anj
other than the Parents of the child. Jujiin Martyr
whe wrote fifty years before him, when he parti-
cularly defcribes the method and form of Chrijlian
BaptiffM in his Days, fays not 2^ Jingle auord of anf
fuch perfons *.
But w€ learn from St. Aiijiiny about the year
390. (one of the carlleft of Chriftian writers, in
which any mention of them is found) avA<r«, and
upon njjhat oecafion thefc Sponfors were admitted .
•* A great many, fays h-, arc offered to Baptifm,
•* not by their parents, but by others ; Vi% infant"
'* Jtaves are fometimes offered by their mafters.
^* And fometimcs when the parents are dead, the
•• infants are baptifed^ being offered by any, who
•• can afford tofiiewthis compaffion to them. And
•• foracclmes Infants whom their parents have cru-
** elly expofcd, to be brought up by thofe who
** light on them, are now and then takei; up bjr
^* the holy virgins, and offered to Baptifm by them
•* who have no children of their own, nor defign
*• to have any.'* Thcfe arc f Aujiin\ words.
Obfervc now Dr. IValTs X ingenuous confeflion on
them (and the good Dodor you know, Sir, was
never partial in fiivour of Di/fenters, but a ttvcre
rcnaarker on them :) ** Here nue fee the ordina-
•• »Y ufe then ivas fcr Parents to anfwer for
** the children : But yet that this nvas not counted
•* 8 0 NECEisARY, as that a child could not be bap^
•« tifed ivithout it.''
Hence then it is plain, that Parents never were
fet mftde^ when they were capable and 'willing to
E 3 offer
• Vid. Lord King's Enquiry, Part II. pages 67, ^S.
\ Epift. adBomfac, \ Hift, I»f. Bap. Vol. I. ^^%^ 296
[ 42 3
©ffer their children ; and that only in cafes t^ FiH^^
rents incapacity, were Sponfors adnaitted : And in
all fuch cafes y Diffenters alfo ufc them. Why now^
I bcfeech you, Sir, in defiance- of this acknowledg-
ed ufage and practice of the ancient Chnrchy2i% well-
as o( common ft nfci do^s your Church fevertly decree,
<* That NO F AREKT f/2a// he urged to he present
*^ at his Child's Baptifniy n$r he admitteb to au^*
" fiver as Godfather for it /"' What I would the*
Parents (landing forth together ivith the Sponfors,
and promifmgjrW/7//y with them, at zl\ detrafl from,
this folemnity, or render xX. lefs effe^lualy to fecure.
the child's religious education ? It is moil evident
it would not, and that your pradice in this point
is undoubtedly an innovation ,- an unpeafonable, ab-
furd, and arbitrary /^i7^//<?;r from the ufage andMa^-
ftitution of the primitive apofiolic Church ; an ah- '
furdiiy very generally acknowledged, and com-
plained of, by the members o{ your Churchy thougl^.
not attenipted to be reformed,
'^ But hy jhis inflitution of godfathers and godr
•* mothers, you fay< your Church affords its mem*-
** bers {ovcift great and fpecial advantages towards.
•* growing in grace and goodseis, ah9ve what arc
••found amongft us :'V and you teli me, •* you
«• 'lay a great ftrefs upon it, as a nvifey and ufefuly
•* 7ir\d necefary inftitution *.'* — Bu-t did you not
confidcr, Sir, thitt yoift were here highly refleHing
' "iipon the wifdom and goodnefs, n®t of the ho^ly
j^poflles onl^j but af your great Lawgiver Jesu^s
Christ ? Thefe special Advantages for
growth in goodmefs and hoHnefsy how ciim-e it to pafs-
that the great Foinders of the Chriffian Church ne-
ver happened to think of them ? You do not pre-
tend it to be an inJJitution of J e s u s C h a i s t '$,
..4
f At f
sfetJ yet arc ttot afraid to call it a *iv//>, an ufe/ull
and even a }iv.CEssAKY injfiiution. Strange ! that
Christ in whom were iid all the treafurcs ofnvif"
dem^ and who loved the Church fo as to lay donan
his life fer /V,. fhou-ld not kn9<w this inftitution to be
fo efpe daily advantaicQus to the growing gooclnefs
of his Church ^ or that knowing it to be fo, he
fliould unkindly onait it; and that we are obliged to
the y^/^r/^r wifdom and goodnefs oi after-ages for
fupplying this defed. It has ufualljr been thought^
that the Apoflles declared the whole ceunfel Qf
God ; and kept hack nothing from the Cbureb
ix^iich nvaf profit able Xo it ; and that the Siriptures
are a per feci rule ; but this, it Teems, is not true ^
y(iu have difcovered it, Sir, to be not true : For
bere^ you fiitw ns a nvife^ an- ufeful, and a^ keciS'*
4ARY tnjlituiion, which they really kept hack : and
v^liich, had it not been for tht faga city of their fuc-
ceffors, the Church had been fo unhappy as never
ta hare known. Into what mazes . men plunge
themfelvcs, when they deviate from the truth i
Of the fame temerity you are guilty, S''r, when
treating of another inftitution of your Church,
Co^^FIilMATION> and glorying over us in its
Vr'ant. *• Another adminiftration of our Church
*^ is cenfirmation ; this you know you have wholly
*• difcarded : and fu rely you wiH be obliged to ac-
*^ knowledge you have loft thereby a very great
*•• advantage greatly conducive to future holi-
** r\th of ife*." Yes, Sir, this we will freely
own, when you alfo will acknowledge, that you
are <wifcr than the Jpcjlles ; and can better judge
what is conducive t9 hilinefs^ and for the advantage
•f the Churchy than its great Lawgiver Jesu5
Cmrist. Had this Ceremony of Confrjhatien
becA
f Letter I. page 6],
r44 1
been really ofgrest advantage^ aad tondu€he ## h$*-
itnefs, it is very ftrangc that neither Christ, nor
his Jpoftles, ftiould have ordained it. That it is
^n apojlolic inftitution, you have not fo much as
attempted to prove ; Multis Calvin's conje^urcs muft
be admitted .as proof.
The text ufually urged for it, {ASfj viii. 14.) I
prefume jou are fully fenfible has no 'weight. Pc^
fcr'i 3indJ(9/?n*s going down to Samaria to pray^
and lay their hands on thofe whom Philip had bap*
tifed, is, furdy, no precedent, tio diredlion, no
inftitution, nor command (or our B ijhops to do like*
wfc. For the endfot which the jipoJlUs did it, it is
cxprefly faid (vcr. 15, 17.) was, that they might re^
€eive the Holy Ghost, L <r. its miraculous gifts-;
Mnd they prayed for thenty and laid their hands on them^
snd they received the Holy Ghost. That it wai
his miraculous gifts (fuch as prophefying, fpeaking
with tongues, 6^f.) to form them into a Church,
cannot be difputed ; becaufe, they were fomcthing
vifihle^ and obvious to fenjfe ; foniething whicS
ftruck the wonder and ambition of the wicked Sor^
jcerer ; for it is faid, 'when Simon saw that thr%^
faying on of the Apojlles hands /^^Holy Ghost nuaf
given^ he offered them money. — Befides^, as V>r.
iVhitfy juftly obferves, if they laid not thjeir hands
on all who were baptifed, it makes nothing for
Confirmation ; if they did, then Simon Magus alfo
vf?L% confirmed y and received the Holy Ghojl : which
you will by no means admit.
It was to give then to the newly baptifed con*
Tcrts at Samaria the miraculous gifts of the Holy
Choji, that Peter and John went and laid their
hands on them. But do our Bijhops, Sir, pretend
that, by their praying and laying on of hands, th^
Hci^Y GiJOST // given f Do they not difclaim
any
r 4s 1
any powers of ttis kind ? Seeing tliem they mate
BO preteafions to tirf end, why witli fiich folemnity
do we fee tkem pradifing the means ? Might they
EOt as well ;ftretch themfelvcs upon the dead body
of a child, in imitation of Elijha ; or make o'lnt-
rnent with fpittle for the cure of the blind, in imr-
tation of cur Saviour ; or, anoint the fick with
©il, in imitation of the apoJlsVtc Elders ; as pray
and lay their hands on thofe who v/ere baptifed, in
imitation of Peter and Jshn, who did this to the
Saviarilan converts only, that they xm^\.re€eive
the miraculous gifts and powers of tbe Holy Ghoft ?
** As for the epen and folemn renewal of the
•' baptifmal covenant before God and noany wit-
•* neffcs, which you fay, baptifed perfons ought
•' to make, when they come to years of difcre-
•* tion :" This they make with us, in the other
Sacravtent of the Supper ; which Chrijl hinafelf
has appointed, and which is the only inflitutioi-i his
wifdom has thought Et to appoint, f®r this pur-
pofe.
But if you will fufFer me XjO /peak freely , Sir, this
ceremony of confirmaiion^ as it is at prefent ap^
pqinted and pradlifed in ycur Ch«rch, to me, ap-
pears fo far from being greatly coiiductve to holhiefs-
•f life^ as that I wifli it may not be conducive to a
quite different, and a very noxious eife<5t : even to
cheriflo in mens minds ^frefumptuous ^udfalfe h^pe ;
and to delude them into ^rong notions as to the fiifc*
ty of the.r flate, and as to the ter7nj of acceptance
and favour with God.
By the order of your Comtnon Prayer; *' All
*' perfons baptifed^ 'when they come te competent
*' years, and are able to fay the Lord's Prayer,
*f* Creedj and Ten Commandments ^ and tbe Anf-vjers
t 4« -1
:^ 9f ihe fij<^-^ CafcchiffH^ are t9 h^ hrought tirCoffi-
** FiRMATiaif/' The Bifhop having a(ked^
♦* Whether they reneiv the ffiiemn proniife and vuvf*
** /which mjas made hi th^ir names in Baptifm,'' &c.
Upon their anfwer ive do^ proceeds hereupon to
declare in the naoft foleain manner, even in aa
^ddrefs /i? God himfelf, , that he has. V9uchfafed t§
regenerate thefe his Servants by nuater t^nd theHo^r
Ghqs.t,( note : not by nvater onlj, but alfoby the
JioLy Ghost) and ta give^ them the forgivenefs of
.ALL THEIR Si Ns^: And laying his hand upon the
head of each parti cujar per f©n^ he certifies him-
by thatjfgn cf Go^^'s favour and grachus goodnefs
i onwards hi?f$,
I pray you, Sir» lA the «^«/tf £»/ God, inforna
jncj what warrant has the jB//y5? a/ to pronounce a
man's fns all /argiven^ and himfelf regenerated
■fjy the Holy Gho«t upon co other Ground* thaa
his being able to ^y the fhort Cateckifhi, ani
declaring that he ftands by his baptifmal engage-
ments ? Will you fay. that this is the Chrijtian doc--
frine concerning the terms of acceptance and for*
giyenefs with God ? Are good vows and refolu,*
tions, declared in the Church, infallible or proper
proofs of a regeneration by the Holy Ghojl f Is a.
TfiTkvCs profeftng that he repents, 2ind promijing that
he will live gn^ly, that aflual repentance and a-
mend7neni ef life which alone can enfure the divine
pardon and favour ? Ai^ there not multitudes
who call Chr I tT their Lord, and publickly
profcfsto ft and by their baptifmal covenant, whom
yet he. wiM rc]e£t with abhorrence at lafl ? Yoa
will inform me th^n, Sir, how his Lordjhip, upon
this mere profefTioti and pr^imife,. pre fumes to dcr
<;lare to Afntighty God, and to assurk the per*
^QU* that he is regencr-itcd, forgiven, and with-
out
t 47 3
«tit an peradrcature in a ftatc of favour -with Hea-
ven !
The exprcffions, job muft ackncywledge, are
<ouchcd in abfolutc and ftrong terms: nor do I*
find that tkere is any intimation, that their for-
^ivencfs depends upon their care to keepy and to
iive up to, their baptifmal engagements. No : bat
though their 'whole life hath hitherto been fcanda-
loufly corrupt ; yet upon their being able to ^j?
the Lord's Prayer, 5cc. the Biihop folemnly pro-
nounces a moft abfolute pardon over them ; appeals
to Almighty God that he hath forgiven them etli
their fins ; and left this fiiould be too little to fatisfy
the doubting fmner, and qualh his upbraiding con-
fcience, he lays his hand upon his head, and cer-
"TiFiEs him by that Sign of Cod's favour and
vood^iefs to him.
This BiJJ^op, Sir, the multitudes, who come to
be confirmed, are taught to conlider as an Ainhaf
Jador of Christ, a Succeffor of the Aportles, and
a fpecial Minijieroi God : When they hear then,
X\\\s facred perfon, fo folemnly declaring that they
are fully juftified, pardoned, and regenerated by
x\iQ Holy Ghojly can yo« blame them if thty believi
it ; and reft fatisfied that their fouls are in a fafc
and happy Jiate P And as full remiffion of fins, and
the favour of God, arc to be had on fuch eaj}
terms ; can you wonder, fhould you fee thoufands
eagerly flocking from a^l quarters to accept it ? O^
that perfons of very vile and profligate charade r$
Ihould often thruft tbemfelves in to partake of this
benefit ; and be fcen receiving upon their knees e-
pifcopal -ahMwxXo^y drnd folefnn ajfurances of God's
favour and grace ?
Yon know the aptnefs of mankind, Sir, to de-
ticiv« themf^ives v^iihfalfe hopes ; and to fubftitute
good
C 48 3
jgfood parpofcs, profeffions, and vows, in the pl*<*i,
of real repentance and amendment of life : and you
know this. Sir, (and have no doubt often declared
it from your pulpit) to be one of the chief hindran*^
€es of mens becoming truly good. Now feould
your office for Confirmation be found thus power-
fully and dire<flly tending to CherijJ? thefe falfe
hopes ; you n^uft excufe me if I then fiiould think
it fo far from conducing to helincfs of life, as
that in my confciencc I fhould believe it to be ra*
ther greatly obstructive f it- ; and extremely
i4lufive 2Si^ injurious to the fouls of men.
Let me further afk you, Sir, on this head — 1« it
any iM-each ©f charity, to fuppofe, that amongft th^
vafl crouds which prefent themfelves on fuch oc-
caiions, there are often manyy whom God, who
knows their hearts, knows to be perfons of a cor-
rupt and wicked mind, and to be ftill under the
power and tyranny of fm \ Can the go9d Bifloop
himfelf, in any judgment of charity, fuppofe there
are not fotNe fuch amongft the thoitfands he con-
firms ? Candidly tell me then. Sir, npon what
grounds he ahfolutely^ and nvithout referve^ declares
to the ETERNAL God concerning them all>
that he Yi^xh. fully forgiven thefs his fervants^ when
God at that time knows many of them not to be
his fervants, and that he hath not at all forgiven
them ? Or, lays his hand on each individual per-
fbn to afTure him of God'/ favour^ and ©f his re*
generation by the Holy Ghost ; when, in truth >
foraeof thofe he thus afTures are abfolute and entire
Ji rangers to the renewing influences of God's fpi*
rit^ and faft bound in their fins ? To me, Sio I
alTure you, this appears, I do hot fay a very
fliocking, but 1 muft fay a very unaccountable fo-
lemnity • and (hould be glad to know how to
re*
r 49 1
reconcrle it totlae reverence ^o'J^ owe t© Ccd ; or
to the faitkfulneis and chvinly due to the fouls of
men.
Near a-kin to //-//, but of a yet more obnoxious
mature, is another office of your Covinjon Prayer,
The x^BsoLUTicN cf tkefick. To //'/'/ you know,
§ir, Dijfenters have always (Irongl.y obje^Sled, ?t9
tH30 muchrefcnibling the fohmn tricks of the Church
©f Rovie ; by which they pretend to fend men to
Heaven, without real anienament and holinefs of
life. Rut this you very prudently pafe over in per^
J'eft Jilence : for what indeed could fo ingenious an
advocate ofF<::r, on ih extremely ,abfurd and inde-
fenfible a point ?
Being come to the ^ci perfgn^ (no matter nvhat
or ho^M ivkked his former life Iiath been) the Vrlefi
is directed, after fome pious exhoitations, to exa-
mine, *' Whether he believes the articles of the A'
** poJ}les Creed ; and truly repent him of his fins ;
*' and be in charity 'with all th^ *ivorld.: And to move
** hi?n to make a fpecial coj'fejjion of his fins ^ f h^
** feels his confcience troithled nvith any ivi'ighty mat^
*' ter,'' After which confeflion the Prieil is or-
dered to ABSOLVE him (if he him^ibiy and heartily
defire it) ajter this fort.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, ^^; /; o ha t h left poiver
to his Church ^to absolve all fmners nvho truly r<f-
pent and believe in hiin^ of his great viercy forgive
thee thine offences : And hy the Authority coni'
viitted to ME, / ABSOLVE thee from all thy
Sins, //; the name of the Father, and 9f the SpN,
and of the Holy Ghost. Amen .
The form is extrcmtly fokmn, , Sir, and the
matter of the liill importance. Y( u had need
tiiercfore be fure you go upon good grounds, j'cft
f you
. t sp~ 3
yoti be foimd to tnfle with the nam^ <?/ God, finA
in things oi ^vcrUJling moment, and to acquit thofc
whom ha abhors. Permit me. Sir, in this gre 01 1
name, and before x\\t world, to demand of you,
K What Q.\iMXQ\v is it, and ^vherc is the Churck
found, to whom Christ has ieft this high autho-
rity and power ? Is it the Church of England, th©
Church of Scotlaiid, the Church of franco, or the
Churck pf Rome? Do you here mean by the
Church, what your XlXth artide hath defined it,
viz, the Congregation of the faithful P — Cr, do yott
\mderftand it as iii your XXth article, where it
is faid to hnve />onver to decree rites, and authoritj^
in matters 9 f faith P If fo, I have ihewn in my
former Letter, that the Church is no' otheir than
the Ki^g and Parliament of thefe realms. The
King, indeed, has power to abfolve all manner of
fmners, penitent or not penitent ; and by a fmgic
yld of Grace, to va>cate and fet afide the cenfurei
and cicomniunications of ^11 the Rif?ops, Arch-
hi [loops diViA Clergy of the land, and to reftore the
oifender to the Church's boibm agam. To abflve^
not in FcroCivili, only, but in Foro Ecclejitc ; not
in the Sf-ate only, bin alfo in the Church. Hut
\vhether the Kings or ^leeris of England do this by
authority derived to them from Christ ? Whe-
ther that Chur'ch of which they are declared the
fupreme fleads, be the Church to whom this h-igh
power is given ? And whether thev, as Headr
cf it, have not this pcwer dwelling capitally, fu-
premely, and principally in them : io as that, what
TutY l§of on earth, is as certainly loofd in Hea^
vsn, as any thing that is /(?/?/^/ by any inferior
memKers who ofkiate in the Church under them^
— Ihefe, Sir, are high points, which without
your
-your afliftance, I fliali not f refume to fettle. Be
fo good, Sir, as to let us knew, what Church
2i/>orj earth it is, to whom Christ iiaih delegated
this important Authority ; and where tl^e
charter or grant ii found, by which he guve it the
commiiTion ? But,
2. That Christ hath given, can give, no fuch
Authority to fallibU unlnfphcd men, I jQiould
think abfolately oat of doubt. Becaufe if he hatlt
giveii/iPiu^r to any authoritatively to ahfolve
thofe n.vbo are truly penitent, he iViUft alfo have gi-
ven thtrci paiver to know ivho are truly penitents
Eife it is a pov/er to do nothing, for tiH they kno^L\j
them to be truly penitent, {i,e, till tliey can y^/^r<:^
their hearts ) they cannot authoritatively abibive
them : But if they cannot do it tili.//;^^«, they can-
not do it at all.' Befides, ^ '
3. If the Priejl has really from Christ thi$
authority and power, the maJiner in which he is
here ordered to apply it, is moll: certainly ^itv^;?^.
Fur upon the dnner's confeijirig his faults, and /r^?*
fefing his faith and iincere repentance, the Priell:
is ordered mo ft folsmnly and authoritatively to ab-
ibiye him. But are any promiles or profcuions
which a finner makes in that diftrefs, a proper
ground for fuch an abfolute authoritative abfolu-
tlon ? Are not the moil profiigate, when death is
thought to approach^ wont to feel dicir confcience
troubled with many 'weighty matters^ re .id y to con-
fefs their fins, to exprefs the deepeH remorfc, and
to vow amendment if fpared ? But when the dan-
ger ij pad, is there one of a thouiand that remem-
bers his vows, and that returns not to his fm$
i?rith as keen an appetite as ever ? Do not you
gentlemen of the Clergy^ loudly complain of this,
Ivhea you prefs to prefent repentance, and warn us
Fa. not
I 52 1
not to truH: to the forrowsof a fiek-bed ? Btttnor-
Avitliiianding all this, wh'en x\\ft fick firiner lends for
you, confciies his fms, profcfics repentHnce, and
dtfires abrolution, you are diredled and r«<|uired
with ail poiIibl6 folcmuitj, even in the name of iht
Father, So>j, and Holy Ghost, aitthoriiaiivs'
ly to ahjoiue him frcm all his crimes y how many or
great foever they have been, ;ind to declare him
fully forgive fj. Strange ! That yoyi can prcfumc ia
the name of xht fa ere d Trinity, to assure a jnaa
that he is ahfoived from all his fins, when 'at the
fame time you kno'w yonri'elves not sure that he
is abfolved ! Yea, when the only grounds of your
• iroing'it, are but the {^sxit fgns of repentance which
a thoufaKd fmners give, who are ncverthelefs held
fail; under the pov/er and guilt of fin I What would
you call that man, Sir, w^ho in a court of hurraa
judicature, Diould 'nioft folemnly afnrm, and declare
in' the na?-ne of Gon, an important fa ci to be done,
which yet at the fawie time he is net fire is done •
or whoihould call Heaven to witnefs to the certain'^
ty of that, which he is not at all ceitain of ? But
is it lefs dangerous, or lefs reproachfuf, thus' to
trifle and collude in eternal things tlian mte77iporal\
in the couit of Ahnlghty God, than in that of the
King ?
1 caEnot fay, Sir, in what light ^y^i^ view this
9rder of your Church, nor what obedience you
pay it, but am humbly of opinion, that it is this
f raining tke facer dotal charader which has funk
it into fome contempt ; and that if it continues
ihu%Jlr^ined, lower, much lower, it will continue
to fmk. For when men fee you claiming from
God, anvfui and high powers, which they arc fure
God has never given jou 3 and hear you with
great
C 53 1
great fblemnity authQritAtively abfolvmg m the
name of the Holy Trinity^ when at the fame time
they know the Holy Trinity never gave you any an-
thurify fo to do, how natwrai is it for tkem to de-
ride the pricfily charaCler en which the fe claims
are founded, and to treat yovir oth^r offices with
ridicule and difrcfpedl ?
And now, Sir, having' prefented you with fome
of the true grounds of our diiTent, many of which
you have not at all, and the reft bat fiightiy touch-
ed, in your three long Letters, I proceed to y®ur
attempts to refe^ hack our own pleas arid cbjecli-
©ns upon ourfelvcs, and to prove \v^ fH/'C^ndariini'd.
Her-; you coii'iplain — *' that you walk almoil
^ wi:hont light — that our churches are fo fecret
*' in -^M their ways. th?it there is fcarce any know-
** ing what they are — that you muft grope and feci
*■* for them afc in the dark — and that you are fomc-
•' thing like one fighting with a.Ghoft *." This
feems, indeed, a very juil deleription of your cafe,
for you greatly mifrpprerent both owx principles and
owv praflicc. But the blame of this darknefs, Sir,
be wholly to yourielf. Are not our Churches open .^
Our prayers, our fcrmons, our facraments, and
ordinations performed in view of the worlds that
whoever pleafes may come and fee our manner ia
them ?
But *< we have no common rufei of difciplire
** and worlhip, by which we hold ourfelves obliged
•^ to walk ; at leaft none made public and laid
** before the world, for fheir examination and dif-
*•< cuQlonf.'* -^ es. Sir, we have an excellent
COMMON Rule of difciplins and ivorJJjip, hy
F 3 * which
• Letter II. pn^e 4. | IbU,
MK'-^
r J4 }
which all our Churches /lelJ t hen: f elves olliged /#
*walKy even the fame \\'h\Qh.QHKi%T and his /i^Jiles^
the great founders of the Chrijtan Churchy origi-
nally drew up, publifhed, and eftablilhed for it ;
a»d which they kft as a common rule, the onlv*
common rule, and a pirfect common rule, for
the ufc of all futui^e ages, viz, the Holy Scrif-
^TUR£s : This therefore you may dlfcuis with ail
the freeuom you pieafe.
But to defcend to fome of the many inPcances ift
vrhich you much inifreprefent us. Your very great
mlitake, as to our impojing sitting at the LorcTs-
flipper, I liave fliewn m my former Letter. Tou
farther afiiim — ** That It is generally held amongft
** U33 that the facrament is for Bon« bat per[et1
** and confuinrnate Chriftians, fjch as can give a
** particular account of their converfion *.*' Here
you ^.vcdk. Sir, iviihout light. There is not diJingJe
Church, I am perfuaded, amongft the Dijenten , ia
the wh.ole kingdom, hardly a Jingle perfon, who
hath //// nctioK of the facrament. We univerfalh
lioid, ihat every fmcere Chriftian has a right* ta
the Lora S'tahL\ *
*' As to th€ duty of f^fi^ig, yoia fay, if you
** are not mightily deceived, it is thrown away
«* amongft us. Ysu have not met with any fer-
*' mons or treatifes of our minifters, fhewing th«
*' obligations,, and preliing its pra^ice upon the
*'' peopU ; nor have you.- ever heard of its beiug
•* pradtlfed, ^even by the ftriaeft and devoutj^lt
** amongft us f ." You are mightily deceived^
Sir, a great deal too wight ily, for one wlio fets ap
for To I'evere a icvfor ol his brethren. Amongft
iniiny others, 1 refer you only to a mpft CTceilent
difcourfe on Oil}irz, in Be?nu-t's Chrijlian {jrotory^
^ Vol,
^ Lclt. I. pagf p., f Letter I. pages d^, C6.
f
Vol. II. which I am fure you cannot read Trrthont
admiring it, blufhing, and condemning your owa
temerity.
You are pleafed to gire us alfo a very grave and
fevere reprehenfion for Jlanding, and not kneeling
at our public prayers, and lay, " It is little lels
than impofed upon our people, iniomuch, that
fiiould any one prefume to kneel in our
^^ Church es> we fhould certainly cenfure and con*
** demn him for it.^-. That yoitr Church has as
^* good right to Impofe kneeling in the public wor-
•* fliip upon her members, as Dijfenters have to
«' ivip&fe it upon their children and fervants ia
*« t\\<^iv fa?nily devotions f." — And that we al»
«' WAYS pradife it in private X,'' You are ex-
tremely unhappy, Sir, in your intelligence about
this firange people, whom you have taken upork
you to reprehend. How came you to know, what
their pothire of worfnip alivays is in private }
Have they taken you into their clofets f For my
own part, I pretend not to have been much with
them at their fecret devotions, and therefore will
not, pronounce with fuch ajjurance as you do upon
the point ; but am very firongly periuaded they
pracrife varivujly in this matter, and do not airways
kneel.
As to their Families and Churches^ though I
have been prefent at prayers in a great number of
both, (which you, I prefume. Sir, never have
been).! afTure you, I never once faw nor heard
any thing like the ivipofitions you mentfon. In
W\^'\y family devotions {oxv.^J^and^ and fome kneel ^
according as their inclination and convenienca
fervcs»
» Letter IT. pages 65, 67. f .Letter I. page aSf
\ Letter IL page 68.
r 5<5 1
ftrTe«. And in their public ajemlltes^ many lcnetf>
at prayer, I believe, the whole kingdong ovcr^
■without it ever entering into the thongh^s of their
fellomj-^drJJpippers jlo take the leail offence thereat.
You till me, '' you can name * eonfiderablc
** congregation amongft us, which is greatly fcan-
•« dalized — ^and has taken a great and general of-
** fence, at ©ne of its members kneeling at public
'« prayer^.'* But as in many other points. Sir,
ft is very notorious you have be^n ill ferved by your
informerTy as to our cuftoms and worfhip ; yo»
muft give me leave to think, that they have hert'
alio made too free with your credulity. That we*
have nveak. brethren amongd us, and thofe not a*
few, I am very ready ta own. But a congrega-
tion, a conftderahle eongregation too, fo "^eak as^
to take 7i great ^nd general offence at fuch a triiic
as th's ! You muft exeufc me, if I cannot eafily
admit it.. I think you will dojuilice. Sir, to name
the congregation, that it may cixhtv purge itfelf of
the reproach, or ftand cor reeled before the world,
for its unchrijiian and iffipofing temper ; and learn-
to acV more confillent with that liffirty and right
f>f private judgment, which as Z)/^d'/;/tfr/ they pro-
fels.
No, Sir, Difenters^re not {or bindings y^htrt
God has left, free. They are our brethren, •fan-
other Church, who think themfelves capable of
mending C h m s t ' j- in ft i tut ions ; and not eon tent to*
nfe t'hem in the plainnefs and ftmplit;ity in which?
DIVINE WrsDOM left them, muff needs ernhelliffr
and Improve them by additions of their own.
ThdTc
f Letter II. page ^%t
I 57 :i
Theft additUns of your own, for inflancc,
KNEELING at public prajersy you arsL fo llirpri-
fingly fanguine as to reprefent as *' a great /wt-
** prove j/ient of public worfliip, and as adding a*
** natural fplcndor and beauty to it — that our wor-
** fhip is dcbafed for want of it — that kneeling is a,
*' ^/;5r^ hunnble and honourable pofture much
*' nii^rc expreliive of our profound reverence of
«« God. And the humble poRure of kneeling^
*' Nature itfelf fo plainly dictates, and lo
'* powerfully prompts us to, that a man, if he
*' were left to hinifelf, whenever — he makes
- '* his requeils known to God, will hardly doit
** in any other unlefs when feme affeiled re*
^^ Jiraitit is laid upon him*.'* How towering a
flight ! You do not pretend to fay, that either
Christ or his Apojilesy ever enjoined, or con-
ftantly, or moflly, ufed kneeling at public
prayer ; you mention fcveral inftances from Scrip-
turfy where standing was the pofture of fomc
of the mcjl fole7?iH addreffes to Ahnighty God— -
Abraham stood before the Lordf, when he of-
fered up that humble interceffion for Sodo7n, Of
the Levites and all the Priejis^ it is particularly re-
corded, that they stood up ; and all the people
are alfo called upon to stan*) up, and blefs the Lord
their God, in that folemn addrefs to Heaven,
Nehem, ix. 2, 3, 4, 5. An addrefs of deep humi-
liation, confefljon, deprecation, and covenanting
with God, one of the mojl folemn that Rands up-
on facrcd record ; it is here no Icfs than four feveral
times exprefsly mentioned,' that itandiRg was
the pofture in which their worfliip was otiered up.
Mofes and Sa?nuel are rcprefented as standing
icfsre Gouy when making their mod humble and
impor-
* Letter II. pages 66, 67, 69, 73. f Gen. 18. sa.
t 58 1
.importrtnate interceffions with him, Jer-.tr, f.
When ^wr Saviour in his parable reprcfents K\j9
-men fraying in the TewpU standing is the pof*-
•ture in which he defcribes them, Luke xviii. 10,
II. Yea, himfelf in exprefs words has, if not
adlually injoined, yet moll fully declared his appro-
hat ion of this gcfture, Mark xi, 25. When yt
STAND praying, forgive. Finally, when the pri*
niitive Chriftians, it is acknowledged on all hands,
^every Lord's- day, and at all other times betwixt
Eajier •and JVhitfuntide, univerfally prayed stand-
ing, and NEVER kneeled 2X. their public devotions^
(Confequently, by the way, not at the hordes- fup*
per, '« Die DominicO'nefds ducimus, SHc, fays Ter*
'** tuliian ^ : On the L,orb*S'DAY nve account it X
** SIN to«worJhip kneeling ; nvhich cuflom nve al"
*' fo obferve fr$m Eafter to Whitfuntide/* — With
all this evidence glaring full in your face, Sir, you
have the ajfurance, fhall I call it, or does it defcrve
fome other name, very fmanly to reprehend us for
STANDING at our public prayers ; and to call it
a dehafement of our ^orjhip — to aiErm that kneeling
is a MO KB hurnhle and honourable pojture — much
MORE exprej/ive of our profound Reverence ofGojy
— y^ great Improvement of public k Worfhip^ and
that it adds a natural 'B'S.m^ty and Splendor /«
it — Surprifingly enthufiaftic ! What Abraham, and
Mofes, and Samuel, and Nehemiah, and .all the
Priejis, and Jenvi/h people, nv.^ASE the divine wor-
{hip, when they stood before God, and made
their folemn addreffes to him ! Yea, what Christ
himfelf too debafe it^ by directing mew to stand
fraying !
Had
• De Coroa. Milt, page 34<i»
r J? I
Hac! j'(?ii happened. Sir, to hare been of tlt€
Council of ihcApoJlhs^ you could kave helped them
to eftablifli Chrijiian '\x}orf}?ij) upon ?l greatly impro'
ved, a more beautiful and perje^ plan ; and have
iNjoiNED this HOikiE. humble and honourable pof-
ture, this ADDITIDkal fplendor and beauty to pub-
lic prayer, which it never came into their minds to
iNjoiN the Difciples. — But as our Bibles at pre-
Tent ftand ; and God and Jefws Chrijl have leit us
at full liberty to offer up our prayers eithery?^«^//;j'
or kneeling^ you will excufe us if we arc not io
flruck with your additionml beauty as to give our-
selves up blindfold to its charms*
But ic feems we are inconjtjient^ in condemning
Jome of your ceremonies, when at the fame time
we readily conform ourfelves to others : Yea, have"
many ceremcnies allowed and pradifed amongft our-
felves. ** Such, you aver, we have, tho' we fecm
** not to know it : Such as uncovering our head
** when we enter cither your churches, or our
*« own Meetings *." But you are dill *' mxilking
** in the dark^'" Sir, as you iulUy reprefent yourfelf,
** apd encountering 'with ghojis y The Dijfenters
have no fuch cuftem o^ uncovering their heads ^hzn
they enter into their Meeiing-P laces ^ unlefsintimt
of worfhip ; no notion of paying reverence to tint*
ber and n^alls ; no Minillers amongft them who
have fenfe or grace enough to confecrate a piece of
ground : And when they ufethis ceremony at trx-
\tv\n^ your Churches y it is, I alRire you, purely as
a r/x^/7, not at all as a r^/i^Ji?/^/ ceremony ; a coju"
fliment paid, not in the lea ft to the building, but
entirely to onv good brethr^n^ whom we would not
aeedlcfsly offend.
'* Kneeling
* Letter III. page 7,
I 60 2
** Kneeling at ordincrt'tQn,'" the next ceremony
you meniion, tho' generally ufcd amongft us, was
never I believe impofed. If the perfon to be or-
dained fcrupled that pojiure, he would, without all
doubt, be permitted tv Jland,
As for " \,\\z fccret csremonies which jonfufpe^,
** but will not pofuivclj affirm, to pafs at linking
*' the covenant betwixt us and our PallorsV' "which
you once and again mention, let youv fufpicioru oa
that head, Sir, give you no further pain, I affure
you I neither know, nor have ever heard of any
fuch covenanting now pradifed amongft us : And
am perfuaded, that of all our Churches, r -^t one
in five hundred obferve any fuch thing.
*^ la balance Jigainft ^qmv furplice you put, what
*^ you call, the ceremony of our long pwecping
** Cloak ''^ y But the leaft attention would have
Ihewn the tn^jo cfffes to be far from parallel. Our
Minifters are at full Liberty either to ufe or difufe
the one : Are yours /(? as to the other r Did you
ever hear of any learned pious pafiors amongft us
ftlenced, reje(5l:ed, and cruelly imprifoned for rcr
fufing the [keeping Cloak ? But, have you never
heard of your Hoopers^ Sampfofts^ Hu??ipherys^ and
an hundred other Minifters, men of dillinguiihcd
learning and ufefuhiefs in your Churchy who have
been fnvept from their ftations in it ; filenced, con-
fined, and grieyouflj harrafled only for fcrupling
yowr furplice and caf) ^ Have you never heard of
many Churches forfaken, and fliut up in London^
and of num:rous congregations, both in city and
country, deprived for a long while of facramenis
and public worlhip, by the rigorous impofition of
your habits on their Minijhrs ? And if the moft
ccle-
• Letter III. page. 41*
C <5i ]
celebrated divine was now .to oiTer to officiate in
any of your Churches, bat refufed to 'ivear a fur-
fl'tce, mull: he not, by your canons^ be let alide
and refuled ? Had 5«r chak been the occafion of a
thoufandch part of the diilradtions and confufions
in the Church, -^s your furpliceh.AS been, and yiid'/?/
fo many worthy perfons from their miniftry and li-
vings in it; we Ihould have had the grace, I Irope,
foon to treat it as 2ibefome of deJlrnBlony and to
have doomed it to the flames.
But ** the giving the Chrijiian-narn^ in baptifm.
•• to the p^rfon baptied, yoti very ferioufly urge
♦* as another folid argument c^^ ceremonies amongft
*• us," and afk, *' Is it not an addition to the fa-
•*. crament ? Is it not an irnpofition ? You add,
'•* Now I fee you fmile *." Excufe me. Sir, I
tonld not help it ! your argument is quite ne'^^
and really furprifed me with its folidlty arid weight.
Yes, Sir, I own it an additi'on, an i?jip:oJJtion, ajid
a very ridiculous one too. And fhould any Minif-
ter of ours pretend to add, or to impofe, this cere-
mony upon his ptople ; and forbid them to caJl
the chjid by /// nai?ie till it was bapti fed ; you may
be aflured he would foon meet with the difregard
and contempt his impertinence deferved. When
you baptife ^^?^/f perfons, do ^'om give their names
in that ceremony ? Or do y^ai not only call them
by names before given ? The fame, I apprehend, i$
the cafe as to children amoi'gft us.
As for the ceremonies in vjarriage ; thcfe, you
juflly obferve, Ve confider only a-v; civil ceremo-
nies, and the Pricft as a civil officer, aj pointed by
the Magiflrate to officiate in this affair. And
whittcver decent rites the MagiHrate prefcribes in
matters of a c/V// nature, wc think it our duty rc-
G ^^ vcreatly
♦ Letter III. page i^*
v^rcntl^ to obfcrve. But, •' the Magiftrate pre-
*« fcribc !*' you with aft on i Amen t reply. •• For
** God's fake liow docs the Magiftrate here ^re-
*« fcribe the rites and ceremonies of inarrifige^
«• more than the ^thsr rites and ceremonies of the
<« Church*]" But could not a gentleman of your
difcernment perceive a difference here ? Is the form
of mitrrjagt any where injiituitd by tur Saviour ;
or a part of Chrijfian lioer/hif / as baptiina aad tht
Lord's -fupper are ? May we not therefore cwn the
power of the WW/ M^ngtjiratc to appoint rites and
forms for the celebration of the ^ncy but not ~fo as
to the ether ? By prefcribing rites of /narri age, the
Magiftrate a^s in character, and rules in />is cwn
Jkirigdom : but by etuth<>rUatively prefcribing rites ia
haptiffn and the Lord's-fupfker^ we humbly appre-
hend, he extends beyond the fpher< affigned him
by God, and attempts to rule in Chuist's king-'
doni : and that therefore here we are to ohty God«
rath€r than nmn^
You fiirther afk with furprize— -^^ What civil
*< ceremonies in the Church of God ! in the midft
** of the adminiftration of a divine inftituti«n : ih-
•* tcrmixed with paftoral exhortations, holy pray-
<* ers, folemn bcnedidions f,"— — — But, why.
Sir, {o aftoniihed ? Did you never take an Oath
in a civil court of judicature ? And did not the
perfon who admlniftered this sacked rite^ give
you 2^ pa fi oral £t<hortationt accompanied with an
holy prayer y and ^ foUntn henediOiony pioufly invo-
icing on you CiQji^ blcffing and help ? And at
to the Place, which you call the Church of God,
where marriage is foiemnized ; y«u might have
plcitfed to remember, that the c&nfecration of tim-
ber, and the fanOity of walls, is a point too fub^
limt
** Letter IIL page 4« f Ibi<l*
r «3
Mme for Dljcnters undcrftandmgs ; and that r«
their opinion all places arc alike holy, and that no
building on earth merits the high honour of being
called the Church of God.
The fame reply we make as to the ceremonies of
lurial, our compliance with which you alfo bri(kly
retort upon us. Is burial of the dead. Sir, a C h r i -
STiAN injiitution ? Any part of the religion or
"worihlp of Chrijl ? Is it not purely a political or
civil thing ? Yes ; and as fuch only we view it ;.
and (Tonfider the perlba who officiates, as one ap-
fointed to this office, dire^^d, injiru^ledr and main*
tained by the Stati.
But as you are here profeffedly ** anfwerirtg our
•* great and popular ohje&ionsy' how came you,SIr»
to fliide over, in confuiumate filence, one of the
greateji and 7uoJ} popular y to this office of burial T
which, indeed, is not ours only, but an objedioit
of fome of th« moll illuftrious members of your
own Church. Were you coafcious the ohje^ed paf
/ages were incapable of defence, and therefor^ pru-
dently let them drop ^
There are but three cafes ^ you know, Sir, in
which your Church refufes this folcmn office of bu-
rial, viz, to thofe who dXo, unbaptifed, to fel-f-
mnrtherers, and to thofe who are under fentencc
of the greater excommunication. As for all other
perfons which are brought to the church-yard, it
very (Iridtly cG7?imands you, even under paki o^ fuf-
perijioriy by canon LXVllf,. that you ufe over thcta
the form prefcribed by xh^ ComjNon- P rayer . Now»
hence it comes to pafs, that over fome of the moft
aharidoficd and profligate of mankind ; over men
who have been cut down in a courfe of open im-
piety by a fudden and untimely death ; or who
even fell by the hand of Jujiicc for fome black and
atrocious
i: 64 }
atrocicrus crime ; over thefe^ I fay, jour Churclt^
and I fay it with aftonifhment, direds and com-
mands you moft folemnly to declare, That almighty
God of his great Mercy has taken to hirnfelf the
foul of this your dear brother. You give Gob^
hearty thanks that it hath plea fed him to deliver hiin
cut of the jniferies of this Jinful ivorld : And you
fray God, thai 'xyjhen yoju yourfelves foall depart out
t>f this life, you may rest in Christ, as your
Hope /'/ this your brother doth. This is what your
Church commands you folemnly to fay over everv
per fen brought to be buried, the three cafes above
excepted. So that if xiie man happened to be i/7/-
r^ in the very acl of committing murder^ adultery^
or a rape : Or for either of thefe crimes dies upon
the gallonvs an impenitent hardened wretch,, whom
vejigeance fuifercd not to live ; yet concerning him
you are to declare, that Jl mighty God hath i^
GREAT Mercy taken hiiji to hifnfelf : 7'ho*he died
a vidim to public juf ice y and was taken away i^k
nvrath. You are to give Gon hearty thanksy, that-
he hath taken this your Brother mt of the miferief
ef this Jinful nvorld : Tho' you have the ftrongeft
reafon to beli<;ve, that he is gone down to realms
of greater mifery below. And you are to profefs
before God, that yon hope the man rests im
Christ, and pray that you yourfclves may reft iiv
Chrift in the fame manner as this your brother-
doth : when you have all the grounds in the world
to think he died in his fins y^nd is therefore not gone
to be 'ivith Christ, where nothing that is defiled
can ever be admitted. Strange ! and extremely
fliocking I what can the people think, Sir ! what
n\x{\i Infidels Tind DeiJIs think ! when they hear you
in the morning denouncing from the Scriptures
certain death, and deftru<5tioii from the prefence of
G a »,
C «5s ]
0«D, to all vicious and corrupt perfons ; «ticJ af-
furing them that without holinefs no Mah /J?ali fee
the Lard : But in th^ evening fj om the Common*
Prayer, fluill hear, you, the same Person, de-
claring before God your Hope of the etert.al hap^
finefs of one ©f the naofl; debauched and proRlgate
men your parilh atFords ; and fending him hence;
■with all the Jofty expreffions of confidence and
hope, as you would a pcrfon of the moll Ikining
and exemplary Y\{t,
Do you imagine, Sir, People do not think ? Can
yeu vronder Deism pre'-jails ? 1 h-^t the Priefhood
is ridiculed ? And that your good fermons are no
more effectual to reform a corrupt world ? To me
this appears (and doiibtiefs it does the fame to thou-
funds of your own Church) a moft indecent pro-
ftitudon of jvinv facred chara<5ler and oiHce ; a tri-
fling and prevarication in things of everlading mo-
ment ; annd a fatal fnare to the fouls of men : Who
feeing their dehi^uched neighbour difmiifed to the
other world with luch confidence of his good eftate,.
fupprcfs their juiT: fears and fiy, I fI?aU have peace^
iho^ I add driiiikennefs to thirf}.
But there is a further vtrj f} range and extraordi-
nary circumilance attending this matter, viz. That
it makes your Church perform, not to fay a mi-
rncley but fomething very like it» if not gre:ater
than that, for it da?7/ns ^nd faves the fam»2 indivi-
dual perfons. Whom it damns when livings it
faves wkcn dead. Arians and Sociniausy you know,
Sir, your Church declares without doubt t^
ferijh everlaflingly, Kut let thefe very men die,
and your Church as folemnly declares that Cod
hath in great Mercv taken them to himftlf,
a»d th<4t it HOPES they rest in Christ. Caa
any thing be more tranfcenJcnt and marvc!*-i;is
G 3 ihaa
I 66 3
tham tills ! That the man whom I prenotmie
WITHOUT DOUBT tQ bc damnedy I yet hofi thtt
le is favedy /. e^ I hope ivithout hope.
But you would eftablifh not only the «/^, tut
the Church's divine right y of making ieremonies
from the inftance of the holy kifs*, *« The kifs $f
•* charity ufcd in the Ajoftolic Church, you aik>
«« was it a rite of divine appaintrae»t, or was it
•* not ?'* I anfwcr you, that as I apprehend this
kifs of charity cannot properly be caHed a divint
injlitution, nor be faid to be ordained by tie Apo*
flies. The greeting with a kifs, was an ancient
cftablifhed ufagc, not only amongft the Jenusy but
the Gentile nations alfo. This ufagc therefore, or
ceremony, was not ordained by the Apoftles, but
only by their advice regulated and dircded to a
moral and religiaus end. It is as if they had faid^
It is your cuftom when you meet, to falute each
other with a kifs, fee that it be a pure, a chaftc,
©r holy kifs, a token af unfeigned charity, friend-
fliip, and peace.
^« But if this eeremcny of the hoh kifsy was not
«• of divine appointment (which probably, you fay,
•« IS the truth of the cafe) but a merely ecclefiailt-
^' cal prudential iniiitutiou, ord liaed by the Apo-
** files without any precept from the Lord,, or any
•' particular dircdlion »f the Hcly Spirit,'^ — Thea,
Sir, I without the leail hefitdtion fay, it was not
i^t all obligatory as a laixt upon the confciences of
Chrijiians ; they might, er they might not prac-
tife it, without finning againfl: Goi>. Even thf
Jpoftles had no dominion over the faith and pra(5tice
of ChriJIiansy but what was given thcra by the
fpecial prcfence and fpirit of Christ, the only
JLawg'iVer, Lord, and Sovereign of vhe Church,
They
'^ tetter IL pj'ge s.
! ^7 3
They were to teach only the things which he fhould
command them, WhatCTcr they injoincd under
the influence of that Spirit, was to be confider-
cd and obeyed as the injunnion of Christ, But
if they injoined any thing in the Church { which I
can by no means admit) 'voithout the peculiar influ-
ence and diredion of this Spirit ^ ( /. e, as merely
fallible vmaffifted men ) in that cafe their injunc-
tions had no authority over confciencc : Every
man's onvn reafou had authority to examine and dtf-
cufs their injun(5lions, and as they approved them-
felves to his private judgment, to obierve them, or
not. Should we grant then what you afli — '* That
** the Church in the prefent age, has the fame au-
«« thority and power as the Church in the apofto-
** lie age, confidered as not being under any im-
*« mediate and extraordinary guidance of the Holy
<< Gholt.*' — What will you gain by it ? This fame
authority and power, is, you fee. Sir, really n0
power nor authority at all.
I proceed next ** to the point of Discipline,
** the want of which, you fay, is objcded to your
•* Church ; but you will reprefent the real ftatc of
*' it, and then (hew that 'wc really as much want
** \X, •nrfelves^ y We will attend your oivn ac-
count of it, which to be fure is not too fcverc.
You acknowledge •* that the difciplinc of the
•' Church is of great moinent towards the edifica-
•• tion of its members ; and that the fault is ««-
** pardonable when Church governors let it fall,
** through a fupine careleffnefs and negledl. — That
** there is a great proftration of difcipline in the
*' Church of England — That it is ruined amongft
« you — That the diftempers of the times are evi-
** dcntly too ftrong for it — That thofc who fit at
«' tlit
• Letter III. page xt^
Z 6S ^
«*. the helm, find h prudent not to feear np t©i^
♦* iauch agiiinrft the impetuority of the ftorm, biii
** tio give away till the madncfs of the people be
V ftlll— That the difciplinc of the Church has not
** been carried to any degree of pcrfe<flion — And
** new lies under il general relaxation.— That your
•* people are often indulged in all their unrealbn-
" able demands and dilbrderly ways, to prevent
*« their putting in execution their threats, that they
** mnll go to the meeting — And finally, that you
*i have at leaft the fhadow and form of difciplinc,
** and truft in God that thefe dry boms 'will ant
^^ day live*:'
This, it muft be owned, is very ingenuoufly
and frankly fpoken. And can you blame then the
Dijfenters't Sir, for joining themfelves to C/^«r^/;f/,*
where that godly difciplinc is obferve J, which you
confefs tjf> be of fo great moment to the edificdiion
of Chriflian people ; and which your Church i&
continually .wishing,* but never attempts to have
reflored: But here you r ^/^r/, and intimate ^/^ri?^/
a. want of difcipline amongft us. " What are
there no fcandalons finners, you afk f, no for-
nicators, adnlterers, extortioners, 6r. received
into your Churches 1 I mud beg your pardon if
I demur upon this. For I could never perceive
the doors of the meeting were ever fliut agaiftft'
any. And if fuch profligate -perfons be not ad-
mitted to fit at the Lord's-tahle^ they need not
fear being admitted to all other parts of your
worfhip."
And is not this. Sir, exadVly right ? Ought not
wr Church-doors to be always kept open, that'
who*
♦ Letter III. pages is^ '3> *4> i7ii>>>^» f Jbid. p. zj»
I 69 1
t^lioever will m^y come, smd be a "witncfs to ©ur
way of worftiip. ^McYi profligate perfons therefore
may come, if they pleafe, and hear their fips re^
proved, and be exhorted to repentance and amend-
ment of life. They are iheuy where they ought
to be, under the preaching of the word ; the rrieans
appointed by Gon, to convince and reclaim the
proriigate and corrupt. Were not /^^^(?(?r/ of the
Church ac Cerhith kept open in the j^poflles days,
for Infidels to come in, and \>tprefent at their wor-
Ihip, Vid, I ^'^r. xiv.. 29. But to the table cf
the Lord, to partake of the children's bread, you
feem convinced that in our Churches^ fuch pro-
fligate perfons are not fuffered to come. And is
not this the true order and difcipline of the Chrif-
tian Church ? But — is it the fame. Sir, m your
Church ? Are not fome of the moft profane and
abandoned of men, rakes, debauchees, blafphe-
mers of God, and fcoffers at all religion, often
fcen upon their knees around j'(?«r com?riuniori'iahIe%
eating the children's bread, and partaking of the
Jjoly elements to qualify for a pojl ^ Dare your Mi-
ni Tiers refufe them ! No, they dare not refufe the
moft jmpious hlafphemer the three kingdonis afford,
\f5rhen he comes \.o demand it as a qualification fot
an office in the army or fleet.
And if in any other cafe, the Pricft denies the
facrament to the mod infa??ious fmner dwelling iji
his parilh, if the man, upon an appeal to the ec"
clefjafiical csurt, can fccure the favour of the Lay^
Chancellor, he may fecurely ^defy both the JVlini-
fler and the Bilhop to keep him from the Lord's-
table. The Chancellor's determination (hall ftand
in law, though contrary to the Bi/hop's ; and the
Minifter be liable to -a Jufpenjion, for rcfufmg com-
pliance ; aad if he is coatuoucious, and will not
yve
wn
n
it
€€
r 7» 3
{tte tlie man the facramenty even to exc$mmun7cs^
tion itfclf. How, Sir, do you reconcile this with
your affirming, " That your ptirljh prteft has as
•* much power as any Prc/b/terian or tongregati$'
** nal Mifiijler^ to repel open and fcandalous fin-
" ners from thz Lord's-tablc* ?" Or how witk
your " Reprefenting the Lay-ChancclUr at a pcr-
•* fon enly ajfumed by the Bilhop, not to do any
ad that is purely fpiritualy but only to be hJfe.
afiflant in his ccclefiaftical and judicial proceed-
ings f."
Is not the Chancellor fupreme and uneontroulei
in his court, not liable to be reftrained or dirc^-
cd by the Bijhop in \C\% judicial proceedings ? Doe5
he not finally and ahfolutely determine on cafes of
cxc^mmunicatlcriy fovereignly dire^ who (hall be
received to, and who cajl out from Chriftian fel-
lowfliip and worftiip at the Table of thehovn} ?
And is not this an adt as purely fplrituaU as impor-
tant and momentous, as any done in the Church ?
Muft not his fentence take place without controuJ;
and is the Minijier in publiftiing it any other than
J)is fervanty appointed by law to put it in execu-
tion ?
Will you pleafe to hear, Sir, the Sentiments of
a great Prelate 1^ of your own Church, upon th«
point in debate. *« If there be any thing in
•* the office of a Bifhop to be challenged peculiar
** to themfelves, certainly it fhould be this (fpeak-
** ing of exeommunication) yet this is in a manner
•' quite relinquiftied to their Chancellors ; Lay*
•* men, who have no more capacity to fentence
♦• or abfolve a finner, than to diflblvc the Hea-
• Lett. in. page 35. f H^icl. page 3S. J Dr. Crofts^
BIfhop of Hireford^ Naked Truth ^kc. page 58.
^ Tcni or tlie earth. And this pretended! power
'•« of the Chancellor ^ is fomctimcs purchafcd with
'** a Aim of money. Their m§ney ferijh nvifh theyn !
** Good God ! what a horrid abufe is this of the
*« divine authority ? But this notorious tranfgref-
** fion is excufed, as they think, by this, chat a
^ Minifter called the Bijloofs Surrogate, but is in-
<< deed the ChancelUr's fervant^ chofen, called,
^^ and placed there by him, to be his crier in the
^* court, no better ; that when he hath examined,
^ heard, and fentenced the caufe, then the Mi-
^* nifter, forfooth, pronounces the fentence. Juft as
^^ if the Rector of a parifh church fliould exclude
♦* any of his congregation, and lock him out of the
** church, then comes the Clerk, (hews and jingles
^* the keys, that all may take notice that he is ex*
<* eluded. And by this his authority, the Chan'*
^* cellar takes upon him to fentence not only Lay*
^' tnen^ but Clergymen alfo brought into his court
<« for any delinquency. And in the court of Arches^
«* fentence twtn Bijhops themfelves,"
•* I remember when the Bifhop of IVellsy hear-
^* ing of a caufe corruptly managed, and coming
** into court tQ redify it, the Chancellor Dr.
<* Duckj fairly and mannerly bid him he gdne yfar
*< he had no power there to adt any thing ; and
♦^ therewithal pulled out his patent, fcaled by this
^* Biihop's predeceffor, which frighted the poor
*• Bifhop out of the court." Behold! this is the
perfoH, Sir, whom you have the courage to reprc-
itnx. as only ajfnmed by the Bijhop^ not to do any a/f
that is purely %?\%iTVAi.j but only t0 ii iisAt^
S4 *r AM T in iis judival fr^eedings.
[ 72 ]
But a$ Vfc are now upon tHe head of difclpltne^
and the law called //^<f Test is a battery which has
beat down nil its fences around your Church, and
you are a zealous advocate tor that Law, you will
permit me here., Sir; to errlarge a little upon /^^f
point : And to ajfk — How you can bear to fee the
terrible defolation^ it has tnad'c of joxxt godly difci-
phne, without refentinent and grief ? Can yott"i>e
jealous, Sir, for the profpcrity and honour of your
Church, ^.nd jQl patiently view it'lying in this/cZ-
Zz^ W and (r<?;;i///*« ftate ? Its mclofures broken up,
and a way opened by lanx) for the mod flagitious of
men, for Jtheijisy profefTed Deijis, and the mod
cpeu and avonved finners, to Ife fecurely in its bo-
fom, to fuck at its breafts, to be numbered and'
cherifhed amongft its hoiietts and moiV beloved chil-
dren, and to be acknowledg'ed before the world as
hbneft and good ChrijVtans^ by htm^ fuffered X.Q^
come boldly to the table of the l^o^n.
Hut why do I fay fuffered ? Does not your
Church hy the force of this l:aw, even compel them
to come in ? Many of the unhappy perfmis, con*
fcious of their iinfitnefs^ would gladly dra'w hack.
Knowing themfelves perhaps, either to difbeJieve
the truth, or elfe to live in open violation of the
laws of Chrijlianity, they are loth to add to their
other crimes this prevarication with AhjiightyGoDy
and affront to Jesus Christ, and thereby to run
a dreadful rifque oi eating and drinking judgment to
jhemfelves. But, their /^ll lies at (lake : They
mufl qualify, or be given up to beggary and want.
Away therefore wixhfcruples I They rufh to the
Lbrd's-table, and partake of ih^ /acred' elements
vrith confciences and churadfers all covered with
guilt.
• You
[ 73 3
You \v{]] fay, perhaps, it Is their own fanlt,
they might have repifed to come. They might,
indeed, if they would have loft their pods, their
fubfillcnce, their bread. — But can the Ckursh rca-
fonably expeiH: fuch facrifices as thcfe, from men
of corrupt minds ? Is Jl?e then m 7io faulty in lay-
ing men under fuch firong, almoft invincible temp-
tations, to this odious hypocrify and profanation of
holy things ? Is fhe not highly culpable, for open-
ing her bofom to receive men oi ijiipitre charafiers
to all the y^rr^^ privileges, liberties, and honours,
which belong only \o Jlncere Chrijlians ? lea, for
owning before the world as wcrihy and good Chri-
flians, perfons who:ii the ivorld fees, and whom
the Church hcrfelf cannot but {qq, to blafpheme
tlie name of Christ, and to I'.ve in avowed con-
tempt of his authority and iaws ?
And what relief. Sir, has the unhappy Minifter,
of whom as Sffivt^rd ir/ God's H&ufe^ it is required
that he he found faithful, and who is \0' ci??f\K,'er
for his condu^ to Iiis great Master herealicr I
What relief, I all;, has he, when the moft veteran
debauchee^ fhall come and demand from him thefe
pledges of Chriftian fellowfhip, and of God's pa-
ternal JDve : Truly, none at all : He muft receive
Iiim as a child of God, and a dearly beloved bro-
ther to the table <?/" Christ, or have an allien
commenced againft him, and be condemned per-
haps in damares m.orc titan he is worth.
As much therefore as you are concerned for the
Iionour of the Church, and for the intereft, repu-
tation, and comfort of its Clergy, fo much you
ought to wifh and zealoufiy promote the repeal of
this lanv. A law, which whatever was its origi-
nal intention, hath in its application let in like a
•^
I 74 1
ficoigate upon your Churcli, the dr€;g's of tho hu-
man race, h law, which though at firft defign-*
^d only the more efFedtually to prevent all danger
to the conftituilon from Papijlsy hath by an un-
natural perverfioa of it, actually broken dov/n ali
dijiin^uns eilabiifhed by divine authority, betwixt
facre^d W[\d profane : Has.thruft Infidels and Profli-
gates into the luoj? holy places of your Temple, and
brings Deiils and Debauchees to eat at the Lord*s-
table amongft the Children of his Houfe — Let mc
a(k you. Sir, in the fiame (?/'Chri'St, our common
Mafter and Judge, doth not thij laiv^ as now en-
forced, occafion the mod notorious projlituiion of
»H holy facrament of his 'religion ? Is not its avow-
"cd and open tendency and uie, to pervert an infti-
lution of our Saviour to ends^ not only quite dif-
ferent, but even oppofite to thoje for whi<:h He ap-
pointed it ? Is it not making that ^l political In-
il ru m en t to divide C h ri ft i an s , wh i ch Christ i n -
ilituted as a religiom inftrument X.O€oalefce and unite
them ? Muft it not be highly odious and ofFenfivc
to Almighty Gotj, to fee TiXiholy facrament^ which
his wi/Uom hath ordained for fpidtual and religious
purpofes only, thus proftituted, perverted, made
an engine and tool of y?<^/<', employed to flrcngth-
€n and perpetuate differences amongft good Chri-
•lllans ; and thereby debafed, not to nxjorldly only
^Xid fecular, but X.O mnch. ivorfe than ivorlJlyjCnds ?,
A-s to myfelf, Sir, I aifTure you, though I think
ihis Ufw to be a wioH nnrighteous reftraint upon us,
and an undoubted violation of our natural rights ;
yet I am far from heing perfnaded that its repeal
v^ould be ©f the leafl: fervice to our intcreft as Dif-
/enters. I doubt, ard have often thought, tfeat
tlicreis ioo muck truth in what you fay — ** That
<< high
[ 75 I
*' high trtijfsy puhlic offices y and court- ^mptoyments^
♦* 'would be extremely apt to corrupt QSy and to inaliT
** pra^iical religion more viftbly decay ^^^ and that it
would really rather injure than ftrengthen our in-
tercft. I have never therefore, as a Diffienter^ beeu
at all folieitous for the repeal. No, Sir, fo far
from this, that could I allow myfdf to kate and-
*wi/h ill to the Church, I would moft heartily wifii
k pertinaGioufly to hold faft this iliame.ui corrup-
tion, I would willi it, by no means, to give up
this open profanation of the authority and name of
Chriji ; this proRitution and perverfion of an h.oly
facrament of his religion ; this deftrudion of ail
difcipliiie ; this open door for the reception of the
mod: abominable and profane to its mod haly viyf-
ieries and rif'e^ : This, if I wifhed it ill, I would
carneftly wlli your Chureh- inflexibly ta continue :
not doubting: but, if l©ng continued, it will furely
at length bring down upon it the heavy anger &/
Almighty God ; the juil: refcntment and jealoufy of
a defpifed and infulted Saviour, ; and the deep
fcorn and contempt of all wife and thinking men.
Whilfl this law continues, Sir, in its prefent
application, yourfelf cannot but fee, that your dif-
tlpline muft neceffaii!/ lie fcandalouOy proftrate^
ruinedy relaxed. It is impofllble you can maintain
hardly iht jl?ado^ and form, n^uck lefs the fpirit
of primitive ecclefiaftic government. Your holy
things mull lie common^ vilely trodden under foot.
Of all pcrfons in the land therefore, the Clergy
fhould be the firjl^ to labour with ail their might
the repeal of this unhappy laiv, A law, whicli
cannot but be fuppofed terribly to bear hard upo!i,
and wound the confciences of many of them :
and which fub]e(fls them to fo fervile a prolVitution
Ha of
E 76 ]
of their cliara(f^er, as cannot but load it with great
infamy and reproach.
^ ou tell me*, <* That you will engage, y?;;^/'/(f
•* as yonjit here^ that this Jaw (hall be repealed ;
•' and our incapacities remjoved, when we will lay
*^ down our enmity to the Church, that is in fhort
*' to one half part of the conftitution. For
«* Church and State here in Euglatid are fo incor-
'* porated and united, that they have, like the
'* married pair, the fime friend^ and enemies, and
** ftand Qr fall togerher." I cannot pretend to fay,.
Sir, how Jimple you fat therey when you gave, us
this aifurance, but I would to God you were able
to Jiand up, and m/ike it good. For,
I. Att you lu.'e t\\\\K the Church is really any
ej]'t7itial part at all, .much Jefs the half part of the
Britijh Co ^^ s T I T u T I o :>! : Or, that Church and
Slate are {o married and interwoven, that they'
mail ftand or fall together ? Many, Sir, be-
fides Diffcnters, will think, that this is a very par-
tial and wrong rcprefentation of our mod excel-
lent frame of government. Let any one in \\\%
imagination annihilate the form of our pvefent
Church, Let him fuppofe its Liturgy, Clergy,
Articles, Canons, with all its ceremonic-? and
rites, entirely vanifhed from the land : its ifUTnenfe
revenues applied in eafe of our heavy taxes, and
for the payment of the public debts ; and Preachers
paid only by voluntary contributions, as they are
amongft us. Would the State hereby fuftain
fo elfential a lofs, that it could not thenceforward
poffibly fuhfifl? What ? would the Brit if j monarchy
be overthrown — Our courts of judicature be fhut
up — the courfe of law be flopped — Parliaments no
more
♦ Ltftter I. page ij.
[ 77 '^
more meet — commerce and trade ftngnate — be-
cauie wliat you call the Church is no more ? Ro-
mantic and abfurd ! No : The frame of our happy
government, both civil and jullltary^ mj'ght remain
the very fa7?ie : And you will give me leave to ob-
ferve on the prefent occafion, that In one part of
this kingdom, thofe who profefs themfelves to b^
of your Church, as to its external polity and cere-
monies, are almofl to a man inveterate avowed
enemies of our happy civil conllituiiion, and hive
rlfen in an impious rebell'on ag-jinil his preleau
Majefty, and joined with SpA?ilc7rds, French, Jta-
lians^ and home-bred Papifts, in their wicked at-
tempts to fubvert the Froteftant religion and lib^.r-
ties.
2. This dejlru^lon of the Chttrch of England^
is what ysQ, by no means wifh. MayGoD in mercy
prevent it y by cuifing her f9 pe^ In this her day^
the things he!oTi(rhi«f to her peace — We "bear it no
cnmiry ; God Is our ^vltnefs. We wifh it frori
our fouls, glory, profperity, purity, peace : The glo-
ry of being formed according to th^perfedl plan of
the primitive ap^jlollc Church ; purged of tho'e
things, which yoiirfeWes kiion-o to be ?:9 parts of the
religion ^y^ Christ ! We willi to fee it eftalli'/}yed
upon the eatholick and broad hoft&7H, upon wlilch
alone \\. can (land /frw ; even the j'srlpttiral foxin-
dation of the Apoflles aad Pro^dict^ 7^'/'^^ Qhrljl
himfclf being hs only Lawgiver and King : and not
upon the narrow bafis on vfhich it now refis, thj
eir tides Rnd canons, xh^lnjiltutlons and Inventions of
f.llliblc and weak men ; on which it can never be
Rrongly and firmly fixt ; wliich are all In the z\-
pof^Ie's language, ^voody hay,Jtuhble ; ^uhofe &Jid is
to he burnt I We wifh. Sir, that as it opens its bo-
fQnij and admits :hc vileft debauchees ^v/it1iout d--
n 3 murriiig
murring at their open violation of God V cojnviands /
lo it would charitably extend its arnas to take us
into its eommunion, without infilling upon our o-
bedience to the injundions and coinmands of Men !
Finally: we wifh, ihat what God, in his wifdom,
hath been pleaied to leave indifferent ^ your Church
alfo, in her wifdein, would be pleafed to leave
ike fame : that you would not attempt to 7nend the
inftitutions of Jesus Christ :. but would receive
us into your Church upon the fame terms and qua-
Jifications as Christ and his Afofiles would have
received us into theirs ; and as God will receive
vis into Heaven at, laft ! — This, Sir, I affiire you,
is all the h^um we vv^iih the Church : Judge then
yourfelf, whether we bear it any enmity ; and whe-
ther you are not now bound to take from us the in-
capacii /, which you engaged, fiynple as you fat
there^ fliould on this condiiion be removed!
i^nd you will give me leave, Sir, to think, and
to hope, that there are numbers ef your worthy
Clergy of the fame mind ; that it would not at all
leifen cither the gloiy, {lability, or profperity of
your Church, if its bonnds wqvq , thus enlarged, to
ai^mit the 7?iod:rate DiJJenters^ who fincerely defire
fo happy a coalition. Its enemies feem to multiply,
cad dark clouds to rife af-ound it. Popery is making
dange^rous and mighty inroads on the one hand ;
and Deifm on the other. There may come a time,
as . there formerly has been, when the frame of
ycur Church being terribly threatned, we niay
asjain be confidered as no defpicable ^«x/7/^r/V/.
Kut — If we cannot be fo happy, as. not to be cajl
ent and rejefled by our brethren ; our confolation is
thi.*?, th:!t Go-D judgcth in the earth ; and that he
will furely, at the proper feafn^ vindicate and plead
the caufe of the Injured and opprcfled.
But
I 79 3
Btit to return to the point of difcipHm. To the
*acknowledged irregularity of Lay- Chancellors in
your Church, you wouJd fain ** put in balance the
*' Jay-preaching, lay-praying, and lay-ordination
'* allowed in our Churches.*** To which I re-
ply, that in the generality of our Churches there is
no fuch thing either allowed, or ever done. Be-
fides, if there were. Did not your oivn Church fct
MS the pattern ? In the ruhrkk before the general
confeffion at the communion, did it "not direct ?
'^'Then Jloall this general confeffion he made, in ths
natne of all thofe that are to receive y either by one
gT them, or elfe by one of the Ministers.
How it came to be omitted in the late editions of
the Common-prayer ; whether it is done according
to law, and by authority of Parliament ; you. Sir,
perhaps can fay.
As to ** Laymen being an effential part of all
** our confiftories and fynods ; fitting in them', and
•' having an equal vote with paftors in all bufmefs
** — jointly with ihzm fuffiendingfrovn the Lord*s-
«' table, i^c.Y' This, Sir, is no other than the
fcriptural apoftolic plan. The aggrieved perfon is
by our Lord, you know, Mat, xviii. 17. directed
to lay his Caviplaint b^^fore th E Church, /. ^. the
congregation of the faithful ; and if the offender
negleded t9 hear the Church (the congregation)
admonilhing and reproving him, he was then to
be confidcred as an heathen man and a publican. So
the corrupt member, at Corinth, was to be fo-
lemnly excommunicated. How ? Not by any
particular perfon. Chancellor, or Bifwp ; but it
was to be the adk of the ivhole Church. To the
whole hoJy or congregation of believers in that city,
St.
• Lett. HI, page 3S. f Ibid^ pag- 37.
r 8a ]
St. P^;// gives directions, That when theynxjere G9mf
together y they JJ^auld deliver ftcch an one to Satan.-—
And, that they JJo$uld put anxjay from am$ngft them^
felves that nvicked per/on, i Cor, v. 4, 5, 13. which
excommun/cathnliQ afterwards calls ?i punijhment in-
Jilted by the many, 2 Cor, it. 6. So in that weighty.
and momentous quejiion How far the Gentiles
were to fubmit to the law of Mofes f The Eldert
and Brethren arc joined v^ith. ih.^ J poji I es in the de-
cifion and decree, /J^s xv. 23. The Laity there-
fore have a right to be confulted, and tojudge, in
thefe important Church Matters^ together w^ith the
Clergy ; as they do^ by their reprefentatives, m.
what you call our Confijiories, But with you, Sir,,
a Jtngle Laynian (this is the abfurdity which yoii
feem willing to lofe fight of ) I repeat it, a fingU
Layman^ not only in diftindlion from, but in^ ac*
tual oppofuion to, the BiJJjop^ and all the Church,
both Clergy and Laity, has authority to judge and
determine thefe important maiters ; and cxcom*
municates, or abfolves ; fnuts out, or lets in, ac*
cording to his fole pleafure.
And here, Sir, let me (top a moment, and re-
vfew the point in debate betwixt our good Dr,
Watts and yourielf. As foi* the lives of the Dif-
fenters, tho' God knov/s we have nothing where-
of to koaft, but a great deal that calls im Jhame and"
humiliation on this head ; yet whether we are quite
fo deep immerfed in the deluge oi profanenefs^ im*
7noraHtyy and vice^ which fpreads over the land.— .
"Whether the blafphemies and oaths, the debauche"
ry, riot, and guilty excejfes, which too generally
prevail, be in proportion to our number, found
as rife amonglk us, as amongfl: the members of
thz cjlablijhed ^iwrt^ — mud be left, and we free-
ly
I 8i ]
ly leave it, to the impartial nv^rld to judge be-
twixt us.
■ And as X.o fpecial obligations and advan-
tages y2>r koly livings which you conteft ftrenu-
oufly with the DoiHor to lie on your fide ; what
hath been above obferved on your feveral offices
for coriJirviaiio?i, ahfolntion of the fick, and burial
of the dead, fhews them, I humbly think, to have
really an ill afped upon the morals of your people ;
a dangerous and apparent tendency to cherifli in
them/2?//> hopes, and to give thern 'wrong notions of
the terms of acceptance, and of entrasce into Hea-
ven. And of the deplorable flate In which your
difcipline lies (which you acknowledge to be of
great movieyit to the edification of the Church) no
enemy need to wifh a /adder account than yourfelf
have given of it. Upon the whole therefore, Sir,
r cannot think, the worthy Doftor to deferve cen-
furcy for attempting to rouze Diffentcrs from the
Janguifking ftate of religion amongft them, by put-
ting them in mind of \\\q fuperior advantages they
enjoyed, and of the peculiar obligations under which
they manifefily lay to greater hdinefs of life.
You feem not a little diipleafed * at its having
been urged as a reafon for our diffent, '* That your
•' Church has iliewn a perfecuiing fpirit," and
with fome emotion afk — *' Did the Church perfe-
*• cute at any lime its own members ? Were you
** or your fathers ever perfecuted while they con-
'* tinned in the Church ? And were they driven
•«. out of it by tho'e perfecutions ? " I confefs, Sir,
you quite furprlze me by luch quefllons as'thefe.
What ! are you only a ilranger in Britain ; and
hav«
* Letter III. pagcj 60, $j,
^
have never heard of the bitter fuffermgs of our
worthy fathers the Puritans ? With what ft*
^ lencings, deprivations, fines, imprifonments, and
lingering and cruel deaths for more than an hun^
dred years^ they were terribly haraffed and oppref-
fed by^^wr Church P Have you never read, with a
bleeding hearty the unrelenting rigors of your Arch-
bifhops Parker, Bancroft^. U^hitegift^ Laud, — —
under the fir/I of whom ab^ve an hundred ; under
tht fecondy above three hundred ^\qws and learned-
men, not only Meuihcrs but Minijjers of, your
Church, were filenctd, fu.'pcnded, admonifhed,
deprived, many of them loaded with grievous and
heavy fines, and iliac up in filthy jails, where they
expired ilowly thro' penury and want ? And what
Were the crimes Vv^iich drew this dreadful ftorm of
epifcQpa! ven;ye>ince on them ? Nothing but their
fcruples about the Svrplice and the Cap^ about bow-
ing at the mxme of J ejus, about Chriji'% defcent in-
to flell, and inch lik^* moa*ientous points.
Have you never read. Sir, what defolations Laui
brought upon our fathers, whiift yet in your
Church ? How many hundreds of them wer^ fe-
queftred, driven from their livings, excommuni-
cated, perfecuted in the high-commiflion court,.
and forced to leave the kingdom for not punflually ^
canfor7ning to all the ceremonies and rites ; and not
daring to tell tbeir people, that they might lawful-
ly profane the J abb at h by gambols and fports ; and
to publilh from their pulpits the perviifjion of the
King to break the command of GoD^-And yet yc^a
afk — ^"^ Were your fathers ever perfecuted luhile they
*« continued in the Church F^'
Pray ! what was it peopled thefavage defarts of
North' America ? Was.it not the thoufands of per-
fecuted and oppreffed faojiilies, who iled from ty-
ranniftng
t 83 3
Ttnjnt/fjg BttHOTZ ? Who not being fuffered to
"worfhip quietly in their native country, as their
xonfciences direded, fought a peaceful retreat from
the rage of their Fello'w-Chrijiianjy anctongft more
hofpitable Indians, — To omit a thoufand acfls of
cruelty, which thro' feveral fucceffiv^ reigns our
Jathers fuffered not only fro7fh but when aduaiiy
/*/;, the Church, — Did ftie not at laft, in a mod ar-
4)itraryand unrighteous manner, cajl eut 2iX. once
^bove tivo thoufand of them, excellent and pious
Minifters, and abandon them, and their ftarving
families, to great poverty and diftrefs ? To heighten
that dirtrefs, did not your Church, by another Act,
banifh them^t;<? ;/';/7^/ from any city, burrotighy or
church m which they had before ferved : and there-
by put them at a proper dijiance from their acquaint-
ance and friends, who might minifter to their re-
lief ? Did fhe not by another Act forbid their
tneeting to ou^r/^/^ God, any where but in your
■c<wn Churches^ under the penalties of heavy fines,
imprifonments, and baniihment to foreign lands ?
In confequence of thefe rr«^/ Acts, were not
•vaft numbers of pious Clergymen, our forefathers,
:(once the ^/^ry of your Church) with multitudes of
their people, laid in prilbns amongft thrives and
common malefa(5tors, where they fuffered the
greatert hardftiips, indignities, opprefTions ; their
houfes were rudely rifled, their goods made a prey
to hungry informers, and their families given up
to beggary and want. «* An eftimate was publifh-
'*< ed of near if/jp'/'/ thoufand Proteftant Dijfentersy
■<« who had perifned in prifon in the reign only of
•<* Charles II. By fevcre penalties infli(5tcd on
** them, for affembling toworlhip God, they fuf-
*« fered in their trade and eltatej in the compafs
of
C 84 ]
" of a few years, at lead two millions; and a lift
*< t)i Jixty thoufand perfons was taken, ^'ho had
** fuffered on a religious account, betwixt the Re-
** J} oration 2ii\d the Revolution*,'' — Behold, the
groans and the blood of myriads of oppreffed Puri-
tans^ which cry beneath the altar, Honx) long, 0
Lord ! But you are deaf to M their groans — And
with infenfibllity enough afk — Were y$ur fathers
ever perfecuted? —
** But thePrefbyterianand Independent Churches
" have each in their day of power, difcovered as
*' much, and indeed more of that Spirit f." Too
much of that had Spirit^ it is acknowledged, they
'have<?^r/''fhewn. But furely there is no comparifon
betwixt the cruelties and oppreflions of your Church,
and of their's. Your little finger^ has been thicker
than their loins,
*' But whatever the Church may have been
*< heretofore, you affirm, it is not no'vo of a perfe-
** cutingfpirit : and that there is not the leaft ap-
^* pearance of its having difquieted and oppreffed
** any on account of religion, for more now than
*' half a century if. *' You had forgot, Sir, the
famous Schif/iy and cccaftnal Conformity Acts,
which long fmce that date much difquieted and op-
pre fed us. The Tejl and the Corporation Acts,
had alfo flipped your naemory, which at this time
deprive us of valuable and important privileges, to
which as faithful fubje(5ls-, and members of the
Commin-ivcalth, we think we have a natural un-
doubted right.
The prefcnt Governors of your Church indeed,
(Thanks be to Heaven for it) are too wife and too
righteous,
* Vid. Neali Hift. Pvirit. Vol. IV. p. 554- t Lett. 3.
page 61. J Ibid.
t 85* 1
^ighteon^, to \i^rm\X, per fe^ut ion to rage agamft lis'
But to their clemency '-ind juftice, Sir, not to the
icind and beiicvolent y/j/W/ and conJliiutiGn oi your
Church, I humbly apprehend we owe it, that we
are not at this tints feverely perfecutcd and oppref-
^d. If the i^CT of Uni/Grmifyy which to be Aire
you will c^Wyi grand..pillar of your Church, is not
a very unrighteous and perfccuting Jcl, yet feve-
Tal of your Canons breathe, you know, Sir, a very
Surfing and perfecutiug fpirit. By rhe former^
"^'Whoever ihall declare or ipe^^k any thing in the
■*■* derogation or depraving of the book of Coiiimon"
*** P^^J^^y ^ ^"y thing therein contained, or any
■** parr thereof, he (^all for tlie firji offence fuffer
■** impripjtiment for one n^:hole yectr^ without bail (1r
*^ maiaprize ; and for the fecond offence, be /*;«-
^ prifoned dxjring Life.'* H-erc I afErm no-
thing, but appeal to the whole world ; I appea-l.
Sir, to your own^confcience, whether this be or be
not an unjufi and a perfccuiing Act ? By the lat-
ter, tile Carj^ns, ** If any man fliall sffirm any of
^ the things contained in the book of Articles,
** Common prayer, or of Ordination ; (in which
yet thel-e ar^ t?7a<ny things acknowledged by your
own moft learned Divines, and I doubt not, by
yourfclf to need alteration;) your IV, V, VI, VII.
and Vlllth Canons^ thiinder out npon him a ter-
rible excommunication^ ipfo fafto^, by which lie
I is
• Concerning an Excommunication ipfv faSff)^ our I ate
\t7irx\tdiP)'i;nate, Dv.U'akey has oh'irrvecl, ^' FirJ}, Thattlicrc
** is no n^cd in this cafe, of any adpionitiony as where the
♦« judi^e is io ginje fent,jfjcc \ but every one is to take notice
*< of the Laiv, Tit his peril, and to Ae that he be not cver-
** taken by it. And, Secondly, That there is no need of
"^ "Siwy ftntence to be pronounced, vhich tlie Canon itfejf has
** paifed ; and which is by that mean^ clrec.d'i frrmulved
'* upon cv-ery circ, as ifs^n as he comes witliiii ikc oblirr-fir^n
"«< of
r 86 1
?s to be cut ojfF as a cankered and rotten member,
and not to be rellored, till he hath repented and.
pnblickly revoked his ivicked errors. Doth not
this favour, Sir, of an antichridian and perfecut-
ing fpirit.
But }'0u feemnot, with fubmiffion, to have ^-(jar-
fclfy a ju(i horror of the dreadful fin o^ perfecution^
and to be a little too deeply tinged with xhiS f ana'
ileal fpirit : For you call aloud for ** the Church's
** fwGrd to fall upon Heretics^ as well as upon /;>¥-
** moral per foris. : and put me in njind, that by that
<* ancient difcipline" (which you nyjtfh to .fee rc->
ftoredj ** open Scifmatics were treated almoft as
*^ rougk4y as any fort of o£enders whatfoever *."
By Heretics, no doubt, you mean thofe whom you
take to be fuch : and by open Scifmatics^ thofe who
iire withdrawn from ^:?2^/- Church : Thefe yo\x wilh,
10 fee rsuohly handle dy and to have the Church's
fword drawn upon them. But, God Ahnlghty be
prai fed ! We live under fo jufl a government, as
is not, we hope, like to gratify this cruel ivifl:>.
Do you not remember, Sir, that xhtjirji refor-
mers wtre counted Heretics and open Scifmatics^
Iry the top Churchmen amongft vihom they lived I
-That Jesus Christ and his Apofiles were count-
ed the very fame ? That our dear brethren \n¥ ranee ^
who are now bleeding under the Church's fword,
are mod confidently reckoned y^^c-/^, by all the Ru-
lers
'* of it. In other cafw, a man may do things worthy of
«« ceiifure, and yet behave hinifelf fo warily in them as to ef-/
*• cape the punilhmcnt of the Church, for want of legal
*' e^~dide:ic£ to connjitl him. But excofrimunicatio can on is
•« Ugatetiam QccultadclWa. Where the O/^o/i gives fen -
*f tence, there is no efcaptng ; but the eonfcience of every
** man bfrome^ obliged by if, as (bon as ever he is fenfible,.
** th'it he Ivaw done that. which was forbidden, under the.
'* piin of fuch an fxcommunicalion,''^ Appeal in Behalf, oft
thf iiifr^\' Suf'-cwary, pRr.';e2i.
' IxUti III, pages It, 2i»
r 87 3
Icrs and Vrlejfs there ? But is it fit that thefe Uere^
/;V/, ftiould be thus roughly handled? Or, is it ihofe
only, whom you are pJeafed to call by that namcy
who merit thefc rough meafures ? Whenever, Sir,
you ihall produce your patent from Heaven, con-
ftituting you Judge (p/Hersey, and fliall be abia
authoritatively and infallibly to protiounce n)jhat is^
^ndivhat is not^ to be punifned as such, then the
Church's fvoord v^iil, I hope, be put into your
hands. But till then^ Sir, it is much y^^^r to let it
TtmTiin JJ-yeathed ; left, under the notion of i/Vr^-
//Vj,you fall upon, and roughly handle, men better
than yourfelf. This has ever been the cafe, fmce
the days of the Apollles, when Err/cy/^y^/V/ have pre -
fumed authoritatively to draw and ufe ihe Church's
fvjord.
But you add, ** 'Tis well wc cannot fay your
*< Church has (hewn a ^/V/V//:r^fpirit, and aflually
** divided it fe If hy ?in open fchifm, from a found
** part of the Catholic Church ; that, indeed,
** would have been an unanfnjjerabte reafori for
" your diflent*." Yes, this^ alfo. Sir, we caa
fay, and therefore {\.^r\d jtififJed by your own con-
ceffion. That mifgaided unhappy Prince Charier 1.
and his furious Primate Laud, begiin ihh f:t a/
fchif/j, in complaifance to the Church of kof/it,
lend acflually divided the Church of Erigia-id from \
found part of the Catholic Church ; and the fame
fchif?iaticalfpirit has ever fmce too generally pre-
vailed in it.
The Dutchy Walloon, and French Churches here
in England, were e[lahliih?d by charters from fe-
veral of our Princes; but Lord Clarefulon informs
us, ** The Bifyops growing jealous that the coun-
*' tenancing another difcipline of the Church ii^re
*' by
• Letter III. page 60,
C 88 3
** fey order of - State ^ would at lea ft dtmintjh tBe
•' reputation aad dignity of ite epifccpal govern-
«< menl," got them lupprefTed. " x4nd that this
** might be fuFe to look like 7nore than what waab
*« nectjary to the civil policy of the kingdom^
*♦ whereas in all former times, the Ambaifadors
*' and all foreign Minifters of State employed from.
•' England^ into any parts where the refon?ied re-
** //|^/i?j^ v;as exercifed, frequented tjjieir Charches,
*' and gave all pojfihle <:ou7itenaGe to- their profef-
" iion ; \\\t contrary to this \Vas now \^\\h greaf
** indufiry pra-(ftiied, and fome advert Ifements, if
" not inilruclions, givca to the Ambaffadors there-
•* ( Le 6Y^rir fays they were ordered) to forbear <ii\j
** extraordinary commeEce with m^n of that pror
*' feffion. And Lord S cud amor e the laft ordinaryr
** AmbaiTador rhere, not only declined going ta '
•< Charentcn^ (the Protefiant Church) but furnjfh-
•* ed his own chapel with wax- candles on the-
•* communion-table, e^r. And. bcfides, was care-
** ful to publiOi upon all occafions by himfelf, and
** thafe who had tlte neareil: relation? to him, that
** the Chii^rch i^yENGLAKD looked not upon the Hur^
** gonots of F R AN c H aj a pari of the \k C o m m u--^
•? NioN ; which was like wile too much, and too^
**- induftrioufly difcou,rfed at home ^.'* Beholdi
here, Sir, the Church of England^, afiua.lly di-
viding itfelf from a fcu^id part of the Catholic-
Church 1 For frich furely you will onun the brave:
Proteftahts in France^ who have borne tefimony tch
the faith by fo great aad fo glorious a fight ofajfiic-
tions, and fealed it withy>^/ of blood,
I would alfo put you in mind of another fa(%.
that feeuas to Kave efcaped your reading, or me*
moryy
♦ Qlannd. Hift. Rcbell. Vol.. III. pages %^^ ^i^
[ 89 ]
moTj. Upon the Queen of Bohemia s earned fo-
licitatloQ with the King her brother ( Charles I.
Armo 1634.) a coiledlion was ordered throughout
England ^ for the poor perfecuted Miniilers of the
Palatine, who were banilhed their Country for
their religion. In the brief which was granted for
this purpofe, was this claufe : Whofe cafes are the
viore to ke deplored, hecaiife this extremity is fallen
up9n them, for their finceriiy and conJ}(i7icy in the
true religion^ ivhich nve together 'with them profefs.
Archbilhop Laud excepted againft this claufe, and
denied that the religion of the Palatine Churches
was the fame with ours, becaufe they were CaJvi-
riifts, and their Miniilers had not epifcopal ordina-
tion. Land acquainted the King with his objec-
tions. The claufe was ordered to be expunged,
and the brave unhappy Palatines were thus publick-
)y difowned by the Governors of tJie Church, who
in ail rcafonable conftruclion, mull be fuppofcd t*
know and fpeak its fenfe, and not alio.ved td be
profeflbrs of the fame true religion*. How un-
chriftian and fchifmatical this !
Of the Wke fchiffu was it alfo guilty, in the Og-
tajional Conformity Act, v.hich took pl:ice in %
Jate reign. For it thereby forbid mi\^\^\^ fevsrc
fenaltiesy all its members who had any places of
profit or truft, to worfliip or hold communion with
aay of the foreign Churches, Dutch ^ French^ 6"^,
in thofe kingdoms, in which its Liturgy was not
ufed. And fhould any Miniller of any of the re-
formed Churches of ScatlaJid^ France, Germany^ Hoi"
hndy now come into England^ would your Church
receive thctn as Miniflers^ or ad.nit them as fuch,
to €jiciatf in its public worlhip I I prcfu:7ie you
I 3 know,
• Ni4l'% Hift. Purit. Vol. II. pa^e zfi.
I 90 1
know, Sir, fhe would not. Btit f$ not tfris vnttf
mlly renouncing their Communion ? Nor will you
admit even the Lay Members of any of xh^^t foreigfp
Churches, to your Communion at the Lord's /up'
/rr, except bef^des what Christ has ordered, they
will fubmlt alio to fome order and iriftitutiGn of
YOUR OWM.
Now your great Stillhtgfeet * hath thus deter*
mined — ** That which confiner^ mull: alfo dividt
• * the Church ; for by that confinement, a Separa*
•' tion is made betwixt the parties confined, and
** the other ; which feparation muft he made^ by
«• the party Jq Ihniting Chriltian Communion. "^
Upon the whole then, it is moft evident, that your
Church has Ihewn, and docs {hew% z, fchifmaticat
and dividing fpirit, has adlually divided itfelf froni
found parts of the univerfal Church. This there-
fore you win pleafe to take, as an unanfiuerallc rea*
fan for our dijjent.
You muil excufc me. Sir, if I think you treat
a great deal too fevsrely a worthy body of men, our
Ministers ; when you reprefent them as **.per-
•* fons whom the faithful, far from being permit-
'* ted to enter into any paftoral relation to thcm>
•/ are not permitted to have any Chrijlian Conimu*
'* 7iion with them ; no, not fo much as any inti-
•* mate unnecejfary acquaintance and familiarity
** with them m cotnMon iife\,'' — And tell me —
'* They are not duly ardaiaed to their oflice; that
" their adminiftrations are moft certainty irregular^
«* an unneccifary and wanton, if not a fo<5lious de-
•' parture from the primitive order. And thai;
*• therefore I cannot depend, at lead with fo much
'* aflurancc, as is requifite to the peace and acqui-
«* efcence
* Ration, Account, psigc 359. f Letter II vi>n^«»t»
'« cfcencc of my mind, that fuch ordiiwnces -will
«* be bleflcd to me *.*' — I have weighed this mat-
ter with a good deal of attention, and upon the
^v^hole am fully fatisfied, both from iSrr//>/ar^ and
'j^ntiquity^ that Presbyters have a right to, and did
from the Apotiles times a(flually ordain. There arc
fwo things, amongft many others, which I beg
leave to offer to your confideration upon this
point. —
I . That the Minifters of the reformed Churches
j in all foreign parts, have almoft all of them, I ap-
■' prehend, no other than Prejhyterian ordination.
The whole company of illuftrious Proteilant
Churches of Scotland^ France, Holland^ Snvitzer^
land, GerDiany, Poland, Hungary, Denviark, ex-
cept perhaps Siveden, ^c. have none but Prefby*
ierian ordination amongft them. Yo^^ Luther ^ Cal-
vin, Bercer, Meianflon, Bugenhagius, 6'r. and
all the firft Reformers and Founders of -thefe
Churches, who ordained Miniilers amongft them,
were • themfelves Prejhyters, and no other. And
though in fome of thefe Churches, there are Mi*
nijlers which are called Superintendants or Bifloops^
yet thefe are only primi inter pares f , the firjl a-
mong equals ; not pretending to 2iV\j fuperiority of
Or.de R. Having the^nftlves no other Orders than
what either Prejhyters gave them, or was given
them as Prefbyters, they can convey no other to
thofc they ordain :J:. You are a gentleman of too
great
• Lrtter I. ppge 73. f Account of Dentnark. p. 255.
X The DaniJhChwYch is incited at this time governed by
Mijbofs. But they look upon ^/>//r5/)/^ry as only aa human
inftitution ; and the firftProteftantPrelates in that Kingdom,
were ordained by Bugenhagius, a meer Prtlbytcr ; who by
<oufe(|ucncc, could cunvcy no ether than a trejhyterian or-
dination
C 92 ]
great difcernmcnt to urge the ftalc pretence, thaf
this is to thefe Churches a matter not of choice^ but
oinecejjity 3.nd/orce. For if they thought eptf copal
erdhiation, I do not fay ntcejfary, but even more re-
giilar or e^pedietity could they not with the greateji
eafe immediately obtain it ? Would not the Church
of England^ upon the leaji intimation of their wll-
lingnefs to receive it, moft readily fend them Bi*
JJjops to fupply this defe<ft ? You know, Sir, too
well its charitable difpofitioii, and even offers of
this kind, in the leaft to fufpedl it. Whatever cen-
fures you pafs then upon the orders and adniinijirtt!^
tions of the Minifters amongft us, they equally fall,
upon all the reformed Churches throughout the whole
Protejlant ivorld. If ours are an unnecefTary and
wanton departure from the primitive order, theirs
are the fame. Now it gives me great pleafure to
fee myfelf in fuch a croud of excellent and good
company. And unlefs you can offer fomething
more detnonjirative on this head, than I have ever
yet feen, my mind will ^xi^o^ full peace as to the
regularity of the minlftration on which I attends
But,
2. It feems a little ftrange to hear you glorying
over «/, and confequently over all the foreign
Churches y as to this matter of Orders, when
thefe f^ry Orders in which you glory, you ac-
knowledge to have derived only from the Church
cf Rome. A Church which yourfelves, in your
homilies, confefs to be idolatrous and antichriftlan.
*' Not only an harlot^ as the Scripture calleth her,
" but alfo a foul, filthy, old, withered harlot :
<« lYitfouleJi zxAfilthieJi that ever was feen. — And
" that
dination to their fucccfTors ever fince. Sechendorf. Hlfi^
Lutbirian. Lib. ao. Sea. i^ H^ith Caveat, page i^
l n 3
" that 2LS it at prefent is, and hath been for 900
*« years, it is fo far from the nature of the true
" Churchy that nothing can be more *.'* — Note^
Thefei^w/V/V/ every Clergyman publickly declares^
and fubfcribes with his hand, that they contain a
godly and nuhdlefome doftrine, fit to be read in Chur-
ches by Miniders.
Now it is ONLY Sir, from this Jilthy, 'wither*
ed, old Harlot, that you derive, by ordination^
^owv fplritual dcfcent. You confefsyourfelves horm
9/ her, as to ectleftafilc pedigree i And the fons ci
this fouleft an<l filthieft of Harlots, you acknov^-
ledge as brethren, by admitting their Orders as re-
gular and valid ; whereas thofe of the Protejiant
Churches you rejc(5l. If a Priejiy ordained with alt
the fuperftitious and idolatrous rites of this anti-
€J)riJIian and faife Church, comes over to the.
Church of Eiigland, you admit him as a Bro-
T.HER, duly ordained ; without obliging him ta
pafs under that ceremony again : but if a Minifter.
of the reformed Churches joins himielf to you, you^
confider him as but a Layman, an unordained per^
pw, and oblige him to receive Orders according-
to your form. How, Sir, is it poffible to account
for this procedure ! Can that Church, which is na^
true Church, impart valid and true Orders ? Caa
^Jilthy old Harlof^v odwcQ any other than a fpuri^
9US and corrupt breed ? Will you reft the validity .
and regularity of your adminiftrations on your re-
ceiving the y^^^r^c/*^/ c^^r^yr?^/ from the Bifhops
and Popes of the Rojuijh Church ? Many, if not
naoft, of whom, were men of moft corrupt 'and
infamous lives ; vien, who were fo fur from being
r^^w/^r and r^/;d^ Ministers in the Church of
Jtsus Christ, that they w^ere not fo much as
if Yid^ Homilies, pagc$ 162, 255,
[ 94 ]
regular or real Mem^evls of it at all * and there-
fore could not poffibly, du/y^ or regularly, offi-
ciate therein ; confequently, had no ponver to
communicate or convey Order or Offices in the
Christian Church. Whatever C^^c^j- they con*
veyed therefore, are at beft doubtful and fufpici-
Gus ; if not abfolutely null, irregular, and void. —
So that really your own Orders^ if flridly examin-
ed, may minifter great doubt and difquietude of
mind.
If Charity then were filent ; Prudence, methinks,
fhould loudly didate, that you y^^^>^^(?/;//x as to
the authority and orders of our Mtnijlcrs^ when
you know it is in their power fo ftrongly to retorts
It was therefore furely not ^tfe^ Sir, as well as ex-
tremely unkind, to fet them up as obje<5ls of public
edium'SLXiA avoidance ; and to admonifh ** every good
** vian not to have any inti77tate er unnecejfary ac^
** quaintance ivith them, tr familiarity in conunon
** life.'' But Blessed, out Lord hath faid,
are ye, nvhefi 7uen fall hate you, and separate
YOU fro77i their Company, and cast out your
names as evil, for the Son of inan's fake ; Re j o i c E
ye in 'that day, and leap for joy ; for behold, yoj^r re^
*ward in Heaven is great * /
You very ftrenuoufly contefl: what you call
** one of the favourite aad fundamental principles
** of the dilTention, namely, That every Lay-
«« Chrifian has a right to chufe his oixjn Pafor\.
A right fo evidently founded onReafon, Scripture,
and the undoubted Praflice of the primitive
Church, and fo generally acknowledged by all
the learned of your own Communion, that I can-
not but a little wonder at the alertnefs with which
you
* L\ike Yi. ai, 23. t Letter II. page iS.
you make your attack upon it. The vharge given
to the Chriftian people To take heed nvhat they
hear — to beware offalfe Prophets — net to helievi eve*
%'y Spirit y hut to try the Spirits inconteftibly
proves them to have a right of judgment and of
thoice^ relating to this matter : and that this rights
which God has given them, it is their duty to ufe.
When an ApoJUe u^as to be chofen in the room
of Judas the traitor, the '■j^hole body of the Difci-
ples were applied to on that occafion, A^s i. who
JIPPOINTEB by counnon fuffrage^ two from their
whole number to be candidates for that office, § 23,
Xi Thi eleHion^ you fay, ^as evidently made by
^* God *." But was it not as evidently made by
t-he people alfo ? If the choice of one from the two
be acknowledged to be the adt of God ; was not
the choice of thefe two, from amongil the nvhoU
number^ as much the a(n: of the people? The peo-
ple then were aflually concerned in that choice.
«* Thcy^tv« Deacons^ Ads vi you fay, fwere but
«'* prefented or recommended by the breihren\,^^ But
let the facrcd ftory judge — Wherefore^ brethren^
VOOK VE OUT a}?iongj9 you, feven men of honeji re*
port ;' And the faying pie a fed the nvhole juultitude^
and they chose Stephen and Philips &c. — Caa
words be more eiprefs ?
That Bifhops and Pafiors were chofen In the an*
€lent Church by the fuffrage of the people^ the evi-
dence is fo ftrong, as greatly to try the counte-
nance of the perfm who dllputcs it. Ignatius, if
you will allow him genuine, f+ys, Prepon ejiin-umin
9^s ecclefia The^u kecrotonefai epifcopon\. It beco?nef
• Letter IT. pacre %, f Ibid,
I Epift. iid PUilad,
• ; V
I 9« J
y^n an the Cturch of God to cnvti a BlJ^hp*
Alexander was inade BiQiop of Jerufaleru by th€
•€onipidJion or choice of the me$nhers of that
Church, Upon the death of Anterus^ Biihop of
liomey all the people in-et together in the Church to
CHUSE a Sttccejor — and they all took Fabianus and
p-laced him in the epifccpjl chair. So Cornelius^ his
Sncceflbr, was elect kd by the fuffrage of the
Clergy and Laity, Cyprian oftjsn acknowledges he
was made Biihop of Carthage^ Favore Plehis-^Pe^
full univerji Suffr agio ^ &c. By the Favour ^«^
Vote of all the People*^ And cxprefsly fays,
Plebs 7?iaxi?ne^ hahet po-tejiatem^ vel eligendi dignos
SaccrdoteSi vel indignos ret'ufandi. The chief po<wer
^CHUSiNG mjorthy Minijiers^ and of rbjectimg
ihe univorthy^ hehngs /<? the People. 1 produce
no further evidence upon a point fo inconteftible,
but the words of a learned Brother of your own,
high enough for church power, ^*' That the people
^^ had votes in the choice of Bifhops all muji grant ;
♦* and it <:an he only Ignorance i?»^ Folly that
*^ pleads the contrary \ ^
** You think a man provides very well for his
** foul, who fubmits himfelf to the inftrudioiis,
** and devoutly attends all the adminiftrations of
«^ an able and orthodox Minifter, by ivhomfoever
*' provided. And it will be confefled, you fup-
•« pofe, that the King^ and Bijhops, Lord Chancellor^
*« Nobility^y and Gentry, who are our greater pa-
" trons, 'AVt 7nore cowpet en t judges oi xht abilities
♦^ and othodoxy of Clergynien, and of tkeir fit-
** nefs for particular ftations, than the common run
<^ of men, efpccially the vulgar \:' But imagine
your-
* Vid. Conflitut.tmdDlfciplineof the Primitive Churcltt
page 4-6. f Lonjoth ^n Church power. \ Ibid. p. 9.
L 97 1
yoTirfelf, Sir, for a moment on the otlier fide t!ic
water, preaching this wholelome doclrine to the
rood Protejlatits in France » If Kings ^ BiJIocpSy <tc,
have authority and right to appoint P njiors to the
people, then the peoj^ie arc bound to receive and
attend the Pflffsrs they fend. Bat if this be rieht
in one country ( I muil again put you inmi.id) it is
right alio m another ; unlefs one kingdom can pro-
duce a warrant, or charter from Heaven giving it
fl4ch authority^ which other kingdoms have not. If
this do<flrine be truth in England ^ it is truth alio
in France. ' The brave Protejlants then have rajloly
and tin- vnr rant ably withdrawn thcmrelves from the
Paftors, v/hom their AT; /T^ and Bijhopj had fet over
them ; they ought to return, and fubmit to their
•ejlahlfjioed guides, and not proudly atlempt to find
Minifters more able and orthodox, than thofe their
fuperiors have folemnly deputed to that tr^jfl:. —
Will you ftand, Sir, to this dodrine ? If not,
you muil allow everv man a right to jtidge forhim-
felf.
To the common and jufl: plea — '* That every
'*' mafi his as good right to chufe his o\<:x\ Pajlor^
** to whom to commit the care ot h's foul» as to
** chufe his Laivyer or Phjjician, whh whom he
** intruits his body or eftate,'* you reply : *< Phy-
** ficians in many places are provided by Gover^
*•* nors for thofe who arc fick, as in Chel/ea, and
*» other Hospitals, whild no body dreams of any
*• incroichment .upon tlic'r' natural rights *,"
Bat tell me, Sir, would you not complain, if
whenever you were fick, you were obliged to
ffcce/^t o{ tWis f>tthl>r provifion ; and must c^vunlt
i;^rfelf\.o the care of thofe gentlemen of the fa-
K culty
• LoiMth on Church-power, pnge 13,
m
t 9S ]
cnltj who officiated in the Hofpital,^fuppofing yon
lived near it, whatever notion you had of their fi- '
delity or ikill ? Or fiiould a Phyjician be provided,
and eftablifhed by Lanv in each pari(h of this king-
dom, would you not call it an infriyigement of your
natural right, to be chligcd to call him in (however
ignora7it or unceipahle you took him to be) and to
commit your health to his care; efpecially if there
was at hand another^ licenfcd by authority, whom
you thought to have better judgment, and fro na
-whofe prefcripts you had received frequent and fig-
nal relief ? I am perfuaded in this cafe, you would
ftrongly and veryjuftly covipUin of the reftraint.
But ''^very man furely, is as capable, and has as
undoubted a right to judge and to ckufe what Mi-
liifter to attend for the edification of his foul, as
what Phyfician to ufe for the recovery oi his
health.
" No, you reply, there is a difference in the
*^ i^wo cafes ; your PaJior< areyour 6'f//V^/and Go^
^' lernors^ to whom you o^t Juhjeflionin fpirltual
'* things : And it is not, I think, quite fo reafon-
" able to challenge to yourfelves the chufing of
** thefc, as of the other who have ;?^ authcrity over
*' you *.** But I befeech you, good Sir, who
MADE them vty Governors ? Who gave tkem
this rule and authority over me ? Docs erery gay
Stripling, juft emancipated from the College^
that can get (and there are various nvayj of getling
you know, Sir, not fit to be hcr« mentioned) to
be indu<!led into a good living, does he, I aflc,
I henceforward beicome Governor^/* aJ/ the fouls
dwelling in his parifli., to whom they on.ve Sub-
iLCTJON in fpirituai ihi?7gs F What, mud all
the
* Lc-tulh on Church -}>ower, page 14.
C 99 ]
the learned, the VFife, the gpttve, and experienced
pcrfons refiding In that parifh, confiJer the ehn^bed
Youth as their fpl ritual Ruler, vtited wiih
Authority over them, in things pertaining to
God, to Confcicnce, and to Eteiiiity ! Yes, he
has Authority, you fay, over me^ I owe him
fplritual fubjeftio?i. But how far. Sir does the
authority o^ my you ngKulcv extend ? Mud 1 believe
whatever he tells me, because He hath iaid it; or,
do whatever he commands me, becanie He hath
injolned it ; or, follow my fpiritual Guide where-.
ever He fhall lead me, withowt confiderlng, exa-
mining, and judging for myfelf, whither th^
courfc tends \ And if I happen to think he is lead-
ing me nxjrcng, mufi: I flill obey and fulwiit to my
ghojily Director, and trufl; God with the event I
Am I to deliver myfelf up ENTIRELY, or only a
little i and in party to his facerdotal authority ?
And mud I fee things In religion, only and aU.vays
by the eyes of my overfcer, or ought I not alio
fo}Heti??i€Sy at lead, to fee with 7?iy o<\v?i P Will you
pleafe to inform me alfo, Vvhether as my ycnrg
GovE.RNOR undertakes /9 jjidgc for me now, he
will alfo undertake to be judged for tne hereafter;
and to be damned for r?je too, if I happen to go a-
ftray, by going as he direils ? A certain A':?-
hleviauy not half a century ago, got his hunt f nan
iridu(5ted into a good living ; and from the eat e of
kis houndfy advanced him to the prledkood, and to
the cure of fills. Now fro »n the time of his invcf-
liture with this new charadlcr and office, he bc-
camethe ^jOviksok and GviDt, it fans, cf all
the fouls \w his parilh, and^hey owed him fubj. ac-
tion in fpiritual things , If a Locke x\\^n, ^Neivtcn^
Dr even his Lordfoip himfelf who gave him the liv-
ing, had dwelt within its bounds, they ought rc-
K 2 Ycrcntly
;-t
[ 100 ]
▼erentiy to regard Him as their fpiritual GovzK'
NOR and DiK^CTOif. ; and to fiibmit t htm/elves to
i)h/i, as having the Rule over tkenh and nvatching
for their fouls. — But are thefe claims to be vouch-
ed, or is this doHrine to be prcachcLd, in this age
of Ji'oerry and light ? Let them for the honour cf
Ci-iRi sTi ANitY, be eternally fupprelfed. — 1 am
forced then to return. Sir, to the point whence I
fet out, and to acknowledge the rigit which cveiy
man has, in things of religion, to call no man upon
earth Master, but to examine and judge, and
chufe for hiiiifelf.
^'^s to the n/anner in which the choice of our
MiniHers is covidtidted, againft which you except,
I believe ViQ electioriS of any kiiad, are tranladied-
vith grQ7iX.QY fairnefs and equity than thee. And
the nature cf the thing fpeaks, that thus it nnid
be. For curs being ajjemhlies formed only by con-
Jcnty and fupported only by voluntary GOi.tributions
of their members, any oppveflive cr iniquitous
management would throw them prefently into
confufion, difband and break them up. To .your
rtiefuon — li ho are the Elet^ors ? And to all the
cbjcdions you raife on that bead.— I reply, by.
j)niying ycu to turn yourxjes. Sir, to a Britljh
Parliamehty or to an Efjglijh Convocation, and tell .
me, ivho are the Eleflcrs f And how // the choice
conducled ? But if both the Parliament and Con-^
vocation, notv. ithilanding the enormous difpropor- -
tion and inequality of the Elvfhrs, be yet accouut-
id and gloried in as the Representative of
the nation ; and you compliment your Fellonv Bri^
tons upon their invaluable privilege in being ruled-
by Laws cf their oivn jnaking, and in paying no
taxes, but what thevifelves by their Reprefentatives,
have
have confented to levy Your exceptions to"
our ele<5llons will be prefently withdrawn, and
you will ilill give us leave 10^/5/7, as poffjfllng
this ancient undoubted right of the ChriRidia
Church.
But it is time, Sir, that I now releafe your pa-
tience and attention, having ilrained, 1 fear, bath
to their utmoft extent. There are nriany other
parts of your letters as liable to remark, as thole
I have taken notice of, but I would not be tedi-
ous.— I might have expoftulated with you largely
on your reading, as parts of your publick worlhip,
the fabulous and grofs legends of Bel and the Dra*
gon^ of Judith and Sufannak ; and above all, the
magical romance of receiving a fair virgin from the
iuchantments of \i^v iiifernal lover ^ and conjuring
away the amorous Devil Afmodeus^ by the fumes of
-a fi Ill's liver.' Is it for the honour of the Chrif-
tian n-Avnc, think you Sir, to have fuch fp'uricus
and idle tales read folemnly in our Churches (if
folemnly they can be read) and made parts of our
public isjorjhi^ ? What will an unbeliever think,
ivhen prefcnt at fuch worfliip ! When he fees fach
things not only bound up wicli the Holy Scrip-
tures but commanded to be read as fuch in the
^r//c'r of the Common-prayer ! Will It not heighten
his contempt of the credulity of believers, and e.la-
bllih his prejudices againft the hiftory, the mira-
cles, and do^rines of Christ ?
on-
I might alfo have aited you. Sir, to wha.t
tntal Deity you pay your devoirs, when from
the North, the Souths the Weft, the worlhippers
in your Church on certain folemn occafions, turn
reverently towards the East, and make their
peculiar honours ? To whom, Sir, I befeech y(*u.
are thcfe peculiar honours paid ? Not furely to the
K 3 ;■;*-
[ I02 ]
Irnmenfe^ omniprrfent Jehovah ; he is an inti-
NiTE Spirit, you know, alike prcfent in all pla-
ces ; not more' confined to one quarter of the Hea-
vens, than to another : To reprefent him as being
foy is to diihonour and oiFend him, to detra<fl from
the glory of his Im?j>enfiiy or O^nnip^re fence, and to
give men very faUe a*nd unworthy notions of^ God.
This worftiipping towards the East, is not, I
think, ordered by any Canon of your Church, which
is now generally received ; but it is (if I rniftake
not) its commoii and prevailing pracflice. I Ihould
be glad to be informed, for I affure you, Sir, I sm
c]uite ignorant, whatyZ^^^^iu of ground^ either from
Reafoa or Scripture, you can poffibly pretcn'-i, for
this unaccountable Superfliticn, for fuch you muft
allow me at prcfent to think it. If you fay, the
worfliip is paid toward the Altar, this feems to
make the matter more inexplicable diU. For ijjhat
is there in the Altar, to make it a proper object
o{ religious veneration ? Indeed, whilft the Breaden
God was upon it, the people who believed it to
be the very body of Christ, did well to pay their
homage to it : But now thatYnox. is taken ihence,
I cannot for my life perceive, what fhadow of D/-
vinlty Proteflanis fee in the Altar, that they
fliould give it religious honours.
As much. Sir, am I at a lofs, when endeavoivr-
ing to reconcile to reafon and good ^i^vSt, another
of your additional beauties and fplendors of public
worihip, viz, boixjing at the rtawc o/'Jtsus. As
for that pa/Tage of the Apoftle, Philip, ii. lo. That
at the name of Jesus every knee fhall bo*w — the
Irarnei 7nen cf your church, I prefume, univer*
fally difclaim it, as in the leaft authorizing or
inlolfiing this pra<5tice. Your great Dr. A'i-
xhois
C 103 I
chols^ vindicates your Church from fuch an uncouth
and ridiculous ahuje of this text, and affirms, that it
ij not Ofice mentioTiid in any $fyour ecclejiajlical , con-
JlitutioHSy as to this matter ; and adds, that you are
not so DULL,^j to thinks that thofe^words can he ri"
garoujly applied to this purpofe. But if this text be
acknowledged not in the leaft to authorize or re-
quire this afl of 'wor/J:fip, what (hadow of argu-
lAent, Sir, can you pofilbly bring, either from
Reafon or Scripture^ which (hall fa much as feem
to fupport it ? Why then does your Church com-
I mand (Canon XVIII.) that ^ivhen in time of divine
S fervice the Lord Jesus fyall he ineritioned^duly and
\ loivly reverence Jhall be done by all perfo7is p^efent ?
p! Is not //;//, Sir, by your own confeflion, an a<51: of
I ijoill'ivorjlnp^ a commandment^ an invent io7i of 7nen^
not in the leaft founded upon the authority and
will of God !
But why, Sir, muft this lonK)ly reverence be made
at the name of ^i.%\:%y and not at the name of
Christ, at the name Immanuel, JEHOVAH,
or GOD ? Is there not in all thefe^ fomething at
leaft as venerable and worthy o{ peculiar honours ;
irtdeed fomething much more fo, than there is in
the name c)/* Jesus ? a navie not at all peculiar to
onr bleffed Saviour, but which was cernmon to him
with a great many other m'^n ? — But if this pecu-
liar reverence muft be made at the name dj/^Jtsus,
vrhy not at all times whenever it is mentioned, at
leaft in public \vorfhip ? Why in the Creed, only,
which ii but a human compofuion, and not every
tihie it is read from the Gofpcls and Epijlles, which
were indited by the Holy Ghost ? But I prefs
no further a pointy which I believe few of your
owa
•f Defence. &c. PaFt II. page ^19,
C 104 1
%wn Church think capable of a rational and folidv
defence -^ ^
I have now finifhed my reply, Sir, to the Let*
ters with which you hare publickly honoured me,
and have with freedom fet before you, the chief
difficulties and ohje^iions which keep m€ in a ftate
of feparation froni your Church. If by calm and
fair argument, you can fhew my objeftions to be
futilous and weak, I ihall with pleafure become
your convert^ and readily obey the calls of worldly
intereft and honour.
But as you, Sir, have the dignities , emolument s^
and poivers of this world on your fide, you muft
give us leave to think, at leaft till we are better
taught, that we have TRUTH on our's,
TRUTH, which is great, and nvi II finally
prevail. Nor am I, Sir, without hope, that, upon
an iiupartial review of the merits of the caufe be-
twixt us, omnipotent TRUTH may even bend
your mind towards us ; and difpofe you, like one
who has fince had the honour of being called the
great Apojile^ to join yourfelf to thofe you once
ccnfured and defpifed.
What though we have not the honours and pro*
fits of this world to draw you to our Communion,
are we ever the lefs like to be the genuine Jpojiolic
Church oi 2. crucified, defpifed, infulted JESUS
for this ? Hath he not exprcfly told us, that his
kingdoan is not of this nx)orld^ . — That 'whoever nvill
come after him, mujl deny him f elf and take tip his
crofs\, — That not 7?iany mighty and noble are cal-
ledX?—kvt not the 'witnefj'es /<? T R U T H, t9
Prophecy, cloathed in fackclotb j', till the promifed
times of refrejloing come from the appearance of
Christ \
• John xvlli. 36. f Mat. XTi« 24. % 1 Cor. i. xi%
\ Rev. xi. 3.
[ 105 ]
Christ ? Is not the pure Apoftolic Church, the
true Spoufe of Christ, reprelentcd in the Reve^
lation as a nvoman driven into the <wi!dernefs *, /. e.
in an afllided and ibrlaken ftatc ; vrhilft the corrupt
and antichrijiian Church ( the apoftate Church of
Rovie ) is careffed and enriched by the Kings of the
Earth f, glittering in all the pomp and fplendor of
this world, w.iiitonuig in luxury, power and
•wealth ? Does TRUTH need the charms of earth-
ly grandeur to recommend it, or the force of civil
ponv^rr to fpread or to eftablilh it ? Was it thus the
blefled Gospel was at firft propagated, made its
way, and prevailed over all the earth ? No, world-
ly grandeur and power have generally, you well
know, Sir, \i wot evermore y been extremely injuria
ouf, to it ; have enervated, obllrufled, under pre-
tence of improving, have greatly corrupted and
depriived it, and have robbed it of its native beau-
*ty, and glory, and llrength.
High dignities and preferments, mitres and
thrones, lordihips and large revenues, have a migh-
ty force you will own Sir, to bias and pervert the
mind, in its fearches after TRUTH. Thefe arq
not the vieans which the God ^yTRUTH ufes, to
draijo the mind to it ; but you know they arc the
means y which the ^r<f^/ Enemy is wont to ufe, to
feduce the mind from it. It is therefore, I apprc*
hend. Sir, no piefumption at all in favour of any
Churchy that it (hines with all the glory of world-
ly honours and wealth. This x\\q prophetic Scrip-
tures very clearly defcribe as the (lata oi the- fa/ fe
Churchy whilft the true Church of Jesus Christ,
his genuine and faithful followers, are to be a
• Rev. xii. 14.. t ^^^^' ^vii. 4, 5— .13— 17,
m
liftUy dtfplfed fioek : A fe^ every mihere fp9ken ^-
gainji : In the world it is to have tribulation^ till
the expeifted kappy period, when it (hall be the Fa-
ther.'/ good plea fur e to give them thi King-
dom.
Let not then the /#•«; ejlate of our Intereft, as
to the prefcnt world, at all frighten or difcourage
yow, Sir, from carting in your lot amongft us.
The njoorld fajfeth a'lvayy and all its glories and
pomp will foon vanilh like a dream before the de-
fcending Son of God, whom we ftedfaftly expc(^, .
— And then to be found fatihful ; aad to have
ftuck with unfhaken Loyalty to the only Law-
giver, Lord, and King of the Church. — To have
denied oiirfelves any worldly honours, preferments
or profits out of confcience towards Hiyn — To
have been feparated from 7ne7js company ^ caft out
and reproached, beci-iufe we would not make a fa-
orifice of our virtue and integrity to the applaufeof
the ?//<7///, or the favour oi the great, — Will yield
divine comfort, and procure immortal honours in the
cverlaCling ^/;/^i3^(?;// ^y God. Pardon me, Sir, if
I am here ading a little out of character, and fecm
to invade 7(?//r office : Fori am extremely ambi-
tious of engaging fo ingenious a gentleman among It
tis.
Thefe, Sir, are the profpe<fls with which Dijfen-
ters fupport themfelves under all their difadvan-
tage* with regard to the prefent world. They re-
member WHOSE Difciples and F$lloHx)erj they are
— WHO // // that hath faid, in vain d^ they
ijjorfhip 77ie, teaching for doclrine the Command-
mints OF MiN. Wne hath ftric^ly charged
them to call no Man upon earth Master, be-
caufe ONE only is their M A s r e n, even
Christ«
t 107 1
Ch«.ist. — And finally, who /'/ // that hatli pro-
mifed, that if any man Jhall forfake houfe^ or bre*
tkretiy or JtJierSy or children^ or lands, for his names
fake ; he fhall receive an hundredfold ; and Jhallin*
herit everlasting Life, *
I now conclude. Sir, by befceching you very
carefully to remember, that the controverfy be-
twixt us depends ahfolutely and entirely upon the de-
ciiion of thisy?;;^/^ point, — Is there ^.^j' OTHER
Laivgiver or King in the Church of God, to
whole authority and command, as to things of reli-
gion, Christians are bound to fub^iir, BE-
SIDES Jesus Christ? Or is there not ? — If
there be «^ ^//6rr Lawgiver, ^(f/?t/<f/jEs as Christ,
no ether King, no c>/Z'^r authority to whofe decrees in
point of doctrine, and to whofe injunfiions in point
of worihip, Christians are obliged, and ought
to fuhmit : then the Dissenters, in every im-
partial judgment, will be, mui^ ht jufified : then
They a^ right : then They ought to be co7K?ricnd-
ed, and will furely be renvard^d for ad herring loy-
ally and firmly to the ONE f^j/r King and Lord
of the Church ; And for faithfully oppofing the
claims of ^;;/ other Power; and for refufmg o-
bedience to the injuniflions of any other La^mgi-
"(Ser ; and the decifions of any other Judge ;
vrho hath iriade other articles of Faith, ether terms
of Communion, */;^/r rites of Worfhip, besides
and ABOVE thofe which CHRIST himfcif has
made.
Tor to illuflrate the cafe. — If any foreign Prince
fiiall pretend to make laws, and prcfcribe rules of
adion to the people of thtfe reenlms, and fliall
o«a6t ©bcdiencc to his injun<^tions from the fiib-
jeds
I 108 3
jcSs ©f iT/wf George ; I afk^-daes not your aU
iegiance to Him, your (>iM:Y Sovereign, r^j-w/Vr
and <?^//^<? you to make your protei't againit any
fuch laws, and to rtfufe your obcdicnee to them ?
But is not the Church a province in which CHRIST
ALONE is Kingy as much as thefe realms are the
dominions only of King George ^ If any human
Potentate then fliall rile up in the Churchy and Ihall
claim authority and dominion over the confciences
of Christ's fubjefts ; authority as to things of
Faithy to decree what He hath not decreed ; and
dominion as to things cf Worfhip^ to appoint rites
and inditutions which He harh not appointed ; I
a/k you. Sir, does not your allegiance to Christ,
your ONLY Sovereign, require 2Si^di oUige you to
enter your proteit againft fuch ujhrped authority^
and to refufe your obedience to it ?
This, Sir, I repeat it, becaufc I earncftly en-
treat your peculiar attention to it, is the ejfeniial
and ii7iportant point upon which the controverfy
betwixt us entirely turns^ If you tan prove, that
there is another Lawgiver, anoth£r Judge,
ANOTHER King in the Church, hejides Jksus
Christ, to whofe authority we are to fubmit in
things of religion ; and that the King and Parlia-
ment of theic realms are this Laugiver, and this
Jr/dge ; you will then at once gain your point ;
?.nd by x\\7iX. Jingle blom) you will entirely overthrow
the dljfenting Interefl: and Churches. We will im-
mediately become your Converts, and flock into
Xht EJiabli/hed Church.
But if you cannot prove this point ; you then
yield the caufe to us ; you then, in cffe6l, own us
jufificd before the world ; and you leave us to in-
dulge the rational and reviving hope of being ac-
knowledged
C 109 ]
kfiowlcdged by our great Lawgivfr, at his retura
iflto the worlJ, as his loyal and shedie?it lubjedls ;
«f being advanced to /^<:*//Wr honours and dignities
in his kiagdom, as v;e have here fufFcred on ac-
count of our duty and ellcglanct to him ; and of
receiving from cur Judgb, before angels and men,
that fentence of applaufe — IVcll done^ good and
FAITHFUL Servants y enter ye into the joy of your
Lord.
I have only to add, Sir, that this /r/Vi^/^/if —-
'^Yi^t Christ is the only Lawgiver and King in
his Church ; and that no man, no body of men
upon earth, have any authority to make lau^s, or
to prefcribe things/// religion^ which fliall obhge the
ccnfciences of his fubjeds ; fs the grand ^ the only
pi»inciple, upon which the Unity, the Purity,
and the PEii cs of the Chrijlian Church can poffi-
biy fubfift. Take away thisy and you let in endlefs
diicords and corruptions into it : You fplic it" into
parties: You mstke C^ristiakiTy one thing, In
one country ; a quite different, in another. la
England jo\x make it wear an Epifcopal form. In
Scotland y a Presbyterian : In F ranee y a PopiJJ? : ]n
Denmark^ a Lutheran : In PruJ/ia^ a Calvinijl : In
Jlufia, 2L Grecian, Sec. — But ou;.>ht thcfe things to
be fo ? Is Christ dividiid ^ Is this the Unity of
iiis one beaulifui, well -compacted ^ody ? Can thefc
h^ all genuine apofloJic Ckristjanitv ? — Ra-
ther, are either of them fo ? — When the po*wers
f>f this nvorld tikt u.\ion them aut I' orit a tively t-o in-
terpret and prefcribe in things of religion, which
are Christ's kingdom and province, they ad be-
yond their fphere : They invade the throne of ^m-
9ther Prince : The certain confequcncc of which
is confufions, feparatlons ; the unity of the Church
is broken, the rights of Chrijlians violated, a gate
JL opened
i no 1
^J>encd for innnmcrable lup^rftltions and inventi-
ons to €nt€r, and mmglc with the pure docflrincs
of Christ ; and hence neceflarily flow fchifms^
emulations, contentions, and every evil work. —
I befeech you, Sir, by the fner<:ics of Goo ; and
for the honour »/ Christianity; and by the al*
iegiance yoa OV^ your only La^^iver^ Jesus
Christ, to weigh thefe things in an impartial
«.ad unbiased mind. May hh Spirrlt of Truth
judge betwixt us upon the point, and teach us his
will \ To hi? influence I commend you, Sir, atid
Wi^h great Sin<:trifyy
3j?«r vtr^ hunilh Servafiij^
A DrSSEKTiK.
Ill 3
POSTSCRIPT.
Containing Remarks on theY)EY¥.^CE. of
your Three Letters.
THE above Letter being fent to the prefs be-
fore your Defence^ Slc. was advertifed ; its
publication was Haid, till I had feea whaC og-
cafion it might give> either to retraifk or rupporC
what was offered In vaj JirJ} Letter^ You feem mov-
ed at its pretendirt to be an Anfwer to your thre^
,LetterSy when fo fmall a part of them is ronfider •
'Cd therein : And with airs quite fuitable to the
caufe you are pleading, cccleJtajVical authority ^ give
me 'to underftand, that your taking any notice of
this performance is to be coniidered as a conde-
fccnfion to which you were not obliged, and
wh'ch I had no right to exped from you, Bur»
pray recoiled : What was the avo\yed defign and
purport of your Letters ? Was it not to refute the-
great and poptilar ohje^ians of the DlJfcJitcrs ^ and to^
brivg ms over to your Church P But upon r-eading
your Letters, I found you hadfca^'ce toucjied upon
' the principal ohjefiion which kept me from your
Church. Was it not then my part to (late the
objedlion to you, and fet it in its full light ? As
unajked, you had taken on you to be my inOrn^loir
in this affair ; had I not a right to lay my difficul-
ty before you, and to demand your folution of it ?
L 2 Wliat,
I 112 3
What, mufti iohfine myfelf to the pleas which /<?//
had fcen fit to cook up for the Diflenters ; and if I
prefume to offer others y will you* magifterially call
them ramblingSy in which you are not obliged to
follow ? Very pleafant indeed !
Here therefore I now put in my claim^ Sir, and
give you to underfland^ that I expedl your plain and
full anfwer to x\\q feveral ohje Aliens againft your
efl ah lijloed forms prefented inf the above Letter:
Some of which, the' you knew them to be of great
weight with Ditfenters, ycii dextroufly avoided
bringing into the debate. To this you are moft
clearly and indifpenfably obliged by the province^
you have takdn on yQ\i, If there beany parts of
the Liturgy indcfcnfible and abjtii-ti, this (i.) con-
demns your om:n Confcr.mitv, who not only
declare, but fclcmnly fubfcrlbe your unfjigned af-
fent and confeKt to all and lvery 1'hing con^
talked in and prefcrihed by the Book of Common^
prayer^ &€. And (2.) it juftifics the Separa-
tion, by proving it a fevere arid cruel thing vo
call: out above 200.0 of our Miniikrs from the
Church for not declaring and fubfcribing this trn-
feigned aJJ^ent andconfenty &c. which began the Se-
paration,
This being premifed. we come to the point of
Church-authority^ upon which the controverfy
turns. Here I obferve with pleafure, that jo^a
are for rcutllating your XXth article, ridding
your hands of one part and holding only to the
other. *' The Churches authority in matters of
** faith you have nothings you fay, to do <yoith *.'*
But thisy you know, your Church claims as
much as a po^er to make ceremonies ; and againft
thk
f Defence page 1 8*
[ "3 ]
this Part of its claim I as much excepted as aT-r^Infl
the other. When you declare ihci'eFore you havi
?joth'n:g to do nvith it, you mean, il' I take yon
right, you will not pretend to undertake its de-
fence. This to b^ Hire is wife r No man upon
earth being able to defend it. But then, is It not
extremely hard that your Church (liould Qill in-
fsxibly maintain its chiim to this authority r Should
force its clergy to fubfcrlbe and aGknow^e/'ge this
claim ; and keep Diffenters from a (hare in tho/'e
emoluments, ^^ after ^.vhich, you fay, they I a 71 gut Jl?,'''
partly for refufmg their folemn fubfciipLioii to f>
unreafo7iable a claim ?
'* By the Church's power to decree ri^es and
♦* ceremonies, is meant, a right in the payors and
c« governors thereof, to ordain and airpoint fuch
*' things.,, fo as to make it, ordinarily, the duty
•' of the peopFe to conibrm thealiblves to them.*"
^ You have artfully declined to IIit, ^i'/>5/v/ you
underiLmd by its pajiors aud governors ; but from
other pafTiges f it is evident you miCan the BifJrrps
and Clergy ; for the cir/il lUcigifiratc, you declare,
has^no fnch pcrmer at all \. Now,
I. That the Clergy have no power nor authority
at all of this kind over the Laity, I proved beyond
all doubt from the exprefs command of our great
Lawgiver. — Call no man upo?i earth Master ;
ONE // YOUR Master, ezen Christ, a^fd
alt ye are brethren i'. The Princes of the Genlilcf
excrcife dowiinion and authority over th.-^ni^ hut it
SHALL NOT BE SO ainougjl ycu §^ What hav2
you faid in an Aver to thefe texts ? Not a fingle
word. You leave them to (land ia full force a-
L 3 g.d'nd
• Dcf. pa^f 10. f Lett. TI. pnr:e 14. \ Def. pa£;c iS,
I Mat. xxiii. 8^ 9. § IbiJ. xx. 25.
• -3"
1
gainftyou : And, without one text of Scripture to
fupport this authority of the Clergy over the Laity ^
you go on to treat it as a thing indifputable and
allowed : and Jabour hard in raifing a pompous
flrufiure upon the land. What you fay as to the
kifs of charity, has been confidered above, page29.
Should even this be allowed to be a ?ncrely ecclefiaf-
tical and prudential injlitution^ it will by no means
cftablifh the authority you claim for your Pajlttrr
and Governors ; the orders, decrees-, and appoint*
ments of thofe times being by the common confeyit
and fuffrage of the whole Church ; in which the
Laity \\di<i an equal, if not a far greater, fhare of
authority than the Clergy *. But,
2. Your lodging this power in the Pajlors and
Governors abfoiuvely contradids the articles them-
felv^es. For as the XXth article claims it for the'
Chureh ; So the immediately preceding article
(XIX.) exprefly defines what it means by the
Church, viz . A congregation of faithful men 'where
the puren\)QrdofGod is preached.-^lt is to the ^hols
body of the faithful, then, that this power of de-.
creeing ceremonies, if any fuch there be, belongs :
How then do you prcfume, Sir, to wreft it from
themt and to vefl: it folely in the Clergy r And,
3. When you add, that to this Hght of the Paf
tors to decree ceremonies^ it is the peoples diity^ OR-
piNARiLY, to dJiform thevifehes : The word, <?/;*
dinarity^ fee^nas thrown in as a mift to darken the
point ; a feafonable falvo to which to retreat when
you feel yourfelf pndbed. What rnean you. Sir, by
ordinarily t How Ihall the people know nvhen it is^
and ivhenr it is not, their duty, to fubmit to thefcj
* Vid. Exam, of the Cade^f^ page iJ.a*
i: "J ]
injunHions of their fpiritual Governors ? Are the
people the?fifeives to judge, airways td- judge, of the
fitncfs and expedience of the injoined ceremonies ;
or are they not ? If they are not ; then they are
■jihfolutely to refign themielvcs to the diredion of
their Governors ; which is palpable and grofs Pa-
feryy and leads diredly to Rome, But if they are ;
then the Bahel of Church-authority is at once over-
thrown : For then the authority refides no longer
\Xi the decrees of the Governors, but in the judg7nent
of the people. It is the judgment ihey form of
them, which alone makes them binding upon them,
or not. Of their nu7?iber, whether they are too
many ; and of their nature, whether they are fu-
pcrftitious, foppilh, and vain, you feem fometimes
^to allow, the people are to judge : But if they have
.a right to judge, they have a right alfo to aB in
confequence of that judgment ; and tb withdraw
_frorri thofe Churches where fuch ceremonies are
injoined, as they think foolifh and vain ; and to
join themfelves to others, where they think the
"worfhip of God performed in a more fcriptural
and proper manner. So then, the folemn parade
of church-auth&rity, you fee, turns out a mere llia-
dow. It is an authority to command, which no
; one is under obligation to obey. This powder of
making cerefnonies muft be either limited or unlimi-
ted : I.( it be not unli7nited (which you feem to dif-
avow) Pray ! lijhat is it limits it ? IVhat prefcribes
Its bounds, heyond nvhich it'JJmll not pafs ? If the
Church has power to ordain five ceremonies, why
xot ten P And if ten, why not viore P Who fliall
^.pretend to fay, honx) far it may go ?
Your illaftration *« as to the King's injun&ions,^
&c *. will not reach the cafe j becaufc the confti-
tutiou
f Dtf. page \i^
I "6 3
tution and laws of England empower the King
make fuch injundlions : Buc you have not ye
proved, and I pre fume never will prove, that th
con ili tution of the Chrijiian Church impowers it
Paflors to decree ceremonies and rites.
You afk * — *' Where does the Church pretend
'* to he alone the proper judge^ or where difaliow
- *' private Chrijlians to judge for themfelves in thele
«« matters V I will tell 7©u,,Sir, in its XXXlVth
article, which decrees, that nvhsfoever through hh
PRIVATE Judgment, 'willingly and purpofely doth
jopenly break the traditions and cerejnonies of the
Church nvhich be not repugnant to the ivord of Gol>j
and be ordained by common authority ^ ought to he re-,
huked openly (that others may fear to do the like ) as he
that offendcth againfl the common order of the Churchy
and hurteth the Authority of the Magi strath.
Private judgment y you fee, is here forbid to op-
poie the common order of the Church, and the au-
thority of the Magiftrate ; and when it prefumes fa
to do, is to be cenfured and punifhed for it.
<« The Church of France^ and the Church of
*' Romcy you acknowledge to be as much poffef-
** {tA of this power as the Church of England :
«« But it does not follow th>it becaufe they have a
** power to decree rites, that they may therefore
** dccrtQ fopperies and fuperfitions f.'* - — But by
■wh'^tm-irk, I pniy, do you diiltnguifh betwixt rites
and fopperies ; betwixt ceremonies and fuperfitions ?
The conCecratin^ of ground in the Church of Eng-
laridxs a rite ; but the confecrating of water in the
Church of France is a foppery. — y\\.^ PrielVs fign-
ing the baptized infant with the fign of tJie crofi,
f Pef, page 13, \ Ibid* page 11.
[ "7 ]
in token that it fliall confefs a crucified Chrift, is
2ijt^n'tficantrite : But his putting his finger into its
ear, in token that it fhall hear the w©rd of God ;
or fait upon its tongue, in token that its fpeech
fliall be feafoned with fair, are intoUrahle fopperies^
— Can you help bleiTing yourfelf, Sir, in the re-
finement and delicacy of fuch diftlndtlons ! — The
bowings to the altar, bowing at the name oi JefuSy
kneeling at the communion, fponfors, furplice,
hoods, lawn-fleeves, and every thing of this kind,
ufcd In the Church of England, are edifying and
j/^r<f 7?^ ceremonies, ** €f clear Jignification and indif-
-<* putahle nfe"^ y But the flippers and ftaff,
knocking on the brealt, eltvitions, croflings, gef-
ticulations, iprinklings wiih holy water, (ht\ prac-
tifed in the Church of Ro7Jtey are ridiculcus fuperJH'
thns. — How happy to have Governois thus ipiri-
tuaJly gifted ; able to diitinguifli betwixt things
that di'iVer I '
^* My fuggefti'on, that by the mere conceffions
^* ofyourXXth article thou iljnds of profeiyres haye
** been gained from you to the Church of Rome, is
I'** rctili, yoUiliy, and groundlcfs : Ncr do you be-
I ' *• lieve I can name om who was ever gained by
<< itf ," 1 will give you two indances aJmoIt
equal to a thoufand. The firji fhall be the re-
nowned Chillingnvorth, who was gained to the
Church of Rome^ chiePiy by this argument, viz.
The neceffity of an infallible' living judge of contro^
verfies % : Which is but a different expreiiion for
^ the authcrity of the Church in matters of faith.
Now if this argument was fo plaufible as to van-
qulfli, and lead captive fo great a mafler of reafon,
multi-
*
Def. par:e ii. f Ibid, page 15. J Vid. Life of
^hilUjj^^orthy page 7,
C ii8 ]
multitudes of weaker minds have, no doubt, falfcti
by its force. The other fhail be King James 11.
of whom Bilhop Burnet fays, he gave me this ac-
count of the change ef his religion. — ** All due care
was taken tc form him to a ftri^l adherence to
the Church : Amongd other things much was
faid of the Authority of the Church ; and of
the tradition from the Apoftlcs in fupport of
Epifcopacy, So when hexame to obferve that
there was jnore reafon to fubviit to the Catholic
Churchy th^n to o^e particular Church ; and thaC
other traditions might be taken on her word, as
well as Epifcopacy v/as received amongft luj ; h©
thought the ftep was not gr^at, but that it was
very reafonahle to go over to the Church of^
Ro?ue,*'\ See how dangerous a weapon is this
f^ivcit Church-authority : And how capable of being;
\x(td to the infinite prejudice of the Proteilant.
caiife !
** But granting the authority of the Churchy
(/. e, of its Paftors and Governors, its Bifhops
and Clergy) How, you afk, would our refsr^
mation be overthrown by it ; which was not
^« carried on in oppofition to authority, but with
«« the concurrence of all the authority in the na-
*< tion \ ?" Strange, Sir, you Ihould fo foon for-
get ! Did not I renumber you that the reformation!
Hnder Queen Elizabeth^ and the prefcnt forms of
worihlp prefcribed in the Conwiori-prnyer^ were
ftrongly oppofed by every Bifhoh \\\ the king Jo m ;
and the Convocation then fir ting, were fo far fronx
having any hand In it, that thc^y' pre Tented to the
Parliamentfeveral propoUtions ia favour of Popery^,
dlredly.
ti
<«
'^ ^«r^5riHift/ofhi5 awn Tvne.^,.Oaav. Edit. YqI. I.
page 94. t i>^^' ' ' ;
t 119 J
dircAly contrary to the proceedings of the Parlia-
ment ? The Civil Magijiratey you affirm, has r,»
po'wcr at all, n^r authority in ihefe maitsrs^. They
are the Pajfvrs a^^d CQzvrmrs of the Church, in
whom alone it is io-iged. But behold, thefe P af-
ters and- Govtrmrs were zealous for the old reli*
gion ! They argued, voted, petitioned itrenuoufly
for it, and a gain (I i\^^ reformation. The reformat
ii^n, then, upon your principles, is built upon a
wrong bottom : Was carried on, not in concur-
rence with, but in avowed oppofition to, all thi
-authcrity rjf the nation. How juftly might: I here
net'jrn your own ungenerous compliment, // n^oai
gr&dt rafhnefs (too great in confcience ) if indued it
^as not Tk«acher.y and playing Booty, to
fet the Protefiant cauf upcn fo fandy a fvundatien\^
Your principles, if digetted into proper form, will
(land thus. — *' The Church hath power vmd au-
«< thority to decree ceremonies and rites : But by
<* the Church, obierve, I underliand, not the King
<r and Parliament ; not the civil Magijirate ; who
<f have no power at all relating to thefe matters 5
« but the Bifhcps only and Clergy, who are ap*
«' pointed and called of God to be itsPafors and
^* Governors : But remember, my countrymen, the
^« Common- prayer, and forms of worfhtp novf
«• cftabliftied and ufsd amongft you, were intro-
^« duced into this Church, nor by the authority^ no,
<* nor yet by th-e confent, of the Paftors i<nd ^Go-
** vernors whom God had fet ever it, but in di*
<< rt^opptfjtion to them. It was a chanoehvow^hl
<< about entirely by the Civil Magif rate ; who had
** no authority to eiFedl it. Tt wa^ iherelore re-
•* ally no other than an ecclcfiailical rebellion, an
«< un-
• Def. page t%, f Ibid, .page 19*
I 120 ]
* mnjuIUfiable revolt from the only right fu! Rulers
<* and Governors of tjic *>hiarch in its fplrltual
♦* concerns.*'
This, Sir, is the plain language and tendency of
your principles ; though I know you have been fo
wife as to contradidt them again, by allowing,
•^ that if Church 'C<9vcrn&rs nvill not c^me into fucb
** reformation^ as is according to G00*/ *wordy but
*' ohflinately perfevere in maintaining their Jin ful er-
** rors and corruptions, the people may reform them*
^^ ft Ives ^ J*"* — But this concefion overthrows your
%rhole fcheme of Church- authority ; makes the
PfiOPLE the fupreme and ultimate judges, as to
points of faith and rites of worfliip ; brings down
the decrees of the moft numerous and moft holy
Councils, Convocations, and Synods, to Hand at
the bar of every »!?^«'jr private judgment ; and vefts
him with authority to receive or rejecfl them, as to
/?V//^//"(hall feem fit. So powerful is truth, which
will prevail !
But your pofltions as to the Civil Magijirate^
dtferve a more diftinfl and accurate confideration.
*^ He has no power at all to decree rires in divine
*« worfhip f.— This power is not in the King and
«* Parliament, for in this very article (XX.) which,
•* together with the reft, is confirmed by 2i(k of
«* Parliament (13 Eliz. c. 12.) and thereby made
<* a part of cur ecclefiaftical conftitution, they
** hjj^e plainly owned it to be in the Church ; and
** no body imagines, that by the Church they
** meant themfelves. The King and Parliament
•* then have plainly difowned any fuch power in
** themfelves, and have recognized it to be in the
Church :}:." — This, Sir, is a dodrine, of dan-
gerous
* Dcf. pa^c \'^ f Ibid, page 18. J Ibid, page 17,
<c
C "I ]
gerous and Important confequence, and quite con-
ivdvj to fa(fl. For,
1. As it was the J^7/^^« and Parliament alone,
without, yea in oppolation to, the BiJ]?eps and Cqh^
voccttioriy which decreed the prcfent form and wor-
ship of your Church, and to their authority alone it
owes its very being, birth, and fupport ; by af-
firming that they had no ponjjemor authority of this
naturcy you knock down and demoiifh the Church
^f England at once, and lay it proftrate in th€ dull.
And,
2. That the Kin^* and Parh'ament by a<iknow-
ledging this power to be in the Churchy have not
difclaivied it, nor put it out of their own hands, is
inconteftible hence, that they have at the fame
time exprefly told you, what they mcai^ by the
Church ; not the Bipoops and Clergy ^ but the cbh-
gregation of the faithful ; of which congregation
ikemfelves are not only a part, but the principal ^nd
ruling part. And accordingly, our laws and coh-
ftitution have vefted the /r/^r<?^^/^ /'(?ai;<fr of prefcri-
blng .ceremonies and rites, s>nly in them. I afk
you — By ivhat authority do the rubric ks of the
Common-prayer, bind the Clergy to obedience ; or
nvhence is it, they are obliged to obferve the rites
and forms prefcribed in that book ? Is it not en-
tirely by the aulhority and a(5; of Parliament P A«
for the Paftors and Governors to ^'hom you appro-
priate this authority (the Bif;ops and Clergy } \hcy
have no power, by our conilitution, to make <5nc
fmgle law, to decree one ilte, or to prefcribe one
ceremony. When affembled in Convocation, they
are abfolutely under the controul and dircdlion of
the Civil Ponvcr. <« Even the very fubjeds of
•* their enquiry and debate, as well as the extAt
** of their ordinances in point of obligation, arc
M ** pre-
^^ prefcnli^ed by Statute Lanv ; that they cannot fo
^'.jrraich as attempt any canons or conftitutions,
f^'withoujz a royal licence ; and that none of their
*' ordinances ?ere bindings even againft the private
^* C^f>ms of a fingle pariih*," How is it then
you ainrm, the King and P arliament to have difo^n*
ed any fuch poiver in themfelvej , and to have recog*
nized it t& be in the Church P But,
3. The point is if poffible; ftill rendered more
clear from the XXXiVth article above cited ;
which fays, If any 7nan through his private judgment,
cpenly breaks the ceremonies of the Church, ordained
hy COMMON Authority, he fi jail he openly rebuk-
ed^ as one nvho offendeth againft the common order of
the Churchy and hurt eth the Authority of the
Magistrate. — The Authority of the Magijirate^
then, is indifputably concerned in ordaining theii;
cerennonies : And your Church, Sir, however loath
you are to hear it, is undoubtedly a Parliamentary
and Civil conliitution, made, formed, fupported
entirely by the Civil Magiftrate^ and by him alone
k it capable of being thrown into a new form.
*« But you aflc, *' Are not theDiirentlngChurches
<« In the fame fenfc Parliamentary t Do they not
«« depend entirely upon an A€l: of Parliament, t-lic
^' AS: of 1 oleration -j- ?*' No ; the Dilfenting
Churches were formed, fubfifted, and grew avith-
cut and befre, any Parliamentary authority. We
Tir? thankful to the excellent and good government
\mder which we live, for the Adi: of Toleration.
Hut, would humbly beg leave to fay, we derive
not our power to aifemble for divine worfhip, nor
our Miniliers thsirs to officiate in fuch affemblies,
from
* Examlnat. of the Codex, page 1 14. 1 Def. page zi*
C 123 ]
from any human laiv, but from our naiural ?igU as
men, and from the authority of Christ. The
A(5l of Toleration only protects us in the enjoyment
©f this righr.
»* But above all things you marvel, that whilit
*< I Wiis making this pufli at the Cliurch of Eng-
** land^ I did not retie6t how much I laid fnyfelf
** epeh : For if there was ever upon earth aChnrch,
*' which couki properly be called P^rliajuentdty,
<• it was the Prcfbyierian^ in the time of xht gra7id
* * rebellio?! *.'^ 'SN\i'M you call the grand rehtllionj
Sir, a BrltiP) House of Commons, fmce the Re-
ftoration, call a vhid^caticn of their just Liber-
ties ; and brought one of their members, Lerithal,
Upon his knees at the bar, and there iliarply re-
primanded him, for prefuming to refiect upon it
in the manner you have donef . Befides, if it W'as
2. grand rebellion^ the ffiame and reproach of it fr.lls
chiefly upon the Churah of England ;- the Parlia-
ment who began it, confuting almoft entirely of
members of that communion, as Lord Clarendon
himfrif owns. But^ what if the Prefoyieriai Churcb
ctlablilhed afterward by them v.'^s truly Parliament
taryy how have / laid viyflf open ! Had 1 laid or
faggelled any thing at ail relating to ihaiChurch.ov
the proceedings of thofe times P Not a fmgle word :
but, for anghc I had faid^ it appears not but I as
much condemn \.\i<\X.eftahlifnnent as yourfelF. How
then have I laid myfelf open ! Are you, Sir, the
gentleman, that reproves me for ravihlings ?
You put the cafe 1, '' that any of our DifTent-
•* ing Churches, or the Church of Scotland^ ftiould
M 2 ** by
• Dcf. page 20. t Journal of the 12th May, 1660.
\ Def. pages 23, 24..
.11
'« by an A6t of the general Affembly ordaia, that
** a decent bafon, with clean water, fliould be
«« provided, and placed near the pulpit, that fo the
•* Minifler taking the child in his arms, may con-
** veniently pour or fprinkle water upon its face^
^* in the name of the Father, 6^c, Here are feve-
'" ral rites ordained, v/hich Chrift in his wifdona
'* did not think proper to ordain, and one of them -
** at leaft as exceptionable as any excepted againft/
•* in our Church, Sprinkling -^ What will this
«' gentleman fay to llich an appointment ?'' I wilt
fay, Sir, that if compliatiee wkh this injunftion be
made a Jtepejfary term of receiving baptifm in that
Church (as the Crofs and Sp^nfors are made necejfa^
ry in yours) fo as that no child (hall be baptized ,.
tliat is not fprinklcd from fiich bafon ; and the pa- ^
rent that defires to have his child dipt (believing
that to be the only way in which Chriftian Bap-
tifm ought to be admin iftrcd) fh^il not have tt
done ; in that cafe. Sir, I will fay the Church acffcs.
a tyrannical, unjuil, fchifinatical part ; and if i-
ctHiIu i;7: n7y child baptiised in r.iiy ^vhcr Ch^TC^
conftituted upon a ntore Lathoih and Scriptural
plan, I fhould think it my duty to apply to it on
that occafion. The fpirit of ceremony-makingf
and church-tyranny, iis ©fa reftlefs and mcroach-
ing nature, and ought timely to be crulhed. It was
from fuch little begin 7iing5.y the mafs of RomiJJ: fop-
peries grew up to its prefent encfrmous and oppref-
live heighth.
<* The natural rights you reprefent fome of our
«' fellow-fubje^ts as fubmitting tp be deprived of
<* by difqualifying laws, without going about to
«• turn the morld upfide do'wn for //6d'/> repeal *,**
are vaftly too trivial^ to be compared with thofe
ojf
* Pef. pages 6, 7,
of wMch DifTenters are deprived : nor are theydli-
qualified as to thefe, upon the ^ccovinlQ\^ cgti fete net
aiid religion (tlie hard cafe of Diffenters) for ading
|as we think the authority and Jaws of God iridif-
penfi'bly obJig« us : Nor finally, can the perfons
you mention, perhaps be properly faid to have a
natural right, to fuilaln at the fame time two diffe-
rent characters, and to execute two offices which
are generally inconfiftent and interfere wiih each
ether — S^ the cafes are not parallel. Befides, why
are we reprefented as turning the 'vjorldupfide donvn P
Have we erer kindled tum.ults, raifed mobs, demo-
lifhcd houfes, threatned courts (as you know, Sir,
who have done)— under a feditious cry, that our
Churches ivere in danger P We appeal to the im-
partial world, for the loyalty 2Lnd /jeaceahlenefsyNilh.
which we behave.
You pafs over, by your own confeffion, alrucjl
half my pamphlet * unremarked ; in which the con-
ftitution of the Church of England is compared
with that of the Church of Christ, and they
are inconteftibly fhewn to be focieties of a quite
different, and even oppodte nature ; fo as that a
f erfon's feparation from the cne^ does by no means
imply his feparati on from the other. Your reply-
ing nothing to this, you will gtve me kave to im-
pute to fome other caiiie, than <* your not ebfcrving
•* any thing in it, ivhich pretends to refute or con^
*' tradiil any pof^tion advanced in your letter,'" Is
not the charge of Sc^^iffn your fivourjte and con-
ftant topic ? But, if 1 prove the tivo focieties fo en-
tirely dijferent in their conftitution and frame, as
that my not communicating in the former, vines
in no wife break me off from, nor ia the lead in-
M 3 tuTupt
f Pcf, pcige 37»
n
terrupt my communion in the tcrtfer ; h not thSj
a refictation of one of the principal and moft Intc-
reiling parts ofyoikr letters P And did not juftice to*
your argument demand, if you could have givca
it, a propesr reply ?
*' It is gro-wing mighty modiflr, you complain,,
** with, our people^to laugh at all notions of Church
^* communion, and to make nothing of the moft
*V unneceffary feperauons*^" ' Yes, i thank God,
the loud peals you were wont to ring U3*upon the-
head of 6V/6 /////, are generally treated with pretty
much negted^, not onl^y amongfl: our people, but
even amougil your own.. For when one Jees grave
gentlemen fetting thcmfelves up for Rulers ^v\dCo*
vernors in the natre cf the Lord, claiming power
to forgive fins, to decree cerem.onies, to make laws,
and to determine points of faiih ; and then tliun*
derlng out their anaihemas, upon fuch as refufe to
fu.baiit to their authority — --r.\Vhat muft this pro-
yoke, in all Cnfible fpedators, biU a mixture of
contempt, indignation, and mirth ?"
Can xh^tit f pi ritual Fathers, in their con fciences.,
believe ^«r Schism. to fee fo horrid and fo damning,
and yet refiife to drop the ceremonies which they
fee to be the ft^fie &/ Jiumhling^ -^^t which we fo
grievoufly and wickedly fall ,! \Vhat ! for the faks
©f a few things whi-ch they own to be indiferent,
will they harden themfelves againft th^ cries of fb^
many perifhlng rriirgiiided Chrifilans-, and dePr^y-
the finis for ivkich ChrlJ} died'! Forgive me, S:r»
if I cannot think it ; but that Schifm is only ufed
;is an eclejsajiical fi'arecronv, to keep the fimple in.
awe ; and to eftabliih a facerdotal empire ove^^
du-ftiU and weak miuds^
? Defence page %^
i<
t 127 1
•* AH Chriflians, you affirm, living withm the
Church of England, which is co- extended with.
** the ktngdom^ may be truly faid to owe it obe^
** dience and fubmifllon ; and are de jurcy whe*
/* ther they will be or not de faflo^ true members
" and fubjeds of it *." But pray tell me : Is not
?the Chicrch of Scotland equally co- extended with
that kingdom, as the Church of England is with
this ? And do not all who live within its pale,
owe it like fubmifBon \ Is not the Prejbyterian dif-
cipline and worfh'p as much eftablilhed there, as
the Epifcopal is here ? If it be Schlfm then, and a
grievous I'm for Diffenters to withdraw from the
eilablifhed Church in South Britain, is it not alike
fchifmatical and wicked in your Epifcopal brethren
to withdraw from the Prelbyterian Church efta-
bliflied in the North ? Whence is it 'we never hear
from yo« any folemn admonitions to your brethren
beyond the 'T^^i?^, of the deteflable fin oi S'chifm i
warning them of its damning nature, and exhort-
ing them fpeedily to unite with the eftabliihed
^ Church ! Here your grave ledures may poillbl/
have good eiFt^d: ; and if you really though t^S't'/^//;;^
fo grievous an offence as you affed to reprefent,
it is ftrange you never try ' he power of your per-
fuafions with your brethren in the North. This
wcul.j be a noble proof that you were in earnefl:^
and fincerc. But whihl:, amidll your warmeft ha-
rangues again '1 the Evgltfli feparation, you encou-
rage and fupport the dilfent fr©m xh.^ -Sccilfly
Church ; what can be thought of your outcries a-
, hout S phi fin, bat that they defer ve a name moro
levere than I am wil'^^g here to give i
Youf
"^ Y>d. page 23^.
f 12« 1
: Yotlf sotiott of ouF being '« true^ mcmherr o£ the
♦^ ChurcR of England de jurCy tho' we are not, and
•* will n9i b€. defaSfo'* — is a refinement,, indeed^
and quite furpafles ray comprehenfion. I thoughtt
it entered effentiaUy into the idea of a Churchy that
it i^ z foclety of Wo.i^V'mrE^K^ I A company joia^
cct together in certain ^&s^ and profeffions by comm^m
GoNSENT : And that ^voithQut^ much lels againjl^
Jiis own agreement and conient,. no man cottld,^
with truth, be ftiled a member of any ehurcit^
All perfons living in Chriftendom may be faid t(>
owe Jefns Chriji obedience and fubmifllon, with
infinitely greater reafon than all the people of Eng-
land can be faid to owe it to the Church : But doei
it therefore follow, that they are all de jure, if
they vv-ill not be de fafioy true members of the
Church of Chrtji ? What, thofe who openly re-
nounce Chrijty declare him an impoftor, and ut-
terly difavow obedience and fubjedtion to him, can
fuchy with any truth or propriety, be ftiled trtie
tnembers of his Church ! Strange Divinity indeed 1
Chrift's Church then, inftead of a congregation of
faithful perfons y may now be defined a fociety of
impious blafphemers, of infidela and profane per-
fons, who neither fear God, nor believe in Jefui
Chriji ; thefe all may be declared and treated a^
true members of his Church. If this, indeed, ht
right, then with fome pretence it may be faid, that
thofe who openly renounce and difclaim theChurch
©f England, and declare they will not live in any
fubje<ftion to it, may yet be confidered as t^ruc
member* of it.
I owe allegiance to the King of England^ becaufe
1 receive protetftion from him, and enjoy innume-
rable civil bleflings by means of bis government^
uader which I confent to livc» But it does not
hence
[ 129 1
ience follow^ that I owe fubjedllon to the Church
of England^ (as you argue, page 29.) from whom
I receive no protecflion, enjoy no benefit nor ad-
vantage, and in communion with which I by no
means confent to live. Consent, Sir, is indif-
penfibly and cflentially ncceffary to form the rela-
tion betwixt paftors and people : And without this
^nfent no Church in any Chriflian or Scriptural
fenfe can poiUbly be formed. Dij] enters therefore
* can with no julhiefs nor propriety in the world be
ftiled true members of your Church. Your folemn
excommunications of them is really a cafting fucjx
out, as never were in it : So the miracle ftill re-
mains.
As to oViTpofiure of receiving the Lord's-fupper,.
inftead of ingenuoufly owaing your great mifrepre^.
fentation, you fcek by frivolous and quaint quciH-
ons to raife a duft to conceal it. As, *« what mcan-
** eth this informa-nty by fome of their Churches,
** which have admitted kneeling ? What h^ fome
** in their Churches ? If there were any confider-
*^ able number, 6"r.*" Their Number, give me
leave, to tell you, Sir, is nothing to the purpofe.
It is the Li5i!iTY they have to do ir, is tie Ct'.^f
point in debate. If all have this liberty^ though^
not one in five thoufand fhould actually ufe it ; my
point ftands firm, yours is overthrown ; and you
ftand convi(5led before the world of hnving given a
very wrong and injurious account of us. You ralh-
ly afferted tWdt Jit ting among us was never allonv*
ed to he departed frorn ; that'sur Minijfers injist*
tx) upon, ^;/^ REFUSED to abate it, — This, froni-
my own certain knowledge, from the information
cf others, from Baxter's reformed Liturgy, I
proved
* Def, page 3a,
C 130 3
proved to be a falfe reprefentation. In the fecond
edition of my letter, (page 21.) I added a paffage
from Dr. Calamy's brief Account to the German /)/-
vines^ which exprefly fays, — The Connnunicants
«W(?;/gy? Protestant Dissenters are at Li-
berty to ufe their own Posture in the time of
receiving ; though a tahle-pojlure is rnoji commonly
tifsd. Note, To this brief Account, ^c, you ap-
pear to have been no ftranger ; you had, doubt*
lefs, read it ; for you quote a- long paffage from it^
(Letter II. page 62.) not four lines diftant from
that I have now cited. How then could you take
upon you fo roundly to affirm — that it is never
ALLOWED to be departed from^ &c. When you
had A.en it declared to the world that our Com"
municants nvere at Liberty to ufe their own
Posture !
But, if this deferves an mgenuous blufh, I am
called upon to blufh with you, *' for having faid
** that Chrift and his Apoftles, without all perad-*
** venture, fat around the tahUy when every body^
** knows, who knows any thing at all, that- thej"
** ufed the recujnhing pofture, which is no more
** fihmg than ir is kneeli.ng *" —If my affertioa
cannot be fupported by indifputable authority, I
have a blufh at your command. Let my vouchers
be heard, ^l, Matthe^v f fays, he sat .nowN
«iy/V/; the Tnvelve, — And as they nvere eating ]^sv^
took bread y^ and blejjed it. St. MarkX, As they
sat and did eat, Jesus took bread, &c. St.
Luke II , Whfn the hour nvas come, he sat down»
4ind the tnvelve Apojlles nvith him : And he took the-
bread
* Def. page 31, f xxvi. 20» % xiv. i3f
I xxii. 14.
C m 3
iread and gave thanks. If I am now to be Coxrdif*
td for reprefeBthig Chrijl and his Apoftles as si^-
TiNQ around the tabUy the weight of the ftrok^
will fall entirely upon the Scriptures ; under which
patronage I am fafe. I make no manner of doubt.
Sir, but the pofture v:2is/itti?ig ; though with the
body, perhaps, a little leaned or reclined. Nor
would our language afford our tranflators any bet-
ter, or indeed any other, word thsin ^tting, to ex-
prefs it by. Pray, how would you render it-
ulls they RECUMBED and did eat^ — And nvhen the
hour nvas co?ne, he recumbed ^ith his t^jjclve A'
foftles ? If every body, *< 'who kno<ws any thing at
•* all, knoavs they ufed the recumbing pojiure,^' then
good Mr. Henry knew nothing at all ; for, he
fays, <« He fat down in the ufual table- ge (lure ;
** not lying on one fide, for ft was not eafy to eat,
f^ nor pofible to drink in that pollure, but fitting
<< upright, though perhaps, fitting low :" Or,
rather, as Dr. Light foot tells us, the pofture was,
fitting on a couch, leaning the left elbow on the
table.
My account of the conRitution of the Church of
England, of the regal fupremacy, and of the pro-
ceedings of the Convocation in the affair of Mr.
Whijlon^ you call mifreprefentations * ; but I ob-
ferve you are ^o prudent as not to offer a fingle
word in proof of their being fuch.
Your reprefenting me as having 'ii great zeal for
ArianiffHy and being fond 'of thef? ne^ noti'ins f ,'
for which I had given not the Icail: real occrjfiopi, is
an ariifice fo low, that you muO give me leave 4 3
look down with great pity upon it ; not doubling
buc
♦ T>d, pages 37, 38. f Ibid, pages 38, 44.
1
but I h2.tthothzn ^^vocate and zn avenger in your
own bofom.
TJierc is fomething truly extraordinary in^your
affirming—** That the damnatory ^laufes of the
** Athanafian creed may be as fafely fubfcribed,
♦' without any explanatory declaration, as the holy
** Scriptures ; at leaft fuch paflages, as He that be*'
*' lieveth not Jhall he damned He that heliev"
•* eth not the Sony Jhall not fsef life, but thenurath of
«.« God abidetb on hUn^y &c,'^ — As much as to
fay, You may as confidently aflent to the decifion*
of a weak and fallible man^ concerning the ever^ '
iajlingjiate of multitudes of his fellow men, as to
the decifion of the omnifcient and infallible God
*-.0r thns, becaufe God hath fixed fovie terms for
SI man*s entrance into life, therefore inan may take
Upon him to devife and fix others. --^Ot thus, be-
caufe Christ had authority to pronounce, that no
man who received not the Gofpel^ which he preach-
ed, ftiould finally be faved, therefore Athanafius ( if
he was its compiler) had authority to pronounce^
that no man who believed not the erzed which he
had macb, fliould attain eternal life, but Ihould
tverlajllngly perijh. — Are thefa conclufions juft ?
I cannot think myfeif to need your forgivenefs»
Sir, forafking, •* whether ^©w were amongft the
•« weak and uncharitable minds, who damn to
*« the pit of Hell, all who cannot receive all the
*< dark and myfterious points fet forth in the Atha*-
<« naftan creed.*' — For does not that creed moft
peremptorily pronounce this damnation on ?X\fuch?
Are not^(?a a zealous advocate and admirer of that
creed ? T>o yownox. youfelfy thirteen times a year,
ia the prefence and Church of God, and as his
Miniiler
^ i)cf. page 4<i,
Miniftcr and Ambaflador declare folemnly to tlie
people, Tkuffwhoever does not k^ep w hols ^7;?^ tf n-
DiFiLRD the faith therein delivered^ he P?^ll with-
out DOUBT pc'rijlo everlajiingly t Where then is
the wrong of my aiking, Whether you arc avtongjl
the nveak and tincharif able per/ens ? &c. For if you
^Tzjincere in its ufe, and do really believe what you
folemnly tell the people, when you read to th^m
^hat cre^df you mud, furely, be concent to be
reckoned In that number.. For how to reconcile a
felemn declaration that certain perfons, without
^ov&T perijh ev€rlajungly^ w^iih Hopes cf their
fahatioHy is what no wit of the fubllcft Jefuii is
«ble to perform.
Theifubfcriptions t^f our Minifters, WMth the pro-
teftation they made againft the dafnn-atory cl^mfes^
can with no truth, I apprehend, be called ** 2. pro^
** ieflatig €ontra farium^ nor a fubfcribing affcnt to
** the truth of certain propofitions., ac the fame
** time declaring they do not affent to it*." For
it really amounted to no more than this — ^* I be^
•* lieve the articles of this creed, and think it a-
"•* greeable to the word of God ; but I liere pub-
•* Jickly declare, I do not confider the davinatory
^* cUufej as any part of the creed, nor give my af-
** fenttothem/* As for the fubfcription of 6ur
prefent Minifters, if it be not done under a cUiJirn
of the beiaefit of this proieJJatiDn made by their
predeceifors, or with fome fuch protejiation made by
tkemfelves ; I freely own, Sir, I cannot juftiiV it,
and think it a thing which ought not to be doiie.
Subscription to human creeds have, I ap-
prehend, been of infinite differvice and hurt to
the Chriftian Church ; have rent it into a variety of
fe^s and angry parties, and filled it with bnume-
N i-ablc
.J D^'t. page 41;
L
I m 3
ipable ftnfes and detates : They are afev4€y rallNI
scround tke Chtit'di, whicii ca^ poffibly keep Bonei
i ut virtmu:s a«d >^f?A!^ perfons, b«t aever can one
hypocrite^ one hertetkh^ or n}dicked ma^iy from enter-
iKg into it. I t^lfli the <:afe ycm mention naay not
Ije extremdy^bmmon-, viz, frauxiuixnt -and infincer^
/Kbfiriptiom^ and the c^^Jla^nt ufe of f^f^ms^ ivhici
ihey 11 h '^ft them do not afp^rove of^ ^htreh^ th^
^onfchfi^e is defied *->,
Biat the fjohit ol fuhfmpihns which is t*ic ful^
€)f yo«r yjfpendh^ will be cop^dercd by an ahtet
fkand $ U'feo wiH give yota, I hope, anQj)le faiisfoc*
tion OB tUis head ; Tails iaftruaions 1 eommcndl
you> Str, ^ifiiing you wit^ ^reat fincerity^, abua-
i^nt peace and u^^
^Def^^. 44*
^'^K>'x^':s<ik^>^:::^^
I 135 3
f—ij ■ - '-'■■■■' "■■ ■ ■' — '•'■•' — -''"^
THE
Dlflenting Gentleman's
Third and Last
[LETT ER.&'c.
SIR,
1HAVE read carefully yoiir fTt^ DsfcnceSyZxxA
attentively weighed the reafons by which you
farther prefs my conformity to your Church ;
but muft ftill fay, that though I feel the at-
tradlion of nvorldly inter eft ftrongly operating;
mth your arguments, and giving them grcJil force ;,
yet there is fomething more forcible which draws a
contrary way.
Were I to^ never Kve but hi the prefent world,
\ would foon become your convert : Bu^. when I
confider that the purity^ ftmplldty^ and liberty of
the GosPKL, are a facrcd Deposite committed
td my trtiil ; and that thc-rc is an al leg} cine s I- owe
to Christ, as the on.ly Lawgiver of the Cliurch,
for which I mufl furely be accountable before hi. ii ;
I cannot but think It my cfufyy and th-ereforc, up-
0il the whole, molt certainly my intcrcjl alfo, to
N 2 contiiiUG
^
cr)nx\nvicvcij feparailony though attended With fom^
\^i)diy diladvancage and reproach*
Tlie grounds ot my dijfent I have already layn
before the world, to whole impartial ecMifideratioa
they are humbly fubmincd. •* But I have left un-
*' iioliced and untouched, you complain, a great
•' part of yoiar Letters." This, indeed, i have
lioiie, and fhall alfo of your Defence ; a great part
cf both being futiious, ,and of- little moment to the
iiierits of the caufebcfore us. Debates of this -kind,
I knew, infenfibly fwell, I remarked therefore,
b'Jt upon a/^'zo gI the inany obnoxious paffages with
%vhick ycur Letters abound* that greater libertj
niight be left to prefent you with feveral flrong,,
and to me unanfwerable, arguments for diffent
from your Church, which you had artfully forborn
to mention ; and which, tho' fmce held up before
you and peculiarly urged upon you, you tura
gravely away from, and will not be provoked to
encounter their force.
1 have preffed you with the conjlitutlon ?i\\i. frame
of your Church ; and have fliewn you various
points in which its lirud-ure and form was not on-
ly (\m^^ different from, but a<fluaily repugnant t$^
the Church of J e « u $ Christ ; confequently, that
it was not, could not be, any dangerous and dam*
fiable Sehifn for the fervants of Jefus Cbrifi to fc-
parate and withdraw from it, as you had raflily af-
firmed. But to this popular and great plea you
have made no reply at all ; it (lands before you ia
full ftrength.
This charge of Schifw is ftill rendered more
comj^etely ridiculous j by obferving, That the
very pov. ers which alone formed, and which alone
govern your Church, have given us leave to nvitB-
dru'w from it. The very Authority which
viad4
vutdr your Church, and upon which alone it refts»
hath allowed us to fet up our feparate Churches
for tvorfhip ; and hath taken thole Churches, and
file worlhip performed in. them, under its immedi-
l8(tc proteftion aad care.
SECT. L
Qf Church-Power, and in whona loJgtd^
THE i(Iue of the debate hetwkt the Churci
and the DijJ'entersy I have frequently re^
c-Mnded you of, and every attentive perfon Ices^ de-
pends abfoiutely and intirely upon this fmgie^ poiat
— Is there any other Lawgiver or King in the
Church of Goji bcfides Jesuj^ CnRfST ; of, h
ihere not ? Is thtrt pomjer and authority vefted ia
any man or body of men on earih, to make and
to injoin nsn^o rites of ChriiUan worfliip, and neni}
* ^erms of Chriftian fetlowftiip, befides whatCnRiST^
"the o?ily Lavvgi\fer, hath hhufelf made and injoia-
cd ; or, is there not ? CoulH you^ but be engaged
'to give z plain and direH: anfwer to this one pointy
1t would foon end the debate. But for reafons bed
known to yourfelf, yet very obvious to the w«yld>
you are deaf to my repeated folicitations on this
head ; and wIH not, cannot be cither per.fuaded of
proveked to fpeak your fentiments freely and openly
\3pon k.
Tou rtrenuoufly contend that there Is fiich a,
Power ; but are greatly at a lofs, i. Where ^-(^
place it ? And, 2. Ho^^y to limit and confine ft ?
Thefe are tivo ihh:7s which it indifpeniibly lies
»pon you to /x clearly and to a/certain ; before
you can, with any grace, cenfure our fcparat ton
as linjuflifiable and wrong. I3ut tho' la muiriply-
incr
■11
t 138 1
-ing "werds, yonr talent ijs not common,, and you
expatiate diffufely upon things o£ little moment j
yet Aere^ wlxere the point lies,, and you /aiv, aad
even felt it, you artfully endeavour to cvadc.
However^ with much difiiculty, a few •oncefSlDnl
are extA^r^ed from you, whicfap, in part, (hew thcr
•world your prepoftcrous fcheme, and which prove-
you to. he really (as I fhall. pj^efeatly (hew) 00 ad*
vocatc (oTy no friend ^t 2i\\ to, the true Church 0^
Engiandy the Church eftablifhed-^j' la<tv ; but to ke
a betrayer y^ an ofugn^r of it, a dangerous under*
7m?2€r of its very bafis and. foundation ; and that,
if your principles take place, it muil: prefently be
overthrown, and its hierarchy and frame be utterly
delkdyed*
For, with regard to the frf of the above points^
fn'tz, la WHOM th^^ pG^wer of making and injoining.
^eijj cercmonics^ and rites of worftiip, and neno
terms of Communion in, the Church of Chriji, is
ve.fted— ^You affirm, i.*** That, it is not in the
*< Civil M>^gistrate ; ^tf ^^/ no such Po^Y-
»• El at all*.'* Bat, 2. ** It is in /^<f Pastpsis..
^' and' Governors of the. Church f *. Now,
First, If /^ be not in the. Civil Magi**
ifRATE ; and hjl hasy as you affirm^ no suck
pQWER at all I the confequence is ihevitiible,
that then, the prefent efahlifl^ed Church of England^
is ilfegally, unjuftly, tyrannically eJiahliJJoed : That
it 15 an «y^r/>/f//«>«. upon the rights of Chriftians,,
and upon the civil liberties of manJ^irid^; and that
the very hafs on which it ftands, with its v. hole-
frame and conjlitutiony are fundamentally, eflen-
tially and notorioufly ^wrong^. Fori — That the
prefeat
• I. Dcf pages rS^, 19.. f Ibid; pagejo^*.
I n9 1
fprefent Chunh of England was Gonftittitcd, formed
and cftabliflied by the civil Magijirate, Oind ©nl y by
him, viz. by Q^ E/iz. and her Parliament, every
gentleman, not a perfefl ftrangcr to our hift^ry
and conftitution, indifputably knows. When we
talk of the Church ejiahlifhedhy la^w ; by what lamj^
t pray, do we mean cftablifhed ? Is it not by a law
Cnafted by the Cnnun and Parliament^ and cna<ft-
cd by no authority or power but theirs ? Is n©t
the Aft ofUnifoTjnity the grand piHar or foundation
on which the Church of England refts ? Was it not
that alone which eJtaUiJhed its prefcnt liturgy, with
all its €cre»ijnie$ and forms ? But by ^hom was
that law made ^ Was it not by the Civil Magif-
irate ; and made by him alone ; the Bijhops in the
Houfe of Lords, and the Clergy in Convocation,
labouring earaeftly againft it. — To fay then, as
you do^ that the C'tvtl Magijlrate has no Power
to decree ceremonies and forms of worflilp, rs to
fay that the AH of Uniformity was a tyrannical un-
righteous a(fl : that tt was cnaded by thofe who
had NO P^wE^R at all to do it ; confcquently, that
the Church eftablifiied by that lanjj was an unwar-
rantable eftablifliment, a fpurious illegal thing.—
This is the deftruc^ivc tendency. Sir, of your prin-
ciples and fch^me. You root up foundations,
overthrow our conftitution, and demolifh totally
the very Church you feem zealous to defend ; fo
that you never fpoke, perhaps, a truer word than
when you were pleafcd to -defcribe yourfelf as a
[orry advocate f$r the Church *v But
* Defence, page 128. Your learned Warburton in
his Alliance y &c. honourably and frankly owns, ** That
the Church halh rejigned />^r Independency, ^^^ mfide
the Magistrate her supreme Head ; ivithout n^uhofe
approbation and allo-wance Jhe can direSl^ order and decree
V.othingy page S7. And that the Clergy are noiv under //»/
hlA^i$'rKATE'jdlre(f^ion, page 74..
Accordinglyi
I
But yon afk, — «« Why arc wc to regard only tie •
<* cftablifhraent of QnttViElszabeth ? Why isKing^
•< Edvjard\ rcforrhatioa overlooked ♦ ?** Not for
any advantage which yon can poiBbly get by it.
Per in the r^y#rw^//d?;; under that Prince alfo, ** The
'* majority of the BiJIoops and inferior CUr^ (direft-
** ly contrary to what you aflert) nam on the fide of
*« PoPi&T f .'^ And It was the Parliament alone^
without the Convocation^ which eftablifhed the re-
formed liturgy aud Service -fcook then,
But at Queen Elizaheth\ reformation, w&ett the:
prefent Church was formed, ercSed and eftablifb*
ed, you allege,— '* Though the Bijhops did, in.-
•* dt^d^ in fome of her firft years, oppefc the refor^
«• mationy which they had before approved, yetr
«« they did not hngfiand out-^X,'' That the ma-
jority ^i the Bifhops did either before approve ^ or
afternuard covzpfyy is, I believe, quite repugnant
to £a(ft|l ; but whether true or mot, is not at all to
the purpofe : Forwhcn thcr^yQ>rwf^//>;z was a^lually
accomplifhed, and the Church with its Liturgy and
for 7ns was eftablifhed ; their ftandiag in or out af-
terwardv
Accordingly, an A61 In. the id Parliament oi Charles II.
in Scotland^ to which all the B^/tc/j concurred, and none of"
the Laity protefted againft it, ena6ls,— - ^^ That the difci-
f line of the external go'vernment and polity 9f the Church is
in his Majesty and his fuccejforsy as an inherent
Right of the cro-mn ; and thai they may fettle^ enad and
Hmit fu^h conJiitHtionSy aSts and orders y concerning the ad-
minift ration of the external go'vernment of the Churchy and
the per fins employed in the fame ^ and concerning alleccleft^
ajiical meetings y and matters to be propofed and determined
tijerein, as they in their R0YA.U Wisdom Jkall thi^ik ft,
* II DqL page 140. t Nears Hift., Purit. Vol. I.
page? 4.5, 5». t II ]!>ef. page 140.
II Only one Ridiop conformed himfelf to the Queen*8
commands, and was continued in his Place, fviz. Ritchns
of Landnff: Fullcf*5 Ch. Hift. Book ix. page y)^ &Bj:)ok.
vii. page 414,.
i: 141 3
terward, for a longer or porter time, makes nothing
for your point. The work was done without than ;
this is all I alk ; this you are forced to grant. The
Bifoops then had no hMudy no JJ^arc at all, in mak-
ing and eftablifliing the preient Church of Eng-'
land ; but with all their might oppofed it. It was
done by the Civil Magijlrate (who had no Power,
you fay, to do it ) and done by him ahnc, *«Ather
«< Majetty's aeceffion, and even after religion was
« reftored to the fame ftate as under King Eb-
*f WARD, /i^^ Universities 'M;^r^y2> entirely loji^
«< that there nvere fcarce two of the fame optTiion
<« 'ivith the reformers. As to the Bifhops and Clergy
<< (Bifhop CoA adds) they luerf vmanimous fsr
u PojEry, frm as a rock.
- Stat Clerus Tottiiy
Vranqua7n dura Ji lex aut flet Marpejia Cautes^*
*« But if the reformation was carried on, it wa*
^* not* fay you, perfefied without the Bifhops f.'*
True, becaufe it was never perfeded at all. That
glorious work remains to immortalife, perhaps,
the name of its prefent Governors. But to what-
ever/^r/>^/^« it hath been at all brought fince its
firft eftablifhmcnt, it was brought otily and entirely
by the authority of the Cro'wn-diYidi Parliament ; our
excellent conftitution acknowledging no legifativc
power or authority but theirs ||.
<? And
* NeaVs Review, kc, page 58. Vide alfo Fuller's Ch.
Hift. Book ix. page 56. f II Def, page 139.
II Synods and Con^vocafio?ts\\2L\e in all ages of the Church
feldom done good j often ranch hurt 3 have generally ob-
ftru6lcd, not promoted refor7nation ; which hath moftly
been carried on by Lay-CouhciIs and Hands. The fen-
timents of a learned lather^ who had i'een much of thefc
jihuich-proceedings, i^ay be not unworthy to be here re-
membMfd
I 14^ 1
«< And ts for tlie XXXIX artktes, tficfe, yoU^j
*** allege, were fame years after paffed in a C§w^
♦« vocation of the Bifhops and Clergy *»" Whc.
ther they were parted in a Convocation or not, with"
regard to their authority^ \% of no moment at alU.
Their Unanimous aj/ent adding not the leaft gratm toi^
their obligation on the fubjefi: ; nor thetr mod zea-
lous dijfent in the leaft detrading from it. But i\i
not your heart fmite you, Sir^ at the very men- ^
tioa of /^<f//- Articles j the XXXIVth of whicK;
declares exprefly againji yon, — That your Church*
Cif'etnonies lucrc ORDAiifED hy the authority of ths-S
Civil Magistrate. The fame alfo youi
XXX th canon f . You have feveral ttmcs fiib^
fcribed Che truth of this^r/zV/^, and fworn to thil]
canou. With what countenance then dlirft yoi
thus publickly oppugn and cr^ntradid it ; and \x^
open defiance of our articles zndjfatutesy our con*
Jiithtions and canons y and your own repeated ^^-
fcriptionsy prefumptuoufly declare, — — — That tht
Civil. MikGisTRATE hai NQ Pox^^ER noc Aw-^
THORiTY AT ALL to decree ceremonies in reli"
gion Z' Do you folemnly fubfcribe one thing, and
pubiickly teach another ! Where is the confiftency
and
niembered. Stcfeniio\ft^erumfcrthendumeJiy Sec, My
ppiaion is this, if I may be allowed to fpeak the truth \ that
<?// Conventions ofBlfiops are to he avoided. For I n^
wer fa-w any good come of any Synod j 7jor that it did not
TKucb more tnif chief than it bin^^'red, for truth, infuch af
femhlies,\s generally home douon hy a fpirit of frife an^
<vai/t-gl9ry, Greg. Nazian. Epift. ad Precop.
* Ibid, page 140. ,
f " We hold it the part of every private man, both jVTS*
tiijfer and other, reverently to retain the ufe of the ceremo-
nies preicribed by public euthority ; confideiing, that things
of themfelves indifferent do, in fome fort, altf^r their na-
tures, when they are either commanded or foi bidden by a
laivjul Magistrate j and may ?iot_ be omitted, at eve|J^
man's pleaiurcjf contrary to the Law*" Canuii xx»*
I <
t 143 J
^^nJ confcjcncc oi^ this i But let us fee T^lierc yom
lodge t/^is p^nucr*
SicoNjjLY. They are the Church''^ Pastors
mnd Go v£RNOR.^ nvhom y$u are pleafed to invejl
,^ith it*; that is, I fuppofe you meaa (for you are
v?extremcly fiiy of explications) its Bishops and
Cleegit. But you have not deigued to fhew nae
one tejxt of Scripture, nor one Statute or J/I of
Parliument, i»^hich Vefts th^m with t/)is ponver, I
have fkewn you feveral of hfth^ which exprefly di-
-,^ veii them of it> and utterly d^ny them any fuchyV-
^rifdltTion Qt ituthority at all.
But, for once, we will grant yon, — That thefe
FASTOt.s and Gov^Rkors have auihority from
'GOD to wake NEW ceremonies and rites ^ and t9
'ordain tTj Chk it r's Church new Terms §f Cam^
tnunion^ Tell mc, then, is this Powfia veftcd
» Jolely and only m the Bishops ; or, muft their
i , f)eam and Chapters ad in concert with them ?
s^, ii^z every Bijhof^ within his diocefe, this ponuer
,--Cr©m GOD to isjoin new 'ceremonies and rites;
t)r,'may hrs Archbijhop conttoul him ? This latter,
I fuppofe, not : For ArchhiJJjops, you own, not to
ht of apcjiolicy but of modern inftiration ; whereas
^ijheps^ it feould fcfm, are the iimeal f^cceffors
Tand reprtfentJitives of the Apoftles ; in whom there-
-fore the apojlolic power of governing the Churches
Tcfts. This then, which is o{ divine y ought not to
fee controuled by that^ which is but of /^fr and hu-
man inRitution.— The Bijljop, then, of erery dio-
«cefe, as its Pa^or^nd Governor, has authority from
XifOD to decree m Vis Church what ceremonies
^nd rites foever, and to make what tern^ of com-*
^rminion he thinks edifying and fit. Nor has any
tieighbouring Bi&op, no, ncnr any power Opon
earth)
f I Dcf. page 1^,
H
C M4-3
tatth, authority teycontroul him. Tor fts the AfB^
iTLEt were all &gual^ fo mud their fucceffots,
the Ba^sHOPSy alfo be : And as the former were
not accountabte to any fenipofal Prince for their ju*
rifdidlion in the Church ofCKnUx, the fame Ex-
emption alfo may their defcendalits and repreii^-
tatiyes claim. How excellent a fchcme of gorem-
ment and holy difciplme this ! With what beauty
and uniformity, unity and peace is it calculated' to
tlefs the Church 1 as wc fliall prefently fee.
But,
ThiholV. Acknowledging this high ptm)er
to te really vefted in the Church's Bijhops^ as Gx)-
vernors and Pastohs of it. I again afk. How
FAR docs it extend ? Is it limited or unlifnited ?
May they injoin whatever rites TMfey think de-
cent and ornamental } and decree ^whatever cere-
monies or new terms of CommunioB thev judge
conduciYe to the edification of the Church i As
they hav8 now, in the Church of England^ decreed
wc will fay, four only, to give additional beauty
and fplendor to its public worfhip ; may they not,
if they think it conduciye farther to this worthy
end, dtctce foury or cvcik forty, more ? Yes, and
make that forty, four hundred, if they happen to
think them ufeful, and to promote decency and or^
der in the worfliip of their refpedlive flocks. — — -
But do you not plainly fee. Sir, how dangerous at
power this ! A pd^er which, in all ages, hath
proved the lahe of the Chriftian Church ! A flood-
gate which hath let in am horrible and filthy deluge
of animofities, corruptions, and fuperftitions upon
it ! Hence fprung that enormous mafs of profane
and foolifh rites, which, to the fcandal of the
Chrijlian name, now grievoufly opprefs both the
Creek aad the Romijl^ Churches, One good Biihop,
or
{
•r perhaps junto of Bidiops, taking it Into his
head that there ought to be a trine im7ner/ion in
baptifm ; another the ftgnation of the crofs ; an-
other an un6lion fnj'tthoii ; iiXiothcv 7?/i Ik and honey ,
and impojition of hands immediately after it ; an-
other infufflation or breathing upon the perfon's face
to exorcife the Devil ; 'dnolhcrn^vafping cf hands be-
fore prayers -thus praying towards the EaJ} ;
Jponfors in Baptifm ; kneeling at the Lord's-fupper ;
fir ft the veneration, then the adoration of relics ;
images ere<fled, firft only as ^pjernoria/sythQUce quick-
ly Aiding into objefis of religious worlhip. Thus,
I fay, that inundation of abominable corruptions,
vrhich at prefent overwhelms both the Greek and
Jiomifl? Churches, gradually came in at this very
hreach which you are no\y zealoufly maintaining,
namely, the Bifoop^s Power to decree rites and ce-
reynonies in the Church,
'Tis a moft dangerous and important I^ower ;
not fit to be trufted, aad therefore, we m^y be
affured, never was trufted with ^ny fallible uni/i-,
fpired vc\tu, Jesus CiiRisT,furely the Supreme
Bif^op and ONLY Head of his Church, v;eJl knew
what injliiutions were moft for its edification ;
and v/h^t cere?nonies and rites v/otild beft promote
the order and decency of its woriliip j and either
' by himfelf, or by his infpired Apofties, has left a
\f^rfec7 plan of both. For any weak and unin-
1 fpired men therefore to rife up in after ages, and
I fancy they can improve the- fcheme of worfhip
I V'hich Christ hath left; that they can add great-
ly to its beauty^ its fplendor and perfefiim by
fome ceremonies of their own, is, to be fure, a
rude invafion of Christ's throne, which every
fober Chriftian ou^ht highly to deteft.
O But
m
t M« 3
IBnt wi til great acutenefs you obfenre, *« That
♦« though thofe Chvrch -Governors have
■** power to decree ^eremanies and rifes, yet not
^^ fopper its 2l^^^ flip erj^Uions.^'' This is extremely
pleal'ant ! But when 1 afk yon; by what criterion
to diUInguiik rites hovn fopperies, and cer^monits
ivom fuperji itions y yoti will vtoty and no wonder,
fatisfy my €uric^iy^ For I defy all the common
fenfc and ingenuity of the nsttion .{to borrow one
of your own eKpreHions) to fnew the confecrationof
^arth to cov^fT the body when dead to be an edify-
ing and decent rite ^ but the conferral ion ofivater
to iprin^le it 'when Jiving to be a ridiculous and
foolifti foppery, I defy any man tipon earth to fay,
\jh.j fp>itile undy^// in baptifm are not as inftruc-
tive ceremonies as the Jign of the crofs ? And>
^hy a biihop ha^ not as tnuth powef , according
•^.o ancient c«ftom, lo^xcreife the Z^^v/V before bap*
tifm, as to lay en hands after it ( asyou fay he doe*
in ^onfrmatiGn) to impart the graces of the Holj
-Chqfl.
SuT-ERSTiTiON, Sir, 1^ evet reftlefs, infatia*
l)!e, incroaching. Every good Bifhop will beam*
tilioms of adding foine rite or ceremony of his owa
to beautify divine worfliip and render it more bril-
liant. Thus, when your holy Bifliop Laud was
Governor of this Church, you had lighted candles
azpon its altars .; copes ofrnafs Prieits with cruci-
fixes and images of the Trinity upon them ; confe*
crated knives to crit the facr Amenta! bread ; in-
*cen,ie pots ; cariifters for xvafers lined with caiubric
lace,— — with a deal of other furniture "j^S. fofemn*
iy CONSECRATE 13 for the fervice 6f j^i??.ighfy
<jod, and for the comfort, in(lru6tion, and edi-
fication of his Church; to exalt and enliven thtr
i^^^uiies of holinefs therein. And had it not be<Jn
for
f 147 1
; for the nolle 2.ni heroic Stand againft this rite--
7nakii2g fpirit, which the Puritans and their fuccef-
fors have all along made, there is little reafon to
j doubc, that the Church of Eiigla-ndy by this titi>e»
had fallen Utile fliort in thefe holy decorations and
additional fplendorsy of the Church of Mofco'uo or erf
1 Rome,
I I have dwelt the longer upon this, becaufe it is,
I undoubtedly the capital 2ii\^ fujidamental point ox%
j vhich the debate betwixt the Church and the Dip
i fenters entirely turns. Prove your Churcli, Sir,
I to have this po^\)sr and authority from God, which
j file exercifes and clairr^, a Power to decree nav
\ rites and cerem^inies in Chrijlian ^crfj/ip^ to make-
nenu ter?ns of Communion, and ta deter m.ine fon-
troverjiej of Faith, and you need give yourfelT
F no farther trouble ; all other things in eontroverfy^.
ifponfors, abfolution, the facramencai teft, and eve*
Tf other thing (hall immediately be given up. Make
good but this one point, and if your Church com-
mands us to fign Ourfelves all ever v^itli a ngnifi-
cant and inftrudive crofs, we vvili reverently do it»
' If it bid:, u^ worfhip towards the EaJ}^ and to
.think the omniprefent Deity to be more ther^
than in the IVeJl ; and to bow at the name of Jc
fus ; we w'rll humbly fubmit ; or, if it requires
us to believe, that an amorous Devil v:a^ farce<^
away from his beloved maid by the fumes of afifhV
•" 2r ; OP that the vileft wretch that lives, if the
>.;iig gives him a poll, has a right to cat at the
h'yrd's' table ; and that when he dies he rejls in
Christ, and is taken /;> God in fnercy ; we will
roundly believe i^t all. There is «(;//^/;?^/your Chunh
can injoin or decree but you fliall find the Diffcn-
s dutifully fubmitting to it, when you have once
i.-arly Ihewn it to have //;// i^o\y hk /ro7n GOD ;
O 2 and
C M8 ]
and have told us plainly, and without ifefcrrejij
ivhat you mean by the Church ; and have di-
ftindly pointed out WHO the perfons 2S^ in whom'
this power refides.
But it is pitiful and low trifling. Sir, and in-
deed confummately ridiculous- — ^to talk of the
** Qhvkqu's jurijfdi^ion and authority 4^v^ X^\t'
** s-ENTERs of the fuhjeflion <we ewe it.
** of the DAMNABLENESS oj ' the JtH of fefiffing
** obedience to \y .'* When you have not,
durft not, cannot openly and plainly tell us who
and WHAT it is you mean by the Church f Or
"vvHo the perfons are to whom God hath com-
Giitted tliis high and important truft ? — -.—Is it the
King and Parliament ; or, is rt not ?— i — -Is it the
Clergy met in Convocation ; or, is it not ?- Is
it each Bifhop in his refpe^flive diocefe ; by hlmfelf
alone, or, in conjunclion with his Clergy • or, is
it not ? -Is it the whole body of Chriftian peo-
ple the congregation of the faithful ; or, is it not ?
Open yourieli freely. Sir, and don't he afraid of
Truth. Truth will never hurt you 5 it is a
mod innocent and lovely thing ; it may rob you of
fome emoluments ^tnd pojfeffions o{ 2L\voT\d\j nature ;
but be affured it will give you something mor^
fubftantial in their Read. Be ingenuous then, and
tell DifTenters — in <ivh<^m God hath lodged this
Power to which they o'we fuhjeclion, and by-re-
volting from which they are guilty of a dangerous
and damnable fin. Ifyou write again, but will not
expl.tin yourfelf difinfily^ou this point, you yield
the caufe to us before the world. You make it
evident that you write neither for our, hot your
i^wn conviction ; but that you have fomethitig elic
in view ht^xdts finding out Truth. That fome"
//5;>^, perhaps, you uxj^y find ; but it will continue
with
C M9 ]
irJth you but. prr a moment ; wliercas, x^^rixx find
and do the V^iLh of GOD, it will give you a-
pofliffion that will endure for ever.
S E C T, 11.
Of the SACRAMENTHL ThST.
THAT the law called Th Test, is not, afe-
you iuggetl, x\\q innocent occafion cnhy but
file pJain, the notorious, the <r-/^/^^^/V ^i.n(/2' of thofe
xjroilitutions of the Holy Sacrament, '-i^^hich^
jjfc>u fay, youjee njoith Concern ; what room can
there be for any rational doubt ? For does not the
yery defign and in teat of that la^.v, at lead as 'tis
now applied, prollitute and pervert the Sacrament
to an ufe not only different from, but diredly re-
•pMgnant to, that for which it was inftituted and
defigned by Jesus Ci^R?^T \ The Ch'riflian ia<w
iftjoins it as a mean, and with inient, to unite and
fjbalefce Chriftians. T\\Q Teji-lgiv injoins it as a
mean, and with intent, to difcrimiuate and divide
them. For the Minijlers of Jesus Christ then
to be advocates for a law which proilitutes and per-
verts an holy Sacrament of his religion ; yea,
a law which makes themselves the very />-
firume?its and tools of this Ib^meful proftitutipn ; is
Aich a violation of their charafler, fuch a profti^ji-
tion of their facred oEice, fuch a beira/iup; the fo-
Uthh truji committed to them by God, for which
they nauftgivean account to the CLief Pajiorva his
coming, as cannot but greatly (hock an atteniire
beholder; and as fhould give, methinks, extremely
paiaful apprgheniioiis to thcmfclvcs,
O 3. <« Thcfc
I ^50 ]
" Tliefe pr-ojiltuiions:, you affure us, ^&tt do Je$
** m^hh CoscKRN ; but yet cannot be for tht
*' Repeal, because you think it inconfijlent wltft
** the prefervation of the Church*"/* What
Church alas I muft that be, which cannot he prC'^
ferved but by an* acknowledged proliituLion an<i
perverfioa of an holy Sacrament ! Sure, not the>
Church of Christ. Let not Chriftians d^ cvil^
that go$d may come ; fueh carnal and corrupt po-
licy ever defeats, kfdf j and its condemnation ih
You corpe£^ me for faying, — That by the forces
©f this law multitudes of Reedy perfons are covipel*
led to- come to the Lord' S'taoUy and cry, — " GOD/
?* forbid ! thc-tt the temptations even of poverty
" and want ihouid be elteenned to ha^^ the nature:
** of force and compulfion, for in that cafe;
*' they would luive ^/^ ^^///^ at all upon their conr
** fciences/* So then ; you- can bring off, I find;^
the young adult encr ii^oin any guilt with his hnvdi
nuo 711 an, Prov, v ii . 21-. bqc a u ^e «7t»/7 h t h-e fia t levy 0^ ' '
her lips /he FOReE© l>im. Id thought I had wjitTen^''7^
to 2. Bachelor o^"^ Dii^^inttyy to a gentleman wh(>>'
was no liranger to Scripture language^ and wha.
Vnew what is meant when the Kifig- commands hit.
fervants to compei;^ the guefis to come /';?, Luk. xiv;
iti For the like ufe of the word compel^ you may-
pleafe to confult Ga!at\ \i, 14. vi^ 12. See alfa.
Luk, xiv. i8-, 20. in the originaK
That the Priejl has no power to refufe the^
Jcrd's-fupper to the vilejl perfen that demands it
31^^ H qualification for a pod, yovi care not to admit-,
and ^iV, '♦ Is there any laiv w^hich forbids the
♦♦ Cuiate to repel him from the LerJ's- tabled ?"'
Yes^
"^II DcP. pa^< 8. \ Rem. iii. t» % IJ Def, p. ^^
Yes, hy equitable conRrudlion of the law called
the T^ ; moft certamly there is : For the /am^
laix) which requires, under levere penalties ; all per-
fons in pofts to receive the Lord's fupper according
to the ufage of the Church of Rnglandy does, by
indifputable confequence, require fome one to ghe
it. If it muji be received by them, it rnuj} furely
be given to them. To fuppofe the Legijlature to
have obliged them, under heavy pains, to partake
of the holy Sacrament ; but to have obliged non&^
upon their demand, to adminifter it to them, is to
fuppofe it adling a mod abfurd and unjujiijiabh
part ; which is not to be imagined. Who then is
the perfon to whom, according to law, a man that
wants \.h:^ facrai?iental qualification is to apply for
thatfervice I Undoubtedly h\s parijh Prieji\ who
is appointed and paid by law for the performance
of the feveral offices which the Stale requires of
him ; of which this is plainly one. Whatever
power therefore the rubric gave the Curate to re^
pel op^en Evil Livers fro7n the table of the L o R d.,
before the T eft aft took p'ace, in cafes of qualiji'
tatioHy it is now unqueltionably fiiperfeded., and
the rubri:k virtually repealed. For when a new
iaw injoins what is repugnant to an old, that
el J law is to be confidered as fo farfet afide. And
as for the *' Damages to nvhich the P riejl is liable to
** be condemned for refuftng the Sacrament^'" thefe
the law, 'tis prefumed, will give accordini?^ to the
/»//, which the perfon can make appear he hath
fuftained by that refufal ; which in many caies may
be great ; more than the Prieft is worth.
** The Outh of JLjuraticjt you elleem quite a
'- parallel to the Sacramental Teft ; and urge, that
** if one fh-oulJ be repealed becaufe it lays mta
" ttiider violeat tenapiations to proliitute their
«♦ coa-
<* coofcieticcs ; fo aJib ougkt th« other «^v*^ Ifej.
the cafes, if duly weighed, will be found to differ
widely. An Oath of fidelity to xho, governtnent
that employs in us pofts of influence aud power \^
^ fecurity dv pledge evidently founded in the reafon*
of things ; it has been the practice inamemorial of'
all civilized nations : Its necefljty, or great cxpe*
dience* manifeftly arifes from the nature of civiti
government ; it is therefore, reafonably prefume^l:
to, be the ^ill 2iXi^ Infittitti$n of GOD the author
of civil government ; and was inftituted for pup-
pofes of a/'<?////c<7/ or c/i//7kfnd. Here is no prof*
titiition then, no perverjion\oi this /acred RitE|
when the oatS is tendered to a man at his entrance
upon a pofl: of truft ; and if a n^Qdy Jacfibiie take^.
it, to the pollution of his confciebce,, hifufelf only;
can be blamed : The la'w that ordered it is clenr*.
But, can any of this be faid concerning the sa-^-
CRAMENTAL Tejl ? Hath THI5 been an in--
ilrument for the fupport ot civil government in th^.-
greateft, mofl: flourilhing and wi fe ft empires of th«:
earth : Hath Gon, the author of civil govern?
rnent, given the lead intimation of his intending:
it fuch a guard ? Had Chr.xst, the injiitutor o£
this rite, tJie \t^^ intention or defign that it (hould;
be thus ufed and applied ; be made an engine andt
tool of Stat^ ; an iaftrument to difcrimina4e be-
twixt Chriillan and Chriftian ; to Xxit.fojne to pofts^
^f power in the kingdoms of this world ; and to*
Jay upon others (men equally virtuoas) brands of:
odium and difgrace ? Had he not unqueftibnably ^■■.
quite CO NT R A. I y deiign ? You; know. Sir, thai.
he hid. Does he look then with pleafure down,,
think you, upon the Kingdom and Church, where-
he fees his na?7ie and his injlitutions thus openly vio^
*^^Def. page 6,
C 153 ]
latcd, perverted, profaned ; his Prhjfs Jikmg to
have it fo \ approving, efpoufing, defending tl;^
Abuse I I own, I cannot think it : and Ihould
any man c:xprcfs a fear, that this is not the leaftof
thofe national Sins which expofe us to divint
difpleafure ; that it is a public violation of that
Righteousness and Piety which alone can
t^ialt a people : a blemifh, a difeafe which preys
upon the body politic ; and, if it does not threaten
its diffolution, yet greatly impairs its ftrength.—
I confefs, I could not prove his fears to be fuper^^
Jlitious or iveak. For if the Church of Corinth
was feverely chajlened for not making a due diftinc-
tlon betwixt the Sacrament and their ccnimon jnealsy
and not eating it AS the Lord'/ Supper \ I fee not
but the Church of England may have fomc*
thing alfo x.o fearyiox thofe perverfions and /r <?/?/-
tutiens which, you o^w^ you fee with Concern;
for its ufing this Sacrament not only not according
to, but direftly againjt its primitive inftitution ;
to a purpofey and for an end^ which quite oppofei
and fubverts one principal defign for which otir
divine Majler appointed this sacred Rite.
High offices and court employments, 1 have ac-
knowledged, might be apt to corrupt DijJ'enters ;
as every one knows them to have this influence
upon the human mind ; though as a Briton, there*
fore, and a Chrijiian, I wifli earneflly the Re-
FEAL, yet as a Dijf enter I profefs no folicitude
about it. ** But I ought not then, you fay, fo
•' Jlrenuoujly to plead for their being admitted to
*' fuch employments, but to be very folicitous a^
" gainj} it.*' Review, Sir, in lefs hade, and you
will find, I amfo far from pleading Jirenuoujly for
their admiflion to fuch employments, that I have
aot fo much as pleaded for it M alU AU I plead
1
t >54 3
for IS, the removal of the incapacity under whiclk
they unjiifily lie ; the breaking a difgraceful yoke
^hich the Teji hath put upon their necks ; and the
reftoring them to their native freedom, and ho*
nour, and right. That the State may have :liber->
ty, if it thinks it needs their faithful fervices^ to
avail itfelf of them ; and that it be left to their //*•
herty^ their virtue^ \ht\v choice^ either to actept or
refufe pods of truft under the government ;' and
that they may not ftand branded and ftigmatized
before the world as perfons incapable and unworthy
©f fuch trulls*
SECT.
* In the late excellentCoMMENT or\WarhurtQh"s A\]i2^nct^,
£ff. the paflage of my feco, id Letter, to which this refers, it
not only miftaken, but not faithfully and exa6liy quoted,.
In the it^/^^ritftands thus, pages 74, 75'—** ^Though 1 think
** THIS Law a moji unrighttous reflrutnt upon us, and an
** undoubted <vtclation cj our natural rights j yet t am Jar
*^ from being ferjitaaed that its Ret e At, ivould he ej th^
^* leafi fer^ce to cur inter e(\ as Dissenters. Idouht^
♦* and ha<ve often thought ^ there is too much truth in ^A^hat
•* j;(?«y^',that high trulls & court-employments would be
*^ extremely apt to corrupt us ; and that it ^would reaily
•* rather injure than fir engthen our inter efi^ I ha^ve neuer^
•* thercJorc,as a'Dl%%Z}sTEYLy been at all fcUcitoms for thi.
<« Kepeal.'*;
hlote. This is exprcfled only as » dtuht, or fufpidon 5
but the author of that Comment hath made it fay
in pofitive and {hong terms ( page 123.) ** That a
*^ repeal ofthsT est andC OR.PORAT1ON A8s ^zvould
••' RFALLY be injurious to the inter efi of Prof efi ant ~
*' Dijj'enters \ or, that I am perfuaded it nx)cnldra^
** ther injure than fir engthen our inter efi,^"* Which is
giving the palTage a very di fterent turn.
And when that gendcman a/ks," ■ " Is there an ahfo^
*' lute incapacity of beirrgviVtuous in high (lations ?" I an-
fiver. No : But if there be a great danger of being fi/icwj- j
this will juftify furclyan indifference ; anGn-jolicitude about
them } and will excufe, at leaft, a doubt, ^jear, as to the
fvent. And when he further aiks,«r~ *' Would any man
thiAk
t 15? 3
SEC T. III.
??/ our CoNSTiTUTfON in Church and SfaU^
YOU feem a little difpleafcd at my doubting
" Whether the Church were an eirential and
•' an half part of our Constitution f* aad
♦* whether Church and State here in England are
^* fo incorporated ^liil united ^s that, like the mar-
"*• ried pairy they muft iianJ or fail together > aad
** aliedge, that in ail the converlation as well as
•* in the writings of Diffentcrs and others, v<re read
♦* and hear continually of the ecclefiajiical as di-
"** lUnguiihed from the i;/V/7ir«/^//'?/7«//(?« ; Yea, evea
^* from the throne and both houfes of Parliament
<< we
** think his condu6l juftiiiable, (honkl he refuse a large
^* eitate merely becaui'e oFthe greater danger ot his bein^
^ corrupted by it ?" I ^^i/z/^t^r, i . Thefe have been in-
'ftanccs of inch n?/«/^/ recorded, and, perhaps, ju illy, as in-
ftance^ of heroic Virtue. But 2. To refuse 7/ 'vjhett
-^i/er&iif is a thing extremely diiFerent from being SOLICI*
Tous ro obtainit, Pubiick offices andtrufts, when offered
■by ihofe in power, ought not to hcrefufeJ by fuch as think
>them{e)vcs capable of righLiy difchargingthem ; beeaufethis
•would be to reje6l an opportunity of publick fer^vice. to
5^hich their country calls them. But this may be done
A^ithout a folicitude to procure them.
The paiiage on wlrich this ingenious author has ftepped
Wide to remark, {'peaks but the very fame lentiment wiiich
>hinr.elf has elfevvhere, ^jerhaps mo/e ftrongly cxprefled,
■Comment (^c, page 138. «* An Indefferency to the honour*?,
** riches and pleafurts of this world, a tontempt of and vic-
** tory over them, is the independency ikwd fupremacy \n\\\c\x
^ the true Religion and Church c:Ky\ boaft > the refignation
*•' (orljls) of which m id be innnitely dangerous to her,
'* her j)oiron, her denth wound."— -Again, page 131.
•* ThoMgh it may be thonrrhtl am pleading for the intro-
** dua 01 of Proteflant Dijcnters into places of profit and
** truft — '< I am fully pcrfuaded that their ha/inr fuch
places wnu] ! not m^ke them more rcHgious mrii, n^i*
from Jiwmhcrs of them folmployed would their focieties
•* appear v»ith greater reputatioa as religious focicties.'*— *
*' we often hear of our conftitution ixk Church and
" State*." But diveft yourfelf, for a moment
oi *u)$rld!y attachments^ which infenfibly warp the
mind, and you will fee it, I believe, to be a very
rational doubt. For our ecchjiaftical, howevof
•commonly diftinguifhed by founds, I have fuiJy
proved in my 7fr/7 L<?//fr (page 19— ^29, tcwhich^
you have not prefumed to make the leaft^eply) as
adfoin the beginning of this Letter, to be really (no
other than a civil conllitution ; ^.fyfiem ot framt'
contrived, difpofed and enaded by the Civil
Magistrate ; as much as the conftitution of
the Treafiiry, of the y^r;;/;', or of the 6*c«r// of
WeJiminJier-halL Thefe all, Sir, have their con^
Jiitutionsy (that is, their feveral parts of the public
bufmefs affigned them to difpatch, and their feve-
ral officers and forms and methods of proceeding
in them) as really, as truly, and as much as the.
Church, The Army is th.Q corijfitutio^ and order«
of the a"t;/7 Magiftrate relating to the direction of
the military force. The Treasury is the ^»»
Jiitution and order of the fame magiftrate relating
to the colledlion and difpofal of the public monies.
The Courts of JVeJimitiJler-hall 'jltq l\\t conjiitu*
tion of the fame magiftrate f€>r the difpenfing pub-
lic juftice. And the Church is the conjiiiution
and order of the fame magiftrate relating to the
manner in which the publick worfhip is to be per- •
formed. The officers in each are all entirely
viade^ injirufledy controuled by the power of the
CIVIL Magistrate : 'Tis by his authority a«.
lone they are all qualified and impowered to ad: in
their refpeftive ftations ; and it is in that rnanner^
and by thofe Rules only whieh h 1 s <vjifdo?u hath pre-
fcribcd,
• Letter I. page ii, II. Dd, page 9, lo.
C 157 ]
fcribcd, that in all their refpedlvc oflices they
verally proceed.
What you call then the ecclefiafllcal is iieally^
you fee, no other than a branch of the civil con -
ftitution ; and what you call the Church is in truth
no more an ejfential, much lefs an ^^//*part of our
Constitution, than the Tr^afttry, the Army,
or-cither of the (7ip«r// CiiWeJimu2j}er halL Should,
now, the wifdom of the Legijlature x\\iVik proper
to new-form any of thefe conjlitutions ; for in-
fiance, the method of difpenfing Juftice in any of
©ur Ld^ Courts (which Csurts^ by the way, are
all of much longer ftanding than the conftrtution
of our prefcnt Church) by which a faring would a-
rifc of vaft fums to the publick, and Jujlice be dif-
penfed in a more rational and eajy way : Would
you not fmile to hear fome zealous gentlemen of
the robe (land forth and infill, , — That thefe
Courts ^ere an ejfcntial and an half part ef the
Constitution ; and that therefore ivhoever
moved for, or fo much as ixnfoed, an Altera-
tion in either of them, could not he fafely trufled
ninth any fh are of the public ponver\ and ivas really
in truth an enemy to the Stkt^^ — ? The learn-
ed gentlemen of that robe, Sir, no doubt, alike
fmile to hear you thus reafouing as to the
Church*. f By
* That the accotint here giveh of the nature and" confittU'
thn of the Church of England is quite agreeable to the fen-
timents of o\iv JirJ} P.eformers, the Founders arid Framers
of it, appears from the determination of a i't)^^ aftembly of
them, convened d.t Windjfor hy K. EdzvardVl. by whom
(as may be concluded from Archbi/hop Crantfter\ ma-
rufcript) it was declared,
** That all Chriltian Princes have committed to them
•* immediately from God the ai;/^:;/^ cure of ^ their fiibje^ls ;
<« fts well doncernmy the adminilhation of God's word for
** the cure offoids^ as concrriiing the mini(lratIon of thlngi
^^ political and cm/ governance. In both thelb mini lira-
tions
V -V' y>^.
1
By ^* the Constitution in Church ani
" State^ then, of which we often hear even in
«« fpeeches and addreffes fpom, and to the throne,"
can be meatiC nothing' t\^^ than, — /^^/ Order
or Form of government rcfpefting all perfons and
things nvhich is ejiahiijl?ed by the laivs and cufloms of
this realm. A Constitution, by which the
Xing or Queen, as /up r erne Head of the Church,
is the fountain oi ail power and jurifdidion there-
in ; authorized to inftru61:, over-rule and controul
all the Archhifl?opSi Bijhops, and Priefts in this
kingdom, in ail their moft spiritual and
ECCLESIASTICAL conccrns A Consti-
tution, by which a Lady, when inch fills the
throne, is inspowered to cotnpofe public prayers for
the Church ; to flop all preaching therein ; to fill
vacant bifhoprics with what perfons {he pleafes^ or
not to fill them at all * y to dired: all Ecclefiafiics
what
*' tbey mull havefnndry MIniflrers under them, to fvipply
** that which is appointed to their feverai offices.
-" The a'-t^i/ Minilters under the King's Majefty in this
*' realm be thofe whom it Ihall pleafe his Highneis for the
** tiitie, to put in authority under him ; as for example,
** the Lord Chancellor, 1^oy<\ Treajhrery Lord Admiral, &c*
«« The Minifters oFGod'j fivcn/ urder his Majefty be
*' the BijhopSy' Parfons, ^^icarsy.^vA fiich other Fritjl: ?s be
** appointed by his Hiohnels to that minilb-ation j a<; for
** example the Biihop ot Ca?7t£rburyy the Bifhop oi flinch eji^
*' er, phe Parfon of Coyn-ivick, &c,
<* All the faid ofiicers arid rninifters, as well of the one
** fort as of the other, be Appointed, affie^ned and ele^led in
«* everyplace by the lawsand orders of Kinprs andPrinces "'*
[Vide a;z Extract from 4rchbiJhop CranmerV M. S, StilU
tug. Iren, Part II. Ch. viii. page 391.
* Any of the Bi/hnj))rics may be kept a^ a cant hy the
Princes o^ England, as thofe of Ely and Oxford were by <^
Elizabeth ; the latter h.id no Bifliop for 22 years. The
Parliament diHolved the rich B\^o\)\\co{ Durham in King
Mdivard VTs reign, ai'\d gave the prolits to the Crown.
An4
C 159 ]
what \}i<ij Jf?all, ov J]?a!i ^^c*/ preach ; and even in
the mofb ahjlrufe and inetaphyfical points to be the
fnal Judge of Heresie ; whofe judgment muil
ft and, as to what fhalL or fhall not, be deemed
Heresie in this Church ; even though it hijppen
\o contradifi that of all her learned Clergy iu
convocation convened.
Thus that renowned Lady Queen Elizabeth ^
in the fulnefs of her ecclejiajfical power, her-
self compofed a prayer ^ Archdeacon Echard*
informs us, for the ufe of a great number of her
nobility 'a.ndge/2try, as well as her foldiers and fai-
Jors, in the expedition againft Cadiz,, dircvTiing if
to be li/cd daily in every JJ?ip, And by viriue of
'\\QV fiipremacy (he might, I prcfume, if ihe had plea-
fed (and that any future Queen may ) compofe
prayers for the ufe of the Archbijhops, Bijhops. and
ail the Clergy of the land ; and injoin their folemn
ufe every Su?iday in the Church ; and that the ufe
of fuch devout FEMININE compofitioas, no Bijlyop
nor Priejl can agreeably to our Constitution,
in any wife refufe.
The fame royal Lady, by virtue of her pro-
clamation only, put an entire Hop to all preaching
of Minifters and others throughout the kingdom ;
and the people were charged to hear, no other
preachi?ig or dofiriney hut the Epijile and Co/pel of
the day, and the ten ConDnandifients, nvithout any
e:\pofitionorparaphrafe thereon. And (bould any
future Queen think proper to do the fame, I
humbly apprehend, all her Bilhops and Clergy are,
P 2 by
And it had remnined di/Tolvcd to this day, probably, had
not Popiili Q^ Mary reitoreJ it.
♦ Hiit. of England, p^ige 367. Col. i.
I
I i6o ]
by our Constitution in Church and Si ate ^ €b-
liged to obey.
By th^ fame conftituthn King Charles I. put
forth a proclamation (if a woman had worn the
crown, y7;<f allb might have done it ; as 2,w^ future
QjJEEN may) commanding the Clergy not ta
preach or difpute about Arfnintanifiru The learn-
ed Bifhop Daveriporty prefuming to preach upon
the dodlrine of Predejiinaiiony /w^.^ forced to ap-
pear upon his knees before ih& Council ; and being
feverely reprimanded, hardly fo efeaped : Though
he alledged he had preached nothing but the
XVIIih artkh of the Church of Eng'^nd. The
King, not only in his fnperior^ but supreme
ecclefialtic, wifdom told him, The do^rine
<* of Prededination nvas too big for the peoples un*
** derji an dings ;. and that HE was resolved
** not to permit that Qontroverfj to be difcujjed i^
*' the pu/pit*/'
What authority our conjlitutien gives QUEENS
to judge in poiiits ofHEsiKsiE (the mod ^c'<?/ and
viyferious points) and to controul the proceedings
of the moft venerable and holy Synod, which the
Clergy of this kingdom can poffibly compofe, has
been obferved in the cafe of Whijlon^ whom Queen
Akne, by her y^/<? authority, fkreened from the
heavy cenfure of her learned Convocation. Her,
fingle judgment, in the balance of our apoftolic
and excellently conftituted Church, being of far
greater ^weight than that of the united Bifhops
and
* r/J^ Fuller's Church Hift. Book TX. page 15*.
The fame blelfed Martyr ^ by his royal mandate only^
without any trial, fcqueftared and fufpendcd from the exe^
cution cf his office good Archbifliop Abbots for refufing hit
licer.cc and approbation to a moA viie and fcandahms.4«r*
mon QiSibthorp.
t i<5i 3
ancl Clergy of the whole land. This you are
pleafed, weakly enough, to call viifreprefenta-
tUn ; but might have feen the truth of it attefted
by two of your own learned and reverend Hifto-
rians Burnet and Tindal, m their accounts cf the
year 1 7 1 1 .
i^gain, by our prefent conftitution the Kiog a-
Jone, or at leafl by cement of Parliament, hath
pndoubted Power to divide the t^venty fix Bi-
ilioprics, into which this kingdom is at prefent
cantoned, into as many hundred ; and thus to ren-
der them more like the Biihoprics of the firji
figes \ when every ChrlSian Bifhop took the over^
fight of no more than he could perfonally know,
and than could communicate at one TabU ; a
Pov/RR to new-frame the whole order of public
iivorfbip ; to- abolifh its prefent articles, ceremo-
pies and forms ; and to fubiKtute none at all, or
ignite new ones, in their ftead. A Power to dif-
pofe of that part of the publick treafure by which
the Cliirgy are maintained in a more equitahle and
fujlernrdnntv ; and to reduce the fhameful exorbi-
tance', by which fjine members of that great, and in
itfelf venerable and ufcful body, wanton in vail
afHuence, indolence and florh, (which may be
what you call Jnugnefs^ whilft others more virtu-
ous, laborious and learned wear away their lives
in obfcurity and want. — ^This, Sir, without quef-
tion, is our prefent CoNSTiTutiON in Church and
^tais.
E E C T^
[ 162 ]
SECT. IV.
Of Sponsors in Bap^tifn-^
YOUR defence of Sponfors in Bapiif?^! cbmi
next to be confidered. Here you ajfHrm.
*' That I rcprefent the ufe of fponfors as a'vei
** myjiertous |X)int, as an uvaccountahley inexplia
** hie ahfiird and urJa-ivful thing*." An aflei
lion hurried from you by the ardor of zeal, bi
quite without truth. The ufe of fponfors y in
c-x^t^ of parents incapacity y I entirely approvq; an*
e^prefsly told you, That in fuch c^fes the Dije^^ yr
£i!l tiff thefn f . You could not, without eltremy
tjiat tent ion y but fee, that it was ** The sett in
** ASIDE the pcire?2tf ; the forbidding the^
** to fund frfh and engage fole7nJiiy for the rcligiotii
*' education of the child ; and the receiving the .chili
*-' to B apt If in upon account of its owi^ Faith ani
** its owM Promise exprejfed by its Sure^
<* ties,'* thcit 1 thus reprefent. And though
Jrave the pleafure now to find you tacitly givrn|
lip, though not honourably retracing, that prcci*
pitant exnreOion, «' T^i^t godfathers are not ai
- r//^A/only, but even a NECESSARY ' infH^
«' tutioH, " yet^ fe^rcely, without pain, can one fe^
y )U grievpnfly embarraffcd in accounting for-tl
'^^nfcuers made at x\i(t font, Thefe, you ftill infill,
jire not the Sureties ^ but the Child's anfwers.
Tut your attempts to explain, how a child who^
cannot believe, does yet profefs faith 1 How
the infant who in 710 fenfc can promife or en-,
* II D^. p-^^:^ 2f,^ t Lett, II. page 41.
gage ; does yet really and in good fen fe vow ancl
«ngagc ! How the babe, who has no thought,
no purpofcs, nor defires, may yet exprefs thcle by
the mouth of its Sureties ; and thefe expreffions of
what it hath not^ and cannot poffibly kave, are ac-
cepted by the Church as a proper token that it
hath them, and as a folid ground of Baptifm !
This is ftill to me, and I believe to all the world,
as inexplicable, myfterlous, tranfcendent a /ing
as before you undertook to unvail and cxplaia
It.
Nay, the vtyjlery grows upon you, by attempt-
ing to unfold it : For you declare, ** That the
'* ground and foundation of infants being received
" to Baptifm, im your Church, is the promifc of
*' God to believers and their feed"* ,'^ Mind then,
'tis the faith of the Parent that intltles the
child to Baptifm ; but if the ^r<?tt«^of its being re-
ceived to this Chriftiaa Sacrament be the faith of
its Parent only, why do you receive it as if
upon account of its ow'a faith P Why interro-
gate the poor Babe ? Dofl thou believe ?
IVilt THOU he baptized ? Again, if the
Pake'sts's faith be that which intitles the child
to Baptifm ; why is not the Parent the perfon
who ftands forth to profefs faith as a qualification
^or the Baptifm of the child ? Why is the Child
called upon vicar iou/ly to declare, that itfelf be-
lieves, that itfelf defires Baptifm, 6r. when all
the world fees that it neither knoivsy nor does,
nor can ih any fcnfe at all do cither of thefe
things ?
Yon endeavour to explain the matter *' by an
5* infant in the Lord of the Manor's Court, who
«' by
II Defence page (^>
&
^- : ' , y - ■ '--y- '-^<MSi
*« by his attorney is admitted to his copy- hold^
1* and covenants to do homage for the fame ; or^
« by an Infant Kin g^ who hath fome one of the
•« nobility who in his name and for his benefit is^
** appointed to take the coronation oath ; and
•• thereby oblige him to obferve the laws and pro-
.<< tedt his fubjed:s*. But thefe inftances avail yoa
nothing. For,
I, The child, when admitted by his attorney la-
the Lord*s Court to his copy-hold, does not cQve^
nant to do homage for the fame. That he does not
covenant^ I prove by a very plain and incontefta-*
ble argument, which is, that he cannot. There
IS no fenfe at ail, no religious or moral fenfe, in-
which the infant call with any truth or propriety
befaid to r(?z/'f«^«/.;/ Noy 'tis the attsmey^ and he
4ilone^ that covenants to perform the homage. And
in the cafe of acinar King, when one of the no-
bility takes the coronation -oath \^ his name op
ftead (if any fuch ceremony be ever performed) he
does not, cannot in any fenfe thereby oblige- the
royal infant to ohferve the la-ivs and proteH the fuh"
je£i : Not whilft an infant ; becaufe, not being a
fnoral agent^ he cannot poffibly be capable of 7nc-
ral obligation : And not when he comes of age ;
^ecaufe \\iq promife or oath of one rational moral
iigent, can never properly oblige another, if that
oxher was not at all confcious of, nor gave his con-
^fcnt to it. The whole nature and extent of the
oWgation In that cafe is unqueftionably this : The
nobleman who takes the oath, as perfonating the
King, and who during the minority is vefted with
\hc regal power, fwears that he himself will,
\% the cxercife of that pov/er, obferre the laws
• II Def. page n^j
and protcft the JFubjefts. The obligation of this
oath, which is made by himfclf onJy, can extend
only to himfclf \ and it Taftsonly fo long as he con*
tinues verted with the regal power. But when the
rsy a I infant comts of age, and aflunies thepowe'
into his own hands ; he muft perfonally take the
oath ; or fome way or o\}cl^x ftgnify his folemn af-
fent to it, in oxdcr to his being laid under any real
obligation by it. And then,
2. Thefc cafes alfo widely differ from that of
the laptized infant ^ beeaufe in both of them-there
are feveral important y^-rr/V^/ and anions to be
done, (which 7nufi be performed by fome oney
vrhilll the minority continues. In iktfirfiy there
^re fuits and fervices in the Lord's Court, and
.quit-rents to pe paid. In the other, there are aflx
of regal power to be continually exerted for the
due government of the people, even whilft the /«-
fancy remains. Thefe, therefore, being indifpen-
fibly necejfary to be done, and the infant being ut-
terly incapable of doing them, hence arifes a nc-
cefliry of fome perfon's undertaking to difcharge
thefe offices for him, and to ad in the infant's
ftead. But, is there any thing like this in the cafe
^i baptized infants ? Is there an y y>ri;/V^ or homage^
^Vij faith or voivs which God expeds from them
Vvhiift their infancy lafis ? You know there is
not. If God then expeMs no fuch fervices from
the infant, why ^lvq /pojifors called forth to pretend
to perform them for him ! And this when the
pretence is in every view ridiculous ; beeaufe in
things of religion 'tis utterly abfurd for one man to
pretend to proniife, to repent^ to believe in the
name of another.
One principal dejgn of the Baptifm of a child,
yott own, «• // $hat y&;/itf Sjscukity be give^ ;
«' fojH^
Br
k
C i66 3
*^ fome folemn Stipulation le made he/ore fhg^,
*' Church for its religious Education/*
JVhg then, I pray, fo proper to give this fecurity^
as the perfon to whom its education is committed \
Whom fliould the Charch bring under the engage*
ment of a iblemn vonjj or covenant for this pur-
pofe ? Strangers^ who, perhaps, never law the
child ; or, who when the ceremony is part, will
never fee it more ! Ot the parents, in whofe fami-
ly it is to grow up, and under whofe eye it is ht
formed !
An explicit Stipulation, in your Baptifm
of an infant, you do not pretend there is any bu,t
•what the child ( poor babe) itself makes*, **bnt.
*' the Sureties by Handing there, ^nd receiving a
** folemn charge concerning the religious educa-
** tion of the child are juftly fiippofed to accept
tf* it*." Eut do you not know, Sir, thiit this is
no ftipulation, neither explicit nor implicit. A
^ftipulation is a mutual promife ; But though the'
Sponfors ftand there, nnd hear the admonition \
no anfwei:, bo word, no token is required of thef»
by which to fignify their folemn purpofe and en*
gagement to obey it. Accordingly, when they
return home, they too generally with great levity
/hake off the charge again, and thronv it over to the
parsnt f . And thus the folemnityof the inftitution
dwindles into a mere trifling, if not ludicrous cere-
ciony ; and your hozHed douHe fecuritji ftill remains
no real feciirity at all.
Dr. Nicholas account of this apparently ahfurd
and myjierious ajETair, to which I referred you, is
to be furc far more defcnfible, though quite con-
trary to yours, viz. *< Baptifatorum fidem religiofe
in
f JI Def. page 36. f Com. to the Temp. pag. 612^*
I 167 >
•* in fe recipicbantj eos fincere omnia in Evange*
^ lio revelata erederc, & fubfequentes vitas adlio-
* ncs juxca Chrifti normam direduros effe *.'*-—
ria/ the Sureties religioujly engaged for the fattJt
/* the baptized <t that they should Jlncerely be*
ieve all that nvas revealed in the Gofpel^ and di^ «
'efl the fuhfequent anions of their lives by thelanv of
^^hriji. Tills you call my tranjlation ; and tax
ac before the world ** for having wrokg
* TRANSLATED it to fervc my purpofe f.**
t will give you, furely, fome confufion and paia
0 be told, that thisis not mine^ but Is the D&Slor^s
>WN tranfatioriy or that of his learned friend who
•ublifhed his Defence, isc. And I appeal to the
lubiic, whether the DoftGr's or Tour's be the pro-
er rendering of the words. Is recipere in fe fde?H
aptifatoruni'i T!? make a folemn declaration and
r$feffion touching the faith of the baptized — — .^
^efides, the DoBor was too wife a perfon to re*
jrefent the Sureties, as you would have hiai, as
nakirjg a folemn declaration that the infa?it Dia
'•ncerely believe all that is revealed in the Gofpel--^ ve
>ecaufe this, he well knew, was what no m^ife or .e-
'oriejl m^ii could poffibly declare concerning any r-
nfant upon earth. He knew it abfurd to affirm, is
--That the infant did believe at all ; much
nore to affirm /^^/ /'/ sincerely believed'; but
nore even yet, that it fincerely believed all that
s revealed in the GofpeL Which ever way you
riew it then, 'tis all myfterious and recondite. :
^nd this bufinefs of the Sureties and their a^nfnvers
It the font y after all your pains to clear it up, is
\\\\ covered with extreamely dark and impenetra-
ble clouds ; which, till fome new light fhall arife,
ird's-^fupper.
Bf
* Nich. Def. Part II. page 273. f II 2>ef. page .
C 168 ]
•ne may venture to prophefy will never Be difpel-
led : It turns the ceremony of your Baptifm into
little elfe than 2. folcmn trifle ; and fumillies K,o un*
belivers matter of cverlafting ridicule and con*
tempt.
SECT. V.
Of COKFIIlMATlOlf
AS to the ceremony o^Confirmathny you arc
ftill fo wife as not to aflert ^lhj fcriptural or
^/^^//V authority for its pradice. But yet a&,—*
«« If both the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of
«* the Spirit were communicated by the Apofties
«« by impojition of hands ^ why may we not expedl
«« that the ordinary ones will be ftill communi-
«« cated by the fame adm^iniftration ? And why
«* fhould we not continue that adminiftration in
«« the Church in hope and expe<5lation of them*?"
^' By thefe ordinary gifts y as you fully expl am your,
ffelf, you mean, what are ufually called, the
, <JracE8 of the Spirit t even the Spirit §f Lovg
'and of a SOUND Mind. For you add, " If this
«« Spirit of Love and of a found Mind was given to
•* Timothy by impofition of hands in his ordina*
" tion ; why may it not be done by the fame cere*
«« mony in Confirmatim ?'' I am forry there is a
Proteftant Divine in this kingdom capable of aflc-
ing fiich a qileftion as this. For, i. This Spirit of
Love andofafound Ui^r>,^Ji^P^^ kai Sclhroni/mn
which you encourage us to expe<5l from the laying
on of the Bijhop's hands, is one of the fublimeft
GiFT^ conferred upon the human race by th<
Gofc
II Dcf. page jf <
r ^^9 J
Goif^tl of Christ. A Gift ^\]iich far excth an
'3/7/7)' to ipeak with tongues, <\ fa'tth that can re-
move mountains, a fonx^er to call out de^^ils, to heal
all manner of dlfeales, or even to raifc the dead.
——The Spirit of Love, ^;/t/ of a sound M-ind,
•far excels them all ; and yet tijisy it feems, we may
now expefl by the laying en of the Bilhop's hands !
Bleifed £/'/y^;^/'c:7r>' 'indeed, if it carries with li fuch
gifts ! But ho^.v foolifK and wild the claim, if nei-
ther yi:r///?/r^ nor reafon Iq^A it the leaA fupport {
Tor,
2. Becaufe this Gift was cor^ferred on Timothy
at his ordination by the laying on of the Apollle's
h.iJidf ; does it follows that th.^ fame Gifts may be
?xpe<5lcd in Cc7ifirniation from the hands of our pre-
-'ent Bijf^ips ? Is there power in their Lordfhips
iingers to convey fc -divine a hlefng to the head on
vrhich they reft ? Yon Ihould know, Sir, that the
learneil prelates cf this Church abhor the prelump-
tuous claim : They pretend to no flich powder.
Why then will you officioiify prefume to claim it
for them ? And why amufc the world, and give
ijifidels room to fcofF, by the nfe of a folemn Y-^r<r-
7nony for the conferring thefe r///?/, \\''nich no vaor-
.al man hath now power to beilow? Tlis age is
critical and difccrning. For the hono-ir of the
Chriftian namcy therefore, and the dl!:j;nity of Chri-
fiian Dif?^pSy all clain.*. not clearly founded on
rcripture or reafon, and all ofRces and rites not c-
vidently fupported by them, fhould attheleaftbc
alently dropt.
The only rite, after Baptifm, which I find ei-
ther inftituted or prafiifed by Chx.ist and his
Apoflesy *' to make a p-abllc rec-gniiion of baptlf-
^* mal engagemiints in the face of a Chririlan con-
** gregatien/' is the celebrating the Lord's fupper,
1 ' Br
I J70 !1
.J?y //;// Chrirdans are openly to profefs themfelvlB
nhe fuhjedts and followers of Jesu^ Christ ; Va
-recognize the baptifmal -^lovenant ; x.o JJoe^w forUi
.that death by which he purchafed tkem-to himfelf ;
-and in the mod puM'C and.folemn mann-er to \x^
uhemfelves un^ler frelh and-moft ikcred^obligations
'to live obedient to his laws. -^ — — Here then ape
• all the ends which can rationally be, propofed in the
lufecf Confirynaiiorit ahimian invention, mere cF-
feiftually and better anfwered in that of the herd's^
yfripper, an nndoubted vififtitution and xommand of
.Jfisas Christ. With the emhlev/s of their Sa-
^%MOur's Body and Blood \vi their hands, the recogni-
-t'ton they JHCRE make of riLeir engagements to an
.holy life' Is vaftly more folemn, the naatives to obe-
••dience more .powerful and ccnftrainir^.g, and th^
. r» re c E R T4 F 1 1 D q/ God' s fa-vo ur s nd. g racio us good*
7iefs to them by a T^okek ineomparably more im-
^?portant than the laying on of the Bijl^op's hands.
■■■ — If ymi aik, ^* What is this to thofe who
«' dar^ not offer thcmfelves to the facrament* ?'''
-J anfwer, fn^h^have ^^uahreafon not to offer them-
.'felvcs to Confirjrmtion ; the {'dtne/aith 2cc\d Jin cert (y
^vhich are requifite to render a perfon a proper fub-
rjcvfc of the oRe, 'tnake him alfo a worthy >:ommu-
i}icant in the othtr.
That this- ceremony of/ (!7<p^frwtf//5/? is no pa-ft
*^of genuine andprimitive Christmnity, theve.
.;'ire few, -1 fuppofe none, of our learned Bifhops
.;md Divines, but perfectly Icnow. Tertullian Js
'the irroft antient author in which-mention of it Is
iound. -Kilt by/ii/'time, it is wcH kflown, a great
>XMriety of y5//r;y7//;ci»/, -and ridiculous and foolilh
H-ilxrs, were bi ought into the Church. And you
arc
".»1 llcf. pa^e 3.^.
i: 17,1 1
ar^alfo, I prefume, not Igaoraiit th^t CQujlrmatton
was thea always perfonned (not as It is with' us;
l)iu) IMMEDIATELY ^ftcr Bapfifm, ns it is novsr
a4ro throughout ihc Greek Church*, and all th<*
Churches of the -S^V'^. A das regard to this will
itad you to the true meaning t>f that expixllion ia
Ypur office, which' you are io embarraired ia ci ear-
ing up ; where the Bilhop declares to {^ov>^ That
he bath vouch fafed to rfgen^^rats thcfc his ferva'nis by.
*water and the Holy Ghojl\ and to gjv: them the for"
gjvsfiefs of' all their Jins, An expreiHoii tiiken, pro-^
bably, froin lomc ^////V;// Liturgy ; and which was-
fhi table and well adapted to the pradice of thofcr
times, but is utterly incongruous and unfuitahh t»jf^
ours.
For then, as Dr. Cave obfervcs*, '< Thouglr
" infants were undoubtedly taken into the Cliurclt*
*• by Baptifin, yet the main body of the bi^.ptifed
«' were ^i/w// perfbns ■; wh.0, fl6ckin;g overr dail/
" in great numbers to the filth oi Chrift\ were
" received in at this door. Ufually they were for
**fbme confiderablc time- catccJ)iJed, and trained
**iip in the prihci[iles of the Chrijlian faith ; till
<* having given teflimony of their proficiency in
*< knowledge, and of a fober and regular convcr-
** fation, they became candidates for Baptifri .'•
Or, as a greater author f fays, '* The Catecht^
«' mens enjoyed not the privileges of the faithful
*' till they had, in a {^w^^^ merited them ; which'
«^ was when, through a confiderabie linTc c)f triaij
** they had evidenced' the flnceiityof their- hearts
•* by the fandtty and purity of their lives : And
<* then, as Origen fays, IVtf iniiialc theui in cur:
q1- ** viyf cries.
* Prun. Chrif. Part 1. punres 194., 208.
] Iniiuiry inf^ the Cjnllitution, u:. Part I. paje 102,
C m 1
^^ myflirlfSy 'whsn they have ?naJe a pr^fiiiency irt'Uo^
*« Ihiefs, and according to the utmcjf of their po^vjsr:'
** have refar7?ied thein csn^verfation-. When they.
'* had changed thsir manners^ and rediiied their
** irregular carriage, then they were walhed v'ltli*
*' th;^ nvdtcr of Baytifm^ and. not before,. For,^
*' as Te.riulHa'n obierves, we are not bapiifed, thati
'<■ IV € may ceafe to fui'y bat becaufs nve have al*
*^' READY ceafd,'' Now whca this was the cale^
and immediately after Baptifmo^;/y;>;/^^//(?« was ad-
mini lie red, there: was foine decency and propriety^
in Xh.-^ Biihop's or PreP^ytcr's (, for Prefhyi^vrs alfo
then confirmed) addreffing Almighty God as hav-
ing vouchfaftd to regenerate thefe his fcrvanis nvith-
'vjaier and the Holy Ghofh^ andto^ gra:2t ihemthe fsr^-
givenefs of all their fmi. But how different, alas 1.
(vail;y different; the cafe at pr^fent is with the:
rnuiciiiides who Hock to our modern connrraaiions !
Jiow rude and iinferious they rulli to receive lhis<
epifcopai^VK^t, !' fc how perflmiTtory and flight a.
manner the ceremony is performed. What riot
and diforder frequently concludes the day \
is too obvious to the world ; and would fcem, per.-;
liaps, invidious if fet in its proper Hght..
Your laboured apology for the^/y>^<?/'s making;
that very ^weighty ■<ivAfolemn declaration over a pro-.
viifcuoiu affeaibly, which is fuppofed to include
many vicious and corrupt perfons, is effedtualiy
overthrown by your own ]\\!ik.conGejrion^ — " that if "
*' he was, i;:uleed, to declare, to each individuati
'' perfon, by hljiifelf that God had regenerated
*< him in particular with the Holy Ghof} and for-
'* given him all his fms, it would be a differently
♦ ' cafe.- Such a perfon might be tempted //(fr^*-
<« hy to Qntert.uii hatter tlioughts ofth-e Hate of his.
" foul:
I 173 ]
^ A>al than he h:id reafon for, and to dcludf him-
»< fclf with deceitful h9pes* ,'' Behold this, ia
effe^ indilputably done ! For eaoh individuitl pcr-
fon, after having heard this folcmn declaration
pronounced over him fclf in common with ail the
reft, is prcfentcd f^amtely by his parllh Pried ;
and kneeling before the Biihop, feels his c^nfecra-
Si/ig hand TzW^m^ upon his hjaJ, and hears him-
self diftin>5tly and perfonally ccrtifed^kssvREn
from the Bifj9p\ mouth) that this is a Tokkm
^y"GODV favour and gracious go'jdntfs to him in
particular. What now, I afk, is the obvious, the
natural conftru^ftlon which the perfon puts upou
ail this ! Why furely, unlefs he thinks the v.holc
folemnity a farce ; and that the Bi/hop and Priejl
(his fplrltual guides, wliofe lips are to preferve
hic/'ivledgey and who are to be the in^uth of God
tohiin) have confplrcd to put a dangerous cheat
upon his Joul, he mull ftrongly conclude /;// foul to
be in a happy and f:tfe cafe ; in a ftate of favour
^ojith Cod', and a partaker of that /^r^'/V<;;f// v/hich
liM gracious goodnefs hath promiied in the gofpei of
Chrifi Whether the continuance of this cere-
mony^ in iis prefent form of adminftralion, be ei-
ther for the honour of the adminiftratory or for the
benefit of the Church? — Whether it hath not an
apparent tendency to cheriih a ddi^Jtje hope, and
to fpeak peace to fuch pcrfons as arc not, by the
Chriflian covenant, eniiijed lo peace? I with all
humility leave to the confidcration of thofe v.hom,
I thank God, it more immediately concerns than
myfelf ; who are to be faithful in God's houfc ;
and to 'watch for mens fouls as thofe i^jha fnuft give
account t§ the Great Shepherd, who will
0^3 Ihoi l1/
* II Dcf. page 42,
• ^'^ir^
[ 174 3
ftiortly come ; before v^hom it will be a trernehdc^u^
thing to have the Immortal fouls of thousand^:
rec2uired at their hands^
SECT. VI.
The Terms of ^T^NISTERIAL C&nforjnity hard an£
terrible. — La v- Dissent jujiifijedy — Tke Rise
of the Separation/
NEXT after Con FORMAT I ON, I confiJereci
/ot?^ other o£5ces of yom^ Liturgy^ viz. Ab*
soL%riaf^ of the Sick, and the burial of the.
Dead \ and fliewed them, I apprehend, to be lia-
ble to great exceptions ; and to have no friendly-
afped: upon the: morals and fouls, of men. I ani.>
ftrengthned ia- that opinion by obfcrving, that a^
mi JlI th€ variety of trifiing things to which yoU:
have dcfcended, in the proiecutiou. of this debate,
Tou have quite overlooked thefe. tn^oo important
paints ; and have not fo much as imdertaken their-
defence. It does fonae honour to your underlland-
ingnot to attempt to defend what yOu know to be-
i/tdefenfhUy but to let the forms lie under the im-
putations charged upon them ; till God fiiall put.
it it^to the i5^:'^/r/ of thofe who have it * in rhe*ir
ponver to wipe thefe unJiapjjy i/^;////??^'/ fmmthe face.-
of the Church. '
Kut as to thefe y and fome other of your adJiilo^-
nal fp lev dors (doing reverence towards the Ecifty,
and bowing to the name of ^"^^1^%^ which alfo ypuj
do not fo much as pretend either to jufify or ^.v-
plaiii) you obfcrvej^r — ** That thele are tlim*gs.
** with ^^jnch, as a' Layman^ I have no concern,
«< As to. the form of Ahfolution^ what has he, foi?
*^ GobV fake, to do with it ? If B.e does not de-
*' fign to take orders in the Church, and fo fub*
«f Icribe to the ufc of the Liturgy, it is no conceri^
*^* of /^// whether that form be defenfible or not *"^
But have not I,, dear Sir, as much to do witht
YOUR I\hniJierlal-C^nfor?mty^ as you wlj,h Mvr
Lay'DiJfent P Are you not as much obliged X(%
vindicate, before the world , your SuBSCRiPTioii
and Use of thefe offices in your Church; as I anti
to juftify 77iy Separation, from it ? Yes, . and X
now publickly call upon you, and charge it upoa
your moil ferious deliberate refledions, as you will
ibon anfwer it at a y?^/>r^x/^^ and /////?^r//i^/ Tribunal^,
•to remember and confider —
• That you have ya/^w^/y, and in Gqv>\ prefenc^
'(God ih^t fearcketh the heart, and that abhors all
frcv irication, hypocrify, and deceit, efpecially in re-
■lig'ous things) in xht pre fence af this God, i fay^
^and in the face of his Churchy, you have declared
Tyour unfeigned afent and confent to ALL, and
■EVERY Thing cofitained ,in, and prefcribcd by
the Book of Common-prayer, ^c. If then there be
any one thing contained in that book, any one
office or form, irrational, unfit, repugnant to the
Gofpel-fcheme, and which no well inftrudqd
Christian can heartily' aj en t to, or unfeignedly ap*
prove, I appeal to your own cofifcience, 1 appeal
to. the wliole world r- Where is the honour, !
\W\\trQ xh^ChriJiianJipipIki^ty, and Godly Jincerify^
of this folemn declarHCion •! ,. What, — -.-^ fhall 'a
man, a Minifter, in Goo'i pre fence, and appeal-
ing to HIM as iht fearcher of hearts, declare hi^
%}ifeigned Jjfent to things- he does not ap^
^rove J
f H Def page 133..
^
t I7« T
p-ovi : and promifc his unfeigned Conffni t6>
ufc forms in God's nuorjhip which he heartily dif*-
Ukes ! This is a moft grievous yoke ; beheld by
unbelievers i upon the necks of Chriflian Minifters,
with mighty infults and fcofFs ; and which every
friend to the Chrijiian name ihould wifh heartily
to fee removed. And,
This, as before ohkvw cAyjuJliJiej moft fully that
Se-paratiok from your Church, to which our
fathers were compelled, and which iv^ at prefens
continue : when in a moft unrighteous and fchif-
matical manner y?^^ caft out above /u'^ tboufand q{
her Minifters, for not fubfcribing and declaring this
unfeigned ajfe fit and confent. Thefc Minifiers were
by this deprived of what they had not forfeit*
ed ; deprived of a(5ting as Minifiers by thofe wlw)
had no right, nor authority, to deprive them of it.
The paforal relation therefore undoubtedly remain-
ed betwixt them and their refpedive flocks ; and
they a(5ted a lawful, a worthy part in continuing
their miniferial fcrvices, though thus cruelly caft
out.
*' No, you reply, they ought to have conform-
«« ed as Laymen t as fome of them did ; much lefs
<< will this juftify the Laity of thofe times ; lefs
•^ ftill the Minifters and Laity of the prefent in
«' their feparation *.'' To their immortal pralli
be it recorded, they better undcrftood their rights
and their duty as Christ*/ fuhjedsy the only
KING in the Church ; and, with great Juffering
and worldly lofs^ entered boldly their proteft againft
this prefuinptuous invafion of his throne ; this
fchifmatical intrufion of mew T^iims of the
Chrif^
f IIDcf. page xji.
[ 177 3
'Chndhn^ MluiJIry and Cominunion into his ChurGfi;
Tile conditions of exercifing the Chriftian Miniftry,
which the Aft af U nifor7?iity impofed tipon our fa-
thers, were fuch as no power iipon earth had a
right to Impore upon them : They w^ere fuch, as
if complied with, opened a wide way for innumo
rabJe corruptions, fuperftitions and perfecutions to
enter and hiy walle the Church. Their fubicrip-
tion was required to NEW articles of faith which
Christ had never made; and their unfeigned
affent and confent ta NEW r//^/ and forms o£
worfnip which neither Christ nor his AfoJlU's
had ever appointed or injoined : Yea, it obliged
them fchifmatically to confine Chriitian Commu-
nion to thofe only who would fubmit to ihefc in^
ventions of men in the ivorJJjip of God ; and todenTT
Baptifm and the Lord's-fupper, to thoie who, by
the coniiitutlon and laws d Chrifs kingdom, were
duly qualified to receive, a,ud had an abfoiutQ. Xi^hti.
to them.
Am-^ngft ethers, there are t^.i'o evcr-memorabic
€ ircumjfunces from v.'hich the flagrant oppreffion.
and tyranny of thoie proceedings molt iiroiigly ap-
pear, 1.. That the Time fixed lO^ theMiniilers fub-^
fcribing and aflenting to the alterations in th^
Covru^n pra;;er was fo Ihortj that rot one in an?
hiiadrrj of ihofe who liy^d remote from London
{'AW, or cnuldbe fuppofed to. fee them., before their-
aTsnt and confent was, under i'o ftvere a penalty,,
b? foleynnly given. It ib' a known and -certain
trurh, fays ore*, that the Liturgy, with its alte-^
rations, to which they were jc nfeignedly to afcnt^
€ame not cut of the prefs till Battboloj/te^'Eve 'y
? T^ng of Schifm, page 150,^
t 178 T
tic.day^ cnfuing^> which was the ultimate time fixftdjT
by the J^i for the Minifter*s fubfcripcion ; fo all..
thofe, throughout the kinsfdom, who conforincd,^
except a few fn London, fubfcrtbed to they kneiw.
not 'what, " The mutter was drivea on, fays Bi-
/* fliop Z?Mr«^/,.with,fo much precipU<ition^ that it.
** fecmcd «xped:ed the Clergy fhould fubTcribc im-
^* p licit ly to a book thcyhad ;7^t'^r y>^«. This was^
^ done by too many, as the BiiHops th'cmfelves.
" informed me — *,'* Could any thing be more.
unrighteous or tyrannical than this ? 5f cs- : For,
2. The unhappy /^f/«(/?^r/ were obliged Kkewifc'
to declare folemnly, and even to fubfcribe a nota-^
rJous^ mod dangerous and important Untruth,,
viz , ' That it is not: la<wful upon any. Pretence.
WHATSOEVER to take arms againji the King, or
any commijfioned, hy. him. A pofiiion abfolutely
fubverfive oi thfi Br itiJJji cpnftitutibn,. and whiclvi
the nation v/as*foon after (in God's righteous and'
wife Providence) brought openly to acknowledge
to be traiterous, deteftable, feandaloi\s and falfe,
A pofition which, if admitted, tht glorious Revo?
LUTioN,. and our prefent happy Government,;,
bad never taken place ; but Tyranny and Popery ^
with all their dire curfes,.had been bound etcrnaU
]y upon our neck^. Bu^t, be aftonilhed, O Hea-
vens I This /al/e, this ^^y^, this fcandaloits decla-
ration, by the A(5l of Untformi^ty, the Minijlersy,
upon pain of lofing their places^ were obliged fo-
lemnly to make. Out fathers nobly abhorred it ; .
fcorned to betray the rights and liberties of their
country, and to be tools of arbitrary power.
Tor this heroic refufal they were call cruelly
from their Churches, and delivered up, with
5 Hift, of hi« Time, VoU L pagczii> Oft*
t 179 3
^thcir ftarving families, to extreme fufferings an3
-'diftrefs *.
This, Sir, was the fhameful, the tyrannical
^oke, which the ///? cf r//?//f?r;//y/v' Would have put
upon the necks oi ow: iltujirious peckceffors ; ancl
-to which, as Christians and as PRbTESXiiNTS
they bravely fcorned to fubniit. Noble was the
Stand v\niich they made in defence of Chriftia^ti
'liberty :and t*uth, CJiorious will their names evef
.fhine in the Brtt}Jh annals, whilll ijirtue and tnte"
^rity are facred amoTigfl us. Peace and everlafting
•honour be upon the memory, of thefe Chriftian
heroes : Future. generations "will rife and call thefii
'bleffed !
To their Ministers thus unrighteoufly and
!.cruclly ejeded, it was the duty and the honour 6i
'the ChrijRian Laity to adhere. It was partly ftfr
''their liberty, and that the gofpel might be con-
J:inued in its primitive fmiplicity and purity a-
^mongil thern^ that their MiniRers thus fuiTered.^
It had been inglorious then, Ungrateful, and ill
the
* «« Ry the AB of Unifo-mlty^ fays Islt. Loche, all the
"*< Clergy of England are obliged to fubfcrihe ;ind declare
'< lihat It is tiot laivful upon any pretence ^wh at e^-ver to inhe
[^*< arms again fi the Kin^, This they readily complied witlif.
** For you muft know that lott of men are taught rathtr
''** to obey, than underfiand. And yet i\\c{tBarthol9nie-W'
«' Day was fatal to onr Church and Religion, by throv/-
•«« ing out a veiy great number of worthy, learned, pious,
<* orthodox /^ir/W/ wlio could not come up to this OatJ^^
-'* and ether things in* i hat Jt^, And fo great was the
<' zeal in carrying on this Church- aff/iir, and fo blirKl the
<< obedience Tequired, that if yow compute the time <^f
«< pafTrng this A1^, with that allowed" for the Chrgyto fub-
<* icribe the bo<*)k of Commr^n prayer 'Xhtr^hv rftabHihcd,
«« you wtll find it could not be printed and didriButed, fo
*^< as that <?///' man in forty couiil \\xvt{fen and read x\\t
•* book they did fo pcrfe^^ly ajf^cnt and confent to/' Maiz*
•re/, p* ^ X .
t Our (HMO iboujimd worthy predccrflTors excepted.
^5^
%lie hlgheft^ degree nnjuft, to have fprfaken tlielf
"ije^ed Piiftors ; and not have borne their witnei^
■^vith thcna againft the iaipofmg fi>irit which then
lifted itfelf up, and w.as fafteniag a difgraceful
yoke upon the Dilciples of Chriji, Through the
fav oar of Heaven, a noble fpiyitof Chrijlian for^
titude was awakened alfo in LkV-BreaJis (and, its
niercy be pr a i fed, fliil lives ; beats high ; and, Vn^c
Jiope, daily advances to the final and ^verlafting
overthrow of bigotry, church tyranny, and perfe-
cutioa from the earlh.) i hey fliw and detefted
^lie dangerous and fatal. -Schifm and Ufurpathn.
^ipon the rights of confcience, which a party of
lordly men were fet ting up in the Church of ChriJ}.
They ftuck faft to their injured Miuiiters, and to
the principles of Chriftian liberty^ And God hath
eminently ble.ffed their Churches for the promoung
fmcere piety, fobriety, and virtue in all fuccecding
times.
This was the tifi (st that Separation y>^;;5E
t'he ejiahlijhrnent which I am defending in ttjefe
Letters. A Separation, which as it was found-
ed upon Chrifiian 2ind jujl principles, fo it has mar-
velloufly ftibfifted, under great 'worldly difcou-
ragements ; ftrengthened and upheld, we truft,
by the mx^tj power of God. And by the fame
mighty po^ver, we hope^ vrill (lilt be upheld ; till
his mercy fhall difpofe the hearts of our brethren
, who have caji us 9iity to receive us again.
As a L/iyrnan, Sir, T confidcr the Gospel and
, Christian Liberty as a f acred d^pojtte
commited to me by -God, for which I am to be
acccTintahle at his tribunal hereafter. As to thefe^
he hath ^xprefsly charged me, and every Lay-
Chriftian, to 'w^chy- — — /^ ftartd faJi, — to kc^cp
*whnt is cDVimhi'ed to mCy-^-^-^^iO ftght the ^codflghf
t iti 3
^f faiths fee— — "If I fee then the fmpUcity and /r-^
^€rty of the Gospel corrupted and infringed by th«
inventions, traditions and commandments of men ;
the UwiTY of the Church broken by neiv 4e^'7?u of
-communion, and ne*iv articUs of faith rnipofed tip-
"On the Difciples. If I fee things ridiculous *, fu-
ferftitious f , erroneous \ brought into the Church,
and made apart oiChriJlian worihip ; things dan-
gerous to mens fouls, and which give them wrong
notions of the terms of falvation and acceptance
with God, and which manifeftly tend to cherifh a
falfe and deiufive peac«. j| In this cafe, though a
Layman^ I am bound to enter my proteil, and to
•declare openly my dij'snt,, as I would not be con-
demned as a betrayer of my sacred Trust, and
^onld Jland hejhre ///y JuDGJfc with confidence ^
? E C T. VIL
DiJfeTiters corre^ed.
T Proceed tiext to what you fecm to glory in a$
the peculiar excellence of your Letters, but
which will foon appear, to your vr^y self, their
peculiar /^■^*'^>'/^ and difgrace^ viz. Tour retorting up*
-en Dissenters 'their own pleas and ohjeSltons ;
R , par^
• Reading the TpBrlous, romantic, apoerypTial fiiblcs.
'\ Bowing at the name of ^^-^ > and worfhipping to-
ward the Eafi^ &c,
X Several oi the articles, efpecially the XXth, and tht
damnatory clanfes oi \\\t Atbancfftan Creed.
I The abfol^tion of the Skk, die fiuvial Ofiict jm<!
*Con^rmation,
C 182 ]
particularly your charge, That they not only have
kut ii\70^z ceremonies in divine ixjorjhip ; and thai
there are various Impositions amongft ourfelves.
You here fdrC€ me to call you forth, bir^ to
undergo the mortification of feelug yourfelf pro-
ved, before the world, a falfe accufer of your
brethren. Sitti^^q at the Lord*^ /upper you have
at feveral diRind times, and \vith, great variety of
language, mod confidently aflerted, *< to he r tally
•* IMPOSED hy us-^to be constantly invari-
** ABLY <?W UNIVERSALLY pra{lifed a7nongfi us^
•« '^That it is NEVER allo^wed to be departed
** from,^-'That our Minijters ivsisr upon and RE-
** FUSE to abate it *,*' with much more tp
the fame purpofe* This now is a charge, not on-
ly abfolutely falfe^ but (which is a^ery aggrava^
iing circumftance, and itiuft fhock greatly your
chara^ler and credlthtfovQ tljc world) you hady^^^
it to'be TAhsE. Jl^oiCy you hadafiually read in Dr.
Calap/y^s Brief Account y 6^. a moft cxprefs de^
claration that No such thing was at all iwpofed
amongft us, but that our Comwunicoflts nvere at
Liberty to u/e their own Posture. ^I again put
you .in mind of this, becaufe you have ftot yet ha^
the honour to own the faljhood of this charge, and
publickly toretradl it. lean affure the publict, there
are no lefs \\i2Xifeven or eight diffenting Churches
in my neighbourhood, in which the pofturc
cither o^ fianding or kneeling at the Lord's-fupper,
had conftantly been pra^iled for many years pad
(though in fome of them the perfons are now de-
ccafed) and this without the lead offence to any of
the
♦ IstXX. n. pages 55, 57, 5«. f Lett. Ill, pages 8, jrv
C i«3 3
the congregation, or dlilikj;? of the Minifters, ■ ■ ^T
Judge, reader, hence Avhat regard is to be paid to
the reprefentations of this zealous Cenfor ! and
how juilly he defcribes hjmfelf ericountcring n;o'itk
ghofis, a 71 d groping i7j the dark.
With equal rafhaefs you affirmed, and ft ill
ftoutiy maintaitty— — — ** That knceiingm family
•« prayer is ALWAYS praHifid by Diffcnters ;
•* that it is IMPOS2-D and commanded by the
•* mailer of the family upon his children and fer-
•* vants, by his fignifying his mind to them, and
•* letting them know, once for ali, he would have
«• them kne^l*'' Upon a particular enquiry 1 af-
fure the public, that I cannot find the leaft trace
of any fuch impojitions &^ Jtgnlficatlon oi' the maf-
ter's mind in any family of DiiTenrers ; but that,
in their family devotions, Jiauding is a poiture very
frequently ufed, and not avoided in point of con-
fcience, I believe, by ten DilTenters in the king-
dom. The matter is loo trifling to merit many
words; But, to let you fee how utterly unfft you
are for the office you alTaine, I will take you from
the darknefs where you miferabjy ^^r^/;r, and lead
you to a light which will a little difconcert your
countenance, by acquainting you, that at the
#/6/v^ principal diifenting Academies in the feuthern
parts oi England^ viz, Northojuptony Taitnto?iy and
Bridgwater, it hath been the general, if not the
conftant, unvaried ufage both of Xittors and ^V;^-
dents^ to stand at funnily -prayer. Thefe are the.
tiurferies where moll of the diffenting Gentl emen
and Mijiiilers in England Iitiyq been formed ; whofr
cnflom therefore mull naturally hnve a wide and
ftrong influence upon multitudes of diifenting fa«
R 2 miliis
II l>i.i, pa^es 70, 71,
m
I >»4 J
iKiBes tfcroughout the whole lanct See now wJtftt
what truth, with what ^onoury and difcretion you«
bolt your raadora cenfures at the^ religious condudk
of your neighbours! and fed the juft pain with
which, they rebound and wound your own head [
But what heightens our perverfenefe and incon*
fifteacy, is this^; that at the fame time that we
thus ALWAYS 'worjhip, hieetm^ in our/amiiles^ a nit
the majisr commands and imj»05ES // uf^on all itSi
members : ** Yet in our prayers at Church,. thcre»,
'** it fcems, we alnxxays^ J}and\ and* it is. little Jefk
•* than 2mpo£eid upon our people ; for fogreat and
** general is the difcountenance that kneeling lies.
** under, that it requires forne courage and refo-
" lU'don for any one to venture uponJt ; and i£
*^ Any oke docs, you fasy it again, he WiLt b^
^^ GEN'stfRED yW- //*^.'*" A charge not more h'Mi
t\itin\l\s gronndhfs zndi falfe, ** One congrega-
*■* tion, yoa have fiiid, you: Qan< name, where greatr
** offence was given by a perfon kneeling at het
*^ prayers.'* But? you, have publickly been told^
by an authority of great weight, which I prefume
■you durft not contradi<^, that theivhoh account Is i^
Misrepresentation,;. ofnvhtGh the mofl authen^
fie evidene^e is ready to heprsduoedf,. Did I notjuil-
ly fay, that your idaformers had y^-rt'if^/ca ill F A
man confciotis- of his own darknefsy (liould be caii^
tk>us inta Virhat h^nds h^ delivers himfclf up.
Befides^ could you have made good the charge,
mot againft one only, but even an hundred of our
Churqh^s ; wiU this JLuriify th^e uuiverjality and
^ojitry.^*'
\ • II Def . page ?*•. \ Chandiet's Cafe of JubfcrJp.
lion, page i4.«
ftyjitlverbefs of yaur aflcrtion, that if any aNE kneetf
amoHgJi usy he will be c&nsured: for it ?
This publickly accui<is not. one only,, nor. a bun^
drc'd, but ALL the diflentmg^ Churches, of this ri-
diculous 'wecikngf ; whichyei you- cannot prove up*
Qa any fingle on^ of; them. all. The: reproach
therefore coaies back with. greit force upon your-
felf. — ' — I have made no extenfive enquiries on this.
head, but can take, upon me to affure you^ there
are no Jefs ihan^'^x or fiven of our congregations
near me ( I believe there, are many more), where
KNfiELaNG tf/ public prayer hath, been, canftantly
gradlifed by one or more members without the lea:t
difcouatcnance. And of themany Minlfters I hava
coafukcd, I find not one who imagines thepra^ice
would! give offence to any fmgle congregation ar
luongft Its.
Alike j oft and well fupported is that oth^r re-
live chj •< That It is generally held antongfl us that
«• tae Sacrament is for non^ tut ve^^^ct aad coi^^-
«< SUMMATE Chrifiians.'^ After multiplying- oa
this fabje<5l many words to little purpofe,. unlefs
it be to ihew the relu^ftince with wh'ch you do it,
you are at laft forced to retrafl this injurious im-
putation as to the P re/by teria?js * (who are by far
the gi'cater part of the D'.Tenters ) and acknow-
ledge it to be yi//^. You might have done the
fame by the ludepctidcnts^ whom you ftill leave un-
der its weight. For though thry are generally. mor«-
minnte^ I fear, in cnqwiring after proofs of the fin-
ierityof a man's Cbriftianity than the Scriptures
authorifethem ; yet there is fcarce one to be found.,
I believe., amongft the maft rigid of them all, who
>iij not declare, that every si>JCRre Chriflian
R 3. hath
• II Dcf. page ^6*
'H
hath a right to the LordU-tahlc,^ For dto thef not
all ackiit^wledge that every Tucli^ per fon \% becomcii,
by the gofpel covenant, a child.ofQQtJ^^ an^d^a bro*
tker ^/Jes.,us. Christ ? WUl the mc>ft ngid Inde-^
pendent fay, then, that y«^^ h^v^e not a right to ea^
of the facra7Hepial iu^^tv^l^ No, th^trutl> ofgrac^^
they will tell you, be it iu ever, fo. '[xjeak. a ft^tCj inr
titles to thpfacrameAC. Yoit. wrong thern therc--
fore much by faying, that they hold it ta belong to^
KONE btit I^ER^fECT and, G.0NSUl4M,A.TiK. Chrii-
Thps gFoufidlef? a?id ill fuj^por.tcd^ SiiN are tjic:
defamations, of your diflenti^g brethren, wkicli your
ear hath been wide extended greedily to receive,.
and yo\\z hand {o Qffi<;ioiis to gublift.to the world;
But fuifer, r befcech you, the council of a friend;.
Put away fei^ hf>m you that little^ im generous i;
unmanly, bigotted fpirit by whicl\ ^^ Ton advifethc
** FaifhffiJ t:J?JImn the cgnverfation and con/pany ef
• * our Mini ft e^rs^: oj being n Q T o B- 1 o u s Si n r
'*-' viKKi-^ and^.not to h^ve any intimate ufiMeceffary
*^acqufiiniance^nvith tb^m^ or familiarity in cpnmon
^ lije^.'' Indulge the more, Chriftian and. Catho-
lic difpofition Dr. Nichols, reconfimcrids, y^,ho>
informs thQ world with pleafure '^ of the ch^ri-
y table, correft^udence, o^udfriQ degree, of friet;id7
^''■f:>ipnvhi^J)fubJ}fs bej'vji^tjh. efabliflycU Clergy^,
''-andjome of the dimming. Mlnifers'^:" .It '\%.
"becaufe they k/io'xv one another nQ raorc,. tha.t
they do notlove each.oihci^;^be.tterv. »Sy^v?f// begets-
eftrangem^nt^ efiraTigement averfTon.aivd averjton
prepares the mind not only to ris^:eiv^ with plea.-
fure, but indiiilrioufly to propagate grofs mifreprcr
fentati6hs»,
• Lett. IJ,. pnge i; Lett. I. jjagc 83. f Nicji^Pef,
page 145* ' ■
t »87 5
Ifewtatrons, falfe accufations, fcandalous and Kttib
things, iKterly "without faundatioil, and contrary
to truth".
Had you freely converfed with the dijfentifig Mi-*
htjfers around you, as the learned Doflor advifes,
you had faved yourfelf a good deal of public v/or-
i^ification^ which your injurious accounts both of
their principles and pradice have now unhappily
drawn upon- you. Cultivate- at fengtly, Sir, a, fa*
miliar acquainiance'witYi them. Theif acquaintance
^'111 do you honour ; will edify andcnlarge your
mind ; will give you jufter notions of men and of
things than a mere college educatior is capable of
doing, and prepare you for that happy world where-
bigotry and party-zeal na Tuore alienate pious fpi-
i;its, but ^where all the children o/Gojy are gather^
cd together in one. From them you would hava
Itariled that the ceremonies oi the fweep-
H3g cloak, of kneeling at ordination, of the peo-
ple's holding up their hands at th;^t fokmnity, of
'ilriking a covenant with their paftors, of" giving
the name at baptifm, are moft of them nevei?
ufed at all in the greater part of the diifenting
Churches ; and the other not the leail: iwpofed \,
full liberty is given to ufe, or ro u-feihem not ; no
ftrefs is laid ii])on' them ; nruch lefs are they made
indiffrenjihle terms of Chriiii^n communion ; as
^ponforjy the crofs^ and kneeUng, are with youv
I hey would, moreover, have told you, what yoa
feem not to knew, tJiat it is n^t the mere ujing ce-
remonies, ai^ainft which DiflVnters obje£i:,fo mucxl
as the i^^p'^Jing ihtjm ; the laying a Jftefs upoa
them ; the c* nfi'cring iLem hs docoratiofu and /';;/•
froycmetiti of (r'hri-lli.fn worlhip.; not only nfefui^
\^\kt NECESSARY inJilLuiions (-^^ you had the ir-
fqverence to your diviuc Lavj^^ver to pronounce
cou-
^:
^ctecerftrng^H/l^i) and th* making compfiaac^
wiUx/3^y/,./^?;w/ of reception into the Family and
(thurch. of C^rijf. And fiiially, they would hav^-
toW yoii that iikens ^^onering the h^ad ia prayer^
i$ by no means a mcrt cer^viony, biu a circumjiano^'
or u^ of worfhip» which feenas diAated fey thc>
Sght of nature ; and is coDnnaanded by an Apoftlcj^
\ Cpr, xi. 3, 4, J: ; and that therefore^ your pia-^
ciiig this, in the rank of ctrtrtJionUs prajftifed hf,
planters, was (to rctuf?n your own compliment)^
mod ccctaiaJy a v.ery hcfdUft and 'wriOfig-htadeOi
: IbJng.
', *^ Tfee n^g]td::o{ fftlvate /ajfing/' ii another
charge you advance againft us, ** and ihfift con-
*^ fidently that you. were ia the right ih. faying i^.
«< was very little,, if at all, pradifed amongft us ♦.**"
Piffenters, Sir, I prcfume, have i^ad, that inftrucr
lion of their Martyr,. Maf, vJ. 17-, T^hou^. ^en:
thoti fajlejl^ anoint thy head, and *vjcfl? thy face ;.
that thou appear not unio men t9 faft, but. to thy fa*
ther mh'ch is in heaven.^ Though* they afFcift not*,
to flourilh with, their Vlgih Tccidii L^n^s (which wirh.%
forrow they fee turned into little elfe. than a r<e//*.
giaus farcff by too many around them) nor, iikf*
the Pbarifce are oftentatious in telling Gon and;
the 'world how often they fad ; yet this, duty, I
am: pepfuaded, is pradlircd with much feriouiheis.:
a^nongH them, BefKles the excellent Difcpurfe o|?'
Bennett to which you were referred, jou call tof
mope tra6l5. See another on the fame fubjedt ia
the Morning E^zercife hy Barker \ and from tliift-
Lives of the two Henrys, Allen, Baxter, Trofs, (dc^„
particularly, of the late molt ingenious and piou#.
^^rnethy., yoxxma^ leatn wha^ are their religion*.
♦ II Def. page 47^
I
t i«9 1
ifemfmcTits and pradice as to tMs matter. TW
inaDy of their Ckurches there are ftated periodfcal
fefts, befides the pcrfonal donneftic oncs^ which
upon extraordinary occalions are not tinufual a-
taongft them.
But was it poffible yoii fhould fo alertly attack
us on this head, when you knew it in our power
Vith fuch advantage to retort ! if *• you have met
*•• with no Sermons or Trads of Diffenters re-
y commending private fajis " Pray, have
^ou met with any which difconrage and forbid
them ? But, have you never yet met with yonr
©wn LXXlId ca7ion ? which fays, ** Uo Mtnifter
** JJ?ail ivithout licence »f the Bijl^op^ under his-
^' Hand and Seal, keep any s©lemh fast^,
*' either puhlickly or in any private Houses>
*• other than fuch as are appointed by lam), nor de
** prefeht at any, of them ; tinder pain ^/'Suspen*
/** «iONf ffir th£ frft faulty of ExroMMUNiCA-
** t loH for the fcondy a»d of D'Evo^irvos from.
y the A/inifry for the third.'' This, Sir^ is' th^
'exalted foot, upon which the duty of privat e faf'^.
i'H^ ftands in your Church \ Couli-- any thing theOi
te more ivtfe, more pertinent, or more juji thaia
the cenfures you deal us here i
As to the poflure of standing at public
grayer y for which alfo you had iht fagacity. fliarply
to reprehend us ; befides the great variety of Scrips
Sure examples which 1 produced in its jullificatlon-^
jrou have had fmce, from a learned hand*, indif-
putable proofs from Jufiin Martyr, Ircmcus, Cle^
viens of /-Ilexandiia, TertulliuHj Origen, Cyprtan^
the Apofclical Conjlitutaons, Jfro7ne and /i'ufi7v^
Ihftt'it was the (ofur^ ia wliich thp Chriftiaix
Churches
J 0«n4JcK'$ Caft of Subfcrip". pagt> Ui i.^.
I 19^ ]
Churches unircrfeUy offered up their puWic an4!"^
moft folemn addreffes to God through all the/;/*
nth ive times, Soxinlucky is your hand, that the'
bolts you fling at us, as dehafcrs of ths puhlk nxjof^
/hipy ic, light dire^ly upon the heads orfome of
the moll facred and venerable perfons which either
Scripture or Antiquity holds out to your view !;
<* But the inftances of Abraham^ Mofes, 6'j^«
*^ niueiy iDC, standing in prayer £^rve,^o\x fUy^
*« to little purpoie ; unlefs it were alfo (hewn,
** that they were inft'iuces of iuch Jimple mere
** Jlanding as is pradtifed in ©ur congregations*/*
Yes ; they are full to our purpofe ; becaufe it ap-
pears not from the facred Jiory, but ihey were in^
fiances of exactly {y\Q\\ fnnple mere Jlatiding as \%
ufed amongft us. As to xhp other gejiures of (Ici-
votion which your imagination would fwpply, th^
Scriptures arc wholly filent • and your fer-
tile imagination, Sir, you will excuTe us from
accepting as a proper fupplement to the luord ojT
God. . . .
" The primitive Chriftians, it feems, cannot -
** be imagined to do no more than barely keejp
•* upon their feet, No, they prayed with hands
*« fpread, and with eyes lift up toward fica-
" ven f " Hence then we infer ; Firfl^
That they did not read their prayers fronaa 3d?^i z
That there were no Liturgies in thofe days. Bu|^
the Pallor, as Juflin Martyr and Origen fey, ofi»
fered up prayers and praifes to God 9se dunamit
kal kata dunaniin according to hij ponver^ oras he nvas
able. But, fecondly, by the account which both
Cyprian and Turtullian give of their gejiure and
manner
• II Pef. page 75* t II Def. pag$ jr.
jinanner^ the publick prayers in dljfenting Clurth$i
Taftiy more refcmble it than thofe oiFered xw yours ^
*' Siamus ad orationem^^ Cum fnodeftia <b hu*
♦* fHtlitate adorantesy <bc. *" IV^staud at prayer^
*^adorifrg ^ith miodeJJy and humility^ ihat *we may
the niore effe finally command our prayers to God ;
not even lifting up eur hands highj but moderately
end decently^ no nor boldly eUvatuig our faces. For
the Publican ^whoje countenance as njjellas prayers
nvas HUMBLE and dejected, ivent auuay Jujlif-
^d rather than the fanvcy Pharifee.
When you have fedately confidered the contents
. of this fefiion, you will fee caufe. Sir, once more
to refume your eenforial rod, and to lay it fmartly*
on yourfelf\ condemning heartily your own te7;ie*
rity^ in prefuming to write fo freely about per font
and things you knew fo little of ; and to pronounce
preremptorily upon matters you had fo flightly ex*
amined.
Though this article of your Misrepresek*
TAT IONS might be vaftly enlarged, I conclude
vith a frefti flagrant inftance of it f , which fhews
your honour 2ind juj} ice m a very unfavourable light,
and too plainly demonftratcs that your zeal for the
Church hath juft eaten them up. It is the cafe
' **» of a diffenting Minifter in Cambridge, whom
^» you kneno ; and who, you arffim, declared (rotix
** his pulpit, that tie Co7nmon- prayer hook had
•* damned more fouls ^ than the Bible had faved g
«* for which he was indidied, and had his public
«' trial as a depraver of it .'* Here you flop
Ihort, and leave that injured gentleman ; yea,
you tranfmit him to poficrity, under the fcandaj
f Tcrt. de Orat. Cap. ,3, #11 pef. page 116,
^tyf 'the mdiAment, without having the Jmtijfy
the virtue to inform the world of the iftue whichf
ygu could not but alfo kno'wi^ viz, that after a lonj
4ind full hearing, on hnth Jides^ he nims by the jury
IjIONOurably acquitted, Thi$, Sit, ts j(uel^
«ji inftance of partiality, inji^ftice and nojtorioui^
mifreprcfentation, as all virtuous and wile meu
vill behold with indignation, and as, I am furc^
U^uft. give you a good deal of pain in the review*
The cafe of that injured Minifter (Mr. Jofepk
Hujfey) has been fince pubKfked (printed at Cc^l*
thejler in your neighbourhood IJJ?) which I can-
OOt doubt you have feen. Froni thence it fully
appears, that Mr. Hufey ipakc Ht>NOVRi>BLy>
aot reproachfully of the Co-mm^n-Pxater, ij^
the Sermon referred to ; suid that he deferve4
feighly that acquittal znd triu^h oyer his enemies
which the jufiice of his country gave him ; but
which you iftjurioufly tndcavour to blaft and iup^
s E c r.
* He yras {h«wiirg hia,W utterly r ^pugftant the Arrmnian
prlneiples are to feveral pans of the Common-prayer j an^
Jifter feveral things faid vcry.refpeftively of that book, con-
rludes,*-— .'« I wifh there was more of that Spirit of GoD
** breathing In the fouls of men i>oVv, which breathed irt
•* the fouls of thoffc who made the Common- prayer : and
V indeed c^nfidering theinconiiftwcy of raens principles^
•' with their grofs hypocrifie$ in pra^icc, I fear that at
•• the great day, when the books are opened, thit book of
^ Common-prayer, when it is opened, will come in a fwift
«* witnefs againft them. And if fo, I fear it will be found
«« that that book they now fo mcuh rely on, may be a
*' means of fending more of them to Hell, than the Gof'*^
•' pel oanvcrts in Bnglmd^'\ *■
L 193 3
^ E C T. VIII.
^itjenters nci inconsistent in fahmitting t^
fome Certmonies, and refufiiig others,
THIS \i another charge advanced vigorouflj
againft us ** The ceremonies of vtar-
^ ^l^i^ ^^^ ^f ^itrial_ to which we conform, are
**' injoincd in the fanie manner, by the fanne au-
*' thorfty, and In the fdmtp/acc (the Common-
« Prayer) as the other ceremonies and rites againft
** which we proteft.'' And you put it as a ftun-
** ning difTicilIty, ** where and when the
Magiftrate prefcribed the m irriage ceremo-
nies other'wife than he did thofe of Baptifm and
the Lord's-fupper*." I am truly lurprized,
Sir, that fo mere a Cobweb entangles you. Pray,
what is your Common-prayer ! Is it any thing in
the world but a mere Statute or /•//? of Parliat?ient ;
as really and truly fuch, and nothing but fuch, as
any Statute in our books of law ? Now as the Ma-
gijirate has in this Statute Injoined fome things of
a G'l;;/ nature, which belong therefore to his king-
dom, and which he has a right to injoin ; to thcfe
we reverently fubmit : Rut as he has alfo, in the
fame Statute Injoined other things of a religiousn?.*
ture (pertaining to Baptifm and the Lord's-fupper)
which, we humbly apprehend, belong to another
kingdom, even that of Jesus Christ ; to
whom, and to W;(?/;/ alonf, GOD the Su-
preme Governor has appropriated fuch things ; a|
to thefc, we crave leave to withhold our fubmif-
S fion.
*<
#
II Dcf. page go. Lett. III. p. ♦^
■^c*^
C ^94 3
fion, and chufe to obey GOD rather than Maii>
jArcI behold, the z'ery Ma^ijirate .who made the
Stctlute, has indulged us herein ! has excufed our
obedience in the points as to which we fcruple I
has repealed the obligation of this Jaw upon D.ifs
fenters ; and allows them to «ci in thVie things^r
to theirjudgment fecms'befl ! Js there any thing in
the leaft difficult or entangling in all this?
** But upon this fuppofirion all our objet^lidjtxs
** to the burial office as reafons againft conformity^
** fall to the ground. For if the whole tranfa<5lioEl
'* be a political thing ; and the gentleman dfficia-
*' ting is, in ti:'at^ no other than J^^n cffcer of the
*' State, how is the Church, for the LordViakcj
•* concerned in any thing he either fays t>r does,
** on that occafion* ? '* Certainly very mudi.
The Church is indeed nothing but a branch or
limb of the State. But if the State ex^dls o^
ikofcy whnm it deputes tb officiate in this part ot
its adminiftratibn, unreafonahle and y/yoc^i fig things ^
if it commands them to fay that black is ^ivhife ; tO
pronounce folemnjy a msin faveJ, whom they* ihiifk
verily to be y^y? ; and to thank Gory ttat in hh
great vicrcy he hath takeri to Limfelf an abominable
finner, when in their confciences they biclleve thatt
God took him anvay in nvraih^ and hath driven
h\m fr€m his prefence to eternal darknefs below, —
is the oj^i'er, will you fay, who is to pronounte
and to do this,, ?20f at all concerned therein r T^oif
that branch of the admiaiftration in wiiich he cip-
ciates at all nvourided mits hondtir Ibf reputation
thereby ? MoH: deeply,- no donbt. And all virtu-
ous and good men, by the eternal regards they
owe to Righteousness and ' T^uth, might
' openly
♦ II Dcf' page 81.
C I9J 1
epenly.to proteft againft fuch public violations ^
them ; and to declare their diflike of iuch proiluu*
tion Qijacred things.
The Churchy your learned IVarhurton * ttlls you,
ias, by CQUtratft or alliance, refigned ttp htr Su-
premacy i?i ?nati€rs ecchjfajiical, and her Jk-
dependency to the State, The State, ia
confequence of this, hath drawa up for her, a^-
tides of faith ^.ndi forms of public 'worfyip, which it
requires the Church to fubfcrihe and to ufe.
Mard fate of unhappy Church ! To come as Fupil
to the Sr^TE, to alk 'what ftie muft believe, and
iony ihe'mufl worflitp ;.yea, to be forced folemnly
to fubfcrihe Articles, which ihe by no means
helieves, and . to ufe Forms of public worlhip,
V^hich fiis greatly dijiikes ! But, is there no preva-
rication, nor hypocrify in all this ? No ; the
State hath. co?nmandedit ; and we are to be
JUhjcdJ /* the higher po^voiersy and to abey thofe nvho
have thfs, rule over us : 'Tis not for a n^^n'h private
confcien.ce to kick againft the Public ; but if
*ny one dare fay, — ^** That either of ihe Arti-
" CLjs // in ANY Part erroneous ; or that the
** hook of Common Prayer contains any
** Thing in it contrary to Scripture ; your IVlh
and Vth canons thunder out upon him ipfo faffo,
a mofl terrible excomntunicationy and cut him ofl",
as a ivicked "wretch^ fron> the body of Christ.
Excellent conflitution this ! quite holy and
apOil:olic ! moil heavenly and divine ! bearing up-
on, every part a lively and glorious imprefs of the
chara^er of Jesus Christ ! What wonder,
if the dignity of iha pricfly character finks : ]^
religion is ridiculed, and its fa£red things treated
6 2 witti
• Alliance, &c. page 87,
L; '
C 196 1
with drollery and jeft ? // // impojthle, we are toM^^
lilt offences <wtil come ; but wo Ife fo that man I wos
be to thofe Chriftiaas, whofc hypocritical and cor^
rupt condu6t \^ysx\itkJfoT2esofJiuntb!ing in tliQ
way of Infidels aadPapifts ! and by ^hovi the- cffencm
cojneih,
SECT. IX.
The egregious ahfitrdtty of rejefilng P'resbyt*:-
RiAN and admitting Popish Qrdinattons,
WE come next to the much contefted point of
orders or ordinutiQn^ as to which ypu are
wont to make a mighty folemn parade* The fc-
verity with which you nullify the Diffenters o^di*
nation, though the r^ry samjs with that of all the
iilujirio n s Ch iirches of Protest A kts abroadi.
when at the fame time you are fo compfaifant as^
to acknowledge the validity of the ordinations of
the Church of Rofne, is a condu(5l fo extraordinary
as one cannot eafily comprehend. The hands and
the devouteft prayers of a company of truly virta-
OLis> religloas and Chriftian Presbyters, ivk
Scotland ov Geneva^ are not fo efficaci-ous, it feems,
to fend a man fprth a true Minifier in the
Church oi Christ^ aa the hands and fupcrfti-
tious prayers of an antichriftian, ido^atrous, per-*
fccuting and wicked Bishop of Italy or Spain, ^^
No ; let a Prieft, ordained by one of thefcy come
over to the Church of England % he (ball be re-
ceived as a valid Miniiler, rightfully ordained ;
But, let another, ordained by the moft learned,
religious Presbytery which Germany ^ Hnn^
gary or the whole world can boaft, come over alfo
to ibis Church, this trot eji ant Church ; his orders
ftall
I 197 1
ft all b^ pronounced not valid, he mufl fiib-
mit to be ordained afrejh. The vormhr is aciniit-
ted, as one rightly and ducly entered a Pcfjior ia
the Chrifti;in Church, becaufe a Dijhop's hand was
laid upon him, though with a great manv ridicu-
lous, luperftiiious and fooiilh rites; and though he
was really no Christian Bt/hop, but an apoHate
from ChrjJlJanityy'An open and avowed idolater and
periecutor of the />r-^ of Christ ; yea, iho' the
Church alfo into which, by that ceremony, he
was entered, was ff) far froin .helng a trus
Church,, that for 900 years paji, nothhi^ can he
more*", But^the latter,, though fet apart to
the Miniftry by the moil fervent and holy prayers ;
though he has long laboured in the Church ofGoT>
with great diligence and fuctefs ■; has fuiftred,
perhaps, the lois of all for the £ike of Christ
and his truth ; and is fled hither from the r;jge of
idolatrous and cruel BiJJoops ; yet (ilrange to relate !)
for not having had the hand of i'uch an idolatrous
and cruel Bifioop in the ceremony of h;s ordina-
tion, he is confidcxed but as a mere Layman ia
tfeis Proteftaat Church of £;;^/^;2^/ ; he (hall not,
cannot, be acknowledged by us as a Minifier of
Je'Us Christ. How my tier ions and quite alto-
nifliing is the />4rr//^///>' of this I
But let us hear your cenfure on this head,
*■* Our Minifters arc not duly ordained to their
" office : their mini (Ira tians are moil certainly
«* irrecralar ; an unn*celfiry and wanton, if not a
*• facfttous departure from the primitive or.ier,
** and therefore thote who attend them cannot de-
** pcnd that fuch ordinances will be bleffed to
S3 •< them,
• The word*? af the hojfiily wlilch every cl ergyman
l»li£cabes his fulcmn approbation of.
»,ft
rp^j
C 19a 1
•* them, nor can they be pleajtng to God*.'*
And concerning the eftablKhfid Pre/byterian ChnrcK
oi Scoilaud^ you arffim, — ** That having renounced*
** Episcopacy, and their ordinations being ir^
** regular y their Communion can he neither safe-
** J2or LAWFUL f." A nioft fchifmatical and rafh*
judgment ; which equally condemns all the illuf-
trious REFORMjzD Churches pf France^ Holland;
S^d^itzerlandy Germany^ Poland^^ Hi^rngary^ Den-
mark, (iyc. They all likewife have renounced
Epifc^'pacy ; their ordinations therefore muft be ir-^
regalir, and their co7n?nuniortn^\t\iQx: fafenov la'W-^.
ful.
But to give yon, Sir, more juft and favourable-
impreiTions of ordination by Prefbyiers ; ands to fmk-
a-little your efteem of ihuC epifcopal crdination^ on,
'which you pique yourfelffo much, I recommend;
to your conrideraticn the follovvtng things :
I. That Timothy was ordained by the laybig on-,
ef the hands of the Presbytery, i Tim, iv . 14.
— — That ^Paiil and Barnabas w.ere ordained by.
cet tiiin^ Prophets and Teachers-- m the Church of'
uflntioch^ and not by any Bishop, (of whom there-
is not a word in ail that {ol£mnitj).,preJid!ng in*
that city ^ y^/fj xiii. i, 2, 3. — r — r- And that it.
iz a v/ell known,, acknowledged; inco-nteftiWes
i'jft that Pre/bjtersy m the celebrated Church of
JlexandriUy ordained even theic own Bijloops fci>
roor;? than 200 years in th^ earlieft* ages of Chri*.
.Qi-r^nicy.
7. alfoops and Prefjyters are. in Scripture the-
very fame : nnd arc not a diftini5t order or office in-
the Chriaian Oiurch. The Church at Philip^h
had
f Lett •• pag<?^ 73> 74- t ^^ ^^f' P^^^^J*
I 199 3
had but tnvo orders of Church officers amongdr
them, viz, Btjhops 2ind Deacons, Philip, 1. 1. And
that the name, office, work of a Bijhop and Pre/--
hyter are \\iz fame, appears from TV/. i« ^. 7. For
this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou fhouldeji or^
dain Prefhyters in every city, FOR.: a Blfliop mufi
he hlamelefs, Paul called the Preslyters of the
Church of Ephefus together, and charged them,
A^s, XX. 27, 28. To take heed to the fiock over
fwhich the HoisX Ghost had made them Bishops.
Epifcopous So I Pet, v. i, 2. The Presbytirs
among you I exhort ^ ^who alfo a?H a Presbytir^
feed the flock of Q0\^ aynong you , performing the
oflice of Bishops, Epifcopou ni es .
The fuperiority of Bifhops to Prejlyters is not
only by the fxrft Reformers and Founders ef th«
Church of Etiglmnd, but by many of its mod learn-
ed and eminent Doi^ors fmcc ; not pretended to
be of divine, but only of hu?nan infticution ; not
grounded upon Scripture, but only upon the cuflom
Qir ordinances of this realm. ** The truth is, that
*^ in the nenu Teflament there is no mention of any
*f degree or difiintHion of orders, but only of Dia-
*« CONS or Minifiers, and of Prjests or -?'-
«« fhops PT," fays a declaration of the funHion^
isc. which was figned by more than thirty-fevea
Civilians 2iad Divines, amongft whom were thir*
Uert Bishops*. The book intitlcd the Infiitw
tion of a Chrifian Man fuhfcribed by the Clergy
in Convocation, and confirmed by Parliament,
#;u;«/ BiSHOB.s and Presbyters hy Scripture to
he the fame, f And fays, tho' St, P({ul comfecratcd
^d orde;*cd Bifhops. by impofition of hands ; yet
there
♦ Burnft's Hill, of the Rcformt. Vol. I. Ap. page J21,
t Tq the famft pur|)or« fpcaks the Erudition of aCbriJfian
fiiaa.
:^i^rrf'
r>
m
there is no certain raie prefcribed in ScriptHre ft>r
*^iue nomination, eledion, or prcfentatidn of them t
%is xA Jeift to the pofitive laws of every country*
And that the main ground of fettling efifc^pal go»
vemmcat in this nation was not any pretence of
divine right, but the <:^w^'(?»/>/fr£f of that form of
ChurchrGovernment to the ftate and conditk)n of
the' Church at the time of the Refotrmathtiy your
learned «S//7//«jf^<f/* affirms, a6d proves it to be
the fentiment of Archbifhop 6>^»7//rr and other-
chief Reformers both m ^d^xt/^r^ VI. and Queext
Bli%ah^ih"% reign, of Archbiihop Whliegifty Biihopr
•worthy ^c,\ *Yea,.
3'. It deferves yomr ferious confideration whe*
ther, by the conftitiation and frame of the Churcb
of England y sace«.dotal ordinatUn be really
3$ all necpffary to the making a valid Minilter, and
to the giving fuccels and efficacy to his miaiftra*
tions ; or, whether there is, really, any such
crdinathn m the Church of England 2X all ? It
ftcras clearly the fentiment of our firiV Reformersf
that
* Irenlc. Cb. VTII. page 3S5.
' f See a Letter of Dr. Raymlds of Oxford ^ti \hh head^
verheve he deciiires the famenefs of BiJJjops and Friejfs, op
that tTiey ha^e ^.7«/jr/ authority and power by God's avo^rd^
ti) have been the judrrment of St. Pauly Chryfojiom, Jereme,.
Amkrofe^ Aivfi'triy Theodorusy F^imafivs^ I'heophylaSty Oecu^
nienius^Aenfebn, Greg'hyyyGrath.nyX\iQ JFrddenfeSy U^ckl^tes^
BujlTitesy &c. Meal, iilft. Punt. Vol. 1. page 497.
Ai'chbiihop Bancr/fy and the reft cf. the Bifhops with
hini, owned the ordiirt ion of fresby-tcrs to be valid, and
therefore i^ef-iifed 4o reotdavia v^e ,ycujijb Preshyters who
were then to be made Bii1i'";'S, declaring, That to doubt it,
*was to doubt "whether there ^v-ere any laivful vocation in
tnnfi^ the reformed Churches, Archblfhop Spotf'voood't
Hl(l. page 514. TheBilhopj? of ^roiland^ when Epifcopa*
O' was fettled there, never require i the Pre/byterian Mlni-
fters to take epifcopal Ordination. Eijbop Burnet's Vindk^iH
pages 84, 85,
C 2.1 3
that it was not ; and that they eftablifhci the
Church of England agreeable to this plan. For in
a fcledt aflembly of Divines, canvened by the au-
thority of King Ednvard VL for the fettling im-
portant points relating to rrfigion, it was deter-
♦ mined, as may be prefumed from a recorded opi-
nion of Archbilhop Cranmer their Prefident *,
*• That though in the admlflion of Biihops, Par-
" fons. Vicars, and other Pr/Vj?/ to their office^
♦* there be divers comely ceremonies Vind fa Umni ties
*^ ufed (he fpeaks chiefly of ordination) yet theft
** be not of neccjfityy but only for good order and
*« feemly fafhion. For if fuch offices and minitlra-
*' tions were committed without fuch folem-
** nity, they were nevertheiefs truly committed^
•* And there is no more promife of God that
'* grace is given in the committing of the ecclc-
** Jiaflical office, than it is in the committing the
^* civil A Bijhop may make a Pritjt by the
*« Scriptures, and fo may Princes and Governors
<• alfo, and that by the authority ofGor> commit-
•* ted to them ; and the /if^/'/i? alfo by their eU^ion,
•* For as we read that Bifhops have done it, Ho
*' Chriftian Emperors and Princes ufually have
*' done it : And the people, before Chriftian Princes
*' were, commonly did elefi their Bifhops and
" Priefls. In the New Teftament, he that is
*• appointed to be a Bilh'op or a prieft, needeth no
*« con/ecratio^t hy the Scripture ; for eleftioa or ap-
<"* pointing thereto \^ f efficient f ,"
Agree-
* Vide Extraa from Archbifhop Cranmer\ M.S. Still-,
ing. Iren. Chap. VIII. page 391.
f To the fame purpofc fpeaks tt^e Erudition of a Chrifian
M^W'— which was drawn up by a committee oi Bijbops and
Di-vines^ and read and approved by the Lords f^iritual and
temporal, and the lower Houfe of Parliament. Aug 1543*
Vid. Neal\ Hilt. Purit. Vd, I. pages 33, 36,
Agreeable Hereto- the Bijhopj in this CJjurcb, iijit
tie reigns of //<?;;.. VIII. m^ Etdnxjari yi. too^
out commi{rion& from Vt?^' Croww, ^ Jikc pibcr
St ATE -Officers, for the ei«rcifiug*tl^eir j^/V#j
lual jurifdii^tion ;. in which tlief a^ekuowled^^
** That ALL Sorts of j,urirfdUl(Qn%, as. NveH^
•^ eccfefiaftical as civil, flow originally (lOiXk
** tfce regal power, as froai> a supre^me Head,.
*< the fountain and fpriEg'of all Magitt acy
!** within this kingdom ; and thit they ought witfe
** grateful minis to acknowledge this favour der
*^ rived from the King's liberality and i^dulr
•* gence ; and accordingly th-ey ought feto rendec
•* it up whenever the King thought fit to require it
*« of them. And amongffi the particujarsv ot eccUr
** Jlajiical power given them, by this commiffion^
«< is that of ORDAINING Preshytjers ;. and ail thi^
«* to kft np.lbngqr: than the. King's pk^ftre,^
••And thefe: things are fald to h^fufer an4 uitr^^
*• over and above what belongs to them, by Scrips
«« ture*."t
From thcjfe commljjlonsy which the, Bifliops tools
eut-^ eff ccially Bonner\ Bilhop oi Lmdoriy. it is evi^
dent, that all the fom^r ^Oxax,MATi.Qit whichj
tlv*
♦ Rights Chr. Ch. Pre;f. p^ge 39,,
f Even Archdeacon fr/'/zr/acknowledges, that \fL tht
reign of Hin, Viri. the ^ij^ops ttiok olif, and aaecj, by
fom^ijjions in which they were but fuhake¥n to th<j King*^
FicegerMt I But in the reign of £</>ivfir^ VI. none being
in that office, they were immediately under the King i
But by thcfe camB>ifiiw*s th«y ieolai*^, ." t,hat tlicy held
•« their Bijboprics only, ^/u^'iug the KtTtg's p^Ieal-ure, and wjcu;^
" impowercd in the JCing^s namc^jas. his D^legates^ i;o per*
** torn> ALL the Parts o^ the Episc^^FA,;* FuiM;^
noM." Efbard'% Hi*. Bv^. paje z^sf*
I 203]
tti*c fPffibffs^rf^i'^f could have andextmfe, in tlhis
kingiom, they derived entirely from the Civii*
MAGtsTRATE, and only from him*. Aad that
this really is the cafe as to the ecclefidjlical orders
•conferred bv our pfefent H'ihops,; that all the va*
tidity, .ffgtiiticincy or weight \\^hrch fh«y have in
f/^/V Church, they 'dtr'wt purely arrd yW^/> from
'^he .anth'Jficy of the Magistrate, inconteftibly
appears" hence ; namely, that the Magiilrate itas
iuikGritatively dired^ed and preftribed how and
to WHOM ordination is to he given f. And
Ciouid an ot'dirjathn he given by all the Bifhops of
this Church in other fA-anner and x:tT\{\K form
than that pffefcfibed by the Magi'fl:fate, fiith ordi*
Station would be of no legality at all, nor authority
i*n //'//Church, The man /^ ^r///7///^i/ would-be
no proper Minifter in the Church of Engiand.
A, Minifter in the Church oi Chrlfi^ he pofG-
bly might be ; but he would, I repeatit, be no
Minifter in the Church of England", nor would
\2i^t ponxer'ixX^ authority to O^zx^lX,^ as a Prieil
therein %. The
* Anno 1550 an order of Council was made th^t fomc
Blflic^ps and other learned men (houid devife an order for
ti^e CREATION of BiJ}>op and Priefis, Burnet's Hilt. Rc-
£br. Vt>l. III. page 195.
f Vid. the judgmtnt of thecburt in the cafe of T/pt:*;/?/,
U Nowjviiing Clergyman, ordained by Dr. Hicks {Tindal:\
llift. of Eng. Vol. IV. page 502) His ordination was pro-
nounce J illegal y and he dlfewned as a Clergyman, Vid. a
Suture 8 of^Eliz in Fuller's Ch. Hift. Book ix. page 80.
J The Bifhop-at an ordination afks,— <* Are you called
^ accdrdirig ta the l^\U of oar Lord Jifus Chrift^ and the
'* DUE Order of this realm."
l^ote^ It is not rufKcIent to make him a Minifter in this
Church that he is called according to the will or infti-
tuTion of Jesus Christ, if he be not alfo called ac«
wording to the due order of mis realm.
t 204 3
The Church of England^ If you d^cly trcigh tfj
fccms evidcHtly conftituted upon the congregational
or independent plan. It is from /^r People (in
other words, from the King and Parliament, in
whom the Pe$ple have lodged their power) that
ail the officers in this Church rcceiTC their whole
authority, and are dire(fted he^ t$ a/l. In alftheir
Ordinations, Jurifdidions^ Minijlrationsy ics^
'Bilhops and Priefts ad^ entirely by an authority
committed to them by the Civil Magijirate^ re-
ceived originally from the Peopi-e. So that as
^he People, by their reprefentatives, arc fuppo-
fed to have authorifed, direcf^ed and appointed
them to a^ ; fo, and fo only, are air the yirch'
bijhofsy Bijhopt and Priejlsy in this Church to offi-
^Oiiatc, and to difcharge their feveral fundions
therein. And if they pre fume to tranfgrefs the
bounds which the People, by their reprefenta.
tives, have fet them ; and to officiate otherwise
than in the/^rw and manner prefcribed, their mi- .
niftrations are illegal, and of no authority in this
Church.
This, Sir, I appeal to all who know oiir conjli^
tut ion ^ is the real and true nature •f your boafted
EPISCOPAL ordination^ as it now ftands in our
Church. It is an ordination^ performed by a civil
officer^ i. e, by one who officiates only by an au-
thority derived to him from the civil Magijirate,
and the legality of whofe miniftrations, and their
efficacy in this Church, depends entirely upon his
okftrving the manner and forms which the Magif*
trate hath injoined. — Ordinations then, in the
Church of England^ if traced to their proper origin
and rightly confidercd, are in truth nothing but
merely civil or popular ordinations*
]^or
[ 2^5 ]
Nor let It be here replied, --That thefe Blffyopf^
irho by th^ Jaws of England arc impowered to or-
dain, are at the fame time to be coniidered as fuc-
^effors of the Apoftles, and have received ponver of
€rdi nation from thefe Founders of the Chriftiaa
Church by an uninterrupted lineal difcent. For the
conftitution and law of England knows nothing at
all of this ; it refts not this ponvery which it com-
mits to its Bifiiops, upon any fuch lineal fuccejfion
or defcent (which it knows to be a rope of fand, a
ridiculous cJuwera^ a thing which no man upon
earth is able to make out.) No ; but it confiders
ihe King, vefted (by ad of Parliament, or the
fuffrageofthe People) with a Fulness of all
foiver ecclefiaflical in thefe realms, as enip9^.veririg
and authorijing Bifhops to ordain. This power of
ordination was once delegated to Cromively alu,AY'
MAN, as Vicegerent to the King. And by the
conftitution and law of England, this Layman had
then as much authority to ordain as any Bifiop in
the realm ; and any Prieji whom he had ordained
would have been as much a Minijler in the Church
oi England y and his miniftrations as valid, as if all
the Bifhops of the realm had laid their hands oa
his head* But,
4. The only pcffible way of avoiding this diffi-
culty, is recurring to the wretched refuge of Po-
PisH ordinations^ and deriving the validity of
your orders and miniHrations, and your powers of
ordination^ from the idolatrous Church ^yRoMF.
If you derive them not from the Civil Maglf
trate^ you muft from Popish Bijhops. A deipe-
• Heath and D/ry, t lie Bifliopj of /fofvj'/^r and Cluuhejlery
^Verc deprived of tlieir Biflioprics Wy a Court of Delegiies*
^o where all Laymcixy'ii, Echard% Hift. Eng. page^jio.
I
[ 20(5 ]
rate rufiige this ! attended with a train of moft-
ftrous abfurdities ! all which yet, rather than ad-
mit the orders of foreign P r^ujiat^t Divines and the
regularity of their miniftrations, you refolutely
fwallow.
That Popery is an undoubted fundamental
/uhverjjon of the whole fcheme of Chritlianity. —
That it is that Apostacy from the ChriJtiHn
/aith, dcfcribcd by St. Pauly i Tim\ iv. i, 2, 3.—*
The Man of Sih and the Son of Perbitiow
fitting in the Temple (Church) ofGo'Q ; oppojittg^
-and exalting hinifelf ah$ve 4ill that is called GODy
foretold by the Holy Ghost, 2 Thejf, ii. 3, 4.
— And that the Church of Rsme is reprefented, by
the Prophetic Spirit in the Revelation of St. Johu
as an adulterous and bloody Woman, which halh
broken the marriage covenant that efpoufed her to
Christ, and is fallen into a ftate of abominable
and open leujdnefs ; multiplying htr fornications ;
and in (lead of bringing forth and cheriChing a
faithful Seed to the Redeemer, breaths out horHd
tlireatnings and perfecutions againil ihcai, maker
^var nvith the Saints, deftroys them from the earth,
and is drunk ^nth their hlood \ that the Papacy or
Church of B.ovie is thus defcribcd by the Hot r
<jhgst, ProteOant Divines, and even thofc of
the Church oi Efigland, readily eonfefs. How
ailonifhing then to iec ! That from this idolatrous
apoftate C-hurch you derive, by Ordination,
your fpiritual <\nd faferdoial powers ; and boaft
that you can trace from/ her by an unintsrupfed
iinc your ecclefiaftical defcent. Strange ! diac
without fhame you declare yourfelvcs before the'
world the offspring of this filthy withered old
Harlot, as your Church exprefsly calls her ;
and that the validity of your ordinations and holy
offices
[ 207 ].
offices m Christ's Churchy yo« reft upon theJr
tranfmiflion to yoafrom \\\\% antichriftlan wrA falfe
Church, even at the very time that you acknow-
ledge that for a Twovik^Vi years paji it has been fo
far from having the fiaiure of the true Church
that NOTHING CAN BE MORE What miraclcs
♦are here ! That which is no true Church, nor has
bren any thing like it for a thoufand years paft ; yet
conveys true, regular, Church Offices and powers !
An antiapofolic Church imparting genuine apofo-
lie orders ! The Synagogue of Satan become the
facred repofttory, where the power of ordination to
holy offices in Christ's Church, for more than
ten centuries principally refted, and was almoft only
to be found ! The Church of Rome^ which by a-
poftacy hath Vtt/ itfelf off {vova the body (p/Christ,
hath neverthelefs hh fpirit and authority dwelling
in it ; and is co?n7}tifio ne d hy Christ to examine,
ordain, and fend Minlfters into his Church, for
the edifying of his body and perfecting his Saints !
How in every view marvellous and tranfcendcut is
this !
^< But Harlot as fhe is, you fay, flie may hri7jg
«< forth children as well as a virtuous matron, and
*< fometiraes children far better than herfelf.*'*
Poor confolation this ! For the children fhe brings
forth in this ftate of her divorcement, muft be born
tf fornication, a fpurious and corrupt race.
This, Sir, is that Church o^ Rome Avhom yon
own as your Mother, and from whom you
claim by ordination to be ecclcfiaRically 'fprung ;
and theyi;//of thisvile anddeteftable profitute, you
acknowledge as your brethren ; duly born into the
T fi Church 3
II Def. page 51,
I 208 ]
Ghurch ; ordained, becaufe epifcopally\ in a valid
and right manner ; whereas the glorious company
of foreign reformed Churches, together with the
Church of Scotland 2indi \iLZ Dijfenting Miniflers^X,
Jiome, you utterly difown as ecclejictjlical brethren ;
and affirm, " That having ronounced episcopacy^
*' and their ordination heing irregular ^ their commu*
<« nion can he neither lawful nor fafe.'*^ Where,
alas 1 is the decency, the confiftency and common
fenfe ; to fay nothing of the ckriftianity or charity
of this I
The Church of Uoine by the XlXth article of
the Church of England^ cannot poffibly be a part
of the true vifible Church of Christ; for this it
thus deiines, 4 congregation of faithful rnen^ in
nxjhich the pure ivord of GOD is preached^ and the fa--
craments he duly ad7?nnljiered accordhig to Cbrlft^s or*
di nance ^ in all thofe things that of 7tecefjify are requi*
Jite to the fame. But, do you not acknowledge
that the pure word of COD is fo far from being
preached in the Rojjnfh Church, that it is there
corrupted by moft erroneous and abominable tra-
ditions, idolatrous rites and hlafphemons fables^ as
your XXXIft article moft righteoufly ftiles them ;
Do you not confefs the nvlne to be an efiential part
of the Lord's-fupper ? Is that facrament then duly
adminljlred^ according to Chrif'i ordinances y in the
Church where the Cup is taken from the people ?
In ftiort, *' If blafphemies againft GOD, and
<* tyranny over men ; if defacing the ideas of
** Deity y and corrupting the principles of moral
** hcnojly and virtue : if fubverting the founda-
*« tions of natural religion, and adding diredlly
" counter to the fpirit and defign, and over-
^ throwing the efiential articles of the Chriftian
«< iiiilhi
C ^^9 1
^^ faith; if the moft avowed and bo I J aiTionts o§^
*• fared to Heaven, and the bloodie ft .nnd moft brir-
** tal outrages executed on the heft of men ; if alT
•* thcfe, I fay, arc fufficient to exclude men from
♦* being a part of the trutly catholic apoftolic
«* Church, the Romanifts can certainly hava no-
'* pretence to it."
The Church of Rom^ then having By her abo*
minable immoralities, blafphcmies and idolatrie^r
excommunicated and cut herfelf off from the body
of Chrift, fhe cannot have hh fpirit and poiver
dwelling in her ; confequently, bas no authority
to convey facsrdQtal characters and offices in Chriji'^'
Church ; the characters and offices therefore whicht
fhe pretends to convey, are fpurious and of no va*--
Kdity or efficacy therein.
But what finifhes the abfurdity, and renders it
quite ajlonijloing, \Sy That thefc very Popijh
Clergy y to whofe Orders you pay fuch extra-
vagant complaifance, are ^q unpolice as not to re-
turn the compliment \.Qi youri ; No, fo far from it^,
that they rudely pronounce jc?/ all, from the great*
eft Archbijhvp to the meaneft Clerk in the land, ^
company of mere common unconfccrated Laymen ;
as unqualified for performing any holy office in the
Chriftiian Church, as the mod illiterate and con-
temptible Diflenter of us ail. To return good for*
evil is, indeed fome times truly great. But ta
fee the venerable bench of Bilhops and Governors
of this Church, with the whole body if its Clergy
not on\f yielding, but conte?idin^^ befors the world
for, the validity and efficacy of the orders of Po*
BiSH Priejii ; when at the fame time thefc very
Priejls are going up and down the kingdom un-
d'erra'aing their authority, invalidating their Mi*
iriitratic>as^.aud.i:eprcfcnting f/;r;>faccrdotal powers
T 3. as
t 210 ]
as a mere nullity and jeft. To fee them public-
ly maintaining the ecclejiajlic charaders and office
of theft corrupters of Chriftlanity, thefe fworn ene-
mies to our civil government, and to his Majefty
King George^ thefe crafcy feducers, who are gone
out Spreading treafon, idolatry, Tuperftition and de-
ftrudtlve error through the land, this is fuch a
flrain of courtcfy as no reafon can juftify ; yea, is
fuch a ftraia of weaknefs and impolicy as ought not
to be beheld without indignant concern. For this
gives thefe Popijh ennjfaries a moft dangerous ad-
vantage over you : they artfully tell their profe-
lytes, ** T\l^\\. you acknowledge the truth and va-
*' lidity of /,^i.v> orders ; whilfl they utterly deny,
•* the validity cA yours ; the only safe and sure-
*' way therefore is to flick to ihcb' miniftrations ;
'* which, yourfelves being judges, are aiitkefitic,
** and valid \ whereas there is, at ieaft, a rifqite^
** a dangsr attending yours ;"and, *' that the peo'
*' pie cannot (to ufe yt3ur own words) depend ^ithy
** fo viuch ajjurance as is rcqnijits to ihsfeace andac
*^ qiiisfcence of their viindy that such Ordina-
** TiO)f s wll be hlejfed to them^ and that they ars-
^* plcaCtfig t9 God," Thus they uncourteoufly
turn the weapons again ft you which you put inta,
their ha ids ; and whilil you are jultifyiag.f;f<f/V or-
ders, make ufe of thofe very orders to poffon and
pervert the people ; and craftily to. traduce, under-
mine and dcftroy your Church.
*< The great hlef^ng of episcopal ordination
•* is wanting to the foreign Churches, you affirm,
** rather through Necesity than choice*.'^
This is perfcdi/ romauiic, and has not the face of
probability. Does not the world know, that in
thcix
♦ II D^^, page 5t^
I 211 1
therr public confefflons and formularies of faith,
Bijhops and Pr/<?/?/ are declared ovx^va^SX-^ the fame ^
and that the power of ordination belongs equally to
both*? Can any thing be more manife ft than that;-
epifccp^al ordination, if chofen and defired by them,
like other Britijh ma>mfa^ures, might with all
imaginable eale be in a few days exported to them^
and fpread in a few months through all their pro-
vinces and towns ? Are there not in this kingdom
thoufands of Ecclejlajiicsy who, receiving it from
our Bijhops, would moft joyfully carry over this
great hlefing to foreign Churches ? Or fliould any^
of their Divines come over to fetch it, would they
not be received, think you> with extalies of wel-
come ; and return loaded with honours ; perhaps,
with favours more fc^l^d and fuhflantial than thefe ?
Has there no management or addrefs been ufed
through a century paft, to introduce into their
Churches this epifcopal grace ? And as to its ^* fuit*
" ing the conjiitution and frstmc of their civil go^
*« vernment's,'' nothing, you know, can better
fit'thofe of the Lutheran profeffion, who have nQ*
viinal Bifhops, thougli n^ ordination but Prksbv*
TERiAN amongft them . To affert theoj
** that the foreign Churches do really prefer,
*^ DESIRE, and fojne of the7U sigh for episco-"
** PAL Ordiuatio>^; and i, that it is ,nct of
•« Choice, but of Necessity they nvant it — ,"
appears to me to be mere rovianct; \ an affertiom
far
• Mr. /)« Pejfi- /TaysBp.y^^.T^Va man of honour and
grea-, icriininor, attfjits, that af the firfr reformation ther#
were many ArchbiHiops and Cardinais in Germany^ France^
Italy, ^c, who joined in th". reformation, whom they miofht,
but ('ill n)t, emp'oy \\\ th'?ir ordinations ; and ihMefore,
Tays the Biiliop, \v\\'\x. nectjffity can be picfended in thii caff
I would fuir. learn ? Epifc, fijfertid^ i^c. pai,'. 191,
far from domg honour to the pcrtbn tliat maEeft ;
it.
There is one confideration more, upon this head
of ordination^ which I beg leave to mention ; th^
rather, becaufe there hath not generally, I think,,
that ftrefs been laid upon it ?which its importance
deferves : Which is,
5. Suppofing the p^iver epyOstDiNATiOM to be,,
from Scripture, ever fo clearly proved to belong;
folely to Bijhcps ; yet all tlie Bifhops of this realniL
refufmg to ordain but upon unjuftlSahle terms ; Or*
Di NATION, in this cafe, may juftiy be fought from.
Prtjhyters ; and, when given by the7ni is of un-
doubted validity and regularity in the Chriftian-
Church,
The Btjhops require from all candidates for or^
dination, as an indifpenfihle term of receiving it
from them—— That they fuhfcrihe millingly^ ani^
ex animo to the XXXIX artides^ that they are all.
4ind %vtKr a-N-i of them agreeable to the 'wordof^
God : And that they folemnly declare their UH-
FiiGHfiD a^ent and confeut to all- and EviRlT
miHG cantain^d in and prefcribed by the book of
CoMMON-PRAYeR. This now IS a /<frw of ad-
miiEon to the Chrifi ian Minijiryy vfhxcli they have
no authority from Christ to infift upon, or tot
make ; yea, a term (if with humility I might fay
it) which they ^^«(i^ greatly againft the rights and.
liberty of the Chriftian Church,, and ag.ainfl Ch r i st
ks only Head, by prefuming to make ; becaufe,.
thoufands may be dtiely qualified, according to the.^
nuill ^y Christ, to adt as Minifters in his Churchy
who cannot wkh a good conffcience^ comply with;
this term. By infifting therefore on it, iiity rejefl
thofe whom Christ r^eives ; and' unlawfully
keep out numbef s of worthy pcrfoas^ from a part ia
C 213 ]
^e Chriftian Mtnijiry, who, by the appointment
and will of God, and by the conftitution of the
Chrijlian Church, have a right of admilGon to it ;
and whofe Miniftry is greatly needed, and would
be ufeful therein.
Let the fole ponxjer of ordination, then, be al*«
lowed to have been originally lodged in the Bijhops ;
jret, if at any time they fhould enter into a combi-
natioa to ahufe and pervert this power ; to lay a
yoke upon Chriftian Mifiijiers^ which Christ ne-
ver laid upon them, and which they ought not to
bear ; and wrdination cannot be had from them
upon honourable and Chrifiian terms ; in this we
aaay fafely reafon, as our Lord hath taught us in a
Uke cafe, that Go» 'will have jnercy and not facri^
I Hce ; that a mere cere?nony is to give way to confi-
i derations of a moral nature; and that men, in
Dther refpeds well qualified, when, their fervice is
leeded, (of which them/elves and the people are to
3e judges) may ad: as Minijlers m the Church of
j 7/6/7// ; either without any ordination, when it can-
lot honourably be had ; or with fuch only, whether
Presbyterian or Popular^ as can be obtained upoa
honourable terms.
"Thefe things I recommend, Sir, to your dif-
^affionate and fober thoughts ; not doubting but
;hey will difpofe you to be lefsfevere upon Presbyte*
-tan, and more modeft in your glorying on epifco-
"ial ordination, than you have formerly been.
4nd whether thofe who now claim th^ fole power
rf ordination, and confider it as a Trust com-
Ofiitted to them by Christ, can juftify their r^-
^uftng it, but upon compliance with fuch fevers
ind unreafonablc terms, deferves maturely to
*c weighed ; confidering, that (as far as they bear
anf
C 214 5
liny reUtion Xo ChHJ}) they are not Lords, b^C^
©oly Servants in his Houfe, and that to him th^y.
lUutt be accountable t for fo important a Trust,
S E C T. X
0/ the Peoples Right to chuse their cnvm
Payors.
TH E next point to be confidered, is the right
of the Chriftian Laity to chufe their own Mi-
xilfters. The charge given them in Scripture to try
the Spirits^ tobeivare ^ffalfe Prophets^ /#
take heed ofnuhat they hear^ ** you own, incon-
** teftibly proves their right of judgment, or oi ^Jt-"
** amining and proving dodtrines ; but the thing
'* you want to fee is, how from the right of judg^
*^ vient^ the right of choice c^n l>e deduced ? =*'*
But can a perfon of any difcemment want to be
Ihewn this I Does not the right of judging in
things of religion, ncceffarily imply not only a
rights but a duty alfo, of acting agreable to
that judgtnent ; or, in other words, a right of
ehoiee F Pray, whymuft a man examine ? What I
that he may have, peradventure, the guilt and mor-
tification of combating his own confcience, and ad-
ing contrary to his fenfe of things ? What abfur*
dity were this ! If the Chriftian^i/7/7j were x.o try
the Spirits y and to examine and ijjeigh the do<51rinc
their pretended Pallors brought ; then thofe^ furely^
whom they found to hvmg not the doctrine of
Christ, and to be led by nut the Divine Spirit^
they were to reje^, to turn away from> and not
tq accept as their fpiritual Guides^
Ah
? IL Bef. page. 57.
t 215 3
Accordingly, tlie Chrijlian Laity are charged,
Horn, xvi. i^.To inark [^copein^ to cotifider, to ob-
ferve carefully) them that cause divijicns and offen*
fes contrary t(^ the Chrijlian dottrine^ and to avoid
ths7n. Note, thofe who make new /^r;?// of com-
munion in the Church of ^'Ar//? ; who fet up new
ceremonies of human invention, and command the
fubj 6(^:5 of Chrijl to yield obedience to them ; and
who cajl out of the Church, or refufe to admit into
it, thofe who comply not with fuch ceremonies and
rices ; these, Sir, are the men (I appeal to your
own confcience, and to the bar of eternal Reason,
at which all muft fliortly rtand) these are the mea
which CAUSE divijions and ojfences contrary to the
Chrijlian doi^rine ; these, therefore, the Chriftian
people are exprefly coinmandedy by the Apoftle, to
AVOID, Attentively confidcr this, and you will
never more condemn our feparation from your
Church ; this fmgle text alone juftifies it befora
the world ; ^d not only {o^ but proves it a moft
plain and indlipenfible duty.
The Church of England feems to have departed
from^ and moil manifeltly to have dejlroyed the pri-
mitive Apoftolic and Catholic Communion, by
fctting up and injbining other terms oi Chrijlian
Fellowship than theGdspEL hath injoined, and
rejecting thofe whom Christ receives, From
thist therefore, upon 6'^r//?/^;? principles, and by
the command of St. Paul, we are to ^wiihdra^
ourfelves, and X.0 feparate.
But to return — The manner in which the place
of Judas, the traitor, was filled up, Jil, i. and
in which the ^tvtn Deaccns were chofe«, y^/?/ vi.
(hews it plainly to be the conftitution of the great
FouNDiK. of the Chriftian Church that Its Mi-
nifters
liJfters fliould be appointed by the ele^ion §/ tt0
feopU^ An Apojile was an officer of extraordinmry
rank, whom it feemed in a peculiar manner the
prerogative of Christ to appoint folely to that
office ; but neither doth he do this\ nor yet order
the Apojlolic college to fill up this vacancy by their
own authority and difcrction ; but (for an injlruc-
tioHy no doubt, to future ages) he commanded the
Chrijiian people (the whole number of believers, as
far as appears, that were them at Jerufulejn) to chufe
oa/ TWO, and prefent them before him, of whom
he would appoint one to the vacant Apoftolate. . A
ftrong prefumptive evidence, every one muft grant,
in fupport i^i popular eledions.
And when /even Deacons were to be appointed
to manage the Church's (lock ; though the Jpof-
ties were then vefted with a fulnefs of power, and
had the gift (?/* discerning Spirits (in. both
which they have no fuccejfors) and were therefore
far better qualified to have chofen Perfons for that
office than the multitude of Lay-Chrijiians ; yet
behold, as a {landing monument to after- times in
whom this eleBive poiver was to reft in the Church,
they took not upon them authoritatively to nemi^
natey but directed the People to look out [even men
of good report. In obedience to this diredion, and
in purfuance of their right (as the Lord's /r^^
vien ; put into an happy Ilate, where rioae were ta
have authority or domininn over others, but all were
to be brethren) the whole multitude ^ it is faid, chofe
or, as you learnedly render it; picked cut of
their number /even men. Not to differ on
fiiiall things, Sir, if you allow the Chriftian Laity
to PICK out their Mi«ifters, as the Jpojlleu
with their fuperior powers and gifts of difcerning
Spirits^
[ 2T7 1 ,
Sj>irifSy allowed the Laifj> in ilieir times, this is all
eve crave.
As to the pra(5lice cf the eintient Church, 'tis
not I, as you fuggeft, by a writer * of your own,
high enough for Church ponver, who fays, *< That
" the people had votes in the choice of BiJJoopSy aU
^^ inuft grant, and it can ht only Ignorance
'^ and VoLhY that pleads the contrary,^' I own,
L am furprized at your conteftlng (lif]l.y this point,
i^'hen the ftream of all, even your own writers,
-Jeats fo violently agalnft you. Cle?nens Romaniu f ,
I cotemporary of the Apoftles, fays, they appoint-
ed Bifhips, Suneudohefa/is Tes ecclejias pafes^ hy
the cofifent of the ivholc Church, How often does
Zyprian {aj^ <* Nihil fiat nifi confcntiente plebe,"
Let nothing he done hut hy the confent of the People.
\gain, <^ Deus inftruit ordinationes facerdotales
* non nifi fub populi afliflentls confcicntia fieri op'-
' porters % God appoints that facerdotal O^Tii*
^ATiaMS fhould not be made 'uHthout the afifiance
xnd confent of the people, Himfelf, he declares,
hofen \o his ofHce, *' Favore plebis, populi fuffra-
* gio,'* hy the favour and vote of the people. Your
Titicifm C'i the word fufragiurn (which all the
learned know properly and^conftantly fignifies a
jote ; as it undoubtedly does in one i^nol both the
•ery inftanccs you bring to diiprove it) is too flen-
ler to difervc a particular coniideration ; efpecial-
y as you offer not a word ag;iin[l that other exprefs
eftimor.y quoted from the fame Father, which in-
iifputably (hews^ the fenfe in which he ufes,/^//fr^-
]ium, '* Plebs maximin habet poteftatem vel eli-
* gen,di dignos, facerdotes vel indignos recufiindi,*'
To the People belongs the chief Power ei-
;U tkef
f Lo^Ttll, f Eplft. ad Cor. Cap. 44, JJEfil. 67.
t 2l8 ]
fhr of chtijtng liocrtky Mimfters or ef rejeTthig tht
iin^vjorthy. I'his is a tcftimony full to the point,
which you coMlinol gain fay, arid therefore wifely
^vsrlook it.
The Cfinfliiutions of the Apoflles decree, t^af
he nvto is to he ordaihtd a Bijloop mujl be cho-
■^E^ h all THE People as' the vi oft isjorthy^ .
The Canom called the Apoftles depoje Jucb Bi^
Jlyops as are chofen by the CivJl MagifraPe\,
The famous Council of Nice, in a iynodlcal
lipin-le to the CTiurch of Alexandria forbid any to
is ordained Bifhops ^ithcut the Election of tht
l^eofle.
The CotmcH of Conflantinqple, aiino 382, fay
'4.hey ordained Neflariusy cun^fla decernente civi-
tate, all th^ city de^reein^U ; and Flavianu^, omni
• Ecclefia decernente, acc^t>^ing to Ue determination
^ftht nvJy.U Church.
7'be CauBcil of Carthage, aimo 594, fay a Bi-
Jhop is lo be ordained, cuna omm confenfu Clerico
rum & Laicorum, ivith the univ-erfal Consent
2^6th of the Clergy 4ind lu^iy^.
Leo V. Father ^Paul % confeffes, has amply
Ihewn, •< that the cfrdination of a Bifhop could
^* not he lanvful or vaUd, vAixch was not required
•* and fought by the People, and l>y them ap-
*< proved ; whicli is faid by all the Fathers of thofe
^* times ; *' and adds, Qui praefuturus eft omnibus,
:ab omnibus eligatur ||, I^/ ;6i/w^/.W is 4o prejide o^
ver ally i^c cholen by alL _^
♦ Cor.i^. Apof. L. 8.t;ap. 4,
f Can^Apof. 30. in Photiot
X Bentf. Mat. St6\. ^9.
[ 219 ]
The Counfe! of /^^r?/, anno 5:^2, require fh*-
Election of the People and Clergy ^ on (yain
cf excojnmunlcatlon, Chryfojlonty was ciiiofen Biiho^
oi Conjiantinople hj the com mo h c^nfcnt of all per-
fanif Clergy as ^Jjell as Laity *. la ihe choice
of St. Martin, the votes of die People carried it a-
gainft the votes of the Bi/hops themieives, die Pes-
fie infijling upon their privilege f.
Finally ; the mighty conterts and ftrii^g^es, cf
which ecclciiAftical ftory is full, into which th^
g^reat cities frequently fell at the eleclion of their
Bifhops, put beyond all doubt the aJitiquity of the
pradicc. That at Ant loch when EuJlatJ^lus was^
cho^^en, defcri'jed by Eufehius (de viia Conllanr.
L. 3. Ch. ^9, 6a.) where alio i-s the Einperor*s
Letter to the People of Antiovh (another memora-
ble monuTficnt full to the purpofe) exhorting therr*
not to CHU3E Etifebiiis as their Bihiop, but t.^
think of foms other perfon. That at Ccffarea
defcribed by Greg Nazian %,— — That at Aloian-
dria by Evagrius ||. That at C(*nfa?2tinople, fe-
veral times, h^ Sozomen^ be, That at Ephefus>
h^ Chryfojlom, At Verfeiles by Ambrofe, At
Milan by Socrates. At Rome h'j AmTnianns
Mjircellinust 6'^.-^ It hence evidently appear"^
what the fentiments and praftice were of the
Churches in theie antient times. So that fo warm
a. Chanel pion for Charch-audiority as your zealous
Dr. IVull is forced to confeis, ** that it is a- piece
** of hiltory which can-not Hiirly be denied, th tt
«' amongll th-e primitive Chriftians the People u5e<^
" to have their Suffrage in the choice of
«« Church-officers ; and that this is the raoit rc^it-
U 2 ^Ur
♦ Socrat. ScKol, L. 6. Cb. i. \ Sulp. Sev. Cap. 7^,
t Oi-at. 19. Ij L 2. C. 6.
[220]
"' far wrry ; that it continued many ye^ats ; an.d
** thofe Chriftians who have gone about to mend
^* this way, h^Vve made itwc^rfe *.
Thefe, now, are the grounds on which thift
right of the people (lands* And thus impregnabU
is the po(V)'ou io adventrouily attack. Your rea*
foning upon this head is truly extraordinary ; whicli
in Ihort is this, — '•< A man -does w^eli wh'o meek-
•Viy attends the Miniftryofa good, able, ortho-
''* dox Mini Pter, by qu,f^;//y^^tvr provided ; but the
•* Khigy' Btjhops^ Lord ChiifTcslbr, C entry ^ i;c, are
«* MORE COMPETENT Jitdgcs of the "goodn efs
•* and orthodoxy of Clergymen than the common
•« people f ;" therefore, the people m^ght not to
judge for themfelves in thefc matters, but lo fubmit
meekly loihe determination of the A7»^, Lord Chan'
ccllory Bifl?opSy dr. A mod excellent dcdtrire 1 ad«
mirably fit to promote Popery in Spain^ Mahcme-
tif'n in Turkry, Paganifm in Japan. The brave
Prot^ftants in France then, I urged, have unnvar*
rantahly and *wkkedly withdrawn from the Min^^f*
tcrs which the Kingand Bilhops hadfet over them- r
** Yes, you reply, undoubtedly they have, if their
«* Kings and Bifliops itt over them, as they do
** here, good orthodox Minifters." But couM yau?
think, Sir, fuch an anfwer would be received with-
out a fmile ? Pray, wiio // to judge of the good-
nefs, ability, and orthodoxy of the MinHler ? Not
the People themfelvcs, according to your fcheme^
but the King and BifloopSy who are more com-
petent Judges. Well then, the rulers in
Fra'nct
♦ Dr. Wairs Rift. Inf Bap. Vol. 11; page sh- Nny^
if any Prejhyter w:is created a Bijhop^ by imperial Mandates^
the people were injoined to renounce lilm.
t II Lett, page j. II. D^L page 63.
Fran:e7iVQ viore competent JuJges of the gooJnefsa
ability, and orthodoxy cfMinifters than ihw Hw
gonot lubjefts ; to \.\\^\v fuperior judgments, there-
fore, they ought to fubmit, — What rare ChriJIia-
?iity and Protcjiaritifm \\{\^ \ But are the Ettgo?:ots
ill France, I befcech ycu, '/iiore competent Judges of
the ability of the Clergy on whom they ought t»
attend, than the people of England ? Or have ths
King and Bifhops here more Authokity from
God to judge for their fubjedls, than the King
and Bifhops there i' *Tis Grange, a gentleman of
difcernment can entangle himfelf in fo iaco-ififlent
a fcheme,
«* That the minority of a parifh are bound ta
*' fubmit to the choice of the viajorlty ; fo if ttiefe
** happen to chufe a Pcpiflo Prleji for their'pallor^
** thofez.vz obliged to receive him as fuch,'* is aa
abfurdity you would charge upon my Princlplet
and Reafoning^y but is really nothing, Sir, but
the ' production of your own, imagination ; there
being not a fyllable in my Letter favouring iuc!i
fubmifiion ; but it exprefsly claims and maintains
the right of eveky Man i9 judge and chufe for
tifn/elf.
• II Dcf. page 6xv
II ? ^ - C T.
C 221 5
SECT. XL
The Burial Office and Athan^sian CRrr»»
7noJ} apparently inconjijlent and repugnant to^
each other, *
WITH what truth, Sir, and Juflrce you drew
your own character as. a forry advocate for
the Church- *, the piabiic will judge ; that yoa
have fiiewn no defecl of couragcy every one muffi
own. You proceed in w-hat you call, your foldi*
erly manner f, and like a bold and intrepid chaiur^
pion undertake to defend what, J beHeve^ few ex*
c^^t y our f elf , but would defcrt as a quite forlornj
and untenable poll : And that is, your Church's
thirteen times a year moli folemniy prorwuneing-.
concerning all y^ r ia ns 3.r\d Socinianslfhj^x. they
GANNoT b^ faved, th^t they da wit-HoOT?
po\JBr perif? everlaflingly ; and yet, with, equal
foleraniiy, pronouncing concerning thefc self
Same perfonsy dying in their herefies, that Gob-
has in great Mercy taken tj^^m, fo- himfejfy.
and that you hope they rest im 'Chrijst,
This is fuch a contradiction as, I eonfcfs, I did
not cxped any gentleman of Johrjety would at-
tempt to reconcile, jgut let us hear how you per-
form. ** When w^e declare that Jrifins ani
«< Sciinians perifti CTerlaftingly, our fenfe is, that
*• tlicir hercjies are damnable, and that they upoa
<•■ the account of them are liable to damnation ;,
" notwithflanding which, there may be room for
«* pardoa
>i
♦ II D^f. page iz%n f Dedic. page j$^
^* pardon iiv particular cafes, and that, '^iien^.oit^
** of thefe comes to die, it may be charitably, hop^
«^ ed that ^/V is f^ch a caf<?, acd we may la^y fully,
*' declare, that we do not quUc dpf^air concerning,
*< him* :'' That is to fay, you damn the Herejie^
but fave th? Heretic ; A piece of fpirltua,! legeixle-
main, which, 1 own, \ cannot comprehend. Bu^
docs not all the world fee> Sir, that the ^'r^^^ plain*?
ly ^nd inconteftibly rrfers to Persons, not ta
ikings only ; and abfolutely pronoui^ices. upoa
Their final circttitnftances or Jiate P Whosqej-^
1CE.R. 'U'/V/ he- fave dy 'tis ?i^eeffary before all tilings,
Uhat HE hold the fajthik^VQ defined; "which faith %
e^xc-epi every one dfjth keep- 'whole ^ and icndefil^d^
H E fjOill 'withoHt' d<^uht perifh everlafiingly, -r- Do,p^
this fpeak only of the Her-eftey will you lay, and not
cxprefsiy pronounce upoa the Cokdxtion ot
S.T.ATE of th« /'^r/^/2r.who holds it ? And does it
oniy fty of /J/>/, that \\q\s liable to damnaiioTT^ an4
not. that. \^: IhaU. 'mihQujti dpM^y or ^moft certainly
be dajuned ?
Again, does.thcj Creed leave roomJ o h^ope in par •
iicular cafes ^ when, dit five diftin<5l places, it dc^
terminer abfoiutely again]} hope ; andin fuch firing
and expreik language, as moft evidently reaches,
and was intended to ]feacli,to every- particular cafe P.
Whosoever, — . ^v<erV) a,N^,— nuhich except c$
Man helieve^^-rHs f?cL}l w i t h o v t^ d,o u b t, .
p^ri/h ev^erlafiingly.. If, notM^itihftaijding thefe djC'
cifive and tinoft prer^mptory d^^clarations, the Creed
ftill leaves rooin to hope for the falvation. of the
avowed denier s and <?/>/» *^^w^r/ of this faith ; then the
ufe of languagQ i$ lolt, th^re is no meaning ia
word^i
• II "Dd. page X 51,
I
m
r 2^4 1
words, truth and faljhood are the fame; and'araaxl"
may honeftly fubfcribe the Koran of Mahomet y and
reconcile it with a profeflibn oi iht Gefpel- of
Christ. Befides, what contemptible chicanerjr
and trifling is it to talk, «« of room for pardon ^ and"
<* hope in particular f^y^/," when you de^
tlare folemnly this- hope universally, and iii»
EVERY c^y^f ; and to fay — »« When one of thefe^
»« comes to ^/>;" when you do it over all when
they come to die : And, «« that you do not quite^
" defpair concerning the man\^ vj\Ltn you have the
affurance to thank God that h^ hath in greaT'
Mercy taken him to him f elf and to pray him»-
that ivhen you die, yourself may rejl //; C h r i s T v
as you hope this Arian or Socinian doth. Is
this the language of Nqt-quite-Despair — ?'
Such trifling does but hurt a caufe : you had much
better have done here, as with the burial office and
the abfolutiony have pafTed it in filence over, and
not attempted to defend what every one fees to be:
incapable of defence.
fiut, the unfeigned Asseht and Consent
'which you have folemnly given, and which every
Clergytnan is obHged moft folemnly to give, flicks,
no doubt, greatly; and makes you. ftrain every
nerve to endeavour to let it pafs. Such potions^
indeed, niuft be ^///^r ; God grant they be not
malignant ! There \s fomething m every wife man
that muft ftrongly keck againfl^ them. To num*
ber« in your own Church it cannot but be difiicult,
in God's prefence and before his Church, before
angels and vien^ to give their unfeigned Assent
land Consent to all and evei^y thing coni-
tamed in the Athanafian Creeds with all its expli-
cations, limitations, and damnatory claufcs. —
A Creei^
ji Creed J whofe limitations they cendefnn ; who'fc
explications they Mrlde % and iv^hofe damnatbry
clauies they ^^/^/ "heartily and abhor \ yet ia
Qoi>\ frefence, and ht^ovt his Church, 1. repeat it
■with aftonifhment 1 to declare on^"^ .tihfeigficd As-
SENT ajsd Consent to them all is a po*
tion, furely, which though Iweetencd with the no-
bl eft Church preferments, a man might jultly [dread
to Iwailow ! Yoit wonder. Sir, perhaps, to fee
Dcifvi, Infidelity, Pofery, a ccrruption of manners
and conte7fipt of holy things prevail throughout the
land ? I acknowledge, I do ndt : For when thofe
who are to be the great E^ainples and Teachers of
Righteousness, too generally enter upon thdr
facred o£nce with a dangerous violation of it ; fub-
fcribing articles they do not believe ; preadiing
contrary to their fubfcriptions ; declaring folemn'ly
their unfeigned aifent to what they do not approve,
but, it may be, heartily deteR ; and proftituting
the holy riies and offices of the ir religion to politi*
cal and fordid ends Why Ihould it be thought
flrange, if Popery and Infidelity greatly
gain ground ? And what wonder if they at length
fatally prevail* ?
SECT.
* See a like m'dci\\^t^hiconJij\ence betwixt the XXVth or*
tidcy and rhe office for conjirjnation. The article lays-^,,
*' Confirmaiicn has not any vifihle fign or ceremony or-
dained of God -—-'' Hut the ^ce commands the Biihpp
to fledart* << That he hath laid his hands ox\ the confirmed
'* (after theexampje of the holy Apoitles) to certify them
•* by //5/j yfj« of God's favour '"' Behold an evident
contrariety ! But to both parts ui\i'e\gi\td ajent and ccnfeht
is obfeqiiiou fly given !
It is fomething (more than) odd, a learned Bifhoji of
ycnir own has lately obfcrved, to have t^Q dreeds eftaMirtrcd
in \.\\zfiimf; Church j In one of vchich, thbfe arc declared
accuyfedj whodetiy the Sen 4o be of tl^e sa-me hypuftajisnjcith
the Father ; And in the other, it ii declared tlicy cannot be
Ja'-&£df
C 226 -1
SECT. XII.
Ti^ Scotifk Prejbyterian EsTABtrsHMEM.T
V in die at (id.,
IF Schism be fo dangerous an^ damnable a thing
as you afFedt to reprefent* ; the river T*weed.^
methlnks, Ihould not bound it, nor your folemn
warnings againft it \ ; but from the profufion of
your charity to the EngliJJi Diffenters \y a little
fhould extend alfo to your epifc9pal brethren the
Diffenters horn ih£ Sect ijh Church. But t/^e/e, fuch
is ygur partiality, you endeavour to juftify inftead
of ceniuring ; yea, to juftify upon fuch principles,
as certainly expofe yourfelf to heavy cenfure and
rebulie. You al ledge, *' That t/)ey did not
*« feparate from the Prejbyteriansy but the Pref-
*^ byicrlans from theniy that by tumults, falic
«* mui^ers, and other mifreprefentations of perfons
'« aii'i things the Prejhyterians got themlclves efla-
**. bliihed,- — -but that having renounced Episco-
** pacy, and their ordination being irregular,
«« their Communion can be neither fafe nor
«« lanxjf7(! § '* Behold ! in thefe laft words, that
fchifmatical dividing fpirit from which you endea-
vour rolvindicate your Church. A fevere and ua-
chriftian fentence ! by which you unchurch 2it once,
and cue off from Chriftian />//<?'lu/^//» all the foreign
reformtd
faved, but periJJj efverlajiingly^ who do not ^(Tertthat there
is ONE hyp of a/is oft he Father, and akothek of the Son' "^
EfTay on Spirit. §. 146,
* II Def. page 63, f Ibid, page 128.
X Dedic. page 15, § II Pef. pages x6, 145,
I
t 527 3
feformed Churches, a glorious and great company, '
atid pronounce thenn net to belong to the vifibie *
Church of Christ, They £ill have fsnounced
Episcopacy, in your fenfe of the Mrori, their ^
Ordinations tnerefore you declare irregular^
being only Preibyteiian, and their Communion
to be neither Safe nor lawful, /. r. it is a dr.n^
gerous and nvicked thing to hold communion with
them : Your o\vn fober thoughts, Sir, and the epif-
copal authority under which 3'^ou are placed, will, I
doubt not, corre(ft you for fo immodefl: a cenfure.
To affi.l the former in this good office, I would
offer t^o thing's to your ferious review.
1 . That tlie very canons of the Church of Ejig^
!and, to which you have fworn obedience, ac-
knowledge the Church of Scotland to be a true Sif-
ter Church ; commanding all its Clergy to pray/^r
ihe Churches of England, Scotland, and
Ireland, as parts of Christ's holy Catho-
lic Church nvhich is difperfed throughout the
^orld, Canony LV. Notey xh^Chxxvchi^ Stoiland,
when thefe CanoTis were made, was Prefbyterianm
h is now. And,
2. ConfiJer, that the Prejbyterian Church in
Tsorth Britain^ is eftablifhed by the very fame au-
thority ^ and reds upon \}xt fameJanM as the epifcopal
Church in South Britain,
The very fame LegiJIative Ponvers which efta-
'blifhid and formed the one^ have eftabliftied the
vthcr likewife ; if it be fchifm, then, rebellion and
contumacy againft Gov eksoks to feparate from
the latter ; it is moft certainly the very fame tofe-
faratc from the former alfo. As for '•^ Tumults
♦* and frilfe rnufiers hy ivhich it got it f elf efiahlifh-
^' ed,'' You fhould have kijown, that the fenfe
of
C 328 }
of ^h.^,SrotJJf? n2t,t\on was, perlxap.s, ten t^me mott^^
g.eneral for Prcfhyterianifmy in the reigns ofK,
William and Q^Ann^ when that form was efta-
bjifhed there ; than the. fen fe of the EngliJJ? nation
was for Protejiantifm, \n the reigjjs of K. Ednvard
and Q^ Elizabeth, when the ep'if copal Church of
England was formed and eftablilhed here. But if.
the fettlement of Protestantism in England 9
by the Crown and Parliament of 'thefe realms, was
valid and right y even tliough the Biihops and
Clergy Were, almoft unanimoxifiy ag,ainft it : Pr£s-
BrYTERjANisM in Scotland furely, cna<5led and.
^ftabllfhed by the fame Crown and Parliament,
muft be equally valid ; efpecially, as the voice of^
their Ckrgy as well as Laity ^T^n^, not only violent-*
ly, but generally that way.
A. grand Convention of the States m Scot"
land^X. the revolution y in a claim, of rights which
they, pr^fented as coxitA\r\\n^\.\\Q ftmd a mental and-
unalterable laws of that kingdom, declare,— »
** That the reformation in Scotland having heen^
** begun hy a Party among ft the Clergy y all Prb-
" LACY in that Church *was a great and unfup'^
•* portable- grievance to- that kingdom ^ King ^7/-
liam^ however, Bifhop Burnet * informs us, *Vaf>
•* fured the e pi f copal party there, that he would do
** ail thut he could to prefer ve them (eftabliihed)
•* granting, a full toleration to the P re/by teriansy
** provided they concurred in the new fettlement of
*< the kingdom ( /. e,) in ronouncing King y^?;^?^/,
** and owning himself as their Sovereign). But the
** Bifoops and their followers refolvcd to adhere
** firmly tq the Interefts of Xing /^mj^/, and fo de-
** daring
f Hift. of his Times, Vol. IV. pages 43., 43 . dnodccimOt
C 239 ]
<* daring m a body, \vith much zeal, in oppofir
«« lioa to the new fettlement, it was not poiiible
*< for the King to prefcrve that (epifcopal) go-
<* vernment .there, all thoie who exprelFed their
•<« zeal for hun, being equally zealous againil that
«' order/*
This eftablifhment of Prejhytejy was again in
the mod folemn manner cnafied and confirjued by
the Queen i^Ami) and Parliament oi England when
|:hc Union was made. You fpeak therefore of
this affair, Sir, in more coarfe and difrefpedful
language, than is either decejit or truet when you
talk of infurreflions, f^^fi mufierSy 7}i2freprefenta'
t'lonsy 6'6\ \t was done upon the moil mature and
grave deliberations both of KAngWilliam and Queen
u^nn, and of the Lords and Commons of both king-
doms in Parliament aiTembled ; It has received the
moft facred fandlon a human law can receive ;
and is made as ejjential and fmidamcnial a part of
our prefent co7iJlitutiony as the Church of England
itfelf. Take heed therefore that you are not pre-
paring a rod for your own corrcdion ; and left by
teaching men to argue away the legality and reve-
rence of the Prejhyterian cftabliftment in North
Britain^ you give a fecond mortal fl^ib * to the
Church eftablilhed here. You may pleafe to ob-
ferve alfo, that when ycu call the epifcopal DiiTen-
ters there the Church of Scotland^ *tis with juft the
fame propriety, decency and' good fenfe, as if the
Prcfbytcrians fhould call themfelves the Church of
England here.
Hence alfo it appears, that what you offer in
mitigation of the Jacobitiffn and RehtUlon of the
Epifcopatians in Scotland (pages i6, 17.) has one
W material
* A deadly one you before gave. Sec page />
ttiatcrial flaw, -which is, tJiat it is noX. founded upon
*Truth. For you reprefcHt the lofs of their
cftablifhmeirt as being the caufe of their difaffec-
tion ; whereas, the v^ry Reverse is exadlly th^
^afe ; and th^y therefore loft their ^ftabliihnicnt,
becaufc they were difaifedled, rej€<5ted the revolu^
tion, And adhered ilaunchly to King Jam^s, King
WtlUarn woukl have pre ferved' them, \i they would
'have acknowledged his govern4iQent ; they obfti-
iiately refttfed, and fell therefore a jtift facrifice to
their ftupid attachment to a tyrantikal ^nd. popsjh
Prince.
As to the prefent loyalty of the two parties m
that kingdom, the Prefbyterians aiKl Epffcopalians^'
which you have drawn into comparison ; you have
<ione one of them great wrong in reprefenting
th^m -b^th as, perhaps, alike deeply engaged § m,
Vne late iirjpious rebellion there. If from the dif-
pofi^ion of the Clergy., that of the ha'tty may bt
rcafonaWy pieiumed, there are i<v^o important fadts,
to omit many other, which will difpofe every im-
fiartial pcrfbn, 1 believe, to view that aflPatr in a
very different Jight. One is, the Royal Com^
man-der, the Duke of Cumberland's Letter to the
General AJfejuhly at Edifiburgh^ in which he expref^
ies a ftrong fenie ** of the very fteady and laudabte
<« condndof the Clergy of that Church, through
^« the wlirle conrle of that wiclced and unnatural
•* rebellion ; and fays, I owe it to them in jufticc
*•« to tcftify that upon all occafions I. have received
•** from them profeflions of the mod inviolable at-
*' tacKment to his Majefty's perfon and govern-
■** ment, and have always found them ready and
*-' .forward to ad in their feveral ftaiions in all fuch
•« affairs
§ 11 Dcf. page 15.
C. 231 ]
<< afFairs as tKey could be ufeful in, though oftea
<« to their awn great hazard — ." Upon an iin.^
partial account, the balance, I beheve, by every
dirmterelled pcrfon, will be found to iiand thus,.
Of the Prejhyterlan eftablilhed 67c'rg); not one-
in fifty in the whole body, but wiihed heartily luc-
cefs to the arms of his Majtrfty King Geokge •
of the epifcopal diffenting Clergy, not one in fifty
cf the whole body but wifaed heartily fuccefs to^
the arn^s of Frenchmen^ Italiatis, and the mifcreant.
crew who came to invade and overthrow our carp-
Jiitutioriy in favour of an abjured and popilh Pre-
tender.
The other fadl I.s the necelTity which the Le^
gljlature have found themfelves under, by new a^a
of Parliament, in two different fedions, more nar-
rowly to watch, and to lay undirfrelh reilrainis,
the epifcopal Churches in Scotland, Thcfe are welt
known to be fruitful and fatal fources oi jacobitij'm
^nd difaffeftioti \ dangerous y'^/7////r7r/>j where men
are formed and nounflied up in allegiance to a
Popijh Princfy and in avowed aver Hon and di {loy-
alty to their rightful fovereign ICirigGiiOKGE,- —
Though it be too true then that there were fome
of the Laity of the cllabliflied Church, by fonme oc-
cafional refentment or unhappy occurrence, hur-
ried into that black affair ; they herein departed
from their fettled and pro fe fled principles ; where-
as the Eplfcopalians adted quite in charciTler, agree-
able to the fixed fentiments and aife(5tions of their
party, when they prayed and fought heartily for
the dedru^ion of our happy government, and for
the advancement of a Popifh Pretender to the
throne. To fay then,** XhiiX. xht Scotifh Pre/hy-
•' teiians\ were, perhaps, as deeply engaged in the
♦• late odigus rebellion as the epifcopal Dipnters
W 2 ** there,'*
I
[ 232 ]
** tTiere," Is to fcatter cenfures at random, to con-
front the plained evidence, and to reprefent them
(as you have done abundantly by your diffenting^
brethren here) in a very partial and injurious
light.
SECT. XIII.
Of the Churches Authority in Coniroverjies of
Faiib.
THIS is <j clahn^ "which, to th« grief of its
real friends, and to the triumph of its foes^
youf- Church hath fet up,\ and obliges all its
C]ergy= Tolemnly to fabfcribe, For it is really no
other than an invafion of the EXivtNE Preroga*
five y and in the language of the Holy Ghost,
a Jit ting in the tep/ple of God, foeiuing it f If that
it is God*. It is a claim oi honoitr as due to a
company of poor frail and fat ibU men, which be-
longs only to the hmnifcient and i^ifaUihU God,
and to Christ xht fole Lawgiver and King ia
the Church. It is the very root of Antichriftianifm ;
the prop upon which the whole fyftem of Popery
reds ; it came from the Church of Rome^ and thi-
ther itdiredlly leads ; nor can the reformation h^
ever juftified, or the Church oi England fiipported,
upon the foot of this claim.
For if THE Church hath authority in contro'
verfies offaithy The Church of Romey furely, had
it BEFORE the Church of England ', yea, had it
at the very time when the refor7Hation Vf^^s made.
Cranmery then, and Ridley y Luihery and Calvin^
were guilty of great petulancy and ecclefiafticalre-
bellion,
* 2. Their, ii. 4,
I 233 J
belllon, in refufing to fubmit to i^e Church's
folemn determinations concerning hvage'^vorjhlp^
Tranfuhjiantiatic?!^ ^c, and in proudly feLtin"g up
their own private opinion againil the author ituiive
decifions of their ecciefiaillcal Superiors, to
nvho7/i they o<vjed fub??iiJ/ion, and ijjhovi they ougkt to
have obeyed.' ■ ■■ J his claim of your Church, Sir,
I lay it again, is an unanfiverablc argument in fa-
vour of Popery ; which hath drawn ihouraiids, no
doubt, and is continually perverting multitudes
ivom yours to the Church of Rowe, Nor can all
the learning or-wit of the whole Clergy of the huid
withftand the force of a fingle Jefuit, let h:m be
armed with and wield fkilfully this dangerous wea-
pon, the XX th article of your Church.
It was the fatal influence of this article^ I cb-
fcrved, that feduced King Jame If. and the great
Chilli ug-'vorth into tire R.omijh tents. Thefe in-
ftances you conteil with me. But as to xhtfrjl,
are guiUy of an unhappy overfight, in confound-
ij!g, t<vjo things, in the quotation from Burnet's
liiilory, and confidering them as orie^ when ihey
^re moft apparently dijlinfl. The authority of the
Church, ^nd the tradition from thc/lpojiles i,: fupport
of Epifcopacyy are in the BilTiop's account of King
James's perverfion mod maiiifeftly t^vjo fcveral and
different things ; whereas, you would flrangely
have it thought, ** that by the authority of the
«' Church, is meant only,' the authority »/ its tra-
'« dition or tejlimony concerning Epifcopacy\,'' . l^ut
do you not know, and did not the King know,
that the authority of the Church is one thing, and
its tradition in fupport of Epifcopacy is another ;
Pocs aot the Church, befides this tradition^ claim
W 3 tg
t II Dcf. page 137,
C 234 1
to kfelf moreover an authority in conttuverft^ cf^
faith ? And did not the King wifely and rightly
judge, ** that there nvof nwre reafon td fuhmit to
** the Catholic* Churchy than to one ^arti-
•* CULAR Church — r' That if the Church of
England had this authority, the Church of Rome
had it long before her, and upoB better grounds.
than ihe ; that if the Church of England by its .
anthority might fblemnly determine that Christ
*wen^ do^vn into Hell^ and that Arians 2ind Sociniam
are undoubtedly damned when they die, and perifti
cverlallingly, but yet, there is hope, when they
die, that they r <?/?/>/ Christ, and are takxn M
God in mercy ; the Chur<:h of Romcy by the fame
authority, might folemnly determine that im^get
are to be. worfhipped, and that 2. piece of bread 1%
tranfubftantiated into the body and blood of
Christ ; there* being nothing in the G?ie at alb
more incredible or abiurd than in the other ^ t
I own I fee not but, upon this principle, the King^
ac^ed right ; and \\\'d.X. every one that believes this
XXth article of your Church ought, to follow his^.
example, immediately forfake it,, and go over to
the Church of Rome %,.
Thus did the renowned? Chilling'worth ; he-
thought there was a necejfity of an infalUhle living
Judge^
J In a debate "on a bill againd Blafphemyy &c, brought
iiito the Houfe of, Lords, anno lyti-, the Earl of Peterbo-^.
rough frankly iaicj, Though he was for a parliamentary.
Kiugy yet he did not defir^ to have a parliamentary Goo^.
or a parliamentary Religion : And if the Houf? were for
fuch a one, he would go to Rome, and endeavour to be.
choien Cardinal \ for he had rather fit in the Concla^ue^ .
<h?in with their Lordihips, upon thofe terms. tindaVs Hifl,
£n^. Vol. IV. page 647.
Dr. mil, TimirJw^^ alfo, by the fame principles, per-
verted to ih^ Church of Rme. Vid. Second Defenge of
the Rights, &c. page 79 •
i: ^3j I
Judge bf (>ontr9V€rfy ; or, that then nl<ix)4iy^ w^/,.
and mujl he fame Church iipvn earth that couJd not
rrr, which in other, words is, that had auihertty
in controverjies of faith ; finding therefore the
Church o£ Rome claimi^ig it with a better grace,.
and upon fairer and ftronger grounds, than that o£
England could pretend, he too haftily went over
to it ; though he afterward well atowed, by his
incomparable writing, for that precipitant ftep,
•* But he was too great a mailer of reafon, yoa.
^* iky, to take authority for the fame thinq with
** in fallibility , under a different expreffion ; and
^ that, therefore our Church, in claiming the
•* former j did, in cffedl, claim the latter §,"
However he took them, Sir, nothing is more p]aii>
than that they are undoubtedly the fame. For that
to whomfoever GOD gives Authority in con*
troverftey of faith ^ he gives alfo Infallibili-
ty, incontcftibly appears hence, viz, that elfe a
man might reaily have authority {vovci the God of
truth, to lead men //2/^ Error, he might have a
power, a right from Heaven to fedace and to de*
ceive. The abfurdity of which glares at fir ft view,
and needs no further to be expofed.
To talk therefore ** of the Church's limited au-
" thority to decide controvcrfus according to the
** rule of Scripture and univerfal tradition ; and
•« th:?t thefe decifions (fo long as they evidently
** contradidt not that rule ) oblii^e her members to
<« obedience ,*' is quite trifling and beReath
the chara<5ler of a rational Divine : For who, I
pray, is to judge whether the Church's decifions
are^ or are not^ accordir.g to the rule of fqripturt
and univerfal truditicj8, ^^Thc Chiirch hcrfelf, —
or.
§ II Dif. pr\ge. 136,
i
or, her members ? If the Church herfeif^ndi not
hsr members ; then the authority is ahfolute^ 3. Po-
fljh tyranny is eredled, and a blind unlimited obe-
dience takes place. But if the ?ne?nhers ^vq them-
selves to judgey and no further to yield obedi-
ence than they themselves fee the decfions to
be according to the rule offcripture, then ail aw .
thority is overthrown ; the determinations of the
graveft Synods are to be weighed in the balance of
every man's private judgment, and according as
they appear to him to agree with Scripture or not,
are abfolutely to fland or y^//; >Betwnxt authority
and no-authority in matte^sof-- faith^ there is no
poflible medium ; as for Jimlled and tmlimited they
are only cant expreffions to which you affix no de-
terminate ideas ; nor can pretend to tell the world,
'^'what limits the authority ha>,— -'W'^^r^ it is clr-
cumfcribed, — in luhom it is lodged,— and ho'w far
its bounds go ?
' Accordingly, you find that noble champion ofi
the Froteftant caufe, when efcapcd from the per*
nicious fuares in which his notions of Church*
nutkority had at firit unhappily entangled him> ex-
preiling himfeif thus, '' For my part, after.
*< Jong and impartial fearch, I profefs plainly that
•* I cannot find any reH for the fole of my foot,
•* but upon this rock only, namely, that the bibley
*« the Bible, I fay ostly, ir the religion of Pro*
•* tejiants. I i'ee piiinly aad witli my own eyes,
•' th'it there are Popes again ft Popes, Councils
*• again^ Councils, fome Fathers againft others,
«« the fame Fftthcrs againft thenRleivcs, a confent
** c^i Faihers of one age again it a confent of Fa-
«« thers of another age, the. Church of one age a-
•* gainft the Church of anotht-r age,— in a word,
** there is no fuflicisut; certainty but of Scripture
1^ only
C 237 ']
** only for any confidering man to build upon :
** This therefore, and this oniy, I have realon to
** behcve, I will take no man's liberty of
** judgment from him ; neither {hnll any man take
** mine from me. 1 am fure that God does
*• not, and therefore that men ought not to re-
** quire any more of any man than this, 71? believe
** the Scripture to be God's nvord, to endeavour to
** find the true fen fe of it^ and to live according to
<c /7*'^ Thefe are the true principles of Protef
tantifn and of Chrijtianity to v^\i\c\ your Chur.ch
muft necefj'arily come b:ick, if ever fhe would
maintam her ground againft the dangerous aifawlts
which Popery is making on her ; for as long as (lie
(lands hampered with that perplexing and unhappy
article (the XXth) fhe muft remain the dupe and
the jeft of infulting Jefuits and Unbelievers ; and
be content to fee her members led in triumph away
from her by hundreds in their fnares.
SECT. XIV.
Of the Posture in .ivhich our Lord and his
Apojiles eat the Sacrambntal-Su?P£r.
TH I S IS the only point I fhall at prefent
further confider. Concerning which i ob-
ferve.
I. That It is mod certain that they eat^it in
their Table -Gesture, whatever that was ;
it was the g^fiure in which they were wont to
take their food ^.X. meals. This li all wq need to
know,
f Chillingworth's Rcl. Frot. Chap. VI. Sea. 56, page 379,
I 238 3
inow, to jnftify our practice : Qur Lord and ln%
Apoftles took the Sacrament in an eatings not ia.
an adoring pofture. Let no man, thcuf think
himfdf *wifery nor pretend that he can take it in a*
sapre humhU^ devout^ iund fitter poiturethan they.
And^
2. Though It was, perhaps, fotnewhat different
from the poliure we at prefent ufe (as there ar$
fcveral different ways of Jiiting in different coun*
tries and timesr) yet there was no word in the En*
glijh language foproperbywhichto reader anaplptoon
and anakeimenosy as Jitting^ which our tranflatori^
^nd I, after them, preiumed to ufe 5 for which i
I^Ye fallen under your rebuke. ^
•* You tell me, page i^%r that the pofture was
*^ lying doiun or <i?/^Ȥr ;'* and yet }uil after, <* that
** It was ivith the upper part of the- body erefl ; and
<* aidvife mc to try how conveniently a man may
•* eat and drink in that pofture." But to lay my
hody d$'wn or along^ and yet keep its upper partr
trefiy is a pofition fo extraordinary, ^ihat without
the help of fome pojinre-maker^ or your further
good inftrudlions, I defpair of cvec compafiing fo-
arduous a point.
That it was the eumftom of the antients, both
Romans znd^^reeiff to sit at their meals, can?
not be denied ; Hemctha Dainumenol Homer, Odyff-^
And Virgil^ who wrote near the time of our Sa*
viour, fays, . Soliti pat res conjfdere menjis *.
jEneid, VII, The cuftom of lying or haning ar
table was brought in amongft the Romans not till
th«
• Porra conlidere, nory in Ic6to recumbcrc ad mcixfas
hcroices temporibus morem fuifle diximu»» Not.^ ^^^P«
in X^c. U in i£neid» I. L. 702.
<<
t m 5
fhe primitire fererity of their manners was cof*
rupted by the efFeoiinacy and luxury of the EaJ} ^
-and even then, the poilnre of Jitting retained
in \.\iM facrcd-feajis in the capkol f .
And as for the ufage of the Je'ws^ Dr. Light f oof ^
Sir, is an authority which \ly without being Itrong*
ly armed, you prcfume to attack, the blow will
4urely rebound, and hurt your own felf. But th^
learned Doctor aflures -ns, — — ** That at other
'•^ meals they either fat, as we do, with their bo-
*< dies eredt, or when they would enlarge them-
** felves to T^ore frccdoni of fealling or refrelh*
^* ment, they fat nipon the bed-s and leaned upon.
»* tJie table on their left elbow. But on the Paff^
^* over night, they tifed this leaning compofure,
"•* being the polture of free men, in memorial of
•* their freedom,- And thus are we to under-
** ftand thofe texts which mention Johns, lying
** on Jefus^s breaft, and leaning on liis bofom
** [John xiil. 25. xxi> 20.) not, as feme have
«* pictured him, repofing himfelf or lolling on the
^* breaft of Jefusy contrary to ail order and de-
«* cency ; whereas the manner of fitting together
"•^ was only thus ; Jefus leaning on the table with
** his left albow, and fo turning his face nnd breaft
•• away from the table on one fide, John fat in
** the fame pofture next before him, with his
•* back towards Jefus ; his breaR rot fo near, as
^ that John*^ back and Jefus'% breaft did touch
** one another, but at fuch a dlftance as that there
** was fpacc for Jefus to ufe his right-hand upon
*< the table, to reach his meat at pleafure ; and lb
** for all the ret^, as they fat in like manner : For
it is a ftrange fancy that they lay upon the bed
" before
t Valer. Max. L, %, 3,
C 240 ]
*< before the table, one tumblkig (or lolling) up(m
*< the bread of another J."
1 have now followed you. Sir, much further
than I intended to have done. I hope it will not
be expeded that I remark upon all the weak and
indefenfible things your Defences contain ; there
are, I believe, five times as many as thofe I have
here noted ; upon which it would tire the reader*s
patience, as well as greatly try my own, particu-
larly to touch. As for the difcipline of the Church
of England^ its beft friends I am perfwaded wifli,
and common prudence would have advifed, that
you had been quite ft lent on that head, *' Who-
** ever thinks ferioufly (fays one of the greatefl of
*< your prefent Bijlo^ps) of the manner, caufes or
" obje(5ts of our Excommunications generally fpeak-
** ing, fhould methinks in pity forbear to mentioa
•* the word §.*' Y^our ecclejiajlical courts^ to
whom that difcipline is committed, are juftly not
only reckoned, but called amongft yourfelves, the
very dregs of your conjlitution. And upon your
own honeft confeflion of the fcandalous and ruined
ilate in which Church- difcipline lies amonglt you,
(quoted pages 67, 68, of my fecond Letter) I am
well content to let that matter reft.
As for the perfecuting and dividing fpirit the
Church oi England has ihewn, I think it the eafi-
cft of all points (and fo, I believe, does every ©ne
who knows its real hiftory) to fupport with abun-
dant evidence the charges on this head. But as
.both church?nen diVid. Dijfenters y^iis hoped, arc
now
X Llghtfoot's Temp. Serv. Chap. xiii. Vid. alfo
Rainokl. Cenlura de Libris Apoc. Prseledl. 79. Altaic
Damafcen. Cap. x. page 551.
§ Anfwer to the Reprefent. pages 3S, 39,
C 241 1
now growing into a better fpirit, and their com-
mon mterclt as Brilonss as Prot^jlantsy and as
Chrijtiansy calls loudly for a (Iricler vmton j I wave,
at prefent, any further profecution of a point which
might rather tend to widen than heal the unhappy
breach. Upon your own principles as to per [ecu-
tion alfo I forbear to remark, though mofl; eafy to
be proved both unprote[]:ant and unchriftian, the
merits of the caufc betwixt us being little concern-
ed therein.
If this rcvienv of the controverfy, which your
Letters have called up, fhall be a means of holding
forth to both the contending parties the feveral de-
fedls of their ecclejiajiicai ccin{!viX.nl\0Vxy and of ren-
dering them more candid and benevolent to each
other ; and fhall at all prepare the way for a coa-
fit ion betwixt them, I ihall think it an aufpicious
and very happy event.
** The readinefs which, you fay, my Lords the
" Bijhops have fhev/n, and will Ih^w, to come to
** a temper with their dijfenting brethren *," will,
I doubt not, be very gratefully and delightfully
accepted by them, and returned by a correfpondent
readinefs to lay aiide all prejudices (for prejudices,
I am free to own there, doubtlefs, are arhongft us)
and to comply with any jull and reafonable propo-
fals for the accomplilhing fo important and valu-
able an end.
I hear it with great plcafure, if what you fpeak
is upon good authority, — ^*« That if parting with
*' tiie ceremonies, and taking away a few indiffe-
** rent things will clofe the breach, you are fv-.tif-
*« fied that it will not long remain open — ^t»'*
X And
• Dcdic. page 12. t I^i^* P^gcs 13, if*
r 242 ]
And in mxirn -declare, I verily believe ihztif/uS
^'jtid^fcefijloiis as a.great part ofour Governors both
^ i Church and Stale .would, I preluine, think not
tin reafonable to make, were made to the Diffenters,
^here would no unbc^comingj/?//);i?/} or averjionhz
<fhewn by the moft con fiderabie part of them. May
]>leaven diipofe the minds of all who hare poiver ta
■further a4id help on this d^firablfe event ! that njj'nh
^ne niindy end n^'ith C7:e mouthy nve jnay glorify God.,
;*nd uni've our common zeal a:gain(l a^/^^TJu//?^ com-
^Tion enemy ; and may receive one anoiher^ hut not
4d doukjul -difputationj I For if we ftill continue to
Avorry ar^d weaken one another, there is reafon to
fx'ar le^il we iinaUy be deflroyed one of another.
TJiefe things 1 recommend. Sir, to your confide-
*r<ition : and fiiali only farther fay, th^it as I have
'^^01 been able ; and am perfuaded never (hall be .;
to get yom xo^ fpca-k out; and openly and. plainly
tell us, nx)ho you mean by the Church, '* to
*•' which Diffenters owe fahje(5iion, which hath
*=• power to decree rites, and authority in points
■^' of faith ; -and by Avithdrawing from, and re-
''^-jcdling the auihortty of v;hich -we are guilty of
*«. a dangerous and damnable fin- ." Whether
it is the Pope with his Cardinals ; or the King with
Lis Parliament ; or the Archibifhop with his Bi-
Ihops ; or the Bifliop of every diocefe with his
J^ean arid Chnpter attending, Nor ^vill you fo
muGh as pretend to fiiew us the charter which has
vefted them v/irh this high power, — nor will fay,
^o what things, or how far it extends,- though
%\\Q,^Q. 2iVQ eje^i! ial points upon which the controver-
i'y betwixt us intirely depends : You mull excufc
«rnc from paying any firther regard to your liicu-
ILratioiis ou thcfe things. I have neither time nor
incJina-
c 24J :i
inclinauon to cJifpute about a fcheme which yciK
affect to wrap ia obfcurlty, and which you are
afraid to lay open and avow before tlie wcrld. t
here therefore take my leave of the prefcnt debate^
Bat though I chufe not to bear you company in the
difagreeable employment oi groping in thedark^ yoUi
'wiil neverthelefs believe me, Sir,, to be
With unfeigned RefpcRj
Tour Vi^rj humhh Servant'^
A DlS5ENT8R^'
%i TH?
«
[ 24? ]
THE
Diffenting Gentleman's
POSTSCRIPT
TO HIS
Three Letters to Mr. White.
SIR,
TH E eitraordmary remarlc which introduces
your y^/>pcfftc/:x — 7'hat vievv's of avcr/r//y ;>/-
tfrt(/} inc^urage and fiipports our dij]t7it from the
eftablilhment 1 fha!l leave to the univerfal
laugh of your readers, for a confutation ; and ])ars
on to points of greater momcrt in debate. ~= — To
begin with ^jowx firji. Of Church^Po w er, and
hi 'whom lodged.
The Church of E d claim?, in her articles
and canom * to have power from GOD, to dc
arte OTHiR cert-niGKhs and ritef of ^o^^orpjipy and
to make OTJiia tjrvis of CbriJ}},'n: cojuiniiKion
than either Chtljl or his /ifrjfUs ever mvide or
X \ dc-
» A.l XX, aii'J On. XXVII, V.XIX, XXX.
C 246 ]
decreed ; and to have authority in controverjtes aj
faith.
This high and important po^jjer fhe fovereignly
exerts • You, as her zealous advocate, endeavour
to fupport her in it ; and charge all the Dijfenters
ns guilty of a v^ery crying and dangerous ^« in not
fubmitting thereto. The D'iferiters^ I h^ve told
you, will readily own the charge, and return im-
mediately to your Church, if you will gratify them
in thefe two inoil reafonabie requelTs, i. Tell
them plainly, who, and what // //, you mean
by //^d" Church ? And, 2. Prove it, to have thi:
po^djer veded in it by GOD.
Your advocates for Church Po'wer^ I know, love
always to deal in generais ; and will twift a thou-
fand ways rather than explain their fcheme, and
be forced X.o fpeak out : But you, Sir, being a gen-
tle.nan of fmgalar intrepidity ; and afFedling to do
things in, what you call, a foldierly maMi;7er,'\vh.Qn
your late /ippendix came forth, protefting to treat
exprefsly oi Church-po'ver, and in nx)ho?n lodged '^ I
hoped to fee the point, all difguifes apart^ openly
and frankly handled ; and that a cert^iin judgment
nnghi now he formed what your fentiments were..
But, alas, vain were thefe hopes I Not aU ihe in-
vitations and provocations I have ufed, can.<^raw
you from the daiknefs where you artfully* lurk.
Though the regard you owe to truth y ^o jufiice^ tof-
the fouls of your dijenting brethren, and to your
own repuiationy moft ftroiigly obliged you to it :
yet you have not, diirfl: not honefily and fairly teli
us — v/HO the perfouf are v;hom GOD hath truft-
e 1 with this power ; nor have produced the leaft
fliiidow of a charter from Heaven, invelling theok
^vith it,
la
r ^47 ]
In mod manifefl; contradi<5lion, indeed, to ovtt
confiitution ; our lan^^s ; our articles and canons^ to
which you have folemnly fworn and fubfcribed ;
and even to your very self (as I fhall prefently
fliew) you continue to affirm — ** That this power
** is NOT AT ALL //2 the CIV tl Maglji rate \ that
*^ he hath declared and recognifed it not to be in
*' hlmlelf ; but is folely in the Paftors and Cover-
*' nors of the Church." But when I once and
again preTs and provoke you to fay, who thefe
Governors and Paftors are Are they the Arch^
hijhops ; or the Bifloops ; or the Deans and Chapters
of every diocefe ; or the Prieft in every parifli ; or
the Clergy met in convocatloji ? You are four,
and will not anfwer. No, if Diffenters muft have
thefe knotty points folved, let them feek it from
other hands.
But what idea. Sir, will the public form of a
Scholar^ a Divine^ a fome-time Felloiv of a learn-
ed ^'7/?//r^^, arraigning us before his bar, as guilty
o{ high crimes in not fubmluing to Chtirch-poiver ;
writing trad upon travft to perfuade and reduce us
to it ; coming forth with an /Ippendix profefling to
treat exprefsly of Church- po-wery and in nuho^n lodg-
ed ; and yet, with ail this parade, not capable of
being induced to fiiy who // // he means by
thefe Pajlors and Governors, to whom, under pe-
ril of evcrl;ifting damnation, we are bound to fub-
niit.
I obferve, you rank yourfelf with the Learned,
and cWnn precedence amongfl: them. ** /, and
** another learned gentlenian"^ y (^<^^>^ ^^^ mens)
But will not the Learned Jifclaim you ; and treat
your lucubrations as an egregious impertinence ;
who
f Appen. page 37,
I 54? ^
mho can thus double and evade, and rncafily refufe
ito fpeak to the one fingle pointy on which they
all fee the whole controverfy turns ? Miift not all
your pretended charity^ and lamentation over our
Jiraying fouls ^ appear to an high degree ridiculou$>
and perfedl grimace i Dijfenters dangerouQy fin in
rejecting ^ ponver ordained by Jlmighty G OJD :
They profefs themfelves ready to yield it fubmif-
fion, if IhewR where it is : Mr. Whlte^ their pre-
tended friend^ knows the grand fecret ; but no
prayers can wreft it from him ; he is clofe and de-
mure ; and leaves them to wander on,' and fin» and
perifti in the dark.
But to examine your romantic fcheme, as far as
conjedlure can pick it out. — The Church's Paftors
and GQvcrnors are alone pojfejfed^ you fay, of this
po'vjer. By its Governors^ 'tis prefumed, you mean*
its Bifhops ; and by Pafiors^ its Pritfls, Every
parifti Priefi then, (your good Self, Sir, amongft
the reft) and every Bifljop of this land, is veiled
with this high ponver : viz. a power of decreeing
DTH£R rites and ceremonies in divine worfliip, and
oi injoining other terms of Chrifiian co?fjmuJiicn^
than either Christ or his Apofiles decreed or in-
joined ; 2j\d oi pronouncing Authoritatively
in controverjies of faith. This, you will note care-
fully, is the /ow^r in difpute betvvixt us, Thi&
the po'vjer which your Church exerts : This the
Poiuer you claim for her : and which you affirm
is vcAcd /o/e/jfy (\( I underftand your fcheme) in its
Biftiops and Pnefts,
But, pray, give me leave to afk ^How df>
they poilers it ! feparately or conjunctly P It muft be
one of thefe. Has every priefi within his pari/h,
and every Bifliop within his dk)cefe, a right to ex-
crcife this power, feparately and apart from others >
U 249 ]
Or, muft they affemble in common eeuncil, and
by ]omX, fuffrage and confent iflue forth their deter-
minations ; to which the confciences of all the
faithful are bound to fubmit ? Not /^/>/afr^/(?/y and
apart, 'tis prefumed you will fay, but in convoca*
tion convened.
Acccordingly, you lay, I obferve, a mighty ftrefs
'upon the Convocation's confent to the A<5t of
Uniformity, and the prefent eftablifhed forms ;
and fecm to reprefent this as that which alone gave
authority to both ; and that as long as this confent
of the convocation was witheld (as for a confider-
able time it v/as) fo long the reformation ** was a
•* meafure not quite canonical nor eccleftaftically right
•< — That it was a going a little awr^^ into fome
'« illegal or extra- legal \v^.ys That the King's
** fupremacy, on that occafion, was raifed to an
** undue height y and fuch as ought not to be<lrawn
** into example at other times That moft, if
** not all, the reviews and alterations which have
*« been fince made, have been made by the Bifjops
** and Clergy, in, or by the authority, or with the
** concurrence of the Convocation (your great mif-
«' take, here, you will prefently fee) and if our
^y Governors Ihall at any time think fit to fubjcdt
** It, to any other alterations or reviews, you -will
•^ not fuffer yourfelf to doubt, but they will be
** made by ecclefiaflical and even ^w^^/a'/ authority,
•< before the civil fanfiion be added to them */'
The authority of xht Convocation is, I- fee, the
phantom that haunts your mind, and has difiorted
ftrangely your thoughts, on this fubjed of Church-
pouter, I will candidly endeavour your illumina-
lioA
• Append, pages %, «;,
I
C 25.0 ]
tion on this point ; as I have the fatisfaclion to
hope, I have, not without good effe<Sl, attempted
it on fonae other. '
Before you had taken on you, Sir, to write-
about ^'^ar^/^/^iu^r, you ought to have known —
That, by the conftltution and laws of England;^
the Convocation is really no part of its Governtnent^..
DO branch of its. ruling- poivsrs ; has nofliare of its
/^^(/^^//z^^ authority at all. To be amply con vriv-
ced of this, I fiiall lead you to authorities which
you will have no countenance nor po'wer, however
ftrong your inclination may be, to conteft. To^
fome great ones, in the /^w, you have already beea
diredled*, which you have (and with good rca-
fon) not prefumed to diipute.. Turn your atten-
tion, now, to fome of your own Bijloops^ the on-
xjament, the fupports, the glory of your Church.:
Who were honoured with the firft rank among
thofe Pafiors and Governors^ with whom alone you
declare Church-ponver is lodged.
A gentleman of your erudition hath, no doubt,
i<?^r^, at lead, of the writings of thofe venerable
names Burnet ^ Kenneth Nicholfony Hcdy^ and par-
ticularly JVakcy your late excellent Archbifhop, on
this fubjed of the ^Convocation.
A due attention to their Jearned refearcles oh
this point, will efFe<flually eafe your mind of the
errors it labours under. From the hjl of thefe
great perfons, I fhall -prefent you with a few ex-
tra^s, to fet right your mifapprehenfions as to the
real conftitution and nature of your Church \ which
you feem (excufe my freedom) extremely unac-
quainted with, and not at ail to under ftand.
Td
♦ Pi(l>nt. Gent, i Let. page ics,
C 2?! 1
To root up, and deflroy for ever, tlie danger
^ous ablurdity of twoo independent powers (i. e. the
power you are claiming for your Pajiors and Go-
vernors, independent of the Civil Magiftrute) the
"Wifdom of our legiflature hath enacted and de-
creed, *< by the ftatute 25 Henry VIII. called the
*^ z^^ ^p/'Sn EMISSION, ift. That \!cit. Convocati-
*' on iliould from thenceforth be affembled only
** by the King^s nvrit, 2dly. That ic (hould make
•** no canons or conflitutions but by virtue of the
*^ Ki?2g's licence, firft given them, fo to dt). 3dly.
i* That having agreed on any canons or conjiituti'
** cnsy they fliould yet neither puhlijh nor execute
'* them, without the King^s confir7nation of tliem.
*' Nor, 4thly. By his authority, execute any, but
•• with thefe limitations ; that they be neither a-
*' gainft the YS\Vi^% prerogative, nor againft' any
*' cojumon ovjlcttii'tc la'w ; nor, finally, in any other
*' refpedt contrary tc the cuJio?7is of the realm."
Vid. IVake\ Appeal, &c. page 4.
The le?trned Metropolitan further informs you f
- ■ *' That Chriftian Princes have a right ; and
*♦* from Confidntine the Great, down through fuc-
^' ceeding ages, have exerted the right ; nol only
•* of exercifiDg authority over eeclejiaftical perfons,
•' but to interpofe in ordering ecclejiaftical affairs.
*' That when the Civil Magi fir ate advifed
I •* with the Clergy about calling a Synod, it was
*« not looked upon as a matter of right ; but that
*• he often called Synods without fuch advice :
I «* And when the Bilhops have earneftly dcfired a
' ** ChunciU and it has been rcfufed by the Magif-
*' trate, they have fubmitted, and not reckoned
•• them-
•j- Wah\ Authority of Chriflian Piinces, 5cc. page 10,
' i^
C 2f2 3
«• themfelves to have a r/^>J/ to meet without his
<« leave Wh^n a AS[;';K<?f/ was refolved on, the
<* Prince determined or allowed, tlie time and
•* place of meeting, and what />^ry^;/i.fliould come
<« to them When Synods are affembled, he
<' fhews, the Civil Magijirate has a right to pre-
«• fcribe xht matters on which they are to debate ;
** asalfo the w^«/;^r and ^/^/>5(?i of their proceed-
<* ings in them ; and, if he pleafes, to fit in, and
** prefide over them ; or to appoint his Co77imiJfion'
*^ er to do it in his ft^ad. (Thus Ld, Cromive//^
*^ a Lay-perfon, fat in, and prefided over the Cgu'
<* vocation for the King, Hen, VIII, ) They can-
«<not dijfolve themfelves, nor depart from Coun-
«« cil but by the King's licence Their dcfini-
«< tions 2SZ no further obligatory^ than as ratified
« and confirmed by Civil Authority, That
<« the Prince is not obliged 40 confirm whatever
<« the Clergy fliall think fit to determine; but has
<« a power of annulling and reje£ting what they
" have done ; to alter or improve, to add to or
<« take from it, He denies the inherent autho-
<< rity of the Church to make any fynodical autho*,
<< ritative definitions ; or that the fitting of C<?z?-
«< vocations is any right of the Church, And
«« fays, that as even the King's licence cannot give
«« the Convocation authority to promulge or exe-
<« cute any canons j but what are agreeable to the
<« cujloms and la'ws of the realm ; fo he ought to
«< fubmit them to the examination of his Council
" learned in the lanv ; by them to be advifed, whe-
<< ther they arc thus agreeable, before he confirmi
« them*/'
Wa]i.e"% Authority of Chrif. Pr, &c. page x jOt
C 853 3
So that the Convocation^ you fee, arc not lb
much as the Yi\fi^'% fupreme Council in ecclejiajii*
tal affairs. There are others who are to judge af"
4er them ; to (it as a check above them ; to in-
fpe(5l, coritroul, approve or vtjQ^ the advice they
give the King ; even in Ws Council ieurned in the
' The Archbifliop adds ^ That z$ the King
*« has power, without a Oonvocaf'ion» to make and
** publifh fuch iDjun(^ions as he Jhali think the
V necelHties of the Church to require, and to conf
^ mand the obfervance of them : So he may, with
♦* the advice and conient of his Parliament much
^ more, ( i. e. I apprehend, he may with ^without,
** much mere ivithy their advice and confent)
■* make what eccUftaJiical lanvs he fh all think fit-
V ting, for the difcipline of the Church ; and may
*•« alter, corredl, difallov/, or confirm the refolu-
** tions of the Convocation according to his oture
*« liking f.'*
And, finally, he gives a lift of a great number
x>f aiterationsy revienvs, and reformations in ecclc*
iiaftical matters, which have been done entirely b/
Select Commi^ttees^ without any advice of
tronfcnt (A tl Convocation ( through ail the fevera{
reigns of Hen. VIII. Ed^. VI. (^ Etiz. James I,
and Charles I.) When the King having firft ap-
pointed a certain number of Bijhtifs and Clergymen
{whether they fliafl be Clergy or Laiiy^ or what
Clumber of each^ is intirely in his choice) to con-
fider 'what may he fit to be ordered, then enjoins it
T>y his royal authority. And adds (difeftly contra-
ry to wJiat you a/Tert) That afti& this mabi-
Y NEK>
t Wak4% authority of Chrif. Pr. 5:c. pige i j6.
t 954 3
»IR, VIZ. hy fcle^ committees^ (and Afts of Coun»
cil) the reformation of the Church of England
was in great meafure carried on, and its mofl im*
portant affairs tranfa<fted*. And in his Appendix^
No. yil. he prefents you with a long catalogue of
canons ; injun^ions ; new /rtf/^/i//c«/ of the Bible ;
articles of religion hi {ovtY. \ explications made of
them ; examinations of ceremonies ; homilies com-
pofed ; prayers fent to the Archbifhop, with orders
for their public ufe ; viji tat ions of the whole king-
dom, with an intire fufpenfion of epifcopal jurif-
didtion ; (The Vifitors were two gentlemen, a Ci-
Tilian, a Regifter, and only one Divine^ E*
€har(P& Hift. Eng. page 3oo.)new offices of commu*
rtion ; other offices reformed ; new chatechifm draws
Up, &c, &c. All done by private commifffns^
or oiherwife, out of Convocation f- So that
the Clergy in Convocation have not the Icaft ground
to claim as a Right /& ^^ confulted in any future
reformations or reviews. If tlie government ihali
indulge
^. • Walie\ Aiith. of Chr. Pr. &c. page 156. The King^
^y$ Fuller i would not intruft the Con'VQcation with apow*
cr to meddle with matters of Keligion^ from a juft jealoufy
he had of the iil affection of the major part thereof 5 who,
tinder the /«ir r;W of Protcftantprofeflion, had the rotten
core of Romijb fuperftition. It was therefore conceived fa*
fer for the King to rely on the ability and fidelity of (bmc
fele^ confidents^ cordial to the caufe of Feligion^ than to
adventure the fame to be difcuflfed and decided by a fufpi-
cions Convocation. Ch. Hijf. Book VII. page 411.
t IVbetber ? And in lubat method^ our prcfcnt Gover-
nors may think proper to attempt any further rennenvs^ I
prefumc not to giicfs : But, pcrhnps may be allowed to fay,
That whoever knows the real Hiftory of Englijk Con vo«
CATIONS \ and obfervcs the narrenv and bigotted fpirit ;
the pctklanti cenforious, uncatholic, and rigid temper, which
has 'ever generally prevailed then j efpecially, in its infe-
rior members 5 wiljindulgw but faint hopes of reformation
ii'cm that (quarter.
indulge them with leave to aflTcmble, and to gire
their feniiments on thcfe things, it is to be gratc-
iixlly rcccivedt as a matter of grace^ not of right ;
and to be ufed with due humility and deference to
the Royal Judgment ; in which the Supreme
€CcleftaJi'tcafWifdo7n\% by our conftitution declared*
and by all our Clergy acknowledged to rcfide.
By this time, no queftion, Sir, you have an
humbler and jufter fenfe of the foiver of a Convo-*
cation ; and perceive it to be no part of our govern -
ment^ and that it has no legijlative power or autho*
ricy in thefe realms.
Your favourite fantajlic fcheme, then, ** of
** Pajiors and Governors having the sole Power,
** as to Church-matters ; and that the Civil Magif-
** trate has none at all *,'* is really, you now
fec» of very dangerous and important confequence ;
adually fubverfive of our prefcnt happy conjiitution ;
vrrefts from the King and Parliament an high
branch of their prerogative ; impeaches their fu^
freme authority ; attempts to fet up^»o/^^r ^iegifla-
tive power ; and is a deep indignity call upon our
reformation from Poperv, which was efFe^cd
ONLY by the Civil Magiji rate ^ your boaded Paf-
tors and Governors ftruggling vehemently againft
it. Are thefe the returns you make tor the in-
dulgence of that government, by whofe favour
you live at eafe upon the labour and fweat of
others !
The times of Hen. Will,. Ediv. VI. and Queen
Eliz. you fay, were extraordinary times, and the
regal fupremacy was then raifed to an undue height.
But, fee how the cafe ftood, when the Church was
in the zenith of its profperity and power ! I mean
at the pafling the A/i of Uniformity of Charles II.
Y 2 la
^ 1 1>^U pages 1 8| i9«
C 256 1
In the preamble of which you have the fentimenti
of the legiflature, and of that your ma/i relighui
King, which recites to this effe<ft «< That the
«• book of Common-prayer^ &c, having been in-
•« joined to be ufed by the ftatute ift Eitzah, and
*• fmcc that by the neglcdl of Minifiers, great in*
** conveniences and fchifms having happened ; for
^^ prevention thereof, and for fettling- the^ peace of
♦* the Church, 6"^. the King had granted his com*
** miffion to. fome Bifhops and otheir Divines to-
t' review the Cojumon-prayer-hook^ and to- prepare
• * fuch alteration and advice as they thought fit to-
<* offer. And that afterward his Majcfty having
'* called a Convocation^ and haviiig been pUafedP
*^ to authorize and requirelh^vn to review thefame
«< book, and make fuch alteratfoas as to thent
** fhould feem meet, and to exhibk and prefent
** the fame to his Maj^efty, for his further allom^
" anc^ or confirmation ; and the fame having been
*< done ; bis Ma}efty hath duly confidered, and fully
*< approved and alibnved the fame ;. and recom-
** mended ta this prefent Parliament that the fame
*« flialJ be appointed to ht ufed in all Churches^—
" Whereupon it is enadled 6t."
See here, how poor a figure the ponuer of your
Convocation makes when ftining in its higheft
glory ! The Clergy are atitharized and pequired by
the King ta propofe alterations^ in Church ceremo-
nies and forms, for mis Cons id b ration and
Allowance, as Supreme Head of the Church.
The King approves 2iVi6, allonvs fuch of them as he
thinks fit ; but in order to their having power at
all to oblige the members of the Church, the King
recommends them to his Partiament ; who turn
them into a /^oi^. And thus only they acquire aU
their
their ohliging force. What, now, did the Clcrg]f
in all this affair \ but give their advice. Which
•light have been taken, or refufed : So Lawyers,
incapable of voting in Parliament, are often ccn*
fulted in forming and making laws ; (hall thef
therefore fet up for a Ihare in the Icgijlative power ;
and exalt themfelves {romfubjef^j to be rulers ia
the ftate ?
And when a mod happy altfration was, after-
ward, made in this law, by the j^^ of Toleration :
which fo deeply affcftcd the forms and ceremonies
of the Church, with regard to a great number of
the fubje^ts of this kingdom, pray, tell me ! What
hand had the C9nvocati9n and Clergy in that impor-
tant Church' affair ?
And as forms of nuorjhip ; fo matters o{ faith are
enaAed into laws, judged and punilhed, entirely
by the Civil Magiflrate^ without any interventioa
or affiftance of the Clergy. By the ftatute of 9th
and lOth of William III. it is ena^ed, That if
any perfon Ihall be convided in the Courts of
IVeflminftery or at the Afizes^ of denying aiiy one
of the perfons of the Trinity to be GOD : Or, of
maintaining that there are more GODS than
one : Or, of denying the Chrijlian religion, or the
authority of the Scriptures ; he fliall forfeit — be
iinprifoned, At, Here again, you fee the ju-
rifdidion and decifion of the great articles of fast A
^clared by Parliament to be in the La'wyers.
And as to the punifhment of vice and irreligion^
the ftatutes againft drunkennefs, curfing, fwear*
ing, the breach of the fabbath, iic. fufficiently (hew
that the Parliament and Common- law Courts have
taken to themfelves the cognizance of thefe. And
what BOW becomes of your ecclefiajlical dominion
Y 3 and
and canonical fettlemcnt for above 200 year* ?
^ When it has been, and might in innumerable
other inftances be ihewn, that the King and Par-
liament have all along claimed and exerted a yi-
frcme right in matters of religion, fatth». worfliip^
and praftice. Your eccleftaftkal Courts^ indeed, are
ibmetimes permitted to take cognizance of fome of
thefc matters ; but then it is to be remembered,,
1. That thefe are the King\ Courts; ta be held
only in his name. 2. The Judges^ ia thefc Courts
often are, always^ may, and (ia^y many of your
010ft learned Clergy) ought ever to be Laymen^
And„ 3. The King, whenever he pheafes, ftayr
their proceedings; ^T2iXiX.% prMbhions ; takescaufes
out of them, and removes them into his Courts o£
commoa law. What, now^ is. become of the
original^ radical J u r i/s d i c t i on 9 which, you daiai^
for your Pajlors and Goverrkors /
But to return to the Convocatim^ — Our excel*
lc»t Conjl'ttutiony you; fee^ ha-th with great fagacity
circumfcribed its power, and reduced it to a mere,
fttad'ow, or juft nothing at ail. Eccle&aftical Sy^
n^ds^ from the famous Council of Nlct^y down to*
the ndt- famous Canvocatton of h^-^^^Hy anno i?!?*-
fad experience hath fliewn to have been little elf©
than the peds and troublers of mankind ; mints^
where pernicrous ^rri>/^^ have- received the (lamp of
authority, and been fen tout to corrupt the Church,
and tofet the world in flkmes ; and that, for the
raoft part, they have been csnventiom^ of interefted,
ambitious, fadious and angry men ; who under a
fair pretence of zeal for tkt Lortt of Hi>fijy have
been driving furiouily and foully on in purAiit sf
worMly views; and with an aflFe^ation of being
thought conteniiBgearneftly for the faith ^ have beezk
onlf contending, Uk« tIkipDifciples, who*(hould be
greate^
t 2i9 3
greatejl among thitnfilves. This tkc wlfiJonvaf out ;,
Legiflature kmew to have been the manner^ the
praSiicc immemorial, of eccleiiailical Synods ; and
therefore guarded, with great difcretien, againft
the portentous evil ; denied them all legsjlative
power ; fubjefted them entirely to the authority of
the Civil Magifirate ; and thus hardly reftrainedt:
Uiem from throwing, as they have often done, the
vorld into confufion \ and filling the Church with.
«verlafting debates.
And now. Sir, having thus laboured your edifi-
cation^ in a point of high importance, where, *tis
certain, you greatly needed it ; by this time yoa
begin to i3ee, not the futility only, but the prefump^^
thni and the real danger of your fcheme. That
itis a fuggeftion, asj;r02i0^/<r/r, as it is ungratefut
and ill-timed, that •ur reformation was not effed-
ed in a legal and right manner. You fee, that»
by rcprefcnting the MagsJ}ratc^% having no power
in Church-matters^ you undermine that glorious
ftruHure ; betray it into Pd>/i^ hands ; and fubvert
the very foundation ot your own admired Church :
And that by laying fo effential a ftrefsa as you do,,
up«a the Convocation^ aflent to the A^ of Uniform
ffiity^ by which the reformation and the prefent
Church was eftabliflied, you fuggeft to a crafty
Jefuit unanfwerable matter to infult and expofe
both. For ,^ pray, the Jefuit will afk. How was
that ajfent of the Convocation obtained ? Was it
not by the Magiflrates depriving the holy Bifhops ;
and thrujling ouS the Church's Paftors from thofe
feats, and from that authority which GOD had
given them therein ? And can the ajfent of a Con-
vocation thus />^^i<?^ by the Magiftrate, make that
l^^filt canonical^ and eccUJiaJiicallj right, which
was
I ««0 J
tm before Ilkgal, uncanonical^ and ecclefiafticaflj
wrong.
Befides, to talk of the Conwcathn'i Aisent
and CoNCURRENCEy is language altogether un*
€onflltutionaU and has a great deal too affuming and
frcfumptuous an air. Subrnt^on^ Sir» and obedience
is all the <^<»)yocaticm was capable of giving. The
Kihgtxuj give^hts ajfent^ and either Houfe o£ Pari
Uafnent may ^ive their ajent^ and thereby confirm
and give authority to any AA : But fhould the
Magiftrates of a country town talk of FuitTHsit
sonfirming it by their concurrence and ajfent y
which would they moft provoke, your indignationi
or your mirth ? And yet, the corporation of a Cor*
^(^burrough. Sir, has as much rights by ourcon*"
ftitutioUf^to xsSa^ ratifying by their ij^»/ any law
of the Crown» as the Convocation itfelP^.
And hence, by the way, you ice the extreme
canity of your imagination — — ** That the Civil
** Magidrate, by ratifying the XX th article ^ hath
•« recognized and owned the potver to be not in
*« bimfelfy but in the Church f" i. e. as you
are pieafed to underftand it» in the Clergy, By
what I^ogic, Sir, do you make the Churchy in that
article, to mean the Clergy ? Are not the Laitt
alfo an ejfentiat part of the Church f Does not the
very preceedin^ article, XlXth, exprcfsly declare
they arc ? De&ing the Church— —/# he a congre*
gation
• The Cowuoca/tton never gave their aflent at at! to the
mrticles of religion in K. EdtvartTs reformation. And all
the affent they ever gave to Q^ Elizabeth's (as far as I can
find) was the fetting forth the articles, which was not done
till January 1563 : Whereas the refornmation was eftabliib**
ed by the firft of Elix. January 1558, Vid. FuUer'% Qkp
Hid B. IX. pages 51 and 72.
f I Def. page 17, Appen. page 5.
gat ton of faithful men But, wourH you impute
to the Magiftrate fo tame, fo abfurd, fo ridiculous
a part, as publickly to dffo*wn himfelf ta have any
fonx)cr in Church- matters : Yea to deny himfelf to-
belong to the congregation of the faithful ! Yes ;
with aftonifhmcnt be k feen, this is what you are
not afliamed openly to impute to him. **^ Fop the
•' King and Parliament, you fay, have plainly dif
•♦ oixjned any fuch power, as we are fpeaking of»
" in the77ifelves ; and recognized it to be in the
** Church, and no body imagines, that by the
" Church they mean them f elves *.'* But if
by declaring it to be in the Churchy they have dif*
cwned \t to be in themfelves ; they have, thereby,
alfo dtfonuned themfelves to be of the congregation of
the faithful \ {or this congregation they declare to be
the Churchy to whom //^/j /»<?iu^r belongs. Befides ;
this is fuppofing /i<? King to difo'wn 2ii\d.give up-
a power which the whole Legiflature hath folemn-
ly veiled in him ; and which every \5/y^<?/ and Ec'
clejiaflic in the kingdom (till the time of K. Wil^
Ham) did fwear, that he believed in his confcience
to be true, under the penalty of a premunire, viz*
•* That the King is the only fupreme Gover-
•• NOR of this realm ; as well in all fpiritual or
•* ecclejiafiical things or caufes, as temporal ; and
** that they will affift and defend him in fuch ju»
«' rifdidion and authority.*'
See, now, the hopeful ftate to which you have
brought the Civil Magiftrate 1 You have made him
to dived himfelf o{ all ponver as to Church matters,
and to recognize it to be \n youy the Clergy. He
is now, therefore, in all thefe affairs, to be fubjeft
toyouliis HIGHER Powers. You have autho-
rity
f I* Defence page 17,
Tity from GOD to make /tfw/, rmd to prefcrlbe
rites t which Kings and Parliaments are to obey :
To bind your Kings i» Chains^ Qpiritnal, ecclefiaftic
tf^tf/»/— Rife up, O ye Kings, ta thefe your
Pajiors and Governors ! be inftruded, and pay ho-
mage to their fpiritual decrees I This do^ine war .d
the happy engine, which hath often lifted humble "
Bifhops, to the high places of the earth; hath made
Kings bow down before them ; und fubyedted Em^
perors to their feet,
Ecclejiajiical affairs ^ Sir, you are too fagatiout'
not to know, take in a mighty compafs ; and verjri
naturally comprehend the /r/>f(:;]^/^/, the manneri^^ «
the vfYioXt focial and tnoral condu6t, of thofe over m
whom thefc holy Paftors are to nvatch. Thus the ^
Priejis of the Church have exalted themfelves, for "
many ages, to be Princes of the naorld ; and by,
claims of fpiritual power, hare hooked in enor*
mous fhares of #^Mr/><?r/i/ grandeur and wealth. £ut»
is this a proper time^ think you, to revive and t(>:
prefs pretenfions of this kind ? Thank Heaven^,
that darknefs is paffed ! The light of Chriftian //•
herty dawns glorioufly upon us ; andexpofes alifuch
fanatic claims to juft fcom and reproach.
But 1 prefs you no farther. — You begin to-
relent. Having urged you with the weight of your
XXXIVth #jrr//V/<f, V hich you have frequently fub*
fcribed ; and of your XXXth Canon to which you
hiive folemnly fworn ; both which declare pofitive-
Ijyyour Church ceremonies to he ordained by the au»
ihority of the Civil Magistrate ; you are>
at length, condmined to own their force. But,
without the honour of retradting; your former dan-
gerous aflertion, *« That the Magifiratc has no ftch
^* jo^er at alL^'' You are now brought to ac-
knowledge
f IDef. page iS, 19*
knowledge———" 1 hat the truth of the cafe fe,
•* all our ceremonies, and forms of worfliip, are
•« ordained, as they ought to be* both by eccle*
^ Jiafiical and civiL authority*." Honeftly faid
at laft ! Well, if by ct'vH authority, then the Ma-
giftrate h-Asfome ponvtr in ordering Church-matters^
which you have all along denied him ; and then
the povver is not vefted foitly in the Paftors and
Governors, as with great pertinacity you have
infifted it W;is. Render then to Cafar^ the thingt
^txihich are Cxfar^t \ and lift not up your heel a-
gainft the hand by whofe bounty you arc fo libe*
rally fed.
You are now willing, I find, to compromiie
the matter, and to ^p (hares with the Magijirate^
in the enjoyment of this power ; and prefumc to talk
of an *• Alliance, and of Terms on which
^« it ftarids, betwixt the State and the Church f.'*
This Alliance, Sir, is a mere phantom^ (con*
jured up by the ftrength of a late warm imaginati*
on, to preferve at leaft ^Jhadonx) of its loft power
to the Church |. Neither our hijioryy nor our U'wt
know any thing at all of it. The nature of our
conjiitution utterly difowns it ; and avows the
Church to ht not an Ally, but a Subject to
the ftate^ An Alliance fuppofcs independency
in the powers betwixt whom it (lands. But, by
the famous Afi of Snbmifton^ the Church hath re-
fignedall pretenfions to Independency ; and giving
up its powers into the hands of the State. The
truth of the cafe is this. A few centuries pad,
the Church was found guilty of a dangerous rebel*
lion and high' tr effort againft the (late : Whilft it
lay
• Appei). t»agei3. + Ibid.
t See a late excellent Conmint on Warbvatox*#
Allianci, W(*
lay thus at mercy, as a criminal before its Jndgti
its |)ardon and life were given it> upon the Term«
of its reCgning all claims oi independency ^ and fub*
mitting itfelf thenceforward to the will of th«
Prince, But behold ! thefe Y(?r;i«/ offuhmifwn^ yoa
Jiave now. it feems, refined into terms of alliance ;
and the Church, from a pardoned criminal ^ now
claims to be a rival ponver : and to have its rights
and jurifdiiStion independent of the (late. *< Our
•* ceremonies and forvis of nuorjhip are ordained by
•* Ecclesiastical, as ^well at civil /?«-
,** thority^** But thefe,^ alas I are but illufionf
vrhich mock your heated fancy ; for ecclejiajlical
authority, as xiiftinguifhed from ^/W/, you may
reft aflured, there is none. A(k your learned Bi'-
fheps^ and they will utterly difclaim it. Aflc your
able Laiuyerj ; and they will tell you, that you in*
cur the danger of ^ premunire by prefuming to ex»
ert any one fingle a(a of authority of this kind^
Aik ail the knowing members of the Co?ivocation
Itfelf, and they will anfwcr, with one voice, 'TV/
not in us-^ — Authority ive have none. Yea ;
Afk the meaneft novice in the hiftory of the r<f/^r-
tnation^ and of the ejiahlijhment of your Church ;
and he will prefently acquaint you, that your ce^
retnonies and forms nuere not ordained hy both
ecclejiajlical and civil authority ; but by civil au*
thority ONLY : The \EcclefiaJiics in Convocation,
and in the tnuo Univerfities^ obftinately refuftng to
.^ve their Concurrence ; and even entering their
very folemn and zealous proteft againft it.
But, you are ftill harping that the Conv$cation
at laft gave their affent^ Pray ! how did they give
it ? Not till they had been firft garbled ^nd packed
by the Magiftrate : AU the Bijhops^ fave one,
exiled.
^x^.kdj imprifoned, turned out, by his authority ;
and ne^. according to his tafte, put into their
room ; hefiJes, the invincible artillery of Dean-
eries^ Pr^bendsy fnug and fat Livings \A\\)'^^ ftrong-
Jy upon tks inferior Clergy i Many Dignitaries a-
raonglt thcfe, alfo, being deprived by the civil
power. And, is it ftrange that the Convocaticfj^
thus powerfully atacked, made no long refiftance ;
but yielded, however relufianty to what the Par-
Iiafne7ii}x2id done* ? But their concurrencey I muft
again tell you, whether free on forced ^ gave, and
could give, no Authority to the ne^w eftahlifh"
mitnt ; becaufe, by our conftitution, they had not
the leaft grain of Authority to give. Suppofe
the Convocation had refufed their concurrence to
that ad of the Legiilature ; would the law not
have had its force ? You dare not alfirm it. Sup-
pofe, again the Clergy had eflablilhed any tieiu
ff^rms without an Aff of Pariia?7ient ; would the
people have been obliged to yield obedience to
them \ Neither duxft you alfert thi^.
However, not to difcourage good beginnings, I
Will take you where yoii are. We are come,
then to this ifTae. That the ^/t/V Al^giJIrate h'AS
power to ordain cerevnnies and rites S)f ivorJhipj'AXid
to make new terfns of Chr'fticin communion ; and
that the things of this Lind which are done in Llie
't Church
* Hear wfi.it even Fr/^^n/, who was r}C!vcrr\irpc^ed oiPar^
4iaHty againl^ the Church, fays-— ^* Ftnirreen i^/^/^^/f, twelve
** Deans ^ twelve Archdeacons^ fifteen Heads of Coll(geSy{\hy
** Prcbendariesy and eighty He^^forsj wcit- di^pnvcd by the
'* (itJEEN. But it was itrongly beiicvLxl, tliat of the rc(t,
**• the greateft p'^rt comj)licci aga'infi iheir confciences j
/• aad would haVe b.:en rca.fy fjr anoiiier turn, if the
** ^/?^» hail died while thit r■^.ct of Incuvibents lived, and
** the next {\.\cz':.^ux h id been oi'^7i5//6^rrelij^ioh.'' Echard*^
Hift, Eag. page 330.
f 266 3
ChnTc\\r){ Efig/arin/, are done, at Itad In part, t)y
CIVIL authority. This is ^vlla^ you now grant.
But the ^uejlion then returns, with unanfwerabte
v^eight upon you Who gave him ihis po^er ?
"What -charter has lodged it in him f Notji
iurely, the Scrijiures \ the cnly charter of ::ftie
^^r/j^/^7? Church, For all the /'^'u;fr or authority
'which the Scriptures give the dVlagijira4c^ relates
only, and can relate but, to tilings of a civil na*
ture ; And cannoi at all relate to things of 'wor/hif
and religion. This never can be contefted, becaulc
the Magijir^te was, at the time, when the Serif-
$ures were wrote, and for near three hundred years
-after, irfdel and PiJgan, St. Paui, therefore, by
commanding us to he fuhj^fi to the higher peijcers ;
and to Dl^ej MagiJI rates, for confcience fake, btcatift
ihey ar^ the MlniJJers of GOD, for good ^does
Jiot in the leaft, require our obedience to their
decrees as to cerei?ioni}s 2ir\d forms of Vvorfhip ; 't>t
our conformity to their eftablifhments, in things of
a reHs[i<ius nature. No, St. Paul hxm^tM and all
the y^/j^/iv were very zealous Nonconfor7tiijls, The
grand fccpe of all their labours, their preachingj
their lives was to pcrfuade and draw men off from
the efiahlifhed fnir7}is of worfliip ; and to convince
them that, in thefe affairs, there was ONE Kiyig
only, and ONE Lord to whom their homage a"
lone was due : Even JESUS, who by his fuifcr-
ings had merired this high honour, and to whom
^lone GOD has commanded that, txi things of re-
ligion, every knee flnxH bom).
Here, then, I again call upon and provoke you
to tell me -Who gave the civil ISUgiflrate this
^luthority in religious matters \ You •a.vtftlertt^
^nd cannot fi^y Well, then, if by the com-
ttia»d oX Aljiiighiy GOD, and by the original
con-
i M7 1
eonftitution of the Chriftian Churchy he hath mire ^
.then, the fubjeds of Jesus Ct+Risr are undei'^
no obligation to obey his injuaclions, in things ot"
a religious nature ; confequently, ai'^ in no fault io;
dijfenting from eflablillied forms ; anxl confequent-
Jy, your cenfures of them, as ^r^?^/ Sinners for
fo doing, are extremely raQiand uncharitable ; for
wjiich it becomes you, to be humbled greaily be-
' fore GOD, and to afk pardon oi vien.
See now, the unhappy pinch to which you are
reduced — If you fay the yTf^^//7r/?/^ has auihority
to decree ceremonies^ ?iXi\for7m of ii*(>rjhi^y to make:
ne^vj terms of communion, and to determine con^
iroverjies of fail h you then fin agiiinO the un-
doubted rights and confiitution of the Christiam^
"Church ; againd GOD, againft Jfisus^ Christ,
againfl: reafon and common fenfe. But if you fay
that he has/ not, you then fin againfl the Church
of England^ againd its la^ws and confLituiion : Your,
are a Difentery at lead, in principle ; bur, per-
haps, have not fortitude enough to faerifice, what
you call, ^oy^ fnugnefs by profeflmg openly youxr
dijfent.
Having tKus confidered the former part of your
^Jelf repugnant fcheme. i. That the Magiftrate /;^x
not : And, 2. That he has the authority which he
claims and exercifes in your Church : I (hould no\w
proceed to the other, viz .. That it is lodged in the^
Churchs^sPaJfors and Governors . But, here, to the:^
furprize of every attentive reader, you - content
yourfelf with aferting-^ without paying him the
compliment of fo raachas attempting \.o prove \\itvi^y.
poifelfed of this power. The Bible, I thought
you knew, to be the religion cf Froteflants ; andi
the ScRiPTURFs., the on'y ruU oF their pradlice
and fkixh. But behold ! a Vrot.efant, a Divincy.
2 2 claims
n^vfTrh
[ 2«S :|
claiming an high pomer for his Pafiors and Gover-
nors ; a poixjer in which the peace and purity of
the ChriftianChurch are effentially concerned ; and
yet not able, nor when called upon pretending^ to
produce one fingle te^^t of Scriptun m fupport of
this claim,
I have pointed you to fcveral exprcfs commands
of the facred la'Wy which dli^edJy FaRaiD and
COKDEMM this pretended ponver ; have fhewn
you, that Ckrijiians are the Lord's freed-men,
that they are each for himfclf, to Jfudyy 2iTid fearch
the Scriptures To exaj/ihie and try the fpiriis
To call no man ufcn earth Master, and are
not to he, called Rabbi, i. e. are neither to ^j-
knonvledge, nor to clai?n any authority over others
in things of religion, hecaufe ONE only is our
Lanvgiver and majlety i^ thefe ihingj^ ^vett
Christ; and all Chriftians are brethren. That
though tilt Princes of the Gentiles exercife Domi-
KiON over them \ and they ^ho are greats eKercsfe
Authority upon thenty H shall NOT BE
SO AMONGST YOU : — What havc you re-
plied, Sir, to thefe plain and diredt commands t
Have you fo much as atte7?ipted to evade th«lr
force ; No : but with confcious imp^otence ~^2iniL
ftill; and fee this Scripture-artillery domolifhing
the boafted thrones of your Paftors and Governors,
and beating down the high places to which your
imagination had raifed them, without fo much as
extending a feeble hand for their fupport.
From wl>at has been faid> on the point of
Church ponvery you fee with how little rr.afon you
plume yourfelf and gentlemen of the eftablifhment,
as the only proper champions to encounter the
Church of Rome »<< Upon the head o{ Herefy^
'< Scbif7?s^
\
f 269 1
^ SchipTty Ordination, Tradition^ Ckurch-un'tiy^
*- and Catholic c:^vnntinhn\ no Proteflant is fo
•* well qualified to write upon thefe, and fo likely
" to do it to the convrdion^of a papiH:, as one of
•^ the Church of England \ but, to be fure, not a
« Proiejlant' Dljenter*:'- What proteftant Dif-
fenters can do- on the PoplJJy controvcriy, the Sal-
ter's-Hall letftures will (hew to their 1 ailing ho-
Bour. And in truth, all your mighty champi-
ons, Chlllingworth. Hahs, StlUlngfleet', Mlddle-
t^n^ die. In all their conflids wi^h the Church of-
Rof?[^y have been ever forced to qait thhlr oivn^ and
tt> borrow our weapons-; and to tic^/e alone have
owed the triumphs they h;ive gained.
Councils J Fathers^ the CintrcFs ponver io decree
rites and authority hi' controverfies of- fa'pih
are armour in which no ProteJiantAds^% look a fa-
gacious and learned 7^^^*^ in the face. No ; but
the fufficiency of Scripture, ai>d the right of private
judgf?i-ent (our diftingnifliing and proper princi-
ples) are the f?;^/^' method of ailiiu It before- which
the RomlfJo fyftem immediately falls. Thefe, Sir,
if you know any thing of the^ftate of that contro-
verfy, youmuft know to have been the prhjclples
upon which your own learned Do(5lors have de-
fended the reformation ; -and the prln^-lples on
which alone it is capable of defence-. But then you
are to remember alfo,- thaf they ^vt principles on
which the Church of Engla7id can never pofTtbly be
defended ; and v/hich, if faithfully ^and duly fol-
lowed, would have brought ChlUlngixjorlhy and
Halesy and Mlddleto?! amongft us ; and wonUl
make every inteUlgejit and honcjl Protcilant, in
Z 3, this
•^ Appcn. pnge \v%
'i;f*^»;i
C 270 1
this kingdom, a Dijfenter from the effiabliQiei
Church.
For if the Scripture be, iadeed a fafficient
and perfefi Rule ; what becomes of your additir
onal fplendors (as you are pleafed to call them) and
your improveinsnts upon Chriftiai^ity f What, of
your Church's Power to decree ceremonies and
rites ! What, oi Jponfcrs 2Lnd the crofs in Baptifra^
kneeling at the Lord's- fupper, hanving to the Eaft»
(St ! of which the Scripturej, the fufficient
and perfe-{l rule, fay not a word. And if the right ^
and the duty oi private judgfnent be acknowledged ;
into what a fume, alas ! evaporates the Church's
bo.^iled authority iji conlroverfies of faith \ Your
learned Doctors themfelves felt, and owned, the
dimculty of the part they had to a^. And 'tis,
really pleafant to obferve ; how, in their attacks
upon Diffenters, Councils and Fathers^ Chursh"
authority and Church'ponver^ the danger and Jin ojT
fchifm, &c. are gravely muftered up, and plied
warmly upon us. But no fooncr does a crafty Je*
fttit come forth armed, cap a pee^ with weapons of
this kind, than away they are all flung ! to our
quarters they retreat I Then» the Bible, th^
Bible only is the religion of Pr defiant s^ and eve-
ry maa is to ready and to judge for himfelf \ then,,
not thofe, who feperate from a Church, that im-
pofes unlawful (unfcriptHral) terms, arc guilty of
fchifm ; but the Church alone is guilty in impojing
fuch terms.
A flight att-^ntion will fhew you, with how ex*
trcmely /// a grace a Church of England Divine
muft appear upon the head o-f Schifn, Tradition,
Church-unity Who by the Traditions of
men ( fponfors, the crofs, <bc. ) hath notorioufly
made void <-he Coviviaudriient nf GOD (to receive
one
C 571 I
4«e an6tller, but not to doubtful di/putation? ♦.)
Who breaks, in a flagrant manner, the Unity
of the Chrijiian Churchy by fttting up new itnn$
offellowfhip and communion in ic ; and by cait-
ipg out fuch as Chrift receives into it : And who
declares, before the world, againft Catholic-
Communion, by refufing to admit any to the
iiuo facraments of religion : except, befides what
Chrijl and his Apojlles have ordained, they fubmit
alfo to fome rites which them/elves have ordained,
as improvements upon the plan which the infpired
j4poJilss left. And is this, now, a man to
tuzQMViX.t.v RomiJJo emifTaries ? Mud he not go forth
with infinite difadvantage, and feel his own wea-
pons turned violently upon himfelf ? But, the D'tf^
fenter^ who (lands faR to his dillinguiftiing and
proper principles [fuficie?!cy of Scripture^ and right
of private judgment) at once beats them from the
ftrong holds oi Couficils and Fathers [vihtr^ ycu
have been long affaulting, but not able to diflodgc
them) and makes all their learned fop hiflry fall be-
fore the I'acred force of the Bible and Common
$ENSE. And hence it is, as before obferved, that
the fv;arms of unhappy prnfelytes, which thcfe fc-
ducers are faid to make, are all drawn from your^
not one, that I hnve ever heard of, from our
Churches : Your doclrines and forms too natural-
ly preparing them to take that fatal ftep.-
BuL it Is time that we now quit the fubjc(5l of
Church'ponver. I have treated it the more largely,
bccaufe it enters into the effance^ and is the one
fingle point, every perfon fees, on which the whole
controverfy turns. Your other two points, the y^-
framental
^ Rom. XIV. j»
t omental tejiy and the regal fup^remasy , I ffi^Il^dtl^
faaifi in fewer words.
As* to the firft, tht /ai:rafne?gt^/ Test. -^l per*
Ccive nothing iayour Jj>pendix which either 7writjt
or ^eeds a particular reply. Only becaufe you. ftill.
infill, t/^at as the laiv 7to<m Jiands^ the Pmejl has^ a
ponx/er of repelling evil livers y 'when they^. canie to re*
ceive the Sacrament ^ as a qualification for a place ;^
and by this wrong apprehenfion, are kept from
viewing the affair in a light fo diftafteful as it real-
ly deferves ; I fliall offer a few things for your illu-
inination atfo here ; Prefuming, when you fee,
that^(9« have not po^wer^ ia that cafe, to refufe the
Ghri5Tlan Communion to the 'wichedejf man.
livings you will^ groan und'er the difgraceful yoke ;;
and for the honour of Chrijlianityy and the eafe of-
your own confciences, will be the fi^ft to wifh its-
repeal. Now this is ?i point of lanv ; and has beem
given againft you, by th« learned in that profeflion*
And, if you attentively weigh the cafe, their ^/i-
nion will appear grounded upon reafons of very
great and uuanfwerable ftrength, Becaufe, if the
Prieft has a liberty of DtscRETioi* in this cafe,,
it is then in his powder to deprive th€ King of the.
fervices of his loyal and good fubjeds- ; as alfo, to
deprive the fuhjeHs of lotne of the moft valii^aWe-
favours of the Prince ; yea, the Pr/V/f has thfen a>
power to put 2^ negative y, in many cafes, .upon the-
nominations of his Soverelgn to pof^s* of the-
Jiigheft dignity. and importance in the State .-
His Majefty appoints a perfon to fome great of-
fice in his army, his houfhold, or his fleet ; but
//^Law forbids, hi m/i? aHi (af leaft, but for a
/hort.tirae) till he has fir ft taken \^^ faoramenrt^
Uji : He comes, therefore, according to lan))^ lo-
qualify for his place. No^ Sir> anfwers the Prieft-^;
l. fejr
z m 1
1 fay you arc a prophane and wicked man, a no-
torious evil liver : I am authorized therefore by the
ruhriCy and commanded by the canon., to refufe you
the Sacrament ; andj be aflured, I will not give it
So here is the King's commiflion, thefubjedl's
expectations, and the officer's good fcrvices, all
qualhed at once.
But can it enter into an imagination fo vague as
even yours ^ that our /^«tu/ have pat it in the Priefi'%
power thus to bar the King's commiflion to a 6V-
neraly an Admiral ^ a Secretary of State. Gen tic-
men who too much merit, perhaps, the character
of evil livers may, fometimes, by the royal choice
be appointed to high temporal offices ; and may be
capable of difcharging them with great advantage
to their country, and great honour to themfelves.
But, muft the Pricft*s confent be afked ! at his dif"
iretion muft it lie ! whether the perfon, whom the
King hath honoured with an high commiffion, fliall
prefumc to proceed in the execution of his truft !—
Yes, it really thus lies in the Prieji^s power (you
will have it) to put a negative upon the crown.
Without the Prieft's approbation of him, as being
iJOT aa evil liver ^ no officer fliall prefume, nor
can be qualified by law, to afi.
I congratulate you much. Sir, that you are naw
tven -wkhthc civil Magijlrate. The Noli Pro/e*
fui's and Prohibitions he has granted to ftop pro-
ceedings in your ecclejidjiical courts, have bcea
matter of long grievance : AWj, you have it in
your power to make ample reprizals on hiai. You
have no^ a power, 3^ Law, to judge after^ above,
the King. Tho' his Majefty ever fo much 'wants
2ind dejires the fervices of a brave officer, you are
firft to^t in judgment on him ; to confider whe-
ther he is an evil liver ; and according as you
pre-
''-:m^:^
[ 274 1
' proaounce cohcemiBg his tmral ciara/Fer, he. ftalf^
/^€r Ihall not, be qualified ^^nd allowed to a(5l— —
Thefe, doubtlcfs, are the days, of whiQh blefled
Laud IS faid to prophcfy ! Who Soped to fee the
Simcy nvhen no Jack Gentleman in KvigbLnd- Jhou/d
. start io fia7id coveredhefgre the meaneji Prieji, The
holy Martyr, indeed, died unbleffcd with the fight.
But, jou his {on and fuc<:effot in dodrine and
fpirit, are taking b©ld ftrides to reach Pijfgah-top^
from whence to feaft your eyes with that promifek
Jkappy ftate*
I might reft the matter here -and hope you
are now convinced of the prefumptuous and high
nature oi the ponuer you are thus, publickly, agaia
1 claiming for the Prieji : But, to filence for ever
all doubts on this head, I will prcfent you with an
^«/iJ^r//j; of irrefiilible weight. This is no other
than the lower Houfe of C!?«i;<?r^//W, an^o 1704 j,
ilanch Champions for the Church, you know, as.
•^Ter honoured iitc Brltt/h IQc ; in their addrefs ta
ithe upper Houfe, amongft Gravamina Cleri grie-
Tances to be redrcffed, they r^prefent— — •* Thcr
:^^ increafing difficulties of the parochial Clergy,.
•* about admini firing the holy §acrament indiffe-
•• rently to all perfons who demand it, in order
■• to qualify themfelves for office ;, be caufe they
•• fee not how they could, in feveral cafes, aft
•• conformably to the rubric j and aanons of the
•• Church, in repelling fuch perfons as were aa-
•« «u;/3r/i5/, and particularly notorieus Schifmatics^
'•* without expoling themfelves to vexatious and
** expenfivc fuits at law*."— -—This was the cori'^
Jlruflion which this learned body of Clergy^ you
fee, put upoa this //?•«; j but a conjiru^iony becaufe
1 .had^
• rindaV% Hift. of Eng. Vol. III. page 6M^
Ilia^ made it, which you, b'edec! with fiiperiol* ■
light, take upon you to pronounce «* forced^
^^ unnatural y *whiwjkal^ uncquiiakle* '^ Happy
Hi s nothing worfe I
Bur, to conclude this point If, as the law
now ftands, th€ Prieji has^ as you affirm> a po^coet
to repel eoH li-Oers \ pray! what is the rcaibn that
the rubrics and canons, which fo ibJemniy oblige
him to it, are not only, not faithfully obferved^ ■
bat naofl fhamefutly violated, and quite trampled
tinder foot ? Why, amongft the fv/arms of noto-
rio-us evil livers. Heretics, Blafphemers, and open
Ufibeli^v^rSi who continually come to the Lord's
Table, to qualify for a place ; do we never hear -
of one rejected by thf Prieft 5 What ! is there on
confcicnce, no integrity or honour left amongft
thofe who admin! fter this holy rite of religion ! fee-
ing the fuhrif requires, and thtcanens oblige to re*
jedxht^t evil livers ; and \\it fcandal of receiving
them (both Ko Deijls wiithout, and to Chrljlians
Avithin) is fo crying and flagrant ; Why, in the
ft^7ne ^y GOD, whofe Miniflers and Stenvards you
profeis yourfelves to be, are thefe ^//d'w/V/ to his go-
vernment, thefe ali'sns from his family, thefe Dlf
fifers of his Son, never reje(5led, but ever tamely
received, as /// Children to his Table
Why i but becaufe the Prieft knonvs there is d
Law which hangs heavily over him, and threatens
to punifhwiih fevere penalty its breach :. And this ^
being the cafe, he chufes rather to throw himfelf
upon the mercies of GOD, than upon the indig- ^
nation o{inan.
And now, 5ir, if with this dreadful and opprefs*
five yoke upon your neck ; whilft fcoiStig Infidels
laughg
Appen. page 10.
laugh, and duccrnlng Chrijitans mourn ; vou are
eafy and well pleafed ; and blefs yourfelf, and your
Church in the protection of this Iwrn : All 1 ftiaH
fay, at prcfent, is, that I envy ftot your felicity ;
but heartily thank Heaven, I have neither lot nor
fhare in this matter. Only, hear the m}ordy which
GOD fent by his Prsphet to certain time-ferving
Priefls. Ezek.xXvj. 6, 7. Thou jhalt fay to the re*
hellious houfe\ Itt it fufficeyou of all your abominati*
cm ; in that you have brought into my fanCluaryflran^
gersy uncircumcifed in hearty to be in fuy fanfluary^
to pollute it ; even my House, luhen y^ offer my
bread — -r-they have broken my covenant ^ Jbccaufe of
all your abominations^
I have faid too much on your firfi topic, of
Church-poivery to have either room or occafion to
add many things on your lafly our conflitution in
Church and State. Here, indeed, I obferve with
pleafure, that amidd the fhew you afFedl to make
of i:onfuting my account of the regal fupremacy^
and of our conflitution^ you hardly, in one finglc
inftance, prefume to contradict it. My account.
Sir, was founded upon f^R and upon la*w. After
clofe examination, I fuppofe you found it to be
io ; and therefore though, to fave appearances,
you would feem to iliy fonaething on this fubje<fl
alfo ; yet in your whole 14 pages, there is fcarce
the fhew of any oppofition to what I had ad-
vanced.
As for the form of fpeaking in ufe amongft us
Our conflitution in Church and State That
it is really an impropriety, as generally underftood,
I do not at all hefuate (with due fubmifTion to the
great authorities by whom it is ufed) again toinfiftv
It is a form of fpeaking^ no doubt, drawn from
the xx^JL^^oi Popijh times ; before the Reformation
of
C 277 1
«f our religion took place. For then there, truly,
was a conjlttution in Church diftintfl: from, and in-
-dependent of our conftitution injlate, Th€ Church
had, then, its laws,, its rights, its officers and pow-
ders, and its fovereign or fupreme h^^id, peculiar to
itfeJf, '3ind apart frcm the ftate. Bait, no'W, by the
Teformation all that independency and diJiinciiGn is
-abolifli^d ; it is now become entirely and abfolute-
iy a civil fyji €771 ; There ar« ^-/^w no la^s in the
Church (1 mean none of ^z/w^?/ ena<5tion) but what
"Were made by the civil Magijxrate^ and receive all
their obligation and authority from him : There are
now no officers in the Church but what are confti-
tuted by the authority and direction of the Magi-
Jirate^ and are all liable to be unmade and depriv-
ed again by him But that our conjiitution in
Churchy is nothing really, but a civil or parliament
rtary conftitution ; has, with inconteftible evidence,
teen fhown in the preceding letters ; and is a truth,
indeed, fo plain, that no intelligent or fober mem-
i)er of your Church will, I apprehend, io much as
atteinpt to deny.
Our conjiitution, therefore, being now changed
by the happy reformation ; fo, doubtlefs, would
this/^rw of fpeaking too ; but feems to have been
retained for reafons of policy, to footh the n.\jeak-
nefs of thofe who were then the nveakejl of all the
people, and the mod averfe to the reformation, I
caean the Clergy *, With, the fame condefcending
A a , viewSf
• So becaufe 'tis faid ■ ■■ ^^The Lords Spiritual and Tent'-
foral Will any one therefore plead, that a Bijljop is of
Jiigher rank than a Duke P 'Tis no more than giving a
Lady the xipper place ; t)r, arcordine to the apoftoHc precept,
Lonouririff the ^weaker <ve[j'el, Wnat defe6t of argument
«oes it ftiew, to l^j fuch ftrefs upon a mere compliment J
■•^1
C 278 X
^4ew5, probably, it is ftlll kept in ufe ; but in real
ftricftnefs and propriety to talk of oijr conjlttution
in Church and SiatCy is not only to put the body
before the head, the effe^ before the caufe, the
handwatd before the mijirefs ; but it is to cqjivey
an idea your authorities could not poffibly intend
to convey, bccaufc not founded in truth, viz.
That the Church has a conjliiution diftindt from,
independent of, yea prior or fuperior to, our con^
Jilt lit ion in Stat^, By the way, you will re-
member alfo, that the Prejhyterian Church o{ Scot-
land is as ej/ential, fundamental and unalterable a
part of pur prefent ecelejtajiical Qo\i%r\TVT\o}i^
as the epifcopal Church of England can ever pre-
tend to be.
My account of the Power which our laws and
•conftitution give to the Kings and QUEENS of
this r€al«i, in affairs cccleftajlical ; to inftrut^^
over-riile, diredt, contrnul, all the Archbifi)ops^
Bifbops, and Priejls of this kingdom, in all their
facerdotai and inoft fpiriiual concerns, ijc, you
do not pretend to litigate, but rather attempt to
vindicate and explain. But you unhappily forget
the one grand nnd material /£?/;;/, forwhich it was
introduced ; and to )vhich, above all other, it con-
cerned you to fpeak ; and that is, to reconcile this
conftitution of the Church of England, with the
conftitution of the Church oiChrifi : And to Ihew,
that Dijfenters cannot fcparate from the one, with-
out th^ danger and the high crime of renting them-
felves from the other. This was what you affert-
ed, and flourifhed copioufly upon ; but are now, I
prcfume, too well inftruded to endeavour to fup-
port. You now fee them, Sir, to be two dijlind
jand quite different focietics : And will be hence-
ibrw;^rd eafcd of ihofe painful commiferatiohs over
the
r 279 ]
the fouls of your dijfsnting brethren, with whfch
your generous mind l-aboured ; and be terrified wo
more with direful apprehenfions o:* account of our
Schifm, which feem all your life long to have held
you in bondage.
There is a little unhapfyy /lif^, which, though not
quite in place, 1 Ihall take notice of here la
page 13. of your Appendix ^ you chi\rge me *' with
*' falfe play in citing yoar XXXIVth article, as
•* declaring exprefiy thai ycur Church ceremonies
♦< rix^ere ordained by the civil M^gijlrate. And aik
«« me -Did you find there any fuch words ?
And yet, with agreeable furprize, I find you ei-
ther fo uncautious, or fo honcft, as within a few
lines, to cite the very Vv^ords of the article, which
fupport, in the itrongeft manner, the fenfe I had
given ; where an open and n.vil/u/ violation of thefe
ceremonies is, by the article, declared to he an hurt-
ing the authority of the civil Magistrate^
Can a violation of thefe ceremonies violate the /V/^-
^///r^/r's authority, if by his authority they had not
been ordained P
But thefe are fmall matters, in comparifon witk
what follows. The affair of Mr. IVhiJIony T thought
you would gladly have let llcep. 1 he cafe, to b^
fare, wrung much : You have been once and a-
gain flanging to rid ycurfeif of it; but the manner
in which you now do it, rather foiely wounds
than gives you relief. *•' You tax me with mif
** reprefentation, and with no mean tiilent that
'* way*.'* Yea, have the courage to confroi^c
me, with a citation from Bp. Burnet to whom I
had referred, as fupporting my account. But what
will the world fay. Sir ! How will all )Owv frier, Js,
A a 2 if
^ Appcn. Page 39,
I 280 2
if not your iearty reproach you: !* and the Learned^
amongft whom you rank, hold you in great deri-
fion 1 When t i\ey fee you undertake to give the
public an account of his Lordfliip's hijlory of that
cafe ;^ but, either careJefsIy overlooking, or wil-
fully fupprefling, the ??iaterial and t77iportant paf-
fages, which clearly and irrefragably fupport niy
account.
'' His Lordfliip, f^iy you, * reports it thus
•* That it feeming doubtful, whether the Convo-
*' cation could, in the firii inftaace, proceed a—
•* galnft a man for herefy ; and it being certaia^
•* that their proceedings, if not warranted by law,.
•* might involve them in a^ pre7?4Miir€^ the upper
•* Haufe, in an ^A^vt'i^ prayed the ^leen to afh
** the opinion of the Judg-eSj and fuch others, as JJpe
*^ thought Jit, covxtrnm^ thefe doitbts, thait they
** might know haw the law flood in this matter.""
Here ycu flop fnort with the BiJJpop's narration :
having either nol pat le net tx^v^^A, or not honej}^.
to write further ; and then, with flotirifh, afk
" Will thefe accounts now auJ:horize you. to re-
*' prefeat, as you do, the tivo Honfes of Convocation^
^' as vi^ai ting upon hei'Majefty ; and that too to bs:
«* inftrudled by her.y and to learn her judgment ^
*' and not that neither, how the law flood in rela-
** tion to their proceedings,, but how the gofpel.
*' flood in relation to the opinions of Mr. IVhifon,.
** and the myftery of the Trinity ? And do yoiu
•' not now perceive your mifreprefentation of the
'* cafe, and that I did not ta/^ nviihout book, when
" I fpake of ft as 2L,fpeclman oi jowv talent, which,,
indeed, \s not mean that way."
f Appcn. page 3^*.
C(
[ 28r I
Tlt^re IS one thing I here perceive, Sir ; which
IS, that if you do not talk 'wtth'^ut Look, yet v.hea
the book is before you, jovi either want capacity or
integrity to make a proper ufe of it. For befides
the partial and inaimed account which you have
given of this matter^ his Lordfhip e.vprefsly adds
the important /^^^^i which follow ; whence the
public \\\\\ picafe to obferve, w^ith how little y/7/>-
nefs and truth you Ueatthis famous cafe ; and how
great is both the Church's and tJiy oivn infelicity ;
Ihe in having an advocate^ and I an opponent ^ ca-
pable offuch difhongurahle and low methods ofde-
Jwice.
His Lordfhip fays *^ That by the ac'l of ifl
«* of £//z^/w/;," which defmed what (hould be
*' judged herefy, that judgment was declared to be
«* in the Crowm The Bifaops in Convocation
*f drew out feveral proportions from Mr. IVhiJ-
*' ton's books, which feemeu plainly to be reviv-
^* ing of Arianifniy and cenfured them as fuch.
^* The lower Hovife ( excepting to one propofitipn)
** ct'?2fured them in the fame manner. This the
«* ArchbiJhopyhz\r\^ then ditabled by the gout, fent
*• by one of the Biffoops to the QUEEN, fcr her
•* affent ; {Page 1 194, /Approbation) who promif-
** ed tx) coKSiDES. OF IT. At their (the Con-,
♦* vocation's- meeting next winter,) no anfwer
•* being come from the Qjjee:<, tivo Bishops
<* were fent to ask //, and to re-:eive her Mnjelty's
*' pieaf.ire in it ; hwl J7-)e could not tell what ^aii
** become of the p.aper the Archbijhop had fent her.
** So an extracl of the cenfura v/as again fent to
^* her ; hut fhe thought >:ot fit to fcnl
•* any anfzver to it. So Whij}on\ aiTair flept, and
•* all further proceedings again!! him were llrp-
**^ pcd, fini:e th: Q^u e k w did not c on f i a m
A a 3 <* ihe
C 2?2- ]
</ tht flep that we had made ; tho' he afterwanJ
•♦ publillied a large woirk in four volumes oc-
•• tavo*."
Here kt it be noted, i. The /?//^w^«/'Of what
is, or IS not,, to be treated^ as HereJ), is, by our
upoft'olic conftitution Ibdged ivhi^liy in the C%QW\f.
T/^^ QUEEN> when fuch wears it, \% x.\it proper i
the file judge,, what dodrines and books (hall be
cenfuredi as heretical : What principles and*
tenets are, or are not, contrary, to the holy ortho-
d-ox faith..
Njote. 2. The- t*^^30 Hsu fas, having cxtraded fc*
veral paffages from Mr. fVhJlon^s hooks, and cer^
fared them 2& heretical^ \ deputed firft one^ then'
tni)o Blfhtjps to wait upon the Qveen, to ask- her
t?pproha4hn and' affenty /^ receive her Majeji/i plea*
Jure in this affair, and to dcfire her confrmationi
wittout which^ their cenfure was- of not the leafi;
fijgnificatibn or validity in the Church.
3. Upon tlie receipt of this requed r^<f Q^EEjr*^
as f6U]\x^^t, promifcd to CON. S ID E R of it:
TThe afFajr was of great importance, viz: " WhaC;
** the p4-imitiv^ apoffalic do<£lrine v/as concernir;^
** the Trinity y hicar nation. Nature and Genera-
**- tioH of the Lo^o%^l Whether there vrere three
•* pepfons exifting in one undivided fubftance : Or,
y whethcj^the ic?^^/- was dift;a<5t in efTence frona
<* the
* Bnrners^i^. of his times. Vol. VI. pages 1133^
3"4» 3 5> 94- Edit. izmo.
t The Archbi/hops ^\■^d Bijhops in their' addi-efs to the
%r^./, %, that Mr. ^z!?//?;? had advanced yr^;^/J dam-
nable ami BLASPHEMOUS ajfertior.s agair/jl tie do^rini ^
and laorfiip of the i'ver blejfed frhity : And, in their r^y/-
fure, they earnefilj hefeech all Chrifiian people , by the 7;?^rr/>T-
e*^ Christ, to tahe keedbo-v ih^y gt've ear to thefe falfe
d-oSirinesytu tkey, tvidir ih.e.}jO,iQ]4jr and ghrycf our S({Vi
1
J
L m 1
" t&c Father ; not created,, nor made, but m ai^
*» ineiFable manner, begotten from eternity ? And
»* finally, whether the apojlotical cx)nJlitutions were
•* a genuine and infpired book ; and a true part
'*^ of the facred canon ?'* Her Majefty was now
applied to, b-y her two Houfes of Convocation^ and
requcfted, as $ole Judge, to pronounce autho^
ritatively upon thefe points, i, e. to tell them whe-
ther Mr. Whijions do(5Vrine was to be received or
rejeded ; to be confidered as Herefyy or not ; in
this Church. The Qiteen^ as became a wife^
JudgCy refiifed to pronounce rajhly : She took time
to CONSIDER, of it \ ta weigh fedateiy in her
mind the merits of the caufe, left flie fhould con-^
demn the innocent.
Note, The Scriptures, and the four frjl general
Councils^ are the meafure fet by la*w, tp judge o£
Herefy : Her Majefty, therefore, being now re-
quefted by her Clergy to judge authoritatively 'in
this important cafe, acfled a worthy part in d^er^
ring her Judgment, *till fhe had examined care-
fully the rule by which fhe was to judge.
Obferve, 4. After the Queen had taken time
viatiirely to consider of thefc deep and myfteri-
ous points, (he thought not fit to fend any
anf^er. Upon her Majefy's Thoughts, the
iffue of this great affair is feen abfolutcly to dic-
pend. Finally,
'Tis worthy to be obferred. 5. That -her Ma*
}ejly\ Thoughts and Judgment, on this
weighty cafe, were quitt different from thofe
of her learned Bijhops and Clergy, They thought
Mr. IVhifton's writings *•< contained damnable an4
*' 'Wicked dodlrmes, and carncftly befeech all Chri-
*« ftian people, by the mercies of Chrijl, to take
** Jiced how they give car, i'ir/*-— -and judged
theoa
■'flicm to defervc a public and folcmn cenfurs : ffej^
Majefty thought otherwise. She did not
THi?w-K FIT to confirm the Step^ the Convocatiofi;
had made^ In confequence of which, their pro-
ceedings ^merje all flop ed ; and the folemn cenfure:
they had pafled with all their earned ohtejiationsy
hy the mercies d?/" Christ, evaporate into air.—
This is a fair and true ftate of the cafe What
improvements are here made, by the wifdom of
Jater ages, in the primitive apojiolic plan ! Behold
the WOMAN now impowered, not only to
teach y but to ufurp authority over ^ the jnan ; ovei?
.all, the ArchhtJhopSy BiJhopi^?Lnd Pri-ejis of this
realm ; to vacate their moft folemn ccnfures ; to
<iuaih and ftop at; once their Jpirituaf proceedings^
in an affair where hi a fp heinous do^rinesy and dam'^
fiable and *wicked errors y were bringing danger oi
everlafting ruin to the fouls over whom they watclt-
cd ! See here, Sir^ the two fcalesy that are to try^
dodbrtnes and opinions in your holy apojl'oli^
Church : In one, is laid the united judgment of all
the Bifbops and Clergy in Co7ivocation convened ;
in the other, the Qajeen's alone : Lo, ikt forii'er
mounts, and kicks the beam 1 Thej/?;/^/<rjudgment
of the Queen, in the balance of th« Churchy
weighs more than that of all the learned Blfhops.
and Priefts of the realm I
And is not this, now, exacflly confonant to thd
account I had given ? " Is not here, Sir, the very
♦• comely and edifying fight (at which you ex:-
*' cept) * of the two Houfes of Convocation wait-
** ing upon the good Queen, to be inftruded by
•* her Majefty, whether that gentleman's books
•* concerning the Trinity were to be condemned.^.
^* as-
f Appen. page 37*
C Ms 3
** as heretical or not?" Do they tell us, <* yo«
** afk, of the Synod laying their cenfiirc before
** the Queen, to have her judgment upon it ?**
Yes— *< And of their waiting upon a Woman,
** who could be fuppofed to know as little of this
** matter as of the motion of the ftars, to learn
** /rom her mouthy what the Church is to believe,
•* and what to rcjcd, as to this great myftery of
** faith ?" Yes ; you fee, with your own eyes,
that this is really the cafe. Why, Sir, will you
conitrain me to expatiate upon things which re-
iledt no honour upon the Church ; and by a ralh
and indifcreet defence hurt the caufe you would
fupport ! How much wifer is the part yo\xv candid
brethren are now adting, who, like dutiful and
pious fons, are taking a veil, and walking back-
ward, to cover the nakcdnefs which has been
too long expofed to the jells of fcoffing unbeliev-
ers * .
As your Letters and defences breathe a noble
sonipal/ion to xh&Ji raying fouls of Diflenters ; the
extraordinary inftancc, with which you conclude
the whole, ought not to be overlooked. You are
concerned, it feems, " that I have read, and in
•* feveral inftances agree in fentiment and reafon-
<« ing with the author of ths Rights of the
^* Chrijiian
* See a feries of fuch exertions oi Jemitiine arcbiepiTcopal,
paftoral, authority, throughout the v/holc reign, of Ch!. Eli^
%abeth ; particularly, the cafe of Archbifliop Grtndal :
whomfhe lequeftered, in great wrath, from his archiepifco-.
fal fun61icns, for refufing to obey a rafh and tyrannical
order of the Queen relating to Church-matters. Under
this fequeftration he continued many years. The two
Houfes of Conuocati^n prefented to the Queen a moft hum-,
blc and earneft petition for his reftoration, but could not
obtain it. Vid.f«//^rV Ch. Hift. Book IX. page izq.-^
H^aVi Hill. Pur, VqI. I. pages 358, 374-
*' Chnjlian Church ; and appear to hare much
•* ftudied and profited by that worthy author —
** and are forry to find dlffenting Miniftcrs and
** Gentlemen dealing fo much in books of this
** fort. So long as this is th« cafe, what hope of
** a comprehenfion ! Or, indeed, who would wifb
** for it ! * ** I have read, Sir, and I hope profited
hj the Rights y &c/ As you prof efs to have read^
and I hope not without profit, Bellarmtny an au-
thor incomparably worfe. As for tny agreement
with THE Rights, ^c, as far as that author
agrees with Truths with Script utey with L^iu, you
muft give me leave to fay (without augmenting, I
hope, your forrow) that I efteem it not the lea ft
reproach. Nay for once, Sir, if you plcafe, I will
niake you my confeffor, and frankly own, that ia
many things I agree in fcntimcnt and reafoning
with one far worie than cither Bellarmin or the
right Sy &c. Who this may be, you will fee, Lukt
iv. 41. James ii. 19.
Diffenting Minifters and Gentlemen, I prefume^
deal in hooks of all fortSy from whence they cam
gather ufeful knowledge, and improve and enlarge
their minds. They have dealt in the writings of
the fhrewdeft Deijis ( books much worfe than the
Rights y Sec. ) as you fee by the many noble defen-
ces of Chrijlianity which their pens have produ-
ced. Your — dealing in hooks of this fort — is a bug-
bear, which may frighten children in underjiand*
ing ; but DiiTenters, you (hould have known, have
not fo, learned Christ. They are command-
ed to try the fpirits ; to examine and prove all
things ; and remember the jioble Bcreans, who are
cona-
» Appcn. pages 41, 4^
1
Commended by St. Paul {or fearchlng carefully vci'^
xo the grounds and evidence of things before they
gave their affent. And if this liberty of examina-
tion, and of fpeaking and writing freely upon fub-
jecfls of religion, be a bar to a coynprehenjton-^-^^
very long may it remain ! It is the glory of
Chrijlianity that it fhuns not the fevered fearch :
^Tis bigotry and error only that love to hide
thcmfelves in darknefs, and grow touchy and
alarmed if you feek to bring them into open
%ht.
We acknowledge, Sir, your goodnefs in bring-
ing down to our underftandings the myftery of
Cons ex: RATIONS of Churches <ind Church-yards ;
and your kind attempt to illuftrate the ufefulnefs,
edification^ and comellnefs of this ceremony.
There are {ovat previous quejlions^ which I could
wlfli to fee anfwered, before we enter thoroughly
into the grand debate As, whether you thhik
the Apoftle PauU in all his apoftolic labours and
travels through the Churches, ever confecrateda plat
of ground f Whether any of the /iu^/^^ Apoftles,
amongft the miracles and mighty ivorks which they
every where wrought, ever did this 'wondrous
thing ? Whether the fynagogues, where our Sa-
viouR preached; the chamber where he inftitu-
ted, and iirft celebrated his facred fuppcr ; the
'upper room where the Apoftles met, when they
atflually received the extraordinary gifts ©f the
Holy Ghoft ; Xht houfe of Aquila and Prifcilla^
Ny7?tphas^ Sec, in which were Chrijlian Churches ;
had really any other confecration than our places of
worfliip have ? And, yet, whether thefe were not
as much the houfe of God, and places of his
mare ivwiediate pr e fence ^ as any fplendid Cathe*
drai
cc
r'iw
C 288 1
^^7, now confccratcd with all the pomp of yJr^?f«
4^ota/ device * ?
You appeal to " the forms which Bp. Jndr^nvs
and ot/jers haveufed in thtiT confecraticns. And
«* afk What think you now ? Is there any thing
^^ ridiculous or fuperjitious in all this f ?'* Yes ;
extremely much of both, if they at all refemble
that of A. B. Laud (the only one I have ever feen)
when he confecrated the Churches of St. Catherine
Cree^ St. Giles's and others in London, An in-
tolerable piece of ecclejiajiical foppery, fufficient
to have made a Popifti Cardinal blufli, and which
no proteftant can read but with indignant con-
cern i The form has, in larger hiftories, beeii
more than once publifhed ; but having never feen
it in any little tra(^, I fhall beg leave to tranfcribc
it, for the edification of our common readers. A
ftriidng inftance of the danger of indulging human
Invention in things of religion ; and which fliews,
into what wilds of ridiculous fuperftition even
learned minds are apt to run, when they leave the
/implicit y of the Go/pel (?/* C h r i s t ,
*' The i?//2^^/' came attended with feveral of the
•* high commiilion, and fome Civilians, At his
«' approach to the weft door of the Church, which
**, was fhut and guarded by halberdeers, fome that
*• were appointed for that purpofe, cried with a
•* loud voice — ^ — ^Qpen, open^ ye everlajling
*' doors, that the King of glory may come in I Pre-
•* fently the doors were opened, and the Bijhopy
" with
• You have forgotten, perhaps, the do61rine of your
own homily, to which you have feveral times folemnly iub-
fcribed,— ** That in Tertuliian^s time, 160 Years after
'* Christ, Chriftians had no other temples, but common
*' houfesy whither for the moft part they fecrctly reforted.*'
Peril of Idol, Part IIT. page 159,
t Appen. page 4.5,
[ 289 ]
♦* Vith fome Doctors and principal men, entered,
'*' As foon as they were within th©^ phice, his
** Lordfiyip fell down upon his knees ; and, Avith
*« eyes lilted up, and his arms fpread abroad, faid,
■*'' This place h holyy the groufid is holy ; in the name
^^ of the Father, Scn^ a7^d Holy Ghost,
^* I prcnounce it holy. Then walking up the mid-
** die ifle towards the chancel, he took up force
** of the duft, and threw it into the air feveral
*' times. When he approached near the rail of
"** the confimunion- table, he bowed towards it five
^* or fix times ; and returning, went round the
*' church, with his attendants, in proceffion ;
** faying firft the hundredth and then the nine-
** teenth Pfahi, as prefcribed in the Roman Pon-
** tifical. Me then read feveral colle<5ls, in one
^^ of which h-e prays God to accept cf that teauii-
^* ful building, and concludes thus- JVe con-
"•* SECRATE this Churchy and feparate it unto
** THEE as HOLY G ROUND, 7iGt to hc propha-
** ned any more to common ufe. In another he prays
** — ^ — That ALL '^vho J]?ould hereafter be buried
** ivithim the circuit of this holy and sacred
** place y may reft in their fepulchres in peace, till
*^ ChriJPs coming to ju^fgfnenty and may then rife to
"*• eternal life and happincfs ,
'' Then the Biftjop, fitting under a cloth of
** ftate, in the ifie of the chancel, near the com-
*• munion-table, took a written book in his-hand,
*« and pronounced curfes upon thofe who lliould
*' hereafter prophane that holy place by mufters of
** foldiers, or keeping prophane law-courts, or
<* carrying burdens through it: and at the end of
*• every curfe he bowed to the eaR, and faid. Let
*^ -all the people fay amen. When the curfes were
B b ** ended,
n
T 29« I
«^ ^^ffftSea, ^ich were about twenty, he pronooft-
** xcd a liLe number of bfej/tpigj upon all that
-<< had any hand 4n framing and build wig that yir-
'^'^ cred and beiiigrtiful church ; and on thofc ^sst
** had given, or Ihould hereafter give, anj ^cha-
■«* lices, plate, omament-s, or other uteniils : And*
*«* at the end of every hUjfwg^ he hewed -to the
'** East, and fa id, Let all tk^ p-eopU fay MmtiK
*^ After this came the fermon, then the l{*cra-
^* ment, which the Bl0)op <?©nf6cr^cd and adooS-
** niftred in tfie -foHowing naanner,
** As tie approached the --altar, he made fi^e or
**' fix low bows ; and coming up to the ^de of it,
-** where the 'bread and ixjine were covered, he
*^ bowed fiven tijites. Then, after reading many
*^ prayers, he came near the brejid \ and gently
'*< lifting up the corner of the napkin, beheld it,
^« and immediately letting fall the ^na^kin, he re-
»** treated haftVIy a ftep or two, and made three
•«* low obeifances. His Lordjloip then advanced,
^* and, having uncovered the hrx^d, bowed three
'** times as beibre. Then he laid his hand on the
^* cup, which was fuil of w^ae, with a cover up-
'^^ on it ; wlilch having let go, he fteppecf back,
*^ and hawed ihr^e times towards it ; then he
'* cafne near again, and lifting up the cover of
^' the cup, looked in to it, and feeing the if/z/^,
-** let fall the cover again, retired back, and bow-
^V ed a« before. Then the ^^ements were confe-
^ crated, :and the Bi/l?op having ifirft received,
,4< gave -it to fome jprincipal men in their fui^iices,
** hoods and tippets ; after which, many prayers
^* being faid, tie ibiemnity of the Confecraiion
A'^fcndsd."
Th»,
[ 2^1 J
TTxh, Sfr, was the fen/ey and this the marmef^
©£ that celebrated martyr and governor of youp'
Churchy in this bufincfs of C o n $ E c r A t i o mv
And, what now think yon ? Wa^ thtre nothing
ridiculous ov fupsrfiitiGus ia^all' this ? You feem,.
indeed, to have not quite fb/x^//^^ an opinion oi
this folemnity as his Lordfei]^ ; but as the Church
has no where (that I know(cxplained herfeif as ta-
this^ nvitter ; nor cenfurecP Laud's condu^ft^ ; nor
prefer ibed any fet form in which this ceremony i*
to be done ; any B'tjhnp\ I' apprehend, at prefent,,
18^ at full liberty to ufe the fame^ and may no\v^"
confecrate a Church after the manner of St. Ca-
tharine Cree Church. And pray ? to whom fhall T
attend, as beft knowing and exprelTingthc Church\^
fenle in this point, to the great Arclibrihpp Laud -
©r, to the Mr. /^7'//<f, fometini^ Fellow of St,
^ohn^s College, Ca7?ibridge,
I have now done wflh your y^/'/><?;7d!/y— There,^
is another Office of your Liturgy^ alike liable-
to the fevere eiceptions of all well-initru£ted Chri*
Jflansy and to the fneers of infulting Delfisy as any-
X have yet confidered ; and that is, your Office.
for the Ordination of Priefts and Deacons. Thi^,
if you call me forth nga:n, I may more particu-
larly fhew. At prefent, I only afk Whether
to joxxr fober reafon it really appears a// queftion,
to be put to EVERY you?ig Gentleman that comcs^
frem the Univerjity for orders to the Biiliop ; nvhe-
ther he trufls that he is inwardly, moved B"*'
THE Holy Ghost to take upon him this office?
And for EVERY fuch youn^ Gentleman to declare,
folemnly ^/ /;; Qot>\ pre fence ^ that he trujis that
he isy SO INWARDLY MOVED, The geniUmeny.
mnd their communication', the manners, the tafte,
B b 2 and
[ 292 ]
and (late of the iiniverfitles ;; you> perhaps; better
know, than I fliall pFctend. Tell me then, hefor^e
God, is their moral Jiaie sucvi that you can rea-
fonably think every Jludt-nt 'that comes thence,
"U'hen he gets a iitle to a living, and applies for ok-
ders to the Bifliop, doth reallyy'^^/ himfelf tnm^ard-
ly moved by the HOLY GHOST to make that
application ! How is it we are not afraid to trifie^
in an affair fo exceedingly ferious and important 1
Is it not coming too near to the fm of Ananias.
viz. LYING to theViohY Ghost ?
And when, kneeling before the Bi (hop, he lays
his hand on the ftudent's head, is it not a ftran^e
jfkying Receive the Holy Ghost IVhofe
Jins THOU do/i forgive^ they ar^ forgive n ; and
nwhofe Ji7is THOU doji retain^ they are retained ;
in the name of the Father,^ of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Jjnen, I make no refle<fli-
ons at prefect : but only fay : that to me it appears
quite amazing, that, in an age of fuch difcerD-
ment and freedom of enquiry, this form is fufFcred
to Hand. And, in the language of yoixr cc/ie(fl, I
very heartily pray- That Ahnighty God, nxiho^.
iilone nvorketh great m.arv$ls, ^ould fend donvn vpor^
cx^r Bifhops <7«^ Q\xr7i\ts the healthful fpir it of his
graceylht fpirit of wifdom and humility ! affured,
that ihisfione ^fflumhlingy in the way of fagacioi^
InfiddSy will then quickly be removed.
But to conclude. I have the pleafure, Sir, to
be perfuaded that your mind is not noitj filled with
iholt fuelling 9,nd hi^h thoughts of the excellence
of your Liturgy, as when our corrcfpondcnce open-^
ed. Dijj'entersy you find, are not the only per-
fons who except flrongly aganift your forms. Ma-
ny of your learned Clergy^ have, in a candid and
refpe<^ui
[ 293 ]
fefpeflful manner, and yet with 'a becoming coir-
rage, expreifed great difliilisfadion with them.
What effeR their attempt for the enlargement of
the Church's bounds, and for a further reformation
and revienx) will produce ; time alone mufl: fhew.
Upon the foot it at prefent Hands, the Church's
fituatlOn, to every difcerning perfon, mud appear
extremely critical and uncertain.
I6 is difficult 10 <.dtiQi^i it againft the crafty at-
tacks of PopEry on the one hand ; and, I think,
actually impojfihls to fupport it againft the affaults
of Infidelity on the other, Betwixt thefc
tnvo Jlonesy is there no room to apprehend its being
quickly ground to po^vder F To the injurious idea
•which many of your farms give of the Chrifiian
Religion^ the unhappy increafe of Deifm is, un-
doubtedly in gteat meafure owing. And increaTe
it further will, there is the highell reafon to be-
lieve, \{ the fe forms which are the jufl: offence and
ridicule of Unbelieversy are not timely difmifTcd,
But, when thofe who now boaft them lei vcs the
Succejfors of the Apoftle?;, and the only regular Paf
tors and Minifers of Chrili, fliall give proof that
they are pofTeffed of a truly apofioUc virtue, and
{hall no longer y^^^ their o'wn^ hut the things of]'E-
SUB Christ ; a review will be no dillant, nor
difficult event.
In the mean time, Difentcrs have the fatisfac-
lion to reflc(n: ; that amidll various difcourage-
ments, they have, by their difcnt^ approved thcni-
fclves LOYAL to the only Sovereign of the
Church, and faithfctl to a facred trnfl com-
mitted tG them by GOD, for which they mull
give account. They rejoice in the reviciVf that
they have entered their proteft againft the hvpofiti-
13 b 3 ons
^ns and Inventions of men : which have corrupte<fe
the Simplicity y enervated the. Vigour y deformed the::
Beauty y and broken the Cmwiunion.of ih^. body ofi:
Chrifi, And whatever rafh cenfures, they mayhap.-
pen to incur from xht prujudiced, the fweaky and",
the interejied now : They, with great afFurance?
hope, to be not only, approved.^ but applauded by.
their Judgc j and to receive, at his appearing.
Honour proportioned to their prefent /J^f/r^^^/^.
When it (hull pleafe the Almighty Sovereign \.(i->
awaken in the Chrijltan world a fpirit oi genuinci-
C H R I s T I A, N LT Y When true Honour..
- fliall. prevail over Canvardic^ and Temporifing ; and*
I N T E G R I T Y and Truth over Faljhood andl
Error When that flavifh ignoblcr priHciple,^ -,
that wje are to conform to the- ejiahlijhed^ iMorJhip ofi
she country 'where nue divelly ^whatever it< he^ fliall:
be held in defervedireproaclii:. 2. principh that de-
bafes greatly and corrupts the human foul ; puts-,
out rts inteUcdhial eye ; chains up its noblcfl: pow-
a?s; robs it of its highcft g^ory, vizv the fearching^
ititQ religious fubje^ts^ and offering to its Crea-
tor a reafonahle fervicer% in fhort, ^ principhr
that diredily tends, to-banifh every thing that de--
ferves the name of Religion "^ to drive all Truths
and Honour y and Honejfy, from amongft men ;:
that will juftify a man's profeffing himfelf a Ma-
tbmetan at Conjiantinopie, a. Pagan at Pekin, a.
Papift at Ro^ne When this infamous and bafc^
frinciplcy 1 fay, {halt be treated ' with jiift con*
tempt ; and men (hall be every were difpofed, to
feek with impartialtity, aad to pra<n:ife without dif^- A
guife Righteousness and T r u t h — Then, "
Sir, will the character of a rational Dissenter
be hadia univerfal honouTr Then wiU fuch ap-
pear.
i
r 295 I
p«dr to have been the only conftjlent Proteflanif \
the true Patrons of Chriftian Liberty, Church^
Unity, and Catholick Communion ; and the only
body of Chrijiians upon whom the guilt of Schifrn-
does not really reft ; becaufe they open their Com*
viunion to every fincere Chriftian ; and require no
terynsy but what Christ and his Apojihs have
required in the Church. If you will not throw in*
y^ur lot, and fhare with them in thofe honours,,
you muft e'en take your own way. Howevery
reft afiured that I am^ with due sifieAioQ and;
efteem.
S lUr
XoUf^Sy &Ci
A Dj5|£N7E1?
^♦i.!:
C 297 1
■^T
SERIOUS and FREE
THOUGHTS
ON THE
Present Statu
OF THE
CHURCH,
I N A
L E T T E R. to a BISHOP.
My Lori>,
IT IS a very dark, but a juft pi(5lure ©f the face
of things around us, which a great Prclati^
has lately drawn, who thus paints and laments
the complexion of the times.
" An open difregard to Religion is become, thro'
<* a variety of unhappy caufes, the diftinguifhing
•* character of the prefent age. This evil is grown
«* to a great height in the metropolis of the nati^
on ; is daily fpreading through every part of it ;
** bringing
♦ BiHiop of Oxford's charge to his Clergy, p. 4. 5. ^
C(
[ 29? 1
" brmgmg in fucb diflblutenefs and contempt of
♦* principle in the higher part of the world, aiiA
** foch profligate intemperance ^d fearleiUiefs (^
** committing crimes in thelower^as muft, if thisv
** torrent of impiety (lop not, become abfolutely fa?-
*• tal : And God knows, far from flopping, it re-
** iccivcs, through th-e ill deligns of fome, andthc;
** inconfideratenefs of others^ Gontmural increafe.
•* Chrtfiianitji is now ridiculed and railed at withf
•< Tery little referve ; and the 7"<f ^r/6<fri of it withe-
out any at all.^^ Difregard to public worfhip
and inftrudHon hath increafed : Many are grown^
prejudiced againft Religion ; many more indiffe-
rent about it. The emiffaries of the Churchs
of Rome have begun to reap great harvefts in?
the field, whit:h hatli thus heea prepared foxr
them. -.1 ^.
•* TMs mdancholy ftate of things (his Lord-
fliip proceeds) calls loudty upon us (the Clergy')^
to corre^ our miftakes ; to fupply our defici-
encies ; and earneffly to' beg of God, that he
would diredb the hearts of thofe who prefide o-
ver the pu^blic welfare, and humbly to reprefent.
to them, on all fit occafions, the declining flate
of religion, and the importance and the means-
of preferving it. TAcfe things are uoqueftio-
nable dmies. "
It is from a deep fenfe of this duty, my Lord;,
that I prefume thus to addrefs your JLordfhip ; and
humbly to fuggeft fbme Occafions of this fpreading
evil, which feem not to have been fo thoroughly
and fo ferioufly adverted to, as their importance de-
fcrves. To know the- caufe of a difeafe, in the
body politic as well as natural, is the firft (tep toits.
cure. The caufes of the prefent prevailing iSr////-
cifm are^ ao doubt, complicated and various . Thet
Cbcidncik
t ^99 1
tlrl^lflefs of the Chrljiian iiiorab, and the rcftraint
which the Go/pel \2iys upon the corrupt appetites of
men, is, probably^ a<;h4ef caafe of fome men's
violent oppdfition to it. But there are, my Lord,
I apprehend, a variety of inferior caufes. Offences
theGofpel calls them, which co-operate and help
it on ; Offences, which confirm greatly men's pre'-
judices a^ainft Christianity ; and which ftrong*
jy tcirpt, and foem to warrant, their treating things
reputed facred with much drollery and ridicule i
Offences, which are foun4, not in it's profefTors on-
ly, but inthofc who are fet for it's propagation
«nd defence.
May I be permitted, my Lord, with the frcc-
•dom of a ChriJUan, to expoftulate on this fubjedl ?
Things e\^idently ieems to dr^w, as his Lordfliip
^bove obferves, to a dangerous and important Cri-
Jis. When the exigency of affairs prefles, a liber-
vty qH fpecch may with fome confidence be claim-
ed. Will your Lordfliip then indulge me, whiift
"with no greater freedom than the great danger of
the caufe feems plainly to require, I endeavour to
•point out y^;/;<f fhings, which hang as a portentous
weight upon the caufe of Christianity, and
lare fome oi xht fatal Jiones, at which the Sceptics
of the prefent age (tumble, dangerouHy ftumble,
-and fomctimes fall. // // impofibUy we are told,
hut offences nvitl co??/-e : but ifjoe to that man^ woe to
that Churrb, ly 'whom the offence comet h-.
Great, it muft be owned, [is the felicity of this
nation 411 having fo many of its eftabliflicd Clergy,
whofe karning and whofc lives refled honour on
their ^rofeffion, and whofe writings have blefs'd
the world with fome of the nobleft defences of vir-
wc imd religion, Bitt, a? matters are at prefent
c^njiitutedi
C 300 1|
t^^Jiitutedi "Sitt there not fome things, which gi^eat*
\j abat€ the force of the ftrongeft argurtients they
offer ? Some Prejudicesy which too naturally and
too juftly arife> of which difaffeded minds avail
themfelves not a little in their oppofition to Chris-
tianity ?
The firji unhappy caufe of the growth of In fide-
Utyy "whieh I beg leave to mention, is- a general ap-
prehenfion that the Clergy themfelves are not tho-
roughly perfuaded of the truth and importance of
the Chrijlian Religion, inafmuch as they foiemnly
fubfcribe Articles ^ whicli they do not really believe \
and declare publickly , in God's prefence^ their «/;-
feigned Affent and Con fen t X.0 forms, in divine wor*
ihip, which they highly difapprove ; perhaps, hear-
tily condemn.
If this apprehenfion, my Lord, appears to be well
founded : if there is good reafon to think, that your
Lordlhips, the Bijhops, do rigoroufly impofe, and
that the (7/^rg7 fubfcribe. Articles of Religion which
TitixhtT yoH nor they^ do really believe ; and that>
in the raoft folemn manner, your Lordfhips require,
and they readily give, unfeigned AJfent and Confent
to certain matters and forms, which, at the fame
time, you both judge to be highly cenfurable and
wrong What will, my Lord, what muft a
doubting enquirer naturally conclude ; but, that
the profeffion of Ghrijlianity is all artifice and pre-
tence ! That there is no fuch thing as confcience,
integrity, or faith in tranfadions, relating to ec-
clefajiical concerns ! That the terrors, which the
Cofpel threatens to the hypocrite and unbeliever,
are known, by thofe who preach them, to be all
but an empty phantom ; as are the rewards alfo,
whicli
t 50X ]
xvliicli It pf omlfes to thofe who are couragious to.,
confefs and avow the truth * !
The Artkles of Religion^ which your Lordihips
oblige every Clergyman to fubfcribejand which every
Clergy 7ftan does with great folemnity fubfcribe, it is
notorious to the w^hole world are ftrongly, what is
called, Trim tar ian and CaU^in'ifiic : little iefs noto-
rious rs it, that the Clergy are, generally, gone far
from the redgiows Sentiments which the articles €X-
prefs, and arc many, or even moft of them either
Unitarian or Amiinian, What, then, can any fc-
rious impartial Spedtator judge ; when gentk-
men in the Unitarian fcheme fubfcribe fokmnly,
in God's pref^ncf^, (I. €. calling upon him to wit-
nefs to the Sincerity and Truth with which they
fubcribe)theF/r/?, the Second, and the Eighth articles
•of the Church, which ftrongly alfert — Art. I. ThM
4 here is but one living and true God — And in ihe
tiNiTY ^y^^i Godhead, ther^ he three p£&sons
C C OF
• Bifhop -P;/f7?/?/ fays — ** He is forced to declare : That
^* having had much tVee converfation with many who have
*' been fatally corrupted with atheijlic and /V/^i/W principles 5
*' they have very oft^n oSA^n'd to him, that nothing fo
** much promoted this in them as the very bad opinioa
** which the^ took up, of all Clergymen of all fides. ^'
«* That they did not fee in tliem that coiitempt of the
*' world- — that diligence and earneftncfs with relation to
*^ the great truths of the Chrifiian Religion^ which they
«* reckoned they woxild molt' certainly have, if ihey them-
*' {t\wt% Jirmly btlie^ed it. They therefore concluded 5
** that they whofc bufinefs it was more ftri£tly to enquire
** into the truth of their religion, knew that it was not lb
** certain, as they them^elve'^^, for other ends, endeavoured
*' to make the world l^eiieve it was c And that though,
•' for the carrying on their o-^xi Authority or ¥ortunes,^\i\z\\
•* in one rvord they called their 7V/7<^r, thty feemcd very
** pofitive in alHrmins^ the truth of thtir DoSirine, yet they
•* m their own hearts did 7iot helie^ve it, fince they lived fo
^ Jittic fuitable to it/' P^f oral Care Preface ; p. 15, 161,
^afhcKy ^^on and Holy Chofi Art. 11, That the Sof«
♦w^/M //^^ Father Art. Vlll. And that th^
'"Creed <?/ Athanafias ttig/^t thoroiighly to be receiveH
itvd htiieved ; fdr it friay be pfoljcd by mcji certaiM
■m^arrauti of Hx>ly Scripture ?
Ill like manner the gentlemen who favour whsit
A% called tlie Arminidn 'fcheme, anti reject the C^/-
^'inifiicy fl^Trd forth befote God, and fubfcribe,
and dediircthat f.^ry do it nvillinglyMnd e^ anirrio {i,c^
Tmcerely and from thek heart,)/>^<r I\triih^7hirt€eni)>^
Seventeenth^ and Eighteenth articles, as iikewifc the
T'v^enriet%i^\i\z^ ^xprefsly affirm— Art, IX. That
*CR I G 1 SAL, Q^r BIRTH s tN ts the f Unit or corrupt iaH
'^f the nature -(^ every nian^ that is naturally ingen^
*dred cf'i he offspring of Ad2iXi\ ; and i^n every perfon
^h'orn into this <worl4 it d eIS e r v e T H G o p 's wrath
'^"w^ DAMNA'TitTR. Aft. XIII. That rworks dont
-heftre the grace sf Chrift, and the infpiratton of hit
Spirit, are ^not p leafing to God, fsrafviucb as thej
fpringno't ^faith in ]tihs Chrift, neither do they
ina^e mtn mee^t i9 receive grace ^yeay — ivc doubt not
'hut 4hey have <ihe native of,fa,r >, Art. XVII.
That 'pRfc D.EST1NATION to life is the everlajling
^urrpofiof God, <mherehy {before the foundation o/
i'he nxjQ rid) ke hath canji cent ly decreed by his counfe%
fecrct "to uiy 'to deliver fro^m curfe and damnation
'thofe *\vhom he hath ^hqfeii in Clirill out of mankind^
and '^to brifig them by Chrill -to everiaJi4Hg fahu"
'tt>on^ as veffds made to hffnour. Jimdas the godly
'ConfJeratim j?/'P'redcfti:^natlon, and our ele(5tion m
Chriil, // fill of f^veet^ pleafant and unfpeakahle
iCbwfort to godly 'perfons ; f for curious and carnal
.perfons^ la<king tf:^ Spirrt of ChnA, io have continw
^aUy before their eycsthef^itenceofQoxiSprsdeJlina*
^ion^ Is >a vr/Jf dangerous dov^nfall^ f^ he re by t/^D^*
Xlil
r ^01 3
vlt doth- thrujf them, either into defperathn^ cr ini^
Vfjretcbed7iefs of mcjl unclean living.
Art. IL^YW.They alfo are.t^ be heldzccv^vkd^ fwh<f'
prefutne to fay y that ivery man Jhall be faved by th^
larjo or feifi 'which he prof ejfeth^.fo that he he diligent-
ta fra7ne his life according to that la<vj,Mnd the light"
tf nature — Art. XX. TheChurch hath po^ver to de^
cree Rites or Ceremonies y^nd Authority in cont rover—
Jies of faith.
These, my Lord, -SiV^ Articles^ whicJithc GhurcK?
r^prefents as the plain and the undoubted dodrines^^
of Chrifiianity , This it declares to be iYi^triie Gof^
j(>^/of Jefus Chrift : hxid^thefe it obliges everyone of its^
minifters to fubfcribe with his hand, in the prcfenc6:^
cf Almighty God, and folenQnly to declare, that hsr
believes thern t^ he agreeable to the nuordof God *>^
"before he is admitted to officiate in that chara(5ler.
Now if the ge»erality of the Clergy fdo in their
confciences believe this (in fome one, at lead, pr^
9^re points) to be a very nvrofig reprcfentation of
C c 2. thcj
* Canon XXrXVI.
f ** Pr^^<^/;K^//ov, (fays a learned member oPtlirit body).
■•* a doftiine Hiocking, and manifeftly contrary to all the.-
" notions men naturally li-ave of GoDi as a v/if'e, juft, and^
•^ good Being, was oppofed-by Arminiuj ; v/lio lefti)ehin«l.
** him a man better qualified than himlelf, to carry on the
** caufe he hadefpoufed,! mean the gvfMEpifcapus j whole
** writings foon flew a)l over Europe, and v/ere much read>
" by the Divines of the Chv.rch oi England, an'd to very
*• good purpofe j for foon after Cal^inifm vdu'iihcd from
** amongit them quite and ciean." Clarice V£^^ off:
Study, page 13, i6.
So the Bifhop of IVincheJier^ in his late excellent ^t-^-
mens, *• acknowledges it a thing beyond all contradi6lioT\,
•• that the do6Vrinc of the Church or Enff^nd, delivered in
•* its Articles relating to Jufificaiion^ Goo's Decrees, and
** what are called the Jiue fointSy hath undergone I'uch
•< alterations as to he efitirely changed, in the Writings and
•« Difcourfes of moft of the members of that Chuich.'*,,
Sum., on Contending for thjs Faiths
[ 204 ]
the (Jo(5rines of cbhistianity ; a ReprefentatJoa
injurious to the perfcdlons of God ; very high! yr
diflionoiirable and repugn aiU to the Gofpel-fchemey
bur do neverthelefs conlent thus foiemnJy r-ofubfcribe
the articles abovementioned, and to declare- th^fn?
agreeable ta the Scriptures. — What^ my Lord^
1 again afk> with great aftonifhment and concern,,
will, not only fagacious Deijis^ but every attentive
perfon, with good reafon pFefuine— E at that Honefiy,
and Truth are fled from the earth : atleaft^ that the
Church is no more the facred temple, where thefe hea-
■Yenly guefts dwell ! What, but that the contejnpt of
frinciple complained of ^/ brought into the higher part
oftheivorld, reigns not only //^«r<? ; but that it fpreads,.
and reigns terribly in another order of men ; an order,,
"u^hofc chief defign, and wkofe oniy glory it is, ta
be patterns y as well 2lS preachers ofuncorutped faitk
and integrity amongft men : who, no farther thaa
they aft up to this their primitive die&gn,areof anjfr
benefit tafociety ; andin whatmeafurc xh^y counter^
aft it, by (hewing a contempt of principle ^ and exhibit
patterns oti double- dealing 'aLudi injincerity tothe world,,
they become of all men the mod unworthy : ani
inftead of meriti-ng the efteen>> deferve nought but the-
conteip^ipt and indignation of focIeCy. If the y^A^
tath I of itsfaltnefsy the fupreme ]«dge hathexprefsly
faid, relating to this very point, it is caf out to'th€
dunghill^and trodden under foof.
Original Sin^ one of the moil karned^of our prer
fent Bifhops § h^th frankly declared ** to be a contra^
•* difhion in tetnis : For as the. word iSi/i^ implies aa
-•* a6l of the will^ fo the word original implies the
** dire(5V contrary ; and fuppofes the criminal a^
*' to have \>ttxi committed by another perfony tp
«* which a(5t that perfon to whom the fin is imputed^
•* neither coatributed by chought, word, ordeed.'*'
Bul^
§ Thoughts en Self-Love^ ionate Ideas^.^^. p^ xjf^ ■■
f 305: ]
^utfhtCidtsihe centra Ji(fIionfn terms y ti^hich the
learned Bilhop afferts ; to affirm, my Lord, as the
'article (Art.lX.)is fuppofed to do, thatevery mem-
ber of the human race, upon the account of Adatns
fin doth really //i<?r// God's lu/**^//^ and damnation:
that ii CO fay, that Infants are no fooner born than
they begome juft objedls of God's he^vy an^xr, and
dejerve to i>f da^ised : to be damned for an aft in
"which they had notthe leaft fhare ; an ad commit-
ted ^x/>6i?;/y2z»i/^^r/ before they came into Being—
Thit theall-perfedt and blefled God Is angry even
to lijrath, with the work of his own hands, who ne-
ver have done, were never capable of doing the Jeaft
thing to offend h\m — This, my Lord, will be fro-
nounced a dodrine fo abhorrent to nature, to jurtice,
to truth, (may it not be laid fo impious ^nd profane)
that It is candidly prefumed, that there is not one
fenfible and fober Clergyman in the kingdom who
helieves it : And yet, aftonilhing to confider ! there
is not one Clergyman in the kingdom, but hath fo-
Itmtily fubfcri bed it : Not one Bifhop in the king-
dom, but abfolutely infills upon it, as an indifpenfibh
condition of admiiTion to the Chriftian Miniftry ;
even the learned Bifoops not excepted, who are pre-
fumed to know and to acknowledge it to be a con-
tradition inter vis.
Is there any virtue, nhy Lord, or honour; anf
prudence or difcretion in fuch procedure as this ?
Does it not dire<flly tend to violate and lay walle the
confcience ; to throw down every fence of integrity
an4 truth ; to open away for all manner of llcen-
tioufnefs both of principle and of pradice, to break
in like a deluge, and to fweep from focicty all dil-
tindiion betwixt right and wrong ? For, why, it may^
be juftly afked, fhould it be accounted more ciimi-
jiai to equivocate and collude on the E^changCy than
lA the Church ? Yea, why more attrocious to ki's
C c ^ the
A
the boolc in a Chil Court in atteftation ta a faJfl--
which I believe nat to be true ; than t® fubfcribe
before God articles of religion^ which I believe ta
be falfe I To rrie^ my Lord, I profefs folemnly, the
a6tions appear much the fame in a moral eftimatipn ;
and falfefw earing in the ftate fcems near as recon*
cileablc to honeily and truths as fallacious and
inCinQtr t fubfcribing in the Church:.
There are a variety of evafive ftiifts, I know, ot
mental refervations and forced explications, by which
gentlemen endeavour to foften and extenuate their
i:ondu6l in this matter : but if weighed in an ittiper-
tial balance, thefe will be found to be of a natures
tmfpeakably detrimental, and even deftrudtrvc, tofb*?
ciety ; tending utterly to defeat theufe oi Language
amongft men ; to confound fcntiments and ideas ;
to banifli all precifion, and indeed all meaning, from-
words ; and to bring in cverlafting. darknefi and
ambiguity in their ftead . In fhort,. they are fuchy.
as if any man fhould prefume to ufe in commerciift
or civ'il life, would he not for ever forfeit his hot
nour upon the Exchange^ or in a Court of Jujiice j
rouze a general indignation ; and deliver up his
charader to lafting infamy and reproach ?
There are, my Lord, T apprehend, no fubterfu-
^ ges or foftenings, by which an Arian can fubfcribe
the dodtrlnes, and the curfe of Athayiafius^^ creed^
or an A r mini an the article of original Jin ; and de-
clare folemnly that he believes the m to he agreeable
So the 'voord of Go ft ; but whit would in like.man-
ner juftify him, were a good levcnue annexed, \n
fabfcribing alfo xh\s fortieth article, vtz^ That there
is but one Go», and that Mahoramed •// his prophet :
Yea, but what would juftify him in eluding the
ftri(5left examination in a court of juftice t^-on oath^
and in difguifing or concealing the truth in a caufe
of ^c greuteft moment in WeJimnfier-halL
An4
E ?«7 1
*And 1$ not this to give occafton to thofe who are
too ready to feek occafion, notonly to ^{/^^/?Vt^c,but
to reproach and vilify our moft holy r elision ?
Is Itftrange, if fagacioos jD^(/?j ridicule xit^ ChrtJJia?^
Priefthood; infult a charad^er and an ofiice fo fur-^
rep titioufly obtained ; and treat all their pretended
zeal about do firings and truth as moft naufeous gri-
mace ! 1 he temptation is exceeding ftrong : and
no wonder it has had a very powerful effed.
And here, my Lord, might I be indulged, I
would beg leave for a remark on the extreme va^
nity and inutility^ not to fay the^ prolific inifchief^
of thus demanding fuhfcriptions to human articles
and forms: And to exprefs aftoniftiment, that a
meafure fo palpably abfurd, fhouid have gained for
fo long a time, fo deep a footing in the Church.
The holy Scriptures your Lordlhip, and all Pro-
teftant Divines, acknowledge to be a perfefi ruh
cf faith : In them all needful and important doc-
trines, are y^) //i^/.'z/y revealed, in at;^r/// dictated by
the HOLY GHOST, that no Jincere perfon can
poffibly mlftake concerning them, fo as dangeroufly
to err. Subfcription, therefore, to thefe Scriptures^
is- all that the intereft of truth and of religion doth
really require. Now, ihould any man upi^n earth,
or any body of men, take upon them to draw up
articles and formula's of faith, in words different
from the holy Scriptures, 8c^to propofe them as -dilute
of faiths or a tcf oj truth to others ; what, my Lord,
is the real nature, or the proper lan^^uage of fuch
an a(^lon > Is it not plainly this ; that he thinks
himfelf able to define the dodlrincs of revelation \Jx
apterand more proper terms than thofe of the Holy
Ghoft ? Does he not in eifecft fay, that the great
truths of religion, as they (land revealed in the
Scriptures (in words which not man's ^ifdoyn^ but
which \,\i(i"jjifdom ofCou didatcd) are not fo diftin<5t-
r jo9 J
Ijrand' clearfy exprdTed ^man*s njUfiomy^jcsLrVi^
,Jbironx)w^ wifdom) is abie to exprefs them ? And is not
this, my Lord, prefumptuoufly tofcthimfelf up as si
coYre^or of Xh& hoby cmost ? To declare himfetf
capable of mending the revelation ? And to profefs
himfeif author f fed to didkate to the faiih of others^
and to interpret the Scripturesfor them !
Will it be faid — But crafty and corrupt men per«
vert the words of the Holy Ghojf^ and fkreen dan-
gerous errors under fcriptural forms. Let it
be faid : And will not crafty and corrupt men as^
eafily pervert, and as lightly violate and break
tbrough all the articles and forms which human
fill I can devifc, or human prudence prelcribe ? Does
ndt the plaineft reafon and nature of the thing
Ipeak, that thus it will be ? Has pot the experi-
ence oi fourteen, hundred years put it beyond all
doubt ? Will any articles or forms of dodlrine
prove a fence againft a man of an infincere and
corrupt heart, or keep him out of the Church ^
No J He will ever fwim with the Stream ; he wrll
declare or fubfcribe any thing, as bis worldly in-
tcreft diredls. No, my Lord, it is men of virtue
and integrity only, your Lordfliip well knows,
that can poflibly be aflFe<5ted here : it is men of
frincipU and confcience only, that thefe fuhfcripti*
0m are ever capable of keeping out of the Church ?
So that, if rightly confidered, it is not ia their na-
ture to be the lead guard againft Errors nor the
leaft fecurtty to truth. And when withal it is re-
membered, how in all ages of the Church they
hive been moft mifchievoufly employed by the fe-
Tefal parties of Chriftians as they alternately pre*
vailed ! What wrecks tliey have made of confci-
ence I What facrifices of integrity to human igno-
rance and priiic ! What engines they have proved
in Uie hajjda^ of the ruUrs of the darknefs of thir
morli
m)9rld to torture and opprefs good men, and to ci«
alt and aggrandize the bad ! Scarce any thing
can be more amazing, than that a meafxire fo no-
torloufly prepollerous and abfurd ; a meafurc fo di-
rectly tending to bring corruption into^the Church,
and to keep integrity and confcience out ; fhould
ever have been patronized, and even vehemently
urged, by men, unqueltitmably both wife and good.
What has been above fuggeSed with reference
\.ofubfcriptionj to articles of religion, is it not, my
Lord, in great Meafure applicable to the declaration
of unfeigned ajfent and confent to all and every
THING contained andprefcribed in and hy the hook ^f
€07n?non' prayer, which every Clergyman is obliged^
in the moft folemn manner, to make ! That there
are a variety of things r(9«/^;«^^ in that book, which
a great number of the Clergy ^ ofdiftinguilhed virtue
-and fcnfe, confider as highly cenfurable, and wifh
-carneftly to have reformed, your Lordihip, it is pr^-
fumed, and the world cannot but know *.
But this ajfent and confent, which the law re-
-quires of them, obliges not to the bar^ ufe on^y
'-(though to ufe forms in divine worihip which in
♦one's confcience are believed t© be not agreeable
to the divine will, and which are apprehended to
give wrong and injurious reprefentations of the
great
• The order for reading In public worfhip the aprocry-
"phal romances of Tohit, Bell aud the ZJr^^r;/— Sponfors in-
troduced to the exclufion of the parents — The quejiions put \o
the infants, and the anfnjoers cxptfled from ir,)n the office of
baptifm.— The authoritati'-je abioJiition and forgivenefs of
all Jin y dirccled to be pronounced in the vifitation of the
£ck.— The expreflions of ftrong hope of the happinefs
after death, of fome of the vilelt of men in the office fer
burial — The creed called Athanajius^s \ with the dreadful
fentence oi damnation j moft certain, inevitable everlafting
damnation \ upon every foul of man that doth not tho-
roughly believe it. Vid, Candid DifquiJiiicTis, Appc^
ic the common Jcnfe of all chrijlian people y &c*
great tBings of religion^ feems abfoFutety reptig*-
nant to thatrevecence of the Dsity which is elTenr-
tial to his rational and acceptable worfhip) but cWs.
^Jent and confent, I fay, obliges not to a bare -ufe
only (asth^ Parliament xtJtMy afier a folemn debate
' expreisly d-etermmed) but to an approhation^ as well
as ufe, of the things containred in rhat book f . Ac-
cordingly, they are not orJy to declare, but to fub-
fcribe with their hands, that the common-prayer-book
contain 5 nothing in it contrary to the nvord o/Qod ;f »
Now whether the Clergy' & giving in this folemn*
manner, unfeigned Ajjeni and Confent to things,
■which, it is notorious, ma ay, if not moil, of the
vifeft and moft ferious, greatly iif approve^ does-
•at all magnify their chara/ler ; is for the honour
MAcbriJiianity % or of any fervice to the caufe of
virtue and /r«//^— rather, whether it has not had,.
«nd muft not neceffiarily have, a contrary vttj per*-'
mcJouf2ind fatal effecft ? — Is with dl humility fub-
mitted to your Lordfliip's ferious con ^iJ-»rntion.
Infidelity g^ms ground \. loofe and iinm^^rai prin^
ciples fpread dangeroufly among all ranks ; Foun"
4ations feem to fhake : The generality of man-
kind, glad to be fet free from the reftraints of r^
ligiony have an ear always open to what can plau»*
iibly be faid to weaken its authority, and to dijp-
-credit Revelation. Should the condufl of its Mi-
nifters give ground for ftrong pr.eiuinption, that,
^midft all the zeal and folemnity of external appear^
ances, they think lightly of thefe things themfelves 4
^ndifubfcrihe Sc declare.not according to the real fenffe
and judgment of their own mind, but as worldly
intereft or party, orpreferment invite. — What won-
der, my Lord, if men of unfettled principles, or of
vicious
f Vid. an extraft from the journal of the houfe of'
Lords. Calamy\ Life of Baxter 5 Vol. I. page 205.
SflVad £^Qou<i Defence f page xi^, % Canoa X^XVL
t 5^^ 3
>^clotrt a'ndbad hieartSjcatch greedily at the oaajl^fi^
and pour out all their ilores of wit and ridicule, of
contempt and execration on them ; rave wiih litda
referve againft^">riefts and their craft ; call religion
a cheat; and plunge into the deep eft horrors of
/cej) t icifm ' an d i?ifideli ty .
AVhat wonder, *' if it brings in futh diffolute^
" neii and contempt of principle in the higher p^rt
" of ih^ world (as his good Lordfhip above obferves)
** Hand fuch profligate intemperan-ce and fearleflhi^fs
'** of committing crimesj in the loM^eir asmuft, if thig
** torrent of impiety flop not, become abfoluiely fa-
** tal.'' Finally, what wonder, to hear the people
trifling with damnation and mutual curfes in the
ftreets,when/^/;7^^« times a yeaT they hear their lea*
ders in religion trifling(muchworfe than trifling) with
^hem in their folemn offices in the Church I It is
certainly, my Lord,matter of very feriousdo ubtywhe-
ther ail \.\\t curfes and damnations^\i\c\i are wantonly
^poured out by the army, the navy, and the lower
^claffes of fnankind, are reaUy more offenfive to At*
-eighty God, or attended with greater guilt, or more
threaten to draw down divine difpleafure upon
the land, than thofe which are denounced folcran-
iy by the ftanding order of the Chxj^ch ^.
The Unhappy dimjtonsy under whi»h the Chri*-
Jilan Church labours, the yi^^/ ^n<\feparatit)nj, into
\Vhich it is fplit, are, doubtlefs, to be confidcred as
greatly prejudicial to xhz caufe of ChrSJlimnity, and
»s anoiker fatal occafion of the growth of infidelity.
May I be peniiitted, my Lord, to expoftulatc freely
on this head ; and to enqtiirt— i- whether your Lord-
ft:ip has not her^ alio a great deal to apprehend
from the trial of afature day.
•It is a fentimcGt of great weight \rtihwhich hisLord-
(Klp
^ Vicl. Article IX. nnaXVIlI. Cinow 1, 3,4^ 5, ^, 7>«»
*^AnU the Atlian-afiaii Creed.
(h\fo(LonJ3rf/inhis\^tc excellent fcrmons, || pfelTcl
Unbelievers^ extremely applicable to theprcfentfub*
jed -^ — *^Tbe cafe betwixt your Lordfhlps, and thofe
*' Fellow-Chriftians you reject, mufl be once more
** argued before the judgmeni-feat ofGon, Do yon
*« reje^ them hecaufe — Conjider ijoell. Is this a
«« reafcn that ixiill jujiify you to the fate of Got) ?**
The power of ordination^ or of fending forth
minifiers to officiate in the Ckriftian Church, is
confidered as a trufi committed folely to your
Lordlhips, by Christ the fupreme Pastor ;
committed to your Lordfliips, exelujive of all o-
thers ; a trufi^, tov Lord, of a nature extremely
important: upon the right difcharge of which>
the intereft of that Church, which he hath purchafed
nviti his oivn Blood ; its inftru(5tion and growth ia
knowledge and goodneft, very greatly depends,
j^ trufi, therefore, mod furely, to be accounted for
with great ftridlnefs to Him xht fupreme tastor,
from whom it was received.
But, fuppofe, my Lord, it fiiould then be a(ked,
as there is the higheft reafon to apprehend it will
beafked. ** How was it that you refufcd to
** commit this minijiry to any, but to thofe who
** would fuhfcrihe and declare unfeigned affent to
^* certain articles ^nd forms, which you knew to
«' be no do^lrines noT parts of my religion ! Were
** jovi not^—Chargedy before G^x^, and the Lord
** y^/«J Chrifij and the elefi Angels, to do nothing
** in xKxs m^tl^t by partiality, preferring one before
«« another. Upon any fecular confide rations I i Tim.
«* V. 21. Had you authority from God to put
•« this yoke upon the neck of my Difciples, and
«< thus to li?nit this truft I Were you not convin-
•^ ccd thatby ihijLi?nitation you excluded from the
«« Chrlftlan Mhrjlry many faithful and worthy
'* pcrfons J
jj D I. ■ CO". rib I. p;ifTe 33,
r 315 3
•* perfons ; men capable of great fervice, and dudj
*' jqualified for it, according to ;//y Lanv, prefcribed
•* in the Scripture Canon r^—By what Authority.
<* then, or by what La-jo did you deprive ihcCrriJiian
^* Church of the miniftrations of thefe perfons, and
«' them of the opportunity of miniftring therein ?**
In^ that critical and awful moment, my Lord,
■will it be fufFicient to reply, (yet what elfe can be
replied !) It was by the authority of the Civil
Magijirate, and by the Aa of Uniformity, which
commanded not to receive them, to either the Chri-
ftian 77iinifiry or cGmmumony but upon terms of their
devifing : m obedience to that authority we rejea:-
€d them from both.
With what a look of indignation will fuch a
plea be received by the furrounding army of Mar-
tyrs ; who nobly facrificed their lives, rather than
iacrifice their confcience to the authority of the
civil Mitgifrate ! And how fevere a frown mufl
it draw from the face of the judge X- «« Did the
*« civil Magiftrate die for you ? Were you baptized
^* mto his name ; or redeemed by his blood I Can
<* the civil J\higifrat€ now fave you, or give you
*« admi.Tion Into the kingdom of heaven I He gave
** you, indeed, the h-onours and emoluments oi his
** kingdom : And for thef you paid him homage,
*' the homage of (r^^yZvV;?^^', by acknowledging his
** authority to make Jaws in 77iy kingdom ; and by
•* impofmg, at his pleafure, fuch terms oi Ordina-
** //■«, and of Cojuwiinion in the Chrlftian Sacra-
'' ments, as 1 never injoincd : And thus to the no-
" toriour. impeachment of ;?/; Authority, to theinja-
•* ry oimy Difciples,and to the dividing of /;/y Church,
'' you publlckly rejefled ihofe whom you knew, or
•* might have known, that I honoured iMid received.
" And verily, infoniuch as ye did it to thrfe M r
** BRBTHREv, ^v^ //;W// ^^;;/^ ME. — Was it not mf
'* cxprefs command that you fliould call no man up^
"DA Oft
C 3M 3
'*'^ ^n tarth master ; that you lliould acknowle3g«
'<< no Authority in matters of religion, but that af Je--
■«' SOS Christ ! Was not //;// Authority 2l }^y^-
*i rogative, a glory, 'given in reward of my me-
^* riiorious death ? Is not ihe lamb that nvai
*^ Jhiir/, and is not he alonk, nvorthy to reteivv
«* this hoHour ? But by fubmitting to another S(^
'*< r^r^/^« in things pertaining to religion, anden-
•*• forcing his /anvs to the exclufion of my fervanPi
•«' from the Chriltian Miniftry and Church, to
"*' //fv^/ iS^>t;<^r^w; has you^r allegiance been unwor*
'«* thily transfered. See if he can now reward
"** the homage you have paid him !-— Whoever
^' thus fecks to [Peitho) cley and pleafe mtn^ he is
^* nvt dhe fervant i?/ Christ : CaL i. lo.*'—
The .brethren, my Lord, ^:hom you reje<!l,
iave lodged their appeal before a fuprevi^CoMTt :
jhere you are to a^ppear with them, and the cauie
is to be reheard. Confider nvell : ( to refume the
words of the good Biihpp) Are tht reafons on which
jou now rejedl them fuck as 'will he fufficient to
j.uj}i/y ycu to the face afCoi> ?
Being entered fo far into this important fubjed,
-^vill your Lordlhip permit me to advance a ftep
farther, and to obferve
That it is a mii^hty prejudice, with fome men
of feafe and confideration, againft christia-
;wity, that, as it ftands exhibited in our public
Porms, and the JUiuals of the Chmch, it carries
in it what they think, at lea ft, whvit Unbelievers
tli'mk, plaiji marks of iinpr^urc ; violent a^d ftrong
fiifficiofi'S^ that it could not poliibly come from
"God. For k gives to all its Clergy fuch highand
traiifccndcnt p,j-iv^rs^ as a Goo of infinite wifdom
can nt'ver be ruppofed to give; poivcrs which fet;
the Clergy far abi-ve all kings and Potentates o£
this world ; which make It not the duty only, but
tlic ialerej} of princes to bow down before them ;
r 315 1
ancToftKe people to bring prefents, andta licic t3e:i
dull at their feet.
Christianity, my Lord, as it is profeffetl?'.
and pra6^iied by your Lordiliip, imparts to all its
Biftcrps <^ ponver io giwe the holy ghost : aiici
to all its Priefts, through your Lordiliips hands, ic
gives AUTHORITY either to forgive, or to^
RETAIN the fins men commit againfl the ma-
jesty and La^ws of heaven. Sin,- Divines have.
taught us, is ever to be confidered as the greateft.
©f all evils ; far more to be dreaded than ficknefs,.
poverty, pain or death. This appears to h«ve been-
the general fentiment of mankind, in all ages of the
world. Accordingly, what facrifices' have not
men made ! Vv^hat penances fubniitted to ! what
pilgrimages performed ! to obtain forgivenefs of"
their crimes ; readily offering up, not' hecatombs^
ofbeafts, only and rivers ot oyl, but even their
own beloved childreHj the fruit of their hody^ for
the fin of their feu l. Now this Sin, the objedt of
•men's fo juft and fo direful apprehenfion, there Is
not a Prieji JOMT Lord ordains, but you give him
full po^er and authority from God, even in the,-
name of the hoiy trinity, eiikci^ to forgive^
§r to retain : And to qualify him forfo valk atruli
that he may exert />r<?/)^r/y this important power,
(for which nothing lei's can fuffice) you give him
the WOLY ghost.
Receive the holy ghost^ — Whofe fins twov do/}
forgive, they are forgiven : and nuhofe fins th©u d(.>ft-
retain, they arc retained : in the nav/e of the F at h i: k,.
of the zosy and of the holy GHOfyT. A}nen.
Thefe are l\\cffipcft<ious poi.uerSy my Lord, \\\t\\\
which your Lordlhip invefts, and fends forth into*
the world, every Prie/^ ynu ordalii. And in coii-
fcquenceof thcfe poivers, in tlie Vifitation cf its
Sfik, upon the perfon's conftfiing, and d^fwriug
AbfolutijUy the Pricft is dire<^ed to pronounce, as
D d 2 fruDl.
[ 3i6 1
from the mouth of Almighty GoD, this folenan
ientence of remission.
By the AUTHORITY commuted unto me^ I A'&r
SOLVE thee fr 07/1 Ah h thy sins; in the name of the
FiiTHE.R, and of the som, and S)f the holy Gi^osT.
TJie Pope, who i?, I apprehend, the firR Z'/tfr-
gyinan upon earth who claims to himfelf this pow-
er, and />(?;/? and through whom all Clergy ?ne?9, who
aifume it, muft acknowledge it derived ; his Holi-'
nefs, I fay, fuppofmg him polTeffed of this.power^
ffiofl rightly demands homage of all fecular Poten^
tates, and declares himfelf prince of a-ll the kingf
of the earth : And all Potentates and People y wha
acknowledge this power, 7?rjfl rightly pay the cere-
mony of the ftirrup and the flipper, and bow \5ritife
veneration before their Lord God the Pope*\,
But this Poivery my Lord,, which gives the Pope
this preheminence over all Princes (and w^hich give*
\t moft j uj} ly , if really poffeffed) is xh^ very fa7?iff
(my Lord, I repeat it, is the very fa?ne) which your
Lordfliip declares yourfelf to give to every Priefl you
ordain. For the power to for give i or to retail the*
fins of men, is the very fame as to have the keys of
the kingdom of heaven y either to open or fliut itft
gates. If therefore you Lordftiips, the BiJhops^_
do, as you moft folemnly profefs, give this tranf
ccndent po<\x>er ; you really conftitute fomany Dele-
gates and high Commifioners from heaven ; apd ^«*
ihorife them to difpenfe its pardons , or its curfes
amongft men. And what reverence or revenue
>Yill any man, who loves his foul, think too great
to be given to fuch chara<5lcrs as thefef.
But
* This Title he afTumes, and it is publlckly given him.
t This do6irine, if believed by the Laiety, ought ta
Diing them at -the Priefts feet j as the ambafladors of ?a^
lermo at the feet of Pope Martin VI. repeating thrice thefe
words— .TZ'd;« that takeji a'waj the fins of the ^world, ha^e
viercy upon us I ** Profane
C 317 ]
iBnt if THIS, my Lord, be Chrijtuinlfy'^xs it
any wonder that Chrijiianity .is ridiculed, is defpi-
fed, is railed at, and reviled with very little re-
ferve ? But is not this, my Lord, Chrifrianlty
(1 appeal to your Lordfhip's impartial judgment,,
and to that of the whole world) is jvoi this^, Chri^
Jiianity, as it ftands exhibited in the publick forms^
and in the conftant pra(51:iceof a certain Church ?
May I be permitted to Add — But if to a judg-
ment of the greatefl candor there appears rtrong
reafon to prefume, that their Lordfliips^. the Bi-
fhops of that Church, know that they have no
power from Almighty Goo to give the Holy Ghofty
at the very time that they are profeiTmg^. with^
great folemnlty, to give him. ; and, that' they have
no authority from x\\q facrcd Tri?ilty to ifiveil the
Prieils they ordain, with ability to f rgive, or to
retain the fm^. of men, at the very tiriie that, in-
xhTil great NAMf., they are pretending to impart It
to them; and finally, thiit the Prieil; at the very
time that, in the name of the h o l y trinity,
he is authoritatively abfolving a man from the guilt-
of A L L HIS SINS, knows in his own confcience,.
that he has- no authority from God at all to ab-
folve him from any one Sir. ', if to a judgment oF
the greatefk' candor, my Lord, there appears rea-
. fon thus to- think — What idea mufl men form of
the R E L I G I o w cS fuch a(!lio7is and J:ich' charac^
ters as thefe I What fentimenfes and reHc*<^lfrons muft
naturally arifey w^hen one fees \X\z\v Lordjhips ftand
forth, in the prefence of Almighty God,, and be-
fore angels and men profcfTing to confer gifts, and
to impart fpiritUjil and tranfcendenf pov/crs, if con-
D d 3 JcirAlSy
*^ Profane Scyondall profanenefs (fays Dr. Clarke) i^ihc
** d')6lrine of thofe who contend, thiit ihj Apoltles thcMH-
" felves, m'lch lei's that any c: tkeir fallible rucctflTors,
•^ h:^d a difcretionary power of For^ivinir or Retaifiin^
'* whof- fins they plciifecl/' Dr. oiwiiul Clarke'% Serin.
Vx»l. Will. Serin. XVIL.
I 3»S 1
(clous i at the very lime, that the whole folenamtf
is mere parade, and that they have no ability at all
to give them ! What marvel if, in the indisjnation
fucli a fight mull infpire, christi inity be ab-
horred by perfons, already not prejudiced in its-
favour, or at aU kindly difpofed to it ; and treated
as aa erraac cheat ; and its Mlnijters and itn-
poftors, fent out with mockpoiuers to terrify, to
delude, and to enflave the fouls of men !
But Chrijliamty^ Gob be praifed. Scripture^
Chrifiianity is quite free from this reproach. A
power to far give or to retain Sins^ it gave only to
the twelve j^pojihs, the founders of the Chriiliaa
Church ; and, to qualify them for this truil, they?
were a(flaally infpired and filled <with the holt
GHOST ; they had the gift of difcerning fpirits ;,
could miracul.ouily fmite incorrigible offenders with?
difeafes or de.ith, as they did Elyinas the forcerer*;
Ananias and S.apphira- ; and thiis retained or hounds
their fins upon them : And they had power alfo-
miricutoufly to cad out Devils, and to heal all
manner of difeafes, and thus forgave or releafid'
men from the penalty of their fins.
But as this pow^r, llnce the apoftoHc age, ii
ceafed, (by all Proteftants ackno^vledged to be ceaf--
ed) fron the Church ; and nothing but the mira^
culo-tu operation of the ho=ly ghost can poflibly
impart it, cr qualify a perfon for it ; how ftrange-
beyond exprelTion, that amid (I the great piety, and
Jearning, which its keeneft adverfaries muft confcft
t-o fubfiit in the Ciurch, a pretenfibn fo extravagant^,
BOt to fay profane ^ fhould dill maintain a place 1
• Whit adds, my Lord, exceedingly to the ftrange-
Xie's of the ca^e, Is ; that this form of ordaining^
prieds — ** Rfceive^ the Holy Ghost- — ivhofejtnf
♦* thou frpivefty they arc forgiven^ ^c." was neveC
n^ed, never known in the Chrijiian Church for the
firH thoafandjQ'M^i ; was never attempted to be in-
troduicedi
C 319 3
trodaced till the eleventh or twelfth century : which
every one knows to be a period of the deepeft dark*
nefs, ftupidity and oppreffion the Church ever felt.
Morinus, a learned pried*, has publifhedy?x/^^/i
©f the molt antient Rituals ^ or forms of Ordinatioft
y&kd in the Church, from the earliell ages of Chrif-
tianity in which any fuch are found. In the feve-
ral changes and additions under which thefc forms
have fucceffively paft, is feen, how the Ipirit of
fuperjlition gradually wrought f : Every age adding
fome ridiculous rite, or extravagant claim, to the
inventions of the former, till it grew to the prefent
enormous mafs in the Ro-inan pontifical.
But it is extremely obfervabic, my Lord, that in
not one of the firft fifteen (from th.^ fifth to the
twelfth century) doth the form now ufed — ^' Re*
** ceive the Holy Ghost, nvhofe ftnsy Sec, appear^
It is in the laf only, the ftxteenth, (which Morinus
takes to be but about 300 years old) which affumes to
itfelf this ponver : Yea amidfl the pride and intoxi-
cation of this corrupted ftate of the Church, there
fcems to have fo much fenfe and modefty remained,
as to make it boggle at a claim fo extravagant as
this :
• De Ordin. Sacr. See a vindication of the ordination'
of the Church of England^ by Bifhop Burnet. Print. 1688.
r •}• In the ordination oi' •'3iBiJhop — The anoijiting the head,
and hands, and thunnb with oyl — Thejp.ying thcC^'ofpel on
tis head— -The glove- — The iar,dals---'liKi ring— The ftaff
—The Dalmatica (a veftment like a croi ) — The mitre—
The inthronizarion, or feiling him in his cha:r- -moft of
which are attended with refpe^li/e coile6ls or prayers. —
In the ordination of a Fn'/f/?— The bleffing and confe*
crition of his hand^^ — ^The afiointlng them with oyl — Then
anointinrr his head with prayer-— Then the facred vcftment
given witli a folemn. benediction — Then the fncred veflels,
the patten with the hofties, and the chalice with the wine,
ire given with thefi; voids. Receive Hjou pouuer to offer
facrifice, &c. Then theBifhop makes a crols in his Innds
with oyl and chrifm : Then lavs his hands on the Priefts^
and fays, Receive the lloij Chofi j ^bofefins, &c.
r ?-2o T .
tms : For tKe learned pried obferves, tliar in f<iv^
crther Pontijicahy of the fame age, this form ■
Receive the Holy Ghost, &c. was not found.
And is this extravagant Pretsnfitifi.^ my Lord,
which the Church of /?(?]^;/<?, amidft all its pride and
Nvontonnefs of fuperftition, from \ht fifth to the
tijoelfth century, never prefumed to make,, now o-
penly dvonved ^ndi adopted by our. Church ! This-
Plant y which fprung up from, the raoft dreggy and^
polluted date which even the Papacy ever faw; is it
not only received into this enlightened, this reform-
ed, this noble part of the Chrijlian vineyard, but-
here fufFered to take root, to flourifbgreatly, and ta
grow ! May god in mercy awaken a^ fpirit of in-
tegrity and of fortitude in all whom it may concern ::
and wipe from the Chrijiian name the deep ScandaL
and Reproach it unrighteoufly fuffers !
Is there no room, my Lord, to apprehend the.
difpleafure of ahnighty God at the reprefenting^
Christianity in fo injurious a light ? Were the
men qi BethJJ:evitth fmitten with death for looking
prefumptuoufly into the ark * ; and Uzza for
Itretching out his hand to fupport it \ ; and Ananif
Gs and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost J ?
Andean xh^name ^/ God, and the ever -hie jftd-
Trinity ; and. the dodtrines, the rites and facra-
ments of Christianity ; be trifled with, and
profanedj and proftituted to purpofes q{ nvorldly in-
tereft and anvbition without danger of divine re-
fen tment ? Is there not a time coming, when hea-
ven will vi Jit far thefe things || ? The
• I Sam. vi. 19. f 2 Sa?n, vi. 7. % ^^^ ^- 5*
1} It was the complaint of the late exGellent Bifhop^z/^-
nei^ (and there are many others, no doubt, of my Lords
the Bifhops, who can fmcerely make the fame,) that the
EMBER WEEKS <vuerethe burden and gricj of his life ; and:
that the things that he was then called to fee and to pertorm,^
with regard to the candidates who came to be ordained,
did often tear his hearty and pierced his foul ^ and made him^
cry out, Qi\ that I had the wings of. a dove I PaforalCare^.
t^ace to the third edition*
C 321 3
The fgnf of the times fecm ftrongly to prognof-
ticate ibme approaching great events, Chrijiianity
IS now pafling a ftri(n: examination : it fhuns not,
but invites the moll critical fearck. The cotifc-
qaence of this fearch, there is little queftion will
be, that Superjiition muft totter ; and that all claims
and pretenfions of -a. fpiritual kind, not founded on
Truth, nor iupported by Right, muft fall before the
tfx laid at the root. But, whilit the tares are pluck'
ing up, there is danger left the 'wheat be alfo deftroy-
id nvith them.
Tht freedom of thinking, in which the prefcnt
age glories, is, indeed, diflipating apace the charm
of fpiritual forcery, by which the underftandings
and confciencesof the/i?r;;/(?r were enthralled: But
it is too natural to the human mind to run into ex-
tremes ; and having broke from the chains of
gloomy fuperflitioriy to rufh headlong into the wilds
of difconfolate tjifidelity. Into thofe defolate wilds
multitudes of all ranks, both in high and low life,
are feen crouding with hafte. And it feems, my
Lord, to require nofpirit of prophecy to fay — whi.-
T H E a thefe things tend ! and nvhat their end 'will he /
A fmail degree of forcfight feems fufficient to fee>
that they haftily and dire<5tly tend to the utter de-
molition, not only of the prefent ecclejiajlical fyftem,
but of all eftahlif)cd forms and offices of religion ; —
That iht fceptical and /^/?/> principles which fpread
through the land are the dangerous artillery,which
the enemy is playing upon xht high-places 2LndJirong^
holds of the Church ; that, therefore, prudence
^ftrongly didlates, that we not only defert,h\xt levels
what arc called the outworks, which we know to be
untenable ; and call in tv try friendly hand, to unite
as one body, in the common defence.
It was, perhaps, with little Ids than -k prophetic fpir it tha ^
a very learned and worthy Prelate has lately exprefTed hi^
wifl>, ** That fomething was done to convince the world
:f
C 3^2 1
** that the Clergy of the Church arc not averfe to a Re^^
** mation of fome parts of her Publick Service : Since^
** otherwife, they may give oftcnce by their obftinacy aiid
•' feeming infallibility j and if a ftorm fllould^arife,Fnay rum
•* a rifqu* of having the tree torn up by the roots, which
•' they might h^vefaved by a little pruning*.''
The period, my Lord, feems near approaching, in which
the angelis commanded to thruft in his Jharp fickle ^ andfo ga^
iher the clufters of the <vine of the earth (i. e. the mundane
or worldly Church) becaufe her grapes are fully ripe f.
A difpoiition feems moving in all nations around us, in
nations where it could lead be expe6led to appear, to feru-
tinize and retrench the exorbitant claims and revenues o^
the Church 5 and to demand fome of the immenfe fuper-
fluous wealth of that opulent ally for the prefling exigences
of the State. And if in countries vjhuYt popery reigns, in^
all its rigoF, thefe retrenchments are m>>dc j what may not
)Uftly be expelled in another, \^'ntrt dijhlutenefs and
*want of principle (as the pious Bifhop above oblervcs)-
fpreads widely araongft //^^ higher rianks j vvhuktheloiver are
divided into nimierous fe6ts, not zealouQy attached to the
pomp of the eftablifhed worfhip : and whilft the emifTaries
from Rome are feducing^/^oz^/^/zz^j into their tents ; all whoic
power and cunning will be exerted to the utmoft, on tl>e
feaftjnviting occafion, to demolifh the f ortress, whofe
artillery hath feverely galled them, and upon whofe ruias
they hope to raife their exploded fuperfiition to its antient
grandeur -again. ^
Is there any more likely way to procure a lengthening tf'
tranquility , than, as the Prophet advifes, to break off ini^
quity by righteoufnefs : to corre£t miftakes 5 to fupply defi-
ciencies ; to remove the rocks upon -^vhich the integrity of
thoufands hath been miferably wrecked j to demolifh fepa-
rating walls, f and to extend the arms'of the Churchy as wide
as thofe of Christ and th£ Apojlles were extended. That
Church fi/o»^ which is built upon.this catholic and wide
bottom is like to ftand firm, and to fuilain the Ihock of
rifing florms.
Having trefpaffed, I fear, too far upon your Lord-
fhip's patience already, I add no more at prefent — Bat that
ats your Lordlhip lias the glory of Handing in the firft rank
of;
* EfTay on Spirit, Preface^ page 55^
Ri'V, xir. i^
I 32.3 3
^ iht defenders of our holy faitb 5 and with Irrefiftible force
"hath pleaded the caiife of Christianity againft its avow-
ed enemies ; fo there is a lervice yetbehind, to which GoD>
and your Country, and the interelt of Religion feem loudly
to call you forth. Christianity, my Lord, lies bleed-
ing of wounds it hath received in the houfe of its jriends 5
wounds by far the molt dangerous of any it futfers : There
^re few perfons living more able than your Lordiliip to
dole up thefe wounds, and to apply an healing hand.
The high reverence and eileem in which your Lordiliip is
jvftly held by all ranks of the Clergy wiil give a weight and
fuccefs to any falutary counfelsyour Lordlhipmay propofe,
ih^t foeafy to be obtained from any other quarter. Through
the favour of heaven, we are bieffed with a government,
which, there is reafon to believe, needs but to be petitioned
by thole who have the adminiftrationofy/>^V/Vj/<^/ affairs to
eafe them of any grievances, to fupply any defers, and to
alter or reform whatever in the prei'ent iyRem may need to
be reformed.
That your Lore! fhip may have the unfpeakable fatisfac-
tron in lite, the confolation at death, and the glory in a
future ftate of having exerted with all the refolution and
zeal of a Chrijiian Bijhop the great power GoD hath given
you— That when your Lordfliip {hall foon Hand (as it muft,
i»y Lord, he ^very foon') before the/«/)r^/;»7^ Pastor, to
render an account of your high ftation in his Church, it
jiKay appear to your everlafting honour, that you were rea-
dy, not to rifqiie only, but even to facrifice every worldly
*iBtereft, to refcue the Chriflian name from the reproach 5^1*
4a w it fulfer,— .prays with great fincerity.
Vour Lordfhip^s
iHoft obedient, &c,
A CHRISTIAN^
D
C 324 1
POSTSCRIPT.
R. St ebbing, in his late InftruSiipns of a farifi Mintjlery
part II. owns,— That the do6lrine of faardotal ab*
Jolution has no foundation in Scripture.—*' That ibme of
the methods praftifed in the ** primitive Chiirch, with *€-
** gard to reiioring penitents, have very much the air of a
** j^^r^.— That for the firlt thouland years the forms of
'* abfolution ran all in the form of a prayer, and net in the
** form of a pereriiptory definitive fentencc, as it nowiiands
*' in the popijh forms, and in one of our ouun forms, from
*' them (Ft/itatioaoftbejick.) ThQ pop ijb form oi ordina-
** tion alio," tlie learned Do6lor obfej ves, «* is retained
** in the Chiirch of E/.gland. Thefe two forms are relative
•* to each other, and cannot ftand feparatdy : fq^the on£
«* conveys the power which the other exerciieth ;' and they
•* are NOVELTIES alike— And it is very much tobe wifh-
•* ed that thay were both properly itered. Diil'enters
•' would iin J lefs matter for cenAire, and infidels for pro-
** fane rallery.''
" The late Bifhop Bull, h« fays, who was one of the
*' ablell fcholars, the ftancheft churchraen, and the bcft
** Chiiftians of his time, when he wa? upon his deatii-bed>
*' refuied to have this form read : and ordered the minifter
** that attended him, to ufe that form which ftands in the
*< office for the holy communion in its Head."
The worthy DoSior *' freely blames thofe who g^/p at
*' the fhadow of an Authority, which in truth and fubftance
** we rhuft all renounce. What el ie do we, when we/>r<?-
•* te;id to abfolve confcience ? We may ule an huncaed dif-
** tinflions, if we pleafe : We may fay that the abiblution
*'* is not authorkatiue but declaratory j or, that it is not
'* judicial but minifterial : But if you would fpeak to be
" undenlood, you muft fay, that, with refpeil to any real
*' internal effe6l, it is nothing ; and you will fpeak
** Trutbtoo : For all the reft, if you will prefei-ve to God
•* his Prerogati've to forgive fin, arc words without mean-
9, ing/' Vid. pag. 37, 3^, 39> 5^» 5*-
Yet at this Shadonxj every Cleigyman \r\ T.ngland pre-
fnmptuoufly grrifps ! claiming piiblickly this Authority
which is the fc/e Prerogatiue of God ! But if the Abfolutton^
as to any real effe6>, be acknowledged to be nothing ;
whj^t muft the public claim and avowal of it be, but infi-
nitely ^j)orfe than nothing !— What it Is I forbear to fay.
—The enemies oi Cbrifianity will with infulting pleafure
tell FINIS.
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