'->»,■•* <fs 4^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
LIBRA.RY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 Snelfr t ^ l^ Secti 
 
 Book. l^fd": .. 
 
 A DONATION 
 
 
 Beceived 
 
o^^<^ 
 

m^'s XK 
 
r4 ^'--^ 
 
ANSWER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 REPRESENTATION 
 
 Drawn up by the 
 
 COMMITTEE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Lower-Houfe of Con vocation 
 
 Concerning 
 Several Dangerous Positioj^s and 
 
 Doctrines contain'd in the Bifliop of 
 Bangor s Preservative and Sermon. 
 
 ^Benjamin, Lord Bijhop 0/ B a n g o r 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Mneed by W^lVtlkins^ for J. Kvapton at the 
 Croibn, and Tim. Childe at the fFhite- 
 tiarty in St. i'-aw/'s Church- Yard. 171 8. 
 
\Ttni 1'^ v ^vW^ 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 HE Reader is defired to 
 obferve that The Rcp-c- 
 fentatiorn to which the fol- 
 lowing Booh is an AnJ^uver^ 
 w\is drawn up by a Com^ 
 mittee of the Lovuer^Houfc o^ Convocation • 
 and never approved of, by the Lower- 
 Bmjc J fo as to be made The Acl 
 of it : tho' many have been led to 
 think it was^ by the loy/ Artifice, made 
 ufe of in the Titk-Tage to the Printed 
 Copy of it. 
 
 A 2 A 
 
iv The Preface. 
 
 As foon as I heard of the Intention of 
 Some in th^ Lower^Hoitfe^ (as well as of the 
 ^ejtgn of OtherSy which I now do not en- 
 ter into ;) I had no other Thought ^ ^eftre^ 
 or Rejolutionj but to Anfwer^ in My Tlace^ 
 before the Same Houje^ to which This Ac- 
 cufation was delign'd to be brought ; and 
 before Thofe Worthy Trelatesy to whom 
 the Appeal was to be made. But it w^as 
 tliought proper-, ("out of a fincere Regard^ 
 as I verily believe, to the Intereft of Our 
 Conflittit'ion in Church and Statc^ to put a 
 Stop to the Sitting of the Convocation : 
 Which, (becaufe it has been unkindly and 
 induftrioufly reprefented as the EfFeft of 
 My SoUicitation, and an Argument of 
 My Fear, and what I fled to^ for Refuge ; 
 I am obliged to declare, before the 
 'World,^ was done, not only without My 
 jechhig ; but without fo much as My 
 Knowledge, or evenSufpicion of Any fuch 
 
 Defign^ 
 
The Preface. v 
 
 Defigiij 'till it was aftually refolv'd and 
 ordered. Nay, That it was far from My 
 Defign to tah Refuge in this Trorogatim ; 
 or, under the Cover of it, to hide My 
 own Unwillingnefs or Liability to niain^ 
 tain what I had taught ; This T>efenfe^ 
 ("which I promised publickly as foon as 
 poffible,) is, I hope, an Unanfwcmble Ar- 
 gument to the JVorld. 
 
 And I muft here take the Liberty to add, 
 becaufe I can add it with a fafe Conlci- 
 ence, and fecurely fpeak it before the 
 whole World, that I never have, upon a- 
 ny Occafion, diredly or indiredly, by 
 My-felf or Others, by plain Words or the 
 mod diftant Intimation, exprefs'd the 
 leaft Defire that Any Thing fhould be op- 
 posed to Argument^ but Argument ; nor e- 
 ver, with refped; to Any Perfons diflfering 
 from Me in their Sentiments, have had 
 Any other Wifli in My Heart, but that 
 They and I might be heard, and read, by 
 A 5 the 
 
vi The Preface. 
 
 the Worlds with Equal Impartiality, and 
 Equal Regard, and Equal Advantage. 
 
 As to the Troromtion of the Convocation : 
 it neither tends to hinder Any Light from 
 appearing, which poffibly can be procured : 
 nor can It have fuch anE{fed:,in its natural 
 Confeqi^ences ; but the Contrary. For. the 
 Debate is, by this Means, taken from the 
 Bar of Jiumane Authoritj ; and brought to 
 TJMt o^Reafon and Scriptcre: removed from 
 a Trial by Majority of Voices ; ("which can- 
 not be a Trial to be contended for either 
 by Truths or by the Church of England ;) 
 and brought to That of Argur^ient only. 
 And certainly, No Chrijlian or Troteflant 
 can juilly and confiftently find Fault with 
 
 this. 
 
 TheControverfy is rather more exposed 
 
 to Light ^ than probably it would otherwife 
 
 have been. The Matter now lies before the 
 
 World. T\\t Appeal 1% made to the Judg- 
 
 raent of AH:, who are equally concerned. 
 
 The 
 
The Preface. vii 
 
 The Members of the Committee^ and All 
 other Meo;, have the fame Right to pub- 
 liili Their Thoughts^ as I have^, to publifh 
 Mine. And I confefs;, I think it to be the 
 "Duty of Thofe Worthy Terfons who began 
 . This ^ehate^ to lay their Sentiments again 
 . before the World. I am fo far from vvilh- 
 ing to difcourage it^ that I would rather 
 invite and perfuade Them to it. And I 
 can truly fay that I rejoyce as fincerely in 
 the Liberty We enjoy in this Nation^, w^hen 
 it is made ufe of, in a Chrijlian Way, a- 
 gainfl My own Dodrines, as when it is 
 ufed/^r Them ; becaufe it tends^both to 
 difcover what is True^ and at length to fix 
 it in the Minds of Men. 
 
 In the 'Defcnfe of Any 'Do(^rines or To- 
 fitions^ againft ObjeclionSy Every Writer in 
 the World always claims the Common 
 Right of Interpreting His own Sentences, 
 or Expreffions, by Others of His own 
 Sentences^ and Expreffions : And We find 
 A 4. All 
 
viii The P r E F A e e. 
 
 All Men conftantly complaining, (and 
 particularly Some who have already ap- 
 peared againft Me^ in this Controverjy^ 
 when They imagine Themfelves not to be 
 treated, even with Equity and Allowance^ 
 in the Interpretation of Their own Words. 
 I hope therefore;, A Right of a leffer Na- 
 ture^ which may be claimed in Stri6l Ju^ 
 fiice^ will not be denied to Me ; the Right 
 of knowing My ow^n Trinciples^ and My 
 own 'DeJIgnj better than Any one elfe ; 
 and of explaining My-felf according to 
 Them ; and confidently with All My 
 own Plaineft and Cleareft Declarations in 
 the fame Difcourfes, and all made ufe of 
 confeffedly to the fame Purpofes. This I 
 can fay. That I have put no Ne^ Senfe 
 upon My Words ; that I have fix'd No 
 Meaning upon Any of My Expreffions, but 
 That^ of which They are not only as eajily 
 capable, as of any Other ; but which is 
 indeed the only Meanings of which They 
 
 are 
 
The Preface. ix 
 
 are capable, agreeably to All My other 
 moft o^cnEx^reJ/ions yoitht Senfe of which 
 there has been^ and can be, no Doubt. 
 Nor have I invented ¥rinci^les lince, to 
 fupport what I had faid ; but laid before 
 the World Thofe very Trmci^les^ which 
 led me firft to lay, what I now defend. 
 And indeed, lb far I have been from find' 
 ing realbn to evade^ or to dra^w back ; that 
 I have found great, and^ to Me^ irrefiftible 
 Arguments to ^'^ejs forauard ; and to open 
 and unfold the T>o6lnnes flowing from 
 Thofe Trinci^lesy much more widely, and 
 unrefervedly, than I had before done. 
 
 I defign that this Book (hall be followed, 
 as foon as conveniently may be, with a 
 Large CoUe^ion^ out of the moft famous 
 ChnHian Writers ^ both of This and For- 
 mer Ages, who have embraced and pub- 
 lickly profefs'd the fame T)o6lrines^ for 
 which I have been treated with fo much 
 Severity : Not to induce Any Terfons to 
 
 r?- 
 
X The P R E F A C E. 
 
 receive what I have taught^, for the fake 
 oi Great Mames^ or upon that Argument of 
 Authority^ which I as truly difdain^ in My 
 own Caufe^ as I vfill ever heartily opppfe 
 it in that of Others ^ hut to fhew Thofey 
 who appear to build much upon it^ and to 
 make fo great Ufe of it againft AU who 
 ditfer from Them^ that I am not Alone ; 
 but that the Candemnation of Me^ is the 
 Condemnation of a Cloud of much greater 
 Witnejfes to the fame Truths; and of Mul- 
 titudes of truly Great and Good Men, 
 many of whofe Names areprofefs'd to be 
 had in Veneration, even by Thoje them- 
 ielveSj who thus treat their Doctrines. 
 
 If the Members of the Committee fliall 
 think it proper to concurr in the fame Pub- 
 lic Ticfenje of the Reprefentation'^ I fuppoie, 
 it muft be underftood that They are Ail of 
 One Mindy in what ihall be faid in it: un- 
 lefs They exprefly remark The Toints^ in 
 which They differ from One Another^ as 
 
 well 
 
The Preface. xi 
 
 well as Thofe in which They differ from 
 Me -y^ind the fevered Trinci^ks, upon Vv^hich 
 T\\ey feveraUy go. For this is a very ma- 
 terial Point, equally neceflary for the Dif- 
 covery o( Truth, and for their ading equi- 
 tably and juftly by Thofe 'DoBrines, which 
 They feem to the World unanimoufly to 
 oppofe. As I hope, I have made Ufe of 
 No Ex^reJJions, in the following Tages, 
 which can juftly give Them Offenfe : lb 
 I affure them 1 fhall ever kindly receive 
 Their Sentiments and Arguments, and en- 
 deavour to make that Ufe of them only 
 which becomes a Taver of I mth. 
 
 As for the Ufage, I have experlenc'd 
 from fome Tulpts; which for the fake of 
 Religion, I would hide from the Know- 
 ledge of the Whole World, were it not 
 impoffible : I forgive, on My Part, Tkfife 
 who have allow'd Themfelves in it. 
 Whether They will forgive Themfelves, 
 when They come to fearch Their own 
 
 Hearts, 
 
xii The P r e f a c e.^ 
 
 Hearts-^ and to confider ferioufly this Part 
 of their Condud:^ before God ; I know 
 not. But if Any of My Lords the BiJho^Sy 
 in whofe T>'toceJes This is done^ can think 
 it for the Honour of God^ for the Intereft 
 of Chrift's Rehgion^ or for the Reputati- 
 on of the Church of England-^ that, inftead 
 of preaching the Tlain La^ws of the Gof^el^ 
 or confuting, in a manner becoming Chri- 
 ftians, the Trinci^les and ^oBrines which 
 They judge to be pernicious ; [a Right 
 which I pray God They may ever enjoy !] 
 the Terfons of Men fhould be pointed out; 
 the moft Undifputed Laws of the Gofpel 
 fhould be broke ; One of the Beft and 
 moft Chriftian Orders in this Church, 
 whofe Caufe is pretended to be pleaded,' 
 fhould be openly and notorioufly violated; 
 a^id fuch a Method of Preaching fhould 
 be introduced, as muft at length weary 
 out ^// Sober and ConJIdering Chriftians, of 
 Every Sort ; If Any of My Lords the Bi- 
 
 Jh^s, 
 
The Preface. xiii 
 
 Jhop:, I fay, can think All this for the Ser- 
 vice and Glory of Religion ; 1 mirft be 
 content to bear My Burthen. But I know 
 My own Hearty that^ where-ever My In- 
 fluence could reach^ I would not, for All 
 the Party- Advantages of this World, per- 
 mit the Bitterejl Enemy I ever had to be 
 thus treated : And I thank God, I can fafe- 
 ly appeal to My own Practice in this Cafe, 
 That I have ever confcientioufly avoided 
 to fet Any Men fuch an Example. If not 
 for My lake, yet methinks for the fake of 
 Our Common Mafter ; of our Common 
 Chriftianity; and of tliQ Church of England 
 it felf; fome Check Ihould be given tofo 
 open an Immorality, and fo Great a Scan^ 
 dal: which if it goes on increafing, muft 
 deftroy not only Jll Religion^ but All 2)^- 
 cency and A^^earance of it. 
 
 But if, inftead of Argument and Reafon^ 
 I am ftill to meet with Terfonal Affronts 
 and Indignities^ never before, as far as I 
 
 can 
 
xi V The Preface. 
 
 can remember^ thus introduced as a Me- 
 thod of Controverjy ; and if the Ar^ger of 
 Me'n be ftill to be calFd in^ and to pro- 
 ceed farther and farther : I can only de- 
 clare to the Whole World^ that I have u- 
 fed My Beft Endeavours to ferve a Cazifey 
 upon which the Gof^el^ the Reformation^ 
 and the Chtrch of Evgland^ as v^ell as the 
 Common Rights of Mankind^ entirely de^ 
 pend; that^, having done this^ I make My- 
 felf as eafy as I can^ v^ith the Ifiiie and E- 
 vent of Things ; that it is a Caufe^ m 
 which I could more willingly fpend the 
 Reft of My Life ; and a Caufe^ in which 
 I could^ with more certain and well- 
 grounded Satisfaftion^ fuffer All that this 
 World can bring, upon Me^ than in Anj^ 
 with which I havie ever yet been acquaint- 
 ed. I have done^ and refolve to do^ Eve- 
 ry thing in My Pow^r^^ for its Support. 
 And I now offer up the Whole of what I 
 have done^ and can do;, to tlie Glory of 
 
 God^ 
 
The Preface. xv 
 
 God; the Honour of Chriftianity; the Iiv 
 tereft of the Reformation ; and the Good 
 of Humane Society. 
 
 #'^ 
 
 
Some E R RA T A. 
 
 PAG E ^, tine ^l- for lies read lie. /). 9. /♦ 8. read <leclaring. 
 p. 24. /. 14. read Abfurdity. />. 60. /. 15^ 16. re^^/ KveM^ovTr^ 
 and 'Hy^i^oi- p. 98. /. ii. de/e to. /). 104. /. 3 1 . for join'd 7-^^^ 
 joins. /). 114. /. u/f. read Excellency, p. 118. /. ////. after EfFcifts 
 add may. p. 130. /. 1$. read ChviU's. p. 268. /. 3. /<?r Charles 
 j^-f/?// James. 
 
A N 
 
 ANSWER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 Reprefentation/ h'c. 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Now lay before the World 
 my Thoughts, relating to 
 
 the R E P K E S E K TA T 1 O N 
 
 drawn up by the Committee 
 of the Lower Houfe of Con- 
 "vocation^ concerning feveral 
 Dangerous Pofitions and Do- 
 drines, contain'd in The Fre- 
 fervative againjl the Principles and Prdlices of 
 //?^ Nonjurors ; and m The Sermon preacFd he 
 fore the King, March 31. 1717- Which 
 "ihould long before this, have received All the 
 Refped* I could pay to it, in a Publick Confide- 
 
 B ration 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 ration of what it contains, had I not been pre- 
 vented by what indeed made it impoffible. 
 
 As to Myfelf; I mult ever efteem it my great 
 Misfortune, that what I have proposed to the 
 World hath met with fuch a Reception amongfh 
 Thofe^ to whom I always wifli my Sentiments 
 may be acceptable. But if One Good EfFed: of 
 this be, that the moft Important of All Truths, and 
 the Common Rights of Mankind, maybe the more 
 fully enquired into, and the more clearly and 
 univerfally underftood ; this will be an Happi- 
 nefs Great and Extenfive enough to outweigh 
 any private Inconvenience, or Uneafmefs of my 
 own. 
 
 To this Purpofe, As I am always ready 
 to review, upon all proper Occafions, what 
 I write, and to confider it with Regard 
 to the Ohje^ions which may be thought by 
 Others to lie againft it ; fo I am, in a more 
 particular Manner, willing to do it in this Con- 
 trovcrfy now before Us : that, by this Means, 
 the World may the better fee on v/hich Side 
 Truth and Reafon lies, in a Queflion of Infi- 
 nite Moment ; and be led, at the fame Time, 
 mto the True Methods of judging in All Debates 
 of this Nature. 
 
 In general, As a Man, and as a Chriflian, 
 and as a Vroteflant, I think m.y lelf obhged to 
 compare Every Thing which I either receive, 
 or rejed:, with the Principles oi Reafon ; the De^ 
 clarafions of the Gofpel; nnd the main Foundati- 
 on of the Reformation. Nor have I any Thing 
 ■■-!■■ ^;:'/- rv hri^o.^ of Thcfe^ 10 oppolV at any 
 
 Time 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Time to what I cannot alTent to. Whatfoever 
 is contrary to the firft Notions of a God^ efta- 
 bhili^d upon the Evidences oi Reafon^ cannot be 
 admitted by Any One, who beUeves a God up- 
 on thofe Evidences ; becaufe it deflroys all 
 thofe Principles of Reafon itfelf. Whatfoever is 
 contrary to the plain Defign^ or Declarations^ of 
 the Gofpel-, cannot be received by Any One who 
 believes th^ Gofpel; becaufe it deflroys the very' 
 Gofpel which He believes. And whatfoever is con- 
 tradicStory to thofe Fundamental Principles of the 
 Reformation^ without which it could never have 
 been at firft, and now can never be defended, 
 cannot knowingly be received by Any True Pro- 
 teflant ; becaufe it deftroys His very Title to 
 that Name, and the very Thing which, as a 
 Proteflant^ He receives. Thefe are the Three Main- 
 Rules^ by which I have endeavour'd to condud: 
 my own Thoughts both in the Prefervative and 
 Sermon^ now before Us : and which, in the Pro- 
 fecution of this prefent Defenfe^ I fliall lead the 
 Reader to apply, in order to judge of what I 
 have really taught, and of what is really oppo- 
 fite to it. 
 
 The General Charge with which The Repre- 
 fentation begins, is, that / have given Great and 
 Grievous Offenfe^ by certain Do^rines and Pojrti- 
 tions by ike lately publillVd ; partly in a Ser- 
 mm^ Intituled, The Nature of the Kingdom or 
 Church of Chrifl ; and partly in a Book^ Intitu- 
 led, A Prefervative againjl the Principles and 
 Practices of the Noniurors, hth in Church and 
 State. * B 2, I 
 
1 anfwer, i he Giving Great and Grievous Of- 
 fenfe is, ii\ it felf, far from being a Token^ ei- 
 ther of Error ^ or of Evil Intention^ A Perfon 
 infinitely greater than the moft Exalted of All 
 His Servants; He^v;\\o had All Knowledge and 
 All Wifdom to guard and explain His Defigns 
 and his Dodrines, in the moft perfed Manner; 
 yet He^ I fay, gave Great and Grievous Offenfe : 
 and this to fuch a Degree, that we hardly read 
 One Page in. the Gofpel^ without reading of the 
 Offenfe He gave. Chrijlianity, thus planted a- 
 midft the Offenfes it raised, continu d to give 
 Great and Grievous Offenfe for Hundreds of Tears. 
 Many Ages after this, the Reformation o? Reli- 
 gion, and the Preachers who profecuted it in 
 England^ and other Countries of Europe, gave 
 Great and Grievous Offenfe, for a long Time, to 
 Multitudes oi ProfefsdChriJlians, who had qui- 
 etly fettled Themfelves into the Sleep of Dark- 
 Tiefs and Slavery ; and to Muhitudes of Thofe 
 who enjoy'd the Benefit of this. 
 
 I mention this, only to Ihew that the Giving 
 Great and Grievous Offenfe, in the Senfe of ma- 
 king the Minds of for/te Perfons Uneafy, in the No- 
 tions or Pratlices which they have before rejled 
 in, is not, in it felf, either a Crime, or a 
 Scandal: but muft be judg'd of, by the Reafons 
 given, or to be given, on both Sides. Thefe 
 will appear by confidering the Two Heads laid 
 down in the Reprefentation, which relate to the 
 Tendency oFthe DoBrines and Pojitions contained 
 in the laid Sermon and Book, 
 
 Ch A p. 
 
(5) 
 
 oc^^y:' ^'^^3^j^^.w^}f^r^^'^- 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 In which the firfl Branch of the Charge 
 is conjidcrd. 
 
 Sect. I. 
 
 Thefirjl Particular of the Charge, flated^ 
 
 T^ H E Charge agaiiifl: My Doclrines and Po- 
 -*- fitions^ is made up of Two ? articular s. The 
 Firft is this, 
 
 I. That the Tendency of Them is conceivd to 
 le^ To fuhvert All Government and Difcipline, 
 in the Church of Chrifl: ; and to reduce His King- 
 dom to a State <?/ Anarchy ^;?^ Confufion. 
 
 In order to ftate this Part of the C/^^rge juftly 
 and clearly, I muft premife that the Evil Ten- 
 den£y here fpoken of, with Refpe(2: to the 
 Church of Chrifl^ can be confider'd under Three 
 Views only : Either with Refped to the Uni- 
 verfal Invifehle Churchy made up of Thofe, 
 who do truly and fincerely in their Hearts, 
 which are not open to Mortal Eyes, believe 
 in Jefus Chrifl ; or with refped to the Uni- 
 verfal Vifihle Churchy made up of All who, iii 
 All Countries of the World, openly frofefs 
 (^whether Sincerely or Infincerely) to believe is\ 
 Him ; or with Refped: to fome One Particular 
 Vifihle Churchy or Part of the Univerfal Church. 
 
 B 3 And 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 And therefore, without entering into any Ni- 
 ceties^ which may in the leaft look hke l/^f^e- 
 cejfary Cavils ; I hope I explain the full Mean- 
 ing of thofe Worthy Terfons who drew up this 
 Reprefentation^ and whom I am fure I would 
 v/illingly underfland aright, when I fay that 
 this Charge muft mean that I have advanced 
 fuch Doctrines and Tofitions about the Nature 
 of the Univerfal Churchy in the Sermon and Book 
 aforefliid, as tend lo fuhvert All Government and 
 Difcipline in particular Churches ; and more e= 
 fpecially in. this Particular Proteflant Church of 
 England:, to which We have the Honour, and the 
 Happinefs to belong: and that My DoEirines 
 and PofitionSj by thus tending to fuhvert All 
 Government and Difcipline in This and Other 
 Particular Vifille Churches-^ are conceivd to tend 
 to reduce C h r i s t 's Kingdom^ or Univerfal 
 Churchy to z State o^ Anarchy ■2Lnd Confujion. 
 
 I perfuade My-felf, They will not be dif- 
 pleasy with me for endeavouring to State the 
 Charge more diftindtly than it is done in the Re- 
 prefentatlon ; becaufe, if it be well fupported, it 
 will lie much the ftronger againfl Me. And, as 
 I am confident. They will not efteem it an In- 
 jury to have it fuppofed that Their Chief Con- 
 cern was for This Particular Churchy of which 
 they are Members : fo, I am as much afTured 
 that They Themfehes will be very well fatisfied 
 that I have advanced nothing which carries a- 
 ny fuch pernicious Tendency, with Regard to 
 the Whole Kingdom of Chrijl^ if I can prove to 
 Them, that No Dotlrines or Pofitions of mine 
 
 have. 
 
( 7) 
 
 have any Tendency in them, to fubvert or 
 fliake ztiy Government., or Difc/pline^ ever clainid 
 by the Church of England truly fo call'd; or 
 that ever can juftlybe claim'd by //, confidered 
 either as a Chriflian Churchy under the Supreme 
 Head., Chrift Jefus^ or as a Protejlant Churchy 
 Reform' d, upon fome particular Grand Princi- 
 ples, from the Abfurdities o^ Government., Difci- 
 pline^ and Do^rine^in the Corrupted Church of Rome, 
 
 Sect. II. 
 
 The Four Principal PafTages cited out of the 
 Sermon, tofupporttheC\\2xgt : and the Oh- 
 fervations of the Committee upon Them. 
 
 Having thus endeavoured to ftate the Charge 
 it felf ; I fliall now tranfcribe thole Pajfages of 
 the Sermon^ upon which principally, the firji 
 Branch of the Charge is founded by the Com- 
 mittee : and likewife their Ohfervations upon them. 
 
 The firft Four and Principal Paffages cited in 
 the Report., are Thefe. 
 
 I. ' As the Church of Chrift is the Kingdom of 
 ' Chrift, He himfelf is King : And m this it is 
 
 * implied that He is himfelf the fole Law-giver 
 
 * to his Subjeds, and himfelf the fole Judge of 
 
 * Their Behaviour, in the Affairs of Confcicnce 
 
 * and Eternal Salvation. And in. this Senfc, 
 
 * therefore. His Kingdom is not of this World : 
 ' That he hatli, m thofe Points, left behind 
 ' Him no vifiblc Humane Authority, no Yicq- 
 ^ gerents, who can be faid properly to fupply 
 
 * his Place; no Interpreters upon whom His 
 
 B 4 ' Sub- 
 
( 8) 
 
 ^ Subjeds are abfolutely to depend ; No Judg- 
 
 * es over the Confciences or Religion of His 
 
 * People. Serm. p, ii. 
 
 IL ' If therefore, the Church of Chrift be the 
 
 * Kingdom of Chrift, it is EfTential to it that 
 
 * Chrift himfelf be the fole Law-giver, and fole 
 
 * Judge of his Subjeds, in All Points relating to 
 ^ the Favour or Difpleafure of Almighty God ; 
 
 * and that AH His Subjeds, in what Station 
 
 * foever They may be, are equally Subjeds to 
 ' Him : and that no One of Them, any more 
 
 * than Another, has Authority either to make 
 
 * New Laws for Chrift's Subjeds, or to im~ 
 
 * pofc a Sqw^q upon the Old Ones, which is the 
 
 * fame Thing ; or to judge, cenfure, or puniili, 
 ^ the Servants of Another Mafter, in Matters 
 
 * relating purely to Confcience, or Eternal Sal- 
 
 * vation. If any Perfon has any other Notion, 
 
 * either through a long Ufe of Words with In- 
 ' confiflent Meanings, or through a Negli- 
 ^ gence of Thought ; let him but ask himfelf, 
 
 * Whether the Church of Chrift be the King- 
 
 * dom of Chrift, or not? And if it be, whether 
 
 * this Notion of it doth not abfolutely exclude 
 ^ All other Legillators and Judges, in Matters 
 
 * relating to Confcience or the Favour of God ; 
 
 * or, whether it can be His Kingdom, if A- 
 ^ ny Mortal Men have fuch a Power of Legif- 
 ^ lation and Judgment in it? Serm, p. ij, 16. 
 
 ILL ' No One of His [Chrift's] Subjeds is 
 *- Law-giver, and Judge over Others of Them, 
 *^ in Matters relating to Salvation ^ but He a- 
 
 * lone, Serm., p, 2)". 
 
 I¥o 
 
(9) 
 
 IV. ^ when They, [i. e. Any Men upon 
 ^ Earth] make any ojf their own Declarations, 
 
 * or Decifions, to concern and affed: the State 
 
 * of Chrift's Subjedts with Regard to the Fa- 
 
 * voiir of God : This is fo far taking Chrifts 
 
 * Kingdom out of his Hands, and placing it in 
 
 * their own. Nor is this Matter at all made 
 
 * better, by their delaring Themfelves to be 
 
 * Vice-gerents, or Law-makers, or Judges, un- 
 
 * der Chrift, in order to carry on the Ends 
 
 * of His Kingdom.' 
 
 Thefe are the PaJJages thus exprefly cited in 
 the Report. The Ohfervations relating parti- 
 cularly to Thefe^ now follow. The Ohferva- 
 tion of the Committee upon the firfl of them, 
 is this, p. 4. * This Paflage feems to deny 
 All Authority to the Church ; and, under 
 Pretence of exalting the Kingdom of Chrifl, 
 to leave it without any vifible humane Au- 
 thority to judge, cenfure, or punifli Offen- 
 ders, in the Affairs of Confciencc and E- 
 
 * ternal Salvation.' 
 
 They fay, * This is confirm VI by the Second 
 
 * Pajfage:" and that in the Third I fpeak to 
 the fame Senfe. And after it, follows this Re- 
 fledion, relating to All Three. * If the Do- 
 
 d:rine cont'SimA in Thefe Paffages be admit- 
 ted, there neither is, nor hath been, fmce 
 our Saviour's Tmie, any Authority in the 
 Chriftian Church, in Matters relating to 
 Confcience, and Salvation ,• not even m the 
 Apoftles Themfelves : But all Ads of Go- 
 vernment in fwich Cafes, have been an In- 
 
 * yafion 
 
( loj 
 
 * vafion of Ciirift's Authority, and an Ufurpa- 
 ^ tion upon His Kingdom. ' 
 
 After the Fourth^ which They declare to he 
 to the fame EffeB^ comes this Ohfervathn. 
 
 * Which Words are not reftrain d to fuch De- 
 ' cifions, as are inconfiftent with the Do(3:rines 
 
 * of the Gofpei ; as appears, nor only from 
 ^ the general Manner in which he hath ex- 
 
 * prefs'd Himfelf, but from his diredt Words, 
 Serm, p. 1 5. And whether They happen to agree 
 with Him^ or to differ from Him^ as long as 
 They are the Law-givers and Judges^ without a- 
 ny Interpofition from Chrifl^ either to guide or 
 corrett Their Decifions^ They are Kings of this 
 Kingdom^ and not Chriji Jefus, 
 
 I mufl here beg leave to flop a little, 
 that the World may fee v/hat it is I fay ; 
 and judge of it more clearly than They pof- 
 fibly can do by this laft Quotation out of My 
 Sermon* That Thefe are My Words, I freely 
 own: but, whether They are ^// My Words; 
 or whether they are in this Manner brought 
 in, without farther Exphcation ; or whether 
 they are All the Words neceflary to give the 
 Senfe of that Paragraph in which they are ; 
 I am ready to refer to every Man, of what 
 Denomination foever, who looks into this De- 
 bate. I am forty indeed, to find any fuch 
 occafion of Complaining : but I will complain 
 in no other manner, but by producing Others 
 of My own Words, with this Obfervation, that 
 They are not feparated from thefe ; not dif- 
 pers d in other Sentences, or m fuch a Man- 
 ner 
 
ner fcatter'd about, that Charity and Candour 
 need to be call'd m to judge of My Inten- 
 tion ,• but Exprefs Words, in the very fame 
 Sentence, and fo put there, that the Senfe of 
 thefe is made entirely and plainly to depend 
 upon them. 
 
 The Beginning of the Paragraph declares, 
 that the Matter is not at all made better ly 
 Mens declaring Themfelves Fice-gerents^ &c. un- 
 der Chrijl^ in order to carry on the Ends of 
 His Kingdom, But I do not leave it thus na- 
 ked, as the Committee cite this Sentence, p, 5-. 
 But there prefently follows the Reafon. For 
 
 it comes to this at laj}^ That^ if They have 
 
 this Power of interpreting or adding Laws, and 
 judging Men, in fuch a Senfe, that Chrijiians fhall 
 he Indispensably and Absolutely 
 obliged to obey Thofe Laws, and fubmit to thofe 
 Decifions : I fay, IF They have this Power, [it is 
 repeated for fear of being miftaken,] — Whe- 
 ther They happen to agree with Him [Chrifi] 
 or to differ from Him, as long as They are ths 
 Law-givers and Judges, &c. This i^ connedled 
 to that Suppoficion, in the fame individual Sen- 
 tence. 
 
 So that here is a Suppofition made, of Chri- 
 ftians being Indispensably and Abso- 
 lutely obliged to Submiffion ,• and this, an 
 exprefs ExpUcation, and not an obfcure Hint, 
 of what fort of Suhmijfon, and what fort of Au- 
 thority, I was profefledly oppofing : which, me- 
 rhinks might have been taken Notice of To 
 this Suppofition is connected as well the fore- 
 going 
 
( I^ ) 
 
 going Sentence^ which the Committee hath left 
 without it ; as this latter^ which They have 
 feparated from it. And the Exprefs Meaning 
 of the whole is^ that Whoever has an Autho- 
 rityj to which you are ahfolutely and indifpen- 
 fahly obhged to fubmit your fdf, let Him call 
 Himfelf a Vice-gerent under Another^ and pro- 
 fefs to carry on the Defigns of that other, 
 never fo much ,• yet, if you are indtfpenfahly 
 and ahfolutely obliged to fubmit to Hjm^ it is 
 He who is your King and your Law-giver, 
 and not that Other in whofe Name Fie adts. 
 
 Put the Cafe of the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- 
 land. If the People there are indlfpenfahly and 
 ahfolutely obliged to fubmit to His Decifions, 
 without any Interpoficion or Diretlion from 
 the King of England \ Ele is, to all Intents 
 and Purpofes, really and truly. King of Ire- 
 land: and the King of England^ tho' the Other 
 is caird Flis Deputy^ '\^ no more, in that Cafe, 
 Legijlator or King of Ireland^ than He is of 
 Spain. His calling Himfelf the Kings Deputy 
 makes no Alteration. His making fuch Laws 
 as are agreeable to the Laws of England^ m.akes 
 likewife no Alteration. It would llill be His 
 Kingdom^ if thofe Laws, whether Good or Bad^ 
 flowed from His own Authority ; and Submif- 
 fion to them were ahfolutely due, without 
 comparing them with the King of England's 
 Will. 
 
 Two Things, I beg, may be obfefv'd before We 
 leave this Fajfige. The Firjl is, that the Reve- 
 rend Dr= Sht^rlock might have iQca from hence, 
 
 that 
 
that I had fome Reafon given me by the Com- 
 mittee^ to defign to review and vindicate what I 
 have faid about Ahfolute Authority^ and Indifpen- 
 fahle Suhmtjfian^ as well as what I have taught 
 w'ponOtberPomts, The AS'^c^'/z/^/is^that there is not 
 the leaft Tendency h\ this Fajfage to fpeak againO: 
 regarding thofe Decifions and Judgments of 
 Men, which are found, upon Confideration, 
 to be agreeable to the Will of Chrift, and 
 are to be received as fuch ; or fo much as to 
 hint any thing about it : But that the fole De- 
 fign of it, is to fliew that, whofoever He be, 
 to whom Your Submiffion is indifpenfahly and 
 ahjolutely due ; whether He calls Himfelf an 
 Agent under Another ^ whether He happens 
 to give You a Law agreeable to that Others 
 or not; if You are obhged ahfolutely to obey 
 it, as it comes from Him^ without comparing 
 it with the Will of the Other ; He is Your 
 King truly and properly, whofe Authority You 
 are m that manner obliged to fubmit to ; and 
 not that Other ^ who neithe *' dired:s Him^ nor, 
 upon this Suppofition, is at all regarded by 
 Toiu 
 
 Sect. Ill 
 The Obfervations of the Committee, upon 
 the Paflages cited hy Them^ examind. 
 
 Having thus, in order to explain One Parti- 
 cular^ produced my own Exprefs Words; and 
 iliewn the Only Senfe of which they are ca- 
 
 pahky 
 
.« ( H ) 
 
 pahle^ by any Coiiftrudtion in the World : I 
 return now to the Pajfages produced to fup- 
 port the Charge againll Me ; and the Olfer- 
 vations upon them. 
 
 The Great Quejiion to Every Chrifttan^ in 
 his Enquiry after Thofe Points in which his 
 Eternal Happinefs is concernM, is whether a 
 Dodrine be true or falfe ; whether it be a- 
 greeable, or difagreeable, to the Declarations 
 of his Lord and Majier. And this is what 
 ought to be confider'd, in an efpecial manner, 
 by All Diuines^ in whatfoever They think fit 
 to lay before the World, as of Importance to 
 the Condud; of Chriftians. I cannot but judge 
 My-felf happy in this, that, in the Solemn Charge 
 againll my Do&rines and Pojithns, I do not find 
 it once exprefly laid upon them, either that 
 They ^xq falfe ^ or Unchrifiian; either that They 
 are difagreeable to the Rule of Truths or the 
 Rule of Chriflianity : nor any thing urged di- 
 redly againll Them, either from texts of 
 Scripture exprefly cfred ; or from the general Te- 
 nour and Defign of the Gofpel ; or from the 
 principles of the Reformation. I do not find 
 that it is exprefly denied, either that the Church 
 o^Chrijl is the Kingdom of Chrifi ; or that the 
 Dodrines I have built upon that Propofition, 
 are Genuine and Jufi Confequences from it. If 
 I have erred only in laying down that Propofi- 
 tion ; then the Groundwork of My Do^rines and 
 Pcfitions would be faulty : and if this could 
 be proved, All the Crime chargeable upon Me 
 would be, that I \i2l& dtdiV^'n Confequences }n^lY^ 
 
 from 
 
( >5 ) 
 
 from a vorong Principle, But if I have drawn 
 Confeguences which do not follow juftly from 
 the Principle I have laid down ; if this were 
 provM, it would be only a Failure^ common 
 to Me with every Writer, in fome Inftance 
 or other. But when neither of Thefe Methods 
 is taken; neither ihQTruthoiiYi^Premifesdk^Q:- 
 ly denied, nor the Juft ice of tlie Confequences ; but 
 only fome Seeming Confequences fix'd upon My 
 Confequences : I can think of no better Way of 
 leading the Reader to judge aright in this De- 
 bate, than to turn his Thoughts often to the 
 Encjuiry after what is True, and what is de- 
 clared by our 6'^z;i(?^r Himfelf ; and to the Con- 
 fideration of Thefe Confequences, in this Light 
 only, whether They are juflly fix d upon what 
 I have delivered ; and whether, fuppofing them 
 to be fo. They are of Importance enough to 
 fliew that My Do^rines, or Pofitions, are dif- 
 agreeable to Truth, or to the Gofpel 
 
 The Ohfervations of the Committee upon the 
 firfl: Four Principal Pajfages, I have already 
 tranfcribM ; to which, I ihall now only add 
 that, towards the End of the Fifth Page, They 
 feem to refer to it, as to a point plain from the 
 foregoing Paffages themfelves, and One Sub- 
 jed of their Complaint, that Thefe Pajfages ex- 
 clude Others, [if not the Apojiles themlelves,] 
 from making Decifions, and interpreting the Laws 
 of Chrifl. 
 
 This then is the Sum of what is charged 
 upon thefe Four principal Pajfages; that 'They 
 ' feem to deny All Authority to the Church ; 
 
 ' that 
 
( '6 ) 
 
 that They feem to leave it without any vi- 
 fible humane Authority, to judge, cenflire^ 
 or punifli Offenders, in Affairs of Confcience 
 and Eternal Salvation ; and this, under Pre- 
 tence of exalting the Kingdom of Chrift : 
 that from my DocSrine it follows, that there 
 neither is, nor hath been, fmce our Saviour's 
 Time, Any Authority in the Chriflian Church, 
 in Matters relating to Confcience and Sal- 
 vation, not even in the Apojiles themfelves; 
 but that All Ad:s of Government, in fuch 
 Cafes, have been an Invafion of Chrift's Au- 
 thority, and an Ufurpation of his Kingdom : 
 And, laftly, that ' Thefe Paflages exclude All 
 Men from making Decifions, and interpret- 
 ing the Laws of Chrift.' 
 That I have indeed endeavoured to exalt 
 the Kingdom or Authority of Chrifl^ above All 
 Humane Authority^ in the Affairs of Eternal Sal- 
 ruat/on^ I am ready tiot only to confefs, but to 
 glory in. And I hope and refolve to go on to 
 dofo. But here 2ig2iin^the Learned Memler^whom 
 I have had occafion already to mention, feems 
 not to have underftood Me, as the Refi of lus Bre- 
 thren did. They fay, that hy exalting the Kingdom 
 [z. e. m this Place the Authority] of Chriit, 1 
 leave the Church without Authority^ &c. But He^ 
 iw his Anfiver to A Letter^ &g. p, 60, thinks it 
 more pleafant to leave out the Word Chriji ; 
 and to reprefent me as the Firjl who ever thought 
 of Setting up ^ a Kingdom merely for the fake 
 of pulling down A.uthority : Becaufe, as He 
 obfcrves, Kingdom, /;/ the very found of it^ car- 
 ries^ 
 
rks mdre Power than Church. Had it been fo 
 indeed, that I had made ufe of the Notion of 
 the Kingdom ofChriJl.^ to pull down tht Authori- 
 ty of Chrifi ,• or of the Kingdom of Men, to 
 pull dov^n the Authority of Men ; there had 
 been fome juft Ground for his Obfervation. 
 But when He and All the World could not 
 but fee that I have not Jet up a Kingdom^ but 
 argued from that Kingdom which Cjinft Him- 
 felf fet up ; that I Jiave made ufe of the No- 
 tion, (not of a Kingdom to pull down Authority y 
 but) of the Kingdom of Chrijl, to pull down 
 the Authority of Men in Religion, inconfiftcnt 
 with it: I leave to any one to judge, whe- 
 ther He^ and his Brethren, do not differ here 
 likewife; and whether it is poiTible to invent 
 any Medium^ from wliich We can more ftrong- 
 ly argue againft All Undue Authority of Men, 
 in the Affairs of Rehgion, tlian the Authority 
 and Kingdom which Chrifc has referv'd to Him- 
 felf 
 
 S E C T. IV. 
 
 An Examination of a Particular PafTage in the 
 Reprefentation, relating to Interpreters of 
 Qhriffs Lawy &c. 
 
 ta Efore I proceed, it will be proper here to fix 
 •*^ the Meaning of One Part of this Charge of the 
 Committee; not only becaufe the World may 
 judge from another Inftance, whether that Learn- 
 ed perfoHy jufl now mentioned, who was him^ 
 
 C iilf 
 
C i8) 
 
 fclf one of them, underftands their Defign aright | 
 but becaufe it is neceffary in order to My own 
 Defenfe. His Words are thefe, p, 54. of the afore- 
 faid Anfwer. ' The Reprefentation has but once 
 
 * mention'd the Interpreting the Laws of Chrift, 
 
 * and then Only with refped: to the Apoftles 
 
 * of Chrift, who, upon his Lordfliip's Princi- 
 
 * pies, are equally with Others^ excluded this 
 
 * Authority of Interpretation. On the contra- 
 ry, I beg leave to alledge that, tho' They 
 have, in their own Ohfervations^ mentioned ex- 
 prefly, the Interpreting the Laws of Chriji^ but 
 Once \ yet, They have left m the firfl Pajfage^ 
 which They cenfure, thefe Words, No Interpre- 
 ters upon whom his Suhjetls are alfolutely to de- 
 pend y and in thtfecond Pajfage^ theie Words, 
 or to impofe a Senfe upon the Old Laws : both 
 which might have been left out with the great- 
 eft Eafe ; and the Omijfion had been fo far from 
 difturbing their Defign, or from being Unfair to 
 Me, that it would have explained their Mean- 
 ing, 2iCcot^\ng to T>^. Sherlock^ the better, and 
 confequently have done more Juftice to Me. 
 
 It fecms to Me likcwife, as I have before ob- 
 fcrvM, that in. the Ohfervation at the End of 
 p^ 5*. They are fo f^ir from mentioning the Inter- 
 preting the Laws of Chrijl^ only ivith refpetl to 
 the A^poftles, that They cenfure the PafTages 
 they had before produced, as excluding Others 
 from Interpreting the Laws of Chrift : which 
 I conclude from hence, that this is join'd with 
 the making Decifiom ; and that, in fpeaking of 
 both, They have avoided to make ufe of My 
 
 own 
 
( ^9 ) 
 
 own Expreflions. In the Pajfages refer'd to. 
 My Words relate to Mens making any of their 
 own Decijions to concern and affeti the State of 
 Chrijls Suljeth^ vcith regard to the Favour of 
 God ; and to Interpreters^ upon ivhom Chrzjfs 
 SuhjeHs are ahfolutely to depend. They lay it 
 upon the Pajfages before-cited, that They 
 exclude Others (and as they think, the Apoflles 
 likewife) from making Decijions in general ; and 
 from Interpreting the Laws ofChrifl: without ad- 
 ding x\\Q Reflritlions^ which lexprefly mentioned. 
 Whether /rightly infer from hence, that They 
 cenfure thofe Paffages^ as excluding All Inter- 
 pretation of Chrilt's Laws ; and All Decifwns ia 
 general, of Fallible Unaffifted Men, of what 
 Sort foever They be, and to whatfoever They 
 relate : Or, whether One of their Own Mem- 
 bers underllands them more truly, They can 
 befl: tell. I have their General Words to build 
 upon. And He has his own private Sentiments, 
 and his own private Willies, to fupport what He 
 fays ; which are no Arguments at all of what 
 Others meant. It ftill appears to Me, that 
 They do, in this Ohfervation^ lay it upon Me 
 that I have excluded^ in Thofe Paffages^ Others^ 
 (if not the Apoflles^ ablblutely &om making 
 Any Decifions, of any fort; and from interpret- 
 ing at all the Laws of Chrift : and, I beheve, 
 it needs no Proof that They judge this to be a 
 Matter worthy of blame, and of Their Cenfure. 
 But however this be ,• I think a Short Anfiver 
 will fuffice, upon both Suppofitions : and will 
 be fully fufficient here at once, as v>'ell with 
 
 C X refped: 
 
( 20 ; 
 
 refped to their Ohfervation upon the Fourth 
 Pajfag^^e, as to what follows it; excepting the 
 Cafe" of the Apofiles, which I fliall afterwards 
 particularly confider. 
 
 If the Do^or rightly explains Their Meaning ; 
 then I am freed from the whole Charge of fay- 
 ing Any Thuig, but what ought to be faid, a- 
 gainfl the Authority of interpreting Scrtpture 
 for Others ; as well as againft making Dedjions 
 to which Others are ahfolutely obliged to fubmit. 
 If not; then it is fufficient to Anfwer, that I 
 have fpoken only agatnfl Interpreters to whom 
 Chrtftians are ahfolutely chltged to fuhmit : and 
 that no fuch Confequence can juftly be fix'd 
 upon this, as if I had pleaded againft All In- 
 terpretation of the Laws of Chrijl ; or All At- 
 tempts towards it ; as the Committee feem to 
 have infer'd. Again, \^ They contend only for 
 Vecifions^ agreeable to the Gofpel^ and to the Will 
 o? Chrijl ; then thcfe are to be received ^isfuch., 
 and upon the Account of that Will. / have 
 fpoken only againft Mens making Their Own 
 Declarations and Decifions, (confiderM as Their 
 Oivny andexprelly fpoken of in fuch a Senfe, as 
 that Chriftians fliall be Ahfolutely and Indifpenfahly 
 bound by them) to concern and affe^ the State of 
 ChrijTs Siihjensy with regard to the Favour of 
 God. And no Confequence can juftly be fixM 
 upon this, as if I had declared againft Any De- 
 cijions of Men, that are not properly their own; 
 nor made by them to afTecfl the Salvation of 
 Chriftians: or againft All Decifons in general, 
 of what Sortfoever; v/hich the Ce^^;^7w/V/^^ feems 
 to have laid upon Mc, Sect, 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 Sect, V. 
 
 The Examination of the Obfervations of the 
 Committee, continued, 
 
 ILTAving thus clearly anfwer'd to the Ohfervati- 
 -*--■• on of the Committee ^ p. 5. upon the Fourth 
 Faffage cited by Them; and to what follows at 
 the End of the fame Page, as far as it concerns 
 Othersj and not the Apofiles ; and having before, 
 in Sefi. -i. clear'd the Only polTible Meaning of 
 Thofe Words of mine, which They quote in 
 order to fupport one Part of Their Charge a- 
 gainft this Fourth Paffage : We may now the 
 more diftindly confider the Main Charge, which 
 equally affeds them All. 
 
 The Charge may be divided into thefe following 
 Propojitions] which come to much the fame Point. 
 I. In general, 'That thefe Paffages feem to de- 
 ' ny All Authority to the Church.' x. In parti- 
 cular, ' That they leave it without any Vifible 
 
 * Humane Authority to judge, cenfure, or pu- 
 
 * nifli Offenders, in the Affairs of Confcience 
 
 * and Eternal Salvation.' In other Words thus, 
 
 * 3. That it follows from them that there neither 
 
 * is, nor hath been, fmce our Saviour's Time, any 
 
 * Authority in the Chriftian Church, in Matters 
 ' relating to Confcience and Salvation ; not 
 
 * even in the Apoftles themfelves:' But that, 
 
 * 4. All Ads of Government, in fuch Cafes, 
 
 * have been an Invafion of Chrifl's Authority, 
 
 * and an Ufurpation of His Kingdom. 
 
 C -. What 
 
( " ) 
 
 What is faid here of the Apojlles^ will come 
 properly to be confider'd, under that Charge^ 
 which relates to Them^ in an efpecial manner, 
 by and by: in which I fliall fliew the Fart 
 They ad:ed, and were entrufted to ad. In the 
 mean while, I cannot but wonder to find any 
 mention made of the Afoflks^ not only becaufe 
 their Authority was lb often declared to be 
 the One Authority of Qhrifl^, in All Points touch- 
 ing the Salvation of His SuhjeBs ; but becaufe I 
 was, in this Sermon^ fo plainly and evidently 
 treating of the Ordinary^ Settled^ and Lafling 
 Condition of the Churchy that I may venture to 
 affirm, there is not a Man capable of reading it, 
 who can underftand Me to have had the leaft 
 Thought in my Mind, of the Extraordinary 
 State of the Churchy in the Days of the Apo- 
 flies. To return, 
 
 In order to judge of the Juflice of this ChirgCj 
 nothing can be of more Ufe, than to refove 
 thefe Pajfages^ upon which the Charge in general 
 is made, into thofe diflind: and ihort Propa- 
 fitions^ which are the feveral Parts of them : 
 that fo it may be feen upon which of them, 
 in particular, it is founded; and in w^iat Senfe 
 Any Chrijlians or Proteflants can permit them- 
 felves to deny them. 
 
 The jirfl PciQ^cige^ to which the Others are de- 
 clared to agree,"" contains the following Propo- 
 fitions, 
 
 I. ' Chrifl is King in his own Kingdom. I 
 
 * fuppofe, This at leaft is Unconteflahle to Chri- 
 
 * Jlians. 
 
2. * Chrift is the lole Law-giver to his Sub- 
 ' jed:s, ill the Affairs of Conlcience and Ecer- 
 
 * nal Salvation. 
 
 3. ' Chrift is the fole Judge of the Behavi- 
 
 * our of His Subjedis, in the Affairs of Con- 
 
 * fcience and Eternal Salvation. 
 
 4. ' Chrifl hath left behind Him, in thofc 
 
 * Points, No Vifible Humane Authority, No 
 
 * Vice-gerents, who can be faid Properly to 
 
 * fupply his Place. 
 
 5.^ The Fifths relating to Interpreters^ We 
 
 * have already confider'd. 
 
 6. * Chrill hath left behind Him No Judges . 
 
 * over the Confciences and Rehgion of His 
 ' People. 
 
 It is in the Fourth of thefe Proportions alone, 
 that the Words, No Vifihle Humane Authority^ 
 are to be found. I would here therefore oblerve, 
 before I pafs to the Others^ that thofe Words 
 are not placed there by Themfelves: but are 
 firft reflrain d by the Words, in Thofe Points^ i. e. 
 
 * in the Afiairs of Confcience and Eternal Sal- 
 
 * vation,' mention'd in the Part of the Sentence 
 immediately preceding. So that the Sentence 
 \s> this, * Chrifl hath left behind Him No Vifi- 
 
 * ble Humane Authority in the Affairs of Con- 
 
 * fcience and Eternal Salvation : * And an Au- 
 thority in thofe Points, can be no lefs than an 
 Authority to determine Other Mens Coiifcien- 
 ces ; and to determine either the Terms, or the 
 Certainty, of their Salvation. But neither arc 
 thefe Words left fo; but farther explam'd, witli- 
 out flop or delay, by adding, ' No Vice- gerents 
 
 C 4 * who 
 
( H) 
 
 * who can be i^id properly to fiipply his Place. 
 
 And when I have mention d this, I hope, I 
 need not ask any Member of this^ or any Pro- 
 teflant Churchy whether We boaft of Any Vice- 
 gerents who can be faid properly to fupply the 
 Place of Chrift. If We do; in God's Name 
 let it be proclaim'd aloud, that the deluded Peo- 
 ple may not any longer feek for that great Blef- 
 fing of Chrtfis Vice-Cerent any where elfe ; but 
 know their own Happinefs, and congratulate 
 Themfelves upon it. But if We do not ; nay, 
 if in All our Difputes with the Roman Catholic s\ 
 We difdain fo great a Prefumption ; and leave 
 to Them alone, fo monftrous an Abfurditity : 
 let not Any One be the more cenfured, or the 
 worfe thought of, amongfl; Troteflants of the 
 Church of England^ for openly affirming what is 
 the very Effence of Protefiantijm^ and the very 
 Foundation of the Church of EnglanJ, 
 
 Let us now confider The Charge^ with relati- 
 on to the Other Three remaining Propojitions. 
 That they feem to deny All Authority to the 
 Churchy is a general Expreflion : without either 
 declaring what is contended for, under the 
 Word, Authority ; or what is meant by the Word 
 Church J to which this Authority^ according to 
 Them, ought not to be denied. In the other Oh- 
 fervation^ it is Authority in the Chriflian Churchy 
 in Matters relating to Conscience and Salvation, To 
 thefe I have already anfwer d, that I have de- 
 nied l<lo Authority' to the Churchy but Ahfolute 
 Authority: that is, an Authority^ lo\}aQ. Sentence 
 of which Inferiors are indifpenfably obliged to 
 
 fub^ 
 
fabmir. And therefore, if ia the Chrijlian Church 
 there be an Authority in Superiors, properly fo cA- 
 led, which is Not Ahfolute ; and an Obligation m 
 Inferiors^ to fubmit to meer Humane Authority-, pro- 
 perly fo called, which is not Indifpenfahle : I am, 
 notwithftanding any thing I have faid, as much 
 at liberty to declare for it, as Themfelves. If 
 there be not; it is but juft to exped: that either 
 They fliould declare Themfelves publickly jY?r 
 Abfolute Authority ; or not cenfur^ Me for de- 
 claring publickly againfl it. 
 
 Sect. VI. 
 
 The Charge, relating to the Authority in the 
 Church, to judge^ and punifl) Offenders, coyi- 
 fiderd, 
 
 npHE only Particular by which this General 
 -*~ Charge is at all explain'd hyth.^ Committee^ 
 is this, that Thefe Pajfagesfeem to leave the Church 
 ivithout any Vifihle Humane Authority -^ to judge ^ cen- 
 fure^ or punijh Offenders, in the Affairs of Con- 
 science and Eternal Salvation, This is the only 
 Point particularly mention d : and We will now 
 compare it with thofe Words of mine, to which 
 alone, this particular Charge muff: relate. 
 
 In the Firfl Pajfage I exprefs My-felf thus : 
 ^ Chrifl is Himfelf Law-giver to His Subjeds ; 
 ^ and the fole Judge of their Behaviour, in the 
 * Affairs of Confcience and Eternal Salvation:' 
 and that * in thofe Points, He hath left behind 
 ^ Him No Judges over the Confciences and 
 
 'Reli- 
 
* Religion of His People/ Tii the Second F^^f 
 [age it is exprefs'd thus, ' Chnfi Himfeif is the 
 
 * Ible LavY-giver^ and foie Judge of His Sub- 
 
 * jedts, in All Points relating to the Favour and 
 
 * Difpleafure of Almighty God/ And again^, 
 
 * No one of His Subjeds, any more than ano- 
 
 * ther, hath Authority to judge, cenfure, or pu- 
 
 * tix^a the Servants of another Mafter, in Mat- 
 
 * ters relating purely to Confcicnce, or Salva- 
 
 * tion/ The third Taffage is this, * No One of 
 
 * His Subjects is Law-giver and Judge Over 
 
 * Others of them, m Matters relating to Salva- 
 
 * tion: but HE alone/ 
 
 What is exprefs'd in the Firfi Fajfage, by * The 
 
 * Affairs of Confcience and Eternal Salvation/ 
 is exprefsM in the Second^ by '.All Points reia- 
 
 * ting to the Favour and Difpleafure of Almigh- 
 
 * ty God/ In the Firfi it is aflerted. that ' Chrjfi 
 
 * has left No Judges over the Confciences and 
 
 * Religion of His People : ^ In the Second it is 
 exprefs'd by denying the Authority of Any to 
 
 * judge, cenfure, or punifli the Servants of An- 
 
 * other Mafter, in Matters Relating purely to 
 ^ Confcience, or Salvation/ So that ix. will 
 be quickly very plain what was meant by thefe 
 Affertions, With refped: to Qhriji it i^ affirm'd^ 
 that ' He is the fole Judge of the Behaviour of 
 
 * Chriftians, ixi the Affairs of Confcience and 
 
 * Eternal Salvation ; the fole Judge of His Sub- 
 
 * jeds in All Points relating to the Favour or 
 
 * Difpleafure of Almighty God/ That isy as 
 He Himfeif appointed the Terms and Conditi- 
 ons, on which His Subjects are entitled to the 
 
 Fa-= 
 
( ^l) 
 
 Favour of God ; fo is He Himfelf, to whom 
 All Judgment is committed by the Father, the 
 fole Judge of their Behaviour, to determine the 
 Sincerity or Infincerity of it, in all Affairs de- 
 pending upon their Confciences, into which no 
 mortal Eye can look ,• and in All AfFairs of Eter- 
 nal Salvation^ to determine whether They have 
 a Title to it ; whether They are fuch as God 
 receives and retains in his Favour, or liich as 
 are entitled to his Difpleafure : Which are Things 
 not poffibly to be determined by Any One, who 
 is not acquainted perfectly with the Confciences 
 of Men. 
 
 With refped to Others it is affirmed, in the 
 Firft Paflage, that ' Chrift\\2Lt\\ left behind Him 
 no Judges Over the Confciences and Rehgi- 
 on of his People:' In the Second^ that * No 
 one of them has Authority to judge, cenfure, 
 or punifli, the Servants of Another Mafter, 
 in Matters relating purely to Confcience or 
 Salvation :' In the Thirds that * No One of His 
 Subjects is Judge Over others of them, in 
 Matters relating to Salvation; but He alone:* 
 And, in the Fourth^ which the Committee faith i^ 
 to the fame Effe^^ this isexprefs'd and explain d, 
 by declaring againft ' Humane Decifions made 
 
 * to concern and afFed the State of Chrift's 
 
 * Subjeds, with regard to the Favour of God/ 
 I httle expected to find fo plain, and fo Chri- 
 llian Tropojitions^ cenfur d. For if there be * Au- 
 
 * thority iw Any to judge, cenfure, or punifli, 
 
 * the Servants of Another Mafter, m Matters 
 
 * relating purely to Confcience, and Eternal Sal 
 
 * vation;*' 
 
r a8 ) 
 
 * vation ;' then ' Chrifl: has left behind Him Judg- 
 
 * es Over the Confciences and Rehgion of 
 
 * His People:' and if ' He has left behind Him 
 
 * Judges Over the Confciences and Rehgion 
 
 * of His People;' then, the Confciences and 
 Rehgion of His People are fubjcd to tkem whom 
 He has left Judges Over them ; and then there 
 is a Right and Authority in Some Chrijiians^ to 
 determine the ReligioH and Confciences of Others ; 
 or l/nrfer which, the Religion and Confciences 
 of Others are put by Chrift himfelf. And, what 
 is more, ' if the Decijions of Any Men can be 
 
 * made to concern and affed: the State of Chrifl's 
 
 * Subjeds, with regard to the Favour of God;' 
 then the Eternal Salvation of Some Chriflians 
 depends upon the Sentence pafs'd by Others. If 
 the Learned Committee approve of Thefe Confe- 
 quences, I am very ready to declare that I in- 
 tended what I faid againfl All fuch Doflrines; 
 and that I am detcrmin d ever to oppofe them. 
 
 From the feveral Ways of expreffing My 
 Meaning, it is as evident,*'as I beUcve Any Per- 
 fon s Defign ever was in the like Cafe, that the 
 Authority w^iich I deny to Any Men, is fuch 
 
 * an Authority to judge, cenfure, or punifli, the 
 ^ Servants of anotlier Maflcr, as imphes in it 
 ^ an Authority Over the Confciences and Re- 
 
 * ligion of Chrift's People ; or, as implies in it 
 
 * an Authority to make Decifions which fliail 
 ' affed the State of Chrift's Subjeds, with re- 
 
 * gard to the Favour of God:' w^hich are My 
 own Expyefions in thefe very Pafages^ upon 
 which this Charie is fix'd. 
 
( ^9 ) 
 
 As to the Authority therefore, here fpaken 
 of by the Committee^ viz* the ' Authority of 
 
 * Judging, Cenfuring, and Punilhing OfFen- 
 
 * ders, in the Affairs of Confcience and Ecer- 
 
 * nal Salvation ; I anfwer, that The Word Of- 
 fenders put here, inflead of the Servants of Ano- 
 ther Majier^ raifes a very different Notion in the 
 Mind ; and may help to make a very different 
 Senfe from what I intended : That the Phrafe^ 
 Punifbing Offenders^ in the Affairs of Confcience 
 and Eternal Salvation^ founds fo to Me ; and 
 is fo very hard, and uncommon an Expreffion ; 
 that, I confefs, I can only guefs at what is 
 meant by it here, from Other and plainer Ex- 
 preffions, in the following Part of the Repre- 
 fentation^ which I fliall confider m their Courfe : 
 but that, whatever it is, that is claim'd under 
 the Words '^^/^/^^rii^ to punilli Offenders in the 
 
 * Affairs of Confcience and Eternal Salvation ; I 
 have oppofed No Authority -^ unlefs it pretends 
 to be an ' Authority Over the Coytfciences and 
 
 * Religion of Chriftians ; to the Decifions of 
 
 * which They are indifpenfably obliged to fub- 
 
 * mit ; and the Declarations of which are* 
 
 * made to affecft their Eftate, with regard to 
 
 * the Favour of God.' 
 
 s E c T. vn. 
 
 An Examination of what Dr. Sherlock has al- 
 ledge d upon this Part of the Charge. 
 
 TH E Point I am nov/ confidering feems, m the 
 Opuiion of the Reverend Dr. Sherlock^ to 
 
 be 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 be the only Point of Authority^ worthy of the 
 Zeal of the Convocation^ under this firftHead of 
 the Charge : and that alone, by which He ap- 
 pears wiUing and refolv'd to explain and deter- 
 mine the Senfe of their Words. Anfwer to A Let- 
 t^r^ p. 5 J. And therefore, I fliall go on now 
 to endeavour to give Him^ and Others^ Satisfa- 
 d:ion in this Point, as He would lead the 
 World to underftand it : tho' I muft beg his 
 Leave, in Juftice to the Committee^ to judge 
 of ?7?^/r Meaning and Intention from their own 
 exprefs Words in other Plrts of the Reprefenta- 
 t'lon* 
 
 His Manner of Exprcffion is very remarka- 
 ble, /. 5';. ' His Lordfliip affirms that Chrift 
 
 * is the Sole Judge of the Behaviour of his 
 
 * Subjects, vci the Affairs of Confcience and Eter- 
 
 * nal Salvation in all Points relating to 
 
 * the Favour or Difpleafure of Almighty God. 
 
 * We fay, that Chrift is not fole Judge of 
 
 * the Behaviour of Men, with Refped: to the 
 
 * Laws of Chrift. For, He adds^ the Church 
 
 * has a Right to judge of the Behaviour of 
 
 * Men, with refpedt to the Laws of Chrift^ which 
 
 * are Points moft certainly relating to the Fa- 
 ' vour or Difpleafure of Almighty God : as. He 
 
 * obferves hkewife, the plaineft, the Moral Laws 
 
 * of the Gofpel do relate to Salvation.' p. \6. 
 He might have added, if He had fo pleas'd, 
 that Every Particular Chriflian has a Right to 
 judge, nay cannot help judgnig, of the Beha- 
 viour of Others^ with refped to the Laws of 
 Chrift, openly violated by Chriftians. And this 
 
 He 
 
r 3^ )• 
 
 He might liave urged, with as much Juftice, in 
 Oppofition to what I have taught. 
 
 But certainly this Worthy Perfouj in arguing 
 againlt My Doctrine^ ought to have taken in at 
 leaft, All the Expreffions in the Four Pajfages 
 quoted by the Committee itfelf ; and All decla- 
 red hy Them to be to the fame Purpofe : and not 
 to have built His Charge upon One Exprejfiofi 
 alone, by Virtue of calling it, without any 
 Authority from Me, My Explication of My 
 Senfe ; as if I had put that Jingle Exprejfion for 
 the Declaration of every Thing I intended ; 
 and releafed Ail Perfons from All Obligation to 
 coofider Any Other of My Words. I do not 
 pretend to judge of the Reafons He had, h\ His 
 own Mind, for fuch aProceeding. But I can think 
 of Two only ; becaufe, if He had put All My 
 Expreffions together, He could not fo well have 
 charged Me with aflerting what He feems re- 
 folvM I lliall afTert ,• and argued againft me in 
 the Manner He has done : and becaufe He has 
 Himfelf, upon Another Occafion, faid fo many 
 Things againft meddling with the Confciences 
 and Religion of Others ; that He was not fo 
 willing, in his own Name, to lay any Charge up- 
 on Thofe Wordsj even tho* the Committee ma- 
 nifeftly have. 
 
 We will only put the Cafe that He has him- 
 felf fomewhere, unfortunately declared againft 
 the Civil Magijirate^ judging, or punilhing 
 Chriftiatjs in Affairs relating purely to Confci- 
 tnce. Would He think it a fair Way of argu- 
 ing, to fay that, by this, He has debar d the 
 
■( 3^ ) 
 
 Magijirate from All Right to regard the .Moral 
 Aclions of Men; and to add this Reafon, foif 
 to Confcience certainly Moral Actions do re- 
 late ? And would He not complain of the 
 Hardlhip of having thefe Words, relating pt^rely 
 to Confcience^ fo interpreted ? I tliink that He 
 would ,• and that He might do it with great Ju- 
 ftice ; and therefore, would hope that no fuch 
 Arguments may be thought conchifive, as are 
 founded upon taking My Words, * Judge, Cen- 
 
 * fure, PuniHi— ' Affairs of Confcience and 
 
 * Eternal Salvation', — Matters relating pure- 
 
 * ly to Confcience or Salvation' ; and the like ; 
 in a Senfe, in which I neither did nor could 
 intend them, and of which They are not pro- 
 perly capable. 
 
 It is plain, that by ' Points relating to the 
 
 * Favour or Difpleafure of Almighty God, t 
 mean the fame I cxprefs'd, in another Place, 
 by ' Affairs of Confcience and Eternal Salva- 
 
 * tion ; and, in another, by * Matters relating 
 
 * purely to Confcience, or Salvation ; that 
 when I deny ' All Authority in Men to judge in 
 
 * thefe\ I do the lame that I do, in other Words, 
 when I deny in one Place, that ' Chrift has 
 
 * left behind Him any Judges O ^' e r the Con- 
 ' fcienccs and Religion of his People ; in ano- 
 ther, ' any Judges Over Others in Matters 
 
 * relating to Salvation ; and when, in ano- 
 
 * ther, I declare againft Himane Decifwns aff'e^l- 
 
 * ing Mens State^ with regard to tke Fyivoar 
 
 * of God. 
 
 liia 
 
( 3? ; 
 
 The Committee^ in their Olfervatiorts, affirm 
 that thefe are all to the fame Senfe ; and to the 
 fame Effeti : and therefore, common Juftice 
 require that they fliouid All be confider'd, and 
 not One of them feparately, in the making 
 good tliQ fame Charge J drawn up againfl them ^/7. 
 
 But becaufe He is pleased to lay fo much 
 Strefs upon One alone, which He thinks, gives 
 Him the moft Advantage : I would defire it 
 may be confider d, what it can be fuppos'd, I 
 could mean by the Word Jut^ge^ when I fpeak 
 of Chrift alone, as a Jiir/ge of the Behaviour of 
 Chriftians, in Points relating to the Favour or 
 Difpleafure of Almighty God: and when I deny 
 that Any Men upon Earth are fo. Certainly 
 a Judge in that Cafe, is One by whofe Sentence 
 it is determin'd whether a Perfon fhall enjoy 
 the Tokens of God's Favour, or of his Dif- 
 pleafure. Thus is our Saviour Judge. He is 
 qualified to pafs Sentence, as He is acquainted 
 with all Circumftances relating to Men's Since- 
 rity : And upon his paffing it, the Man's Con- 
 dition is determin'd irreverfibly. And thus is He 
 Judge alone. For what I affirm o^ Him, I deny 
 of Others^ in the fame Senfe m which I affirm it of 
 Him : and in no other, can I be fappofed to deny 
 it, becaufe it anf vers no Purpofe ; nor is at ail 
 agreeable, not only to My Defign in this, but 
 to all My Expreffions in other Pajfag/s. In p. 
 14. of the Sermon^ it is exprefs'd thus, ' When 
 
 * They (i. e. Any Men) make any of. their 
 
 * own Declarations or Decifions to concern or 
 
 * affed the StatQ of Chrift's Subjects,, with re- 
 
 D ' gard 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 ^ gard to the Favour of God.' This is the 
 Fourth Pajfage^ cited by the Committee it felf ; 
 and, as Themleives fay, is to the fame Effect 
 with the Others, If fo ; then the Others are to 
 the fame £/ft? with this. And, as nothing C2iii 
 more plainly ihew in what Senfc it is, that I 
 deny to Jnj Chrijlians the Authority of judging 
 the Servants of Another Mafler : fo I defire but 
 common Juftice, when I defire this worthy Per- 
 fon^ not to take what He pleafes of My Words, 
 and to leave what He pleafes, when He is fix- 
 ing My Senfe. If He thinks fit to ailert this 
 Authority^ in this Senfe in which I have in this 
 P^-rffage denied it ; I will own indeed, that He 
 contradicts Me : but I \\'ill at the fame Time 
 lament fuch an Ajfertion from the Hand of a 
 Chrifiian, and a Proteftant Divine. But if He 
 aflerts quite another fort of a Thing ; and en- 
 deavours to make the World believe that He 
 is confuting Me^ bccaufe He calls it Judging : 
 I mud preiume to put Him in mind, that He 
 only fights againfl: an ///7j^d' of his owa creating ; 
 and no more oppofes what I Iiave Taught, than 
 if the Sounr! of our Words did not agree. Again, 
 \\\ p. 24. of the Sermon^ wliat I complain of, is 
 repeated cxprefly thus — Snhflituting Others in 
 the Place of Q\\x.\% as Lawgivers and jud^s, in 
 the S A M E P o I K T 5, in which He mufl either 
 Alone ^ or not at a!!^ le Law -giver and Judge, 
 Now I would beg to knovv', whether this Pajfage 
 has not alfo a Right to be conildcrVi, in the fixing 
 My Meaning ; and whether it can llgnify any 
 thing againil tlii>-j to unme PoiNi-^^^ which 
 
 arc 
 
C 55 ) 
 
 are not the Same Points, in which Others 
 inay Judge ; but not judge m the fame Senfe, 
 in which the fole Judgment is attributed td 
 Chrift. 
 
 Perhaps ije^ who has already beea fo ^lea-^ 
 fant upon the like Occauon, may ask again^ 
 Alas J Why has All this Flame been raifed ahout 
 Nothing ? About a Dotlrine which is not difpu- 
 ted> And I may be told, that / here likewife 
 fight without an Adverfary, I Ihall be glaid to 
 find it fo : and leave Thofe that Have raifed the 
 Flame^ to coafider whether they have raised it 
 about Nothing, I meant it againft Thofe Who 
 are very free in declaring Others of Chrijl s Suh- 
 jefts out of God's Favour ; and in obliging Al- 
 mighty Godj to execute the Sentences of Meno 
 If we have had no fuch amongPc Protejlants ; or 
 if Not one remains, who fpeaks aiiy thing like 
 this : yet it might be pardonable to gUard our 
 People againfi the Frefumptions of Roman-Ca-, 
 tholics; who aiTume to themfelves that Power of 
 Judgment, which Chrift alone can have; and who 
 have not yet given over their Defigns amongfl; 
 Us. But how lately is it, that We have had the 
 Teople terrified with this y^tj Prefumption, even 
 by Protejlants ; and the Terms oi Church -Power, 
 and the Spiritual Fatal Effeds of kcclefiaflkal 
 Cenfures^ made ufe of, to draw Meii from chcir 
 Allegiance^ and frighten them into '^ St par ate Com- 
 munion > And behdes Thofe of this Sort, t\\\- 
 Worthy Terfon himfelf kiiows a Late TVr iter who 
 has, i think unwarily-, fpokenof the i:^>:?j-^f//'r? 
 spiritual Punijl^ments the Church hflicls^ hein^^ 
 
r 56 ) 
 
 generally fufpended till the Offender comes into the 
 Other World* Serm. Nov. 5. p. 8. 
 
 In this Sentence^ He takes it for granted, that 
 the Spiritual Punifhments inflicted hy the Churchy 
 have Effe^ in the Other World. If they have; 
 then the Condition of Chriflians, with refped: 
 to the Favour of God, is determin'd by the 
 Sentence of the Church pafs'd upon them. And 
 tho' by the Churchy We are not taught exadlly 
 either v:hat Set of Chriflians^ or Whom amongft 
 Any particular Sort, to Underfland ; yet it muft 
 be underftood of fome Men in the Church. And 
 fo, theSuppofitionis, that A Sentence pafsM by 
 fome Vveak and falhble Chrijlians^ upon Others^ 
 has Effe^ in Another World. If this be fo ; I con- 
 fefs, I think the Condition of Chriftians^ much 
 worfe than the Condition^ in which St. Paul de- 
 fcribesthe//d'j/Z'^;^j' to be; \\A\o are left to their 
 own ConJcienceSy and to the Righteous Judgment 
 of God. But I have fuch Notions of the Good- 
 nefs of God, and of his Gracious Defigns m 
 the Gofpel^ that I think it My Duty to declare 
 My Judgment, that the Suppojition is greatly in- 
 jurious to the Honour of God and of the Gofpel ; 
 and the Thing it felf impoffible to be conceived. 
 
 If He^ or His Friends, can fee this Point in 
 that Light ; I muft beg of them to anfwer this 
 Argument : which, if it were not a great Pre- 
 fumption, I would call a Stri^ Vemonfl ration. 
 
 * A Sentence or Punifhment of Men, which makes 
 
 * not a Tittle of Alteration, in the Eyes of God, 
 
 * with refped to the Spiritual Condition of a 
 ' Chrijlian^ cannot be faid to have Any EffeEi 
 
 *' in 
 
( 37) 
 
 * in the Other World. But the Spiritual Punilh- 
 
 * ments, inflidled by the Churchy are of that Sort. 
 
 * Therefore they can have no Effed in the other 
 
 * World/ That the Spiritual Fumjhments of the 
 Church make no Alteration in the Condition of 
 a Man, with refped to the Favour or Difplea- 
 fure of Almighty God, is plain from hence : 
 that, fuppofmg them \v:oiigfully inflidcd upon 
 a Chriftian : He i^^ notwithftanding them^ Hill 
 equally in the Favour of God. And if it be 
 fuppofed, (as it fometimes is, upon this Sub- 
 jed,) that He behaves himfelf, under the mod 
 undeferv'd Cenfures, with any degree of Impa- 
 tience, Pride, or Stubbornnefs ; and that this 
 difpleafeth Almighty God: it is plain that He 
 incurs no part of that Difpleafure, upon ac- 
 count of the Sentence of Men ; but folely up- 
 on the Account of his Ovon Behaviour \ it being 
 his own Behaviour alone, and not the Sentence 
 of Men, which has any fuch Effe^. And then, 
 on the other Hand, fuppofmg No fuch Punifli- 
 ment inflided upon a Vile and Wicked Chrifli- 
 an ; He is, neverthelefs, under the Difpleafure 
 of Almighty God^ to an equal Degree, as He 
 would be, if it were inflided. 
 
 The Excommunication of the Incefluous Corin- 
 thian^ fpoken of by this Worthy Perfon^ neither 
 added to God's Difpleafure ; nor would the want 
 of it, have at all diminiflVd it. Neither, if He 
 had died in an impenitent Condition, would 
 that Sentence have had any Effed in the other 
 World; in which His Condition would have 
 been determind, not by that Sentence, but by 
 
 D 3 the 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 the Rule laid down by Qhrift\ and by his P.igh-^ 
 teous Apphcation of it. Neither was the Pu- 
 nifliment, inflicfted upon Him, defign'd to have 
 Effed: '\\\ Another World. He was fuppos'd to 
 be out of God's Favour as much before the 
 Sentence, as after it. A prefent bodily punifli- 
 ment, (to which We, I fuppofe, have nothing 
 parallel} followed upon the Sentence. The Sen- 
 tence was defignd to have E^^ed^ in this World; 
 that the Jufi Sentence of God againft Him, might 
 be avoided in Another. He was declared Un- 
 worthy of being accounted a Member of a 
 Chriftian Society ; or of being acknowledged 
 as a Chrtflian^ whilft He lived in an open and 
 notorious Violation of a Moral Law of Chrtjl. 
 It would be well, if the State of the World, 
 andAilCircumftances, would allow of the fame 
 always : and that it could be perform'd impar- 
 tially, without refped of Perfons. But I que- 
 ition whether Any thing can be certainly argu- 
 ed from the Proceedings of St. Tauly and the 
 Corinthian Churchy iw His Cafe ; but where All 
 Circumftances are parallel. An Apoftle dired:- 
 mg; the whole Congregadon joining; and a Bo- 
 dily Puniiliment, as a prefent Miraculous EfFedi 
 of the Sentence^ confequent upon it; cannot be a 
 Juftification of All forts o? Excommunication ; or of 
 the Ordinary Difcipline of Any Chriftian Church- 
 es. Nor indeed do I know of Any fort of £x- 
 communication or^wr^ixAY pra6lis*d, either in 77;/^, 
 or 0//;er Churches, which is parallel to that; or 
 which confequently can be jufiified by it. And 
 ivhoevcr thinks ferioufly either of the Manner^ 
 
 Caufe.^ 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 Qjufe, or Oljefisj of our Excommunications^ ge- 
 nerally fpeaking, fliould mechinks, in pity, for- 
 bear to mention the Word. 
 
 I do not doubt, but the Nature and Ufefulnefs 
 of the Thing is a fuflicient Juitification of Any 
 Chrijlians^ who let a Mark upon the open Im- 
 morality and Wickednefs of Any profefs'd Chri- 
 ftians ; even by refufing to them the Peculiar 
 Tokens^ and Marks^ of Chrijlian Communion ; as 
 well as by avoiding their Company, and Con- 
 verfation : unlefs where there are hopes of do- 
 ing them good. But what is this to the Autho- 
 rity of y^^^^y Over the Confciences ^nd Religion 
 of Men ? What is this to their being Judges 
 Over Others, in Matters relating to Salvation ; 
 or to their bemg Judges of the Behaviour of 0- 
 thers^ in the fame Senfe that Chrijl is : with an 
 Authority of paffing a Sentence, which fliall de- 
 termine their Condition, with refped: to the 
 Favour or Difpleafure of Almighty God ; or, in 
 another Phrafe, which I beg leave to borrow, 
 with fuch a Power of Spiritual Ttinijhment^ as 
 fha/l have Effect in another World, Every Chri- 
 ftian has a Right to Judge^ nay. He cannot help 
 Judging^ of the Behaviour of Men^ by a plain 
 Law^ acknowledgd and receivd by the Offender 
 himfelf; as the Doctor exprefTes himfelf, p. 5-7. 
 That is, Every Man will judge Him to be a 
 Murtherer^ who takes away His Neighbour's Life 
 uniuflly ; and Him to be an Uncharitable Man, 
 who never does any Atls oi Charity: and every 
 Chriflian has a Right to fliew His Senfe of thefe 
 Open Sins. But this is One thing : and Jtulgingy 
 
 D 4 fo 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 fo asto pretend to determine other Mens Con^ 
 fciencesy and other Mens Religion ; or fo, as to 
 pretend to fix Their Condition, or at all affed 
 it, in the Eyes of God ; this is Another Point 
 entirely. The One is Authoritative -, and the fame 
 with the Prerogative of Chrijl : The Other is 
 not Authoritative^ either fo as to be peculiarly 
 lodg'd in Any One Part of Chriftians Over 
 Another ; or fo as at all to affed the Salvation 
 of the Perfon thus judg'd, and his Condition, as 
 to the Favour of God^ 
 
 Certainly therefore, it cannot but be a fur- 
 prizing Thing to fee a Learned Member of the 
 Committee contending, with fo much Zeal and 
 Warmth, that there are Men^ who have a Right 
 to Judge in One Senfe ; in Oppofition to Me^ who 
 have contended againft it, only in Another : ta- 
 king One of My Expreffions for My full Senfe; 
 and letting alone Three or Four Other s^ which have 
 the fame Right to be regarded: and, becaufe the 
 Laws of Chriji relate to Salvation and the Fa- 
 vour of God, in One Senfe, arguing from what is 
 indeed no more than a Right ii\ all Chrijiians 
 to fee Open Wickednefs^ and to Judge Willful Sin 
 to be contrary to Chrift's Laws, and the Noto- 
 rious Sinner unworthy of being acknowledged 
 by Them as a Brother ; arguing, I fay, from 
 hence againft Me^ who have declared folely a- 
 gainft All Right in Men, to be Judges Over 
 Others, in the Affairs of Confcience and Salva- 
 tion^ in another Senfe ; or againft Ail Authority 
 in Men, to judge^ cenfure^ and punifh the Ser- 
 vants of Another Majler^ fo as to affec^: their 
 
(41 ) 
 
 Title to God's Favour, and to Eternal Salvati- 
 oftj by their Sentence. 
 
 Sect. VHI. 
 
 Two Cafes, for the farther Explication of this 
 Suhjea. 
 
 T Beg the Patience of the Reader whilft I put 
 ■'• Two Cafesy v/hich may help Us to judge a- 
 right of fuch a Way of arguing, as this is. 
 The Firjl relates to Temporal Judges : the Second 
 to the Do^rine and Condu^ of St. Paul. 
 
 I. Suppofing One fliould lay it down, that 
 the Judges of this Land, were the only Judges 
 of the Behaviour of the King's Suhjetls^ m Af- 
 fairs of Life and Death ; or in Matters relating 
 purely to Life and Death : it would not, I pre- 
 fume, be a good Argument againft this, to 
 name fome Points which may be faid to relate 
 to Life and Death in fome Senfe ; and to name 
 fome Perfons who have a Right to judge in fome 
 Senfe, in thofe Points : but neither of thefe, 
 in the fame Senfe, in which Thofe Words are 
 ufed, when this Authority is affirm'd of the 
 Judges y or denied of A/l Others. Suppofing, for 
 Inftance, it Ihould be urged that Difeafes and 
 Medicines^ relate to Life and Death ; and that 
 this Dodrine deftroys All Right in Phyficians 
 to prefcribe, in Affairs relating to Life and Death \ 
 nay, or in Any Men to take Care of their own 
 Health; or fo much as to judge what to eat^ or 
 what to drink^ becaufe eating and drinking re- 
 late 
 
(40 
 
 late to Life and Death : who would not imme- 
 diately fee that All this is of no Importance; 
 becaufe it proceeds upon taking that in O^e 
 Senfe, which was affirmM folely in Another; 
 and is No Contradidtion to what was laid 
 down, becaufe it amounts to no more than 
 this, that, tho^ the Judges of the Land are the 
 fole Judges in One certain Senfe, of Affairs re- 
 lating purely to Life and Death, in One certain 
 Senfe ; yet, Others are Judges in another Senfe 
 of the Word, of Affairs which relate to Life 
 and Deaths as thefe Words may be ufed in an- 
 cther^ and a quite different Senfe? 
 
 X. For the farther clearing of this Matter, 
 let us fuppofe the fame Way of arguing appli- 
 ed to the Words of St, Paul himfelf He hath 
 in EfTed: adcrted the fame Thing, more ftrong- 
 ly than I have. He asks, with Difdain, and 
 Indignation, JVho art Thou^ that judgejl ano- 
 ther Mans Servant^ ' conduding Himfelf, ac- 
 ^ cording to the Beft Light of His own Confci- 
 
 * ence, in the Affair of Salvation ? To his own 
 Mafler He flandeth^ or falleth : i. e. Chrift a- 
 lone is his Judge, in that Affair ^ and ' hath 
 
 * left behind Him .no Judges over the Confci- 
 ^ ences and Religion of His People/ If it 
 fliould be rephed. That * this feems to deny 
 
 * All Authority to the Church ; All Authority to 
 
 * judge, cenfure, or puniih OiTenders, in the 
 "^ Affairs of Conicience, and Eternal Salvation: 
 and particularly the Authority of Excommunica- 
 ting fuch an Open and Notorious Sinner, as 
 He himfelf thought worthy of fach a Punijh- 
 
 went 
 
(45 ) 
 
 rient in the Corinthian Church. If this, I fay, 
 fliould be caft upon St. Paul's general Dod:riae; 
 I hope, it would be a very fatisfadtory Anfiver 
 to alledge, that No fuch Confequence can be 
 infer'd from hence, becaufe it is very plain 
 thefe Two Points are not Contradi^lory. The 
 One relates to the Authority of Judges Over 
 Mens Confciences and Religion ; to the cen- 
 furing and punifliing the Servants of Chrifl, 
 condudling their Confciences and their Lives, 
 by what they efteem to be well-pleafing to 
 Him : The Other relates to quite another Mat- 
 ter ,• to the Ri^jt of All Chriftians, to avoid 
 the Company of a Perfon acknowledged to be 
 an open. Notorious Violator of the Laws of 
 Chrift, and of the Dilates of his own Confci- 
 ence. The One relates to an Authority afluming 
 to define, m the Cafe of Particular perfons^ who 
 are not Open Violators of Chrift's Moral Laws, 
 that They are out of God's Favour and enti- 
 tled to His Wrath : the Other relates to what Is 
 not indeed properly Authority; but a Right 
 which Ail Chriftians have to avoid an Open 
 Willful Scandalous Sinner, if they can ; and to a 
 Determination which pretended not to alter the 
 Cafe of the Man, with refpedt to the Favour or 
 Difpleafure oi Almighty God. The Incefiuous Co- 
 rinthian was never the more, or the lefs, out 
 of God's Favour, for what was done by the 
 Church, St^ Paul therefore, might vehemently 
 oppofe A/l Authority of Any Men in the Churck 
 as Judges Over the Confciences and Religion of 
 Other Chrijllans ; and yet be very much for a 
 
 ^t 
 
(44) 
 
 Right m ChriJiianSj which implies in it no fuch 
 Authority Over the Confciences and Rehgion 
 of Others. Fie might be zelous againfl: Judg- 
 ing, Cenfuring, and Punifhing, the Servants of 
 another Mafier^ in thofeAfFairs which were guid- 
 ed by their own Confciences, and upon which 
 They judg'd their own Salvation and the Favour 
 of God to depend; and yet be as zelous for 
 the Right of A/l Chriflians (whenever the State 
 of the World can permit it,} to fet a Mark 
 upon Notorious Open Offenders againfl their 
 own Confciences, and the plain Moral Laws 
 of Chrifl: a Right, which implied in it No- 
 thing like to that Authority of * judging 
 
 * cenfuring and punifhing the Servants of Ano- 
 
 * ther Mafter, in the Aflairs of Confcience and 
 ^ Eternal Salvation,' which He had before con- 
 demned. I cannot but hope therefore, that for 
 the Sake of St. TauU from whom I borrowed the 
 General Exprejjion of *}udging the Servants of An- 
 other Mafler^ My Dodtrine will be thought very 
 reconcileable with his own Determination, and 
 the Behaviour of the Corinthian Churchy in the 
 Cafe of the Incefiuous Corinthian, 
 
 To Sum up the Argument ; As, in both thefe 
 Cafes now mention d, the Ohjetlions are unjuftly 
 framed, becaufe the Words made ufe of, tho' the 
 fame in Sounds yet differ entirely in the Senfe in 
 which They are ufed, on each fide of tlie Matter in 
 Debate ; So, in the Quejlion before Us, They who 
 cenfure what I have faid, ought to cenfure it in that 
 Senfe only ^ in which I have faid it. And if They 
 contend againfl me, in this Point, They muft 
 
 eon- 
 
(45) 
 
 contend for the Authority of fome, as Judges 
 Over Others, in that Senfe only, in which I 
 have denied it ; in the fame Senfe, in wliich I 
 have affirmed it of Chrifi alone. 
 
 Sect. IX. 
 A Continuation of the fame Suhje£i. 
 
 T Have been the longer upon this Point, be- 
 ■■■ caufe this is the Senfe which Dr. Sherlock 
 is pleafed to put upon the Only ParticularnsimQd^ 
 in the firfl Obfervation of the Committee, to 
 fupport the Solemn Charge contain'd in the Firjl 
 Article : tho' it is plain, this is not the only 
 Point intended; nommderflood by xht Committee 
 in that Senfe, in which /7^wifhes the World to un- 
 derftand it. And I think, and hope, I have Ihewn 
 as evidently, as any fuch Point can be made out, 
 that what I have maintained is far from deferving 
 the Cenfure of Chrijiians. I am very willing that 
 that Learned Member fliould pleafe Himfelf, 
 and divert his Readers, with the happy Thought 
 oi claiming the Word Abfolutely, in this Part of 
 the Debate, for the Ufe of the Committee, If it 
 can be of Any Ufe to Him^ or to Them ; I am 
 very free to repeat, what He feems to think fo 
 great an Abfurdity, Anfwer^ p. 5" 7. and to de- 
 clare to All the World, that of Judges^ in the 
 Cafe now before us, I have faid, there are Ab- 
 folutely None to Judge, But then, it is but Com- 
 mon Equity and Juftice to exped, that I may 
 be underftoodin that Senfe alone, in which both 
 the Defign, and the Words, of My Dodrine, a- 
 
 gree. 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 gr^e. I am ready ftill, Ahfoliitely to affirm that 
 ' Chrift is the fole Judge of the Behaviour of his 
 
 * Subjeds in the Affairs of Confcience and Eter- 
 
 * nal Salvation, ^cl Now Chrift '\s> in no other 
 Seiife> Judge of the Behaviour of ChriflianSy in 
 Thofe Points ; but as their Condition will, and 
 mult, be determin d by his Sentence. When there- 
 fore, I deny this of Men ; and when 1 do it^ by 
 Way o^ Inference from the Preroorative of Chrift ^ 
 I do not, (I wiil add, I cannot, j mean to deny 
 this of Therriy in any other Senfe, but that^ in 
 which I affirm it of Chriji. And in this Senfe, 
 I am ready flili to profefs that I Ahfolutely de- 
 ny Ail Authority of Judging in. Any Part of 
 Any Church of thrifts viz. ^11 fuch Authority, 
 as can oblige Almighty God to ratify Any Sen- 
 tence in Heaven, paffed here on Earth. I deny, 
 not only againft the Roman-Catholics^ but a- 
 gainft fhofe \v\\o have lately revived their Do- 
 tirines for a defenfe of their own Separation^ and 
 a Terror to Our Churches^ All fuch Authority^ as 
 pretends to throw Men out of God s Favour, by 
 the Determination, or Excommunication of Men : 
 Or, in other Words, I deny againft what the 
 Reverend Dr. Sherlock has formerly fupposM, 
 that Any Spiritual Pmifloment., inflid:ed by the 
 Churchy has Ever Any EfTed; in the Other 
 World, 
 
 They therefore, who lay it upon the Pajfages 
 now before Us, that They feem to deny A/l AutJjo- 
 rity to the Church ; muft maintain that the Authority 
 ofjudging and Condemning Men, fo as to aiTed: 
 the Condition of Chriftians^ with refped to the 
 
 FavoiiT 
 
(47 ) 
 
 Favour of God, is All Authority ; and that 
 there is No Authority but this. And thefi indeed, 
 I am ready to acknowledge, in the Face of the 
 whole World, that, if to deny to Men the Au- 
 thority of Judging^ i\\ the fame Senfe in which 
 I affirm it to belong to Jefus Qhrifl^ be to deny 
 All Authority to the Church ; I have, and do 
 ftill deny All Authority to the Church, And if 
 to deny All fuch Vifible Humane Authority in 
 Judging, as can afFed: the Salvation of Men, or 
 the Favour of God towards them, be ' to leave 
 
 * the Church without Any Vifihle Humane Au- 
 
 * thority to judge, cenfure, or punifli Offend- 
 
 * ers, t^cl I confefs, I have done it:, andmufl 
 do it, as long as I can read the Gofpel^ or under- 
 (land Any Thing of the Nature and Attributes 
 of God, But if They hold Any Authority befides 
 this; or if They maintain that there may be 
 Authority^ or Right to judge ^ cenfure-^ er punijh 
 Offenders^ in quite another Senfe, than That, 
 in which I have denied fuch Authority to judgey 
 cenfure^ or punijh the Servants of Another Majier ; 
 then. They cannot themfelves, conceive the Paf- 
 fages cited by them, to tend to fubvert All Go- 
 'vernment and Difcipline in. the Church oiChrifl : 
 nor, particularly, in this Reformed Church of 
 England; unlefs They can fliew that this Church 
 claims, by any Authentic A^^ the Authority of 
 Judging^ iic. in that fame Sen{b^ in which I have 
 affirmed it of Chrijl; and in. which aloney I have 
 denied it of All Men. But indeed, the fame Way 
 of arguing would as well, and as Juftly, prove 
 that I have, even in thefe firfl Paffages^ by at 
 
 farting 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 fertitig Chrift to be the fole Judge of His Sub- 
 jeds, (^c. effedually excluded the Gvil Magi- 
 ftrate from punidiingthQGreatefi Malefadlors ; be- 
 caufe their Ad:ions have fome relation to Coft- 
 fcience^ and their own Salvation: as it does, that 
 I do by this deny All Right in any Qhriflian 
 Churchy to judge and punifli Offenders^ in another 
 Senfe. And this might have been put as ftrong- 
 ly under this firft Head of the Charge, as the 
 Other. 
 
 In fine. If it be a Crime to aiffirm that All 
 Chriftians, i\\ the Condud: of Themfelves, and 
 the Diredion of their own Confciences, [i. e. in 
 the Affairs of Confcience and Eternal Salvation ; ] 
 in All Points upon which their Title to God's 
 Favour or Difpleafure depend, [/. e. * in All 
 
 * Points relating to the Favour or Difpleafure of 
 
 * Almighty God;'] in Matters in which their 
 Salvation is concerned [i. e. ' in Matters relating 
 
 * purely to Salvation ;'] If it be a Crime, I fay, 
 to affirm that All Chriflians are, in thefe Mat- 
 ters, to be determined in this World by Chrift 
 alone, as a Law-giver ; and to have their Con- 
 dition in the Other World defend upon Hisjudg- 
 menty and His Sentence alone : I confefs, I de- 
 ipair of knowing what We mean by the Juftice 
 of God; or the Mercy of the Gofpel ; or, what 
 it is that the plaineft Declarations of Chriftiani- 
 ty fet forth. Nor can I ever underftand, upon 
 this Bottom, what it was that could move or 
 juftifyThofe,who have broke ofFfrom theTyran- 
 ny of the Church of Rome : unlefs it be fufficient 
 to fay, that it was only that Power might change 
 Hands. . The 
 
r 49 ) 
 
 The Suhim of chLs Part of che Caufc is this ! 
 i. The 'Judging, Ccnfunng, and Piiiulbing Of- 
 * fenders,' [wiuch tlic Rerei'cnd Dr. Sherlock ex- 
 plaius of Open Violators of the Moral Laws of 
 Chriil, acknowledg'd by 1 hofe very Offenders,] 
 i. e. The Judging Such to be Unworthy of the 
 folemn Token's of Church-Communion, and the 
 /^>;//7;/;^g Them by denying to them the Holy 
 Sacrament^ is no more an Authority Over the 
 Confciences and Rehgion of Chrift's Subjects ; 
 or of making Decifions, which Decifions fliall 
 themfelves affcd their State in the Eye of 
 God ; than the Right that every Chriftian has, 
 in his particular Station, of ihewing his Diflike 
 of Open Sinners, and of not owning them 
 for Chrijlians. And therefore^ it is not a Point 
 of which I have laid, or indeed, thought to fay, 
 one Word m tlie Sermon, x. If I had had the 
 lead Thought of Offenr/ers, Open No f or ioi^J Offend- 
 ers agairift the Moral Laws of Chrift, acknow- 
 ledged by Themfelves ; I could not pofTibly 
 have avoided the Word, or have chofcn inftead 
 of it the Expreflion of St. Paul, the Servants of 
 Another Mafler : which fuppolcs them not.Opeii 
 TranfgrefTors of His Moral Laws. 3. If I had 
 had the leaft Thought of Open Immoralities, ac- 
 knowledged by the Sinners themfelves, to be 
 Violations of their owil Confciences, and of the 
 plain Law of Chrid; it is impoifible to conceive 
 that I could have eall'd thefc Open Immoralities^ 
 by the Name of Affairs relating purely to Con- 
 fciencc and Eternal Salvation ; without once fo 
 much as hinting at their true Name, For 4/- 
 
fairs relating purely to Confciencey as I conceiv d 
 then, and do llill conceive, are properly fpeak- 
 ing, (Not Open A6ts againft Mens own Con- 
 fciences, which were never fo calld by Any 
 one Writer m the World, but) Affairs tranfadled 
 between Them, and their own Confcienccs ; 
 by the Diredion of their own Confciences ; 
 and of which no Men cdiVi judge ^ without know- 
 ing their Confciences. 4. An Authority, or 
 Right, to judge, cenfure, puniili, in thefeVoiivcs^ 
 I referve to Chrift ; and deny to Ail Chriftians, 
 of what Rank foever : becaufe it is an Authori- 
 ty Over the Confciences of Others, which no 
 Men can have; an Authority to judge m Faints^ 
 in which no One can judge, who does not know 
 the Hearts of Men. 5-. ARight to judge that an 
 Open Sinner againft the Moral Laws of Chrift, is 
 an Open Sinner^ and not worthy of being ownd as 
 One of the Clvc'Ai^iw Society y I have never dent- 
 ed to Every Chrift ian : much lefs to Thofc, whofe 
 Office it is to adminifter Holy Things ; and who 
 therefore, muft judge for Thcmfelves, that it is 
 not proper for Them to acknowledge, as Chrijli- 
 ans^ Thole who openly and notorioufly live m 
 a Violation of the Moral Laws of Chrijl. 6. I 
 will add, as I pafs, one Queftion^ Whether the Re- 
 verend Dr. Sherlock^ or /, give the more finccre 
 Proofs of our Concern for this Right: /, who 
 have pleaded for the repealing an Act o^ Par Via- 
 Tficnty which forces Cler(iymen to give the Cornmu- 
 nion to every Atheijl^ or Delauchee^ who may be 
 named to any Civil Office ; unlefs he chufes to be 
 ruined for not doing it ; or He^ who would appear 
 
 to 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 to contend earneftly againft Me, for the Con- 
 tinuance of that Burthen, under which All good 
 Men, as I have underftood, have long groan d. 
 That fame worthy Per/on may fee from the 
 whole of thisj how much He is miftakenin the 
 Account He gives, from his own Invention^ 
 of my defign'd Anfwer, />. 55-. He propofes 
 the Difficulty, * Is there Authority in the 
 
 * Church to exclude fuch an one as the In- 
 
 * ceftuous Corinthian^ from the Chriftian Af- 
 
 * fembly, and to deny Him the Ufe of the Sa- 
 
 * craments ?' [I fuppofe, He means One Sacra- 
 ment.] ' If You fay, Yes, (^fays He ) You al- 
 
 * low the Difcipline. But then, (^He adds) ac- 
 
 * cording as His Lordfhip intends to anfwer 
 
 * the Reprefentation, You will be told That 
 
 * You claim an Abfolute, Unlimited, Uncon- 
 
 * ditional, and Mere Authority to make and 
 
 * interpret Laws for Chriftians/ That I in- 
 tended to anfwer the Reprefentation in this 
 Manner, by anfwering thus to a Difficulty 
 which is not there once exprefiy proposed, is 
 entirely his own Irnagination. He ftts^, I have 
 another Anfwer to make : and I do afliire Him 
 that, before He told the World fo, I had not 
 the lead Sufpicion that the Committee had an 
 Eye to Excommunication, as if they under- 
 ftood Me to oppofe it in this "i^wf^ ,• nor do 
 I yet believe They had. My Anfwer is natu- 
 ral, and plain. I never was concern d againft 
 Excommunication in this Senfe : neither do His 
 Brethren, when they fpeak plainly of it, fup- 
 pofe me to oppofe it in this Senfe. The Diffi- 
 
 E 2. culty 
 
( 50 
 
 ficulty is His own Inventioji, as far as it relates 
 to Axij Thing I have faid : And therefore it 
 was fitting, the Anfwer fliould be what He pleas'cJ 
 likewife. But why He fliould chufe the moll 
 Groundlefs Ohjeclion^ and then frame the mofl 
 infufficient Anfwer to it ; I am not able to fay : 
 .unlefs it be, that He thinks nothing too mean, 
 or too low, to be put into My Mouth. This 
 was by way of Trophefy^ anticipating what I 
 would lay, before I had laid one Word relating 
 to the Matter : for which I gave Him no 
 Ground, but by explaining to Dr, Snape^ p.y^. 
 and 37. of My Anfwer^ what it was that I had 
 laid concerning the Authority which the Dodor 
 had exprefs d moll Concern about ; without lb 
 much as fpeaking, or indeed thinking, of what 
 He had never charged me with, the Denial of a 
 D'ifcipline^ which is of a Nature much inferior 
 to Any Thing I had fpoke about, in My Sermon y 
 and which comes not under Any of My Exprel- 
 iions there made ufe of ^ and which even the 
 Committee it felf never exprefly objcd: to Me. 
 In this Part of His Condud:, I can neitlier deny, 
 nor envy, the Superiority of fuch an Adverfary : 
 and am very ready to acknowledge, that I have 
 no more Authority, or Abihty, to inform the 
 "World what Any One will fay to a particular Dif- 
 ficulty, before He has laid one Word that cm pol- 
 fibly relate to it ; tlian I have to entertain Them 
 with what a Man flidi\xy Four Thoiif^nd Years 
 ago, upon a Subject^ about which Hiiiory does 
 not acquaint us that He ever fpoke One finglc 
 Sentence. 
 
 Sect. 
 
S E C T. X. 
 
 The Objedlioii of the Committee, relating 
 . particularly to the Apofllcs, confider d, 
 
 A FTER the Ohfervatlons upon the firft Four 
 /'j/Ti^jgd'i*, fetting forth the Evil Effed of 
 My Doclrhe upon the Authority of the Churchy 
 i\\ ics ordinary Condition, follow fome Other 
 Reflexions^ which it is necelTary now to confider. 
 The Firft is this. Report^ p, 5*. * Whether 
 thefe PafTages exclude the Sacred Writers, as 
 well as Others, from making Decifions, and 
 interpreting the Laws of Chrift, Your Lord- 
 ihips will judge by a Fajfage^ p. ix. of the Ser- 
 mon. Nay-i whoever has an Ahfolute Authority 
 to interpret any written^ or f poke n Laws^ It Is He 
 ivho Is truly the Law-giver^ to all Intents and 
 Furpofes^ and not the Ferfon^ who firfl ivrote^ or 
 fpoke Theml The Learned Committee leem to 
 be fenfible that, as I go on to explain this, ex- 
 prcfly upon the Suppofition of No Interpofitlon 
 from the Fcrfon^ who firft wrote, or fpake thefe 
 Laws, either to convey Infal/ihlHty-, or to ajfert 
 the True Interpretation^ Nothing could be al- 
 ledg'd againft the Apoftles Themfelves from 
 hence ; or againft Any Interpreters, but Falli- 
 lie and Unafijled Perfons. And therefore, They 
 ftopjliort; and are not wiUing to trouble the 
 World fo much, as to mention My Own Ex- 
 phcation of that Matter : but found this Part 
 of their Charge upon quite another Point. * When 
 ' a Diftindlion, fay They, is made between the 
 
 E 3 Inter- 
 
f54; 
 
 * Interpreters of the Writen^ and Spoken Law» 
 ' the Sacred Writers only can be meant by the 
 
 * Latter. Others have had the Written Law. 
 
 * Tkey only^ of All Interpreters, heard it fpoke 
 
 * by Chrift. And his Lordfliip has only left Us 
 
 * this Choice, either to deny their Authority to 
 
 * interpret the Laws of Chrift, or to charge them 
 
 * with fetting up for Themfelves, in oppofition 
 
 * to their Mafler/ 
 
 In anfwer to this, I beg it may be confider'd, 
 I. That, in the Sentence quoted, there is no Di- 
 ftinWion made between Interpreters of Written^ 
 and of Spoken Laws. So far from it, that, with 
 refped to what is there affirm'd. All DiftintVion^ 
 or Difference, between them, is in effecSt denied. 
 a. That the Apoflles were fo far from being Ah- 
 folute Interpreters^ that They were not at all, in 
 any proper Senfe, Interpreters of Chrijfs Laws ; 
 rior did ever claim to Themfelves the Privilege 
 o^ Interpreting^ as belonging to Them^ mT>iik.m- 
 (flion from the meanefl Layman^ to whom They 
 preach'd the Gofpel. But, 3. They were Em- 
 lajfadours^ or Mejfengers^ lent by Chrijl to deli- 
 ver faithfully to Men a particular Mejfagey with- 
 out adding to it a Tittle^ or diminilliing from 
 it, m what They preach'd as of Importance to 
 the Salvation of Men. The Emlajfaclour of a 
 Prince^ is not the Interpreter of His Will; but 
 his Bufmefs is, to declare it, and deliver it 
 faithfully, as it was deliver d to Him : After 
 which Delivery of it, the Perfons to whom it 
 is delivered, are to judge of the Intent and De- 
 fign of the Mejfage^ by the befl Rules, and with 
 
 the 
 
(55 ) 
 
 the beft Helps, They have in their Power. 
 And therefore, 4. It is fo far firom being a Juft 
 Obfervation, that I Heave them this one Choice, 
 ' either to^deny the Authority of the Apoflles 
 
 * to interpret the Laws of Chrift, or ;:o charge 
 
 * Them with fetting up for Themfelves, in op- 
 
 * pofition to their Mafter ;' that it is plain, I 
 do neither My-felf. I do not at all fpeak a- 
 bout Them, as Interpreters : becaiife They ne- 
 ver, as I remember, fpeak of Themfelves un- 
 der that Charader. And then, 5. Whether Em- 
 hajfa^ours, or Interpreters, 1 never could intend 
 any thing againft 77;m, in what I fay about 
 Ahfolute Interpreters ; becaufe I never thiiik of 
 Tiiem, nor have They ever reprefented Them- 
 felves, as having any Ahfolute Authority of their 
 own ; but only as delivering faithfully and ex- 
 adly the Mejfage, relating to the Salvation of 
 Mankind, which they receiv'd from Another : 
 never, as veiled v/ith Authority diftind from the 
 One proper Authority ofChr/ji ; but as entruft-d 
 by Him perfonally, and direded by His In- 
 fallible Spirit, in what They lay upon Man- 
 kind, as of Importance to their Eter?ial Salva- 
 tion. And if this be to charge them with fetting 
 up for Themfelves, in oppofition to their Mafter, 
 it may as well be calld, charging them with 
 fetting up for themfelves, againfi themfelves, 
 6. The plain and only Meaning of the General 
 Sentence, is, that whoever has an Ahfolute Au- 
 thority himfelf, to interpret Laws, without any 
 Interpofition from the original Framer of the 
 Laws, is truly the Law-giver : but not, that 
 
 E 4 ^^'1^^^- 
 
f 56 ; 
 
 whoever is made an Inftrunicnt by the Law' 
 giver Himlclf, by his cxprcls Commiflion, and 
 under His Diredion, cither of promulgating, 
 or explaining any LawSy is truly the Lr^w-giver^ 
 For the Original Law-giver^ is flill, as I fully 
 explain d it in the Sertnon it felf, upon this Sup- 
 pofition, the Sole Law-giver. 
 
 This likewife may ferve to anfwer that Part 
 of a foregoing Olfervatian^ which charges it as 
 a Confequence upon My Dottrine^ that there 
 was not in the Apojlles themfelves Any Authori- 
 ty^ &c. To which I ihall not be at all afraid to 
 anfwer that there was not : if Perfons will but be 
 lb equitable, as to confider it m a proper Light. 
 Theyclaim'd nona^ and They had mne^ but what 
 was, ftrictiy fpeaking, the Authority of Qhrijh 
 Chrift himfclf, promulgating the Terms of Eter- 
 nal Salvation to the World by 77j^;>^,as hj Inflru-. 
 7ncnts and Mejjhigers', and dired:ing Them by His 
 own Spirit, remained the foje Lam-giu'e^y and the 
 Jo/e Ji^Jge of Chrijiiiws ; notwithilanding Aiiy 
 Powers claimed or poflefs'd by His Apojlles. And 
 this, in a proper Senle : becaufe in All Points, 
 which They deliverYi as of NecelTity to Eternal 
 Salvation^ They dcliver'd only a Mejfaqe They 
 had Teceivd from Him, their Lord zwa Mc\fler., 
 We may in a common and popular Way of 
 Difcourfc, fpeak otlierwilc of the .'i'^/><9///^j-: but 
 when we examine this Point carefully, we fliall 
 find it, I am pcrluadedj as it is here ftaped. 
 
 Sect. 
 
r 57 ; 
 
 Sect. XI. 
 The Obfervation relating to the Clergy, exa- 
 
 min 
 
 r. 
 
 A Fter the Ohfervatton relating peculiarly to 
 ^^ theApoftles, the C(?;>?w///^^ have plac'd 0;?e^, 
 that refpefts the Clergy at all Times, and in all 
 Places, m thefe Words. ' Thefc Dodrines na- 
 turally tend tQ breed in the Minds of the Peo- 
 ple a Difregard to Thofe who are appointed 
 to Rule over them. Whether his Lerdjlip 
 had this View, the following Pallages wilji 
 declare. Fiz. Serm, p 25". the Church of Chrijl 
 is the Number of PerfonSy who are fincerely and 
 wtlUngly^ Subjects to Him^ as a Law -giver and 
 Judge^ in all Matters truly relating to Confciencey 
 or Eternal Salvation* And the more Clole and 
 Immediate this Regard to Him isy the more cer- 
 tainly and the more evidently true it isj that the)i 
 are of His Kingdom, And, />. 31. If Chrijl be 
 our Kingy let Us fhevo Our felves Subjetls to Him 
 alone y in the great Affair of Confcience^ and Eter-- 
 nal Salvation : And^ without fear of Man s 
 Judgment, live and a ft as becomes Thofe y who 
 wait for the Appearance of an All-knowing and 
 Impartial Judge ; even that King^ whole King ■ 
 dom is not of this World.' 
 Here are two Faints offered to the World, bv 
 the Committee^ in this Obfervation, The Firjl 
 is that ' the Doctrines before-mention d, natu 
 ^ rally tend to breed, m the Minds of the Pco- 
 \ pie, a Difregard to Th.ofe who are appoint- 
 
 ' cd 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 * ed to R u L E over Them.' The Second iSj 
 That * Thefe Two Pajfages here produced are 
 
 * Atgupients that I had^'that Fiewy or Dejignj 
 
 * in preaching thofe Dotirines* 
 
 With thefe, the Reverend Dr. Sherlock par- 
 ticularly agrees, in his Anfwer to A Letter^ &c. 
 f. 6i. afTerting it, in effed:, to be utterly inconfi- 
 llent, forMe to * exhort Men to pay Any Regard 
 
 * to their Spiritual Teachers and Paftors, after 
 
 * declaring that the M o r e C l o s e a n d I m- 
 
 * MEDIATE their Regard is to Chrift, the 
 
 * more certainly and the more evidently true 
 
 * it is^ that they are of his Kingdom' : Or, * to 
 
 * teach Men to Reverence Thofe who are over 
 
 * them in the Lord ; after having exhorted 
 
 * Them to fliew Themfelves Subjects to Chrift, 
 
 * in the Affair of Salvation, without fear of 
 
 * Man's J u d g*m e n t.' 
 
 I confefs My-felf furpriz'd and aftonifli'd, in 
 a very particular Manner, at this Part of the 
 Reprefentation : and cannot but ftop a few Mo- 
 ments, to lament the Fate of ChriJlianUy; and 
 of the Troteflant Caitfe ; and even of the Clergy 
 Themfelves, when it iliall be infinuated in the 
 World, from the Authority of this very Report^ 
 that their Am is to obtain fuch a R b g a r d to 
 Themfelves, as is inconfiftent with a Clofe 
 and Immediate Regard to Chrifl h'mfelf ; and 
 that They take it^^as an Injury to their Order^ 
 that the Chriftian People are encouraged to 
 fliew Them.felves SuhjeBs of C/;r//?, in the great 
 Affair of Salvation, without fear of Maris Judg- 
 ment. 
 
 I 
 
( $9) 
 
 I confefs, for My-felf, I thought it One of 
 the great Ends of the Inftitution of the Or^/er 
 itfelf, that They might be Inflruments of brings 
 ing Men to a Clofe and Immediate Regard to 
 Chrifl himfelf; to make Men the Difciples . of 
 Chrift^ and not of Themfehes. Baptrfm is a fo- 
 lemn Dedication of Chriftians to the Name and 
 Service of Chrift. And the Defign o? Preaching 
 is, or ought to be, to engage Chriftians to be- 
 have Themfelves, as Subjeds of Chrifl^ and nor 
 of Men^ in the Affair of Salvation. And I ever 
 have, and ever fhall, efteem it the Foundation 
 of that Refpefi and Honour^ due to Thofe who 
 are fet over the Teople, that They teach and 
 preach, not Themfelves, but Chrifl Jefus, Our 
 BlefTed Lord has warn d Us againft calling Any 
 Man Mafler upon Earth. And when Chrifti- 
 ans, in the Corinthian Churchy began to adhere 
 to Men^ very good and very unblameable ; and 
 fome of them to fet up St. Paul Himfelf, as a 
 Leader ; He reproves them zeloufly, and asks 
 them. Into whofe Name they were haptizd^ and 
 who it was that died for Them ? i Cor. i. ii. &c. 
 And indeed the whole Defign of that Pajfage is 
 in EfFed to perfuade them that the more clofe 
 and immediate their Regard to Chrifl i^^ the 
 more evidently certain it is, that They belong 
 to His Kingdom. But to return to this Charge. 
 
 The Do^rinesj upon which this is founded, 
 are not particularly here named ; but only call- 
 ed Thefe Do^rines: that is^ ThQ Do^rines be- 
 fore cited, and cenfur'd. Thefe Dodrines make 
 Chrifl the fole Judge of the Behaviour of Chri^ 
 
 flians. 
 
(6o) 
 
 ftiaiis,as to Affairs relating purely toConfcience, 
 and Eternal Sahation : and deny to All Men, A- 
 ny Authority of Judgment Over the Confciences 
 and Religion of Others. I have before fuffi- 
 ciently vindicated, as well as explain'd, all this. 
 The Charge now is, That in teaching this, 1 
 lead Men to a Difregard to Thofe ivho are ap- 
 pointed to Rule over them. To which I Anfwer, 
 I. The Phrafe to Rule over them^ is taken 
 from the Eyigli(h Tranjlation of the New Telia- 
 ment : and tends to raife a very different Idea 
 in the Mind, from what the Original AVord car- 
 ries along with it. The Sound of the Englijh Word 
 Rulers, would make 0\\q, fuppole that the 
 Word in the Original was Y^jf-^^j-jv-n^x whereas 
 it is 'H>'8/^i^•c/. Thc/^;'w<f/' fignifies Lords ^vA Ru- 
 lers over Slaves^ or Suljetls bound by their Laws. 
 The latter fignifies Guides^ oi Leader Sy whofe 
 jBufmefs it is to point out to the People^ not 
 their own Opinions and Decrees, but the Laws 
 of their Great and Common Mailer. Ruling in 
 this Serife, (if it mull be lb ternf d) as an Un- 
 der-Shephcrd rtjles His Mailer's Sheepy by dired:- 
 ing them to Thole Failures only, which the 
 Majler has appointed for them ; was never de- 
 nied by Me, to belong to Spiritual Teacher^y 
 who arc therefore calfd Fajhrs : nor any Re- 
 gard ^o them, which is implied in thi^. But here 
 the Figure of Speech mull not be carried too far. 
 ChrijFs Sheep arc not to be dcbafed into the 
 State of Animals fo calPd. They are of the 
 lame Species with their Shepherds under Chrifl. 
 They have not only Fyes^ but Underjlandings^ 
 
 of 
 
( 6i ; 
 
 of their own : and the Diredions of the Chief- 
 Shepherd^ the great Shepherd of their Souls, 
 lie open to them in Writing. The Afliftance, 
 and Advice, and Warnings of the Shepherds un- 
 der Chrift, may be of great Ufe to them, in 
 many Cafes. But they are to be ledy and not 
 driven. They arc to be led to the Food prepa- 
 red for them by Chrift : and not dryuen to rank 
 and unwholefome Weeds, inftead of it. They 
 are to be led to their own true Intercft and 
 Happinefs : and not to be driven to Market^ or 
 to Slaughter^ at the Will of their Keepers ,• nor 
 to be Shorn and Fleecd^ whenever the Plcafnre, 
 or Profit of their Shepherds (fo calf d) fhall in- 
 vite or require it. 
 
 In the Senfeiw which I have now explaiifd it. 
 Spiritual Pajlors and Teachers may be faid to 
 Rule over Chriflians : and will obtain a great 
 Reward hereafter, and I am perfuaded, a 
 True Relped: here, if they exercife this Rule 
 well. But in the Other Senfe of the Word 
 Rule, as it founds in our Language, more 
 agreeably to the Word Kv^Mav, or Y^ccttjuzv- 
 ^_/,dJoii'j in the N'ew Tefiament ; this is conftant- 
 flantly denied to Any Men under Chrifl. St. 
 Faul denies it of Himfelf^ 2, Cor, i. X4. under 
 the Word Kt.pfeoopgi'. St. Feter condemns it 
 in All Spiritual Paftors, i Pet. v. 3. Where He 
 defcribes their Office Negatively; Not2isRulerSy 
 in the Senfe of KctfizLyjje/i'jovT^^ ; (the fame Word 
 which is ufed in the Go/pel to exprefs ths Dorr?i- 
 fiion of Rulers over their Subjedls:) and pofitive- 
 /y, (not by the Word Ki.^/e.'cm^, but) hy feedings 
 
 and 
 
( 6^ ) 
 
 and by being Examples to the Flock^ They were 
 to feed. 
 
 I fliall, I hope, find another Opportunity of Ex- 
 amining diilindly Every Text of the New Tefta- 
 ment^ relating in Any Sort to this Suhjetl ; aitid 
 of Hiewing what Refpe(5t and Regard is there 
 declared due, and what not, to the Spiritual 
 Taftors amongft Chriftians at firft; what it i^ 
 founded upon; and what can be concluded 
 from thence, with refped to Paftors^ and Clergy^ 
 all over the Chrijiian Worlds in its prefent Con- 
 dition. I fhall now content My-felf with ad- 
 ding to what I have already faid, this one Oh- 
 fervatton ; that St. Taul does, iw the Name of 
 All the Apojllesy (much more in the Name of 
 All Others of lefler Confideration,) renounce 
 the Word Ruler, as it fignifies Ma ster, 
 or L o R D ; or as it implies m it the Authority 
 which I have been contending againft, x Cor. 
 iv. 5". We preach not Our [elves ^ but Qhrifl Je- 
 fus the Lord^ and Our felves your Servants for 
 Jefus fake. For if it be here confider'd, that 
 the Word §^8A8r, in the latter Part, is oppofed 
 to the Word Ko'^ior, in the former Part of the 
 Verfe ; that J'^ab^ vfj^v is fpoken of the Apo- 
 fllesy in oppofition to fomething d'enied of 
 Them^ and attributed to Another, before; the 
 Meaning of this Verfe will appear, I beUeve, 
 to be this, ' For We, Apojlles, Preach not, or 
 Proclaim not, Our felves. Your Mailers ; but 
 Chrift Jefus, Your Lord or Mafter: [X^/giv'haHv^ 
 not liv K'jpiov^ but Kbpiov, i. e. Kv^ov uiAo^Vy as ^8- 
 Ai^; 'J uci*/ follows:] and Our felves Your Ser- 
 vants 
 
vants for Jefus Sake, m order to . bring You 
 to Him^ as Your Sole Lord and Majler. But, 
 1. Suppofing Any fach Expredions to be 
 ufed, upon tliis Subjed, in the New Tejlamenty 
 as anfwer to the Common Acceptation of the 
 Englifh Word Rule, or Ru l e r s : yet thefe 
 mult be interpreted according to the Tenor of 
 the New Teftament it felf; and not fo, as to con- 
 tradict the Main End, and Defign of the Gofpel. 
 l^pon this Suppofition therefore, it would be a 
 fuflicient Anfwer, that there never were, nor 
 ever can be, in the Nature of the Thing, Any 
 Chriftians appointed to Rtdle over Other Chri- 
 flians, in. any Senfe, i\\ which I have contra- 
 dicted it; fo, as to be Judges Over their 
 Confciences and Religion : and that wdioever 
 claim fuch a Power of Ruling over Others, as 
 I have denied, neither deferve, nor will ob- 
 tain, Refpe^. If Worldly Power comes into 
 Their Hands; as it is feen in the Romijh Church; 
 They may create that Dread, and Horror, which 
 accompanies All Inftruments of Torment and 
 Mifcry. But this is not a Regard, or Refpe^t, 
 refuiring either from the Knowledge, or Confi- 
 deration, of Ones Duty: or Any thing hke 
 what Any o^Thofe can confidently claim, who 
 have difregarded Their own former Rulers 
 in the Romijh Church, fo far as to feparate 
 from Them, upon the very Foundation of be- 
 ing obliged to a Clofe and Imr.-ediate Regard to 
 Chrifl himfelf: and this, withmt fear of Mans 
 Judgment,. 
 
 i- iii^ 
 
( 64 ; 
 
 3- The Ayifivsr therefore, to the Fbfi Fart 
 b£ this Charge is, that tbefe Do^rines are fo 
 far from naturally leading the People to a Dif- 
 regard to Thofe who are appointed to Rule over 
 Them ; or, in other Words, to Their Spiritual 
 T afters or Teachers -^ that They naturally lead to 
 that True, and Only Juft Regard whicli is, 
 or can be, due to Them; a Regard^ fubordi- 
 nate to that Clofe and Immediate Regard which 
 is due to Chrift; conflantiy comparing their 
 Dotlrines with the Declarations of thrift ; and 
 never, under pretenfe of paying Refped: to. 
 Fallille Teachers^ forgetting or throwing off 
 the RefpecS due to their Great and Infalhble 
 Mafler. 
 
 4. But indeed, Ifear, this One Sentence^ in the 
 Report J will be found in Experience, more na- 
 turally to lead the People to a Difregard to Thofe^ 
 for whofc Service it was defign d, than All 
 My Doctrines put together. For to plead for 
 No more Regard^ than what is confiftent with 
 the Regard due to Chrift^ is not only to plead for 
 All that zChriftianC'iw argue for,confi(l:ently with 
 his Relation to Chrifl: but naturally tends to 
 conciliate the Affedions of Men ; and to pro- 
 cure all that Rerrard. which alone is Due, or 
 Uicful ; and leads only to the putting an End 
 to that Regard^ wliich has been feen, in Other 
 Countries, to begin in claiming what is due 
 only to Chrift^ and to end in the Ignorance and 
 Stupidity^ both of Teachers and People ; and in 
 tlic Slavery and Deftndlion of whole Nations. 
 It is a Regard to Otliers, founded upon the 
 
( 65 ; 
 
 Ignominy of Our Nature, and proceeding to its 
 Heighth, upon the Ruiiies of All that is Valu- 
 able in Humane Underftanding, and Humane 
 Life. Tt is contrary to the very Defign of Chri- 
 fttaniiy \ which was to bring Men to Virtue 
 here^, and Happincfs hereafter, by a Qlofe and 
 Immediate Regard to Chrifl, It is diredly op^ 
 pofite to the very Foundation of the Church 
 of England: the Reformation of w^hich was be- 
 gun, and maintain'd, upon the Duty of All Chri- 
 ftians equally, to have a Glofe and Immediate 
 Regard to Chrijt ; and to Jhew Themfelves Suh- 
 jeHs to Him in the Affair of Salvation^ without 
 fear of Mans Judgment \ to ad as Chriflians, 
 without being at i\Il mov'd with the Accufa- 
 tion of Difregarding Thofe who were appointed 
 to Rule over Them ; or with the Terror of 
 Humane Judgments^ Decifions^ Excommunications^ 
 then flying about, with All the Wrath, and Pow- 
 er of Man united. 
 
 5. As a Man therefore, and a Member of Hu- 
 mane Society ; I can plead for No fuch Regard 
 to Any Men^ -as in its Beginning is infamous 
 to All the Faculties We boafl: of ^ and in its 
 End, is deftrudive to whole Communities. As 
 a Chrijlian ; 1 mud ever plead againft All fuch 
 Regard to Them, as is inconfiftent with that 
 C/ofe and Immediate Regard to Chrifi Himfelfy 
 which is due from Every Ckrijlian to their 
 Sole Law-giver, and the Sole Judge Over 
 their Confciences and Religion. And as ^ Pro-^ 
 jtejfant; I think it injurious to the Church of 
 Engj.and in particular, Not to difclaim fuch a 
 
 F ki- 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 Regard to Men^ Spiritual Paflors and Teachers] 
 or Rulers^ or by whatever other Name they are 
 called, as would have efFedually hinder'd the 
 Reformation it felf, and not fufFer d this Church 
 fo much as to have been in being. 
 
 6. Let it be farther confider'd, that No Chri- 
 fiian-, who has a Clofe and Immediate Regard to 
 Chrijlj can poffibly difregard and dilrefped: 
 Thofe^ to whom, it is Chrift's Will, He ftiould 
 pay Regard, and Refped: : And that He^ who 
 fliews Himfelf a Suhje^ to Chrijl in the Affair 
 of Salvation^ is One who behaves Himfelf as 
 a Chriftian ought to do, in All Points of Du- 
 ty. He will always pay Regard to Thofe, to 
 whom Regard is due; and in the degree, in 
 which it is due. But that it fhould be ex- 
 peded of a Man, who lives and ad:s as a 
 True Chrijfiany and who therefore, cannot but 
 be acceptable to His Great Majier; that He 
 fliould be afraid of Mans Judgment : Methinks, 
 this is to teach Men not to be content with the 
 Greateft of All Comforts, and of All Supports, 
 the Afliirance of the Love and Favour of the 
 Supreme Governour and Judge of the World. 
 He, whofe Regard to Chriji is Clofe and Imme- 
 diate, will always be ready to hear and receive 
 the Infiru^ions and Do^rines of Thofe, who are 
 appointed Teachers in Puhlick. But He will not 
 fo receive them, as if He were bound by their 
 Authority^ and tied to their Decifions^ The 
 greateft Refpecl He ought to pay to Them, 
 and therefore the Only True Regard due to 
 Them, is to compare them with the Do^rine of 
 
 Chrifli 
 
( ^1 ) 
 
 tlhrifi'^ and either to receive or reje<5t them, 
 as they are agreeable or difagreeable to That* 
 Without this Comparifon of Mens Dodrines with 
 the Divine Rule-, He may be of fiich or fiich a 
 particular Denomination-^ or Church : but He is 
 not, in that Negledi, truly, nor uniformly, a 
 Qhriflian \ becaufe He forgets his Clofe Relati- 
 on to His Only Lord and Mafter. Againft 
 this Regard to Spiritual Taflors and Teachers^ I 
 have neither faid, nor thought, any thing. 
 
 To conclude this Point, Let the Learyicd Com^ 
 mittee Ihew the ChriJiianVcoplc; and lee Them 
 proclaim k openly to them, that their Regard 
 ought not to h^Clofe and ImmediatetoChrifi^ but 
 to Weak and Fallible Men ; that the Clofe and 
 Immediate Regard is due to the Clergy^ and 
 through Them^ and by Thdr Mediation, to 
 Chriji ; that it is of little Importance to have 
 recourfe to the Dotirincs of Chriji^ as He him- 
 felf taught them ; (which is paying a Clofe and 
 Immediate Regard to Him ,•} but that They muft 
 judgs Thofc to be Doctrines^ and Decifions of 
 Chrijly which are deliverVi to Them by their 
 Pallors, as fuch : that One who fliews Himfeif 
 truly a Subject of Chrift i\\ the Affair of Salva- 
 tion, ought not to be fatisfled in referring 
 His foture Condition to the Judgment of hi5 
 Great Mafter ; but to be afraid of the Terrors 
 of Men^ if They think fit to judge and excom- 
 municate Him, fo as to pretend to afFed: His 
 Eternal Interefl, Let them, I fay, proclaim 
 thefe Things openly : and then it will appear 
 that there is indeed a Great and Irreconcileable 
 
 F i Dific- 
 
(6%) 
 
 Difference between Us. But it will at the fame 
 Time appear, which is mod for the lionour of 
 the Chr/jHan Religion^ and the Reformatioh ; to 
 make Religiori^ in effecft, whatfoever the differ- 
 ing, and oppofite Teachers and Pajlors in the 
 feveral Chriflian Countries, will pleafc to make 
 it ; and to fubjed Ckriftians equally, m All 
 Countries^ to the Judgment and Sentences of their 
 Leaders : or to refer Them to Chr/ft immediate- 
 ly, upon all Occafions, for the Religion of 
 Chrifi; and to z^zch P rot eft ants ^ 2inA Others^ in 
 All Countries equally, not to be terrified with 
 the Judgment of Alen^ who pretend to have in 
 their Hands, the Difpofal of God's Mercies, 
 and the Diipcilfation of His Anger. 
 
 Upon the Whole, I hope, it is evident that 
 My Doctrines do not ' naturally tend to breed 
 
 * in the Minds of the People any Other Di{- 
 
 * regard to Thofe appointed to rule over 
 
 * them/ but that which All Chriftians ought 
 to have; that vvdiich neceffarily rcfults from 
 the Regard {Iriclly Due to Chrift Himlelf : and 
 that the Sentences produced to fliew My FieiVj 
 ihcw Nothing, but what All Chriftians ought to 
 own; and what, I hope, I fliall never be aliiam'd 
 to profefs. I repeat it therefore, here again, 
 and openly declare it as My Opinion, tliat He, 
 who would prove Himfclf to be a Chriftrian, be- 
 caufe PJe regards Chrift^ by regarding Any 
 Men, who are at beft Fallible, and who perhaps 
 take the Do^^lrines of CJjrift from the Decifions 
 of the Coiwcil of Trent^ or fomc other Humane 
 Authority \ dotli not fliev/ it fo evidently^ as He 
 
 who 
 
( 69) 
 
 who would prove it from his Regarding imme- 
 diately Chr/ft Himfelf in the Gofpel^ and compa- 
 ring every thing with His Mafter's own Words: 
 And again, that He who ads as a Subjedt of 
 Chrift, in the Affair of Salvation, may content 
 Himfelf with the Favour and Judgment of Chrift ; 
 and may juftly refer his Final Condition to the 
 Sentence of Chrift alone, without the fear of Any 
 Sentence pronounc'd againft Him, upon Earth ; 
 either by the Pope^ and All His Adherents ; or 
 by Any other equally Fallible, and Frail Men. 
 
 Sect. XII. 
 Relating to My Notion of the Church of Chrift. 
 
 T~^ H E Report goes on thus, p. 6. * To thefe 
 
 -*- * Dodrines His Lordfliip's Dclcription of 
 
 ^ A Church doth well agree. He alTerts, />. 17. 
 
 * that it is the Number of Men^ whether Small or 
 
 * Greats whether Difperfed or United^ who truly 
 ' and fincerely are Suhjetls to Jefus Chrifl alone ^ as 
 ' their Lawgiver and Judge^ in Matters relating 
 *" to the Favour of God^ and their Eternal Salvation. 
 ' And p, 14. The Grojfefl Miftakes in Judgment^ 
 
 * ahout the Nature of Chrifl s Kingdom^ or Church j 
 ' have arifen from hence^ that Men have argued 
 
 * from other Vi file Societies^ and other V if hie King- 
 
 * doms of this Worlds to what ought to be VifMe^ 
 
 * and Senfihle in His Kingdom. And p. 25. We 
 
 * mufl not frame our Ideas from the Kingdom.s of this 
 
 * World, of what ou(iht to be^ in a Vifible and Sen- 
 ^ fihle Manner^ in His Kingdom. ' 
 
 F 3 Jc 
 
( 70 ) 
 
 It is no Crime, I prefume, nor Unhappinefs, 
 that My Notions in One part of My Sermony 
 agree with My Notions in Another. But I wonder 
 to hear this calld My Defcription of ^ Church : 
 whereas I pretend, in thofe Words, to d^:! dbe 
 No Otiier, but The Universal Invifihle Church. 
 It is a Defcription, not of A Churchy in our 
 Modern Way of fpeaking ; but of T h e Church; 
 the Invijihle Church of Chriji : as is plain from 
 putting into the Defcription, that Sincerity^ of 
 which No Men can infaUibiy judge ; and the 
 Word Jlfpers^) v. hicii cannot agree to a F/Ji- 
 hie particular Church or Affemhly. But if m 
 this Defcription^ or the other Tajfages here ci- 
 ted, Ihave unjuflly laid down Any Thing, to the 
 Injury or Prejudice of Any F articular Vifihle 
 Church ; I acknowledge, it is my Part to an- 
 fwer for it. To which Purpofe, I fliall proceed 
 to confider the Ohfervations of the Committee^ 
 upon this Head. They go on thus. 
 
 ' Againft fuch Arguings from vifible Societies, 
 
 * and Earthly Kingdoms, His Lordlhip faith, 
 
 * Our Saviour has pojttively ivarnd Us, p, z$. 
 
 * And yet, (they add^ The Scripture-Repre- 
 
 * fentations of the Church do plainly exprefs 
 
 * its Refemblance to Other Societies, in many 
 
 * refpedls.' I do fay fo, I confefs ; andlmufh 
 ever fay fo; that againft 5/^c^ Arguings^ as I had 
 in the fame Paragraph been defcribing ; not a- 
 gainft All Arguings, but againft All fuch Arguings ^ 
 Chrift has pofitively warn'd Us. It runs thus : 
 nor that ' Men have argued from Other Vifille So- 
 
 * cietiesy or Fifihle Kingdoms of this World, to what 
 
( 71 ) 
 
 * ought to he ; lut to what ought to ^^Visible and 
 
 * Sensible in His Kingdom; And, as it fol- 
 lows in the fame Sentence, ' Conflantly leaving 
 
 * out of their Notion, that Chrift is King in his 
 
 * own Kingdom, ^cl The arguing here fpoken 
 of, is the contending for Vifihle Kings, Vifihk 
 Judges, iw the Same Points, as it is exprefs'd 
 there, m which Chrift is King and Judge ; be- 
 caufe there are Vifihle Law-givers, and Vifihk 
 Judges, in Earthly Kingdoms : and in effect, con- 
 tending, as it there follows, that His Kingdom 
 muft be like Other Kingdoms. Then I add. 
 Whereas, He has pofitively warnd them againjt 
 
 Any Such A r g u i n g s I do not ftop 
 
 here : but go on to fhew, how He has warn d 
 Them againft Such Arguings, viz. hy afifuring 
 them, that this Kingdom is His Kingdom ; and 
 that it is not of this World: and therefore, that 
 No One of His Suhje^s is Law-giver and Jiid(ie 
 Over Others of them, in Matters relating ^to 
 Salvation, hut He alone ; and that We mufl not 
 frame our Ideas from the Kingdoms of this Worlds 
 of what Ought to be, in a Visible 
 and Sensible Manner, in His Kingdom, 
 
 One would have expecSted that They w^ho 
 feem to be uneafy and difpleas'd at this, fliould 
 have fliewn the World exprefly, that Such 
 Arguings are juft and good in Chriftians ; 
 or that Chrift has never warn d Us againft 
 them, but taught Us to frame Our Ideas, from 
 the Kingdoms of this World, of what Ought 
 TO be, in a V I s i b l e and Sensible Man- 
 ner, in His Kingdom. But They do not at- 
 
 E 4 tempt 
 
(70 
 
 tempt this; but chufe to content Themfelves 
 with this Obfervation : 'And yet the Scripture- 
 
 * Reprefcntations of the Church do plainly ex- 
 
 * prels its Resemblance to other Socie- 
 ' ties, in Many refpeds/ And yet^ fignifies, 
 pn the contrary, in Oppofition to what I have 
 faid : whereas, I have never faid, or fo much 
 as thought, that the Scripture-Reprefentations of 
 the Church do riot plainly exprefs its Resem- 
 blance to Other Societies^ in Many Points. 
 This very PvCprefentation of it, under the No- 
 tion of a Kingdom^ certainly exprelfcs its Refem- 
 llance^ in Many Toints^ to Other Societies. It has 
 a King^ and a Judge^ Over Subjc(!is. But it 
 is Chrift's Kingdom, and of a Spiritual Nature. 
 And therefore, tho' a Kingdom bear Refemblance 
 to a Kingdom ; yet the Kingdom of Chrijf^ Vidio 
 is invifible, bemg a Kingdom of a Spiritual 
 Nature : it cannot be argued, from what is Fi- 
 ji Ide in other Kingdoms, that the fame muft be 
 ^Fifihle^ and Senfihle^ in His Kingdom. This is 
 what I have a'ffirm'd, that We muft not argue 
 from Other Kingdoms, to what Ought to 
 B E, in a V I s I b L e and Sensible Manner, 
 ;n His Kingdom. But is ic not a Wonder to fee 
 OhjetliGiis, made, not againft this, (which can- 
 not be contcfted by Yroieftayits^ but againft 
 Something elfe, no where to be found m My 
 Sermon ; and never cntertain'd in my Breaft : and 
 Arguments urged, as if it were the fame thing, to 
 fay, thac We miift beware of Any Sue h 
 Arguings, as, being drawn from what is Vifihle 
 and Senfthle in t!ie Kingdoms of tl]e World, 
 
 ' ' .ftib- 
 
( n) 
 
 fubfticute in the Place of Chrift, V i s i b i f and 
 Sensible Law-givers and Judges, in i\\Q:fame 
 Points^ &c. As if, I fay, this were the iame 
 thing, as to maintain that ' the Scrifture-Re- 
 ^ frefentations oi the Church do not plainly ex- 
 
 * prefs its Refemblance to Other Societies, in 
 
 * Many Points! No. I affirm, with the Learned 
 
 * Committee^ that ' the Scripture-Reprefentations 
 
 * of the Church do plainly expreis its R e s e m- 
 
 * B L A N c E to Other Societies, iw M any 
 
 * Points :' and yet, very confifhently, declare 
 that the Refemblance^ even in fome of thofe 
 Many Points thcmfelves, does not at all hold, 
 as to \yhat Ought to be, in a Visible 
 and Sensible Manner, in the Church. And 
 if They think fit to go on upon this Part of 
 the Subjeft, I mud entreat of Them to ar- 
 gue againft what I do fay ; and not againfl Vv hat 
 I do not fay. 
 
 Sect.- XIIL 
 
 Of the Scripturc-Reprefentations of the 
 
 Church. 
 
 T^ HE Scripture Reprefentations of the Churchy 
 -*- here refer'd to, are not particularly nam'd 
 by the Committee^ But it is very Vvcll known, 
 fhat the Principal Reprefentations of chc Church 
 of Chrifi^ in the l^ew Teftament^ are Thofe under 
 the Figure o^zBoJy audits Members ', of a Build- 
 ing ; of a Family ; and of an Army. 
 
 If it be figured under the Image of a Body ; 
 Chriji. IS the Head. And, as the Head gives Life 
 
 to 
 
(7+; 
 
 to the Body ; as All Operations are jfirfl: directed, 
 and afterwards judged of, by the Head; this /mage 
 flrongly aflerts the Right of Legiflation and Judg- 
 ment, in the Points I have often mention'd, folely 
 to Chnftj who is the Head; and not to the H/gh- 
 efi Officer in His Church : who is not the HeaJ; 
 and therefore, cannot aflume to Himfelf thofe 
 Rights, without the Prefuniption of fetting 
 Himfelf in the Place of the HeaJ. 
 
 Under the Image of a Buildings Chrift is the 
 Foundation-Jlone^ properly fpeaking; and the 
 -4^^7?/^yThemfelves no otherwife, than as Preach- 
 ers of the Dodlrine receiv'd from Him. It is 
 literally and properly His Dotlrine^ which is the 
 foundation^ and Support of the Building. And 
 this Image ftill fuppofes every Part of it, to re- 
 ly upon Nothing, but i/ij- Dotirine^ioT Support: 
 So that when this is once entirely removed, 
 the Building falls ,• and when it is once mixt 
 and corrupted, the Building is continually in 
 Danger, proportionably to that Mixture and 
 Corruption. 
 
 Take it under the Image of a Family : and 
 Chrift is the Majler, He has laid down long 
 ago the Terms upon which alone All his Ser- 
 vants lliall be acceptable to Him ; and not 
 made Any One Servant, Mafter in his ftead ; or 
 ordain d Any One, properly to fupply His Place, 
 in ruling over Others. In His Abfence, He 
 has left His Will behind Him, for theUfe of Ally 
 m their feveral Stations. This Whole Family 
 confifts of All-, who are fincerely His Servants^ 
 every where throughout the World. And tho' 
 
 in 
 
(75 ) 
 
 in particular Vifible Parts of this Family^ which 
 are united together in particular Places, it is 
 His Will that there fliould be Order and Decency ; 
 yet He wills neither Order^ nor Decency^ fo as 
 to break in upon the Right, All His Servants 
 have, of confulting their ovvn Confciences ,• and 
 comparing All Things with their Mafter's Will : 
 without which They could not indeed be His 
 Servants. 
 
 Laflly^ If it be figured under the Image of an 
 Armyy Chr/Ji is the Chief General. And it rnufl 
 be remember'd, that the Chief-General is Abfenc 
 and Invifible: and inftead of leaving Powers 
 with Any Officers under Him, in fuch Senfe, as 
 that His Soldiers fliall be obliged to obey Them; 
 He has left Orders in Writing, to be confider'd 
 and confulted by Every Soldier in His Army ; 
 to which They are to have Recourfe, and by 
 which Their Condud is to be governed. Other- 
 wife, His Officers^ in the feveral Parts of the 
 Chriftian Worlds have a Right to command His 
 Soldiers one Way ; and in other Parts, the di- 
 rect contrary: to command Them, with as much 
 Authority, to deilroy All that They will call 
 Hereticks and Sckifmaticks^ as to deftroy Their 
 Own Sins ; to ^g\\t for the Glories, and Riches, 
 and Pomp of the World, as to fight againjl 
 Them. Whereas Chrifrians, reprefented as Sol- 
 diers^ are, in the Words of Our Churchy to fight 
 under ChriJFs Banner ; and not that of Any 0- 
 thers : and their Enemies are Enemies to 
 their fpiritual Happinefs. They are ro fght 
 manfully againjl Sin^ the Worlds and the Devil. 
 
 Chrift 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 Chrift is their Leader, or the Captain of their 
 Salvation. Their Armour is defcribed to be All 
 Inward, or Spiritual. Their Shield is Faith in. 
 Him ; Their Sword is His Word ; and All their 
 Weapons^ not Carnal^ or Worldly, but Spiritual 
 They are to take in All Affiftance from the Ad- 
 vice of Others, But They are obliged in Con- 
 fcience not to follow Any Vifihle Leader., tho* 
 He promifes them Vidory, and Triumphs, 
 and Spoils ; without regarding and comparing 
 All His Pretenfions, with the Words, and De- 
 clarations, left Them for that Purpofe, by their 
 Chief General If They do not ftridly confine 
 Themfelves to Thefe., They will often miftake 
 Their Enemies, Their Weapons^ and Their man- 
 ner of War ; io as to be rather the Soldiers of 
 Chrid's Greateft Adverfary, than of Chrift him- 
 felf. 
 
 Thus we fee, the Scripture-Reprefentations of 
 the Churchy do indeed exprejs its Refemllance to 
 Other Societies in Many Points: which I am fo 
 far from denying, that I contend for it. But 
 All of them do likewife evidently prove, what I 
 argued from the Image of the Kingdom of Chrift 
 not of this World, that we muft not frame Our 
 Ideas, from thefe Other Societies., or from Any of 
 Thefe Reprefentations, of what Ought to 
 5 F, in a AN s I b l h and S t k s i b t e Man- 
 ner, in this Society or Church of Chrift. 
 
 Sect, 
 
(77) 
 
 Sect. XIV. 
 The OKiedion taken from the XlXth x\rticlc 
 of the C\\md\ ^/England, confider'd, 
 
 FROM the Serif ture-Reprefentathns of the 
 Church of Chrijl^ which I muft acknow- 
 ledge are touched very tenderly, The Commit- 
 tee pafles to the Church of England: a Churchy 
 which ever acknowledged it fetf, as well as All 
 other Churches, falliUe. ' We prcfume, (fay 
 
 * They) his Lordihip could not be ignorant of 
 
 * the XlXth Article of Our Church, Intituled, 
 \0f the Church: viz. The Vifible Church of 
 
 * Chrifl is a Congregation of Faithful Men, in 
 
 * the which the pure Word of God is preached, 
 ' and the Sacraments be duly adminiflred, ac- 
 
 * cording to Chrift's Ordinance, in all Things, 
 
 * that of Neceffity are required to the fame.* 
 The Obfervation They add, is very farprizing- 
 
 * Tho', fay They, in Difparagement of This Ar- 
 
 * tide, by himfelf folemnly and often acknow- 
 
 * legd. He afferts, />. lo. That the Notion of the 
 
 * Church hath heen fo diverfified hy the various 
 
 * Alterations it hath undergone, that it is almofl 
 
 * impoffille fo much as to numher up the many In- 
 
 * confiflcnt Images, that have come, hy daily Addi- 
 *' t4ons, to he united together in it? That I may 
 be miftaken in what I have aflerted in this Paf- 
 fage, is podible. But that I have aflerrcd this, 
 
 * in Difparagement of this Article of our 
 
 * Church,* is a Figure of Speech, which may 
 tend to create Rancour againfi: Me, \w the Un- 
 
 rhniKinp; 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 thinking Part of the World ; but can never beget 
 Perfuafion in Any confidering Perfons. I laid 
 down a Defcription of the Univerfal Invifihle 
 Churchy or Kingdom of Chrift. The main Que- 
 ftion is, whether this Deicription be True, and 
 juft. But of thh^ They have not faid One 
 Word : but rather chofen to go off to 'M\ Article 
 of the Church of England^ which defines,, not the 
 Univerfal Invifihle Churchy but k particular viji- 
 hie Church. Since therefore, They give Me no 
 Opportunity of Debating whether the Defcrip- 
 tion I gave, be True^ or not ; the next Point is, 
 whether there be Any Thing, in My Defcription 
 of the Invifihle Univerfal Church or V/hole King- 
 dom of Chriji^ which either in exprefs Words, or 
 by Any Sort of Latent Confequence^ can be pro- 
 ved to contradid: this Article, 
 
 The Article afferts, that ' The Vifible Church 
 of Chrift is a Congregation of Faithful Men, in 
 which the pure Word of God is preached, and 
 the Sacraments be duly adminiftred, according 
 to Chrift's Ordinance, ii\ all Things that of ne- 
 ceiTity are requifite to the fame. ' What / af- 
 fert is, that ^Tke Church of Chrift (not A 
 Church, which would make the Defcription 
 entirely without Senfe,) * is the ISfumber of 
 
 * Men, whether Small or Great, whether Dif- 
 
 * perfed or United, who truly and fincerely are 
 
 * Subjects to Jefus Chrift alone, as their Law- 
 
 * giver and judge, in Matters relating to the 
 
 * Favour of God, and their Eternal Salvation/ 
 The Article^ therefore, fpeaks of the Vifihle 
 Church ; and /of the Invifihle One. The Arti- 
 
 tie 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 cle fpeaks of a Congregation adually met toge- 
 ther ,• and /, of a Number of Men, whethec 
 Difperfed or United. The Article declares 
 what it is that makes Every fuch Congregation^ 
 the Vifille Church of Chrift ; and / defcribe 
 what it is that makes every particular Man a 
 Member of Chrifis Invifible Univerfal Church. 
 Th^ Article defcribes i\\o^q^ Outward Atls^ which 
 are neceflary to make a Vifible Church ,• and / 
 defcribe that Inward Sincerity^ and Regard to 
 Chrift himfelf, which make Men Members of 
 the Invifible Church of Chrifi. And where is 
 the Contradiflion^ contain d in All this ? Or, can 
 it be fuppofed by this Learned Body^ that a 
 Man's being of the Invifible Church of Chrifiy 
 is inconfiftent with his joining Himfelf with 
 any Viftble Church of Chrifi: > That a Man, who 
 fmcerely is fubjed: to Jefius Chrift alone, in the 
 Great Affair of Salvation^ will not follow 'jefus 
 Chrift's Diredion, and join in the Worfliip of 
 God with Other Men; or will not be induced to 
 follow All His Mafters Injunctions ? If there- 
 fore, The Main and Principal Foundation of 
 what I have taught; the Defcription which I 
 have given of the Church ; do not, either in 
 Words, or in Confequence, contradid: the Ar- 
 ticle of Our Church here mention'd ,• it is impof- 
 fible to fuppofe that I could intend any of My 
 Obfervations upon this Subjed:, by way of Dip 
 paragement to An Article^ with which My De- 
 fcription of the Univerfal Church is perfedly 
 confiftent. 
 
 And 
 
( 8o ) 
 
 And indeed, what I faid about ' IncGnfifleftt 
 
 * Images, by daily Additions, united in the 
 
 * Notion of the Church of Chrift/ was fo 
 far from being faid, in Difparagement of This 
 Article ; that I profefs I never once thought of 
 tbis Article, as giving Me the leaft Occafion of 
 faying it : but had in. My Mind thofe Morlern 
 Jrfiages^ which have been added long fmce this 
 Article was penn d ; thofe Modern ISfotions, which 
 give fuch Account of Particular Churches, as to 
 exclude from the Favour of God, and from the 
 Church of Chrijl, Many who will, I doubt not, 
 come from the Eaft, and from the Weft, and Jit 
 down in the Kingdom of God', thofe Modern No- 
 tionsy which, even in defcribing a ? articular Vi- 
 fihlc Church, grofly and apparently contradicSt, 
 not only My Defcription of the Invifihk One ; 
 but this very Article here alledged againft Me. 
 
 Sect. XV. 
 
 Other Obfervations relating to the Notion of the 
 ChurcJi, conftderd. 
 
 THE Committee proceeds thus, p. 7. 'We 
 ' wilh that, in his Lord (hip's Account, No 
 
 * Images, necelTary to form a Tuft and True 
 
 * Notion of The Church, had been left our. 
 ' Re omits even to mention the Preaching the 
 ' Word, or Adminiftring the Sacraments,' They 
 might have added, He omits likewifc the very 
 Public ProfciTion of Chriflianity. And is not 
 the Reafon plain ? Becaufc I was not fpeakitig 
 
r 8i ; 
 
 o? diFiJihle Church I to which alone, as fuch,Vi- 
 fible Outward Signs, or Verbal Profeffions, be- 
 long: but of the Univerfal, Invifible Church, 
 made up of fuch as fmcerely beheve in Chrifl; 
 and by confequence, will be led by their Regard 
 to Him, both to the Profefion of that Faithy 
 and to the Outward Ufe of Ail the Means 
 which He has appointed. To make fuch Ob- 
 jeciions as thefe, is to make Ohjeulions that have 
 no Weight in them, unlefs They who make 
 them fiippofe that, by taking Chrifl for their 
 Law-giver and King, Men will not be led 
 by Him, and His own Diredlions to the Two 
 Sacraments ; and to the Ufe of His own Ap- 
 pointments : a Suppofition, which I fliall take 
 care never to be guilty of. 
 
 The Next Reflexion is this, ' We could wifli 
 
 * alfo, that His Lordfhip, whilfl: He was v/riting 
 
 * on the Subjed: of the Power of the Church, 
 
 * had remembered. his Solerrin Profeffion, made 
 
 * at his Confecration, iw which He promis'd, 
 *" by the Help of God, to Correct and Fun'tjh^ 
 
 * according to fuch Authority as He hath by 
 
 * God's Word, and as fliould be committed to 
 
 * Him by the Ordinance of this Realm, fuch 
 
 * as be Unquiet, Difobedient, and CriminouSj 
 
 * in His Diocefe. ' 
 
 I defire ever to remember All the Solerrin Pro- 
 feffions, I made at My Confecration: and if I 
 fhould have been lb unhappy as to forget them, 
 I would have own d My Obligation to the Com- 
 fnittee^ ^for putting Me in niiild of them. And 
 the rather, beeaufe I am very certain, the Solemn 
 
 G Pr0- 
 
( so 
 
 Profejfions I then made, are fo far from being 
 Reproaches to Me; that They are great and 
 ftrong Arguments to All of Us, to preach the 
 fame Doctrines^ for which I have been thus cen- 
 fur'd. In this particular Solemn Trofejfion here 
 mcntion'd, I promis d, by the Help of God, to 
 Correal and Tunifh^ &c. But, I befeech thefe 
 Worthy Ferfons^ Did I promife to Correct and Pu- 
 nijh^ or to pretend to Correct and Punijh^ in that 
 Senfe, in which I have affirmed it to be the 
 Right of Chrijl alone ? Did I promife to do it, 
 by Any Authority which Chrift has given MeO- 
 V ER the Confciences and Religion of His People ? 
 Did I promife to pafs Authoritative Judgments 
 upon them, in Points relating to the Favour or 
 Difpleafure o? Almighty God^ as a Judge to deter- 
 mine t\\cir Condition in his Eyes ? If not ; how can 
 this be alledged as any thing inconfiftent with 
 My Do(3:rine ? If I have faid nothing againft 
 Correcling and Punijhing fuch as he Unquiet^ Dif- 
 ohedientj and Criminous-, in that Senfe in which 
 I then promifed it ; viz, according to fuch Au- 
 thority as I have hy GQDs Word-, as well as 
 what may he committed to Me hy the Ordinance 
 of this Realm : If I have not faid a Word a- 
 gainft Corre^ing and Punifhing^ in this Senfe; 
 then this is no more againft the DodJrinc of 
 My Sermon^ than it is againft the Do^rine of 
 All thofe Bifhops-, who were the firft m the Re- 
 formation of this Churchy and the moft zelous 
 Advocates for the Religious Liherty of Chrijl/- 
 ansy againft the Ufurpations and Pretenfions of 
 the Church of Rome. I did folemnly promife at 
 
 My 
 
My Confecration : and I do now promife again, 
 according to Such Authority as I have hy GO D's 
 Wordy to do All ill My Power towards Corre^- 
 ing and Funifhing^ in a proper Manner, fuch as 
 are here defcribed: and fliall give no farther 
 Trouble upon this Particular, but only to ob- 
 ferve, that it mud needs be very hard to find 
 Ohjehionsy when fuch as Thefe are fought after, 
 and embraced. 
 
 Sect. XVI. 
 
 Some Obfervations, relating to the Church of 
 England, recommended to the Committee. 
 
 BUT fmce this Learned Body have put Me in 
 mind, both o^ Articles oiOur Church ; and of 
 My own Solemn Profejions at My Confecration : 
 I will beg leave to mention fome other Articles 
 of the Churchy to w^hich They hkewife have 
 fubfcribed ; and Another Solemn Frofefiony which 
 both They and / made publickly at our being 
 ordain'd Priejls; and which / repeated, with 
 the greateft Sincerity, when I was confecrated 
 Eifhop ; and which, I hope in God, I fliall never 
 forget. 
 
 The Sixth Article of Our Church is this. 
 
 * Holy Scripture containeth All Things necefTa- 
 ' ry to Salvation : fo that whatfover is not read 
 
 * therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not 
 ' to be required of Any Man, that it fliould be 
 ' believed as an Article of Faith, or be thought 
 
 * requifire, or neceflary to Salvation/ 
 
 ^ ^ G X This 
 
(H ) 
 
 This without doubt is fo to be underftood, 
 that the Perfons to whom Articles of Faith are 
 propofed, are Thenifelves the Judges^ whether 
 Thofe Articles are read in Holy Scripture^ or 
 can he proved thereby : * becaufe, if They who 
 impofe thefe Articles are llippofed here to be 
 the proper Judges for Others^ as well as for 
 Themfehes ; it would much better and more 
 clearly have been exprefsM, That whatfoever 
 Ecclefiajlical Governours think They read in Ho- 
 ly Scripture^ or whatfoever They judge, may he 
 proved thereby^ may juftly be required of necel- 
 fity to be believed by Inferiors under them. 
 And for another Reafon likewife : that, if Infe- 
 riors themfelves were not defign'd, iw this Arti- 
 cle^ to be ailow'd to be Judges of what is at any 
 time required of them; the Perfons who drew 
 it up could not poffibly think that their own 
 Reformation from the Fopijh Religion was jufiifi- 
 able before God. For, if the Impofers and Su- 
 periors are the proper Judges, m Any Church, 
 to determine ^ox. Others^ Articles o^v Faith \ They 
 were fo likewife in the Ror/iijh Church ; and ought 
 to have remain'd unmolefted in the Poflefiion of 
 that Noble Privilege. 
 
 The Twentieth Article relates to the Authori- 
 ty of the Church : the higheft Expreifion of 
 which, I beg, may be interpreted confiflendy 
 with the ftated and conftant Profeffions of the 
 Reformers ; fo, as not to deftroy the Reformati- 
 on ; nor the main Defign of Thofe who drew iz 
 up. And let it at the fame time be remembred, 
 that the Church having been before defin'd to 
 
 be 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 be * a Congregation of Faithful Men, (that is, 
 Believers) ' in which the pure Word of God is 
 * preach d, &c, and this Definition approved by 
 the Committee ,• whatever is affirmed of the 
 Churchy or the Authority of the Churchy muft be 
 fuppos'd to be affirmM, not of any particular 
 Perfons, but of the whole Congregation, which 
 is declar d to be the Church : unleis We fuppofe 
 ih^ Compilers to have once defin'd the Church; 
 and after that, never to have ufed the Word m 
 that Senfe, in which they had before explain'd 
 it, in that Definition. But We need not call ia 
 thefe, tho the moll: reafonable, and moft equi- 
 table Oblervarions. For the fame Article guards 
 againlt All Ahufe of the Word Authority : and 
 no One can deny the Duty of interpreting the 
 fame Article^ fo as not to make it inconfiflent 
 with it fclf. The Authority of the Church being 
 firft juft mention'd ; for fear of any Miftake, iz 
 follows thus, exactly agreeably to My Do^rines. 
 
 * And yet it is not lawful for the Church, to or- 
 
 * dain Any thing that is contrary to God's 
 
 * Word written: neither may It [not Shf] 
 
 * fo expound one Place of Scripture, that it be 
 ' repugnant to Another. Wherefore altho' the 
 
 * Church be a Witnefs and Keeper of Ho- 
 
 * ly Writ, yet, as It ought not to decree any 
 
 * thing againfl the fame, fo, hefides the fame, 
 
 * ought It not to inforce any thing to be be- 
 
 * liev'd for necgfiity of Salvation/ Here again 
 I obferve that, according to Thofe, who drew 
 up this Article againft the Pretenfions of the 
 Church of Rome^ it is not the Privilege of Some 
 
 G 3 Tar- 
 
f 86; 
 
 Particular Ferfons^ to judge what Others fliall 
 believe as Articles of Faith ; but the Perfons 
 themfelvcs, to whom thofe Articles are propo- 
 fed, are rcquir'd and encouraged to examine, and 
 to determine according to God's Word. Other- 
 wife, This was not an Article againjt the Church 
 oi Rome : hut for it. 
 
 One more Particular I fhall mention. In the 
 Forra of Ordaining Priefls ; and that of Confecra- 
 ting Bifiops^ this Quejlion is ask'd. ' Are you 
 ^ perfuaded that the Holy Scriptures contain 
 
 * lufficiently All Dod:rine required of Neceffi- 
 
 * ty to Eternal Salvation, thro' Faith in Jefus 
 
 * Chrift > And are you determin d, out of the 
 
 * fame Holy Scriptures, to inftrud: the People 
 ' committed to your Charge ; and to teach or 
 
 * maintain Nothings as required of Neceflity to 
 
 * Eternal Salvation, but that which You ihall 
 
 * be Ferfuaded m.ay be concluded and proved 
 
 * by the fame ?' The folemn Anfwer to which, 
 is this. * I am fo perfuaded and determined by 
 ' God's Grace. ' 
 
 Whether /, in the Do5lrines which I have 
 thought it My Duty to preach ; or They^ in 
 their Cenfure of Them, and confequently ia 
 their maintaining the Dodlrines contrary to 
 them ; have aded the more agreeably to the 
 Main Articles and Main Declarations of Our 
 Church itfelf ; or to the Foundations of the 
 Whole Reformation : I muft no^ leave to the 
 World tQ judge. 
 
 Sect, 
 
Sect. XVII. 
 
 The Siimm of the Charge againjl the Sermonj 
 and the Ani\vt^-^tf it* 
 
 AS a Summary of the Charge which the Com- 
 
 •^ ^ mittee hath exprefly laid againft the Sermon^ 
 
 Juft as They are paiTmg to confider the Prefer- 
 
 vativey They alledge that the ^Tendency of the 
 
 * Sermon is to throw all Ecclefiaftical Authori- 
 ' ty out of the Church ;' and again, in other 
 Words, that ' in the Sermon All Rulers and 
 
 * Judges in the Vifible Church are laid afide.' 
 As a Summary of My Anfwer^ I beg Leave to 
 add this Reply, in the Words of Dr. Sherlock^ 
 in his Anfxoer to a Letter^ p. 54. which I Ihould 
 have thought purpofely defignd for My life, if I 
 had not the ftrongeft Proofs of the contrary. 'Can 
 ' there be No Government, where there is No 
 
 * Abfolute Authority > Can there be No Difci- 
 
 * pline, without Unlimited Unconditional Sub- 
 
 * miflion to the Dilates of mere Authority ? 
 If there cannot, I acknowlege the Truth of the 
 Charge againft Me. But ' if Government and 
 
 * Difcipline, may be carry'd on, without fucli 
 
 * Mere Authority ;' then I have not fubverted 
 either the Government, or Difcipline, of the 
 Church. Thefe Learned Perfons can lliew Us, 
 that there is A Rukj or An Authority^ properly 
 fo caird, in Ecclefiaftical Governours, which 
 is not Alfolute ; that there are Rulers and Judg- 
 es in the Ftfihk Churchy properly fpeaking, who 
 are not Alfolute ; and that there ii> an OhUgatt- 
 
 G 4 on^ 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 m^ properly fo callM, upon Inferiors, to fub- 
 mit to Ecdejiaflkal Decijions-i which is not Ah- 
 folute^ or Indifpenfahle : or They cannot. If 
 They cannot; then it can be No Crime, I hope, 
 in the Judgment of Chrillians and Proreftants, 
 Ihould it be granted, upon this Suppofition, that 
 
 * in the Sermon, All Authority ; All Rulers and 
 
 * Judges, in the Vifible Church are laid afide.' 
 If They can ; as foon as They have plainly 
 fixd this Point, I am full as free, as Any of 
 Themfelves, to declare for Rukj and Authority; 
 Rulers and Judges, in the Vifible Church : not- 
 vvithftanding AU that I have declared againft 
 Them, in another and very different Senfe. 
 But if They are refolvM that We fliail not a- 
 gree, I mufl: take the Liberty to affirm that, if 
 They will be confiftent with Themfelves, They 
 mud either openly claim, as their Privilege, 
 An Authority to which the People are inJifpen- 
 fahly ohligedio fubmit; a Right to make Decifions^ 
 which fliall affed the Condition of Chriflians in 
 the Eyes of God ; and a Judgment Over the 
 Confciences and Religion o^ Chriflians : or elfe 
 not condemn or Cenfure Me^ for declaring a- 
 gainfl: thefe Points. 
 
 Sect. XVIII. 
 
 "the Tntrodudion to the Charge, relating particu- 
 larly to the Dodtiines in th^. Prcfcrvative, ^c. 
 
 ^IT" H E Committee^ after having pointed out 
 
 -*- the mod pernicious Pajfages in the Sermon^ 
 
 snd made their Ohfervation.s upon them ; ' pro- 
 
 ceed 
 
( 89 ; 
 
 * ceed to flicw that the Do^rines, before deli- 
 
 * ver d m the Prefervativey &c. have the fame 
 Tendencyl 
 
 The firft Part of the Charge againft the 
 Prefervative; is introduced in an extraordi- 
 nary Manner, * Where, fay They, not to 
 
 * trouble Your Lordihips with the Contempt 
 
 * thrown on a Regular Succeffion of the Mini- 
 ■ ftry, and of your own Order in particular, 
 
 * for which His Lordlhip has found no better 
 
 * Words, than Trifles^ Niceties^ Dreams^ Inven- 
 
 * tions of Men^ &c/ in which it is implied that 
 I have found no better Words than thefe, for a 
 Regular Succeffion of the Miniflry^ and of Bifhop 
 in particular. 
 
 I am confident, if They could have fliewn 
 this evidently. They would not have fcrupled it, 
 merely for fear of givin'g My Lords the Bifhops 
 a little Trouble ; but would have produced the 
 very Pajfages^ in which this is done. Till they 
 are fo juft as to do this, I mufl: deny that there 
 are Any fach Paflages in that Book. I have never 
 thrown the leaft Contempt upon a Regular Succeffi- 
 on of Minifters in general; or oi Bifhops in parti- 
 cular. I have ever allowM all due Regard to it. I 
 think there may be Regularity preferv'd, with- 
 out the Suppofition of a Succeffion, abfolutely 
 uninterruptel from the Beginning. I have not 
 dropc One Word either againft Decency^ or Re- 
 gular ityfm any Point of that Nature. But I con- 
 fefs, I have ftrenuoufly and zeloufly oppofed 
 the putting Men's Salvation upon the Certain- 
 ty of fuch Regularity ; or upon any thing of a 
 
 Se- 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 Secondary Mature ; any thing different from what 
 OurBlelTed Lord Himfelf has put it upon. And 
 every Thing of that Sort, when Men are come 
 to lay the Eternal Salvation of Chriftians upon 
 it, I am not afraid of calling, comparatively, a 
 Trifle and a Nicety. But indeed, what I have 
 beftow'd thefe Words upon, is a Regular Unin- 
 terrupted Succejfion^ made abfolutely necefTary 
 to the Favour of God; without which, the fm- 
 cereft Chriflians, iliall not arrive at the Happi- 
 nefs of Heaven. The laying fuch a Strefs up- 
 on what can never be proved; upon what Our 
 Saviour never laid any Weight upon, with re- 
 fpedi to the Future Eftate of his Subjeds ; thi^ 
 I call laying a Strefs upon what is truly, with 
 refped: to the Terms of Salvation^ a Trifle ; what 
 is truly a Nicety^ not to be perceivM by the 
 quickefl Eye, and moft fagacious Underftand- 
 ing; upon the Dreams and Inventions of Men^ 
 who have made that NecefTary, which they 
 cannot prove to be at all ; and that which Our 
 Blejfed Lord, in his Account of the Matters up- 
 on which Salvation is to depend, never once 
 mentions. 
 
 Whether this be to throw Contempt upon a 
 Matter ; to lay no more Strefs upon it^ than it 
 can bear ; or whether it be not a much more 
 effedtual Method of throwing Contempt upon 
 it, to be always treating Matters of Order ^ De- 
 cency^ Regularity^ as Matters of EJfence^ and of 
 Ahfolute Necejftty to Salvation ; and to put Men's 
 Eternal Happinefs upon aft Uninterrupted Sue- 
 cejfion^ whicli no Chrifiian can be certain of; but 
 
 of 
 
(90 
 
 of which, at leaft, we have too many Reafons 
 to doubt : Others muft judge for Themfelves. 
 As for My-felf; I am fully fatisfied that, till a 
 Confummate Stupidity and Ignorance can be 
 happily eftablifli'd, and univerfally fpread over 
 the Face of the whole Land ; there is nothing 
 that tends fo much to deflroy All Due Refped 
 to the Clergy^ as the Demands of more than can 
 be due Them ; and nothing that has fo effectu- 
 ally thrown Contempt upon a Regular Succejfion of 
 the Mtniftry^ as the calUng no Succeffion Regu- 
 lar^ but what is Uninterrupted -^ and the making 
 the Eternal Salvation of Chriflians to depend 
 upon that Uninterrupted Succejfion^ of which the 
 mofl Learned muft have the leaft Afturance ; 
 and the Unlearned can have no Notion, but thro' 
 Ignorance, and Credulity. 
 
 It would be much more Honourable for the 
 Learned Committee to enter openly into this 
 Matter, and to maintain that plain Eflential 
 Point of Uninterrupted Succejfion ; than to hint 
 at ThingSy in fuch a Manner, as reprefents them 
 in quite another Light, than that in which I have 
 fpoke of them, in My Book : and this, under the 
 Pretenfe of not troubling the BiJhopSy with what 
 They ought to have troubled Them with ; if 
 what I have faid upon that Suhje^ deferves their 
 Cenfure. 
 
 Sect. 
 
( 9^ ) 
 
 Sect. XIX. 
 The Charge, relating to Church-Communion, 
 conjiderd* 
 
 A Fter this Infinuation, The Committee pro- 
 "^^ ceed to affirm (^p, 7.) that, m the Preferva- 
 tive^ 'All Church-Communion is render'd 
 
 * unneceflary, in order to intitle Men to the 
 
 * Favour of God ; and every Man is refer'd, in 
 
 * Thefe Cafes, to his Judgment, as that which 
 
 * will juflify even the Worfl Choice He can 
 
 * make.* And this They are pleas'd to repre- 
 fent, in the next Paragraph, as My Opinion. 
 But the Reader is not here to imagine that Thefe 
 are My Words ; or that this is a Pajfage tranfcri- 
 bed out of My Book : or any thing hke it. No. 
 But the Learned Committee have framed it from 
 fome Paffages in My Book : and then think it e- 
 quitable to fpeak of it as an Opinion^ which I 
 ground upon fuch and fuch Particulars ; and 
 which I juflify in that Book. I am forced here 
 to complain, and to appeal to Every Reader^ if 
 this be Ulage due to the meaneft Perfon whom 
 They think fit to accufe in this Manner : firft, 
 to make 2. folemn Charge againft ///j- Doctrine in a 
 particular Book ; and then, to negled his own 
 Words ; and to frame an Opinion for Him, in 
 Words which He neither ever did ufe in that 
 Book, nor ever will own. 
 
 Indeed, the iVords^ m which This Charge is 
 drawn up, are very extraordinary. Firft, it is 
 declar'd that, in that Book, All Church-Com- 
 munion 
 
r 95 ; . 
 
 munion is rendered Unnecessary, in or- 
 der to intitle Men to God's Favour. And then, 
 it is immediately fuppofed, that the fame Book 
 makes Communion with fome Church, or other, 
 neceflary : but only leaves Every Man, in thefe 
 Cafes, (I fuppofe they mean in this Cafe,') to his 
 private Judgment. After which, I am charged 
 with maintaining that the Man's private Judg- 
 ment will juftify Him in the Worst Choice 
 He can make : whereas. My conftant Dodrine 
 is, that it will juftify Him in the Best Choice 
 He can make. He is always fuppos'd to ufe 
 his utmoft Endeavours, and Application, to 
 chufe the Best; and then, and only then, to 
 be juftified by the vSincerity of His private Judg- 
 ment. So that it appears, contrary to this Re- 
 prefentation^ that I have never declared againft 
 
 * A L L Church-Communion, as Unneceflary 
 
 * in Order to intitle Men to God's Favour;'^ 
 nor ever taught that the Sincerity of a Man^s ' 
 private Judgment^ will ' juftify Him in Any, 
 
 * but the B £ s T Choice He can make.' 
 They go on thus. ' Which ftrange Opinion His 
 
 Lordlliip grounds ' upon what He calls a Demon- 
 
 * ftration in the flriciefl Senfe of the Word^ Pref. 
 
 * p. 89, 90.' Which They arc not fo kind as 
 to produce; but inftead of that, fay, ' Which 
 
 * (/. €. which Demonftration) is, indeed, ao- 
 
 * thing but the Com.mon and Known Cafe of 
 
 * an Erroneous Confcience, wdiich was never, 
 
 * till now, allow'd Wholly to juftify Men 
 
 * in their Errors, or in throwing off A l l the 
 [ Authority of Lawftd Governours ; for Th i s 
 
 is 
 
. r 94 ) 
 
 * IS putting All Communions upon an Equal 
 
 * Foot,' without regard to Any Intrinfic Good- 
 
 * nefs, or whether They be right or wrong; 
 
 * and making every Man, how lUiterate andlg- 
 
 * norant foever, his own Ible Judge and Diredor 
 ' on Earth, in the AfFair of Rehgion/ 
 
 My Opinion^ it feems, whatever it be, rehes 
 upon what I call a Demonfiration in the flriElefl 
 Senfe of the Word. I do indeed call it fo : and 
 I not only call it fo ; but, upon the fevereft Re- 
 view, am very certain it is lb ; and very much 
 confirmed in thinking it fo, becaufe this Learned 
 Body have not fo much as produced it into the 
 Light ; nor endeavour'd to fay one Word, to- 
 wards the lliev/ing, in what the Fallacy of it lies. 
 It is a Demonfiration of that Sort, never yet de- 
 nied to be one, which reduces a Matter to fuch 
 an Abfurdity, as cannot be own d ; and fo 
 .proves the thing intended. Whatever fuppofes 
 a Man condemn'd by God, which way foever 
 He ads ; cannot be admitted. But the Notion 
 I was there oppofing, implies that in it. And 
 therefore, mufl be falfe. And if it be falfe, 
 the ContradiElory to it mufl be true. 
 
 It is not enough, I prefume, to anfwer to 
 this, that it ' is nothing but the Common and 
 
 * Known Cafe of an Erroneous Confcience, 
 
 * which was never, till now, allow'd Wh o l ly 
 
 * to jullify Men in their Errors. ' If it be fo ; 
 yet it muft be fliewn that this Common and 
 Known Qaje has been rightly refolved, in op- 
 pofition to what I have faid. But it is obfer- 
 table how tenderly this is exprefs'd : ' which was 
 
 ^never^ 
 
(95) 
 
 * never ^ tiU mwj allowed WHOLLT to juflify 
 Men in their Errors* ' It muft cidiQr: juftify them, 
 or not jujlify them. It muft either ivkolly juftify 
 them, or not juftify them^ at all. For He that 
 is juflified^ I ftippofe, is wholly juftified; and 
 not in Tart only. I confefs, I think it impro- 
 per to fay, that an Erroneous Confcience juftifies 
 a Man either in Whole ^ or in Part : but very 
 proper to fay, that a Man's Sincerity, which 
 cannot be fuppofed where a Man does not take 
 all proper Methods of being rightly inform'd, 
 will wholly juftify Him before God, in His ma- 
 king, in the Sincerity of His Heart, the Best 
 Choice He can. It is This alone which juftifies 
 Them^ who are certainly in the Bejl Communi- 
 on : and therefore, where-ever this is equal, it 
 muft have equal EfFedl. When it is accompa- 
 ny 'd with £rr^r; the £rr^r is unavoidable : and 
 when the Choice of the Bejl Communion is ac- 
 company'd with Infincerity^ that Choice is of 
 no Importance in the Eyes of God. I know 
 of No Medium, Either a Man muft be intitled 
 to Heaven, by the perfed: Sincerity of his 
 Choice : or elfe. None have a Title to it, bur 
 thofe who are in the Right; and None can be 
 certain of it, but They v/ho are Infallible. Ei- 
 ther a Man may be fecure of God's Favour, 
 without being abfolutely certain of the Good- 
 nefs of His Choice ; or elfe None can be fecure 
 of it here upon Earth: becaufe None can be 
 infalliWy or abfolutely certain, without the 
 poftibihty of being miftaken. 
 
Another Point alledged here, is, that this wa5 
 never allowed Wholly to juitify Men, ' iw throw- 
 ' ing off Al l the Authority of lawful Govern 
 * nours/ By this it^feems, as ifMenwcreto 
 be determin'd, in their Choice of a Church-Com- 
 munion^ by Authority ; and iy the Authority of 
 Lawful Governours. If they be ; I confels there 
 i^ no need of Thought^ or Choice^ or Sincerity^ 
 ot any thing like it. If They be not ; then 
 there is a Choice left to All Chriftians ,• a De- 
 termination to be made, by their own private 
 Judgment. And if fome Perfons, in the ucmoft 
 fmcerity of their Hearts, either m Pop/Jh Coun- 
 tries, for Inftance, or in Trotcflant^ cannot fee 
 that Thofe are their Lawful Governours in Reli- 
 gion, whom Others fee to be fo ; or that They 
 have Any Authority-, properly fo called, to de- 
 termine their Choice in the Cafe of Church-Com- 
 munion ; but are truly perfuaded that They muft 
 fearch the New Tejlament^ and make the Beji 
 Choice they can : as I hope This does not de- 
 ferve the hard Expreffion of throwing off All the 
 Authority of Lawful Governours ; lb I am confi- 
 dent, it cannot be efteem'd by Almighty God, 
 any other than a Condud; worthy of a Chrifii- 
 an. xSxo it lliould happen to end in an Involun- 
 tary Error. This will be farther explain'd by 
 what follows* 
 
 Sect. 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 Sect. XX. 
 
 T/je Reafons cf the Committee, upon this Sub- 
 jed:, confiderd* 
 
 'TT HE Reafons here givea by the Committee^ 
 
 -*- why Tkis Perfuafion, after the fincereft 
 
 Enquiry, cannot jujlify^ or wholly jujlify^ Men, 
 
 immediately follow. Ih. ' For this, They fay, is 
 
 * putting All Communions on an Equal Foot, 
 
 * without regard to Any Intrinfick Goodnefs, 
 
 * or whether they be right, or wrong: And 
 
 * making every Man, how Illiterate and Igno- 
 
 * rant foever, his own fole Judge and Diredor 
 
 * on Earth, in the Affair of Religion/ I will 
 beg leave to fpeak a Word or two of this latter 
 Reafon ; before I enter upon the Former^ which 
 is profecuted more at large by the Committee^ 
 in /. 8. and 9. And about this I will venture 
 to lay down thefe Affertions* 
 
 I. That the Illiterate and Ignorant^ as they 
 are called, have as much Right, and are as 
 much obliged, to judge for Themfelves m the 
 Matter of P.eligion ; as the Greateji Scholars^ 
 and the moft knowing in what the World calls 
 Learning:^. Whatever Capacity they have, it is 
 their own^ and given them by God to guide 
 Them ; as other Mens Capacities are to guide 
 thofe Others: and God expeds nothing from 
 them, but what is proportionable to their own 
 Capacities. Nor can I ever think otherwife, 
 than that a good Ufe of their own Faculties, is 
 what God requires of them ,• and will be pleas'd 
 
 H with ; 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 with • till it can be prov'd that Another Man s 
 Judgment and Choice, in their Name, will ju- 
 ilify Them before God ; and till a Judge be fix'd 
 openly, to determine for All Men, whether 
 Their own Capacities are good enough to en- 
 able them determine for Themfelves ; or whe- 
 ther They are of that low Sort, as that They 
 mull be determin'd by Others. For this goes 
 upon a Suppofition, that Almighty God makes 
 a Difference in this Refped: ; and has made 
 Many with fuch Faculties, as to give them a 
 Right to judge for Themfelves ; and Many o- 
 thers with fuch, as give them no fuch Right. 
 If this be fo ; the Criterion ought to be fix d. 
 And I know of none but this ,• which will ferve 
 for All Countries^ and All Religions : that They 
 are fit to judge for Themfelves, who judge as 
 their Superiors do ; and They are not fit to judge 
 for Themfelves, v/ho judge contrary to Them. 
 
 X. What is caU'd Learnings is fo far from be- 
 ing the mod NecclTary, or the moft Uleful Qua- 
 lification \{\ this Cafe; that there is nothing 
 which has been feen to adminifter fo many 
 Doubts, and fo many Differences, as That : nor 
 are Any, in Experience, feen to be lefs fccure 
 from Error, than Learned Men. For this, look 
 cut into the Popifh Countries: and fee whether 
 One Illiterate Honefl Man be not as capable of 
 judging for Himfelf in Religion^ as All their 
 Learned Men united; even fuppofing them met 
 together in a General Council^ with All pofilble. 
 Marks of Solemnity, and Grandeur. It would 
 be a deplorable Confidcration indeed, if the 
 
 Great 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 Great and Important Points of Chriftianity ; 
 thofe upon which Mens Eternal Salvation de- 
 pend; could not bejudgd of, without Learning: 
 or were to be determin'd for Men ; not by their 
 own Capacities, but by the Decijions of Others^ 
 cdAXd Learned Men^ who are conftantly differing, 
 and eternally wranghng with one another. 
 
 3. Nay^ if Literature^ or Learnings is to bs 
 interefted in this Part of the Debate ; then the 
 mofl Learned Man has certainly a Title to be 
 the Univerfal Judge, It is not only Thofe who 
 are ahfolutely Illiterate and Ignorant^ that are ex- 
 cluded by this Argument, from judging in this 
 Cafe ; but All who are comparatively fo, like- 
 wile. The Learned of the Intermediate Degrees 
 muft no more determine for Themfelves^ in Re- 
 ligion, without the Judgment of the Supreme 
 Head of the Learned WoYld; than the Illiterate 
 and Ignorant of the loweft Degree, muft deter- 
 mine, without the Judgment of Others of an 
 higher Rank. And when the Pride and Paffions 
 of Men fhall centre in the Choice of One Man, 
 to be feated m the Chair of Univerfal Learnings 
 it will then be much more decent to begin to 
 think^of debarring the Illiterate and the Igno- 
 rant^ from underftanding the Will of God, m 
 what is abfolutely neceifary for their own Sal- 
 vation. But, 
 
 4. To acquaint the moft Illiterate^ with the 
 plain Declarations of Jefus Chrijt ; and to refer 
 them to thofe plain Declarations ; is not to 
 
 * make them their own Sole Judges and Di- 
 
 * redlors:' but to lead them to Chri/l, as their 
 
 Hz ' D/« 
 
( 'oo ) 
 
 Direfior. And this is no more to make them their 
 own Sole D/rec^ors^ than it would be, if I refer'd 
 them to Meri now aUve, and to Humane Decifi- 
 ons* Neither is it any more fo, than ix. was for 
 our Blej[fed Lord himfelf to preach to the Illi- 
 terate and Ignorant. He preach'd his Gofpel to 
 Thern^ He look'd upon Them to be better qua- 
 lified, mfome Refpeds, for the Reception of it, 
 than Others were. At leaft, He Uttie intended to 
 make the Learned only, Judges in this great Af- 
 fair, whom He found the moil; prejudiced againft 
 HimfelE But as He came for the Advantage, 
 Support, and Salvation of All', He laid the 
 Terms of Happinefs, and the Points abfokitely 
 neceflary, equally before AIL And in following 
 His Example, I hope All Chr'iftians are not on- 
 ly fafe from Reproach, but worthy of Praife. 
 But, 
 
 5. It is obfervable that Men of All Denomi- 
 nations, in this Point of Church-Cor/imunicn^ do 
 Themfelves conflantly appeal to this private 
 Judgment ; which They afterwards fo much ex- 
 claim againft, and endeavour to bring under. 
 A Fapifi himfelf, when He endeavours to con- 
 vert a Protejlant-, even He applies Himfelf to 
 that Troteflanis private Judgment^ to engage 
 Him to chufe the Komifh Church as the Beil. 
 He gives Him fome plaufibic Arguments for this 
 Purpofe : nor docs He attempt to trample upon 
 that Man s private Judgment^ till He has got 
 Him into his Power. And then He begins to 
 ihew Him the Neccffity of fabmitting His pri- 
 vate Judgment to Thofe Men, whofe Communi- 
 on 
 
( loi ) 
 
 on He has chofen folely by that private Juftg- 
 mentj which He is now to refign. And lo it 
 is wi:h All who imitate Them, in decrying this 
 private Judgment : without which, neither Ckri- 
 fiianity could ever have been receivM; nor the 
 ChMrch of England^ particularly, ever have been 
 in being. 
 
 6. I know of no mfddle Way. Either Men 
 mufl be left to their private Judgment^ (which 
 always fuppofes them to take in^All Afliftances 
 towards it,) in the Choice of a particular C/^/^rc/?- 
 Communion ^ or They mufl: be abfolutely deter- 
 mined in it, by their Superiors, If the Latter ; 
 then indeed, there is no Difference made be- 
 tween Right and Wro^g ,- no regard to Intrinfick 
 Goodnefs; but All Communions put upon an Equal 
 Foot. That is the Communion^ with which I 
 mufl; join, which My Superiors dired: Me to ; 
 whether in Italy^ or in England^ or in Scotland, 
 But if this be too grofs to be admitted, for fear 
 of extinguifhing, not only the very Vitals^ but 
 the very Outfide of Protejlantifm^ and All Reli- 
 gion ; then let the Other be granted without 
 Relu(3:ance : or elfe, let it be fliewn that there 
 is Another Method of proceeding, between thefe 
 Two j which appears to Me to be impoffible. 
 
 H :: Sect, 
 
( 10^ ) 
 
 Sect, XXI. 
 The Other Reafon, upon this Subjedl, examind. 
 
 'HP HE Other Reafon is enlarged upon, in the 
 -■- following Manner, inflead of directly con- 
 futing what I have faid about Sincerity. ' If, 
 fay They J ' Sincerity as Jfuch, exclufive of the 
 Truth or FaHliood of the Doctrine or Opini- 
 on, be alone fuificient for Salvation, or to 
 intitle a Man to the Favour of God ; if no 
 one Method of Religion be, in it felf, pre- 
 ferible to Another; the Conclufion muft be, 
 that All Methods are alike, in refpedl: to Sal- 
 vation, or the Favour of God.' They then 
 go on to charge Me, that, ^ in Virtue of this 
 Principle, I have left no difference between 
 the Popifli and our Reformed Church, but 
 what is founded in Perfonal Perfuafion only : 
 and not in the Truth of the Dodrines ,• or 
 in the Excellency of One Communion above 
 Another.' My Argument for this, They pro- 
 duce indeed ; and call it a Pretended Demonfira- 
 t'lon : but are not fo good as to offer one Word 
 towards fliewing Me, or the World, in what it 
 is, that the Fallacy of it lies. If the Perfuajion 
 of Men, after the mofl fmcere Search after 
 Truth and Right, were not the Thing which ju- 
 ftified TherfihciQXQ God, in leaving the Church of 
 Rarne^ at the Beginning of the Reformation ; 
 then let it be laid what it was. The Corruption 
 of that Churchy confider'din it felf, could not be 
 the Point: becaufe this could jufiify only Thofe 
 < - - . • . who' 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 who were perfuadedo^ that Corruption, in their 
 Separation \ not 77;^ who were not perfaadedic 
 was at all corrupt 5 who would not therefore, by 
 this be Juftified in leaving it. That therefore, 
 which if You take away, Men are left unjufti- 
 fed in their Condud: ; and, which if You give 
 them again, they zxq juflified m their Condud 5 
 upon That it is, that their proper* and particu- 
 lar Jujlifcation^ in the Eyes of God, niufl de- 
 pend. It is, an eafy Matter to call this a Pre- 
 tended Demonflration : but not ^o eafy to iliew 
 that it fails iw the Point ainiM at by it. To 
 return, 
 
 The Learned Committee have put it into theit 
 firfl Allegation^ as my Principle, and what I 
 have laid down, that * No one Method of Re- 
 
 * ligion is, in it felf, preferible to Another •' and 
 from thence They infer, very juftly, that * All 
 
 * Methods mufl be alike, in refped: to Salvation 
 
 * and the Favour of God:' that is^ if No One Me- 
 thod of Religion he preferihle to Another^ then, 
 No One Method of Religion is preferihle to An- 
 other, But where do They find fuch a Pofition 
 in Any Part of My Writings ? Or, if they mean 
 it only as what They apprehend to be a Confe- 
 quence from what I have faid ,• They fliould 
 have been fo equitable, as to have put it as a 
 Confequence^ which They judg d to follow from 
 w^hat I have lliid : tho* not as yet, ever own*d, 
 or fo much as mcntion'd, by Me. The Difference 
 between the Two following FofitionSy is not 
 very inconfiderable. What I fay is, that 'A 
 
 * Man's Title to God's Favour niufl: depend up- 
 
 H 4 *on 
 
( '^4) 
 
 * on his real Sincerity in the Condud of his 
 
 * Confcience ; and of his own AcSions, under it/ 
 What They reprefent as mine, is this, that ' No 
 
 * One Metiiod of Rehgion is, in it felf, prefed- 
 
 * ble to Another/ The Stdjetl which gave oc- 
 cafionto what I faid, related exprefly to a Man\ 
 Choice of a Churchy or a Conmunion. Vv hat I 
 affirm is, that in this Choice^ it is his Sincerity y 
 m the Condud of Himfelf, which will juttify 
 Him before God. This I maintain to be fo far 
 from fuppofing that No One MethcJ of Religion 
 is preferihle to Another ; which the Learned 
 Committee have reprefented as the very fame 
 Point ; that it reUes upon, and fuppofes, the 
 very contrary Pofition to this, viz» that * One 
 
 * Method of Religion is preferible to Another ;' 
 and that, therefore, We ought, to the utmoft of 
 our Powers and Capacities, to chufe that One 
 Method^ which is the Beft : but that. Infallibi- 
 lity not being our Pdvilege, Almighty God puts 
 Our Title to his Favour upon our prefent Sin- 
 cerity and Uprightnefs in this Choice ; becaufe 
 the contrary Suppofition reduces to this great 
 Abfurdity, that the mofl Honeft and Upnght 
 Man upon Earth, tho* never fo fmcerely defi- 
 rous of finding the true Way, if thro' anyWeak- 
 pefs or Incapacity He errs, is thrown out of 
 God's Favour, which ever Way He ads. If 
 He joins Himfelf to the Worfl Churchy this fup- 
 pofes Him loft, merely for the Error of His 
 Choice : And if He joinM Himfelf to the Very 
 Befl^ againjl the Didates of his Confcience, 
 and contrary to His own Ferfuafion \ He is cec- 
 
 pinly, 
 
( I05 ) 
 
 tainly, by the Allowance of All, A Wilful Sin^ 
 ner in the Eyes of God. 
 
 And, as what I have laid down, relies upon 
 this, that ' One Method is better than An- 
 
 * other \ and that ' Every Chriftian muft make 
 
 ' the bed Choice He can, with the moft upright^ 
 
 * Ufe of His own Judgment ;' fo, what I fay 
 with refped to the Troteftants leaving the Toptjh 
 Communion^ is fo far from 'leaving No Diffe- 
 
 * rence between the Popijhj and ont Reformed 
 ' Churchy as to Dodrines, or the Excellency of 
 
 * One Communion above Another ;' which yet 
 is fix'd upon it by the Committee : that it relies 
 upon the very contrary, that ther^ ix a great 
 Difference ; and that there is an Excellency of 
 One Communion ahove Another ; and that this 
 Difference is to be confider'd by Thofc who. 
 make the Choice ; and that it is of the utmoft 
 Importance to them to ufe All their Endeavours 
 to make the Beft Choice. Neither is there the ieaft 
 Tendency in Any thing I fay, towards the af- 
 firming what is here laid to my Charge, but 
 only this : that, fuppofing an Honefl: Chriftian, 
 in the Integrity of his Heart, to have chofen 
 that^ which is not the Bejl^ thro' a Weaknefs 
 of Capacity ,- Almighty God will not condemn 
 Him at the Laft Day, for not feeing what He 
 was not able to fee ; or for not joining Himfelf 
 to Any Church, to which His own Confcience, 
 after the moft honeft Examination, forbad Him 
 to join Himfelf. 
 
 I will juft mention an Inflame^ which may 
 help to clear this Matter. In all Tuhlic De- 
 lates 
 
( io6 ; 
 
 hates in Varltament^ I know of nothing which 
 canjuflify Any One concern'din them; but the 
 giving His Vote, or making his Choice, ac- 
 cording to His Perfuafton^ and His being Sincere 
 in the Condud; of Himfelf in this Choice. But 
 His Perfuajion does not affed: the Nature of 
 "^Tilings. The fame Difference remains between 
 the Two Sides of Any Queftion ; and the fame 
 Excellency of One above the Other. Nor did 
 Any One, as far I have heard, ever objed: a- 
 gainft this Rule, that it * made All Points equal ; 
 that it ^left no Difference between Any Two Points 
 
 * in Debate ; that it left ' No One Way of Voting 
 
 * better than Another ;' or the like. The Point 
 \s,y what juftifies Any Perfon in his Condud, 
 upon fuch Occafions. And if k\vj One will 
 fay, that it is not a good Rule for Him, to fol- 
 low his Own Perfuajjony after all his fincere En- 
 deavours to judge aright ; I would beg that An- 
 othery and a Better Rule may be laid down. 
 
 Such Reprefentatioyis of my Senfe, and my 
 Dodtrine, from fo Learned a Body^ I could con- 
 tentedly fit down with, as far as / alone am 
 touch'd by them : only endeavouring to fliew 
 that I am far from faying Any thing that could 
 give occafion to Them. But I may wifli, with 
 fomething more Concern, that Thefc Worthy 
 Perfons had confider'd, what is to be found in 
 every Writer of Our Church, in the Popifh Con- 
 troverfy ; viz. That Perfed Uprightnefs and 
 Sincerity will give Roman-Catholics^ in whom 
 God fees thefe good Qiiahties, a Title to his 
 Favour, amidft All their Errors. I need not 
 
 put 
 
( lo? ) 
 
 put Them in mind, that the Papijls have a con- 
 ftant Argument form'd for the leducing of Weak 
 Minds, from iience : alledging that, becaufe 
 They do not Allow the moll fuicere Trcteftants 
 to have Any Title to Salvation ; but yet the 
 Troteflant Writers allow that Salvation may h^ 
 in their Church; therefore, it is>fafer and wijery 
 to hold to the Fopijh Communion, But did this 
 ever affrighten the Befl: of Our- Writers from al- 
 lowing that to True Sincerity and Uprightnefs, 
 which God never took from it ? Or, was This 
 ever, till now, interpreted to be a Principle 
 wliich left ' no Difference between the Tofifhy 
 
 * and our Reformed Churchy either as to the Do- 
 
 * (brines, or as to the Excellency of One Com- 
 
 * munion above Another ?' Or, * which made 
 
 * All Methods of ReHgion, inThemfelves, alike?* 
 God forbid, it ever fliould be thus treated! Nor 
 indeed can This^ or what I have faid, be thus 
 reprefented by Any, knowingly and deliberate- 
 ly, and confidently ; without their being ob- 
 liged openly to profefs, that * No Chriftian 
 
 * can have any Title to God's Favour, iinlefs 
 
 * He fees Things exaftly, as We fee them ; 
 
 * and makes the fame Choice exactly with Us ; 
 *' and joins himfelf to that One, Certain, Par- 
 
 * ticular. External Communion, which We think 
 
 * befl ; and to no Other, amidll All the Va- 
 *rieties and Differences o'iChriJUans! And by 
 Thofe who will publickly avow this, I will be 
 content to be condemn'd. But for My-felf ; I 
 will never put my own Salvation upon my be- 
 ing certainly in the Rights till I am certain of 
 " . ^ ' "" • my 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 my own InfaUiltlity : nor can I fee any Com- 
 fort for the moft fincere and mod deferving 
 Chrijiians^ in putting their Title to God's Fa- 
 vour upon Any thing, that is not in their own 
 Power, and which Almighty God has not ob- 
 liged Himfelf to grant them. 
 
 Sect. XXII. 
 O/Z^d'r Obfervations e?///;^ Committee, relating 
 to Sincerity and Infincerity, conjiderd. 
 
 TTHE Committee proceeds thus, /. 9. *Ifit 
 -*• ' be true that there is but one Confidera- 
 
 * tion, viz. that of wicked Diflionefly and In- 
 
 * fincericy, which will juftify Unchriftianing, 
 
 * Unchurching, or Declaring out of God's Fa- 
 
 * vour; and of that One Confideration, m thefe 
 
 * Cafesj God alone is Judge : there is evidently 
 
 * an End of All Church-Authority to Oblige 
 
 * Any to External Communion ; and of Al l 
 
 * Power, that One Man, m what Station fo- 
 
 * ever, can have O v h r Another, in Matters 
 
 * of Religion.' To which I anfwer, Firjl, in 
 General, dificrenrly from what I have done to 
 feveral Points before, that I Own thefe Confe^uen- 
 ces', and like thtPremifes, for the fake of Them: 
 and am the more plcas'd, the mere evidently 
 there is an End of what there ought to be an 
 End of. 
 
 But indeed, this One Paragraph deferves a ve- 
 r3y particular Confideration: as what will both 
 very much explain the Main End of the Com- 
 mittee^ 
 
( J09 ) 
 
 mittee^ in their Charge ; and give Me an Occafi- 
 on of fliewing clearly what I principally de- 
 flgn'd to oppofe. 
 
 I. The Quejiion here is not about Open Of- 
 fenders againft the Moral Laws of Chrijl ; but 
 concerns the Cafe of Chriftians chufing One 
 particular External Church-Communion , or 
 withdrawing from Another, even with the Ut- 
 moll: Sincerity of Heart, x. The Point here 
 nam'd, is ' Unchriftianing, Unchurching, and 
 
 * declaring out of God's Favour/ 3. Excommti- 
 nication is fnention'd in the fame Sentence, as 
 relating not to the putting Men out of a parti- 
 cular External Communion^ for the fake of Open 
 Immoralities ; but as having to do with the Fa- 
 vour or Anger of God : and a great Difpleafure 
 is exprefs'd againft Me, for not making the Anger 
 of Gd?^/ dependent upon it. This being premisd, 
 
 I. It is plain that the Authority here aim'd 
 at, is the Authority of ' Judging, Cenfuring, and 
 
 * Punifhing the Servants of another Mafter, 
 
 * conducting Themfelves, in their Choice, by 
 ' their own Confciences, with the Utmoft Sin- 
 
 * cerity.' 2. That it is x\\q Authority of ' Unchri- 
 
 * flianing. and declaring out of God's Favour,' fo 
 as to have EfFed:. 3. That it is a ' Church- Au- 
 
 * thority to Oblige others to one particu- 
 
 * lar External Communion.' 4. That it is •' a 
 
 * Tower of fome Men, in fome particular Stati- 
 
 * ons. Over others, ii\ Matters of Religi- 
 
 * on;' (not as the Reverend Dr. Sherlock has 
 endeavour d to explain it away, but) in the 
 Senfe of determining for Them, their Choice 
 
 of, 
 
(no) 
 
 of, and their Adherence to, a particular Church- 
 Communion, 5. That it is a Power of Excom- 
 munication that is claim'd, upon which the An- 
 ger of God is to follow ; and the State of the 
 Perfon fo excommunicated^ to be afFedtcd by it, 
 in the other AVorld. 6. Tliat No Authority can 
 Oblige to External Communion, which is 
 not Absolute; nor Any Power be Over 
 Others, which is not to determine thofe Others ; 
 nor any Excommunicationy with refpedi to the 
 Favour of God, contended for, but what is ab- 
 folutely Decifive ; nor Any plainer Words made 
 uic of, to contend for the Authority of Unchri- 
 ftianing^ Unchurching^ and Declaring out ofGo^s 
 Favour ; than Thofe now before Us. 
 
 It is to be Jioped therefore, that I may not 
 be again treated with Ridicule, for fuppofing 
 that the Committee, in their Charge againft Me, 
 in. the Words A// Authority, included An Autho- 
 rity in other Points, befides debarring Notorious 
 Sinners againft the Moral Law of Chrift, from 
 the Communion; that They meant to claim a 
 Power of Judging, Cenfuring, and Punijhing, in 
 a different Senfe from what One of their Members 
 has fpoken of, as in their Name ; that they un- 
 derftood My ExpreflTion, oi Affairs relating to the 
 Favour of God, and Eternal Salvation, to mean 
 fomething different from Grofs Immoralities; and 
 that if I Ihould argue againft Them, as con- 
 tending even for Ahfolute Authority, I fliould 
 not be guilty of a very ridiculous Abfurdity ; 
 iinlefs it can be Ihewn that an Authority (plain- 
 ly contended for) to Unchriflian Men, and de- 
 clare 
 
( III ) 
 
 clare Them out of God's Favour ; an Authori- 
 ty to Oblige Men, to follow the Dilates 
 of it; a Power Over Others in Matters of 
 Religion here fpoken of; can be any thing lels 
 than an Absolute Authority. 
 
 I grant indeed, that this is here exprefly and 
 particularly alledged, with Relation to Pafages 
 out of the Prefervativey and not out of the Ser- 
 mon. But the Charge againft the Pajfages out of the 
 Sermon it felf, is, that They feem to deny All Au- 
 thority to the Church ; and confequently this Au- 
 thority here claim'd : which therefore mufl: be 
 meant under that Phrafe, by Thof ewho think this 
 an Authority for the Church to claim. But then, 
 liippofing no fuch Thing to have been intended, 
 under the General Words^ with regard to the 
 Sermon ; yet, this whicli I have now quoted is 
 Part of the Reprefentation, And, tho' I am apt 
 to think I might have had the Pardon of fime 
 Members of the Committee^ for overlooking it; 
 yet, I would gladly know how I could be faid 
 to anfwer the Reprefentativn^ without confider- 
 ing what is faid in 0ns Part of it, as well as in 
 Another : unlefs That Part alone be, in Truth, 
 the Whole Reprefentation^ which One^ or Twoy 
 happen to wifh had been fo. 
 
 That I may not be at all miftaken, I there- 
 fore add the following Declarations, i. In the 
 Cafes fpoken of, in this Pailage of the Repre- 
 fentation^ God alone is Judgq of the Diflione- 
 fty and Infmcerity : becaufe No others can be 
 Judges of it, for want of knowing the Hearts 
 of Men. X. That therefore, nothing can ju/lifv 
 
 An'v 
 
( II. ) 
 
 Any Men. in UnchrifiianiHg, or declaring out of 
 God s Favour, Thofe, of whofe Condition They 
 cannot judge. 3. I know of No Church- Au- 
 thority to Oblige Any Chriilians to Exter- 
 nal Communion : or any thing to determine 
 them, but their own Confciences, after the Bed 
 Ufe of their own Faculties. 4. I know of No 
 Power that One Man, in what Station foever, 
 can of Right have, Over Another, in Rehgion, 
 fo, as to determine Him in his Condudr, with 
 refped: to the Cafe here fpoken of: that is-, 
 No Power, properly fpeaking, at all. 5. I 
 know of No Right to Excommunication^ in Any 
 Men, which Ihall affedl the Favour of God to- 
 wards Others. 6, And therefore, I am very 
 ready again to declare that All Humane Declara- 
 tions pretending, with Authority, to aiter Mens 
 Condition in the Eyes of God, are Mere Hu- 
 mane Engines without any fuch EfFed:.- and that 
 Excomm.unications ^ declaring and determining 
 Mens Condition with refpeS: to Salvation, by 
 Humane Authority^ are Mere Outcries of Humane 
 Terror-^ Terrors of Men only, and Vain V/ords a- 
 g-'infc Thofe who are the Objects of them : 
 tho\ T fear, not Vain^ in their Effed upon Thofe^ 
 who preiiime to throw thefe Terrors, in the 
 Name of God, all around them.. 
 
 Sect. 
 
( rT3 ) 
 
 Sect. XXIIL 
 
 A farther Examination of the Claims made hy 
 the Committee, under this Head^ 
 
 T>E FO R E I conclude this Head, I defire the 
 -*-^ Claims here plainly made, may be farther 
 confider'd : /r/Z, with refpeft to the Qharqe it 
 felf againft My Do^rine^ in this Particular; and 
 then^ with relped: to the Reformation it felf, and 
 this Proteflant Church of England, 
 
 Firft^ Witli refped: to the Charge againft My 
 Do^rine relating to Sincerity : againft which ic 
 is alledged that it ' puts All Communions on an 
 
 * Equal Foot, without regard to Any Intrinfick 
 ' Goodnefs, or whether They be right or 
 
 * wrong/ And again, it is reprefented as de- 
 claring ' No One Method of Religion to be, 
 
 * in it felf, preferible to Another ; and making 
 
 * All Methods ahke, with refped to the Favour 
 
 * of God ;' as ' leaving no Difference between 
 
 * the Popifli and our Reformed Church, with 
 
 * refped: to the Truth of the Dodrines, or the 
 
 * Excellency of One Communion above Ano- 
 
 * ther/ 
 
 In Anfwer to this, I have already iliewn that 
 what I fay about private Perfuafion^ relates to 
 the Juftification of the Man before God ,• and 
 not to the Excellency of One Communion ahove 
 Another y which it leaves juft as it finds it, and 
 cannot poftibly alter : that My Dodtrine is 
 founded upon the very contrary to what is here 
 laid 'upon it, -viz. upon the Suppofition that 
 
 I One 
 
One Communion is more excellent than Another ; 
 becaufe otherwife, it could not be propofed to 
 a Cliriftian, as Matter of Choice, to be confi- 
 der'd with All Care, and All Sincerity ; and 
 that No other Method can be propofed, but what 
 makes A/l Communions equally to be complied 
 with, by every Man who happens to live where 
 They are fettled. / 
 
 The Committee have here, fey, condemning 
 what I fay, and by plainly letting the World 
 know what they think ought to be claim'd, 
 propofed Another Method, And, what cannot 
 but furprize Us, this Other Method is truly 
 and juftly liable to the Charge which Ihem-; 
 felves have brought againft Mme. For if ' Men 
 * are not Their own Judges, in this Cafe { if 
 there be Any fuch ' Church-Authority as can 
 Oblige Men to a particular External Com- 
 munion ,•' if there be a ' Power in Some, 
 O T E R Others, in Matters of Religion,' fa 
 as to determine Thofe Others ; if ' Humane Ex- 
 communications^ declared by this Authority, 
 can claim the Anger of God to attend upon 
 them:' then, ^ All Communions are upon an 
 Equal Foot, without regard to Any Intrinfick 
 Goodnefs, or whether They be right or 
 wrong ;' then, * No One Method of Religi-. 
 on is, in it felf, preferible to Another,' but 
 All Methods are alike, with refpedt to the Fa- 
 vour of God ;' and then, ' there is no Diffe- 
 rence at all left between the Popilh and our 
 Reformed Church, either as to Dod:rines, or 
 the Excccllency of One Communion above 
 
 * Ano- 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 * Another.' For it is evident that there is no 
 Choice of Judgment left to Chriftians, where 
 there is a Superior Authority to Oblige 
 them ; or a Power Over them in thefe Mat- 
 ters ; and fuch a Power, as can dehver them 
 up to the Anger of God, if they do not 
 obey the Determinations of it : but that, in 
 the feveral Countries of the World, Chriftians 
 are as much Obliged by the Determinati- 
 ons of One Church, as by Thofe of Another; 
 that in Italy^ or Spaitty or France, They are as 
 much Obliged by the Church-Authority of 
 Italy, or Spahj or France, as Chriftians in Eng- 
 land are Obliged to a particular External 
 Communion, by Any Humane Authority, as 
 fuch, in England. If Authority be the Thing 
 which Obliges; there is an End of All In- 
 trtnfick Goodnefs*, of all Difference in One Com- 
 munion from Another : becaufe the Man is to 
 comply for the fake of that Humane Authority. 
 But if it be faid that ftill the Man is to have 
 fome regard to the IntrinfickGoodnefs of Things; 
 and to the Excellency of One Communion a- 
 bove Another ; then there is an End of All Hu- 
 mane Authority to O b l i g e him to One par- 
 ticular External Communion ; an End of All 
 Power of fome. Over others, in this Cafe ; 
 then, He is to be guided by his own pri- 
 vate Judgment ; and then, We are come back 
 to that Doctrine which I have deliver'd; and a- 
 gainft which They have declared, with fo much 
 Zeal. Ebr then, the Man is to judge for Him- 
 felf ; and to pay no Other Regard to Humane 
 
 I z Au- 
 
r v6) 
 
 -Authority^ but only the Refpe^ of being willing 
 and ready, without: Prejudice, or Pride, or Pat 
 fion, to examine impartially, what is recom- 
 mended to Him by it: which is fo far from im- 
 plying that He mufl fuffer hh Judgment^ in tlie 
 leaft Degree, to be determind by Authority^ that 
 it imphes |he very contrary. Nor indeed, for 
 my own Part, can I think of any Answer to 
 what I have here urged, unlefs They will fay 
 that a Chriftian may indeed judge for Himfelf 
 in Spahy or in Italy ; but not in England', and 
 maintain that, tho' there is No Church-Authori- 
 ty in Any Other Part of the World, to Oblige 
 Chriftians to a particular Communion; yet in Eng- 
 land there is : and that the True Way of {hew- 
 ing the Excellency of our Reformed Church above 
 the Popifb^ is to take the fame Methods which 
 That takes ; and to claim an Authority of over- 
 ruling the Confciences and Judgments of Men, 
 lb as to Ob L I G E them to Communion ; which 
 is, I confefs,a great Compliment to the Intrinjick 
 Goodnefs of Any Caufe, and to the Excellency of 
 Any Communion above Another. 
 
 Sect. XXIV. 
 
 77;^ Claims (?///7^ Committee conjiderd^ as they 
 affeU the Caufe of the Reformation, and of 
 the Church of England. 
 
 nPHlS leads Us, in a few Words, to c^onfider 
 
 -^ thefe fame Claims^ with refped: to the Re- 
 
 formation it felf ^ and to the Church of England 
 
 ill 
 
in particular: that it may be judg'd, amicUl 
 All the Cenfures of Some, and the Reproaches 
 of Others, whether My Dodrine, or the Claims 
 oppofite to it, be of moft Service to Their Inte- 
 reft and Glory. I have already remark'd that 
 it deftroys All Suppofition of Excellency in One 
 Church above Another ; that it buries entirely 
 All Regard to this Confideration, to take away 
 from Men their Right to judge forThcmfelves; 
 or, in other Words, to eftablifli a Church-Au- 
 thority, which Ihall Oblige Men to a parti- 
 culat Communion. But I now add that, if Thefe 
 Claims, oppofcd to My Do^rine, had been 
 thought juft Claims, in the Time of Our Firfi 
 Reformer Sy there could have been no Right to 
 Any Reformation, but what lliould have proce- 
 eded from the Heads of the Popifh Church them- 
 felves; nor Any fuch Thing as the prefcnt 
 Church of England now in being : which me- 
 thinks fliould be of fome Importance, in the 
 Account of Thofe, whofe Zeal for this Church 
 is the Mark, by which They endeavour fo much 
 to diftinguiih Themfelves from All Others. For 
 if there be a * Church-Authority to Oblige 
 
 * Men to a particular Communion ; a Power in 
 
 * Some, Over Others, in this Cafe; a Right 
 ' of Excommunication, fo as to affecfl Mens 
 
 * Eternal Salvation;' and this Matter of CWc/'- 
 Communion is not to be left to Mens own pri- 
 vate Judgments, and Confciences : I beg to 
 know, how can the Reformation it lelf (I fpeak 
 not of every particular Circumftance of it,} 
 be juftified^ which was founded upon the Right 
 
 I 3 of 
 
( 118) 
 
 of Chriftians^ to have recourfe to the Gofpel^ for 
 Themfelves ; and to throw off All that Church- 
 Authority ^ which affiimed a Right of Obli- 
 ging them ' to the Romijh Communion ; and a 
 Right fuperior to their own private Judgments 
 and Confciences. For there was then a Churchy 
 and an Order of Church-men^ vefled with All 
 fuch Spiritual Authority, as is of the EfTence of 
 a Church. There was therefore, a Church-Au- 
 thority to O B L I G E Chriftians : and a Po w e r 
 in Some, Over Others. What was it there- 
 fore, to which We owe this very Church oi Eng- 
 land ^ If thefe Claims are juft; If Men are 
 Not to judge for Themfelves in ReHgion, and 
 Church-Communion ; If Church- Authority be a 
 fufficient Obligation upon them, to deter- 
 mine them : then. Our Forefathers ought not in 
 Confcience to have feparated from the Church 
 of Rome ; nor could the Church of England have 
 been in being. But if Men are Their own Judges, 
 by the Laws of God and of Chrift, in this Mat- 
 ter; if They have a Right to ufe, and to be deter- 
 mined by, their own private Judgment ; and to 
 confidcr the Intrinfick GooJnefs of Things, and 
 the Excellency of One above Another : then, 
 here is a Juftificacion of the Reformation-, and 
 particularly of the Trotefimt Church of England-^ 
 and, at the fame Time, of the good Effed: of 
 My Dotlrine upon that Church it felf, which I 
 am accus d of injuring. 
 
 The next Time therefore, that the deplora- 
 ble Coyifequences of My DoBrine^ are enumerated 
 and aggravated, I defire tliat thefe Fatal Effects 
 
 be 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 be added to the Number, t;/2. That if it be 
 true, that Men are to judge for Themfelves in 
 Religion ; ox that They are to be detcrmin'd 
 hy their own private Judgment ; or that there 
 is no fuch Thing as Humane Authority to O- 
 BLiGE them to any One Particular External 
 Communion; or that there is No Power in Some, 
 O V E R Others, in thefe Cafes : If All this be 
 true, then there is 2in En6. oi All Pope rj ; Any 
 Thing may be juftified ; the Separation of Pro- 
 tejiants from the Church of Rome^ poflefs'd of 
 All Church-Authority^ was Right and Good; 
 and even the Church of England it felf ftands 
 upon a Good and Sohd Foundation. 
 
 I mention the Foundation of this Church par- 
 ticularly, becaufe a Thoufand Panegyrics upon 
 its Beauty and Excellency, are of fmall Impor- 
 tance, if the very Ground it ftands upon, 
 be declared to be rotten, and unfound: And be- 
 caufe, fuppofing, (not granting) that I had 
 oppofed fome particular Declarations of this 
 Churchy which may have been made thro' Hu- 
 mane Frailty, and the AVeaknefs of Humane 
 Nature, not taking in All Circumftances, nor 
 feeing plainly the Contradidion of Them, to 
 its own Sole Foundation ; yet this^ I would hope, 
 might he exxufed, when. We fee it cannot other- 
 wife be oppos'd or contradicted, but by revi- 
 ving fuch Claims^ as deftroy that very Founda- 
 tion it felf 
 
 If Any Perfons fliould recommend the moft 
 >Beautiful Houfe in the World for an Habita- 
 tion^ and extol the Harmony and Symmetry 
 
 I 4 of 
 
( I50 ) 
 
 of its Outfide, as well as the Finenefs and 
 Convenience of the Rooms within ; I prefume, 
 few would be mov'd by All this to chufe it 
 for their Habitation, without enquiring after 
 the Firmnefs of the Ground under it, and the 
 Strength and Solidity of its Foundation: and 
 Fewer would be mov'd to it by the Great En- 
 comiums beftow'd upon it by Thofe Perfons, if 
 They law Them themfelves^ all the while, doing 
 fomething, which either tended to remove the 
 very Ground from under it; or to weaken the 
 . Foundation^ upon which the Beauty of the whole 
 relies. Many might gaze at it, as at a Cajile 
 in the Air^ and look with great Admiration up- 
 on its Form and Appearance ; but Few, I fup- 
 pofe, would think it fafe to inhabit it, unlefs 
 fuch as can think a Floufe without a good Foun- 
 dation, as fecure as a Houfe with One ; a Houfe 
 built on the Sand^ as fecure as a Houfe built 
 upon a Rock. On the contrary, He certainly 
 recommends this Houfe moft effedrually, who 
 convinces Thofe who view it, of the Soundnefs 
 and Strength of its Foundation ; that it is built 
 upon a Kock^ and not upon the Sand\ and that 
 this Comprehenfive Excellency of it, may juftly 
 make it their Choice, to inhabit where They 
 may be fure They live upon Firm Ground^ and 
 an Unmoveahle Foundation* 
 
 Sect, 
 
( 1,^1 ) 
 
 Sect. XXV. 
 
 The Do^rine about Humane Excommimications> 
 ^c. confiderd with the fame View. 
 
 \y HAT / have faid about Humane Demn- 
 ^^ ciations^ and Humane Excommunications y 
 &c. and what they mud maintain, who are fb 
 much difpleas'd with it, I am very well content 
 fliould be judg'd of, by the Same Rule; witU 
 refped to the good or evil Confequence of Them 
 to the Caufe of the Reformation it felf, and the 
 very Being of the Church of England. 
 
 They, who were particularly concern'd m 
 this Part of the Reprefentation^ and in appear- 
 ance, lay Strefs upon a Regular Uninterrupted 
 Succeffton^ will not deny but that the Church of 
 Rome had, at the Time of the Reformation^ All 
 Authority neceiTary to a Church of Chrifl ,• be- 
 caufe They themfelves can claim no Privileges, 
 if They will have them by way of Succefwn^ 
 but what They receivd from Them\ and con- 
 fequently, muft contend that the Ahfolutions, 
 DenunciationSj and Excommunications^ by Thole 
 in that Church, authoriz d by Chrift, were of 
 as much Effedt, and as Authorhative^ as thofe 
 of Any Others whatfoever ; and ought to be 
 treated in the fame Manner. But how did the 
 Firft Reformers behave Themfelves ? Did They 
 not think and fpeak of them, as having no- 
 thing to do with the Favour or Anger of God? 
 Did They not treat them as Humane Engines ; 
 as Mere Outcries of Humane Terror; as the Ter- 
 rors 
 
( 122 ; 
 
 rors of Men^ and vain Words ^ And did They 
 mean by this to claim to Themfelves the Right 
 oi .Ahfolution^ which They denied to Others, 
 becaufe They were FaUible and Weak Men; 
 or to affert a Power of Excommunication^ fo as 
 to afFed Mens Eternal Salvation^ to Themfelves 
 in One Churchy which They had difregarded and 
 trampled upon, in Another ? No. They treat- 
 ed All Humane Excommunications-, as alike, and 
 jLipon an equal Foot, with refped to God's Fa- 
 vour : and could, upon no other Account, neg- 
 led: and difregard them, as They did, but be- 
 caufe God has not given to Any Men the Dif- 
 pofal of His Mercy or His Anger. Upon this 
 Bottom, They were guilty of that great Crime, 
 of ' behaving Themfelves, in the Affair of Re- 
 * ligion, as Subjeds to Chriil alone; and of 
 ' living and ading as fuch, W'ithout fear of 
 f Man s Judgment. ' 
 
 If any particular Writers have, fmce that 
 Time, contradided their main Principles, I 
 am not obhged to confider that. What I main- 
 tain is, that My Dodrines, relating to the Au- 
 thority of the Church ; and to the Effed of 
 Humane Excommunications-; as well as that 
 relating to Sincerity, and private Judgment; 
 are fo far from being injurious to the Church of 
 England., or deftrudive of its Intereft : that 
 They are the very Foundation, upon which it 
 Hands ; that if They he not true, it could ne- 
 ver have had any Right fo much as to have a. 
 Being ; and that They are fo neceflary to its 
 Continuance and Well-being, that, .without 
 
 Them, 
 
( 1^3 ) 
 
 Them, it is impoffible to defend its Caufc a- 
 gainfl: the Arguments of Roman-Catholks ; and 
 that from the Contrary to them, the greateft 
 Strength is borrow'd, and the only plaufible 
 Attacks made againft it. 
 
 Sect. XXVL 
 
 The lajl Obfervation of the Committee, under 
 
 the Firft Head of the Charge, confiderd. 
 
 'Tp H E Committee conclude their Ohfervations 
 -■- upon this Part of their Charge^ thus« 
 
 * How His Lordlhip can, confidently with 
 
 * thefe Opinions, make good His Solemn Pro- 
 
 * mife made at His Confecration, To be ready^ 
 
 * with all faithful Diligence^ to hanifh and drive 
 
 * avoay all Erroneous and Strange Dotlrines-t con- 
 
 * trary to Gods JVord; and both privately and o- 
 
 * penly to call upon and encourage Others to do the 
 
 * Same : And how he can exercife the high 
 
 * Office entrufted to Him m the Church ; or 
 
 * convey holy Orders to Others ; are Difficul- 
 ' ties which himfelf only can refolve. And Wc 
 
 * humbly hope, Your Grace and Your Lord- 
 
 * fliips will think in proper to call for the Ex- 
 
 * plication.' 
 
 To which I anfwer, that I am very free to 
 give My Explication of thefe, and the hke Dif- 
 ficulties^ (as they are termed) before it is call'd 
 for. And it is this ; that it is fo far from being 
 true, in My Judgment, that My Opinions here 
 cenfur'd are inconfiftent with My making good 
 
 tiiat 
 
( iH ) 
 
 that Promife ; that I know of no other Way of 
 making it gooJ^ but the One Method confiflent 
 with My Dodrine. I can think of no Way, 
 becoming a Chriftian Bijhop^ of endeavouring, 
 
 * with All faithful Diligence, to banifli and 
 
 * drive away all Erroneous and Strange Do- 
 
 * drrines contrary to God's Word, ' than to call 
 upon, and encourage All Chriflians to have re- 
 Gourfe to that Word of God, and to judge from 
 that alone, what Dodrines are contrary to it. 
 This I am ready to do, both privately and openly ^ 
 and to call upon and encourage All Clergymen^ 
 under My Infpedion, to take the hke Method. 
 By ' conveying Holy Orders to Others, ' I do, 
 according to the Cuftom and Law of the Realm, 
 as well as according to the Defign of the Gof- 
 pel, give Thofe Others a Right publickly to 
 preach the Gofpel ; and to ufe their utmoft En- 
 deavours to fhew Men the Way to Salvation. 
 I can convey Ni? Towers to Them, but what 
 God intends and wills that They fliall be vefted 
 with ; No Authority Over the Confcieuces 
 of Others ; No Authority to Oblige Others 
 to receive Any thing, which thofe Others think 
 difagrceable to the Gofpel of Qhrifl. And I think 
 that I then only * exercife the high Office \i\- 
 ' trufled to Me, in the Church, ' as I ought ; 
 when I remember that Chrijl is the Head of His 
 Church', that All Chriflians are Fellow-Subjefts; 
 that All are equally obhged to have recourle to 
 His Diredions ; that He alone is the Judge of 
 their Condition m the Eyes of God : and when 
 I alTume No Authority Over any Perfon, in- 
 
 confiflenc 
 
confiftent with thefe Declarations ; but govern' 
 All My Conduct, and AH My Excrcife of Any 
 Powers vefted in Me, by that facred Rule, by 
 which the Apoftles aited, of Not Preaching Them- 
 felves^ iut Chriji J^fus^ the Lord and Mafter of 
 Chfiftians. 
 
 My Judgment is that^ in the Method I fpeak 
 of, I do more efFccftually hanijh and drive away 
 all Erroneous Dotlrines^ &c. than if I afTunid 
 to My-felf the Fower of throwing Thofe, who 
 teach what I account fo, out of God s Favour^J^ 
 the Difpenfation of which was never commit- 
 ted to Me. If They^ who make this Ohje^ion^ 
 know of Any Othac Bffe^ual Chriftian Method 
 of difpelling Errors contrary to Gods Word; but 
 by exhorting All to look into and confider Gods 
 Word: I cannot judge of it^ till They reveal 
 it. In the mean while, I beg leave to declare, 
 that I know of No Way to Chriflian Truths but 
 This: All other Ways, that have ever been 
 put in pradice, as far as I can recoiled:, being 
 thofe Ways, which had hanijh d and driven away. 
 almofl All Truth, and All Chriflianity, out of 
 the Church, for fo many Hundred Years before 
 the Reformation ; and would have hanijh' d and 
 driven a)my the Reformation it felf, and this 
 Church of England in particular; and will ever 
 have the fame Effed-, to hanijh and drive aivajy 
 from the Eyes and Hearts of Men, every thing 
 that is truly good and valuable in the World. 
 
 I have thus gone through the Firjl Charge a- 
 gainft the Sermon^^nd the Prefervative; andfhewn 
 that I have denied No Authority to the Churchy 
 
 or 
 
or to Any Men in it, but what Chrijl fefiis has 
 denied to it ; and what All Proteftants muft de- 
 ny to it, unlefs They will deftroy their own 
 Caufe : and that My Principles are fo far from 
 being deftrudive to Our Troteftant Church of 
 England in particular, that It is built upon, and 
 fupported by Them ; and that, by the contrary 
 Principles^ it is utterly overturned, and the Right 
 it had, even fo much as to le^ not only fliaken, 
 but entirely taken away. Which, I hope, will 
 be a fufficient Vindication of what I have 
 taught, from this Firjl Branch of the Charge 
 againft Me, in the Judgment of every Chriftiany 
 Trotejlanty and Church-man. 
 
 Chap. II. 
 
 Of the Second Branch of the Charge. 
 
 Sect. I. 
 TJ:e Second Branch of the Charge, produced. 
 
 THE Second Branch of the Charge is this. 
 * That the Tendency of the Dodrines 
 * and Pofitions contain'd in the faid 
 
 * Sermon and Book, is conceived to be, To im- 
 
 * pugn and impeiich the Regal Supremacy in 
 
 * Caufes Eccieliaftical : and the Auihc:'^ ^f 
 
 ae 
 
( ^^7 > 
 
 * the Legiflature, to enforce Obedience, in 
 ' Matters of Religion, by Civil Sandions/ 
 
 It is to be remark'd that, though this Part of 
 the Charge is profefs'd to be founded upon Po- 
 fimns in the Prefertativey as well as the Ser- 
 mon ; yet, not One Pajfage is produc'd out of 
 that Book to fupport it ; nor tlie Book fo much 
 as mention'd under this Head. Perhaps, it was 
 not without fome Dejign^ that t\\Q Name of thQ 
 PrefervativeW^s here omitted. For, as All the 
 World knows that it was written to vindicate 
 the Rights of the Civil Magiftrate^ againft Eccle- 
 Jiafiical Perfonsy as well as Others; and that in 
 that Right I have included every thing necefla- 
 ry to the Defenfe, and Well-being of Humane 
 Society ; and as No One can fuppofe that, at 
 the Time of preaching My Sermon^ which was 
 foon after the Publication of that Book^ I could 
 wilfully intend openly to contradid: the Main 
 Defign of it : fo, the Naming it under this 
 Head might have put People in mind of that 
 Main Defign of it ; and have mightily taken off 
 from the Effe^ of this Second Part of the Charge. 
 But, Let us nowconfider the Pajfages out of the 
 Sermon^ as They are cited by the Committee; 
 and the Particular Point laid upon each Pajjage, 
 
 ^$ 
 
 E C T. 
 
( ,a8 ) 
 
 S E C T. II. 
 
 The Firft Paflage, upon which the Charge, re- 
 lating^ to the King s Supremacy, is huilt^ con- 
 Jtderd* 
 
 'TP H E Reprefentation here lays to my Charge, 
 -*• that, in Contradidion to the Kings Su- 
 premacy^ I affirm, Serm, p. 14. * If any Men 
 ' upon Earth have a Right to add to the San- 
 
 * dions of Chrift's Laws y that is, to encreafe 
 ' the Number, or alter the Nature, of the Re- 
 
 * wards and Punifliments of His Subjedls, in 
 
 * Matters of Confcience, or Salvation : They 
 
 * are So Far Kings in his ftead; and Reign 
 
 * in their own Kingdom, and Not in His/ To 
 which I anfwer, 
 
 I. That an Involuntary and Undefign'd Wju- 
 ry is eafily forgiven. I was fo far from inten- 
 ding Any Hurt to the Kings Legal Supremacy y 
 that, in preaching this, I never fo much as once 
 thought of it : nor fhall I ever, I hope, \\\ 
 preaching about the Nature of Chrijfs Gofpel, 
 or Kingdom, judge of what is, or is not, to be 
 faid, from the Confiderations of this World, 
 and of the Kingdoms of it. If any of the 
 Words of Chriji Ihould plainly contain in them 
 Something inconfiftent with what the Powers o? 
 this World may have claim'd to Themfelves ; 
 the Charge muft lye againft ChriJl himfelf : and 
 not againft Thofe^ who, being His Difciples, fet 
 up His Authority in Religion, above that of All 
 tlie Kings of the Earth united together. 
 
 a- I 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 2. 1 confeis, I am not exadJly sj^ill'd i\\ the Ex- 
 tent and Bounds of -the Royal Supremacy : nor am 
 I acquainted with every Particular, mentiond 
 by Thofe Antient Laws, to which we are refer- 
 red in the Statute quoted by the Committee. This 
 I am fenfible of, that i\\ the Main it is lb necef- 
 fary, even for the Support of the King himfelf 
 in his Civil Prerogatives ; and for the Defenfe 
 of His Subjects in their Civil Rights ; that with- 
 out it, He could not truly be King^ nor have 
 i^nSiciQntPowers^ either to ihcm^ Himfelf^ or His 
 Suhjeils, Nor do I know of Any Greater Bene- 
 ft to the Subjed", than the Privilege of appeal- 
 ing to the Civil Power^ for what, under the Co- 
 . ver of being calfd Eccleji-aflical^ or Spiritual^ in 
 many Cafes, very intimately affeds their Civil 
 and Temporal Concerns. And this We all know, 
 that m Countries, where by Degrees it has 
 come to be otherwife, the Power properly call d 
 the Civil Power ^ is fwallovi^d up; and the ^c- 
 defiaflial Governours are come to command Ail 
 Temporal^ as well as All Spiritual Power. 
 
 3. One Thing relating to the Royal Suprema- 
 cy is very evident, that Preaching the Word of 
 God is particularly and utterly difclaim'd by 
 Our Kings and Queens ; and openly denied to 
 Them, by the Authentic Atis of Our Church. In 
 wliich it muft be impUed, that They have not 
 Authority, as they are Temporal Powers, to 
 interpret the Gofpel; or to order the Minifters 
 of the Gofpely what They lliail receive as the 
 Will of Chrift ; and what only They fnall 
 preach as fuch. And the Reafons for this, are 
 
 K plain, 
 
( I30 ) 
 
 plain, and unanfwerable : becaufe this Preroga- 
 tive would eflabliili Popery^ and the Worft of 
 Errors, where-ever the Magjfirate lliould enjoyn 
 Them, as Truths ; and would leave the Gofpel 
 it ielf entirely at the Difpofal of the Princes of 
 this World ; and make Them as efFedually the 
 Sole Preachers of God s Word^ as if They alone, 
 m Perfon, and with their ow^n Voices, preach'd 
 that only, which. They judg d fitting, to their 
 Subjeds. But, 
 
 4. The Royal Supremacy -, as far as I know^ of 
 it, does not imply any thing in it, contradicted 
 by Mc, in this Pajfage : becaufe it does not im- 
 ply in it ^ A Right to add to the Sanctions of 
 
 * Chill's Laws; to increafe the Number, or al- 
 
 * ter the Nature, of the Rewards and Punifli- 
 
 * ments of Chrift's Subjefe, in Matters of Con- 
 
 * fcience, or Salvation/ And as to All Outward 
 Atls^ in which the Supremacy legally exercifes it 
 fclf ; They are within the Bounds of the Legif- 
 lative Authority^ and govern'd and determined 
 by it. And of the Influence of My Dc^riney 
 with refped to Thefe ; what I lliall have Occa- 
 fion to alledge, in the Progrefs of This Debate, 
 will give a full Account. But, 
 
 5. The Queftion to a Chriftian is, whether I 
 have fpoken Truth ; and preach'd the Gofpel of 
 Jefus Chrifi : not whether I have unhappily 
 contradicted the Privileges poflels'd by A}iy Tem- 
 poral Power upon Earth. The Truth or Falf- 
 hood of this Firfi PafTage, will appear from the 
 Truth or Falfhood of what I am now laying 
 down. ^ ' To annex San(5tions to Laws, is as 
 
 * much 
 
( l^t ) 
 
 ^ much an Ad: •of Regal Power, as to make 
 
 * the Laws themlelves. To add New Sandi- 
 ^ ons, is the fame Thing. Whoever annexes, 
 ' or adds San^ions^ is So Far King ; becaufe 
 
 * He does an A^ of Regal Power. If the King 
 
 * of France has a Right to add Sand'ions to any 
 
 * of the Laws of England^ for the Ufe of the 
 
 * Subjects of England ; He is So ¥ a k King 
 
 * of England: and So Far, England is his 
 
 * Kingdom; becaufe He So Far governs the 
 
 * Subjects oi England^ I know nothing plainer 
 than this : nor can I therefore, add any thing to 
 make it plainer. This Paffage does not fo much as 
 affirm that Any Men upon Earth have no fuch 
 Right. If Others will maintain that they have 
 this Right; this Paffage affirms, that (f They 
 have this Rights then They are, of Right, S o 
 Far Kings in Chrift's (lead; becaufe He \\is 
 no Part in adding thole Sanciions^ vv^hich They 
 add of Thernfelves : and then, They reign, in 
 adding thofe Sandioas, S o F a r, in their own 
 Kingdom ; becaufe it is their own Kingdom, as 
 far as They ad a Regal Part m it; as much a^ 
 the Suhje^s of England^ would be So Far 
 Subjeds to the King of France, if They were 
 bound by the Sandions which He (hould add to 
 the Laws of England, over and above v/hat the 
 Legijlative Authority of England had annex'd to 
 them. If any Perfons think fit to oppofe this 
 diredly, inftead of drawing Odious Confequdnces 
 from it, which take their Force from Confi- 
 derations very different from what Chrijlians 
 ought principally to argue from ; I defire diat 
 
 K X They 
 
( I30 
 
 They will as plainly maintaiiv the Tropofitiom 
 concradidory to Thefe ; as I have plainly laid 
 down what this F^ff^ige contains in it. 
 
 Sect. III. 
 
 The Second PalTage, relating to the King's 
 Supremacy, conftder d- 
 
 'T^ H E next Pajfage cited by the Committee^ 
 
 -*- and deciar'd to be to the fame Purpofe, is 
 
 this, out of Serm. p. i8. ' The Sandions of 
 
 * Chrid's Law, are Rewards and Punilliments. 
 
 * But of what Sort? Not the Rewards of this 
 
 * World ; not the Offices or Glories of this 
 
 * State; not the Pains of Prifons, Banifliments, 
 
 * Fines, or any lelTer and more moderate Penal- 
 
 * ties ; nay, not the much lefTer Negative Dif- 
 ' couragements that belong to Humane Society. 
 
 * H E was far from thinking that thefe could 
 ' be the Inftruments of fuch a Perfuafion as He 
 ' thought acceptable to God.' 
 
 Here indeed, I confefs My-felf at a Lofs, 
 what to fay to Chriftians^ and Divines* For if 
 this Matter of Fatl^ fo evident in the Gofpel^ is 
 not plain and mhJameahle in their Eyes; what 
 can I think of, to explain it, that can be either 
 more plain^ or more unblameahle ? The Commit- 
 tee underllands Me here to fpeak, as I do, of 
 the Laws of Chrift, and their Santlions ; as He 
 proposM, and as He left them. This is plain, 
 both from the Manner of Expreflion made ufe 
 of: and from the lail Sentence of this Pajfage. 
 So that this is nothing but a Matter of Fatl af- 
 
 firm'd : 
 
( n^ ) 
 
 jfirm'd : and, whether it be true or falfe, can be 
 determined by Nothing but the Evangelical Hi- 
 flory \ and may eafily be determined by that. 
 The Queftions here are thefe, Did Our Saviour 
 himfelfever propofe to His Followers, that if 
 They truly obey'd His Laws, and were fin- 
 cerely his • Difciples ; They iliould be intitled 
 to the Rewards of this World ^ to the Offi- 
 ces and Glories of this prefent State ? Or, if 
 They were not truly His Difciples ; nay, if 
 They did but differ \\\ their Opinions, from O- 
 ther profefs'd Chriftians, Did He ever alliire 
 them that He had ordain'd for them the Trt- 
 fonSj Banijhments^ Fines^ or any other Penalties 
 of this World ; or even any Incapacicy of the 
 Common Rights of Humane Society ? If He 
 did ever fpeak in this manner ; I acknowledge 
 I have mifreprefented Him. But if He never 
 did fpeak any One Word tending this Way; I 
 am not afliamed that I have given a true Ac- 
 count of His Divine Conduct in this Particular. 
 If He never once hinted at any flich Thing; 
 nay, if He always took his Motives from ano- 
 ther Life; if He conftantly endeavour'd to take 
 ofF the Minds of His Followers from this 
 World ; and to dired: their Thoughts to Ano- 
 ther, and a Future State^ m which alone They 
 were to be fure of a Reward : then, I have tru- 
 ly defcribed what I intended ; and cannot be 
 blamed for adding this Remark, that * Our 
 
 * blefled Lord was far from thinking either the 
 
 * Pleafures or the Pains of this World, to be 
 
 * the Inftruments of fuch a Perfaafion, as He 
 
 K ; ' thou2:ht 
 
( ^34 ) 
 
 ^ thought acceptable to God/ If He had not 
 leen far from thinking fo ; (which Expreflion 
 feenis to have difpleas'd fome Perfons, upon 
 what Account, I am not able to judge ;) He 
 would., once at leaft, either have propofed 
 thofe Worldly Goods and Worldly Evils, to 
 our Hopes and Fears ; or He would have plain- 
 ly told Us^ that a Time would come, when 
 'Temporal Glories and Honours^ and Temporal Pains 
 and Torments^ fliould be, with his Approbation, 
 made the Jnftruments of Perfuafion : not only 
 to induce Men to be Chrijlians^ but to induce 
 All Chriftians to profefs themfelves of One 
 Mind, and One Opinion, in every Point of 
 Ceremony, and Speculation, to be fettled by 
 Fallible Men ; as well as in the Behef of His 
 G of pel, as He left it. 
 
 When any fuch Faffage is produced out of 
 the Gofpel ; or any Command laid there, upon 
 the Powers of this World, whenever They fliould 
 become Chriflians^ to advance God's Honour^ or 
 Chriii's Glory^ by what is truly a Difhonour to 
 God, and a Shame to the Chriftian Name : I 
 ihall be ready to retrad: what I have faid, as a 
 Matter of Fa^. In the mean while, If I have 
 truly reprefented the Gofpel ; the Cenfure falls 
 upon That : and not upon Me^ who have only 
 laid before the World what Every Page of it 
 bears witnefs to. And indeed, the fame Cen- 
 fure falls upon All the jfr/? Preachers of it, who 
 knowing the Terrors of the Lord^ perfuaded Men : 
 and upon All now, m every Church, who, m 
 preaching ChrifFs Religion^ and the Motives to 
 
( '^5 ) 
 
 ky fpend their Time in direding the Minds of 
 Chriftians only to a Future State ; and forget to 
 acquaint their Auditor s^ that Chrijl has ordain d 
 tiie Joys of this World, dircdlly for the Encou- 
 ragement of His Difciples ; and the Terrors of 
 this World, for the Difcouragement of Thofe 
 who are not fo ; or, who being lb in Profeffion, 
 difTent from Others of their Brethren^ who happen 
 to have Power to inffid: them. And what Diffe- 
 rence the Suppofition, upon which fuch Qenfures 
 are founded, will iw confequence leave, between 
 the Gofpel and the Alkoran; I tliink is too evident 
 to be hid : and ought to be ferioufiy conllder'd 
 by All, who honeflly mean to promote the True 
 Intereft of the Gofpel^ without feeing at firft the 
 Tendency of their own Proceedings. 
 
 Sect. IV. 
 
 Some Confiderations, ahout the True Nature of 
 
 Sanctions, in anfvoer to fome Other OhjcHions. 
 
 T K N O W there are fome Worthy Perfons 
 •*■ who have fuppofed that thofe Words of 
 our Saviour^ Matt. vi. 33.' Seek ye firfl the King- 
 
 * dom of Gody and His Righteoufnefs ; and all 
 
 * thefe Things fhall he added unto you ; ' and 
 thofe of St. ?auU i Tim. iv. 8. ' Godlinefs ha- 
 ving promife of the Life which now is ; ' are to 
 
 be looked upon, as Sanctions of Chriffs Laws. 
 But this has arifen plainly from not confidering 
 what is, and what is not, properly a Sanflion. 
 That Promife alone is a SanHion of Chrifl\ 
 Law, which is fo promis'd to Every One, that 
 
 K 4 Every 
 
( 1^6 ; 
 
 Every One equally will obtain ity without fail, 
 if He performs the Conditions, Chrift requires 
 of Him. 
 
 In the F/rfl of thefe Sentences^ Chrift only 
 guards his Difciples againft Inordinate Care, e- 
 ven after the Necejpiries of Life, Food and 
 Cloathing ; which alone are fpoken of there : 
 affuring them that, if they truly ' Seek the 
 * Kingdom of God j and His Righteoufnefs ; (which 
 they cannot do, without taking All their Mo- 
 tives of Adiion from thence^} Thefe Necejjaries 
 ihall be provided for them. Now, Thcie Ne- 
 cejfaries are far from being the Glories or Ho- 
 nours of this World. They are far from being 
 propoled as the Motives of Chrijlian Behaviour : 
 but it is fuppofed that the Man feeks the King- 
 dom of 6od^ i. e. takes his Motives from thence. 
 Nay, Thefe Neceffaries are not fo much as cer- 
 tainly promised to All fuch ; nor ever under- 
 iiood to be fo, by Any Chriftian Interpreter. So 
 far from it, that thofe Firft Chriftians to whom 
 the Words were fpoken, often were m w^ant even 
 of thefe NecelTaries ; and their very Lives were, 
 by the Providence of God, fuffer'd to be taken 
 from them. All that could be meant by thefe 
 Words therefore, was this ; that God himfelf 
 would take care, as far as it was confiftenr with 
 the Deilgns of His Providence, and the Honour 
 ^ of the Chriftian Religion, that They lliould not 
 want the Necefaries of Life ,• that, m the ordi- 
 nary State of God's Providence, this would ge- 
 nerally be true; and that in no State, any Inor- 
 dinate Defire after the good Things of this Life, 
 
 could 
 
( ni) 
 
 could become them; or any fuch Thoughts, 
 as fuppofed Thefe worldly good Things to be 
 made the Santlions of ChriiVs Law. Add to 
 this, that this very Promife was always under- 
 flood to imply in. it the Suppofition of Chrifli- 
 ans ufing their own Endeavours to get a Live- 
 lihood in an honefl way. So that, neither is 
 here any mention of Worldly Honours and 
 Glories; nor is here any Promife that God him- 
 felf, without their own Concurrence, will dif-. 
 penfe even the Necejfarics of this Life to them ; 
 or that Any Perfon fliall infalhbly, even in 
 the quieteft State of this World, enjoy them ; 
 nor any direction of the Thoughts of Chrifti- 
 ans to Them, as their Reward; but on the 
 contrary, an exprefs Defign of diverting their 
 Minds from them. 
 
 But, what is a very material Point, it is re- 
 quifite to the Notion of a Sanction^ that what 
 is promis'd, is fo promis'd, as that All who 
 come up to the Condition requir'd, are declared 
 to have a Certain title to the Poflcifion of it ; 
 of which not one of them lliall be deprived : 
 and that All who do not perform the Condition^ 
 are declared to be uncapable of pofTeffing or ob- 
 taining it. Thus the Glories of Another State 
 are promifed to the GoodChriftian, And if They 
 were to be poUelVd and obtain d by the Wick- 
 ed; They would be No Sand ion; nor any Mo- 
 tive to Goodnefs. Li the Cafe before Us, if 
 our Saviour had faid that ' All who feek the 
 
 * Kingdom of God, fliall have the Neceflaries of 
 
 * Life added to them ; and that All who do not 
 
 ' fcek 
 
( 158 ; 
 
 ' feek it, fliall not ever enjoy fo much as thofe 
 
 * Neceflaries of Life:' This indeed had made 
 it a Santlion of his Law. But it is fo far from 
 this, that the Wicked and Impious are feen to 
 enjoy often much more of this World than the 
 Bejl of Men,- not only to poffefs thcNecefa- 
 rks^ but to furfeit their Souls upon the Ahun- 
 fiance^ and Superfluities^ of this Life : the Gran- 
 deur and Luxury of which fcems to be left, by 
 Vrovideme^ to them^ 'w\ a very particular and 
 diftinguifliing Manner. 
 
 The fame is to be faid of St. Faut^ Expreili- 
 on about ' Godlinefs, having promife of the 
 
 * Life which now is.' It can be meant only of 
 Food and Raiment^ the NeceiTaries of it: of 
 which the fame Apoftk, in the fame Epiftle^ faith, 
 
 * Having Food and Raiment^ let us he therewith 
 
 * content.' Ch. vi. v. 8. He had before declared 
 what He underftood to be Great Gain^ viz. 
 ' Godlinefs with Contentment^' v. 6. and in v, 9, 
 10. He defcribes the Dangers and Hazards, both 
 to the true Faith, and the true Pradice, of a 
 Chriftian, from a State of Worldly Riches, &c. 
 He has therefore Hifficiently, by his own exprefs 
 Words, acquainted Us at leaft what He did not 
 mean by ' Godlinefs having promife of the Life 
 which now is/ And if We had none of his own 
 Declarations to help to explain thofe Words 5 
 yet We might be very fure, They could be un- 
 derftood only with thofe Qualifications before 
 mention d ; and that They could not be meant 
 as a Sanction to Chrift's Law : becaufe the IVici- 
 ed generally poffefs more abundantly, or at leaft, 
 
 full 
 
( '39) 
 
 full as much, of what properly belongs to this 
 Life, as the Godly do. As far as it is an Exprefs 
 Promtfe^ properly fo calld, it can be extended 
 no farther than I have now explain d it. 
 
 The Confideration of the Natural Tendency 
 of Virtue^ in the ordinary and peaceable State 
 of Humane Life, even to prefent Happinefs ; 
 and the Natural Tendency of Vice to the con- 
 trary ,• has no Place in this Delate : which con- 
 cerns it felf only about San^ions^ properly fo 
 caird. For that Natural Tendency has nor al- 
 ways effed: to keep Men, (even in a State 
 free from Perfecution,) from Great Outward 
 Want and PreiTure, of which we are ipeaking 
 in this Queftion : and in a State of Ferfecution^ 
 thefe Outward Goods of Life are ail taken away. 
 But whatfoever is propos'd as a SanBion^ is 
 propos'd as what never can, nor ever fliall, fail 
 Thofe, who are induced by it to obey that Law 
 of which it is a Santlion, The Regular Pradice 
 of All Virtue tends, in its own Nature, to the 
 Happinefs of Particular Men, \\\ all States of 
 Life. It tends naturally likewife, both to their 
 obtaining and preferving a competent and fuffi- 
 cient Portion of the Good Things of this Life. 
 Nay, the Haf)pinefs of the Whole Body or So- 
 ciety, confider d as fuch, is the conftant Refuk 
 of the Good Behaviour of the Members of it : 
 and with refped: to the Whole, this may be calfd 
 thcSan^ionoftliQ Social Law of Reafon, becaufe 
 the Pullk fuffers, in fome Part or other, by 
 the Evil Pra^ice of Any of its Members. But 
 as to particular Perfons^ Many Accidents inter- 
 vene 
 
( HO ) 
 
 vcne in this World, and prevent even what 
 would otherwife be the Confequence of their 
 Virtue. This Tendency of Firtue may likcwife 
 be caird a San^ion^ becaiife it always belongs 
 to it. But We are now fpeaking of Particular 
 Perfons, and the Adiual Certain PofTeiiion of 
 All Outward Good Things. And, I fay, thefe_ 
 Outward Goods^ properly fo call'd ; the Profits, 
 Riches, and Glories of this World, are not the 
 SanClions even of the Natural Law : becaufe the 
 Ad:ual Pollefiion of them is not conftantiy, and 
 without fail, the F onion of Thofe who moft of 
 all attend to it : and becaufe Wickednefs h fome- 
 times feen to be furrounded with them. 
 
 But as to Chrifl^s Laws, confider'd as His; 
 the Outward Goods of this World are fo far from 
 being the San^iens of them : that the Good things 
 of Another Future State are declared to be lb, 
 to make amends for the Uncertainty of obtain- 
 ing the Goods of this Life, in Any State of this 
 World ; and for the Certainty of being deprived 
 of them, in a State of Perfecution for His 
 Name's Sake. The ilimx is to be Hiid of All 
 like Expreffions in the New Teflament. 
 
 To return to the Reprefentation : I have af- 
 firm'd that Chrifl never made the Glories, or 
 the Torments; the Pleafures, or the Inconveni- 
 ences of this prefent World, the Sanctions of 
 His Law, confider'd as fach. The Committee 
 have thought fit to fay, that this is faid in Contra- 
 didion to the Kings Legal Supremacy. The Faf 
 (age affirms nothing but a Matter of Fa^^ re- 
 corded iw the Hiftory of the GofpeL The only 
 
 Queftion 
 
( HI ; 
 
 QMcJlionis^ whether it be truly related: or, if 
 it be, how the relating a Matter of Fa^^ as it 
 is in the Gofpel^ can be fuppofed to be a Con- 
 tradidiion to the Reqal Supremacy. 
 
 Sect. V. 
 
 The Two Next PafTages, produced hy the Com- 
 mittee, with their Obfervations. 
 
 T^ H E l^est Ohfervation of the Committee is 
 
 -^ this. ' And whereas the Scripture, and 
 
 ' our own Liturgy from thence, has taught Us 
 
 * to pray for Kings, and All that are put in 
 
 * Authority under Them, that They may mini- 
 
 * fler Juftice, tothePunifhmentofWickednefsand 
 ' Fice^ and to the Maintenance of True Religion 
 
 * and Virtue : His Lordfliip alTerts, Serm, p. 
 
 * 20. As foon as ever Ton hear of any of the En- 
 
 * gines of this Worlds whether of the greater or the 
 
 * leffer Sort^ Tou rauft immediately think that theny 
 *• and SO FAR^ the Kingdom of this World takes 
 
 * place, For^ if the very Effence of Gods Worfhip 
 
 * he Spirit and Truth ; if Religion he Virtue and 
 
 * Charity ., under the Belief of a Supreme Governour 
 
 * and Judge ; // true Real Faith cannot he the ef- 
 ' f^^ ^f Force ; and if there can he No Reward 
 
 * where there is No Willing Choice : Then^ in a!l^ or 
 
 * any of thefe Cafesj to apply Force or Flattery^ 
 
 * Worldly T leaf ure orFain^ is to a^ contrary to the 
 
 * Enter efts of True Religion ; as it is plainly oppofite 
 
 * to the Maxims upon which Chrifl founded His 
 
 * Kingdom ; who chofe the Motives which are not 
 
( H^ ) 
 
 of this WorU^ tofupport a Kingdom which is not 
 of this World* 
 
 The Remark of the Committee^ is this. ' The 
 Two Firfl; Cafes, here mention'd, relate to 
 what is efleiitial, in the Worfliip of God and 
 Rehgion : yet, He declares that to encourage 
 Rehgion by Temporal Rewards, is to ait 
 contrary to the Interefts of True Rehgion, as 
 it is oppofite to the Maxims on which Chrift 
 founded His Kingdom. This (fay They) is 
 to fet the Worfliip of God, and the Negled: 
 of it. Religion and Irreligion, on an equal 
 Foot in this World : As if, becaufe They 
 fliall hereafter be diftinguiflVd by Rewards 
 and Punifliments, by the Great Judge, there- 
 fore, the Magiflrate were excluded from m- 
 terpofing with Rewards and Punifliments to 
 diftinguifli them here ; and tied up from ex- 
 prelTmg Any Concern for His Honour, by 
 whom, and under whom. He beareth Rule. 
 
 ' This His Lordfliip farther fupports, Serm. g. 
 zi. And therefore^ when you fee Our Lord, in his 
 Methods^ fo far remov d fromThofe of many of His 
 Difciples ; when you read Nothing in His Doctrine 
 about his own Kingdom^ of taking in the Concerns 
 of this Worlds and mixing them with thofe of E- 
 ternity ; no Commands that the Frowns and Dif- 
 couragements of this prefent State^ jhould in any 
 Cafe attend upon Confcience and Religion ; — No 
 calling upon the fecular Arm^ whenever the Magi- 
 flrate fhould become Chriftian^ to infer ce His Do- 
 Urines^ or to back his Spiritual Authority ; but^ on 
 the contrary^ as plain a Declaration as a few 
 
 ' Words 
 
( H3 ) 
 
 * IVorJs can make^ that his Kingdom is not of this 
 
 * World : / fay^ when Tou fee thkj from the whole 
 ' Tenor of the Gofpel^fo vajlly oppofite to Many who 
 
 * take his Name into their Mouths ; the Quejlion 
 
 * with Tcu ought to he^ whether He did not know 
 
 * the Nature of his own Kingdom^ or Churchy letter 
 
 * than Any^ Jince His Time ; whether Tou can fup- 
 ^ pofe^ He left any fuch Matters to he decided a- 
 
 * gainft Himfclf, and his own Exprefs Profeftons. 
 
 * Where Your Lordlhips will obferve, that All 
 
 * Laws for the Encoiitagement of Rehgion, or 
 
 * DifcoLiragement of Irrehgion, arc reckon'd to 
 
 * be Dccifions againft Chrift.' 
 
 I purpofely tranfcribe the whole Pajfagesj 
 which the Committee produce in order to cenlure 
 Them, that Chriilians may fee and confider, to 
 what Confequences fuch Cenfures tend. This 
 Paffage^ of which I beg leave to fpeak firft, does 
 in Effed: give an Account that Chrijl has, in His 
 Gofpel, given no Orders about adding the San- 
 liions of this Worlds for the better Propagating, 
 or Eftabiilhing, the Profeffion of His Rehgion ; 
 and the like : particularly fpeaking about the 
 Terrors^ and Difcouragements ; not at all about 
 the Encouragements of this World. But the Thing 
 it relies upon, i^ this, that Chrifl: knew the Na- 
 ture of his own Kingdom^ and confequently the 
 proper Method of Supporting it, better than A- 
 ny of his Followers : and that He could not be 
 fuppofed to leave ir to Others to decide againff: 
 Himfelf, that His Kingdom is of this World, when 
 He hns declared. It is not : or any fuch important 
 Matters, as this is. I am forty to have Occafi- 
 
 on 
 
f^H ) 
 
 on here again to obferve, that a Committee of 
 Qhriflian Divines fliould produce this Sentence 
 at full length ; and not fo much as attempt to 
 fliew that I had mifreprefented Our Bleffed 
 Lords Condud: in this Particular : but fatisfy 
 themfclves with a Reflexion^ which falls upon O.^r 
 Common Lord and Majler^ if what I have faid be 
 true. 
 
 Do They once affirm that Our Saviour^ in his 
 Doctrine about his own Kingdom, takes in the 
 Concerns of this Life, in the Senfe in which 
 I deny it ? Do They once point out any Part 
 cf the GofpeU i^'i which He leaves Orders for a- 
 ny Future Chriftian Magrjiratesy to * inforce His 
 
 * Doctrines with the fecular Arm, and to back 
 ' his fpiritual Authority i Do They deny that 
 He knew ' the Nature and Intereft of his own 
 
 * Kingdom beft f Nothing of all this. But They 
 content themfclves with a Remark about Re- 
 ligion^ and Irreligion^ m general* which Tv/o 
 Words they do not at all explain. So that They 
 may mean quite another thing, than I am fpeak- 
 ing of, in that P.iffage: v;hich relates only to 
 the Methods of Propagating or Securing the 
 Outward Profeffionof Chrillianity in particular, 
 or of what Any Profeflbrs of Chriflianity may 
 rake for it. And thus, inftead of contradi(5i:ing 
 any thing I have there alledged (without the 
 Suppofition of the Truth of which, I will ven- 
 rute to affirm, the Inquifttion itfelf may be pro- 
 ved a Chriftian Method oi FerfuaJion{) They chufc 
 to make a Reflexion^ which They know to be 
 very Odious. They reprefent Me as, in that 
 
 ' , Taf 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 Pajfagey * reckoning All Laws for the Encouragd- 
 
 * nient of Religion, or Difcouragemeiit of Ir- 
 
 * religion, (without telling Us at all what thofe 
 Words mean,) * to be Decifions againfl Chrijl : 
 Whereas what I there Ipeak of, as decided againfl 
 Qhrifl-i is the Nature of His own Kingdom ^ decla- 
 red by Men^ in effed, to be of //j/y World, when 
 He himfelf has declared it not to be fo. 
 
 Sect. VI. 
 the Former ^/f/;^TwoPafrages lafl cited^ ex- 
 plain d*^ in order to Jheiv what was^ and what 
 was not, intended in it* 
 
 T Now return to the Other Vaffage, upon which 
 •■■ a more particular Strefs feems to be laid by 
 Some Members of the Committee. 
 
 The Propojitions, into which the Pajfage may 
 be refolved, are thefe which follow. 
 
 I. ' When the Engines of this World are ap- 
 
 * plied, then, and So Far, the Kingdom of this 
 
 * World takes place. ' 
 
 ^. ' Chrift has declared that the '^G^^nct of 
 
 * God's Worfhip, or that which makes it truly 
 
 * the Worlhip of God, is Spirit and Truth. ' 
 
 3. 'St. James has declared that Pure and Un- 
 
 * defiled Rehgion is Virtue and Charity, under 
 ' the Beliefof a Supreme Governour and Judge.' 
 
 4. ' True Real Faith cannot be the Effect of 
 
 * Outward Force, ' 
 
 5-. ' There is No Title to a Reward, where 
 
 * there is No Choice.' 
 
 L 6* Con- 
 
( H6 ) 
 
 6'. Confcqucntly, ' In the Cafe of God^s Wor- 
 ' fliip, or Religion, (Avhicli are the only Points^ 
 
 * the Remark of the Committee toucheSjJ to ap- 
 ' ply Force or Flattery; Worldly Pleafure or 
 
 * Pain ,• is to ad contrary to the Interefts of 
 
 * True Religion :' Then follow thefeWords^ ^ As 
 
 * it is plainly oppofite to the Maxims upon 
 
 * which Chrift founded His Kingdom;' that is,. 
 difagreeable to the Account given in His Do- 
 drinc of the Eflcnce of God's Worlhip, and of 
 True Religion ; and to his propofing the Re- 
 wards of Another Life, as the Sanctions of His 
 Kingdom. For, 
 
 * 7. Chrift chofe the Motives which are not 
 ^ of this World, to fupport a Kingdom which 
 
 * is not of this World.' 
 
 ' 8. The Methods, He took, were certainly 
 
 * the proper ?vIethods : and the very contrary to 
 
 * them, cannot be proper for the fame End. 
 
 ' 9. T/jis World, and the Motives of it, are 
 ' contrary, and work in a contrary Method, to 
 ^ thofe of Another : the One tending to Spirit^ 
 
 * and Truths and Sincerity ; the Other to Out- 
 ' ward Profeflion ; which it felf alone, is not 
 ' Religion! 
 
 10. Therefore, ' to apply the Motives o^ this 
 
 * World to That, to which He applied the Mo- 
 ' tives of the 0//'^;^ World only, is to addiredly 
 
 * contrary to Him : and confeejuently, to the 
 ^ Interefis of True Religion; if He underftood the 
 ' Nature of it aright, and thought it belt fecu- 
 ' red by Mcdiods of quite another Sort. 
 
 It 
 
( H7 ) 
 
 It will now the better appear what I havd 
 here maintain d,- and what I have not main- 
 tained. 
 
 1. Frorh hence it appears plainly, that I had 
 not My Thoughts upon what All Mankind in 
 their own Consciences are agreed upon; but ex- 
 prefly upon Worfkip^ and Religion^ confider'd as 
 amongft Chriftians, and in Qhrijlian Countries^ 
 particularly. For I fpeak of Chr'tjfs Kingdom^ 
 and His Example, and His Account of them 
 both : v/hich are no Arguments to Any, but Chri- 
 ftians. 
 
 2. It is. as plain that what I fay, about ^ ap- 
 ^ plying Force or Flattery, Pleafure or Pain,* 
 relates to the applying theni, as Motives to 
 One certain Particular Way of Worfliip, and One 
 certain Profeffion' in Religion. This is evident 
 even in tlie Nature of the Thing: becaufe No 
 Magijlrate^ or Churchy was ever fuppos'd to ap- 
 ply fuch Motives, but to induce Men to wor- 
 lliip God, and to profefs, in the Manner agree- 
 able to that Magiflrate^ or that Church, Nor is 
 there 2ii\y Inflame of the contrary: I am fure^ 
 not amongft Chriflians^ of whom particularly I 
 was fpeaking. 
 
 Nay, Thofe who have found mofl Fault with 
 My Dodrine, and with this Paflage in particular, 
 have given Me this Teftimony; by laying it 
 upon Me, that I intended it particularly againft 
 that Acl amongft Our felves, which incapaci- 
 tates Men from holding Civil Offices, to which 
 They have otherwife a Right, unlcfs They Wor- 
 fliip God in one particular Way. To iuppofe 
 
 L % there- 
 
( h8 ) 
 
 therefore, that it was My Defigti and Inrenti- 
 cn to declare againft All manner o^ Worldly Mo- 
 tives^ to encourage Men to Worfliip God in A- 
 ny way, tho' leaving them All to chufe for Them- 
 felves ,• is to fuppofe Me, not only to be very ze- 
 lous in exprelTing a Concern againft what never 
 was in. Experience; but to go unneceflarily much 
 farther than I could be carried by My own fup- 
 pofed Defign : according to which, the Qjiejli- 
 on before Me related folely to the applying 
 Force or Flattery^ in order to induce Chrijlians 
 to the fame One certain Profedicn in Religi- 
 ous Matters; and to the fame One certain Form 
 of Words and Ceremonies in publick Worfliip. 
 
 Sect. VII. 
 An Explication of what the Reprefentation 
 charges upon this Paflage. 
 
 T Now come to confider what the Committee 
 ■*• exprefly lay upon this Pajfage. They fpeak 
 only of the Worfhip ofGody and P^eligion, Their 
 Words are thefe. ^ The Two firft Cafes here 
 
 * mention'd, relate to what is Effential iw the 
 *- Worfliip of God, and of Religion ; yet He de- 
 ^ clares that to encourage Rehgion by Tempo- 
 
 * ral Rewjirds, is to ad: contrary to the Inte- 
 
 * refts of True R.eligion, as it is oppofite to the 
 ' Maxims upon which Chrift founded His King- 
 ^ dom.' I am not willing to cavil at the Way 
 of ExprelTion here ufedN; being fcnfible that I 
 may ftand in Need of Cajidour for Exprejfions of 
 
 Mv 
 
C H9 ^ 
 
 My own. What I can underftand by it is, that 
 Notwithftanding that I fpeak expreily, not of 
 Any Circumftances, or particular Sort of Wor- 
 fhip, or Rehgion ; but of what is EJfentzal to 
 both ; Tet^ even as to the EJfentials oi Religion^ 
 I declare againft Temporal Encouragements^ &c. 
 And upon tlois Reprefenration of My Senfe, the 
 Whole Charge following it, is founded. If there- 
 fore, this be not a Ji:ft Reprefenration of My 
 Senfe ^ then the Charge which relies entirely up- 
 on the Suppofition ^that it is fo, muft fall to 
 the Ground. I beg therefore, their Patience, 
 whilft I endeavour to iQt My Intention iw this 
 Pajfage^ in a clear Light. 
 
 My Argument, I acknowledge, is drawn from 
 the \QTy EJfentials otGods Worfiipy and of True 
 Religion ; but that it w^as intended to conclude 
 againft the encouraging Religion^ confider'd in 
 its EJfentials^ by Temporal Rewards, I deny ,• 
 becaufe I know, it was not : and for another 
 Reafon iikewife, becaufe I know that it is 
 not in the Power of Men, by All the Temporal 
 Good Things of this World united together, to 
 encourage Religion in the EJfentials of it ; tho' 
 it be iw their Power, by annexing feme of cheni 
 to what they call Religion^ to deftroy or hurt 
 the very Vitals of it. 
 
 I am fenfible that the Worthy Terfon^ to whom 
 I am fo much obliged already va this Part of the 
 Controverfy^ has made Y^imf^Vl pie af ant with This 
 alfo: as if I had in EfFed: declared that All I in- 
 tended, was to guard againft doing, what it is 
 impoflible to do. But I intreatHim, to hear Me 
 
 L 3 a 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 a little farther, before He goes on. For, i. There 
 are many Things which Men do not fee, or 
 know, to be impoflibie ; which yet really are 
 fo. 2. They often attempt to do what is tru- 
 ly impoflible, tho' not what they know to be fo« 
 3. In the Cafe oi Religion particularly, the?^- 
 pifis^ for Inftance, many of them, I doubt not, 
 think that They promote Religion^ in its very 
 Ejfentials^ by enticing Men by Great worldly 
 Promifes, or by terrifying miferable Wretches 
 by Torments, into an outward ProfefTion of 
 what They think and call Religion, 4. It is 
 not therefore, fo exceedingly abfurd, even to 
 endeavour to perfuade Men not to attempt, what 
 is truly impoffible to be done : fuppofmg I had 
 done this, and gone no farther. And, 5. What 
 ought very much to guard it againft His Cen- 
 fure^ is, that He himfelf, as I fliall fliew by and 
 by, has been guilty of the like. 
 
 But My Argiment is not this : tho' it proceeds 
 upon it. Firji^ with refped: to God's Worfliip, 
 I argue thus. ' If what is calPd God's Wor- 
 
 * fliip, be not indeed fo, unlefs it be perform'd 
 
 * in Spirit and in Truth ; with Underftanding, 
 
 * and Sincerity ; then, to apply Flattery ^ i. e, 
 
 * the Qlories and Honours of this World ; or 
 
 * Force^ i. e. the Pains and Inconveniences of 
 
 * this World ; to annex Worldly Rewards and 
 
 * Puniiliments to any particular Way of Wor- 
 
 * fkip^ is upon this Account contrary to the In- 
 
 * terefts oi True IVorJhip: becaufe, it being im-. 
 ^ poffible that Any Worldly Motives^ can create 
 I thofe inward ElTentials of it, which make it 
 
 * aC' 
 
( 15^ ) 
 
 acceptable to God; the Application of them, 
 in this Cafe, tends to induce Men to Worfliip 
 God in that particular Way, fo encouraged, 
 even without Underllanding, and without Sin- 
 
 * cerity/ This I think as plain, as it is, that 
 No Perfon can be lb certain of His Sincerity, in 
 That part of his Condud, to which a Great pre- 
 fent Profitj Honour^ or Tleafure^ is annex'd ; as 
 He maybe, in That, which Heferioufly and vo- 
 kmtarily enters into, without any fuch Motive : 
 And I think this an Important Confiderarion, in 
 the Cafe of Gods Woriliip; becaufe His Favour 
 and an happy Eternity depend upon it. I do 
 not fay, that this entirely and always deflroys 
 the Effence of Gods Worjhip. God forbid ! But 
 that it endangers it, and ofcen deflroys it^ is 
 too plain to be denied : and therefore, that it 
 is contrary to the Inter efls of it. 
 
 The fame is faid of Religion. * If the Pra- 
 ' €}:ice of what is call'd Virtue and Charity, be 
 
 * not truly Religion.^ unlefs it be founded upon, 
 
 * and guided by, the Motives of Another World : 
 
 * Or, iw other Words, If Religion be Virtue 
 
 * and Charity, confider'd as pradis d under the 
 ' BeHef of a fupreme Governour and Judge ; If 
 ' this inward Principle be That alone, which 
 
 * makes it Religion ; 
 
 Thefe are the Suppofitions^ upon which what 
 follows is founded. So that here are the follow- 
 ing Points implied in the Notion of Religion. 
 The Practice of all the Duties we owe to our 
 Selves, and to our Neighbour. The fincere Be- 
 lief of a God, a fupreme Governour and Judge : 
 
 L 4 or, 
 
( '5^0 
 
 or, in other Words, The BeUef of a future State. 
 This cannot be fuppos'd in a Chrijlian^ without 
 implying that He is led to It by jhe Revela- 
 tion of Jefus Chrift ; and thatlie fincerely pro- 
 fefTes himfclf His Difciple. Fof^feng St. James's 
 Defcriprion of Religion^ and of the Religion of a 
 Chrijlian ; it cannot be fuppofed to leave out 
 thefe Two laft. We are led by Qhrifi to the 
 firm AfTurance of Another World : the Belief of 
 which is What alone renders our beft A(3:ions 
 Religion^ as it is the Principle within Us, from 
 whence They flow ; and from whence, when 
 they do not flow, They ceafe to be Religion, 
 
 From which Account of Religion it will fol- 
 low, that ' to apply Worldly Rewards^ or Pu- 
 ' fiifhments^ under Prctenfe of Promoting any 
 
 * Practice, or Profeffion, as Religion, is to di 
 
 * contrary to the Inter efts of True Religion \ be- 
 ' caufe,'it being impolTible by Worldly Motives 
 
 * to create that Inward fincere Belief, which a- 
 ' lone makes it Religion, the Application of 
 
 * them in this Cafe^ naturally tends to entice or 
 
 * to terrify Men, into the ProfeJ/ion of Something 
 f which They neither underftand, nor truly be- 
 
 * lieve : or into the Prailice of Something which 
 
 * is not Religion^ either as it is not, in the Matter 
 ^ of it, what it ought to be ; or, if it be, as it is not, 
 ' upon this Suppofition, pradiis'd upon a Religi- 
 
 * ous Principle. The Intereft of True Religion is, 
 ' that it fliould be receiv'd by a Willing Choice ; 
 ' and praftis'd upon z Principle of Faith in 
 
 * God, and Belief of a Future State. And what- 
 ^ ever induces Men to pradicc any thing as Re- 
 
 t li$,ionj 
 
(153) 
 
 * ligioHy which is not right, in the Matter of it ; or 
 
 * to practice any thing, as fuch, upon worldly 
 
 * Motives^ is therefore contrary to the Interefts 
 
 * of True Religion'. 
 
 This is the only Senfe, in which I have here 
 fpoken ol Virtue and Charity ; viz. as They are 
 Religion \ fo far, and no farther than, as they are 
 pracSis'd upon a Religious Principle. But under 
 any other Confideration, either as the Outward 
 Pra^ices^ call'd by thole Names, are becoming 
 Humane Nature, or Beneficial to Humane So- 
 ciety ; They are left by Me, to the Regards 
 and Encouragement, not only of Magiftrates^ 
 but of all private Men, in their feveral Stations, 
 as much as if I had not once mention'd the 
 Words in this Place, But that Sincere Belief 
 which turns them into Religion^ can be work'd 
 in Others^ by no Method, as I know of, but 
 by the Reprefentation of the Great Arguments 
 there are for that Belief \ and particularly, of 
 the Truth of Our BlefTed Lords RefurreElion 
 from the Dead ; who appear'd amongft Men, to 
 propofe the Motives of AnotherWorld^ to counter- 
 balance the Motives of this World: which He 
 never fuppofes to co-operate with His Deflgns. 
 And this Reprefentation does not belong to the 
 Givil Magifirate^ as fuch. Every Qhriflian^ as 
 He has Opportunity, ought to m-ake this Re- 
 prefentation to All who ftand iw tieed of it. But, 
 in particular, it is the Office of Thofe^ who are 
 fet apart for the Miniflry. 
 
 I hope that what I have faid, in This^ and 
 the foregoing Se£tion^ in explication of the De- 
 
 iign 
 
' ( ^5+ ) 
 
 figa of My Argument, may larfsfy Thofe PFor- 
 thy Per Cons J who are peculiarly fond of this 
 Pare only of. t\\t Charge againlt Me. If by 
 the General Words of the Reprefentattiin^ which 
 feem to have been chofen by Them particularly, 
 They mean Religion^ and the Worjhip of God^ in 
 general^ without defining any particular Sort of 
 either; Or, if the Reverend Dr. Sherlock means 
 only to contend for ' the Magiftrate's Right to add 
 ' the Sandions of this World to make Men do, 
 
 * what the Light of their own Minds teaches 
 
 * them, They ought to do, with refped to Re- 
 
 * ligion ;' or confines this truly to ' Points in 
 
 * which the Reafon of Men will not permit 
 
 * them to differ ;' as He plainly intends by his 
 ftating this Matter \\\ p. 57. of His Confiderati- 
 ms : I mud intreat i heni to believe Me, that I 
 had it not in My Thoughts, to oppofe Thefe 
 Notions, in the leaR degree, in what I have faid 
 in the P^fTage now before Vs. T beg of Them 
 to fix what this Worjh/p of God, and Religion^ 
 in general^ arc ; w^hether it be polfible for Any Men 
 to worlhip God, without doing it in fome One 
 Particular Manner ; whether^;/)' One Particular 
 Manner of IVorJhiphc of the Number of ' Thofe 
 ' Points, in which the Reafon of Men has not 
 
 * adually permitted them to differ;' and, if not, 
 whether Any One particular Church, or Con- 
 flitution^ xho the Bed in the whole World, (the 
 Church of Eyigland for Tnftance, and the Regal 
 Supremacy in Ec cleft a flic a I Matters^) obtains any 
 the Icaft Benefit, or Advantage, from hence; 
 nay, whether it will not follow from hence, 
 
 that 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 that the Bufinefs of the MagiJlratCj as here dc- 
 fcribed, with refpecSl to Religion^ is to fee that 
 Men worfliip God, according to their own 
 Confciences, every Sort, in their Icveral infi- 
 nitely various Ways ; and, that this may be done 
 more effedlually, to encourage Them All equal- 
 ly, of what. Denomination foever, without lay- 
 ing Any Penalty, or even the lead Incapacity, up- 
 on any of Them, on the Account of Any of Thofe 
 Points^ in which, it is plain, ^ Their Realbn per- 
 ' mits them to differ/ I do not fay that this 
 Worthy Perfon does not fometimes appear to con- 
 tradict this Account of His own Doctrine ; and 
 to carry it much farther. But if He meant Any 
 thing by thus ftating it in His Qonfulerations ; or 
 by what He before laid down about the Qhrir 
 flian Inftitution m particular, p, y. of his former 
 Book ; the Committee will judge. How fmall Ac- 
 quifitions Their Caufe obtains by All this ; and 
 how imperceptible the Difference is, between 
 Thefe Principles and Mine^ as to their Influence 
 upon the Worldly Securities added to Any Particu- 
 lar C/^z/rc/', ox Worjhipy upon Earth. To return, 
 I thought it my greateft Defenfe, to iheltei: 
 what I had faid under the Name of Our Con] 
 mon Lord and Majler : and rather than exprcfs 
 my Pvcafon, in My ow^n Words, I chofe to make 
 ufe of His Author ityy and to fay, that ' to appiv 
 
 * Worldly Motives, in the Cafes mention a, k 
 ' to adt contrary to the Interefts of True Re- 
 ^ ligion, as it is plainly oppofite to the Maxim<^- 
 
 * upon which Chrift founded His Kingdom, \£;c^ 
 Without doubt, Qhriflians and Divines would 
 
 have 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 have allow' d This to have been a good Argu- 
 ment, had They not luppofed Me to be great- 
 ly miftaken in the Application of it. But then 
 I could Willi, They had been fo good as to have 
 hinted at Any thing, which might have iliewn 
 Me my Error. They do not deny, either that 
 Chrifi was the Bed Judge of the proper Maxims 
 upon which His Kingdom ought to be founded ; 
 or, that He pafs'd by the Motives of this World, 
 and chofe Thole of Another ; or, that This World 
 is contrary to the Other : or, that the Motives 
 of it are contrary, in their Operation, to the 
 Motives of the Other; or, that What Ckriji 
 once judgd to be contrary to the Interefls of 
 True Religion, is not lo much alter'd, as to 
 be now, in its Nature, a True and Conftant 
 Friend to thofe Interefts. 
 
 Sect. VIll. 
 
 ' An Examination of fome Reafonings of the 
 Reverend Dr, Sherlock, upon this Subjed:. 
 
 T Confefs that One Member of the Committee 
 •*■ has for Himfelf declared, in his Anfxer to 
 a Letter^ &c. //. 8. what may be conceiv'd to 
 pais iikewife for the Senfe of his Brethren : if it 
 be not remembcr'd, in how many Things They 
 differ ; and therefore, that We have no Autho- 
 rity to judge from His Sentiments, what their 
 Sentiments are, in Any Part of this Controverfy. 
 He tells us, fas a Matter fo plain, that it may 
 be taken for granted,) ' it ought to be remem- 
 
 ' ber d 
 
( ^577 
 
 * ber'dthat All Rewards and Puniflimeiits, whe- 
 
 * ther of this World, or the next, operate on 
 ' the Mind in the fame Way : One may be 
 
 * ftronger than the other ; and influence more, 
 
 * as it may happen ; but ftill They are Re- 
 
 * wards and Punilhments, and operate as fuch.* 
 I would not wiUinglyhave the Sound of Words 
 prevail upon Men, in fo important a Contro- 
 verfy. And therefore, I muft remark that, tho' 
 this be very true in One Senje ; it is, in a Sejife^ 
 in which I have never denied it ; and a Senfe, 
 not only foreign, but diredly contrary, to the 
 Purpofe for which it is urged. That prefent 
 Temporal Rewards and Punifliments operate oh 
 the Mind, in the fame Way, in which the Future 
 Eternal do, is true, in this Senfe, that they in- 
 duce Men in many Cafes, to do the fame out- 
 ward Anions, or to pronounce the fame Sounds, 
 which the Others would. But this is fo far from 
 being an Argument for applying them in Cafes 
 of Religion, that it is the very ftrongeft Reafbn 
 againft it : becaufe They tend to influence Men 
 to Outward Anions, or Vrofeffwns, even without 
 Sincerity and Uprightneis of Heart. But that 
 They operate the fame Way, in that Senfe, in 
 which alone it mufl: be affirm'd to contradict 
 Me ; or to be of Service to His Part of the Con- 
 troverfy, I cannot by any Means yield. 
 
 The Difference between their Operations, is 
 too manifeft. They both indeed Operate, as Re- 
 wards and PirnifJrments : as He fays. But the One 
 operate, as the Rewards and Punifliments of this 
 Prefent Life; the Other, as the Rewards and 
 
 Punilh- 
 
C '58 ) 
 
 PiHiifliments of a Life to come : the Qne^ as 
 Temporal Motives, applied by the ftrong Ar- 
 gument of Pleafure^ Trojit^ or Honour^ now be- 
 fore our Eyes ; the Other^ as Eternal Mo- 
 tives, to be fecn now only by Faith^ and to 
 be felt, '\n their Effed: only, by Souls truly and 
 fmcerely believing in, and depending upon, God. 
 The One operate fo, as that the Man, as far 
 as He is influenced by them, is fo far without 
 the leaft Grain of Religion^ amidft all his Adi- 
 ons, and all his Profeihons : and the Other ope- 
 rate fo, as to make His AdJions acceptable to 
 God; and to make His Pradlice Religion ; which^ 
 without them, it would not be. In a Word, 
 The One tend too naturally to make Men Hy- 
 pocrites ; and, at beft, add not one Tittle to 
 their Religion, The Other alone denominate 
 Men Reliq^iouSj and are the Motives to any 
 thing that can be calFd Religion. If that Wor- 
 thy Ferfon could fliew that They operate in the 
 far/je PFjy, in which the Motives of Another 
 World do, in making the Man Religious pro- 
 perly fpeaking ; or in inducing Him to the 
 greatcft Inftances of Uprightnels and Sincerity 
 before God, this might then be granted to be 
 an excellent Argument in their Favour; and 
 they might be allowed to be the Sanclions of 
 Religion, properly Ipcaking. But this can ne- 
 ver be, as long as it is evident, beyond All Con- 
 tradiction, that a Man may be indiiced by the 
 Motives of thislVorlrl, in many Inflances, to an 
 Outv/ard Practice, exactly tlie fame, a> far as 
 Mortal Eyes can fee^ as that of the Religions 
 
 Alan ; 
 
(^59 ) 
 
 Man ; and to make open ProfefTions, hi the 
 fame Sounds with Him : and yet have no more 
 Religion; no more Acceptable nefs in the Sight 
 of God ; than if His Practice, and His Profef- 
 fions, were the dired contrary. And the Rea- 
 Ion of this is plain ; becaufe, upon the fame 
 Terms, All this would have been the dired: 
 contrary; and He, who is, upon fuch a Bottom, 
 a Froteftant m one Country, would upon the 
 fame Bottom have been a Papifij or a Mahome- 
 tan^ or a Fagan^ or a Jew^ m Another. 
 
 Let this Method therefore, which We have 
 been now fpeaking of, be complemented upon 
 Other Accounts, as much as They pleafe, who 
 contend for it. Let them call it all the good 
 Names they can think of. Let them declare 
 that it is the only Vv^ay to keep Things Qiiiet, 
 and to maintain External Peace. But let them 
 nor call it the Maintenance of True Religion : to 
 which it has no Relation; unlcfs it be in Multi- 
 tudes of Inftances to deilroy it, and m All, to 
 hazard it. And let them not landlify it by the 
 Name of Concern for the Honour of God, Who 
 knows no Honour from Any Worihip, or Pro- 
 feiTion, or Pradice, proceding from fo mean 
 aP^oot; and who delights in none, but what 
 ariies from a True Belief iw Him, and is 
 founded upon the Motives oi Another World, 
 
 Before I return to the P.eprefentation it felf, I 
 beg leave to take Notice of Another Paffage, in 
 Dr. Sherlock^ Anfwer bcfore-mentiond, imme- 
 diately preceding the Words, I laft cited from 
 it : becaufs I v/ould not appear to negled any 
 
 Argi!- 
 
( i^o ) 
 
 Argument from fo good a Hand, which natu- 
 rally offers it fclf upon this Part of the Delate ; 
 and which fcems to bear upon it the Face of 
 Reafoning. His Words arethefe, />. 7, 8. ' Since 
 
 * the Laws of Chrift are Declarations of Con- 
 ' dicions to be perform'd in This World ; 
 
 * anddo, nioft of them, affed: the Happinefs as 
 ' well of Publick Societies, as of private Men; 
 
 * how could the Magiftrate of this World bet- 
 
 * rer employ that Portion of Power intruded to 
 ' Him, than by applying it to thofe very 
 ' Points, to which God has applied the Sandli- 
 
 * ons of the other World ? Can He have a bet- 
 
 * ter Example to follow, than that of God Him- 
 
 * felf, m ufing the Power entrufled to Him by 
 
 * God ? Or, Are thofe Points not fit to be pro- 
 
 * moted by Rewards and Punifliments, to which 
 
 * God Himfelf has annex d Rewards and Punifh- 
 
 * ments f To all which I anfwer, 
 
 I* Whatever diredly affeds the Happinefs 
 of Puhlic Societies ; and is within the Power of 
 the Magijlrate; is likewife within His Care. 
 But His Power cannot reach any farther than 
 Outward Anions ; and cannot bear Any Part m 
 making Any Man's Adions, or Profeflions, to 
 be Religious Adiions, or Profeffions : becaufe 
 That depends entirely upon the Principle of 
 Faith^ from whence they flow. 
 
 2. * The Laws of Chrift are Declarations of 
 
 * Conditions to be perform'd In This World :' 
 That is-, They are Laws enjoyning fuch and 
 fuch a Profeffion, and Practice ; but enjoyning 
 Them to be made and performed, not upon any 
 
 Motives 
 
( i6i ) 
 
 Motives of this World, hut entirely upon thofe 
 of Another. Tho' they are to be perform'd in 
 this World, yet not upon the Motives of this 
 World. And confequently, They^ who have 
 the Motives of this World m their Hands, can 
 letter employ the Portion of Power entrujled to 
 Them, than by attempting to apply them to 
 the Same Points, to which the Sandions of An- 
 other World are applied ; becaufe Thofe Points 
 are enjoined by Chrift to be perform'd upon the 
 Motives of Another World ; and becaufe the ap- 
 plying the Motives of this World will not add to 
 theWeight,but diminilhfrom the Force, of Chrifh's 
 Motives: Whatever Part the Motives of This 
 World have, in any A^ion or Profefj^on, being 
 fo much, exacftly in proportion, drawn away 
 from the Influence of tte Motives of Another 
 World. And therefore, xht Magijirate may much 
 better employ his Power, by leaving Chrifts 
 Laws, properly fo calfd, to Chrift's Motives ; 
 and applying it to All fuch Overt Atls, as di- 
 redly a^d Humane Society: which is His pro- 
 per Care; as Religion, truly fo call'd, is the 
 Care of thofe, who are to preach it, and to re- 
 prefent thofe Motives which alone make it 
 Religion. 
 
 3. 'The Magiflrate, I acknowledge, cannot 
 ' have a better Example to follow, than that 
 * oi Almighty God: It has been thought fit by 
 Him, tlmt the Laws of Chrifi, and Religion, 
 truly fo caird, fliould be accompanied and 
 ftrengthen'd by the San^ionso? Another World: 
 to which Chriji Jefus, in his Gofpel, has intirely 
 
 M left 
 
( i62 ; 
 
 left them. The Magiftrate therefore, cannot 
 follow God s Example, in attempting to annex 
 Worldly Santtions to Religion^ as fuch : becaufe 
 Jefus Cbrijl has left it entirely to be fupported 
 by Thofe of a Future State ; and becaufe it can- 
 not be Religion otherwife. And That Magi- 
 ftrate, who leaves the Religion of Chrijl to the 
 Motives with which alone He guarded it ; He 
 it is, that follows the Example of God in this 
 Particular ; and not He^ who adds the San^ions 
 of This World to That^ to which Almighty God 
 annex'd only Thofe of Another. 
 
 4. ' ^Thofe Points, to which God Himfelf has 
 
 * annex'd Rewards and Punifliments, are cer- 
 
 * cainly fit to be promoted by Rewards and 
 
 * Punifliments.' Otherwife, Almighty God would 
 iiot have chofen this Method. But Thofe FointSy 
 to which Almighty God has annex'd Future E~ 
 /d'/'A/i?/ Rewards and Punifliments, are not fit to be 
 promoted by Fr^;// and Temporal Rewards and 
 Punifliments : not only becaufe, it being certain 
 that They cannot^ to attempt it \^ only to bring 
 External Acftions, and Outward Profeffions, to 
 flandfor True Religion*^ but htcTiu^t Almighty God 
 has annex'd The SanBions of Another^ and a 
 Future State to Chrifis Laws. This is the very 
 Reafon why Worldly SanBions fliould not be an- 
 nex'd to them : becaufe, of Two Sorts of Mo- 
 tives, without doubt, Perfed: Wifdom chufes 
 the moft proper Sort ; and becaufe, as I have 
 fliewn juft now, the Tendency of the One Sort, 
 iw this Cafe, is diredly contrary to the Ten- 
 dency of the Other. 
 
 5-. But 
 
r 163 ; 
 
 5-. But if this Worthy Perfon fays that what 
 He urg d, ia this PafTage, was founded upon the 
 Sufpofition of the Peoples real Bchef m Chrift, 
 and univerfai Agreement in his DoBrinesy al- 
 ready profefs'd ; then, He muft difclaim this 
 Reafoning in All Cafes, where that univerfai 
 Agreement is not. And then I add, i. That, 
 All this and the Uke Reafoiling, thro' His late 
 Books J fignifies nothing to juftify the adding 
 Worldly Sanctons before-hand to Any Particu- 
 lar Profefion or Pra^ke^ in ilich a Manner, as 
 that Men may be induced by Them wProfefs^ or 
 Worjhipy only externally, without true Inward 
 Sincericy. 2. That No particular Church in the 
 World gets Any worldly Advantage, or vSecuri- 
 ty, from hence. 3. That, even upon tliis Sup- 
 pofition, the Magijlrate cannot ferve the Caufe 
 of True Religion^ in this Method, fo, as to 
 make Thofe truly Religious^ with whom He 
 deals in this Manner. For, I will venture to 
 fay, that He who beUeves His Happinefs in a 
 Future State to depend upon fuch or fuch a 
 particular ProfeffioHy or PraBice ; (which is the 
 prefent Suppofition ;) and yet is induced to make 
 th^zProfeJfion^ or perform that Pr^^ir^, N o t 
 by the Motives of that Future State, but by 
 the Worldly Sanctons added to them ^ is not ^ 
 Religious Man : That this Profeffwn and Pra^ice^ 
 as far as They are guided and enforced by the 
 Confiderations of this World, fo far ceafe to 
 be Religion ; and have no more Title to that 
 Name, than the Condud of a Man would have, 
 if You could polTibly fuppofe Him to believe 
 
( 164; 
 
 the Terrors of a Future StatCj and yet to ab- 
 ftaiii from Rohhery^ for fear of the Terrors of 
 this World. The Truth feems to be, that Real 
 Believers caniioc want any Motives to be ad- 
 ded to Thofe which Almighty God has pro- 
 pofed to All Equally ; and that, whatever De- 
 gree of Influence Worldly Motives adiually have 
 upon their TraUice^ there is jufl fo much taken 
 from their Religion ^ properly fo call'd. 
 
 Sect. IX. 
 
 The Confequence, fixd hy the Committee upon 
 My Do^rine in This PalTage, confiderd. 
 
 TTAving thus both explain'd and vindicated 
 •^ *- My Meaning in this Pajfage : I return to 
 the Confequence^ fix'd upon it by the Committee : 
 whofe Charge againfl it follows in thefe Words. 
 
 * This is to fet the Worfliip of God and the 
 
 * Negled: of it; Religion and Irreligion; on an 
 
 * equal Foot in this World. To which I an- 
 fwer, 
 
 I. If I have truly reprefented the Will of 
 Chrifly in this Particular, that the Worfhip of 
 God, and Religion, ought to be left to the 
 SanUioHS of Another World : He Himfelf will 
 be juftified '\i\ All his Ways ; and anfwer for All 
 the Confequences of his own Proceedings. This 
 is all I have done, towards it : and if My Ac- 
 count of our Lord's Intention be jufl ; it can 
 be no Crime to ' fet the Worfliip of God and 
 
 * the Negled of it, Religion and Irreligion, up- 
 
 ' on 
 
r 1^5 ) 
 
 * Oil an equal Foot, in this World/ in thatSenfe, 
 in which Chrift Himfelf has put it fo. 
 
 2. The Worfliip of Falfe Gods is (as bad, if 
 not) worfe than the Negled of the Worfliip of 
 the true God : and the Cruel Superftition built 
 upon Heathen Idolatry, (as bad, if not) worfe 
 than No Religion. Yet it pleas'd Almighty God^ 
 in His Providence, to leave the True Worlhip 
 of Himfelf, and the True Religion of His Son, 
 for Hundreds of Years, not fo much as upon af^ 
 equal Foot in this Worlds with Idolatry and 
 Superflitious Worlhip, but in a much worfe 
 Condition : oppos'd by the Towers of this World, 
 who guarded and defended the Other^ And by 
 this very Method, it has always been hitherto 
 thought, that His True Worfhip^ and His True 
 Religion, confider'd as fuch, were fo far from 
 fuffering, that they gain'd Ground. There 
 might be Fewer Woffbippers^ and Fewer Profef- 
 fors of Religion : but there was More of Worfhipj 
 and More of Religion^ truly fo call'd, than I fear 
 there has b^en fince that Time. For, 
 
 3. They ceafeto be the Worjhip of Gody and 
 True Religion^ whenever They are performed, 
 and profefs d, upon Worldly Motives : and there- 
 fore, are much more likely to be fo, when there 
 are No Attempts to promote Them^ (that is^ the 
 Outward Anions, or ProfeJ/ions, fo calfd,) by the 
 Motives of this World. 
 
 4. Almigluy God Himfelf, in His ordinary 
 Providence, not only leaves His Truefl: Ser- 
 vants and His Worfliippers, upon an equal Footy 
 in this World, with His greateft Enemies ,• but fo- 
 
 M 3 often 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 often fuffers Them particularly to be over- 
 whelmed with Calamitksy that it has been made 
 an Ohjeflion againft His Good Providence^ To 
 which the Anfwer is juftly taken from hence, 
 that tho' They^ and the Worfi of Men, are upon 
 an equal Footj in this World : yet, This is more 
 than compenfated by theDiftindions of Another 
 World ; and, in the mean time, the Sincerity^ and 
 Truth of the Good Man's Religiony more clear- 
 ly demonftrated. 
 
 5-. To leave the Worjhip of God ^ and the Neg- 
 le^ of ity Religion and Ir religion^ upon an equal 
 Footy in this Worldy in the Senfe m which I 
 have done it, is fo far from being to the Difad- 
 vantage of True Worlhip and True Religion ; 
 that it would be their greatefl: Advantage, and 
 ftrongeft Support. Men v/ould, by this Means, 
 be free from All Difcouragements, in their En- 
 quiries into the Reafon and Nature of Things. 
 The Gofpel would be confider'd, with the great- 
 eft Impartiality. Truth would gain Ground in 
 Thofe Countries, where now nothing but Error 
 is the Care of Them, who pretend to promote 
 the Worjhip of God and Religion of Chrijt. The 
 ProfefTors of this ReHgion would be fincere m 
 their Hearts; and their Works an Honour to it. 
 God would be iVorfhipd m Spirit and Truth : 
 And what is call'd Religion-, would not only ap- 
 pear ^ but he fo truly, "by being conducted by 
 the Belief of a Future State, reveled by Jefus 
 Chriji, So that, in reality. This would be fo 
 far from putting the True Worfliip of God, and 
 True Religion, upon an eoual Foot with the Neg- 
 
 led, 
 
Y 167 ) 
 
 led, or Abfence of Them ; that it would be the 
 moft effedual Method to difplay before the 
 Eyes of the World, to the greateft Advantage, 
 their Excellencies^ above Thofe of Every thing 
 that can be oppos'd to Them. 
 
 6. The contrary Method has been long tried, 
 in all Nations almofl: of the World, for many 
 Ages : and Ni?iy, at the end of the Account, 
 what has True Worjhip^ or True Religion^ gain'd 
 by it ? Or rather indeed, What have They not 
 loft ? In Multitudes of Countries, Is not all 
 Spirit and Truth departed from the One ; and 
 All Faith and Sincerity from the Other ? And 
 to what life are they come to be put, unlefs to 
 ferve as Badges o^Diftind ion ; and zsSignalsfon 
 the Exercife of Zeal and Fury, upon All who 
 do not wear them ? For the Cafe is this, that, 
 the Rule being once laid down, that the Civil 
 Magiflrate is to add the Sanations of this World 
 to Religion ; it becomes the Indifpenfable 
 Duty of Every Magiflrate to annex Them to 
 That^ which He himfelf efteems to be the True 
 Religion. And, it being impoffible for His Care 
 to reach any farther than Outward Pradice, 
 and Profeflions ; fuppofing Him to embrace the 
 True Religion Himfelf, yet, His Worldly Motives 
 can only beget Outward Profeflions, or Anions, in 
 Others ; and fo are much more likely to pro- 
 mote Hypocrify, than True Religion : nay, cannot 
 truly promote This latter, confiderM as fuch. 
 But if He be Himfelf of a Falfe Religion; He is 
 obliged in Confcience, by this Rule, to pro- 
 mote it by His Worldly Sandions ; if He be- 
 
 M 4 lieves 
 
( 168 ; 
 
 lievcs it to be a True One. A Mahometan^ A. 
 Fagan^ A Jew^ A Papijl^ are, Every one of them, 
 under the fame Obhgation to promote the Pro- 
 feffion of their own ReUgion, and their own 
 Way of Worlliip. And lee any one judge there- 
 fore, in the Event and EfFed:, what Good will 
 be done ; or what Advantage obtain^, in the 
 whole, even to the Trofejfion of the True Rehgi- 
 on 5 or to a good Way of Worfhip. It is not e- 
 nough to fay here, that the Rule relates only to 
 True Worjkip^ and True Religion: tho' even there, 
 it tends to Hypocrify. But the Qiieftion is, What 
 EfFed: the Application of this Rule will have, 
 even upon True Worfhip^ and the Trofejfion of 
 True Religion^ throughout the World. And the 
 Effed: is plain. Every Civil Magifirate will, by 
 this Rule, think Himfelf equally obliged in Con- 
 fcience to promote what He Himfelf judges to 
 be Tru£ Worfhip^ and True Religion^ And con- 
 fequently, the Application of this Rule^ which 
 W3s given to prevent the great Evil of putting 
 Worfhip and Ni? Worfhip^ Religion and Ni? Re- 
 ligion., upon an equal Foot in this Worlds has in- 
 fallibly this Effed; that All Religions., as They 
 are calld, are put upon an equal Foot^ in a very 
 bad Scnfe: as They are left to be fram'd ac- 
 cording to the Religion o? Every Magifirate ; and 
 as Every P.eligion will be equally promoted by 
 the Towers of this World, who Tbemfelves hold 
 itforTruth. There will be indeed, this Difference, 
 that the True Worflvp of God, and thcTrofeffion 
 of Ture Religion., will be fure to fuffer more than 
 Any Others ; becaufe there are pew amongft 
 
 the 
 
( i69 ; 
 
 the Mighty Men of this World, fiirrounded with 
 Pieafure and Power and Flattery, who will 
 ferioufly fet their Thoughts to diftinguilh Thisy 
 either from the Religion of their Fore-fathers, 
 or from the Prejudices of their People. And fo, 
 for One Corner of the Earth, where The True 
 Worjhip of God^ and Pure Religion^ may be fup- 
 pofed poffthly to be fupported ; there will be 
 Hundreds of Faft Countries^ in which, by this 
 very Method, The moft Stupid Idolatry will 
 be, in Fad:, encouraged as the Worfhip of Gody 
 and call'd by that Sacred Name ; and the moft 
 Wicked Superftition^ will be ftil'd Pure Religion-, 
 and recommended as fuch. 
 
 Sect. X. 
 An Examination of what the Committee far- 
 ther alledge^ upon This Head. 
 
 "T^ H E Committee proceed to reprefent My 
 -*• Argument^ and the Weaknefs of it, thus. 
 
 * As if becaufe they Qvit. The Worfliip of God 
 and the Negled: of it, Religion and Irrehgi- 
 on,) - fliall hereafter be diftinguiih'd by Re- 
 
 * wards and Punilhments, by the Great Judge ; 
 ' therefore, the Magiftrate were excluded from 
 
 * interpofing,with Rewards and Punifliments, to 
 
 * diftinguilh them here ; and tied up from ex- 
 
 * preffing any Concern for His Honour, by 
 
 * whom, and under whom, He bearech Rule/ 
 Now, 
 
 I. I 
 
( ^70 ) 
 
 i. I have already iliewn that My Argument 
 does not rely upon this, Becaufe They [ball he 
 diflingutjJ: d hereafter : but upon This, that Jefm 
 Chrift chofe the Motives of another World for 
 the SanBions of Hjs Law ; and has declared the 
 Nature of Gods Worlhip, and of Pure ReHgion, 
 to be fuch, that the Application of prefent Re- 
 wards and PuniJJyments will rather tend to make 
 Men Hypocrites^ and to deftroy that Sincerity, 
 without which They neither have Rehgion, nor 
 do Worfliip God, truly fpeaking ; that the Ten- 
 dency of them, ill their Operation, is contrary 
 to the Tendency of the Motives of Another 
 World, and the Effe^ of them none at all, to- 
 wards any thing but Outward Behaviour^ and 
 Trofeffion. 
 
 a. I have already obferv'd that the unavoid- 
 able Effed: of the Magijlrates interpofing in this 
 Cafe all over the World, is this ; that to Every 
 Magiftrate, That is God's Worfliip, which the 
 Magijlrate himfelf, in his Confciencc, efteems 
 to be fo ; and That is God's Honour^ which He 
 thinks to befo; and That is True Religion^ which 
 He judges to be fo ; and That is Irreligion, and 
 Blafphemy, and the like, which He^ and His 
 Church take for fuch : And that, by this Rule, 
 He is obhged in Confcience to propagate and 
 reward the One^ and to difcourage and punifli 
 the Other^ according to His own Sentiments 
 and Perfuafion.. Thus, ii\ Turkey^ God's Wor- 
 fliip, and Religion, are \v\\zt Mahomet his ordain- 
 ed; and Irreligion, and Blafphemy, confift in Not 
 Believing in the Holy Prophet Mahomet. In Spain^ 
 
 and 
 
( ^v ) 
 
 ^t\d Portugal, 2l\\A Italy, Religion is theWorfliip of 
 the Blejfedyirgin ; or Zeal for the Holy Inquljiti- 
 on ; or an Entire Dependence upon the Holy See: 
 and the Heighth of Blafphemy and Irreligion, is 
 Blafphemy againft the Virgin Mary, as an Ob- 
 jed: of Worihip ; or a Disbehef of the Infalli- 
 hility of St. Vetera Chair ; or Difrefped to the 
 Sacred Inquijition. And in all Popijh Countries^ 
 He is a Religious Man, who obferves the Ce- 
 remonies^ and obeys the Canons^ and believes 
 All the Do^rines of the Church of Rome ; and 
 He is a Blafphemer^ or an Irreligious Man, who 
 difapproves of Their Worjhip, Difcipline, ^ndD^- 
 Hrine. And fo, in All thole Countries, (not to 
 mention many others,) the Magiflrate, being o- 
 bliged, by this Rule, to reward True Religion 
 and Worihip ; and to punifh Irrehgion, and the 
 Negled: of God's Worihip ; (fuppofing this pof- 
 fible;} and being perfuaded in his own Confci- 
 ence, that His own Way of Worihip is the Only 
 One acceptable to God; and His Own Religion, 
 and Church, the only True Ones : He is bound 
 m Confcience to encourage Thefe, and No o- 
 thers ; to regard Thefe, and No others ; and 
 to punilh All Negled, or Contempt of Them, 
 as Irreligion and Blafphemy, And how benefici- 
 al in the Event, this Method has heen, is, and 
 will he, to true Religion and Gods Worjhip, pro- 
 perly fo call'd ; Every One may judge, with- 
 out much Thought upon the Subjed. 
 
 3 . I am very far from difapproving, or dif- 
 couraging, the Prayers of Chriftians, that ' All 
 : in Authority, may minifter Juftice to the Pu- 
 
 ' niflimenc 
 
f lya ) 
 
 * nifliment of Wickednefs and Vice, and to the 
 
 * Maintenance of True Religion, and Virtue :' 
 And as far from contending that the Magijlrate 
 fliould be * tied up from exprefling Any Con- 
 
 * cern for His Honour, by whom and under 
 
 * whom He bears Rule.' I ufe that Prayeryt- 
 ry heartily My-felf : and am fully fatisfied, that 
 to minifter Juflice, to the Puniiliment of Wick- 
 ednefs and Vice, and to the Maintenance of True 
 Religion, and Virtue, can mean nothing but to 
 execute their Office fo, as to punilh the Outward 
 Ads of Wickednefs and Vice, and to encourage 
 the Outward Ad:s of Righteoufnefs and Virtue. 
 For True Religion here is oppofed to WickeJnefs 
 in Prad:ice, as Virtue is to Vice : and the Ma- 
 giftrate^ (as I have often remarked,) can reach, 
 with All his Power, no farther than Outward 
 Tra^ice : and the Outward Adions of Men, as 
 they affecS Humane Society, are the Objeds 
 of His Care and Concern. And, as this Outward 
 Tradice happens here to be call'd True Religion^ 
 becaufe ix. is the fame materially with w4iat is 
 always a Part of True Religion \ fo I can very 
 confidently joyn in this Prayer, becaufe I have 
 never faidOne Word againft t\\^Magiftrate\ Re- 
 gard to True Religion^ that is, the Outward Pra- 
 £iice of Righteoufnefs^ (which nearly afFeds So- 
 ciety,) fo caird i^ this Place : but have only 
 argu'd from the True and proper Notion of Re- 
 ligion in another Senfe, in this manner. ' If Re* 
 
 * "hgion be Virtue and Charity ; (not the Out- 
 ward Adions fo caird, but Virtue and Chari- 
 ty,) ' under the BcUcf of a fupreme Governqur 
 
 * and 
 
( m) 
 
 * and Judge,' which enters into the Eflence oi Re- 
 ligion ; then, to amex Worldly Sanclions-, (not 
 to induce Men to an Outward Pradice which 
 They all own to be their indifpenfable Duty, 
 which is not a Senfe agreeable to the plain De- 
 fign of the Paragraph^ nor of the leaft Relation 
 to the Whole Sermon ; but) to induce Men to 
 embrace or profefs any particular Method, as 
 Religion, is to ad contrary to the Interefts of 
 That, which Chrift allows to be Religion, only 
 as it is a Good Pradice founded upon the Mo- 
 tives of Another Life, and the SanBions of a Fu- 
 ture State: having x.2iWgh.t\Js>i\\2it Religion is that 
 Pradice of Virtue and Charity,whichfpringsfrom 
 the Inward Belief of a God, and of a Future State. 
 
 But if Any think that by True Religion in 
 that Prayer, Outward Pradice is not meant; 
 tho' it be plainly oppofed to Wickednefs ; and 
 tho' it be as plain that the Magijirates Power 
 can extend no farther than t6 Outward Pradice : 
 But that the Maintenance of True Religion, figni- 
 fies the Support, and Eftablilhment, and De- 
 fenfe of Any particular Profejfion, or Way of 
 Worjhip ; it is to be confider d, 
 
 I. That this goes no farther than External 
 Profeffion, and the External Behaviour, and Sounds, 
 ufed in Public Worjhip : becaufe the Magiflrate 
 cannot reach to the Hearts, or Thoughts of 
 Men, fo as to make them truly Worfliip God, 
 or truly Rehgious. So that this fuppofes this 
 External Behaviour to be here calfd True Reli- 
 gion : which All Chriftians know it is not, pro^ 
 perly fpeaking. And therefore, the other Inter- 
 pretation is as juftifiable as this. ^' It 
 
1. It is implied therefore, in tliis Prayer^ ac- 
 cording to this Interpretation, that the particu- 
 lar Profejfton of ReUgion^ and Way of Worfhtp-^ 
 which every particular Perfon thinks the Befl^ 
 is that True Religion^ which every One, who u- 
 fes this Prayer^ begs of God may be eftabUHi'd 
 and fupported by the Civil Magiftrate : or elfe, 
 that what the Magijlrate thinks fo himfelf, may 
 be alone fupported by Him. What Advantage 
 True Religion can get by this, even as to Exter- 
 nal Profelfion, I cannot fee. 
 
 3. As for JMy-felf^ I cannot forbear to pro- 
 fels that My Notion of this Matter is this, that 
 True Religion is then bed maintain dy according 
 to God's Will, when it is the Magiftrate s Great 
 Care to reflrain and punifli All fuch Outward 
 Atlionsy as are Violations of its practical Rules; 
 and alfo injurious to the Members of Civil 
 Society^ confider'd as fuch, committed to His 
 Care : and, as to 'Profejfions and Worjhip^ when 
 He keeps His Subjeds, not only from deftroy- 
 ing, but from injuring one another in the leafl 
 Degree, upon Account of Any of their Mutual 
 Differences in Religion or JVorft:ip; when He 
 leaves their Confciences entirely free to judge 
 and chufe for Themfelves ; without which Judg- 
 ment arid Choice, what they profefs, and 
 embrace, is not Religion ; when He encou- 
 rages them in Mutual Toleration^ Mutual For- 
 hearance, and All Ad:s of Mutual Benevolence ^i 
 when He difcourages All Religious Murthers, 
 Religious Devaftarions, Religious Oppreffions, 
 /^d'//^/(?/^ Deftrudions, Religious InjimQS^ Defa- 
 
 matioias 
 
r 175) 
 
 mations and Abufes, as well as all other lefs 
 pernicious Ones ; when He keeps the Zeal of 
 Somey ii\ Religion lb call'd, from breaking into 
 the Civil Rights of Any Others of His Sub- 
 jed:s ; and proted:s and maintains Them all e- 
 qually in that Freedom, with which God and 
 Chrift have made them free. This^ I fay, I 
 fliall ever efteem to be the Maintenance of True 
 Rdigion^ in the highefl: and beft Senfe, m which 
 the Magiftrate is capable of it : And this I fliall 
 ever account the True Method for Him to * ex- 
 
 * prefs His Concern for the Honour of God, 
 
 * by whom, and under whom, <He beareth Rule.' 
 
 Sect. XL 
 
 An Examination of fome other Notions j«^ Ar- 
 guments, oppofite to what I have laid down. 
 
 T T is worth while to obferve here, that, whe- 
 -^ ther the Magiftrate received His Commiflion 
 immediately from the Hands of God ; or from 
 Men only, with the Approbation of God ; it 
 will make no Difference in this Point. His 
 Commijfion is^ for the Good oi Humane Society ^ in 
 its Civil Concerns. Take away the Neceffity 
 and Convenience of Mens entring into Societies^ 
 for Protection and Defenfe in thofe Civil Con- 
 cerns : and you take away all Neccfiity and 
 Ufefulnefs of the Magijlrates Oiitce ; who is 
 call'd the Civil Magiltrate, upon the Account 
 of what alone ought to be His Office. If 0- 
 thers fee this Matter in a quite different Light, 
 
 I 
 
r 176 ) 
 
 I do not ceafure them. I only declare for My- 
 felf, that it is to Me an Unanfwerahle Argumeniy 
 that the Office of a Civil Magijlrate^ in its 
 Original Inllitution, refpeded the Good of Hu- 
 fnane Society-, as fuch, only ; becaufe, as I have 
 now faid, take away the Suppofition of the 
 Good of Society., and All Neceffity and Occafion 
 for His Office., is deftroyed: Or, in other Words^ 
 becaufe without this^ There never would haVe 
 been fuch an Office, either appointed by God; 
 or voluntarily agreed to by Men. As to Reli- 
 gion properly fo calfd ; particularly the Chrifti- 
 an Religion; it Was left by its Great Author to 
 Other Hands, and Other Arguments, thanThofe 
 employ'd by Magiftratesy in the Affairs relating 
 to their Proper Office. And indeed, if it be 
 the Bufinefs of the Civil Magiftrate., as fuch, to 
 concern Himfelf with it ; I could wifli to have 
 it refolv'd, how it came to pafs that Our Blef- 
 fed Lord pafs'd by this Nohle Method: and put 
 the Progrefs, and Support of His Inftitution, 
 into One of quite Another Sort; as different 
 from it, as Light \s> from Darknefs. One Thing I 
 am fure of, that, upon this Suppofition, there 
 is but little Occafion for Any Other Order of 
 Men, but Magiftrates., and Officers under them : 
 who may thus both firft make Religion ; and 
 then make it pradis'd by Men. 
 
 Under this Head, it will not be improper to 
 confider fome Notions, and Arguments, relating 
 to the Magiflrate s Office, with refped to Reh- 
 gion, or the Chriftian Church. 
 
 4- ^- ^^^^ 
 
( 177 1 
 
 I. Some have alledg'd that the Civ/l Magi- 
 ftrate^ with refped to the Qhriflian Churchy is 
 to Hand inftead of Miracles ; that Qhrift firft 
 appointed Miracles ; and when they ceased, the 
 natural and unavoidable Confequence was, that 
 the Magifirate^ who was by that Time become 
 Chriflian^ fhould take upon Him the Care and 
 Support of Chrijis Church. This, I confefs, is 
 very new to Me : but not at all convincing. For, 
 
 1. This goes upon the Suppofition that there 
 were Open, Vifible, and Unconteftable Mira- 
 cles commonly in the Churchy till Qonftantine ap- 
 peared to take their Place : which I fear it will 
 be very difficult to prove ; I mean, impojjihle, 
 
 2. This fuppofes the Civil Magijlrate to do 
 the Office of Miracles ; that is, to fupport and 
 promote the fame Thing which Miracles did. 
 Now Miracles were the Proof of the Miffion of 
 Our Saviour from God ,• or of Others from Him- 
 felf ; and all tended to the Proof that He was 
 truly what He profefs'd to be, the Meffiah^ fent 
 into the World by God. Whereas, the Office of 
 the Magijlrate^ in the Protection of the Churchy is 
 of quite another Nature ; and tends to a quite 
 different End : and was never any thing hither- 
 to, but the Protection of one particular Sort of 
 Chriftians ; or of one particular Outward Profeff:- 
 on, and Outward Form of Worfliip of Chriftians, 
 in Oppofition to Another : which was a Point 
 never once aim'd at, by any of God's wonderful 
 Works. A Miracle was never wrought, to raife 
 Presbytery above Epifccpacy ; or Public Prayer 
 without a Form, above Public Prayer ivith a 
 
 N Form ; 
 
( ^78 ) 
 
 Form ; or the contrary : Or One Confeffion of 
 Faith amongll differing Chriftians, above Jno- 
 ther. But, as foon as the Civil 'Magijlrate comes, 
 as it is laid, to do the Office of Miracles^ we 
 hear immediately of the Orthodox purfuing 
 the Arians in One Reign ; and the Arians wor- 
 rying the Orthodox in Another ; juft as the Civil 
 Powers happen to be afFed:ed : And, coming 
 down to latter Ages, We find every particular 
 Way of Worjhip^ or Difcipline^ guarded and fe- 
 cured (God be thank'd, not with Miracles^ which 
 never work for contradictory Purpofes, but) by 
 the Civil Sword of Thofe MagiftrateSj who ei- 
 ther embrace Any of Them; or think They can 
 carry on their Worldly Ends by Any One of 1 hem, 
 more than by Another, And how truly this Me- 
 thod facceeds in the Place of Miracles^ I can- 
 not fee ; unlefs by acSing the very contrary Part, 
 and having an Influence diredtly oppofite to 
 what They had : and this, to that Degree, that 
 Miracles leem once more to be much the more 
 necelTary, for the fake of what has been, and 
 is frill, done in the Chrijlian Worlds by thofe 
 Vvdio are laid to have come in \\\c F lace o\i\\tm ; 
 and I fear, muft once more appear, and Smc- 
 ceed their Imaginary SucceJforSy before the Mif- 
 chiefsy and the Wounds given by Thefe to the 
 Caufe of True Religion, can be well heal'd. 
 
 2. The Reverend Dr. Sherlock^ in his Anfwer 
 to a Letter^ p 8. fays truly that * Moil of 
 * Chrijl's Laws affect the Happinefs, as well of 
 ^ Puhhc Societies, as of private Men/ [I fjppofe. 
 Fie IS Iiere guilty of wliat He defcended to 
 
 take 
 
( ^79 ) 
 
 take Notice of in Me, when I eail'd Charity a 
 Law of Chriji ; (which has been fo call'd, I 
 beheve, by Muldcudes of the B'eji Writers be- 
 fore Me;) and means by Ckrift^s Laws, the Pra- 
 ilices enjoyn'd by them. And methinks. We fliould 
 not ftand to cavil at the mere Form oi Exprejfion^ 
 when We underftand One Another's meaning.] 
 And in his Confide rat ions, p. 40, 41, ^c. He 
 alledges many Things upon this Subjed:, o^ Re- 
 ligion's afFeding the Puhlic Good : and this pro- 
 fefledly in Oppofition to this Principle ; * That 
 * it is the Magiftrate's Office to take care of 
 ! the Public Good only/ Now, 
 
 1. This is no Contradidion m the leafl: to 
 that Principle. Yo^ ii Religion, properly fo call-- 
 ed, affeds the Public Good; then the Magijlrate^ 
 by having the Public Good under his Care, be- 
 comes obliged to promote and increafe That, by 
 the due Exercife of His Office; if He can^ 
 
 2. I fay, // He can ; becaufe, if He cannot 
 poffibly do it, it will hurt true Rehgion, to at- 
 tempt it : and becaufe, as it fecms to Me, All 
 that He can do, is to promote thofe O^/u^vi/r/ A?/- 
 ons, Vv^hich are the fame in their Matter, which 
 Religion, and particularly Chrift's Laws, enjoyn;- 
 but this, without making any One Man more 
 truly Religious than He was before, by All that 
 He can do : as We lliall fee more piauily by 
 and by. 
 
 3. This is what ought to recommend Religi- 
 on to the Efteerii of All Men, that it enjoyns 
 thofe Practices, which are good for Humane So- 
 ciety: as their Indignation ought to be rais'd a- 
 
 N 7. gaiaft 
 
( 'So ) 
 
 gaifift Every thing call'd Religion^ which de- 
 iboys and mines tiiat Tullic Good, 
 
 4. All the Pajfages of Scripture^ which, ac- 
 cording to Him, relate to the Effed; of Religi- 
 on^ and IrreUgion^ upon the Fnhlic ; and which 
 He is lb kind as to reprefent Me as makiy?g no 
 Account of^ p. 41. I do affure Him, have their 
 due Weight with Me. I efteem them, either 
 as Promifes and threatnings^ properly fo call'd, 
 which refped:ed the Jeivijh 'Nation only ; the 
 declared Sanations of whofe Law, were Tempo- 
 ral : or elfe, as Declarations of the tendency of 
 Good and Evil Pradiices ; of what is call d Morali- 
 ty and Immorality ; to the Public Safety^ or Ruine 
 of Nations-, in thofe Methods by which God has 
 refolved, in his Wife Providence, to govern the 
 World. In the former Senfe, They cannot be* 
 long to Qhrifiians. In the latter., They concern 
 only what I am as free to allow, as Any Per- 
 Ibn in the World. In loth Senfes, They were 
 direded not to Magift rates peculiarly ; but to 
 Ail Men. And they are Arguments, firft to All 
 who have Authority to do their utmofl to reftrain 
 All fuch Outward Acls as have that Evil tenden- 
 cy ; and to encourage Every thing which pro- 
 m.otes True Goodnefs, as far as it lies within 
 their Reach : and to All Private Perfons, to con- 
 fider themfelves as Members o? Humane Society; 
 to the Hurt and DeJlruBion of which, All Im- 
 morality tends. 
 
 I do allure this Worthy Perjcn, that I. have, 
 and do confult the Sacred Hijlory, And as for 
 the State of Nature^ which I have efpoufed af- 
 ter 
 
C i8i ; 
 
 ter the Judicious Mr. Hooker ; He may, if He 
 pleafes, call it Imaginary. Whoever reads what 
 I have troubled the World with, about it, will 
 find that I did not efpoufe it without confulting 
 the Sacred Hijlory; or without confidering Eve- 
 ry T articular alledged from thence againfl: it : 
 and, I am perfuaded, will find that there is No 
 Book^ or Hiflory in the World, which gives lefs 
 Countenance in Reality to the Imaginary Scheme 
 fet up againft ix.^ than that Sacred Book does. If 
 He be now come to think other wife j yet I beg 
 to be excufed from believing that l^oah ever 
 made any Speech to His SonSy as the future 
 Civil Governors of Many Nations ; or ever once 
 confider'd Them under that Character ; till I 
 have a ftronger Proof of it, than the Fancy of 
 the mofl Ingenious Man upon Earth; and will 
 appeal to the whole World, whether of Us 
 Two does more truly confult the Sacred Hiflory ; 
 /, who have long ago ferioufiy confiderM, up- 
 on this Subjed:, what I found in it; or //<?, 
 who advifes Me to confult the Sacred Hiflory^ 
 and then immediately adds, (as a Part of it, and 
 as a Direction to Me, taken from thence,} a 
 Speech entirely \iVf^nx.z^ by Himfelf ,• and rely- 
 ing on a Foundation^ which does not once appear 
 thro' the whole Sacred Hiflory, 
 
 5. He obferves, />. 41. ' with how much 
 
 * Care the Heathen Morahfts laid the Founda- 
 
 * tion of Civil Society in the Principles of Re- 
 
 * ligion, and a due Regard to the Honour of 
 
 * God/ But He is not fo good as to give Us 
 Inflances of this ,• or point to the Places, in 
 
 N 3 which 
 
( i82 ) 
 
 which this is done. Perhaps, if Pie had, it would 
 only have appear d, either that fome Cunning 
 Men have made Superftition and Credulity, the 
 Means of their own Advancement to Rule 
 and Government ,• or that thefe ' Principles of 
 
 * Religion,' were Trinciples of the grofleft Ido-^ 
 try ; and this ^ Due Regard to the Honour of 
 
 * God,' an ^ Undue Regard to a Number of 
 
 * Gods ,•' the EftabUfn d Gods of the Country, 
 whatever they were, which had got Pofleffion 
 and Edicts on their Side ; or only an Argument 
 that Religion^ tightly underflood, tends to make 
 both Governors and Governed^ \\\ their feveral 
 Stations, what They ought to be : which I am 
 fure, I am ready not only to confent to, but 
 to maintain and defend. He knows very well 
 that Herodotus gives another Account of the A~ 
 <5lual Original of Civil Government^ properly fo 
 call'd, in Ow^ Part of the World : which is more 
 to the Purpofe, than All the Speculations oi Phi- 
 lofopherS' 
 
 3, I take leave to obferve that Nothing which 
 I have laid down, either about the Nature^ or 
 Extent^ of the Office of a Civil Magi/Irate^ tends 
 in the leaft to infmuate, (what fome appear to 
 have laid upon it,) that either a Majier of a Fa- 
 mily^ or ^fupreme Civil Governor^ may not with 
 good Reafon chufe Thofe for their Servants^ or 
 Officers^ whom They have Ground to believe 
 truly, and fmcerely Religious Men. For a Re- 
 ligious Man is One who is mov a by the Con- 
 fiderations of Another World; and therefore, 
 has more Arguments to engage Him to perform 
 
 that 
 
( i85 ) 
 
 that Outward Pra^lice^ which is his Duty, than 
 One who is not fo : And confequently, is more 
 hkely to perform it. This fuppofes Men Reli- 
 gious aheady, before the Appointment of Worldly 
 Encouragements ; and makes this Choice much lefs 
 hable to Miftake and Difappointment. And 
 therefore, This is quite Another Point from Pro- 
 claiming and Affixing before-hand, fuch or fuch 
 Temporal Advantages to Religion ; which natu- 
 rally tends to make Men Hypocrites ; and is fo 
 far from furnifliing truly Religious Men for this 
 Choice, that it makes it next to impoilible to 
 diftinguilli Them from Others : and fo in reality 
 does little but furnifli out a Number of Men, 
 cloatlVd with an Outfide to deceive and impole 
 upon Thofe who are to chufe; and to render 
 Themfelves much more capable of doing Mif- 
 chief, than They would otherwife be. 
 
 But again, fuppofmg fuch Temporal Advanta- 
 ges to be annex'd before-hand to Religion in ge- 
 neral ; this muft take in A/l^ who give equal 
 Proofs, or make equal Profeffion, of their Be- 
 lief of a Future Judgment : and fo, is of no Im- 
 portance to Any Particular Church, or Denomi- 
 nation of Chrillians. And according to this, 
 ^i^ of this Sort have equally a Right to be cho- 
 fen, and employed in Offices: which I recom- 
 mend to Their Obfervation, who may perhaps 
 fometimes imagine, from mere Sounds, and Pro- 
 feffions, that tho Principles o? fome^ are more for 
 //;<?/> Purpofe, ily^w Mine are. And I add, for 
 the Hike of what the Worthy Perfon jufl now 
 mention'tl afliires Me, in His Conji derations, p.. 
 
 N 4 ^ ^o. 
 
( iH) 
 
 30. that ' tho' the Natural Right to a Place at 
 
 * Court (^as He expreps it) be a very New 
 
 * Notion ; ' yet ^ the Natural Right of Men to 
 
 * the Capacity of ferving their Country in Of- 
 
 * {icQs^ till They have forfeited it by Profeffi- 
 
 * ons or Practices, diredly and abfolutely in- 
 
 * confillent with their Country's Safety, is a 
 
 * Notion as true; and as old, as Truth and 
 
 * Reafon themfelves/ And, as far as My own 
 Confcience is concern'd, I could as foon join 
 in Incapacitating fuch Perfons from the Exercife 
 of any honefi Trade in Society ; or from gi- 
 ving their Affiftance, in a Critical Seafon, when 
 the Society muft even be undone without it ; as 
 in doing it, with refped: to Offices. And this, 
 amongft other Reafons, becauft I am fure, E- 
 very one of Us, would find it reafonable to 
 think thus, were it our own Cafe. 
 
 4. I fliall only add here, that I never 
 will contend with this Worthy Per/on, about 
 
 * making Religion a Teft' in a Senfe, which 
 Will exclude None but fuch as Ihall, in effed:, 
 profefs that They beheve not a God, nor a Fu- 
 ture State : becaufe I am very well fatisfied that, 
 upon this Suppofition, there will be none fuch. 
 We all know how eafy it is to appear to beheve 
 Thefe, or any other Points: A»d We find by 
 Experience, that an Honeft Upright Chriflian 
 is eafily Exclude J; when All the Terms of our 
 Law put together, cznnot Exclude zn Atheifi ox 
 an hfdel. 
 
 Sect. 
 
( i85 ) 
 
 Sect. XIL 
 
 An Examination of Dr. Sherlock'^ Argument^ 
 
 drawn from the Ufe of Oaths. 
 
 A S I am now upon this Subjed of Religious 
 •^^ Tejisj I have a fair Occafion both to ex- 
 plain more fully a very important Matter ; and 
 to ftiew the World that I gave this Worthy Per- 
 fon no Reafon for his fevere and warm Expref- 
 fions, in his Confiderations^ P- 7i- What I faid 
 in my Anfwer to Dr. Snape^ againft making Re- 
 lion a Civil tefl^ refer'd Solely to the Sacramen- 
 tal 7>/?, which He had particularly nam'd. And 
 I hope, it may be accounted no greater an Un- 
 accuracy of Speech in Me^ to call an Inflitution 
 of our Blejfed Lords^ folemnly celebrated m 
 the Churchy by the Name of Religion ; than in 
 Dr. Sherlock^ to call an Oath in a Court of Judi- 
 cature^ by the fame Name. I now repeat it be- 
 fore the World, that ' to make the Celebration 
 of this Inflitution, which was ordain d and 
 confin'd by Our Lord Himfelf to the ferious 
 Remembrance of his Death in the Aflemblies 
 or Churches of Chriftians, to be the Inftru- 
 ment of fome particular Sort of Chriftians 
 (as well as of Atheijls and hfidels) getting 
 into Civil Offices \ and to be {\\t Bar againft 
 other Sort of Chriftians; is delafing the moft Sa- 
 cred Thing in the World into a Political Tool^ and 
 an Engine of State! How Unworthy this is 
 of Me, or. of Any Minifter of Chrijis Gofpel; 
 I leave Him to explain, who has declared it 
 
 to 
 
( 186 ; 
 
 to be fo : and iliall go on to make fomc Olfer- 
 v^tions upon what He urges againft Me, upon 
 this Head, without any Remarks upon His 
 Manner of doing it; which I rather wifli, I could 
 Mcle from Others, as Idefire to forget itMy-felf. 
 I. He alledges that ' This is a Cenfure up- 
 on the Common Senfe and Reafon of Man- 
 kind ; and He adds, that ' Rehgion is a Tell 
 in every Cafe where an Oath is required;' 
 And I am called upon to name the Time, [that 
 '\ the Time when it was not in Ufe,] ' or Peo- 
 ple who have not ufed it ;' and ask'd, if I 
 can think that the Great Secret was refervM 
 for My Difcovery, and that the World, after 
 fo many Ages, is to be untaught by Me, 
 what They have ever pradis'd upon the Prin- 
 ciples both of Natural and Revel'd Religion/ 
 I am told that ' Religion is made a Civil Teft 
 ^ in every Trivial Caufe in Wejlminfter-Hall / 
 and from the Lawfulnefs of requiring This 
 Teft of a Man's Honefty in fuch Caufcs, it is 
 argued, that it cannot be ' impious to require 
 ' IT, when a Man is admitted to a Place of 
 * Truft, fe'c' To All which, I anfwer, 
 
 I . I am far from thinking any ' Great Secret 
 ^ referv d for My Difcovery,' or that I am pe- 
 culiarly fitted to ' unteach the World' any thing. 
 But it is my Duty to follow what appears to 
 Me to be Truth ; and to endeavour to Unteach 
 Men Some Things, which They have learn'd : 
 but, I hope, I fliall never attempt to Unteach 
 Them any thing, which They Receive or Practice 
 upon the Frinciples^ either of Naturaly or Reve- 
 led 
 
(i87) 
 
 led Religion. 2. I have faid nothing upon this 
 Subjedt, tending to ' Cenliirc the Common 
 ' Senfe and Reafon of Mankind ;' nothing, 
 but what is agreeable to the Senfe and Reafon^ 
 and Declared Opinions, of Many of the Bejl 
 Chriftians^ long before I wrote in this Debate ; 
 nothing but what tends to vindicate an Injlitu- 
 tion of our Lord Himfelf, from Ignominy and 
 Alufe. 3. I do firmly believe that Oaths are 
 both Lawful and UfefuL But that They are 
 made ufe of, upon the Principles of Religion^ 
 properly fo calfd, I leave Him to make out. I 
 confefs, at prefent, it feems to Me that the 
 A^ual Ufe of Oaths^ in Humane Society^ is fo 
 entirely founded upon the Political Principles of 
 Reafon^ and the Qww^;? GW of Mankind, with 
 refped: to their Civil Concerns only; that, v/erc 
 it not for this^ They would be forbidden by Re- 
 ligion^ in All Cafes, as they are in Some, And 
 it is One Thing, I think, for a Trailice not 
 to contradi^ the Principles of Religion : and 
 Another Thing, for it to be perform'd upon the 
 Principles of it. 4. He knows there are very Pofi- 
 tive Expreffions in theNd-w; Teflament^ which have 
 induced Some Perfons to fcruple this, as Unlaw- 
 ful^ upon the Principles of Chriflianity : and 
 therefore, that it is poffible to name, both the 
 7ime when this has not been ufed by Some, and 
 the People who have not if eel it^ thro' the Mif- 
 underftanding of a Few TextSj and the not con- 
 fidering them with refped to the Principles of 
 Natural Religion, and oi Humane Society, 5. But 
 to argue againft Me^ as if I had maintaia'd iz 
 
 to 
 
C 188 ) 
 
 to be ^ impious to require I T/ that is, the 
 fame Teji of a Man's Honefty that is required 
 in Every Trivial Caufe, viz* to require an Oath 
 of a Man when He 'is admitted to a Place of 
 
 * Truft,' is, I confefs, in a peculiar Manner 
 unaccountable : when I had not faid One Word 
 about it ; and when, I will prefunie to affirm, 
 that Ail the World could not but fee, I was 
 fpeaking of a Matter, entirely different, both 
 as to the Senfe in which it is calFd Religion ; 
 and as to the Ufe made of it. For it is obfer- 
 vable that this Worthy Perfon is not here endea- 
 vouring to Ihew that I have advanced a General 
 Principle which muft be falfe, becaufe it tends 
 to this Confequence, that All Oaths are Unlaw- 
 ful in Courts of Judicature: but in Effed: charges 
 Me with pretending to Great Difcoveries, a- 
 gainft the Conftant Ufage of Oaths by Man- 
 kind ; and with maintaining it to be ' im.pious 
 
 * to require an Oath of a Man entring upon a 
 
 * Place of Trud.' To what Purpofe, He him- 
 felf bell knows. 
 
 Having prem.is'd Thefe Ohfervations^ I iliall 
 now iliew the Great Difference of the Two Cafes 
 before Us : and that No Argument can poliibly 
 be drawn from the allowed life of Oaths m Hu- 
 mane Affairs, to the Ahufe of a Sacred Inflituti- 
 cn^ of v/hich alone I was fpeaking. 
 
 I. An Oath is calfd Religion^ only as it is 
 founded upon the Suppofition of beheving m 
 God, under the Notion of an Avenger or Punijh- 
 fr, '\\\ cafe the Perfon makes ufe of it, for the 
 Support of Injuftice, or Failhood. It does nor, 
 
 in 
 
( iS9 ) 
 
 5-11 its own Nature, extend fo far as to iuppofe 
 the Perfon to believe a Future State : but only 
 that there is a Behg^ or perhaps Many Beings, 
 who will purfue Him with Vengeance^ if He be 
 Perjured. But whether in This World, or in 
 Another^ does not enter into the EJfence of the 
 Matter. It is probable, mod of the Oaths z- 
 mongft the Heathen were founded upon the Be- 
 lief, or Fear, of Judgments in this World. On 
 the other Side, The Holy Sacrament is calld 
 Religion, as it is a Part of Religious Worjhip in 
 the Congregations of Chriftians. 
 
 X. An Oath is not the Appointment of G^^/| 
 but of Men : being the beft Inftrument which 
 They could find out, for the Service of Humane 
 Society, in Cafes of Property, Life and Deatk 
 It is No Command amongft the Commands of 
 Religion : and therefore, is very improperly 
 C2\ld Religion, Whereas, the Eucharijl is the 
 Pofitive inflitution of Our Lord Himfelf ,• and 
 the Celebration of it, is His Comimand to His 
 Difciples. 
 
 3- An Oath was purpofely contriv'd, and pur- 
 pofcly required, for the Service oi Humane Life 
 in this World; as the Beft Method of finding out 
 Truth, and of iccuring Juflice, iw Cales relating 
 to Subjects : and of carrying forw ard the Ends of 
 Government, when it is required as a Security for 
 Men v/ho are entring into Subordinate Offices ; 
 without Vv^hofe help thz Suprems Magiflrate can 
 neither fupport Himfelf, nor prcted the F.izhts 
 of Private ISlen. The End of it was wholly 6>- 
 cula'r, and Worldly : and therefore, the Ufe of 
 
 it 
 
( ^9o ) 
 
 It in Court Sy is no turning it afide from its On^ 
 gtnal Intention ; but the ilpplication of it to 
 that alone, for which it was defign'd. But the 
 Celebration of the Lords Supper was inftituted 
 and ordain'd, for the more £fFed:ual Memory 
 of Him^ who hrought Life and Immortality to 
 Light ; who ly His Deaths overcame Death ; 
 and purchas'd the Happinefs of Another Life 
 for All His True Difciples. And confequently 
 to take This ; and to turn it afide to Any Pur- 
 pofes of this Life ; is to turn it, from its Origi- 
 nal and Natural Defign, to a Purpofe againft 
 its own Nature, and contrary to the End pro- 
 pos'd by the Ordainer Himfelf 
 
 4. An Oath^ in Cafes of Judicature ^ is not ufed, 
 or enjoin'd ' as a Political Tool, or an Engine 
 * of State :' but as an Inftrumcnt of Juflice, 
 Right, and Truths as the Means of Impartia- 
 lity, and of procuring to All what is due to 
 Them, or what They have a Right to. But what 
 relation has This, to the making a Solemn In- 
 Jlitution of Religion^ and a Part of Religious 
 Worfhipy the Means of Partiality ; and of ex- 
 cluding Men from Civil Offices^ to which this 
 Infiitution has no more relation, than the Com- 
 plexion of their Faces, or the Colour of their 
 Hair ; and to which They had a Title^ before 
 the Law to this Purpofe was made. 
 
 5-. We fee that Few are excluded from the L^fe 
 of an Oathy in our Courts of Judicature : and 
 None from the Benefit of Oathsy taken by 
 Others, in Caufes in which their Worldly Inte- 
 tereft is coacern'd. . The Jews amongft \Js are 
 
 al- 
 
( 191 ) 
 
 allowM to give their Teftimonies upon Oath / 
 and, leaft Humane Society lliould fuffer, the 
 Quakers^ who fcruple the FormaUty of an Oathy 
 are permitted to ule a Solemn Affirmation inftead 
 of it. And if there were a Number of Men of 
 Other Nations, and Other Religions, amongft 
 Us ; without doubt Juftice and Neceffity would 
 be found to require that their Oaths ^ in their fe- 
 veral Ways, fliould be allowed : becaufe, in the 
 Nature of the Thing, this is the Right of A/l 
 who profefs to believe a Providence^ which will 
 avenge Injuftice and Perjury ; and becaufe Their 
 Oaths are the fame Ted of Their Honefly^ which 
 Our Oaths can be, of Our Honefly ; and becaufe 
 the Good of Humane Society would require it. 
 And how unlike is All this, to the making the 
 Holy Sacrament the Inftrument of excluding even 
 many Chriftians and Troteflants^ from the very 
 Capacity of Civil Offices ; to which,, before this. 
 They were allowed to have a Title^ in common 
 with their Fellow-Subjeds ? 
 
 6. The Argument therefore, drawn from the 
 Ufe of Oaths^ to what I fliall ever efteem the 
 Ahufe of the Sacrament^ mull be this. * An Oath^ 
 
 * which is not an Appointment of Gods ; wiiich 
 
 * is IS^o Part oi Religious Worjhip in any Religi- 
 
 * ous Affembhes of Men ; which does not ne- 
 
 * ceffarily fuppofe even the Belief of a Future 
 
 * State ; but is an Ordinance of Men only ; ap- 
 
 * pointed for the Purpofes of this World only, 
 
 * as very Ufeful towards the obtaining Impartial 
 
 * Juftice, and fecuring Property, and Life, and 
 
 * Good Government : This is lawfully required, 
 
 *^ and 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 * and lawfully ufed, in All Nations of the 
 
 * World, for the fole End defign'd by it ; for 
 
 * the Benefit of All equally, in their feveral 
 
 * Rights; notwithftanding that itmay becaird 
 
 * ReiigioHj in this Senfe, as it is founded upon 
 
 * the Belief of fome Superior Being, an Aven- 
 
 * ger of Injuftice and Falfe Witnefs. 
 
 ' Therefore, The Holy Sacrament^ inftituted 
 
 * by Our Lord Himfelf ; appointed by Him 
 
 * folely for the Solemn Commemoration of His 
 
 * Death, and made a Part of the Religious Wor- 
 
 * jkip oi ChriflianSy as fuch, in their Churches : 
 ' The Holy Sacrament^ I fay, which is, in a 
 
 * proper Senfe, Religion^ as it wholly relies up- 
 
 * on Faith in a Perfon, who reveled plainly the 
 
 * Rewards of Heaven, and is now afcended m- 
 
 * to it ; may becomingly and honourably, by 
 ' a Law of Men, be made the Inflrument of 
 ' bringing Some Chriflians [not to mention A- 
 
 * theifts^ and Delauchees^ into the Ci^il Offices 
 
 * and Tofts of this World, and of excluding 
 
 * Other ChriftianSy for the fake of their Con- 
 
 * fcientious Scruples, from AH Capacity of Them, 
 
 * which They enjoy'd before this Law! Or 
 otherwife, 
 
 ^ An Oath is lawfully ufed by Men^ for the 
 
 * Purpofe to which folely it was ordain'd by 
 
 * Men. Therefore, The Holy Sacrament may 
 
 * be made Ufe of by Men^ for a Purpofe entire- 
 
 * ly different from That^ to which alone it was 
 
 * ordain'd by Chrifl : as contradicStory indeed 
 
 * to it, as This World is to That which is to 
 
 * conic.' Thus much I thought proper to fay 
 
 f upon 
 
( ^95 ) 
 
 n^onThis Argument taken from thtUfe of Oaths 
 in Humane Life ; becaufe the Suhjeti is impor-r 
 tant enough, to deferve Our Utmoft Care, not to 
 miftake, or mifunderftand it, 
 
 2. As He goes on upon the fame Subjed", 
 He turns the View of the Reader entirely from 
 the Toint^ as I had fpoken of it ; and asks Me, 
 Is it reafonable to require this Teft, (jhat />, 
 an Oath^ ' of a Witnefs in a Trivial Caufe 
 here mention d : and is it abfurd and infamous 
 to require Some Security, when the Preferva- 
 tion of the EftablilTi'd Church is the Point in 
 Queftion ?' What can His Reader think from 
 hence, but that, in the ?aj[age of My Book, from 
 which He takes occafion to enter into this Di- 
 fpute, I had pleaded that it was ' abfurd and 
 
 * infamous to require Any Security, for the 
 
 * Prefervation of the EftaUifli d Church^ from 
 fuch as enter upon Civil Offices ? Whereas, it \s 
 there plain to Every Eye and Every Underftand- 
 ing, that I plead only againft making the Holy 
 Sacrament the Inftrument of depriving Men of 
 All Capacity of Qivil Offices, or of the Cornmori 
 Rights of Suhje^s ; and that I exprefly add, as 
 My Opinion, p. 47. that Other Tefts ' might 
 
 * be thought on J agreeable to Chriftianity and 
 
 * Humanity, which might be a Truer Security 
 
 * to the Efiahlijhd Church it felf, than the Frt- 
 
 * fent is :' And confequently, tha I have there 
 profefs'd My Judgment, only againft Such t^;;- 
 jufl, or Falfe Security, as either debarrs Men 
 from their Civil Rights ; or debafes a Solemn 
 InJiitutioH of Chrijt Hirnfelf, defign'd by HiiH 
 
 O for 
 
for the Purpofes oi Another Worlds into ^Politi- 
 cal Tooly to carry on the Uttle Ends and Purpo- 
 fes of this World. When He fees this to be fo 
 plain, certainly He will not find a great Plea- 
 fure in the Review of His Unkind Reflexions in 
 this Part of the Attack^ to which He voluntari- 
 ly went, without Any Provocation from Me^ 
 or Any Handle from the Suhje^ between Us 
 particularly. I am far from defiring that He 
 Ihould be thought any more attach'd to t\\Q Pre- 
 ferments of the Eftahlifyd Churchy than I defire 
 to be thought My-felf : Nor do I doubt but that 
 He means fomething more by the Prefervation 
 of it, than the Prefervation of its Endowments^ 
 and Dignities. But this I muft add that, when 
 He lliail have reconciled His own Warm Profef- 
 fions about the Prefent Temporal Sanations of 
 this Particular Churchy (with refpe£t to which. 
 He knows, the Reafon of Men permits Them 
 to differ,) I do not fay, with his Sermon^ Nov. $. 
 but with his lateft Performances ; with His De- 
 clarations in His Anfwer to a Letter^ p. 7, 8. re- 
 lating to the Differences of Men in Religion ; 
 and with His Reprefentation of His own Do- 
 itrine^ in HisConfiderations^ p. 75. fettingit forrh 
 as ' diftinguilliing between the Points in which 
 ' Men differ, and Thofe in v/hich Their Rea- 
 
 * fon will not permit Them to differ ; and as 
 
 * afTerting the Magiflrate's Right to add the 
 
 * Sandions of this World to make Men 
 
 * do what the Light of their own Minds 
 ' teaches them They ought to do ; and that 
 ' With refped to Religion, at well as Civil 
 
 Obe- 
 
( m ) 
 
 * Obedience :' I fay, When He fliews how 
 Thisy which He fometimes is wilUng to make 
 the whole of what His Principles lead to, is con- 
 fiftent with a Zeal for the Exclufion of Meti 
 from Civil Offices^ upon the Account of Religi-^ 
 ous Differences^ for the Sake of a Greater Secu- 
 rity to the EftahliJKd Church ; I will not de- 
 ipair of giving Him and the World ftill fuller 
 Satisfaction, of the Good Tendency of My Princi- 
 ples to the Security even of This fame Eflahliflfd 
 Church. 
 
 Sect. XIIL 
 An Examination of fome other Arguments of 
 the Reverend Dr, Sherlock^ relating to tliis 
 Subject:. 
 
 nPHere are fome remaining Arguments againft 
 -*- My Account of the Office of the Civil Magi- 
 strate 'y and the Nature of Humane Laws^ urged 
 by this Worthy Perfon^ in His Confederations^ 
 />. xi, &c. which it is very well worth while to 
 confider. 
 
 I. He urges that *It is not true that Out- 
 
 * ward Adions, as they affed: Society only, 
 
 * are the Matter of Humane Laws/ Before I 
 come to confider his Reafons for this, I fliall ob- 
 ferve what will tend very much to clear up this 
 Part of the Debate : and at the fame time fliew 
 how httle I am concern d in All that is here al- 
 ledged. 
 
 O z I. In 
 
( '96 ; 
 
 I. la reprefenting /^ Senfe, before Becomes 
 to His own Reafonings againfl: it, He thus 
 fpeaks to Me. ' Thefe, {that is^ thefe Outward 
 Adions) * You fay, are the only proper Mat- 
 
 * ter of Humane Laws, without any Regard to 
 
 * the Inward Principle, or Disposition, 
 
 * from wlience They arife/ p. -li. This, which 
 He here expreiTes by Difpofitiony in the next 
 Page He exprefles by, Intention. And, 
 accordingly, x. All through His Argument, He 
 puts Intentions^ and DJfpofitions^ only as other 
 Words for Trinciples and Motives : as if the 
 Motives upon which a Man ads, and the Dif- 
 pofition with which He ad:s ; the Trinciples 
 which work m Him the Intention^ and the In- 
 tention He has in any particular Adion, were 
 the fame thing. 
 
 In Juftice to My-felf and This Caufe there- 
 fore, I mufl acquaint the Worlds i. That I ne- 
 ver once ufe the Words, Difpofition and Inten- 
 tion ; but Motives and Principles. And, x. That, 
 as the Subjed: did not in the leaft lead Me to it, 
 fo I never thought offpeaking of Material A^i- 
 onsj any otherwife than as Actions^ or Humane 
 Anions : which fuppofes always the Formality^ 
 without which They are not Actions: viz. the 
 Intention^ and Will of the Agent ; which diflin- 
 guifli them from PaJ/ions. I never therefore, 
 fpake of Outward Anions, improperly fo call'd, 
 void of Ail Intention^ or Vefign ; as oppos'd to 
 Outward Atlions^ intended to be done : But, of 
 Outward Actions intended as well as done, upon 
 Worldly Motives, or Principles,* as 
 
 oppos'd 
 
( ^91 ) 
 
 oppos'd to the fame Outward ABions^ anfing 
 from the Motives and Principles of 
 Another World. The Inftances I give, are of 
 Outward Aitions^ not fuppos'd to be Void of 
 Intention^ but always fuppos'd to be dire(3:ed 
 by fome Intention or other : v^^ithout which 
 They are not Anions. Having premis'd this, it 
 will be eafy for Me to anfwer to the feveral 
 Difficulties He has proposed. As, 
 
 1. That ^ the Enquiry in Criminal Cafes, whe- 
 
 * ther the Thing was done Animo proditorio^ or 
 
 * not,' p, iz, is a very proper Enquiry^ in thofe 
 Cafes, to which it is confin'd ; I make no doubt. 
 I grant that this particular Enquiry terminates 
 in Judging of the Man s Difpofition : But nor, 
 as the Do^or goes on, * of the Motives upon 
 
 * which He adted.' Our Courts do not enquire 
 upon what Principles^ or Motives^ the Man ad: - 
 ed, in the Senfe, in which we are now fpeak- 
 ing oi Principles and Motives; but whether He 
 did fuch or fuch an A^ion^ intending, and de- 
 figning to do it. 
 
 2. The Maxim of the Civil Law^ alledg d by 
 Him, In maleficiis Volmtatem fpeEtari^ non exi- 
 tum^ carries not in it the leaft Oppoficion to 
 any thing, I have faid. If the Maxim had 
 been this, that ia ' Criminal Cafes, the Princir 
 
 * pUy or Motive^ upon which the Man in- 
 
 * tended^ and did fuch an ABion^ is to be 
 
 * regarded ; and not the Ad^ion : I would ac- 
 knowledge, I had contradided it ; and would 
 ftill continue fo to do. But as it is worded, \z 
 is perfedly agreeable to My Sentiments ; viz* 
 
 O 3 That 
 
( 198; 
 
 That the Foluntas^ the Will^ muft be regarded, 
 without which the A^ion is no Humane A^ion ; 
 and not the Exitus^ or Mere Event of the A^i- 
 on : unlefs He will have Us underftand Volun-^ 
 tas fo, as not to make it Something neceffary 
 to the Ad ion it felf ; and then interpret Ex it us to 
 fignify the Attion^ which is only the Effeti of 
 it. For, according to My Notion of Outward 
 Anions, the Voluntas or Wi/l^ is fo neceffary 
 to them, that whatever unforefeen, and unde- 
 figned Event happens, is no more the Action of 
 the Man properly fpeaking, than Any Death, 
 or Mifchief, caus'd by a Machine^ is an Afiion. 
 And therefore, when this Worthy Perfon asks 
 me * How I Come to teach that Outward 
 
 * Adions, without Regard to the Intention, 
 
 * are the only Objed: of the Magiftrate's Care >' 
 I will not anfwer Him only by asking Him, 
 
 * How He comes to tax Me with Maintaining 
 
 * what I never faid, or thought ?' but will aC 
 fure Him, that I know of No Adion feparated 
 from Intention ; and that when I fay the Magi- 
 fir ate is to Judge of Outward Anions, I fay, He 
 is to Judge of Something confider'd, as Intend- 
 ed, and Wi/fd by Men ; and that I am fo far 
 from teaching that ' Outward Adtions, (fo calfd} 
 
 * without Regard to the Intention, are the Sole 
 
 * Objed of the Magiftrate's Care,' that I main- 
 tain, They are not at all the Ohjed: of His ii^- 
 voards and PuniJhmentS', any more than Machines 
 are ; and that All this fuppofed Difficulty pro- 
 ceeds from the Unhappy Change of My Words, 
 and from the putting Intention perpe- 
 tually, 
 
( ^99 ) 
 
 tually, as of the fame Import with Princi- 
 ple. And, as this Maxim of thp Cix>i/ Law is 
 not oppofitej biit perfedly agreeable to My 
 Principles," fo, it feems to Me but little agree- 
 able to His own Purpofe, as He goes on to 
 profecute it. For, if He gives a right Account 
 of Manjlaughter^ according to our Law, (which 
 I do not grant;) it fo happens that this Maxim 
 of the Civil Law here produced, can never be 
 fuppofed to defend that Dijiintlion : becaufe m 
 All Countries, where fuch Cauies are tried by 
 tliQ Civil Law, even no farther ofF than Morth- 
 Britain^ the?e is no fuch Difference made, as 
 there is amongftUs, in the Judgment pafs'd up- 
 on the Criminal, between what We call Wilful 
 Murther, and Manjlaughter : but m both Cafes, 
 the Punifliment is Capital. 
 
 3. This brings me to what He urges, /. 13. 
 in thefe Words. * There is nothing better 
 
 * known in our own Law, than the Difference 
 
 * between Murther and Manjlaughter. Whence, 
 fays He, ' does the Difference arife > Why even 
 ' from that very thing which Your Lordfliip 
 
 * fays the Law can take no Notice of, the I n- 
 
 * T £N T I o N and Motives of the Ad:ion. ' It 
 would be a fufficient Anfwer to repeat again, 
 that I never faid, nor thought, that the Law 
 can take no Notice of the I n t e n t i o n. It 
 is a Word of His own, (I do not fay defign'd 
 to do fo,' but) effed:ually and entirely altering 
 the Whole State of the Queftion. But it will 
 not be ufelefs, nor I hope difagreeable to the 
 Reader, to confider a little more particularly 
 
 O 4 this 
 
( ^^^ 3 
 
 this InJlancCj which I cannot but think a ve- 
 ry Unfortunate One^ to be mention'd by Hiniy 
 ivi this part of the Delate. For, 
 
 1. It is fo far from being true, that the Dif- 
 ference arifes from what He has laid it upon ; 
 That the Intention of killing is equally fuppofed 
 in them both. Only the Intention in one Cafe 
 is fuppofed, and prov'd, to have arifen on a 
 fudden, from fome violent Paffion, rais'd by 
 feme fadden Provocation, or the hke; and in 
 the other Cafe, to have been an Intention fet- 
 tled and fram'd by Malice Prcepenfe, The Diffe- 
 rence of the Judgment, m our La\^, arifes from 
 the Aggravation of a Settled Malice; that is, a 
 proemeditated Defign added to the Intention of 
 
 2. If this were not fo ; what Excufe, what 
 Defenfe could be made for All Capital Punijh- 
 ments of Manjlaughtery in every Nation around 
 USy except Ireland^ where Our Law takes place > 
 The Laws of All thofe Countries, would, upon 
 This Suppofition, be moft inhumane and in- 
 excufable ; if Intention were not equally fup- 
 pofed m Manjlaughter. But as it is fp, it does 
 not appear but that it is as much, at leaft, for 
 the Benefit of Humane Society, that the fud- 
 den Intention of killing a Man m. a Paffion^ 
 iliould be punifli'd with Death, in order to teach 
 Men to fupprefs and conquer fuch Deftrudive 
 Rage; as that the moi^ fettled Defign fliouldbe 
 fo. 
 
 'i,,l^\\2Xx}L\t Intention of Killing \^ equally fup- 
 Ppfcd in Manflaughter^ i^ plain from our owh 
 
 Law. 
 
( ^01 ) 
 
 Law. For the Criminal^ tlio' He efcapes Df^//jj 
 yet He doe§ not efcape All Viinijhment : which 
 He ought in reafon to be totally exempt from, 
 if His Adion (fo call'd) were wholly free from 
 All Intention : [as He is, according to our Law, 
 upon this very Account, in the Cafe of Chance- 
 Medley,] But He has a leffer Pimtjhment; be- 
 caufe His Intention has not the great Aggrava- 
 tionsj which the Intention of the Murtherer^ in 
 the other Cafe, has. 
 
 4. That the Difference made by the prefent 
 Law^ between Manflaughter and Murther^ took 
 not its rife from the fuppofition of iVi». Inten- 
 tion in the former ; or even of W^ Capital Tunifh- 
 ment juftly due to it ^ may appear from hence, 
 that in the Ignorant Ages it was not defign'd, 
 nor extended, to the faving of Any, but the 
 Clergy^ and Every One who could read the La- 
 tin Pfalterj ficut Clericus ; and that Many of the 
 Lower Sortj as I am inform'd, and as is ex- 
 ceedingly probable, were executed, ii\ thofe 
 Ages, by this very Law : Which certainly was 
 highly unjuft, if the Intention of Killing were 
 not as much fuppos'd here, as in the other 
 Cafe. One would be apt to ftifped: therefore, 
 that t/ie firft Rife of it was for the Encourage- 
 ment oi Learning: which then was fuppofed to 
 be at no higher a Pitch than reading the Latin 
 T falter. But it mud be confefs'd, if it had made 
 the Safety of the Criminal to depend upon 
 reading Greek inftead of Latin^ it had been a 
 much more Impartial Law; as it would have 
 eq[ually excluded All Orders 2nd Degrees of Men, 
 
 in 
 
( 701 ) 
 
 in thofc Ages of Darknefs. But whatever were 
 the Original of it ,• it is plain, Intention was al- 
 ways luppofed to belong to Manjlaughter^ as 
 well as to Murther ; and to make it Criminal 
 and Punijhahle, Thus it ftands, in the Cafe of 
 Kilhng a private Man. But, 
 
 5. In the Cafe of Kilhng the King, (as I 
 am informed) there is No Difference made be- 
 tween Manjlaughter and Murther: Whereas in 
 Cafe of Killing Him by Mere Accident^ there 
 is no Punilliment ; of which Cafe, We happen 
 to have an Inftance in our Hiftories. This fliews 
 that Manjlaughter always is fuppofed to imply 
 Intention; tho' fuddenly rais'd by Provocation^ 
 or Rage. 
 
 6. In all thefe Cafes, the Care of the Magi- 
 ftrate^ and his Enquiry, does not concern it felf, 
 with the P R I N c I p L E s or M o T I V E s, which 
 induced the Man to intend fuch or fuch an 
 Adlion. The Prtnciples and Motives, 
 by which He conduces Himfelf, are firfi in Sup- 
 pofition. The Intention follows thefe, 
 as the Will is neceflary to the Adion : and 
 perfedrly diflind: from the former. But whe- 
 ther a Man kill'd another, upon the Motives 
 of this Life, or of Another ; w^iether to ob- 
 tain his Eftate, or his Money, or His Wife ; 
 or to propagate the Faith He thinks right, and 
 in Obedience to the Commands o{ His Church : 
 The Judge concerns not Himfelf with 77?^, as 
 Points which iliall determine Him in the Sen- 
 tence to be given ; but folely with This, whe- 
 ther the Man's Intention was to kill the 
 
 Other : 
 
( ^03 ; 
 
 Other : and makes no difference, in the Ordi- 
 nary Trials, if this appears, but in the SuJ- 
 dennefsy or the Settlednefs of the Intention. He 
 enquires after the Voluntas-, the WilU only in 
 order to find out whether it be an Atlion^ or 
 not : for without that^ it is not an A^ion, And 
 of that He judges as well as He can, by Ap- 
 pearing Circumftances ; by Words fpoken, and 
 Other Anions done. But, 
 
 7. What I think is a Demonflrationyth^t it is the 
 Outward Atiion^ as fuch, which is the Objedt of 
 His Concern, and this confider'd as affecting the 
 Tuhlic Goody \.%y That in order to pafs a juft Sen- 
 tence, the firft Point is, whether the Fad: be 
 fo, that one Man was the Inftrument of Another 
 Man's Death. When this is fettled, the next 
 Point is to examine, froni Circumftances, whe- 
 ther this was an Atlion or no ; that '\% whe- 
 ther He was 'voluntarily the Inftrument of His 
 Neighbour's Death. Of this. Judgment is made 
 from Other Parts of the Man s Behaviour. So 
 that the Intention is enquir'd after, fblely m 
 order to prove that this was an Outward Acli- 
 on; which it was not, without fuch Intention^ 
 or Will. But then again, fuppofing no fuch 
 Fad: appears, as that this Man was the Injlru- 
 ment of the Death of another ; and that He did 
 not actually kill Him : tho' All the Proofs in the 
 World fliould be given, that He had intended 
 and refolved it, and Proofs v/hich He himfelf 
 could not gainfay; yet the Law inflids no 
 Vimifloment upon Him. Therefore, the Law 
 does not, in this Cafe, punilh the Intention, con- 
 fider'd 
 
( ^o^ ) 
 
 fider'd as the Intention \ but the Outward Aclion^ 
 as an Humane Action ; not as intended, or re- 
 foIv*d upon, but as adually perform'd ^ and af- 
 fcding tliQ Pui/ic Good But then, 
 
 8. The very DeJ^gn or' Intention of Murther- 
 ing the King, is by our Laws punifh'd as 
 Treafonj if it can be prov'd from any Overt- A^s: 
 becaufe it is of the utmoft Importance to keep 
 Men at a greater Diitance from the Thing it 
 felf. And why is this, but merely to guard the 
 better againft the very Outward A^ion, the 
 A^ual Murther of Flim, upon whofe Life fo 
 much depends : or, in other Words, folely be- 
 caufe that Outward ABion will fo much afFed 
 the Tuhlic Good^ as makes it highly reafona- 
 ble to make fuch a Difference between this 
 Cafe and the other > which Difference would not 
 be made, but folely for the fake of this Out- 
 ward A^ion fo nearly affecting the Public. The 
 Anfwer therefore to His Queflion^ p. 24. * What 
 
 * is that Treafon, which is diftind; from the 
 
 * Overt-AcS, and which yet is made manifeft 
 
 * by it ? ' i%^ I think, this, viz* that it is the 
 Intention or Defign ; and not the Prin- 
 ciples, which created or mov'd that Intenti- 
 on ; that it is the Deftgn,, confider d Solely as the 
 Dcfign of performing an Outward AtlioHj in 
 which the Puhlic Good is to fo great a Degree 
 concern'd, that it ought not to be left to the 
 Hazard^ whether the Traitor fliall have Oppor- 
 tunity of performing it or no : and which, if 
 it did not tend to an Outward A^ion^ afFe(9:ing 
 the Fuilic to fo great a Degree, would be left 
 
 to 
 
( 205 ; 
 
 to the Punilhment of Go J alone, as the Intend 
 tion oi Murther is, in private Cafes. 
 
 9. The Form of Words made ufe of in the 
 Indi^ments of Criminals^ cited by Him, p, 23. 
 can be No Proof that Our Law concerns it felf 
 any farther than I have faid; when it is fo 
 known and common a Maxim, that, upon the 
 Proof of fuch and fuch Words, or fuch and 
 fuch Fads, the Law fuppUes the Malke. The 
 Eml of the Trial was never, till now, as far I 
 have heard, fuppos'd to be, to enquire, or ex- 
 amine whether the Man was tnfligated hy the De- 
 uil^ and had not the Fear of God before His Eyes; 
 but to enquire whether He did fuch or fuch an 
 A^ion^ properly fpeaking ; as an Agent ^ with a 
 Will and Intention. And accordingly, The Trial 
 proceeds juft as it would do, if there were 
 No folemn Indicilment ,• No Form of Words ; 
 No Mention made either of the Inftigation of 
 the Devily or: o^ the Fear of God. Thefe are but 
 Forms^ for the greater Solemnity of the Trial. 
 But the Trial has nothing belonging to it, as 
 to its Effence^ but the Proof of the Principal 
 Fa^. And, what makes it more evident that 
 thefe Words carry no fuch Intent m them ; If 
 the Criminal could be fuppos'd to prove never 
 fo plainly, that He kilPd a Perfon^ in the Inte- 
 grity of His Heart, out of pure Zeal for God's 
 Glory, and having His Fear^ as He was verily 
 perfuaded, lefoxe His Eyes; or out of Charity ^ 
 purely to fend that Perfon out of this World, 
 into a better, in a State of Innocence : the 
 Judge^ or Jury^ would not concern tbemfelves 
 
 with 
 
( ao6 ) 
 
 with A// this ; The IncU^ment would ftill be e- 
 fteem^d valid ; and the Prxfoner would be told 
 that the Law fupplies the Malice^ Sec, and con- 
 ftantly fuppofes it, in All fuch Cafes ; and that 
 the only Point before them is, whether He did 
 that Adion ; that is, whether he did it with a 
 IVill and Intention of doing it. At leaft, this Wor- 
 thy Perfon will own that this Argument extends 
 no farther than the Cuftoms of Our oivn Country ; 
 or, that where there are no fuch Forms of In- 
 di^ment^ there this Argument is of no Impor- 
 tance ; and confequently, cannot prove that the 
 Civil Magijiate^ as fuch, extends His Enquiry 
 beyond Outward AMionSy properly fo call'd. 
 
 lo. I cannot forbear to take Occafion, from 
 what has been now faid upon this Subjed:, to ob- 
 ferve that the TuUic Good is, in every Inftance 
 of trials for Killings here fpoken of, and trea- 
 Jon-, &c. the Sole Ohjefi of the Care of the Civil 
 Magijlrate. i. In thefe Cafes, The Civil Magi- 
 flrate is to judge of the Voluntas^ or Will^ be- 
 caufe He cannot otherwife judge whether the 
 Thing be an Hur/iane A^ion^ or not. He may, 
 and does fometimes, miftake even in this. But 
 He muft judge as well as He can ,• becaufe the 
 Tuhlic Good requires it : it being better for So- 
 ciety^ that the hazard fliould be run of His 
 fometimes Miftaking, and Punilhing an Inno- 
 cent Man, than that this Judgment fhould not 
 be made as well as t\iQ Circumjlances of Humane 
 Affairs permit. 2. The Principle^ upon which 
 a Man wi/ld or intended fuch an A^ion^ has no 
 immediate Relation to the Puhlic Good : and 
 \, there- 
 
f -07 ) 
 
 therefore, the Magijlrate does not trouble Him^ 
 felf to judge of that ; nor could He, if He would. 
 3. In the Cafe of One Man s killing Another, 
 Se defendendoy the Intention of Killings is confi- 
 der'd not as fuch; but as SelfDefenfe only, be- 
 caufe it was necefTary to it. And the Perfon is 
 acquitted, becaufe it is more for the Public 
 Goody that Men Ihould be encourag'd to defend 
 their Lives, in fudden Attacks, than punifh'd 
 for it. 4. In the Cafe of Chance Medley ^ (f which, 
 if I may have Leave to conjedure, ran ftrongly 
 in Dr. Sherlocks Head, throughout His whole 
 Argument about Manjlaughter {) the Man is 
 only the Inftrument of the Death of Another, by 
 an unforefeen Accident; or by an A^ion of His 
 own voilld and intended to quite another Pur- 
 pofe. And therefore, the Man is acquitted; 
 not only becaufe it is unjuft to puniih Him for 
 what He had no more Part in^ than if He had 
 been a Machine ; but, becaufe it would be a 
 Difadvantage to the Public, to be deprived of a 
 Member^ who had not forfeited His Right to 
 Proted:ion ; and chiefly, becaufe it could be no 
 poiTible Advantage to the Society to puniih Him, 
 there being no Poffibility of preventing fach 
 Pure Accidental KilHng of Men, by making Ex- 
 amples of Any, who have, in fuch a Manner, 
 been the Inftruments of the Death of Others. 
 5. In the Cafe of Manjlaughter, with refpcdJ to 
 Private Perfons, it is puniih'd by Death in Mojl 
 Countries ; and here, with a lefler Puiiiflimenr : 
 becaufe it is poffible, and conducive to the Pub- 
 lic Good, that Men lliould govern thofe Paflions 
 
 which 
 
( ao8 ; 
 
 which tend particularly to the Injury of the Pub-' 
 lie. And in Wilful Murther^ ptop>erIy fo call- 
 ed, the Tunifhment is every where Capital ; be- 
 caufe the Pul^l/c Good requires it. 6. In the 
 Cafe of Killing the King : If it be done perfect- 
 ly by Chance^ it is not puniflid, becaufe the 
 Tuhlic would reap nothing from the puniiliing 
 it'^ If it be done in 2ifudden Pafion^ it is punifli- 
 ed with Death ; and likewife, if it be only In- 
 tended^ and Dejignd ; becaufe Public Good re- 
 quires fuch a Terror^ to affrighten from All Ap- 
 proaches towards an A^ion^ in which the Public 
 is fo very much concern'd. 7. The Intention 
 of Killing a Private Man-, tho' never fo plainly 
 prov'd from Circumflances^ is not punifh'd with 
 Death ; becaufe it does not plainly appear, but 
 that the Public Good is as much confulted by fuf- 
 fedng a Man^ who has once defign'd fuch a 
 Thing, to live ; as it would be, by depriving 
 the Public of fuch an One, merely becaufe He 
 may poffibly murther a particular Man, one 
 Time or other. 8. From hence it may appear, 
 that in thefe and the like Inftances, Fice is not 
 punilli'd by the Civil Magi fir at e^ as Sin^ or a 
 Tranfgreffion of the Law of God ; or under the 
 fame Confideration, under which God puniflies 
 it ; for then the Intention provd ought, in All 
 Cafes equally, to be puniiliM : But that it i'^ pu~ 
 niflfd folely, in All ordinary Cafes, as it is an 
 Outward AElion^ properly fo calfd, impairing or 
 deftroying Public Good; and in One very Exrra- 
 crdinary Cafe, amongft Us^ folely as an Inten- 
 tion to do an Aftion, which will exceedingly 
 
 lliake 
 
c 209 ; 
 
 fliake and endanger the Security and Good of 
 
 the Whole Society. 
 
 ■ ■ 
 
 Sect. XIV. 
 
 The Examination of Dr. Sherlock's Arguments, 
 upon this Subjed:, continued^ 
 
 4. T N the Profecution of His Ohjeclion againd 
 -^ My Dodrines, the Cafe of the Betroth- 
 ed Damfelj in Deut. XXII. is next ofFer'd to 
 My Confideration : in which. He faysj We 
 
 * lee the Williom of God directing the Ci- 
 
 * vil Magiflrate^ how to judge of the internal 
 
 * Difpofition by the external Adion/ To which 
 it is fufficienc to anfwcr, i. That I never de- 
 nied, never Thought of denying, toThofewho' 
 are Judges in liich Cafes, the Right of judging, 
 as well as They can, of what Recalls here^ the 
 Internal Difpofition^ in other Places the Intent i- 
 oHj and fometimes the Voluntas^ or Will. For 
 this is only a Right to judge, whether this was 
 the Aclion of the Damfel^ or no; without which 
 They could not poffibly determine wiicther Ihe 
 deferv'd Pimilhment, or not; and of which They 
 could not be fure, without Proof of Her own 
 Confent to the Aclion. But, 2. What is this, ta 
 the Principles upon which that ABion might be 
 done ; which this Worthy Perfon ftill confounds 
 with the Confent or Difpofition ? Is there in this 
 Place any Direction to Men to judge, or con- 
 cern themfelves about them > She might be guil- 
 ty, from the Love of Mony offered; or from lome 
 
 P other 
 
( -10 ) 
 
 other Motive. But nothing of this was to be 
 the Subjed; of the Enquiry: but folely, whether 
 flie had confented, or not ; that is, whether it 
 was Her own Atlion^ or not. And this, I fay, 
 is (lill judging Humane Outward Adions^ ,as 
 fuch ; and not the Principles^ upon which Th'ey 
 are done. 3. Here hkewife the Public Good 
 fcems to have been the End aim'd at ; and This 
 to have been thtPnniJhment of a Fice^ not pro- 
 perly as a Sin^ or Tranfgreflion of the Moral 
 Law of God, refpeding the Conduit of Private 
 Perfons ; but as a Breach of Contrail^ aiTeding 
 the Public^ and peculiarly injurious to Society ; 
 in which Property and Mutual Truji are to be 
 carefully prelerv'd. 4. I prefume, this Worthy 
 Perfon will not argue from Every thing ordain'd 
 in the Political Law of the Jews ; and efpecially 
 at a Time when God himfelf was their Civil Go- 
 verourj ready at hand, in a particular Manner, 
 to be confulted, and to give Direction ,• to what 
 ought to be in Every other Law. He^ who him- 
 felf ordain'd thefe Laws, being infinite Wlfdomy. 
 Goodnefs, and Power^ obliged Himfelf, in the 
 Nature of the Thing, to be the Guardian of In- 
 nocence; and to take Care that No Guiltlefs Per- 
 fon lliould fuffer by them. And therefore, it can- 
 not be fuppofed, where God himfelf, in Cafes 
 of Civil Concernment, was the Immediate Law- 
 giver ^ that the Laws were left wholly to the Exe- 
 cution of Men, without any Interpofition from 
 Him, For All Law-givers do, as much as They 
 poflibly can, take care xki^x. Innocence lliall never 
 fuffcr. 
 
 J. The 
 
r 2" ) 
 
 f. The Queflion v^\\ic\\ follows next, p, 15-. is 
 this. * When Our Saviour fays, By their Fruits 
 
 * yon Jhall know them ; when His Apoilie fays, 
 ' / will /hew you My Faith hy My Works : What 
 
 * do They mean ? Are tliey talking of Impofli- 
 
 * bilities all the while ; and teaching Us to learn 
 
 * from External Atiions^ what External Anions 
 ' can never Ihew f I anfwer, 
 
 I. Our Saviour, fpeaking of Falfe Prophets^ 
 means that, if a Man profefTes to come from God, 
 He is not prefently to be behev d ; but His Con- 
 dud: and Dodtrine are to be carefully confider'd, 
 and weighed. If in His Life and Doctrine, there 
 is any thing difagreeable to His Profeffion, and 
 Unworthy of God, this is a certain Demonftrati* 
 on that He is not what He profefles to be. If His 
 Life and Dodrine be worthy of God, tliis is One 
 Argument in his Favour f in this Senfe, that with- 
 out it His Million could not be prov'd. But it 
 is not of it felf a Demonjiration^ without Mira- 
 cles : becaufe Many a Man has liv'd well, and 
 taught a Good Dodrine, without being fent im- 
 mediately by God. The Wickednefs, or Ab- 
 furdity of their Do^rines, is a Certain Proof 
 that They are not True Prophets, But the Good- 
 nefs, or Reafonablenefs of them, is not a cer- 
 tain Proof that They are Gols Prophets. And 
 in Cafe of Men s pretending to be fo, Chrifti- 
 ans are call'd upon to judge as well as They 
 can ; left they fliould fuddenly, and without Con- 
 fideration, follow Thofe, who will lead Them 
 to Deftrudion. What St. James means is plain. 
 He fuppofes Two Men, both profeffing to have 
 
 P z Faith: 
 
( ^^^ ) 
 
 Faith : the One^ only profeffing it, and not ha- 
 ving any Works to Ihew, which naturally flow 
 from it ,• the Other having, befides his Trofejfion^ 
 Works of Obedience to God, to appeal to. And 
 He argues that this latter gives the only fuh- 
 ft ant id? too? of the Reality of His Frofefioft', and 
 that fuppofing this wanting, there is no Proof 
 at all of that P.eahty. But that even this, tho' 
 the Beft Proof to Us, yet is not a Certain De~ 
 rnonftration^ or propofed as fuch, i^ plain be- 
 caufe Many Perfons may have a very good Ex- 
 ternal Behaviour to appeal to, as a Proof of 
 their Faith ; which may yet be built upon quite 
 other Principles ^ and They themfelves may be 
 all the while totally void of Faith. Now, 
 
 2. What All this has to do with My Dotlrine^ 
 I cannot fee. i. I fay indeed, that the Bufmefs 
 of the Civil Magiftrate^ is to regard Outward 
 AtlionSy as affeding Public Good. But, 2. I 
 never denied that He can judge, m ordinary Ca- 
 fes, of the Intention or Willy necelTary to make 
 them Humane Anions ; becaufe without this, 
 He cannot judge oi Humane Actions. 3. Tho' 
 infomeCaies, He may, and is, deceived; yet, 
 I never denied, but that He might, and muft 
 judge, as well as He can, even m Thofe Cafes ; 
 becaufe the Pullic Good requires it. 4. I do not 
 deny that, if a Man profefles that Faith which 
 is Effential to Religion ; and lives, in All Refpcds, 
 as a Man would live, who has that Faith -^ You 
 have reafon to judge Him to be a ReligicusM2in : 
 if there be nothing to make you think, it 
 may as well jiroceed from fomc other Motive. 
 
 But, 
 
Y ^^ ) 
 
 But, I deny that this Judgment is certain. And 
 particularly, 5. The only Thing I have denied, 
 which can beliippofcd to relate to this, is, that 
 when ' Worldly Sandions have been annex d 
 
 * to the Profcilion of Religion, and the Wor- 
 
 * fliip of God ; ihefe never made Any One Man 
 
 * truly Religious: becaufe All True Faith mufl 
 
 * come from other frincipks ; and the lefs of 
 
 * Inducement it has from the Motives of this 
 
 * World, the more fmcere it is likely to be \ 
 And then that, upon this Suppofition, Wc can- 
 not judge, but with great Uncertainty, whe- 
 ther Any Man s Outv/ard Profcffion or Behavi- 
 our, proceeds from His regard to thofe World- 
 ly Sandions ; or to the Motives of Another Life^ 
 which alone make them to be Religion. Bur, f. 
 What Relation have Thefe Texts to the Suhjeci 
 Wc are here upon, when, (to ufe the Inftance 
 given by this Worthy Perfon^^ as often as a Man 
 is accufed of Murther^ the Magijlrate does not in 
 the leaft pretend to enquire after, or to judge 
 of. His Faith^ or His Principles*, but His Works 
 only. And from his Worksy He does not con- 
 cern Plimfelf to judge whether He had Faith^ or 
 had not Faith; but whether He be a Murtherer^ 
 orTio: that is, whether t\\Q^ Events (for which 
 He is call'd to be judg'd,) were the Effect of His 
 J^ion^ properly Ipeaking; or whether ii was 
 fomething, in which His Aclion had no Part ; 
 that is, fomething wholly void of any Part of 
 that Intention^ or Voluntas^ without which, it 
 was not His Atlion. This Learned Per/on may 
 fee from AH I have faid, under this and the for- 
 
 P 3 mer 
 
( ^H ) 
 
 mer Heads, that My Miflake (if it be a Mi- 
 flake) does not proceed from My confidering 
 the Magiflrate^ as * annexing Pofitive Rewards 
 * to Good AtUons^ as He fuppofes,/>. i8, 29, 30, 
 31. For I have here confider'd the Behaviour 
 of the Civil Magijlrate^ with refped: to Trials 
 and Punijhments^ m Cafes of Wicked Aclions : 
 and have found it perfediy agreeable to what 
 I laid down about it. 
 
 6. In ^. 3 1. He confiders My reafoning drawn 
 from St. Paul^ Rom. XIII. m the Poftfcript to 
 Mr. S. p. 84. And, i. He argues that, ^ tho' 
 the Magiftrate, who knew nothing of Chrift, 
 and was an Enemy to the Edids and Laws 
 of Chriil's Kingdom, did not add Sanctions 
 to Chrift's Laws ; yet, it follows not from 
 hence, that the Magiftrate who does know 
 Him, and who loves his Laws and Edid:s> 
 cannot add Sanations to them.' We will take 
 the Inftance of Ahfiaining from Murther : m or- 
 der to make this Point the more clear. My Ar- 
 gument then, is this. The Santlion annex'd by 
 the Civil Magiflrate to this, or the Tunijhment 
 afflx'd to Murther^ I fay, \'<> not a Santiion of a 
 Law of Chrifl^s ; but of a Social Law : which is 
 what I was in that Place urging; and not pro- 
 fefiedly arguing from the Example of the Roman 
 Magiftrate, That it is a Santiion of a Social Law^ 
 regarding Tullic Good only, is plain from hence, 
 that if in were dcfign'd as a SanBion to Chrifl's 
 Law, a Law of Religion^ confider'd as fuch ; it 
 would have exiended it felf to the Intention^ and 
 Defign of Murther^ to which the Santiion of 
 
 Chrifl^s 
 
( 215 ) 
 
 Chrifl's Law extends it felf ; and of which the 
 Civil Magiftrate can judge, in many Cafes, from 
 Words >, Z{\A Actions^ and Circumfiances, Nay, that 
 it cannot be a Sandion of a Religious Abflineiice 
 from Murther^ is plain from the Ahfurdity and 
 Ulelefsnefs of declaring, that Men fliall be pu- 
 nilhed in this World, unlefs They abftain from 
 Murther^ for fear of God's Punilhments in Ano- 
 ther. 
 
 I only alluded to the Cafe of the Qivil Magi- 
 fir ate^ fpoken of by St. TauL The Argument at 
 greater length, would be this. Every Civil 
 Magiftrate^ confider'd as a Civil Magiftrate^ is 
 ordain'd for the fame Purpofe ; and veiled with 
 the fame Powers. Therefore, A Civil Magi- 
 ftrate^ who believes in Jefus Chrift, confider'd 
 as a Civil Magiftrate-, can no more add Worldly 
 Sanctions to Chrifl's Laws, properly fpeaking, 
 than Any Other Civil Magiftrate can, who does 
 not believe in Him. For, as to the Ejfentials of 
 their Civil Office^ They are juft the fame. The 
 beheving in Jefus Chrift makes no Difference in 
 this Cafe : only it adds the Motives of Another 
 Life^ to engage Him to perform His Office, His 
 Civil O^ce^ confcientioufly and uprightly. If 
 therefore, the Roman Unhelieving Magiftrate^ 
 who had AH the Ejfentials of a Civil Magiftrate ^ 
 could not add Sanliions to Chrift's Laws ; even 
 when He forbad fome of the fame Outward 
 AclionSj which Chrift forbids : no more can the 
 Civil Magiftrate^ confider'd as fuch, tho' a Chri- 
 fiian^ add San^ions to Chrift^s Laws. 
 
 P 4 Nor 
 
( 2l6 
 
 Nor am I here at all mov'd with the Dtfficultyy 
 which He feems to think fo great, p. 1 7. that 
 this way of arguing will make the ' fame Law 
 
 * not One, but Two ; Qhrift\ Law in the Gofpel ; 
 
 * and not Chriffs Law in the Statute-Book : even 
 
 * tho' the Magifirate fliould mend it, as the 
 
 * Same"*; which alters not the Cafe. For I think 
 it very evident that Thofe are different Laws, 
 which flow from the Authority of different Law- 
 givers ; which enjoin a Pra^ke upon different 
 Motives ; and to the One of which one m^ay 
 be perfedly obedient, and avoid the Puniihment 
 annex'd to it ; and yet not obey the Other ^ nor 
 avoid the Tunijhment annex'd to it, by its Legt- 
 flat or. And fo it is exadly, when a Qtvil Ma- 
 gtjlrate commands even the very fame Profef- 
 fion, the fame Outward Behaviour call'd Wor- 
 Jhip^which the Laiv of GorL or o? Chr/ft^ enjoins. 
 This is putting the Cafe as high, and as ftrong 
 as poffible : and yet They appear to Me two 
 different Laws. A Man may obey the Magi- 
 Jlratey in His Law ; and obtain a Fojl of Great 
 Honour, and Profit, which is perhaps the San- 
 ^tioH of it : and at the fame time not obey 
 the Law of the Great God, relating to the 
 fame thing in Appearance ; and be fo far from 
 obtaining His Favour, that He iliall incur the 
 Penalty annex'd by Him to His Law. And cer- 
 tainly, They muft be Two Different Lam ; if, 
 St the fame time that the One is compleatly 
 obey'd, the Other may be not at all regarded. 
 
 What this Worthy Perfon therefore urges, 
 when inftead of the Lms of Chriji^ He puts 
 
 the 
 
( ^'7 ) 
 
 the Laws of GoJ ; and, under that Form of Ex- 
 preilion, goes on to argue, p. 3x. is, I think, 
 No fuch Difficulty, as He feems to fuppoie ir. 
 The Moral Law is certainly the Law of Goa^ : 
 and, as it is the Law of GoJy it owes its ObU- 
 gacion to His Authority ; and Obedience to it, 
 as fucb, is Obedience to Him, and upon the 
 Principle of Faith in Him. The Roman Magi- 
 frrate did, without doubt, * encourage Part 
 ' of the Moral Law^ by His Santiions\ in this 
 Senfe, that He encourag'd the fame Outward Be- 
 haviour^ m many Inftances, which the Moral Law 
 of God encourages : as in the Cafe oi Ahflaining 
 from Murther^ and the like. But notwichftand- 
 ing this, it appears to Me that His Santliorts 
 were not Sanflions of the Moral Law of God ; 
 but of an Humane Social Law ; from hence : be- 
 caufe His Laws might be obferv'd, and His Pu- 
 nifliment avoided, by a Suhje^ ; and yet the 
 fame Perfon might not obey that Law of God^ 
 fo as to avoid His Anger, or to obtain His Fa- 
 vour ; not doing it upon any Principle of Re- 
 gard to Reafony as a Law of God ; but of Re- 
 gard to Man^ and the Fear of Humane Puniih- 
 ment. And confequently, die Laws of the Ro- 
 wan Emperor^ were no more the Laws of Gody 
 than ofChrifl : tho' in many Cafes encouraging 
 the fame Outward Behaviour, v/hich both the 
 Laws of Gody and of Chrifi, encourage. 
 
 He goes on to argue, ' that St. Paul requires 
 
 * Obedience to fome Laws relating to Govern- 
 
 * ment, in Rom, 13. that thefe were the Ro 
 
 ^ rr^an. Governor's Laws ; and by tliis Injun- 
 
 ' dioa 
 
( 2iS ) 
 
 ' dion of St. Paul^ become the Laws of Chr/Ji : 
 ' and fo, if the Magiftrates Laws may be the 
 
 * Laws of Chrift, by Parity of Reafon, Chriffs 
 
 * Laws may be the Magiftrates Laws'. I 
 fuppofe, He means, thofe Laws about Paying 
 effrihutCy Cufiom^ and the hke. To which I 
 anfwer, 
 
 I. St. Tauts Argument to Qhrtfttans^ is, that 
 God approves of the Office of a Civil Magijirate^ 
 for thofe Purpofes for which it was defign'd : 
 and from hence argues that They, who know 
 God^ and His Son Jefm Chrijl^ ought to be 
 fubjed: to fo ufeful an Office, for Confcience fake ; 
 for the fake of Duty to God, and not merely 
 out of Fear of Worldly Punifhment. But no Ar- 
 gument can be drawn from hence to iliew, to 
 what Points the Magiftrates Office^ as fuch, has 
 a Right to extend it felf 2. He argues that 
 They muft pay Tribute^ Cuftom^ Honour^ .to 
 whom They are due, for the better enabling the 
 Civil Powers to carry on the Ends of Humane 
 Society y and of an Ufeful Office approved of by 
 God: and this, for Confcience fake. 3. He, who 
 does thofe Outward A^ionSj commanded by Hu- 
 maneL^wSy becaufe it is Chrift's Will He fliould' 
 do fo ; and in order to pleafe God ; does truly 
 obey God, and obferve a Law ofChrift. 4. 1 have 
 never denied that the Outward Ad ion perform'd 
 may be the fame in both Cafes : but that i\\t.Law 
 commanding it is not the fame, is plain from 
 hence. It flows, in each Cafe, from a different 
 Authority, It is to be exprefs'd in different 
 Words. In one Cafe thus, You muft needs 
 
 obey 
 
( ^19 ) 
 
 obey for Confcience fake ; or out of Regard to 
 God ; In the other Cafe thus, You muft per- 
 form this Adion ; or incur the Worldly Penalty 
 annex'd to the Refufal of it. And befides, A 
 Perfon may obey that very Law of the Magi- 
 flrate^ which Chrift, in effed, commands Hun 
 to obey : and yet not obey it, as Chrifl com- 
 mands ii^ not merely for Wrath ^ but for Con- 
 fcience fake. He who pays Tribute only for Fear of 
 the Penalty^ truly obeys the Magijirates Law : 
 but, at the fame time, does not obey the Law 
 of Chrifi given by St. Paul. So that it is plain, 
 It is not the Same Law, 5. The Argument here 
 made ufe of, is nor at all conclufive. * Chrifi: 
 commands His Difciples to obey the Laws 
 of the Civil Magifirate ; that is, to perform 
 thofe Outward Atiions^ which the Laws of the 
 Magifirate enjoyn ' : * Therefore, the Civil 
 Magifirate can rightfully command His Sub- 
 jedts to pay Obedience to Chrifi' s Laws ; 
 which Obedience is not paid to Chrift's Laws, 
 unlefs it be upon an Inward Principle of Faith 
 in Him, which the Magifirate cannot create, 
 or affed\ Of thus, * Chrifi declares to 
 His Difciples, that They fliall obey the Ma- 
 gifirate^ out of Confcience of Duty, of which 
 He can perfed:ly judge : Therefore, The 
 Magifirate can rightfully declare that His Sub- 
 jeds Ihall obey Chrifi^ Laws, of which Ohe- 
 dience He cannot pofiibly judge\ Or again, 
 Chrift, the Supreme Lawgiver^ comprehends 
 m the Body of His LawSj Every thing good 
 and ufeful ,• and amongft them, the Magi- 
 
 \firates 
 
( aio ) 
 
 * ftrate^ Laws mention'd by St. Paul : ^ There- 
 
 * fore, the Magijlrate^ ordain d for the Purpofes 
 of Civil Lifiy and a Law-giver of a Nature 
 
 * infinitely inferior to Chrift^ may do the fame 
 
 * by ChrijFsLaivs. ' Therefore^ hy Parity of Re a- 
 
 * ./^^, ChriJFs Laivs may be the Magifirates Laws, 
 This fccms to Me to be the fame thing, as to 
 argue, that A LefTer Thing is a Part of a 
 Greater ; and that therefore, the Greater may 
 be a Part of the Lefs : that an Houfe contains 
 a Cabinet ^ and therefore, that a Cabinet may 
 contain an Houfe. This is fo far from being 
 conckided by Parity of Reafon ; that this very 
 Reafon here given concludes the Contrary. 
 For, hecaufe Chrift's Laws contain the Magi- 
 Urate's Laws : Therefor e^ and upon this very 
 Account y the Magifirates Laws cannot contain 
 His. 
 
 Now I am confidering the Office of the Magi- 
 
 firate^ as fpoken of by St. Paul^ it is proper to 
 
 take Notice that an Argument is form'd by this 
 
 fam.e Worthy Perfon^ as well as Others^ after 
 
 this manner. * The Magiftrate is the Vice- 
 
 * gerent of God. Therefore, It is His Duty 
 ' to maintain the Honour of God and Rehgion'. 
 Confider, p. 75'.^ And ^. 76. He plainly lets Us 
 know that by Vicegerent of God^ He means what 
 St. Paul means, in Rom, 13. when He calls Him 
 Aix'<pj^@. ©gS, the Minifler of God, I muft 
 therefore, here obferve, i.That this is fo far 
 from proving His Duty, as a Civil Magiflrate^ 
 to be concern d in True Religion^ as fuch ; that 
 It proves the contrary : For St. Paul affirms 
 
 the 
 
the Roman Magijlrate^ (Whom, h\ His Way of 
 defcribing the Heathen World, He would not 
 have Icrupled to have declared to live without 
 God in the World ; to be an Alien from God and 
 from the Truth ; to be the Subjed: of God s 
 greateft Adverfary : He affirms, I fay, the Ro- 
 man Magijlrate') then, whilft an Enemy to God^ 
 and to Chriji^ to be the Minifler of God ; nay, 
 the Minifler of God^ to Thee^ to the Chriftians 
 themfelves, for good. From whence it follows 
 that His being the Minifler of God j in St. Paut^ 
 Senfe, [ i. e. the Vicegerent of God in Dr. Sher- 
 lock\ Senfe,] does not include in it Any thing 
 relating to Religion properly fo call'd. On the 
 contrary, it fliews that a Magiflrate may be the 
 Minifler of God, in St. Paufs Senfe, even whilft 
 He difcourages the True Worfhip of the One 
 God ; and the True Religion of His Son. But, 
 X. St. Paul plainly tells Us, in what Senfe the 
 Civil Magiflrate is the Minifler of God to Us for 
 good : even, as a Civil Magiflrate ; as executing 
 that Office well ; and in being, as He exprefies 
 it, a Terror to Evil-Doers, and a Praife to them 
 that do well, not in their Religious, but their So- 
 cial Capacity ; in punifhing the Outward Actions 
 of Men of One Sort, and encouraging thofe of 
 Another. 3. He is therefore, the Minifler of 
 God, as God approves of fo ufeful an Offlce^^ 
 and wills Him to be obey'd and honour'd in 
 the Due Execution of it. And confequently, 
 No Argument can be drawn from His being 
 God s Vicegerent, or, in the Phrafe of the Com- 
 mittee^ from His hearing Rule under God, that 
 
 the 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 the Care of Tri^e Religion is included in His 
 Office : becaufe the Roman Magijlrate was Gods 
 Minifler^ in St. TauH Senfe, wliilft He was a 
 Stranger and an Enemy to God and His truth. 
 4. All that can be infer'd from fuch ExpreiTions 
 is, that as a Civil Magijlrate He has an Office^ 
 agreeable to Gods Will ; that it is His Duty to 
 Execute that Part of God s Will, which relates 
 to the Well-Being of Humane Society in Civil 
 Concerns ; that, in doing this. He is Gods Mini- 
 fier ; and that, as a Magijlrate^ He can do no- 
 thing better, and nothing more, than this, for 
 the Honour of Him^ whofe Vicegerent He is^ 
 and under whom He heareth Rule. 
 
 I have now faid enough upon this jirjl of 
 Dr. Sherlock's principal Objedlions : and mufl 
 leave it to the Reader to judge, whether ' Out- 
 * ward Actions, as they affedt Society only, 
 ' are not the Matter of Humane Laws'. 
 
 Sect. XV. 
 the Other of Dr. Sherlock's Principal Ob- 
 jedions, conjiderd. 
 
 'T^ H E Second Ohje^ion made by this Worthy 
 
 ^ Ferfon to what have I taught is this, that the 
 
 ' Account given by Me, devefts the Civil Ma- 
 
 * giftrate and His Laws, of All Moral Redi- 
 
 * tude'. The Injlances He gives will beft ex- 
 plain what He means ; and help the Reader to 
 underftand what I have taught. * One Man 
 
 * cuts his Neighbour's Throat, with a Dedgn 
 
 + ! to 
 
( ^^? ) 
 
 * to murther Him. Another Man cuts his 
 
 * Throat, whilft he intends only to lance a 
 
 * Tumour. According to My Dodrine, QHe 
 ^ fays) the Magiftrate, who judges onl)f of 
 
 * Outward Material Adions, without regard- 
 
 * ing Inward Motives, muft deal alike with 
 
 * Both : and cannot confider the MoraUty 
 
 * of the Adion, in one Cafe, or the other'. 
 I anfwer, 
 
 I. I have already fufRciently declared that I 
 am fo far from banifliing Intent ion^ out of the 
 Magiftrate s Province^ that I know, and main- 
 tain, He cannot judge Any thing to be an Hu- 
 mane Outward A^lion, without taking m the 
 Voluntas^ or Intention^ which is eflentially ne- 
 cellary to it : that, without this, it is only an E- 
 vent ; not an Action^ nor ever call'd fo by Me. 
 X. The Motives of the Adion are here again 
 confounded with the Intention^ that is, with the 
 Attion it felf. 3. If the Intention therefore, be 
 That, m which the Immorality^ or Morality^ of 
 an Action confifts, I have never thought of ' de- 
 
 * veiling the Laws of the Magiftrate from All 
 
 * Moral Reditude, by denying to Them a Right 
 
 * to regard the Intention^ that is, the Adio>i 
 
 * properly fpeaking/ But, 4. I fear this Ac- 
 count miftakes the Ejfence of every Atlion^ as an 
 Attion^ for the Morality or Immorality of it : 
 becaufe Every Adion being neceflarily intended 
 to be done ; and not an Action any otherwife 
 than as intended or wiil'd to be done ; there x^iii 
 be No Adion of Humane Life, according to 
 this Account, but whac muft be either Mor^al^ 
 
 or 
 
( 2H ; 
 
 or Immoral : whereas there are Multicudes of 
 Adions of Men, which are neither Morale nor 
 Immoral S- My Anfwer to the Difficuity fup- 
 pofed in this Injlance^ is this. The Kilhng the 
 Man;in the latter Cafe, is thQEvoit^ orUndefign'd 
 Effeli of the Adion ; and not the Atlion it felf,: 
 In the former, it is truly the Action of the Cut- 
 throat. The Magzfirate '\s> the Punifner of Out- 
 ward Adions only : to which the Intention is fo 
 necelTary, that without it there is no fuch thing 
 as an Adion. The Man therefore, who cuts 
 His Neighbours Throat, willing, or intending 
 to Murthcr Him, is puniilf d, becaufe this is His 
 Adion : that \'s>^ becaufe it can be prov'd from 
 Circumftances that He will d and intended to do 
 fo. ThQ Man who was the Injlrument of His 
 Friend s Death, by Lancing a Swelling in His 
 Throaty is acquitted, becaufe He did not Kill 
 Him, any more than a Man a thoufand Miles 
 o(r Kill'd Him : becaufe Kilhng Him was not 
 his Adion ; nor any part of His Adion ; any 
 more than if His Houfe had fallen upon His 
 Friend, in pafling along, and Kill'd Him. So 
 that ftill it is plain, the Comern of the Civil 
 Magtflrate relates to Outward Adions : Not to 
 the Intention^ or Settled Defign^ confider'd as 
 fuch ; which yet i)^ a Tranfgrelfion of the Moral 
 Law of God, and of Chrift ; but to the Out- 
 ward Adion^ prov'd to be intended by fuch or 
 fuch a Man ; that is, prov'd to be His Adion. 
 6. The Morality or Immorality of an Adion is 
 certainly fomething different from the Adion it- 
 felf ; and confequently from the Will^ or In- 
 * tention^ 
 
( 1^5 ) 
 
 tentton^ which is the EJfence of the Action, con- 
 fider d as an A^ion* The One is the Conformity 
 of that Will to fome i^^iy of God : and the 
 Other is, Its Contradidion to it ; or Its Wan- 
 dring from it. And tho' in the Outward A^ of 
 Murther^ for Inftance, the Intention of Killing 
 a Man, as fuch, can never in reality be fepa- 
 rated from the Immorality^ or Contradidlion of 
 it to God's Will, and the Law of Reafon ; yet 
 the Magijtrate does not, in His Courts, con- 
 cern Himfelf with it, as Almighty God does, in 
 His Anger againft the Immorality of it. There is 
 Immorality always annex'd to the Intention or 
 Defign of that A^ion. And therefore, Almighty 
 God, as Our Blejfed Lord has declared m a like 
 Cafe, looks upon that Settled Defign and //^/d*;/- 
 tion, as the Sin, which He will puniili, whether 
 it ever proceed to Vifihle ABion, or not ; as 
 likewife All Willful Approaches to it, by Envy^ 
 Malice, Hatred, and the like. But the Civil 
 Magiflrate takes no Cognizance of Ihefe, fo as 
 to puniili them, 'till a Suhje^ has lofl His Life, 
 by the Outward A^ion of Another. And then, 
 He does not confider this formally, under the 
 Notion of Immorality : but as a Damage to the 
 Puhlic, and an Enmity to Humane Society, A- 
 mongft Us particularly, the King, as the Puh- 
 lica Perfona, profecutes, becaufe He has loft a 
 Suhje^ ; and the Society a Member, fuppofed to 
 be ufeful. And in His Enquiries after t\\Q Evi- 
 dence, the Civil Magiflrate does not concern 
 Himfelf to go any farther, than is necefTary to 
 prove that this was the Adion of fuch a Man. 
 
 a If 
 
( aa6 ) 
 
 If it was ,• that is, if it was infe^rfed ;'Hc gives 
 Judgment againft Him ; If it appears that it 
 was only 2i\\ Event ^^ proceeding from an Outward 
 AiUon^ but no Part of the Adion it lelf ; He 
 acquits the Perfon Accufed. As far as the 
 A^ion is confider^ under the Notion of Immo- 
 raHty, or of a Tranfgreffion of the Law of 
 God, Fie leaves it to God : and amongfl; Us 
 particularly, the Solemn Sentence of Temporal 
 Tunijhment is concluded with Thofe Words, 
 And the Lord have Mercy upon your Souls : which 
 feems to leave the Real Immorality and Sin of 
 the Ailion^ with refped to Gods Law^ to Al- 
 mighty God himfelf. But whatever Forms of 
 Expreffion may have come into the Trials of 
 Criminals in particular Countries, borrowed 
 from the Several Religions profefs'd in them : 
 We are fpeaking now of the O^ce of Civil Ma- 
 gijlratesy as fuch ; which, as to the Effentials of 
 it, is the fame All the World over. 
 
 But amongfl: AIL our Differences, I am glad 
 to find one Thing in which Vv'e agree, p. 38. 
 
 * That there is no Outward Practice of Virtue, 
 
 * (that i^^ Virtue properly fo. call'd,) indepen- 
 
 * dent of Inward Motives and Principles.' I 
 am fo far from contradicting this, that I make 
 it the very Foundation of what I have main- 
 tained ; and of that, iw which He feems to dif- 
 fer fo much from Me. We are often, \\\ Our 
 Difcourfes, forc'd to fpeak of the Outivard 
 Pradice of Virtue ; or of an Aclion as a . Good 
 A^ion I in a Common and Unavoidable Way 
 of Expreilion : meaning Thofe Ad ions which 
 
 are 
 
( ^^7 ) 
 
 nre Outwardly the fame with Goo^ Action^ ; arfdi 
 that Pracike^ which would be Virtue,, were it 
 upon a True and i^t?^/^ Principle, And in this 
 Common Way of Speaking, we call fuch 
 Actions Good Anions, and by the Name of /^i/-- 
 tue ; juft as We call by the Name of Religion^ 
 what goes under that Name in the World : tho* 
 it may happen to be void of every thing necef- 
 fary to make it Religion. All the Beft Writers 
 have found themfelves obliged to fpeak thus j 
 and, amongft Them, He himfelf, v/ho has de- 
 fcended to cavil at this, in Me. But indeed, it% 
 My SermoHi I fpeak of Virtue^ Iblely as pra- 
 d:is'd under the Influence of the Higheft Princi- 
 ple of All, Faith in God y and as it is made 
 Religion^ properly fpeafcing, amongfl: Chriftians,' 
 only by that ; and therefore, out of the Reaclt 
 of A// Temporal San^ionSy as Religion.. And 
 when this Worthy Perfon has dillinguifli'd be- 
 tween the Intention or Will requisite to All 
 AtiionSy as fuch ; and ^t Principle by which 
 the Agent condu<^s Himfelf ; He will, I hope, 
 fee that, when I fay the Magiftrate^ as fuch,' 
 concerns Himfelf with Outward Actions only as 
 They affed Humane Society., I exclude the Prin- 
 ciples of the Agent only, and not the Intention^ 
 or Will, effencial to the Adion, , 
 
 It appears from what I have faid, x. That I 
 do not deyeft the Civil Magiftrate?, Laws, of 
 Any Tendency or Aptitude to the End intended 
 by Them. %, That I fuppofeTbem to encourage 
 the fame Outward A^ions^ which are command- 
 ed by the Laws of God upon an Higher Princi-: 
 
 Q^.z pie I 
 
( 7^8 ) 
 
 pie: and to diicourage the contrary. 3. That 
 therefore, I fuppofe and contend that the Civil 
 Magijlrate is to do every thing m His Power, 
 and iDclonging to His Office, for the encourag- 
 ing Morality^ and difcouraging the contrary. 
 4. That I confider His Subjects as Reafonahle 
 Creatures ; but iw a confin'd Senfe : as Reafona- 
 hle Creatures^ affociated for their Mutual Sup- 
 port m their Civil Concerns : and therefore, do 
 not deveft His Laws o? Reafon ; but Hippofe 
 Them founded upon it, as it relates to the 
 Civil Concerns of Humane Life. 5. I never 
 maintain'd, or once thought, as He reprefents 
 Me, p. 39. that the ' Bffe^ of an Outward 
 
 * Action was the only Confideration before the 
 ' Magifirate^ in the Difpenfing Rewards* and 
 
 * Puniflinients'. But what I have faid is of the 
 Outward A^ion it felf, which is as entirely dif- 
 ferent from the Effetl of the A^ion^ as an Adion 
 and an Agent are, from a Pafion and a Patient, 
 6. It is not the Doctrine of My Sermon-, as He 
 here reprefents it, that * no Temporal Rewards 
 ' or Puniiliments, ought to attend upon Reli- 
 ' gion confider'd as X^irtue and Charity'. [I 
 fuppofe the Word Punifhments came in here, by 
 Miftake. ] But my Dothine was, that No Tem- 
 poral Rewards can attend upon Virtue and 
 Charity, confider d as Religion : which are Two 
 v^ry different Points. And this DoBrine was 
 couch'd in the following Argument, If Religion 
 amongfl Chrifiians, be Virtue and Charity pra- 
 c9:isd by Inward Faith relating to a Future 
 State; tken^ to propofe the Rewards oi This 
 
 World 
 
(^^9 ) 
 
 World to Rel'igion^-, as foch, is contrary to its 
 True Interefi. The Reafoii is plain : Becaufe 
 You will either'' propofe a Reward for fome- 
 thing which is not Religion ; or, for an Out- 
 ivard Tratlice which You cannot judge to be 
 Religion^ not knowing the Principle within ; 
 and will too probably encourage Hypocrify in- 
 Head of Religion^ by promulgating Rewards for 
 fuch and fuch Profejftons^ or Outward Practices. 
 I beg Leave again to add here, that the Chu- 
 fing a Servant^ or a Minifler into a Poft of Great 
 Confequencej upon the bell: Judgment which can 
 be made of His being influenc'd by higher 
 Principles than Thofe of this World ,• does not 
 come under the Notion of Rewarding Men in 
 this World for their Belief of Another ; or of 
 proclaiming beforehand that Such ihall be re- 
 warded : But of chufmg a Man, the moft like- 
 ly to execute His Truflj and perform His Duty : 
 which is quite another Confideration, 7. What 
 I maintain is, I think, expl'ain'd, if not demon- 
 ftrated, by This^ that if, (for Argument fake,} 
 We fuppofe Man to be a Beings uncapable of 
 Religion^ properly fo call'd ; or of Knowing a- 
 ny Law of God, as fuch : yet the Office of a 
 Civil Ma^ijlrate would be reafonable ; and 
 founded upon the Necefiiries of Mankind ; the 
 fame Outward Atlions would have the liime Ef- 
 fed: upon the Civil Concerns of Huraane Life ; 
 and the Civil Magiftrate the fame Original 
 Right to guard Society againfh the Enemies 
 and Diftiirbcrs of it. Which ihews that, as to 
 the Effentials of it, the Office would be the 
 
 Q^ 3 fame , 
 
( no :) 
 
 fame, whether there >x^cre. any fuch thing, ei- 
 ther as Morality^ to be judged of by its Con- 
 formity to the Law of God'; or as Religion^ 
 founded upon d. Belief o(^ Future State: or not. 
 There remains One Quejlion under this Head, 
 upon which this Worthy Perfon lays a great 
 Strefs, in thefe Words. ' I put it to You, to 
 
 * con(id(^r whether the Magijlrate ought to re- 
 
 * ward an Ad:ion, which He knows to proceed 
 ' from Envy, Malice, Luft, or any other Inor- 
 ^ dinate Affedion, becaufe it happens to ferve 
 
 * fonie good Parpole of the Publick ? Chufe 
 
 * which you will, [ that isj Anfwer either that 
 He ought, or ought not, ] ' the One is incon- 
 
 * fiftent with Your Doctrine ; the Other with 
 
 * the Senfe and Reafon of Mankind.' I an- 
 fwer, 
 
 I. The breaking into the Syftem of the 
 Moral Laws in this manner, to ferve a prefent 
 Purpofe, is not for the Public Good; but in 
 the Idiie tends to diminifli and impair it. 
 
 2. A^lions proceeding from an Inordinate Af- 
 feBion are, in multitudes of Inftances^ as truly 
 againft the Puhlic Good^ as They are Immoralities. 
 
 3. That the Magiftrate therefore, ought not 
 to reward Any fuch Adlion, upon Suppofitioii 
 of a Prefent Purpofe ferv'd ; becaufe the ferv- 
 ing a Prefent Purpofe is not the Puhlic Good; 
 but the lerving the Purpofes of Society^ in a 
 lafting and conftant manner. 4. Ifit could be 
 fuppofed that thefe Fices did that ; it would 
 immediately follow that He, whofe Office it 
 was to promote the Puhlic GooJ^ ought to re- 
 ward 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 ward Them. 5-. But it is otherwife, in the iST^- 
 ture of things. Thofe fame Outward AtlionSj 
 which are Tranfgreffions of the Lavo of God^ are 
 hkewife, in the main, deftrud:ive to Humane 
 Society. Therefore, He ought not to reward 
 any one of them, upon the Suppofition of a 
 prefent particular Advantage to the Fuhlk, 
 6. If the miftaken Politics of States and Prin- 
 ces have given another Solution of this ; and 
 piadice according to it, in the Cafe of Betrayers 
 of Secrets J Breakers of their Truft^ and the 
 hke -y I am no more concernM in this Difficulty, 
 than this Worthy Perfon, with whom I hope I 
 here agree. It iSy I think, founded originally 
 upon a Wrong Bottom : and it is in its Ten- 
 dency hurtful to Society ; and, being made ufe 
 of by Enemies, on both Sides, It is acknow- 
 ledged to be, in its EfFedh, hurtful to Them- 
 felvesy by AH who make ufe of it to hurt 
 Others. But, 
 
 7. His Inference from hence is, that ' if the 
 
 * Magiflrate ought not to reward fuch Adions, 
 ' the Confequence is, that 'tis His proper Bufi- 
 
 * nefs, and ihould be His Care, to encourage 
 
 * Real Virtue : and that then. He hopes, the 
 ' Laws of Chrift may come under His Prote- 
 ' dlion.' This being intended againft /Ph Do- 
 Urine, I anfwer, i. That the Natural- Confe- 
 quence from thence is Nothing more than this, 
 that it is the Magifirates proper Bufmcfs to en- 
 courage The ^2imQ0utward A^tions.whxch. are Real 
 Virtue when pradis'd upon a Noble Principle,- 
 and Religion^ when pradis'd upon i\\(: Belief of 
 
 a4 a 
 
a Future State. 2. That He himfelf has taught 
 Us how the Magiflrate does this, generally 
 Ipeaking, viz. only by punifliing the Outward 
 AEiions contrary to Them. . 3. I have fliewn 
 that He concerns Himfelf with the Outward 
 Anions only ; and in what Senfe. 4. That 
 He can be obhged to nothing beyond His 
 Power, and out of His Province : and that All 
 He can do, towards the Encouragement of 
 RealVtrtue-i is to encourage the Outward Pra- 
 dke^ fo call'd ; and to difcourage the Outward 
 TratVtce^ contrary to it. 
 
 5. And laft 'y, In anfwer to His Argument drawn 
 from ' the World's having been once deftroy'd 
 * for Impiety,' to the Duty of the Magijlrate, I 
 defire it may be confider'd that God s^Judgments 
 are eqi^ally Arguments to Private Perfons^ as 
 well as to Others: and that the Concern of the 
 Civil Magiftrate iw this Affair, is to do His own 
 Duty confcientioully, in order to difcourage 
 All chofc Outward Pra^icesy Injurious to Socie- 
 ty, which are the fame with Thofe which are 
 founded upon Impiety ; from whatever Root 
 They proceed. If this be All that He can do 
 towards it ; then, this is All that can be im- 
 phed ivi His Office, or expeded of Him. But 
 this Argument does not prove, or tend to prove, 
 that More is required of Him, as a Civil Magi- 
 jlrate, than the Due Execution of His Office, 
 wliatever it be. True Piety is doubtlefs of high 
 Benefit to Society^ as \x. engages All Men to do 
 thofe Outward Actions^ which are Beneficial to 
 it. But the Civil Magiftrate has it not, either 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 in His O^cey as fuch, or in his Powers to pro- 
 mote True Tiety^ by Temporal Santlions : be- 
 caufe it ceafes to be True Piety, in the Senfc of 
 the Chrijiian Religion, if it be procured by 
 WorUly Motives. If God Himfclf has threatened 
 temporal Judgments, the being moved by thefe^ 
 as They come from God, is ftill an A£l of Faith 
 ivi Him ; and no fuch worldly Inducement, as 
 God difapproves of But to be mov'd to Piety^ 
 (^fuppofing it poflible,) by Worldly Motives pro- 
 posed by the Magiftrate, can render no Man ac- 
 ceptable to God', becaufe He himfelf is left out 
 of the Suppofition. For My own Part, I can- 
 not but think ix, impoffihle : Becaufe it is the ve- 
 ry Eflence of True Piety to be built upon a 
 Real, Unforced Faith in God, and a Future 
 State : and this^ on the contrary, fuppofes it 
 built upon Man, and the Terrors or Allurements 
 of this World ; that i^. It fuppofes it to be Pi- 
 ety, and not Piety, at the fame Time. In lliort, 
 The Argument from God's Temporal Judgments 
 is of no Concern to the Magiflrate, as fuch ; 
 but to engage Him to do His Duty; to do 
 whatever He can, and not more than He cin, 
 or more than belongs to His Oilice, for the 
 Maintenance of Piety, and the Honour of God. But 
 it is an Argument to Every Member of Society 
 equally, to affright: Every One of them from 
 Wickednefs and Vice. 
 
 I will only add, in anfwer to what this Wor- 
 thy Per [on goes on to alledge, /^. 45*. 
 
 I. That the Civil Magiftrate is fubjed to the 
 Pvules of PvCafon^nd Morality, in making Law$ 
 
 foi: 
 
( ^H ) 
 
 for the Public Good, in fuch Seiife that He ought 
 not, in Any of His Social Laws^ to command Any 
 Outward Pratlke^ but what is agreeable toThofe 
 Laws ; or to forbid Any \yhich Thofe Laws 
 command, x. That ' the Rules of Reafon and 
 
 * Morality, (^which are the Laws of God) are 
 
 * fupcrior to the Confiderations of Public Good, 
 
 * fmce Public Good is fubjed to be regulated 
 
 * by Them :' That this I fay, which He alledg- 
 es,.is true, if He means by it that the Laws, re- 
 lating to Public Good J cannot of right require or 
 enjoyn any External A^ion difagreeable to the 
 Law of Reafon or Morality. But, 3. I do not 
 fee his Confequencej that therefore, the Laws of 
 Society mud take in more than Mere External 
 AitionSy or Behaviour, For Inftance, The Hu- 
 mane Law againft Murther^ or the Law decla- 
 ring the Punijhment of it^ and requiring an Ahjti- 
 vence from it, is govern'd by the Laws of God and 
 Reafon ; as It requires a Behaviour which They 
 require. But the Trial before the Magiftrate^ 
 relating to this Crime, is only about the Exter- 
 nal Ailion will'd and intended fo as to make it 
 an Atiion ; not about the Motives and Principles^ 
 which gave Being to that Will and Intention. 
 And the Punifhment is fo far from relating to 
 the Principles^ that it is not fo much as annexed 
 to the Intention or Defign it felf, tho' never 
 fo plain, if it has not proceeded to A^ion. 
 And thus I have ' fncwn Him, a Law requiring 
 
 * only External Behaviour,' forbidding and pu- 
 nifl-jing only the External Adlion, properly {o 
 caird, \ without any regard to Liward Mq- 
 
 * tives/ 
 
( ^35 ) 
 
 '^ tives/ And I argue thus. If Th/s tc a Lmn 
 for Ptiilk Good; then I have not injur'd either 
 Truth or Juftice, if I have devefted the Magi- 
 ftrate s Laws of Moral Retihude^ in that Senfe 
 only, in which They themfelves never pretend- 
 ed to it. 
 
 Sect. XVI. 
 
 Some Farther Confiderations relating to the Ma- 
 giftrate's Office. 
 
 np HIS being a very Important Subjed:, I 
 •*■ think it ufeful, before I leave it^ to obferve 
 that it feems a Fundamental Miflake to fuppofe, 
 with refpedt to the Offioe of the Civil Magijfrate^ 
 that * in Governing Men, The Laws of Rea- 
 
 * fon, are in fuch Senfe the Rule/ that wdiate- 
 ver is the Didate of the Laws of Reafon, is the 
 Objed of His Care, confider d as a Civil Ma- 
 gi ftrate: Or in other Words, that the ' Magiftrate 
 
 * is to be confider'd as ruling over Realbnablc 
 ^ Creatures ; and that His proper Bufmefs is to 
 
 * fee that Obedience be paid to the Dictates of 
 
 * the Law of Reafon, with refped: to God; as 
 
 * well as Men/ Anf. to a Letter^ p. 5-. And One 
 ftrong Reafon is, i3ecaufe this is abfolutely out 
 of His Power. My Opinion I confefs, is, that 
 Men, as Suhjetlsy are to be confider'd, not un- 
 der the Notion of Reafonahle Creatures^ in the 
 large Senfe of that Word; but of Reafonahle 
 Creatures entred into Society^ for the better En- 
 joyment of their Civil Happiness ; for the Secu- 
 rity 
 
( ^36 ) 
 
 rity of Themfelves from Mutual Injuries, and 
 Diflurbances in their Ovil Concerns, The End 
 of the Appointment of the Civil Magiftrate^ was 
 the Civil Inter efl only of Men, conlider'd as af- 
 fociated : neither do there appear any Footjleps 
 in Hiflory^ either Sacred or Profane, of the O- 
 riginal of the Office of the Civil Magijt rate, as to 
 its Eflentials, (which are the fame in All Coun- 
 tries,} for any Other Purpofe, but to guard againft 
 Outward Atlions prejudicial toHumane Society ; and 
 to encourage the contrary. He was firft, either 
 the Leader of a particular Number of Men affoci- 
 ated againft Thofe whom They efteem d to be 
 their Enemies ; or the Judge in their private Con- 
 troverfies and Quarrels 2^o\VLTroperty, and Jufiice.- 
 but not, as I ever heard of, appointed for the 
 Worjhip of God ; or the Promoting of that Faithy 
 without which there is No Rehgion. He might 
 afFame to Himfelf the Prerogative of God af- 
 terwards : but We are now fpeaking of His Of- 
 fice, as a Civil Magijlrate ; and of the End for 
 which it was at firtt appointed. And therefore, 
 I think, that Men, as Civil Govemours and Suh- 
 jei^Sy are to be confider'd as Reafonable Crea- 
 tures, Ajfociated for the Purpofes of Civil Life^ 
 and their Civil Interefts ; and not as Reafonahle 
 Creatures in a larger Extent : which will carry the 
 Magijlrate s Office-, in Fad, to Every thing v/hich 
 He himfelf thinks for the Honour of God in Rtli- 
 gionj fo caird ; and extend His Care, as a Civil 
 Magijlrate^ to Numberlefs Points, fo foreign to 
 the End of His Ofnce, that He may as well be 
 cali'd by Any other Name in the World, as by 
 
 that 
 
( 257 ) 
 
 that of C I V T Tv Magtjirate. This may contra- 
 did the Settled Opinions of many Men: but One 
 Thing I will prelunie to fay for it, that Religiony 
 True Religion^ properly fo call'd, will never 
 fiiffer by a Pra^ice agreeable to thefe Princi- 
 ples ; but will always fufFer for want of it. 
 
 This I now mention particularly with a Flew 
 to what the Reverend Dr. Sherlock alledges, as 
 the Ground-Work of what He maintains, rela- 
 ting to the Office of the Civil Magijlrate. In 
 his Anfwer to a Letter^ p. 5". He lays it down 
 that the * Civil Sandion of a Law is defign d, 
 
 * not to perfuade Men of the Principles, where- 
 
 * of They are already perfuaded ; but to deter 
 
 * them from adding againft the Law, which 
 ' They are under, in Virtue of the Reafon and 
 
 * Underflanding given them by God.' I con- 
 fefs, ii\ the very next Page, He teaches that the 
 Bufmefs of the Humane Law is, * to declare 
 
 * the Original Law for the better Inflrudion of 
 
 * the People ; as well as to afcertain the Punifli- 
 
 * ment of TranfgrefTion, &c! So that here it is 
 firjl fuppofed that the People need no Inftrudli- 
 on, but are already perfuaded of thofe Principles 
 of Duty^ which are the Laws of Reafon : and then 
 prefently it is fuppos'd that They do need it. 
 This Account of the End of Civil San^ions^ 
 according to which Men are fuppofed to be 
 already perfuaded of Good Principles^ by Rea- 
 fon and Underflanding, is afterwards explain^ 
 by declaring it to be the Bufinefs of the Magi- 
 Jtrate^ to ^ make Men do what the Light of 
 
 * their own Minds teach Them they ought to 
 
 ' do ,• 
 
^ do 5 and thofe Things, in which the Reafoh 
 ' of Men will not permit them to differ/ Cori/t- 
 Aerattonsy p. 75:. I mud obferve again that, not- 
 withftanding this general Account, He often de- 
 clares that Irreligious Principlesj and Blafphe- 
 wy^ (of which there are as Various Species^ as 
 there are Different Religions in the World,) are 
 to be punilh'd by temporal Punijhments, Now 
 Irreligious Principles fuppofe the Man, in whom 
 They are, not perfuaded of Thofe Good Principles^ 
 which are the Refult of True Reafon^ and Un- 
 derflanding: and they are Points \\\ which * His 
 ^ Reafon permits Him to differ from Others/ 
 
 According to this General Account therefore, 
 of the Magiftrate's Office,- one would have 
 thought Thefe to be Matters not cognizable 
 by the Magijlrate : and No Perfons indeed, 
 the Objedrs of His ThreatningSy or PuniJhmentSy 
 but fuch as can be prov'd to hold thofe Good 
 Principles^ and to be Sinners againft Their Own 
 Confciences ; or to be fuch as arc not ' permitted 
 ' by Their own Reafon, to differ from their 
 * Fellow-Creatures^. But I am fenfible how ea- 
 fy it is to forget, and contradid, the Main Prin- 
 ciples laid down, in a warm Purfuit of Another, 
 Part of the Cauje. It was not My prefent De< 
 fign to take notice of thefe Seeming Contradifli- 
 ons : but to propofe it to be confider'd that the 
 True End of tlie Civil Magijlrate^ Office, is 
 very different from this General Account of it. 
 
 He is a Terror to Evil-Doers-^ and a Praife to 
 them that do we /I; let their Adions proceed from 
 Principles^ or from the Want of Pmr/Z/fi*. He 
 
 is 
 
( 2?9 ) 
 
 is the Guardian and Defender of the Society^ a- 
 gainft Thofe who are ading as Enemies a* 
 gainfl: it ; whether They themfelves are perfua- 
 ded of Any Original Law of Reafon^ or not. He- 
 is the Funijher or Avenger of All Prad:ices de- 
 finitive to Society ; whether They proceed 
 from an avowed Impiety, or a miftaken Piety. 
 He does not concern Himfelf with the Principles 
 within ; nor whether the Criminals Reafon per- 
 mitted Him to differ about the Original Law or 
 no : but punilhes Him for His Outward A^ion. 
 The Civil SanUion of a Law is not defignM to 
 * make Men do, what They themfelves owrt 
 ' and acknowledge They ought to do :' But to 
 guard the Society againfl them ; and to terrify 
 Them from any DeJtruBive Pra^ices^ whether 
 They themfelves tiiink them right, or wrong. 
 And if All the Murtherers^ and Rollers^ in the 
 World, fliould think their Pratlices not only 
 Lawful, but their Duty ; as many Reheh and 
 Tray tors do : it would not be at all the lefs the 
 Magiflrates Right and Duty^ to fentence Them 
 to due Punijhment ; as He does the R^hels and 
 Traytors. He does not trouble Himfelf in His 
 Enquiries, with Their Principles, or Their Con- 
 fciences. His Bufinefs and Duty is to guard 
 the Society J as fuch, from All Enemies; whe- 
 ther Thef are Enemies by fuch an Honejl and 
 Comfcientious Adherence to their Real Principles^ 
 as God himfelf may be luppofed even to ap- 
 prove, as He is the Judge of their Spiritual and 
 Eternal Condition ; or by the vileft and wick- 
 edefl Contradidion to their own Principles. Nor 
 
 does 
 
( HO ) 
 
 does He punifli rightfully Any Man, confider- 
 ed as adling either with^ or againfl^ His own 
 Confcience ; but as Atlmg againft the Good of 
 that Society^ of which He is the Guardian : and 
 leaves the Other Part to be anfwer'd for, before 
 God. In a Word, it is fo far from being true, 
 that the Peculiar Bufinefs of the Magijlrate is 
 ' to make Men do what They themfelves ac- 
 * knowledge, They ought to do;' that the 
 Great End of His Office is to guard againft 
 Thofe, who never concern Themfelves with 
 what They ought, or ought not to do,- againft 
 Thofe who have No Principle in Them, to go- 
 vern their Actions, higher than the Fear of 
 Worldly Punijhment : and the Original End of its 
 Inftitution was, that They who were fenfible of 
 their Duty^ and had a mind'to live as Perfons 
 fenfible of it, might be proted:ed from the In- 
 fults and Injuries, of All Others ; who were, by 
 His Office, to be terrified from Thofe Prad:ices, 
 from which They had no Other Motive Effici- 
 ent to keep them. 
 
 * , . 
 
 Sect. XVIL 
 Of Dr, SherlockV /^r/^^ Agreement, in Thofe 
 Points particularly^ in which He moji of all 
 appears to differ from Me. 
 
 T Know not how it is come to pafs, that the 
 -*• Reverend Dr. Sherlock has enter d into fo 
 large a Field of Difference and Debate with Me, 
 upon this Part of the Suhjeci : and that, which 
 is moft woiiderfal, in a leeming Defenfe of His 
 ^ for- 
 
( H^ ) 
 
 former Principles in a Sermon^ which was ob- 
 jed:ed to Him as maintaining the fame Princi- 
 ples with Mine 5 and which He has been fo far 
 from giving up, or from treating as a Compo- 
 fare fram'd upon a Scheme of which He now 
 fees the Error, that He has endeavoured to 
 vindicate it, as not at all differing from His 
 prefent Sentiments. Had He retrad:ed it ; or 
 in the leail hinted that He had convinced Him- 
 felf, it was indefenfible ; I lllould not now men- 
 tion it : becaufe I think, We all write and 
 preach, ot ought to do fo, not to flop our felves 
 from growing wifer ; but to further and pro- 
 mote i^. This raifes My Wonder, upon this 
 Head particularly : to fee how much Pains He 
 has taken, and how much Zeal He has fliewu 
 againfl My Principles ; and then, to look upon 
 His Many Sentences in his Serm. Nov. j. Which 
 are fo exprefs, that one would think They had 
 been pend on Purpoft, to iliew His perfed: 
 Agreement with Me^ at leaft m this Part of the 
 Debate. * That the Civil Magiftrate is to re- 
 
 * gard the Outward Adions of Men only as 
 
 * They affed Public Good/ ' That in Cri- 
 
 * minal Cafes, The Magiftrate is not at all 
 
 * concern d to enquire after the Principles or 
 
 * Motives of Men sAdions/ ThefearejP<?///W, 
 which He with a great deal of Zeal oppofes, as 
 Mine^ for many Pages^ iii what He h^s lately 
 been led to write upon occafion of the Sermon 
 before-mention d ; and by endeavouring to guard 
 That againfl the terrible Imputation of being 
 tliought to carry in iiprinciples agreeable to Mine. 
 
 R Now 
 
Now let us fee the TVonls of His own Set- 
 mon, relating to this very Por^t. After having 
 fpoken of the Spiritual Office of the Minifters 
 of ChriftV Kingdom J properly fo calfd, He 
 goes on thus, /. lo. ' But the Civil Magiftrate 
 
 * has a Temporal Power ; and the Peace and 
 
 * Order of this World are His Care and Con- 
 
 * cern. 'Tis His Proper Bufinefs to con- 
 
 * fider the Actions of Men, with Regard 
 
 * to Public Peace and Order ; without re- 
 
 * fpeding from what Internal Prin- 
 
 * ciPLE they flow. If the Actions of 
 
 * Men are fuch, as tend to difturb the Peace, 
 
 * or to deftroy the Frame, of the Government 
 
 * over which He prefides ,* whether they pro- 
 
 * ceed from Conscience, or not, He's 
 
 * not bound to confider : Nor indeed can 
 
 * He ; but 'tis His Duty to punifli and re- 
 
 * ftrain them. Vvhenever Men's Religion, or 
 
 * Confcience come to fliew Themfelves in 
 
 * Practice, they fall under the Cognizance 
 
 * of the Civil Power'. The fame He faith of 
 Trinciples profefs'd, deftrucSive of the Civil 
 ijovernrrient : fuch as Thofe of Tapifls in 
 England^ in which He inftances. 
 
 Again, p, iz, ' In Matters purely of a Re- 
 
 * ligious Nature, the State has no Right to 
 
 * impofe Penal Laws- But, He adds, when 
 Mens Paffions mix themfelves ; and where 
 there ^TQConvulfions wrought from hence ; there 
 the Magijirate has a Right to interpofe. And 
 V/hy > Becaufe there is fomething External 
 appearing, which is hurtful to t\\^ State ; which 
 
 External 
 
( H3 ) 
 
 External Evil the Magijlme guards againfl: 
 under the Notion of a Praake hurtful to the 
 Stdte^ and not under that of a Mtjlake in Reli- 
 gion, from which it proceeds. For, p, 13. He 
 faith, ' When the Magiftrate calls a Man to 
 ' an Account for His Actions, I cannot 
 fee that \t is fo much as His Duty to enquire, 
 whether the Man took what He did to be a 
 Part of His Rehgion, or whether He fol- 
 lowed the Didates of His Confcience, or 
 wo. But this i^ not all. For He there goes 
 on. ' What can the Civil Magiftrate have to 
 do with fuch Qiieftions ? Or How can He 
 arrive at any Evidence concerning the Truth 
 of thefe Matters' > His Next Words are 
 thefe, ' The Nature of the Action \\t^ 
 ' properly before Him, confider'd m it felf, 
 and '\\\ its Confequences : and if it tend to 
 Mifchief, to breed Difturbance i\\ the State, 
 He has a Right to punifli it. Without 
 confidering whether it be a Religious Adion, 
 or not'. His Words, m the next Paragraph 
 but one, are very remarkable, /. 13, 14. ' The 
 Magiftrate has nothing to do v/ith Con- 
 fcience : And therefore, on One hand He has 
 no Right to bring Confcience to His Bar, to 
 punilh the Errors, or Miftakes, of it ; or to 
 cenfure Even the Actions which 
 proceed from it, imlefs they Affect that 
 which is His immediate Care, the Public 
 Good, or the Private Peace and Property 
 of His Subjeds': [which, in My Senfe, is 
 Part of the Puhlic Good, ] ' And on the Other 
 
 R 2, [ Hand 
 
( H4- ) 
 
 Fland, No One elfe can bring Conlx:ience be- 
 fore Him, or, by the Pleas of it, fuperfcde 
 his Aurhoricy, in any Cafe p k o p e r for 
 His Cognizance. For the Magifirate might 
 well fay, The Action is Inch, as I am 
 concerned to enquire into, Confcience I have 
 nothing to do with, it does not lie before 
 me, and therefore, I iliali not attend to its 
 Pretences. Nor indeed is it poflible that He 
 Ihould, Unce 'tis in Every Man's Power m 
 
 , Ail Cafes to plead Confcience . The Next 
 
 Sentence is likewife very remarkable. ' A 
 Man under a Criminal Accufation, 
 might as well refer Himfelf to what was 
 done iw the Moguls Country, as to what 
 pafs d at that time in His own Unfearchabie 
 Heart, and the Magifirate might with much 
 more Reafon admit the Evidence in One 
 Cafe, than in the Other, where there is no 
 Pofllbilicy of knowing the Truth'. He fumms 
 up his Dodrine in a few AVords, ^. 15. ' The 
 Civil IvIagiO.rate is of ThisWorld: and 
 the Affairs of it are His Proper C a r e\ 
 [I hope, Religion^ as fuch, is not One of the 
 .Affairs of this World, or excluded out of the 
 Number of Thole things, which the Spiritual 
 Miniflers of Chrift are properly to take care 
 of J But ' when Men build upon Religion, 
 Doctrines (that is, openly profcfs d) or 
 P r a c t i c e ?, dcftrudive of C i v 1 l Go- 
 vern M e N T, They muft anfwer to God for 
 perverting Rehgion, and to the Magiilrate for 
 diibfi:>ing the Public'. The Concern vrliich 
 
C H5 ) 
 
 Religion, or Inward Principles, have in their 
 Behaviour, is here left to God. The Magi- 
 Jlrate has nothing to do with it. They are to 
 anlwer to ///w, only for Outward Ac- 
 T r o N s, affediing the Puhlkk, 
 
 I am very lorry that Any Part of My Con- 
 dud: has been the Unhappy Occafion of it. 
 But, I beheve, there never was an hflance yet, 
 hkc to this^ aniongft All the Controverjies^ We 
 are acquainted with : an hflance of a Terforiy 
 not acquielcing filently in Other Mens Qenfure 
 of Certain Doclrtnes^ but Himfelf ading a Ze- 
 lous Part in it ; not only cenfuring them wiiji 
 Others^ but Himfelf appearing as a Writer^ m 
 a particular manner, to declare His own Senti^ 
 menus and His own Arguments agaiaftThem ; 
 and all the while cenfuring His own Dodrines ; 
 and arguing againfl His own Exprefs Sentiments, 
 never yet difavowed by Him, as He had for- 
 merly maintain'd them ; but in Appearance de- 
 fended. I mufl: therefore here, beg Leave to 
 add fome Ohfervations for my own Advantage, 
 and Ufe. As, i. If ^ the Magiftrate hasNo- 
 ' thing to do with Confcience', as Confcience ,- 
 then, He has Nothing to do with Religion, as 
 Religion. 2. If Men muftanfwer to 6W, pnd 
 not to tlie Magiftrate^ as to that Part which Re- 
 ligion has in their Pradices ; then the Magi- 
 firate has no Right to concern Himfelf with it. 
 3. If the Account given here, be true, that the 
 Magiflrate is not concern d even in the AlUq^is 
 of Men, unlcfs they ^ffed the Publick ; which 
 are His Words : then, * Outward AdiGns, asThev 
 
 R 3 ' 2&€C 
 
( h6 ; 
 
 * affedi the Publick only, are the Matter of Hu- 
 
 * mane Laws\ agaiiift which He has lately writ- 
 ten many Pages. 4. If the debarring the Ma- 
 giftate from enquiring into the Trinciples of 
 A^'ton^ and confining Him to x\\(t Out war a Action 
 only, ^ devefis the Crv'd Magijlrate and His 
 Laws of All Moral Recftitude'; as He contends 
 for many Pages^ in His Ccnfickrattons ; then, He 
 himfelf has done it effedually. 5. If the 
 Anions of Men^ without confidering the Inter- 
 nal Principle from which They proceed, are 
 the Points which lie before the Magijlrate ,- then, 
 neither Religion as Religion^ nor Virtue as Virtue^ 
 are His proper Concern ; but the Outward AEl ion 
 only, and this as affecting ih^Puhlic : Then, the 
 Civil Magiftrate, as fuch, does not punifli Vice^ 
 as Sin againfl: the Moral Law of God : Then^ 
 He cannot rew^ard Religion^ as Religion^ be- 
 caufe He cannot ^ and is not concerned, by Vir- 
 tue of Flis Office, to judge of Internal Princi- 
 ples. Without the Knowledge of Thefe^ He 
 cannot be a Judge of Religion : and with Thefe< 
 He has as little to do, as He has with what 
 has pafs'd in the Great Mogul's Country. 
 6. If He be not bound to confider whether 
 The Actions of Men proceed really from Con- 
 fcience, or not ; but their Actions only ; If St 
 
 * matters not, (as it is exprefs'd, Ser. p. ii.) 
 
 * how Well or how III a Mans Con- 
 ^ fcience is informed ; then, it is not only the 
 Pretenjes of Confcience which are are here ex- 
 cluded, but All Obligation to confider Con- 
 fcience and Principlesy even luppofed to be 
 
 ' ^ Reah 
 
( H7 ) 
 
 Real. 7. If the Magijlrate c A k n o T, as He 
 affirms, confider whether thefe Anions pro- 
 ceed from Confcience, or not : Or, if in o- 
 
 thers of His Words, He ' cannot arrive at Any 
 * Evidence concerning the Truth of that : then, i. 
 I hope that Our Saviours Words, and St. James s^ 
 do not affirm that He can, or that He ought. 
 2. I fuppofe alio, that if this be fo, the Forms 
 oi Ourlndiclments are no Argument that the Ma- 
 gifirate cites Evidence to prove that the Criminal 
 ' \V'\s inftigated by the Devil ;' or that He con- 
 cerns Himfelf, of Right, with Principles, and 
 Motives. And 3. I would hope from hence 
 likewife, that it is not always worthy of Ri- 
 dicule, in His Opinion particularly, to argue 
 againft doing, even w4iat is impoffible to be 
 done : fince He himfelf has here endeavour'd 
 to fhew that the Magiftrate has no Right to do 
 a thing, which He prefently declares, He can- 
 not do. 
 
 8. If it be not the Bufmefs of the Magi- 
 ftrate to enquire whether the Man followed the 
 Didatesof His Confcience ; or not : then, His 
 Concern is not for Virtue, as the Duty of Rea-< 
 fonable Creatures ; or againft Vice, under the 
 Notion of Sin, or a Tranfgreffion of God's 
 Law, or a Dijhonour to Him; but all relates to 
 Outward Anions affeding Tuhlic Good. And 
 then likewife, it is plain that His Proper O&cq 
 is not to make Men do, or to punifli Them for 
 not doing, what They themfelvcs acknowledge to 
 he their Duty ; but to guard againft All Actions 
 deftrudive to the Public, whether done with, 
 
 R 4 or 
 
( H8) 
 
 or againfty their Confciences : that His Concern 
 is not confined to Points^ * m which the Reafon 
 * of Mankind permit them not to differ; norHim- 
 felf at all obliged to confider whether Their 
 Reafon fufFers them to differ from Others, or 
 not, m moving them to The A£lions : which 
 Ad ions alone lie before Him. 
 
 Let All the World therefore, now judge, 
 Whether Thefe be the Principles of a Perfouy 
 who is contending, with all His Might, that it 
 is the Magijlrate^ Great Buiinefs, and the very 
 End of His Office^ to concern Hinifclf with Re- 
 ligion ^ as Religion ; and arguing for a Right in 
 Him to add Temporal Sanations to Chrift s LzwSy 
 as fuch : or, whether My Lot be nor very Un- 
 fortunate, to have My Doctrine in a particular 
 manner attack'd by Himy from whofe pofitive 
 and repeated Declarations, I might have hoped 
 at leaft for fome Shelter for it, if not for fome 
 Sifpport and Defenfe. And, after having feen fo 
 great and vaft a Remove and Change already, 
 ihouid I be convinced by His Arguments, to 
 yield now, as far as He himfelf at prefent con- 
 tends I ought to do it ; What Points will Next 
 be brought into the Office of the Civil Magi- 
 ftratey Who can tell ? Or, Who can afliire Me 
 that Some Other Principles fliall not be found 
 out, upon this Suhjedy which fliall ftill make 
 Mcy in His Opinion, worthy of Cenfurey ancj 
 of the fevered Treatm.ent ? - 
 
 Sect. 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 Sect. XVIII. 
 T/je Particular Paflage, citeJ hy Dr. Sherlock, 
 out of His own Sermon, in order to jhevo Our 
 Diiagreemcnt , confides d : and provd to 
 Jhew Our Perfed: Agreement, more than All 
 Others. 
 
 TJ Y what has been now faid, the World will 
 ^^ be eafily led to The true Meaning of that 
 faffage in Dr. Sherlock's Serr^on^ which is fa 
 often His Refuge^ upon occafion of thefe pref- 
 fing Difficulties. Particularly, in His Confide- 
 rations, p. 5'o. * Did I not, fays He^ exprefly 
 
 * fay, in the Sermon it felf-^ (and not afterwards 
 
 * when I found Occafion for ir,) That it ought 
 ' Xp be remembered that the Arguments from 
 
 * the Nature of Religion, and of Chrifts 
 
 * Spiritual Kingdom, againfl: the Ufe of Tern- 
 
 * poral Punifliments, are conclufive only as to 
 
 * the Minifters of that Kingdom, and cannot 
 
 * extend to the Civil Magiftrate ? I find, My 
 
 * Lord, You are refolved not to remember this ; 
 
 * and therefore, You charge me with extending 
 
 * the Arguments to the Civil Magiftrate, wliich 
 ' I had exprefly faid, Ought not to he fo extend- 
 
 * ed'. And upon this, I am treated with very 
 fevere Reflexions. For which I then gave 
 gave Him no other Occafion, but by fliewing, 
 Not* that He himfelf exprefly held that Qonfe- 
 quence ; (for then, there v/ould have been no 
 need of the Syllogifm \\A\\ch. I made i\k of, in. 
 this Cafe, nor of Any thing befides His own 
 
 Words y) 
 
( ^^5° ) 
 
 Words ;} but that it was truly a Condufton from 
 His Frinciples : a Way of Arguing which He 
 juftifies both by Reafoii, and His own Exam- 
 ple, againft My-felf. But left I fliould be thus 
 treated again, I will beg Leave to fliew Him, 
 and the World, that I am fo far from being re- 
 folv'd not to rememher it^ that I am refolv'd not 
 to forget it. And I iliall n o w go much far- 
 ther ; and fliew that this Declaration in the Ser- 
 mon was not I N T E N D E D by Him, m Any fuch 
 Senfe, as He now would have the World un- 
 derftand it in ; or as can afford Him any Refuge in 
 His Difficulties .• and this^ at the hazard of be- 
 ing thought guilty of the Great Prefumption of 
 Underftanding Ylis Meaning m that Paffage^ bet- 
 ter than He hirnfelf now appears to do. 
 
 I acknowledge that, in the Sermon^ p. 9. He 
 exprefiy fays, that ' it ought to be remember'd 
 
 * that the Arguments from the Nature of Rehgi- 
 ^ on, and of Chrift's Spiritual Kingdom, againft 
 ^ the Ufe of Temporal Punifliments, are con- 
 ' ciufive only as to the Minifters of that King- 
 
 * dom, and cannot extend to the Civil Magiftrate'. 
 From whence, as We pafs, I beg Leave to ar- 
 gue thus. ' 'Eithtr: xht Civil Magiflrate is One" 
 of the Miniflers of Chrift's Spiritual Kingdom : 
 or He is not. ' If He be a Minifler of Chrift's 
 Kingdom ; then thefe very Arguments, accord- 
 ing to Dr. Sherlock hirnfelf, are conclufive a- 
 gainft. His Ufing Any Temporal PunifbmentSy 
 with refpecSt to Chrift's Kingdom^ or m order to 
 promote the Ends of it : becaufe He allows 
 riiem to be conclufive againft All the Miniflers 
 
 of 
 
r^50 
 
 of that Kingdom. If He^ confider d as a Chil 
 Magijlrate, be not a Minifter of Chrijfs Spirt- 
 tual Kingdom : then^ as a Civil Magiflrate^ I 
 would beg to know, What Concern He can have 
 '\\\ it ; I mean, what Rigldt to bring Temporal 
 Sanctions into it. To return, 
 
 The Delate is "about the Civil Magtflrate\ 
 adding Temporal Sand:ions to the Laws of Chrijl ; 
 about His concerning Himfelf with Religion^ as 
 Religion ; with Inward Principles and Motives.^ 
 and not only with Outward AHions. He alledges 
 that He never taught what I have taught ; or 
 what has been laid to His Charge : but that He 
 expredy declared that the Arguments from the 
 Nature of Religion^ &c. He would now there- 
 fore, lead Us to think that v/hen he affirni'd 
 ' Temporal Punifliments not to be proper to 
 
 * enforce Laws of Edicts or Chrift's Kingdom, 
 
 * He meant that Temporal Punifliments are 
 proper to enforce the Laws of Chrift's King- 
 dom , in the Hands of Some^ tho' not in the 
 Hands of Others. This I will believe to have 
 been His Defign, when He fliews how a thing, 
 improper to inforce the Laws of Chrift, can be 
 made proper for t\\Q fame Purpofe, for which it 
 is improper. I was arguing from this particular 
 Declaration of His ; not that Temporal Punifli- 
 ments were not proper for Spiritual Officers to 
 make ufe of ,• but that They were not proper 
 for this Ufe ; viz. for the inforcing of the Laws 
 of Chrift's Kingdom. The Propriety of them 
 for that Ufe is what He denies in that Sentence^ 
 pr fart of a Sentence, to which I refer 'd : Not 
 
 the 
 
( 253 ; 
 
 the Propriety of them, with relation to the Sfi- 
 ritual Character of y^wf Officers ; but with re- 
 lation to the Spiritual Nature of Chrijls King- 
 dom ; which I prefume remains the fame, whe- 
 ther We fpeak of the Magijlrate^ or the Teachers 
 and Paflors in it. 
 
 This Worthy Perfon^ We fee, would now per- 
 fliade Us that He added that Caution in His Ser- 
 mon, to ihew that He did not exclude the Ma- 
 gijlrate^ Ike, I, on the contrary, prefume to 
 fay, that He meant by that Caution only to 
 guard againft the Error of fome very weak Per- 
 fons; and that //^ intended not by it to allert 
 Any Right to the Magiflrate, to Ufe Temporal 
 Punifhments in Chrijls Kingdoms, (which is the 
 only Point in Debate between Us,) but in the 
 Magifirates, own Kingdom ; that He meant no 
 mere, but that Arguments taken from the Na- 
 ture of Religion and of Chrift's Kingdom, did 
 not conclude againil: the Civil Magifirates Ufe 
 of Temporal PumflymentSy in His Own Kingdom ; 
 and in the Affairs of Humane Society : or that 
 thofe Arguments did not exempt Profefs d Chri- 
 fiians from His Temporal Punifiment of Their A- 
 d:ions, defl:rud"ive or hurtful to Humane Society, 
 
 This I am perhaps, more willing to fee at 
 this Time^ than He is. But it is plain to every 
 Eye, from his own Explication of His own 
 Meaning, in that very Sermon, I have juft now 
 produced feveral Pajfages out of it, which all 
 follovv^ this far/ious Sentence; and follow it, in. 
 order to explain what that Right is, which He 
 there aflerts to the Civil Magijlrate, In the ve- 
 ry 
 
( ^'53 ) 
 
 ry next Sentence to Tb/s, which He niifortu- 
 nately dcfircs fliould be remember'd, He gives 
 thh Reajon for what He hadfaid in it- viz, why 
 Temporal Punijlments are proper for the Magi- 
 ftrate to make life of; and not proper for the 
 Miniflers of Chxijfs Kingdom ; becaufe Thefe arc 
 Minijiers of a Kingdom purely Spiritual ; and 
 
 * confider Mens Actions with refpecft to the 
 
 * Confequence of them in Another World/ 
 that is, Chrift's Kingdom is of a Spiritual Nature ; 
 and therefore admits not of Temporal Punijh- 
 ments : which Argument excludes equally All 
 Ufe of Them in That Kingdom^ whether by the 
 Magifirate^ or by Any Other. He then adds, 
 'But the Civil Magiftrate has a Temporal 
 
 * Power, and the Peace and Order of T h i s 
 
 * World, are his Care and Concern : 'Tis His 
 
 * proper Bufinefs to confider the Actions of 
 
 * Men, wdth regard to Public Peace and Order, 
 
 * Without refpeding from what Internal 
 
 * Principle They flow/ So that 'tis e- 
 vident that His Argument was taken from hence, 
 that the Kingdom of the Magiftrate is of quite a 
 different Nature, from the Kingdom of Chrift; 
 that the Miniflers of Chrift' s Kingdom confider 
 Mens Actions as Religion, but that the Magiftrate 
 confiders them, not as Religion, but only as affe- 
 cting the Pul^lic ; and fo, that Religion, and In- 
 ternal Principles, are quite out of His Province, 
 From whence particularly, it appears as plainly as 
 Plis own V/ords can make it, that He intended 
 ablblutely to deny Any Right m the Magiftrate, 
 to add Temporal Sanations to Religion, as fuch ; 
 
 or 
 
( 254- ) 
 
 tt to concern Himfelf at all vvich it: and tliat 
 the very Argument He makes ufe of, to prove 
 that Others are, and that the Magijlrate is not, 
 debar d the Ufe of Temporal Funifhments^ is this, 
 that Others have to do with Religion^ as Religi- 
 on^ which difdains and refufes fuch Sanations, but 
 that the Magijlrate has not to do with Religion ; 
 and is not at all concern'd in it ; but with the 
 Fuhlic Good only : and therefore, has a Right to 
 make Ufe of Temporal Funijhments, How fur- 
 prizing therefore, is it to fee this Worthy Ferfon 
 having recourfe to this famous Fajfage of His 
 own, to prove that He had heretofore exprefly 
 put in a Caution, and m plain Words allowed 
 the Magijlrate to make Ufe of Temporal Funifh- 
 ments in Religion^ or iw Chrijl's Kingdom ; (for 
 which Purpofe only, the Debate unhappily led 
 Him to cite this Fajfage j) when it appears to 
 the Eye-fight of the World, even as He himfelf 
 explain'd that Fajfage^ that He afferted to the 
 Magijlrate the Ufe of Temporal FuniJhmentSj 
 merely and folely, becaufe He did not^ by His 
 Office, concern Himfelf with Religion ; nor had 
 any thing to do with thofe Internal FrincipleSy 
 which are necelTary even to the lowed Degree 
 oi Virtue. Nor do I conceive that He can any 
 more alledge this Sentence, of All ii\ his whole 
 Sermon^ as a Flace of Retreat to flee to ; unlefs 
 He will maintain Theje following, to be good 
 and Qonfiflent Arguments^ Vii the fame Mouth. 
 
 * The Minijlers of Chriji's Kingdom, have No 
 
 * Right to make Ufe of Temporal Funifhments 
 
 * i\\ it ; becaufe it is of a Spirituall^idxw^c. But 
 
 ' the 
 
^ the Magijirate may bring Temporal SanHions 
 
 * into it^ tho* it is zjiingdom of a Spiritual Na- 
 
 * ture. The Former coufider Men s Anions, as 
 
 * Religion : and therefore may not make Ufe of 
 
 * Temporal Funijhments. The Latter may make 
 
 * Ufe oi Temporal Tunijhments m Religion^ becaufe 
 
 * They do not, and cannot, confider Mens A- 
 ' ^ions^ as Religion; or concern Themfelves 
 
 * with the Internal Principles of them/ V/hich 
 in other Words is to fay^ ' becaufe Their Of- 
 
 * fice does not lead them to concern Them- 
 ' felves with Religion ; therefore, They May^ of 
 
 * Right, concern Themfelves with it. 
 
 But befides this, it has appear'd fully from 
 AH the Pajfages before-cited , that His De- 
 fign throughout this Part of His Sermon^ Qm 
 which He was to explain what He meant ia 
 that Sentence^ was to Ihew that (notwithfland- 
 ing what had been faid about the Nature o? Re- 
 ligion and Chrijl's Kingdom^ the Civil Magijirate 
 may, and ought, to punilli All Outward Actions 
 (and only Outward A^iions') of Men, prejudicial 
 to the Puhlicj tho' proceeding from the Qonjcien- 
 ces of the Agents : And that the Difference He here 
 makes between the Magijirate and the Minijlers 
 of ChriJFs Kingdom, is not this, that the Magi- 
 jirate may bring Worldly Force, and Worldly Pu- 
 nijhments, into Chriji's Kingdom, any more than 
 They may ; but that the Magijirate may ufe 
 Them in His own Kingdom : not to determine, 
 or concern Himfelf with, Any Man's Religion, as 
 Religion, but to hinder Any Man s Religion, or 
 Confcience^ from being Hurtful to Humane Socie- 
 
/y, by punifliiiig even thofe Outward PraBices 
 which may proceed from^is Confcience, for 
 ought He knows, if they are fuch as are pre- 
 judicial to the Public^ which is His pecuhar 
 Care. 
 
 I do therefore, as He will fee, rememler this 
 Sentence^ in which He has often taken Refuge : 
 and I promife Him always to remember it. I 
 remember the very Purpole, for which it was 
 faid. I remember His own Explication of it iri 
 the fame Sermon^ at a Time when He knew bet- 
 ter what He meant by it, than He can now ; 
 and when He had none of thofe Prejudices to 
 hinder Him from knowing His own Meaning, 
 which He has at this Time. And I find, upon 
 the whole, that this very Sentence^ with All 
 the Circumjlances of it, both juftifies Me^ in what 
 / have fix'd upon Him; and helps to fliew the 
 World how Certain and Undoubted it is, that 
 Our DotirineSf relating to this Second Part of the 
 Charge againft Me, muft itand approved or con- 
 demn'd together ; and that He has not hitherto 
 ftir'd One Step, either in cenfuring Me for them, 
 or writing in Defenfe of that Qenfure ; without 
 cenfiiring Himfelf and wriring againfl: Himfelf 
 even in Points which He flill keeps and con- 
 tends for, as His own. 
 
 Sect. 
 
( ^57 ) 
 
 Sect. XIX. 
 
 two Qiieftions relating to the Royal Suprema- 
 cy, confiderd and anfwerd. 
 
 HAving thus fligwn the perfed Agreement, m 
 the Main Foundation of My DoBrine, be- 
 tween this Worthy Perfon, and My-felf; I may 
 the better be able to anfwer, to the Satis fadion 
 of Himfelf, and of thofe who think with Him, 
 the tvoo Queftions relating to the Royal Suprema- 
 cy, propos'd by Him, iw Flis Confiderations, p. 
 '^-j. which here properly come m, under the 
 Charge of the Committee relating to th- Injury 
 done by My Dotirine to the Kings Supremacy. 
 Thtjirft is, ' Whether the Royal Supremacy 
 
 * does Hv^r carry m it a Power of applying, and 
 ' a Truft obhging to the Application of, the 
 
 * Sandions of Humane Laws, in the Cafe 
 
 * and on the Account of True Religion ?' To 
 which I anfwer, with Himfelf in perfed Agree- 
 ment with Me, That there can be No Trufi to 
 do Impoffihilities ; and that the Civil Magtftrates 
 Concern is about Outward Aclions. If Outward 
 Adions be True Religion ; then this Truft is im- 
 plied in the Supremacy. If They be not True 
 Religion ; then 'it cannot be implied in it : be- 
 caufe, in the Execution of it. He can go no 
 farther than Outward Pratlices ; nor ever does, 
 as this Worthy Per/on fliews in the Papges juft 
 now cited. All that He can do, on the Account 
 vf True Religion, may be implied in the Trujl 
 mention'd : but nothing more. 
 
 S the 
 
( ^58 ) 
 
 The fecond Qneftmt is, * Whether Any one 
 
 * ought to be mveftcd with a Power of doings 
 
 * or may receive a Truft obhging Him to do, 
 ^ what is contrary to the Intereft of True Reli- 
 
 * gion^ or rends to the Deftruclion of it ?' To 
 which I anfwer. That I do not fee but that a 
 Man may receive a Truft^ or may undertake to 
 execute an Office, in which He is tied up by 
 Methods already agreed upon ; and obhged to a 
 Condud:, which tho' contrary to thelntercfts of 
 True Religion, in. the Senfe often explain d by 
 Me ; and truly fo, as it tends to make Men Hy- 
 pocrites ; yet does not, h\ Fad:, neceffarily de- 
 ftroy it. He feems to Me, to be in much the 
 fame Cafe, with a Perlbn left Truftce by A^w- 
 thcKy to enftate His Son, m due time, in the 
 Poffeffion of a Faft Eft ate : which Truft He 
 may both accept and execute, even tho' He 
 fliould be certain that the Young Man s Virtue 
 would be utterly ruin'd by fo Great Temptations 
 ss this would caft in His way : much more, 
 when He is only an Inftrument of adminiftring 
 fomething, which He has no Right of Himfelf, 
 to alter ; and which is, i\\ its tendency only, 
 of hazardous Confcquence to Virtue. But, As 
 this All relates, in the End^ to Thofe Ads parti- 
 cularly of the Legiflative Aidtbority^ which con- 
 fine the Offices of A Kingdom of this Worlds by 
 Tefts taken from a Kingdom which is not of this 
 World : I am not backward to anfwer, 
 
 3. That I did publickly, many Years ago, 
 ■declare My Sentiments againft the Making fuch 
 Acls \ that I do ftiil, (I hope v/ithout Offence, 
 
 and 
 
( ^59 ) 
 
 atid without an unpardonable Crime,^ totally 
 difapprove of Them ; that I ftill think them con- 
 trary to the Interefls of True Religion. Nay, I 
 think them contrary to the Intereft of the Church 
 of England in particular ; if, as I think, the H- 
 Urefl of it confifts in the Addition of Honeil 
 and Sincere Men to Its Communion^ and in the 
 giving no Encouragement to Atheiftical^ and 
 Hypocritical Profeffors. But fince I never af- 
 firmed that This Method did neceiTarily, and in 
 Fad, deftroy All ReHgion ; but only that it was 
 contrary to the Interefls of it, As it is contra- 
 ry to the Maxims upon which Our BlefTed Lord 
 founded His Kingdom ; and as the Motives of 
 this World are contrary in their Tendency to 
 Thofe of the Other ; I may very confiftently 
 maintain it to be lawful for Any One to take up- 
 on Him a Trufl^ and to perform it in the bed 
 manner poflible, of executing iud\Laws 2isThefe, 
 which i7^ alone neither made, nor can unmake. I 
 leave to Others the Right of thinking for Theni- 
 felves. But I hope, it is No Crime, not to ap- 
 prove of Every Law in the Statute-Book : or at 
 leaft, not to take My Notions of the True 
 Intereft of Religion from A^s of Parliament. 
 
 If the Worthy Perfon, from whom particularly 
 thefe Queftions feem to have come, (by what is 
 faidbyDr. Sherlock, Conflder.y^. 58.) does riot 
 think The^e Anfwers fatisfadory ; T can defire 
 no Greater Advantage to the Caufe of Truth, than 
 that He, who has both Capacity and Inclination 
 to ihew My Weaknefs, flioulJ himlelf endeavour 
 to do it. I would wilhngly fave him any Trou- 
 
 S -L " lie 
 
( a6o ) 
 
 lie that I couUy fairly and honourably. But as 
 this is a Moft Important Matter, and as He has 
 Abilities for the Work, I had rather provoke Him 
 to lend His helping Hand to point out the Truths 
 and to (liew Us what mifleads Us ; than that the 
 World fliould ftill be in the Dark, in a Toint of 
 lb great Confequence. And as I can declare to 
 All the World that I have neither Interejl^ nor 
 Pleafurey to determine Me againft His Argu- 
 ments ; fo, if They fliall appear good and con- 
 vincing, I will inftead of attempting to weaken 
 them, do my utmoft to ftrengthen and confirm 
 Them. One thing only I may beg, upon this 
 Subjed:, that, if what I have now faid will not 
 fave Him the trouble of contending with Me^ He 
 will not think it fufficient to put Ouejiions to 
 Me, the Difficulty of anfvvering which. He 
 knows to arife folely from Worldly Confederations : 
 but that He will enter into the Nature of the 
 thing, antecedent to All Humane Conftitutions ; 
 and iliew the World that What I blamed is not 
 contrary to Our Saviours Maxims ; or that, be- 
 ing contrary to His Maxims, it is notwiihftand- 
 ing this, full as agreeable and ufeful to the True 
 Inter ejt of His Kingdom, as Thofe Maxims of 
 His are, to which it is contrary ; or that Chrifl 
 Himfeif made no Difference, as to their Influen- 
 ces upon true Religion^ between This World, 
 and That which is to come ; betvvccn the Mo- 
 tives of This^ and Thofe of a Future State. VI He 
 would enter into the Heart of this Debate^ I 
 doubt not, the World would receive Great Bene- 
 fit from Hi$ Labours- And therefore thoVif I 
 
 fought 
 
( 26i ) 
 
 fought after Ficlory^l fliouldbe far from clefiring 
 this for My own fake ; yet, as I fmcerely wifh 
 that the Truth may be tried, and appear in its 
 full Strength, on which fide foever it be ; No- 
 thing would be more agreeable than the Accef- 
 fion of His Thoughts and Notions^ to fo Great 
 and Important a Subjedt. 
 
 Sect. XX. 
 
 the Charge relating to the \d: of Uniformity, 
 confiderd. 
 
 T Have been tl;[e more willing to cow^xA^i Every 
 -*• Particular that can feeni material to the Suh- 
 jetl I have been now upon, becaufe it is of Great 
 Importance both to Religion and Civil Govern- 
 ment^ to fix the Bounds "of the Hagifl rates Of- 
 fice^ confider'd as [uch ; and becaule This^ once 
 truly fix'd, will be the Foundation of dererniin- 
 ing All Points, and refolving All Difficulties, re- 
 lating to this Tart of the prefcnt Delate, I 
 have now confider'd the full Force of the Ohje- 
 Hions of the Committee againft My Do^rine, re- 
 lating to Temporal Sanctions in Religion properly 
 fo call'd : and I have carefully examind the 
 Reafonings of that Worthy Perfon^ upon the fame 
 Subjed, who has given the World His Thoughts 
 upon \t^ befides what are containYi ia \\\q^ Re- 
 port it felf ; becaufe this is the Pare of the 
 Charge againft Me, which fccms, in a pecuHar 
 manner. His Province. I now return to the 
 Reprefentation of the Committee ; whicligoes on, 
 
 /. 1%, thu5, S3 [ The 
 
( a6^ ) 
 
 * The Paffages produced under this Head are 
 as deftrudive of the Legiflative Power, as of 
 the Regal Supremacy. But the Ad's for Urii- 
 formity of Publick Prayer ; and the Articles for 
 Stahltjhing of Confent touching True Religion^ 
 ("which, in the laft of the faid Ads, are cn- 
 joyncd to be fubfcribed by feveral Degrees of 
 Perfons Ecclefiaftical,) being the Main Fence 
 and Security of the EflabUfhed Church of 
 England-^ They feem to be fingled out by His 
 Lordihip to be render'd Odious. The Paflage 
 Werefer to, is to be found, Page x/, x8, 29. Ser, 
 There are fome profefsd Chriflians^ who contend 
 openly for fuch an Authority as imlifpenfally 
 obliges all around them to Unity of Profe^ton : 
 that is^ To profefs even what they do not^ what 
 they cannot^ believe to be true. This founds fo 
 grofly^ that Others^ who think They atl a glorious: 
 Part in oppofing fuch an Enormity^ are very 
 willing^ for their own fakes^ to retain fuch an 
 Authority^ ,as (hall oblige Men^ whatever They 
 themfelves thinks tho not to profefs what They 
 do not believe^ yet to forbear the Profeffion and 
 Publication of what They do believe.^ let them be- 
 lieve it of never fo great Importance. Both thefe 
 Pretenfions are founded upon the miflaken Not ion y 
 of the Peace, as well as y/j^ Authority, of the 
 Kingdom^ that isj the Church of Chrijl. Which 
 vf them is the mofi infupportable to an Honefi 
 and a Chrijlian Mind^ I am not able to fay : be- 
 caufe they both equally found the A\\t\\onX.y of the 
 Church of Chrijl upon the Ruines of Sincerity 
 ^nd Common Honefly ,* and miflake Stupidity and 
 
( 269 ; 
 
 * ^Sleep for Peace : lecaufe They would loth equally 
 
 * have prevented All Reformation^ where it has 
 
 * leen ; and will for ever prevent it^ where it is 
 
 * not already : and^ inaWord^ lecaufe Both equal- 
 
 * ly devejl]di\s Chrift of His own Empire, in His 
 
 * Kingdom ; Set the Obedience of His Suljetls loofe 
 
 * from Himfelf and teach them to proftitute their 
 
 * Confciences at the Feet of Ochers, who have no 
 
 * Rights in fuch a Manner^ to tr2imph upon them'. 
 Inllead of anfwering thefe Reafons, the Com- 
 mittee chufe to proceed thus. ' If Your Lord- 
 
 * fhlps Gonfider by what Authority the Ads of 
 
 * Uniformity were enadled ; by Whom the Arti- 
 *. cles were made, and by Whom ratify 'd and 
 
 * confirmed ; You will difcern who They are, 
 
 * that are faid to devefl Jefus Chrift of His Em- 
 ^ pire in His own Kingdom ; and ftand charged 
 
 * by His Lordlhip, in the indecent Language 
 
 * of Trampling upon the Confciences of 0- 
 ' thersl 
 
 To all which I now come to anfwer. And 
 I. I acknowledge that the Pajfages before cit- 
 ed, have the fame Influence upon the Legiflative 
 Authority J as upon the Royal Supremacy : becaufe 
 This is determin d and govern'd by the Legifta- 
 tive. But how They ' are Deilrudive of the 
 
 * Legiflative Power/ does not appear, even fup- 
 pofing them to contradidt One or Two Acts of 
 parliament : unlefs, to contradi6i One Ad: of 
 Parliament be to Deftroy the Legiflative Power. 
 Much lefs, is this a Reafon for Cliriftians to 
 give, or to be guided by, m Cafes of fo great 
 Moment to Religion. 
 
 S 4 , ^. The 
 
( ^H ) 
 
 2. The particular Pajfage here produced had 
 not the ieaft original relation to the Power of 
 the State ; or the Legijlative Authority of Any 
 Kingdom : but refer d entirely to the Authority 
 of the Churchy properly fo calld ; or to what 
 Authority Chrift had left to it, or to Any Part of 
 it, confider'd as a Church. And there are Two 
 Sorts of Perfons blam d in it. i. The Roma- 
 nijisj who contend profefledly for fuch an Au- 
 thority in the Churchy as indifpenfably obliges 
 All around them to Unity of Profejfwn^ even 
 agaififl their Confciences. x. Some amongft Pro- 
 teflants^ who contend as openly for fuch An 
 Authority in the Churchy as can oblige Men 
 to be Silent againjl their Confciences ; that is, m 
 Points in which They think it to be their Du- 
 ty, and to be of the Utmoft Importance, to 
 fpeak their Thoughts. And this was exprefly 
 defignd againft fome Notions, which I thought 
 wholly deftrudive to All fmcere Religion ; fome 
 particular Explications, which interpreted the 
 Authority of the Churchy (not of the State^ in 
 this manner. So that, whatever My Opinion 
 be of thefe Atts of Parliament ; or whatever 
 the Confequence of My Dodtrine, m this Pajfage. 
 be, with refped: to Them : yet, I was lb far 
 from Jingling Them out to he render d odious ; or 
 from intending to comprehend Them m what I 
 faid ; that I did not fo much as think of 
 Them. 
 
 3. My Lords the Bipods need not be troubled 
 to confider ' by vvliat Authority Any Acts of 
 I Parliament, or Articles, have been made, or 
 
 * ^ rati- 
 
( ^^5 ) 
 
 ^ ratified/ in order to * difcern Who They are 
 
 * that (land charged here by Me, of devefting 
 ' Chrift, ®c/ For I My-felf have, without Any 
 Difguife, told the whole World in the Pajfage 
 k lelf, whom it was that I was finding Fault 
 with, viz- the Two Sorts of Profefsd Chriflians^ 
 now mention'd, But what I faid of ' Deveft- 
 
 * ing Jefis Chrift of His Empire in His own 
 
 * Kingdom ; and of teaching His Subjedfs to 
 ^ proilicute their Confciences at the Feet of O- 
 
 * thers, ^cl was not fpoken of either of Thefc 
 PerfonSj or of Any Other Perfons in the World, 
 but of the Pretenfions themfelves ; the Princi- 
 ples of thefe Perfons, leading to this, 'va their 
 Confe^uences. And as I intended ]<Jo Indecent Lan- 
 guage to Any Perfen upon Earth ; fo I hope, it 
 is no CruTie, nor Offence againft Pri/zri^/a, 
 w^iich can neither take nor give Affronts, to 
 charge Them with their neceflary or appearing 
 Confequences. And if thefe Worthy Perfons fee 
 their Confequences to reach farther, than I then 
 thought of; even to the Prejudice of the Jcfof 
 Uniformity^ and the Articles of the Church of 
 England: They mjght, I humbly prefume, have 
 done That Atl-^ and Thofe Articles^ a greater 
 Piece of Service, than to have left fuch a Charge 
 upon them, without anfwering Thofe Reafns I 
 give for what I have advanced. For to lay this 
 'Charge exprefly againft Theyn^ which / never 
 did; and to leave My P^eafons landing in their 
 full Force, without ihevving the Weahtefs of them, 
 ^s much more efFeilually to ' fin^iC Them out 
 
 - to. be render d odious^ than Any tiling v/hicli 
 I h^ve done, or faici ' 4. In 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 4. In the fame Pajfage^ I do not only affirm 
 what I tliink ; but give My Reafons for it to 
 this Purpofe. * An Authority in the Church, 
 which is founded upon the Ruines of Sincerity 
 and Honefty, cannot be Juft and Rightful 
 But an Authority obliging Men, either to Pro- 
 feffion^ or S Hence j Against their own Con- 
 fciences, is fuch an Authority. And there- 
 fore, cannot be Juft and Rightful/ And again. 
 Whatever would have prevented the Reforma- 
 tion where it is ; and will prevent it where it 
 is not; cannot be implied in the Notion of 
 Church Authority^ to be embraced by Any Pro- 
 tefiant. But the Authority to oblige Men to 
 Profeffion^ or to Silence^ Against their own 
 Conlciences, would have prevented in All Pro- 
 teflant Countries, and will ftill prevent m all 
 Popifh Countries^ the Reformation from Popery-i 
 Therefore, This cannot be jufily and right- 
 fully a Part of Church- Authority! And again, 
 * Whatever Humane Authority (fo call'd) de- 
 vefts Chrift of His Empire ; and teaches His 
 Subjeds to proftitute their Confciences ; and 
 pretends to give Others a Right to trample 
 upon them ; cannot be an Authority agreea- 
 ble to His Will. But an Authority pretending 
 to ohhge Men to Profejfion^ or Silence^ A- 
 G A I N s r their own Confciences, is an Aic~ 
 thority trampling upon their Conferences, 
 \\\ the moft exad: and ftrid: Senfe of the 
 Word. Therefore, it cannot be any Part of 
 that Authority^ which Chrifl Wills iliould be 
 afliim'd or exercis'd by His Church. And there- 
 
 * fore^ 
 
( ^67 ) 
 
 ^ fore, likewife, I have us'd no Indecent Lan- 
 
 * guage ; nor indeed laid fo much of the Preten- 
 
 * Jion to fiich Author ity^ as it deferves.' 
 
 But this is not all. For the Queflion to ChrU 
 flians and Divines particularly, is. Whether thefe 
 Arguments are good and conclufive ; or not. If 
 they be not ; that is the fingle Point, which 
 ought to be fhewn. If they be ; it is of fmall 
 Importance to Qhriftians and Divines^ if they 
 iliould be found to contradicft the Notions^ or 
 Laws^ of All Humane Authority put together. 
 But I fuppofe, No Chriftian can think this a 
 fit Argument^ of it felf, againft Any Dodrine, 
 that it contradicts an AB: of Parliament ; and 
 therefore, it cannot be true. 
 
 5. Having explaind what I have faid, and 
 what indeed needed no Explication ; it will now 
 appear that the AB of Uniformity .^ and the Thir- 
 ty Nine Articles of the Church of England^ arc 
 not, fo much as by any remote Confequeuce, 
 concern'd in this Particular Tciffage, What is 
 blamed m it, is the Pretenfion lo^n Authority to 
 obhge Men either to Profejjlon^ or to Silence^ e- 
 ven againfl Their own Consciences. Now the Ad 
 oS. Uniformity^ (which is to be confider'd, in Its 
 prefent Condition, together with the Ad: of To- 
 leration^ does not oblige Any to Conformityy 
 but Thofe whofe Confciences approve of it. 
 And the Articles of Our Church are only fubfcri- 
 bed by Divines^ who Themfelves profefs to do 
 it ^A- animo; and to be allowed by their own 
 Confciences, to do this. Nor were Thefc Ar- 
 ticles eyer fo much as confined to Any One par- 
 ticular 
 
( 268 ; 
 
 ticular Determinate Senfe ; but on the contrary, 
 were by Puhlic Authority^ as long ago as the 
 Time of King Charles the L declared to admit 
 o? Several Seyifes : which was then found expe- 
 dient even for the Honour and Ufe of the 
 Highefl: and Striileft Churchmen themfclves. All 
 the World knows that Archbiihop Laud^ in 
 Points once thought as Fundamental and as Ef- 
 fcntial to Orthodoxy^ m the Church of Englandy 
 as They zrcflill amongfty^w^? Proteftants^^^lttx:- 
 cd the whole Current of the Receivd Do^rine ; 
 and accommodated this, fo altered, to the Words 
 of the Articles , firft fram'd upon Another 
 Scheme. And, before His Time, One of the 
 Articles particularly, viz. of the Defcent of Chrifi 
 into Hell^ was it felf alter d, on Purpofe that it 
 might admit feveral Different Senfes. Let there- 
 fore, the titles of the Articles^ or of the Acl 
 before-mention d, be what it will ; it is evident, 
 there is no fuch Authority pretended to, m Ei- 
 ther^ as to oblige Men either to Profefsj or to 
 be Silent^ Ag a i n st their own Confciences. 
 
 If the Learned Commitiee fliall think fit to 
 lliew that there is fuch an Authority pretended 
 to, and aflerted; then^ the Points will be, Which 
 much yield, Reafon and the Gofpel on One Side ; 
 or Humane Worldly Pretenfions on the Other :■ 
 and whether the Attempt to fliew this, or the 
 Infinuation of it, be exceedingly for the Ho- 
 nour or Advantage of the Church Eflahlijh'd. 
 For My-felf, I muft prefume to declare it as 
 My Judgment, that an Eflallifhment^ without 
 this Liberty and toleration^ tho' at firft the E- 
 
 flahlijhment: 
 
( ^^9 ) 
 
 fiahtifhment of a Method of Worp'ip, Govern- 
 ment, and Difcipline, very good and blamelels 
 in it felf, yet would procure, and at laft end in, 
 juft fuch a Peace, Stupidity, and Lethargy, as is 
 not only feen, but felt, in too Many Other Coun- 
 tries. They that will, may call it a Bkjfinq^ : 
 and magnify the Indolence, and Eafe, that are 
 enjoy'd under it. And they may appeal to 
 Spain, to Italy, to Sweden, for Teftimonies to it, 
 YiViiOthers, who look upon the Ijfiie of Things, 
 and have caft up the Whole of the Account, 
 and have obferv'd how efFedually it has depo- 
 pulated Nations, and laid wafteflouriiliing Coun- 
 tries, and deftroy'd the very Vitals oi Civil So- 
 ciety, have not doubted to elleem, and call, a 
 Devaflation by Goths and Vandals, the Greater 
 Blejfing of the two. Nay, This Latter has fome- 
 times prov'd a Bleffing, when it has rous'd up 
 the Spirit of a Dead People ; and left behind iz 
 Excellent Models of Government. But the For- 
 mer, the more fecure and the more undifturb'd 
 it is ; the more Ignominious, and the more def- 
 perate is the Condition of Thofe, who are chain'd 
 and fettered in it. It is a Devaflation that coi>^ 
 fumes in Silence, v/ithout Mercy and without 
 End. To return, 
 
 6. It will appear that the Learned Committee^ 
 by condemning what I have here laid down, do 
 in Truth claim an Authority, which is, in Effeit, 
 Ahfolute. For if there be an Authority in Any 
 Chriftians, obHging Men to Silence, in llich 
 Senfe that They have no Right to gainfay or 
 contradict whatlbever is once determin d ; even 
 
 in 
 
( "^T ) 
 
 irt Points of the greateft Importance, and Points 
 m which Their own Confciences diredt them to 
 fpeak : theyiy tliere is an Ahjolute Authority ; an 
 Authority^ to which Men are ahfolutely and in- 
 diffenfahly obhged to fubmit, (not their Inward 
 Sentiments indeed, but, which is more incon- 
 fiftent and more infincere,) Their Outward Tra- 
 iiicey even againjl their own Inward Sentiments. 
 This is what I difapprov'd of, in That Pajfage. 
 And this is what They muft approve of, and 
 claim, who cenfure That Pajfage. And confe- 
 quently, however uneafy and difagreeable this 
 may be to Some Perfons ; I think, this is a far- 
 ther Demonftration, that They^ who will not in 
 Words claim an Ahfolute Authority^ nay, who 
 will often in Words difclaim it, yet, in Fad are 
 willing to keep their Eye ftill upon it, and not 
 wholly to lofe Sight of fo Great a Good ,• and 
 that the Committee^ in this Place, cenfure the 
 Sermon it felf, from which this Paflage is quo- 
 ted, not for denying All Authority ; not for de- 
 nying a Right of refufmg to Open Sinners the 
 Holy Communion^ which / never thought of, and 
 in which fome Perfons are exceedingly defirous 
 to have The Whole frji Charge fwallowed up ,• 
 but for denying an Authority in Any ChriJlianSy 
 to which Other Chrifiians are indifpenfahly obli- 
 ged to fubmit themfelves ; that is. An Abso- 
 lute Authority, properly and truly fpeaking. 
 TheyiWTiy differ from their Brethren of the Commit- 
 tee ; and They may do well to declare it. But They 
 have no Right to make the Private Sentiments of 
 Two PerfonSy to be the Whole Reprefentation ; or 
 
 ^. the 
 
( ^7^ ) 
 
 the Whole of what I muft confider in My Dt-^ 
 fenfe. 
 
 7. It will appear Hkewife, that in this very Faf- 
 fagCy lb much blam'd as prejudicial to the Efta- 
 ilijhd Church, and now in the Defenfe of it, I 
 take the Part of This Church, and am obliged to 
 do io, againft Thofe who would feem fo much 
 more concerned for it, than They are wiUing to 
 believe Me to be. I therefore, muft oblervc 
 that the Tretenfions, which I there blame, are 
 fuch Vretenfions to Church- Authority, as if once 
 admitted as Ejfential to it, will immediately de- 
 ftroy the Whole Right which this Eftahlijyd 
 Church ever had fo much as to he. For if the 
 Authority of the Church imply in it 2iVi^ Authority 
 obliging the Inferiors in it, either to a particu- 
 lar ProfeJJion ; or to Silence : there could not 
 have been any Reformation here in England, be- 
 caufe, upon this Suppofition, it could not have 
 been rightfully attempted. The Po/^ip Church 
 muft have remain'd in Pofteffion of its Profound 
 Peace ; and the People and Clergy all have re- 
 main'd in zfolemn Silence at leaft ; let Them have 
 been never fo fully perfuaded of the Errors of it. 
 But They, who condemn what I have faid, muft 
 maintain that there is fuch an Authority, obli- 
 ging at leaft to fuch a S i l f n c e : that is, to a 
 Silence, as abfolutely inconfilhenc with the very 
 Suppofition of A Reformation, as even the Ap-. 
 probation of All the Dodlrines of the Romi/h 
 Church could have been: and confequently, muft 
 maintain that there was an Authority m the Church 
 then in being, obliging Chriftians not to di- 
 
 fturb 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 fturb its Peace^ by breaking Silence under irs 
 Oppreflions and Ufurpations ,• and fo, that the 
 Church of England had no Right fo much as 
 to be. 
 
 To attempt therefore, to enlarge or fecure 
 the Intereft of the Church of England by Any 
 fuch Principles^ as were really the very Princi- 
 ples^ which would have kept it from being ; and 
 to think that, becaufe we have an Excellent 
 Church now, therefore the fame Principles and 
 Methods are lawful and fitting, which were not 
 lav/ful nor becoming, in the Cafe of that Churchy 
 from which This has feparated and reform'd; is 
 totally to overlook the true Nature of Princi- 
 ples ; and not to remember that they are always 
 tiiQ fame; always equally inflexible, and equal- 
 ly good, or equally pernicious : It is to bring a 
 Difgrace upon this Church it felf, by fuppofing 
 that it ftands in need of being fupported by 
 what it fled from ; and defended by what it ab- 
 horred in its Original : It is to forget that Truth 
 neither wants, nor accepts, the Methods of Falfe- 
 hood ; nor can be built up by them ; and that 
 the more Excellent any thing is, the lefs Need 
 it has of Any fuch Defenfes, as that which is 
 lefs Excellent wants ; and particularly of any 
 fuch Defenfes as were the Sole Guard o? its Great- 
 eft Adverfary, and utterly difliked and condem- 
 ned by it, as fuch : In a Word, It is making 
 That to be for the Intereft of the Church, which 
 would have prevented its very Being; or, in other 
 Words, It is Securing the Building by Deft raying 
 the Foundation. I mull: therefore, leave it here a- 
 
( 273 ) 
 
 gain to the Judgment of All Impartial Perfons, 
 whether Thejy or /, do mod cdnfult the Honour 
 and Intereft of tliis EftalUjhd Church : They^ who 
 fuppofe it to rely upon an Authority^ which it 
 ftlf abhor'd, and fled from ; or /, who fuppofe 
 it to difclaim it now^ as much as formerly : They^ 
 who make it to l^uild again the Things which it 
 deflroyd'j or /, who make it continue to deflroy 
 what it deflroy d at firll : They^ who look ever 
 at the Top^ and add to its Weight and Bulk, 
 Things not fuitable to the Model of it, nor pro- 
 portionable to t]\Q Strength of tliQ Foundation ; or 
 /, who would willingly take care /r/?, that the 
 Foundation be prefervM untouched, unftiaken, and 
 unmolefted, on the Rock upon which it is built ,- 
 and then^ that nothing be rais'd up upon its 
 Roof, either for Ornament^ or Defenfe^ which 
 either will not fort with the Defign and Materi- 
 als of the Building, or will be too heavy and 
 dangerous for the Foundation it felf. 
 
 H A P. 
 

 Chap. IIL 
 
 Sect. I. 
 
 Tf:^e Whole Charge, asfummd up hy the Com- 
 mittee at lafl : and a Particular PafTage ci- 
 ted hy Them^ confiderd. 
 
 T 1 1 H E Committee^ after t\\t foregoing Pajfa- 
 a ges cited, and their particular OhferVa- 
 
 -^^ tions upon Every One of Them, con- 
 clude with drawing up the General Charge^ and 
 endeavouring to prove it by a General Argu- 
 ment^ fram'd upon the foregoiiig Ohfervations, 
 Their Words at full length, are thefe. 
 
 ' Your Lqrdfliips have now feen, under the 
 
 * Firfl Head^Thzx, the Church hath No Cover- 
 
 * nors, No Cenfures, No Authority, over the 
 
 * Condud: of Men, in Matters of Confcience 
 V and Rehgion. You have feen under the Se- 
 
 * cond Heady That the Temporal Powers are ex- 
 
 * eluded from Any Right to encourage True 
 
 * Rehgion, and to difcourage the contrary, 
 
 * But, to do Juilice to his Lordfliip s Scherne, 
 
 * and to fet it before you in its full Light, We 
 
 * mufl obferve, that He farther afferts that 
 
 * Chrift Himfelf (the only Power not yet ex- 
 
 * eluded) never doth interpofe^ i\\ the Dired:ion 
 ^ of His Kingdom here. After obferving, /. 13. 
 
 Scrm» 
 
( 275) 
 
 Serm. That Temporal Law-givers do often 
 interpofe to interpret their own Laws, He 
 
 adds ' But it is quite otherwife in Religi- 
 
 OH J or the Kingdom ofCbriJl, He himf elf never 
 interpofeth^ fince His firft Promulgation of His 
 Law^ either to convey Infallihility to fuch as 
 pretend to handle it over again ; or to ajfert the 
 true Interpretation of it^ amidfl the various and 
 contradiclory Opinions of Men about it I 'To the 
 fame Purpofe He fpeaks at p, ly. in a Paf- 
 fage before recited. 
 The Argument They frame from All this, now 
 follows. 
 
 ' Since then there are, m the Churchy No Go- 
 
 * vernors left ; in the State^ none, who may in- 
 
 * termeddle '\i\ the Affairs of Religion 5 and 
 
 * fmce Jefus Chrifl Himfelf never doth inter- 
 
 * pofe : We leave ft to Your Grace, and Your 
 
 * Lordiliips to judge, whether the Church and 
 
 * Kingdom of Chrift be not reduced to a Mere 
 
 * State of Anarchy and Confufion, in which E- 
 ' very Man is left to do what is Right in His 
 
 * own Eyes.' 
 
 There being a ?ap,ge here cited out of My 
 Sermon^ which has not been before produced ; 
 and cited asfomething which adds to their pre- 
 fent Argument ; I cannot but obferve, ill what 
 manner this Learned Body chufe to reprefent it ,• 
 and what it is They mull contend for, if They 
 cenfure that Sentence. They are pleas'd to lay 
 it upon Me, that I aflert, that Chrift Himfelf 
 never doth interpofe in the Diredion of His King- 
 dom here. It had been much more equitable to 
 
 T z • Mey 
 
Me^ and eafy to themfdves^ to have left My 
 own Words, as They are. I do not ailert, that 
 
 * Chrifl never intcrpofeth in the Diredlion of 
 
 * His Kingdom.' But I aflert that, fince the 
 fSi'ft Promulgation of His Law, * He Himfelf 
 ' never interpofeth, either to convey Infallibi- 
 
 * hty to the Interpreters of it ; or to declare 
 ' which of all the various Interpretations of it, 
 ' is the Tru€ One.' And now, Is this a fit Tro- 
 pofition^ for Protejlants fo much as to feem to 
 difapprove of? Or, Is this alTerting abfolutely 
 that Chrifl doth, by No other Method, inter- 
 pofe in the Diredion of His Kingdom ? Nay, 
 Is not this what All Proteftants, of All Deno- 
 minations, even whilft They are tearing one 
 another to Pieces upon other Accounts, perfect- 
 ly agree in ? If therefore, Chrifl: does not inter- 
 pofe fo, as to make Any Chridians Z^j^/K^/e; 
 or, which is much the fame, fo, as Himfelf to 
 declare the Particular True Interpretation of 
 His own Law : then, 1 have faid nothing but 
 what is Judly and Exadtly agreeable to Truth. 
 If he does interpofe for Thofe Purpofes; let it 
 be fliew^n plainly, ivhere^ wheriy and By whom : 
 and let this alone be the Contention between Us 
 and the Roman-Catholic Sj not that there is no 
 fuch Thing, either promised or conveyd by 
 Chrifl:, as ^Infa nihility ; but that what 7779^ only 
 vainly pretend to, IVe have, m Reality. 
 
 Again, jf Chrifl may interpofe in the Direflion 
 of His Kingdom^ in fome manner unknown to 
 Us ; nocwiihrranding that He does not inter- 
 foje to convey Infallibility to Men, &c. then, I 
 
 have 
 
( ^77 ) 
 
 have not denied tlie former^ by aflerting only 
 the latter. But If He cannot interpofe in afty 
 manner, or for any other Purpofe ; becaufe He 
 never does interpofe for Thofe particular Purpo- 
 fes mention'd : then, the'fe Worthy Ferfotis them- 
 felves will, I prefume, be equally guilty of the 
 fame Crime of Excluding Him ; becaufe They 
 will, I am confident, fay, upon any other good 
 Occafion, the very Thing which I fay here; 
 'viz. that ' He never ifirerpofeth to convey In- 
 
 * fallibility, or to declare which is the True In- 
 
 * terpretation of Any Part of His Law/ What- 
 ever I had faid. They ought m Equity, to have 
 left it to the World, as it was in it felf : and 
 not to have chang d a Particular and Reftrain'd 
 Propofition into an Alfolute One. And, as it is in 
 it felf, If They produce it, as what They ctn- 
 fure in Me ; They cenfure Themfelves^ and All 
 Troteflants equally, at the fame Time : there 
 not being One iw the World, who does not ajflert 
 the fame. If They produce it, without difap- 
 proving or cenfuring it; They produce it to No 
 Purpofe : fince it adds neither to My Guilty nor 
 to Their Argument. To which I now return. 
 
 Sect. II. 
 
 the General Concluding Argument of the Com- 
 mittee anfwerd. 
 
 T Shall now frjl give 2. General Anfiver^ to their 
 -^ General Argument ; keeping as near as I can 
 to their own Words : and then, add a few particu^ 
 
 T ^ lar 
 
iar Ohfervations upon fome Parts of it. My An- 
 fiver therefore, in general, is this. 
 
 * The World has now ^^t'A^ from My Defenfe^ 
 under the frjl Head of the Charge againfi Me, 
 That I have denied to the Church, No Gcver- 
 mrs^ but what are, m EfFed, Ahfolute Gover- 
 nors Over the Conlciences and ReHgion of 
 Chrift^s People : that I have denied NoCenfures^ 
 but fuch as pretend to be Decifivej and to af- 
 fed: the Condition of Chriftians, with refpedt 
 to the Favour of God, and Eternal Salvation : 
 not the Right of Judging an Open Notorious. 
 Sinner to be unworthy of the folemn Tokens 
 oi Church-Communion ; but the Right of Judging, 
 Cenfuring and Puniihing the Servants of Ano- 
 ther Mafler^ in quite another Senfe : that I have 
 denied No Authority-, but that to which Chrifti- 
 ans are alfolutely and indifpeyfahly bound to fub- 
 mit their Condud ,• None, but that^ which \^ 
 declared to oblige Them either to Trofejfion^ or 
 to Silence^ Against their own Confciences : 
 that i^^ No Authority^ but what is perfedly m- 
 confiflent with the Supreme Authority of Chrifl 
 Himfelf iw his own Kingdom ; No Authority, but 
 what this Reformed Church of England, has it 
 felf thrown off; and upon the Oppofition to 
 which, It is entirely founded/ 
 
 * The World has feen, from My Defenfe, un- 
 der the Second Head of the Charge againft Me, 
 that I have ' excluded the Temporal Powers from 
 
 * Any Right to encourage True Rehgion, or 
 
 * difcourage the contrary,' in that Senfe only, 
 k which it would be injurious to True Religion 
 
 to 
 
( ^79 ) 
 
 to grant it ; and wholly foreign to, and mcon- 
 fiftent vvitli, the OiSce of the Civil MagiJlratCj 
 as fuch.' 
 
 * It has now appear'd that I have excluded 
 
 * Clirift from Diredion, in His Own Kingdom/ 
 m thofe Particulars only, in which it has pleas'd 
 Him, to exclude Himfelf ; arid in that Senfe, 
 in which Thefe Worthy Perfom, together with 
 All Protefiants^ conftantly themfelves exclude 
 Him/ 
 
 * I leave it therefore, to The World to judge, 
 
 * Whether I have, by my Doctrine^ reduced the 
 
 * Church and Kingdom of Chrift to a Mere 
 
 * State of Anarchy and Confufion,' in Any 
 Senfe, but That^ in which All Qhriftians^ and All 
 Members of this Church, and All who have 
 reformed from the Ufur pat ions of Popery^ if They 
 will be confiftent with Themfelves, muft do it : 
 All ChrifiianSj if they will continue firm to their 
 Profeflion, and be the Difciples of Cbrijl^ and 
 not of Men ; And All Protejiants of this Church 
 particularly, if They will not deny the Right 
 Their Predecejfors had to depart from Former 
 Governors^ and to difregard the Cenfures and 
 Thunders of Thofe who were fet over them ; or, if 
 They will no tdifovvn thcRight ofthis Church, to 
 be what it now is : And, in what I have taught 
 particularly about Church-Authority^ Whether I 
 have done any more towards ^ reducing the 
 
 * Church of Chrijl to a Mere State of Anarchy 
 
 * and Confufion,' than the Do^rine of Chrifi 
 Himfelf has done ; any more, than the Firjl 
 Principles of this Reformed Church of England 
 
 T 4 have 
 
have done ; any more than All, who have writ 
 againft Popery^ with any Degree of Reputation 
 and Succels, have conftantly done. And there- 
 fore, as I have now a greater Pieafure, in the 
 Serious Review of what I have preach'd, after 
 fo fevere an Examination of it, than I had in 
 the Preaching it : fo, I am content to bear All 
 the Reproach it can intitle me to ; and to fuf- 
 fer under Thofe Cenfures^ which muft at the End 
 afFed: even the Great Author and Finijher of Our 
 Faith ^ Himfelf ; and All who have, in the feveral 
 Ages of the Church, aflerted His Supremacy ; 
 and Ail who, in thefe later Ages particularly, ei- 
 ther firft founded, or have fince defended, .the 
 Church o^Englandj by glorioufly oppofmg Them- 
 felves to the Tyranny and Ufurpations of a Churchy 
 which claim'd this very^^^/;<3ri(y Over theCon- 
 dud of Men,inMatters of Confcience and ReHgi- 
 on, which I have, I thank God, fincerely opposed. 
 
 Sect. III. 
 Some Particular Obfervations, added. 
 
 ILTAVING thus given a General Anfwer to 
 -*--*- t\\t General, Argument of tliQ Committee ; I 
 cannot perfuade My-felf to leave fo important 
 a Matter thus : but muft add a few Particular 
 OlfervatipnSy to lead the World the better to judge 
 what is here advanced, and claimed, on their Part ,• 
 as well as what is condemn'd, on Mine. And, 
 
 I. I can't forbear to obferve that the Church 
 of Rome is the only Chrijiian Churchy that We 
 
 knovf 
 
know of, which claims exprejly the Authorhy 
 here, in efFed:, claimed by the Committee^ viz. 
 An * Authority Over the Condud of Men, in 
 * Matters of Confciencc and Rehgion;' that is. 
 An Authority, Under which God has put 
 the Conduct of Men, in Matters of Confcience 
 and Rehgion : Or, fuch an Authority^ as can 
 by Right obhge Chriftians either to the Trofef- 
 Jion of whatever is determin'd by it ; or to Si- 
 lence^ under the Burthen of fuch Determina- 
 tions. The Church of Rome^ I fay, is' the only 
 Church which exprejly claims fuch an Authority. 
 Coniequently, the Church of Rome alone re- 
 ceives Benefit from this Claim of a Committee of 
 Troteflant Divines of the Church of England : 
 And confequently, fuch Claims^ made by the 
 Memhers of Any Other Churchy oppofite to the 
 Church of Rome^ are, ii\ reality and in their ef- 
 fedt, highly injurious io t\\t True Inter eji of that 
 Churchy which cannot fland upon the fame Max- 
 ims^ and the fame Foundation^ with its greateft 
 Adverfary ! And certainly therefore, it is an 
 Argument of Affe^ion^ and not of Enmity y to the 
 Church of Englandy to refift and oppofe All fuch 
 Claims : and the more Zeal is flicwn in this, 
 the Greater the Proof ftill is of that Affe- 
 Bion, 
 
 X, It is not only to be wonder'd at, but 
 really to be lamented, that a Body of Chriflian 
 Divines fliould here reprefent the Kingdora of 
 Chriftj in a * Mere State of Anarchy and Con- 
 ^ fufion, ifChrifl Himfelf be alone Kirtg m it ; 
 and efteem That State, a State of Total Diforder 
 
 in 
 
( a8i ) 
 
 in the Church, in which the firfl; and folenin Di- 
 redions of Chriji Himfelf are the Rules to All 
 His Suhje^s. This is the End of all that I have 
 taught ; to recall Men to His Words, and His 
 Inftrudions, and His Authority. If therefore, 
 Chriji himfelf has left NoDired:ions for HisSub- 
 jecfls, commanding Them to regard the Autho- 
 thority of Others of His Subjeds above, and 
 more than, His Own Dire^ions ; as I am per- 
 fuaded All will in Words allow that He has not : 
 theny Ho has done the fame towards the ' redu- 
 
 * cing His own Kingdom to a State of Anarchy 
 
 * and Confufion,' which / have : and which 
 therefore, I would hope, can be No Crime. 
 
 3. But, alas ! All this proceeds from Our 
 poor Worldly Notions of Order^ Decency ^ RulCj 
 Suh ordinal ion y Superiority^ and Inferiority ; as dif- 
 agreeable generally to the Will and Defign of 
 God and of Chrift^ as the World it felf is, from 
 which They are all taken. And when once the 
 Fancy of Men has indulged it felf upon this 
 Head, it is found to be infinite ; without Bounds, 
 and without End. Infome Places, for Inftance, 
 if AUChriflians do not fay Prayers , at the fame 
 particular Minute, whenever the Warning is gi- 
 ven Them ; whatever their Employment, or Dif- 
 pofition, at that time, be : If All do not fajf, 
 or abftain from Flefh, at the fame time of the 
 Year, and upon the fame Days of the Week : 
 if Some Congregations of Chrijlians comme- 
 morate the Nativity or Refurre^ion of Chrift, 
 or the Martyrdom or Good Actions of Any Saint^ 
 on a Day different from Others : Or, if fome 
 
 Chriftians 
 
( ^^83 ) 
 
 Chriflians kneel wheji Others Jl.wd ; or Jland 
 when Others kneel ; or are fo Weak as to Icrii- 
 pie any thing, that Others, of 2.jlronger Make, 
 can fwallow and digeft without fecUng : All 
 this, in all the infinite Variety of it, is calPd 
 and judg'd as an Heinous, and Unpardonable 
 Breach of the Order of Chrift^ Church. 
 
 I do not chufe to multiply more Inftances of 
 this fort : but only obferve that the Notion of 
 Order, in the Church of Chrift, is very much mi- 
 ftaken, when tvery Difference, with relation to 
 Thefe, or to any Points of the like fort, in Any 
 Part of the Chriflian World, i^ made a Sin a- 
 gainft the Order appointed by Qhrift in His 
 Church ; and Every Refufal of Obedience to Men, 
 in fuch fort of Matters, tho' founded upon the 
 plained Didates of a Man's own Confcience, 
 is handled in the fame manner, as a Difregard to 
 the Order, and Decorum, of ChriJFs Church pro- 
 perly fo caird. Troteftants particularly fee this, 
 '\\\ the Cafe of the Authority claimed by Superiors 
 Over Inferiors* i\\ the Church of Rome : and 
 are not afraid of helping to ' reduce the King- 
 
 * dom of Chrift to a Mere State of Anarchy 
 
 * and Confufion , by denying and oppofing that 
 Authority* 
 
 4. It is, in a particular manner, worthy of 
 the Confideration of Troteflants , that The 7?<7- 
 man-Catholics .m^kt very Great Ufe of this hx- 
 gument, viz* that the Troteflants, by putting 
 the Scripture into the Hands of the Laity, pro- 
 fefs to make Them the "judges of what They are 
 to receive as Religion : without which Piinciple, 
 
 none 
 
( ^84 ) 
 
 none could have gone off from tlitRomiJh Church % 
 That this * reduces the Church of Chrift to a 
 
 * State of Anarchy and Confufion; and breaks 
 thro' all that Order which is eftabhihed in it ; 
 and deftroys all the Suhordination of Some Chri- 
 ftians to Others^ m it. Now, I would gladly 
 know of this Learned Body ^ what Anfwer We can 
 make to this, if it l^e true that to ' deftroy the 
 ^ Authority of Any Chriftians Over the Con- 
 
 * dud: of Others m Matters of Confcience and 
 
 * Salvation , is to break the Or%r of Chrijfs 
 Kingdom J and to * reduce it to a State of Anar- 
 
 * chy and Confufion/ It is certain that We 
 Trotejlants of the Church of England have thrown 
 oS xh.i% Authority oi Former Church-Governors; 
 and abfolutely denied it, not only mThem^ but 
 in AIL Therefore, it is certain, either that We 
 have been guilty of the Great Crime of ' redu- 
 cing the Church o^ChriJl to aMereState of Con- 
 fufion : or elfe, that the Denial of fuch an Au- 
 thority implies in it no fuch thing, as is here 
 laid to its Charge ; and brings in No Confufion^ 
 but what is agreeable to the Will of C/;;-//? ; 
 and what is more acceptable to Him, than All 
 the Outward Imaginary Order kept up by an Au- 
 thority^ deftrudtive of the very Vitals oi N^ Re- 
 ligion, This All Trot eft ants do indeed affirm in 
 their Anfwers to the Romanifi:s : and I am ftill 
 proud to fee, that there cannot be one Step ta- 
 ken towards the Cenfuring or Condemning My 
 Doilrine^ which does not fall heavy, not upon the 
 Ornaments ^w^Circumftantials^ but upon the very 
 Foundation of theC/wrZ^ of England, itfelf. 
 
 5. But 
 
J. But indeed, what All Cbrtjllan Divines'^ 
 and Chrijlian Laity, ought in a pecuhar manner 
 to confider, is this : that Chrift Himfelf knew 
 better than Any of Us, His Difciples and Fol- 
 lowers ; and had a Right, which Others have 
 not, to determine, what that Order is, in which 
 He dehghts, and upon which He lays a great 
 Strefs ; and what that Confufion is, which alone 
 is inconfiftent with the Government of His King- 
 dom, and the Condua of His Suhjetis. And thelc 
 following Points, I therefore recommend to All 
 Chrijlians ; as well as to All Protejlants. 
 
 * It is eflential to the very Notion of the 
 
 * Kingdom of Chrift, that He alone be King in 
 
 * m it,' ' The Subjedion of His People to Him 
 alone, as King, is fo far from being the \Vay to 
 
 * reduce His Kingdom to a Mere State of Anar- 
 
 * chy and Confufion ;' that it is the Only Method 
 of preferving it from coming to fuch a State'. 
 When His Laws, and His Diredions, left be- 
 hind Him, are obferv d by///xDifciples ; theniT/i 
 Kingdom is in its Glory ; and in its greateft 
 Order/ When the Authority of Men, and Hu- 
 mane DireHions, are fubmitted to, without judg- 
 ing of Them by His own Rules ; this deftroys 
 the Order of Chrijfs Kingdom, confider'd as His ; 
 and reduces it truly and literally to the worft 
 State of Anarchy and Confufion, as far as He is 
 concern d : Of Anarchy,hY deftroying the Rule 
 of Him, who alone has a Right to it ; and of 
 Confufion, by bringing in Other, and Foreign Aur 
 thority, in part, inco His Place, 
 
 ' This 
 
( a86 ; 
 
 . * This Method I grant, promotes the Order^ 
 and Rule J of thofe Humane Kingrloms which are 
 introduced into His^ and niix'd with it, when- 
 ever the * Authority of fome Men Over Others 
 in Rehgion,' is fet up : but it truly deftroys the 
 Order and Rule of ChriJFs Kingdom, as fuch ; 
 and, in the midft of All the Imaginary Order of 
 it, leaves Chrift\ Kingdom^ as much as it can, 
 ill a Mere State of Anarchy and Qonfufion, And 
 here is the Foundation of the Miftake. Be- 
 caufe this Method is feen to procure an Outward 
 Decorum of Appearances amongft Men call'd 
 Chriftians ; therefore, Men are apt to efteem it 
 the' Way to Order in Chrijis Kingdom : Where- 
 as, It ^s in. truth only the Order of the Kingdoms 
 of Meny ^mnder the Cover of His facred Name, 
 that is confalted by it ; and, on the contrary, 
 the Ordei; of His Kingdom, confider'd as ///j-, 
 is ruined and deftroyed by it.' Again, 
 
 * The Order which Chrift lays the Great Strefs 
 upon, in His Kingdom^ is an Internal Order : The 
 Government of Men s Lives by Faith^ working 
 ly Love.'y The Order of Charity znd. Humility ; 
 of Preferring one another in Love ; of Forbear^ 
 ing and Forgiving one another j of Making all rea- 
 fonahle Allowances ; and compajfionating one ano- 
 ther s Infirmities. And the Confujion wdiich He 
 moft of All guards againll, in His Kingdom, i% 
 the Confujion arifing from the Dominion of Men, 
 and Humane Authority in Religion^ trampling 
 upon the Confciences of His Subjedls ; the 
 Confafion of Uncharitablenefs, Hatred, Malice, 
 Revenge, Tyranny, OpprelTion, tho' it be at- 
 
 * " tended 
 
( ^8? ) 
 
 tended with All that Dread and Horror, which 
 keeps every Tongue in the profoundeft Silence^ 
 and Submiflion ; and tho' it affrightens Men in- 
 to All the Inftances of Outward Subjedion, 
 and preferves unviolated All the Forms of Ex- 
 ternal Order and Decency. 
 
 The hquifition it felf is Anarchy and Confufion 
 in His Eyes ; tho' in the Eyes of Men it is Go- 
 vernment^ and Teace^ and Quiet^ and Order it 
 felf. T\\tUniformity procured by it, is not an 
 Uniformity in His Kingdom ; but in the Kingdom 
 of the Inq^uifitors^ and of thofeMQtiy who go- 
 vern by it : And the Anarchy and Confufion a- 
 voided by it, is the Government of Chrift Him- 
 felf ; and the Pradice of What he efteems the 
 mofl Beautiful and Orderly in His own King- 
 dom. The Uniformity gain d and fupported by 
 it, is the Uniformity of Ferfecutors^ Atheifisj 
 and Hypocrites ; the Uniformity of Gefiures^ 
 Sounds^ Cringings^ Bowings^ Vociferations-, Dreffesy 
 Ornaments J and of Every thing that can amufe 
 the Eye, and the Ear^ and diffipate the Under- 
 ftanding. The Confufion, kept off by it, is the 
 Great, and • one would think, Deteftable Confu- 
 fion arifing from C/;ri/?ij;^ i^worfliipping One God 
 in Spirit and in Truth ; from, pheir prefer v in g a 
 Clofe and Immediate Regard to Chrift HimMf ; and 
 taking their Notions of His Religion from Him 
 alone ; the Confufion of Honefty and Sincerity in 
 Enquiries after Religion ; of Charity and Humi- 
 lity in bearing with one Another's Differences ; 
 and of Every thing truly lovely and defirable : 
 And the Anarchy whigh alone is kept at a Di- 
 
 llance 
 
( ^88 ) 
 
 fiance by it, is the Anarchy ^ which Men are apt 
 to efteeni and declare to be every where, where 
 Jhemfelves do not abfokitely govern. 
 
 I have chofen to inftance in the In^uijttzon^ be- 
 caufe it is an Engine fet up on purpofe to pre- 
 ferve the Kingdom of Qhrifl^ from a ' Mere 
 * State of Anarchy and Confujion; becaufe, if 
 External Order^ procured by the Authority of 
 Men, in Matters of Confcience and Rehgion, 
 be the Order and Good Eftate of ChrijFs King- 
 dom, this Method is truly the moft defirable 
 of Any yet thought of, as it is the moft Ef- 
 feElual for the End intended : and becaufe 
 it does indeed anfwer that End, by EftabUili- 
 ing Teace and Order -^ if Solitude and Silence^ 
 procured by Terrors j if Poverty and jDi- 
 ftrefs, Scarcity of People, Mean and Spiritlefs 
 Difpofitions, Spiritual Bigottry, and Worldly 
 Slavery, be the Teace and Order aim'd at by 
 Chrijl. And I have chofen this Inftance for an- 
 other Reafon likewife ; viz. becaufe the Argu- 
 ment holds equally good, m All hiflances of a 
 like Sort ; in whatever Degree, tho' never fo 
 diftant. They approach to it : and becaufe Ma- 
 ;/y will fee plainly in this Inftance, what They 
 will not fo eafily at firft fee m Thofe of a lejfer 
 Sort. But now, 
 
 6. As to External Vifihle Order^ upon which 
 the Whole Miftake of Men upon this Subjed:, 
 feems to be founded ; I muft obferve that This 
 was not the Great End of Chrijf^ defcending 
 from Heav n, and Ereding a Kingdom : and 
 therefore, that Our Notions of this muft all be 
 
( ^^ j 
 
 accommodated to, and governed by, tii^it 3L7/^ 
 and Prhcipal End. From the Confideration of 
 which it wilt prelently appear, that Every Thing 
 of ^/;/y Sort, is but bi^ifecondary Nature; and of 
 a very low Account, in Comparifon with Thofe 
 Great TotnUs^ upon which Our Lord declare:^ 
 that the Eternal Salvation of All Ihall equally 
 depend. In General therefore, it is certain thac 
 Chrifl has given ^ No Authority to Any of His 
 * Servants Over others of cheni,' iiicon(\ixt{\t 
 with His own Right to be their Sole King ; or in- 
 eonfiflent with the Right oi His Suhjecis to apply 
 themfelves to Him^ as fuch : That therefore, it 
 is plain, Nothing is required by Him^ in order 
 to Decency-, or to avoid the Outward Appearance 
 of Confufion, but what is p^rfedJly corififterit with 
 thefe Tvv^o Things now riiention'd : that Chrijl 
 has not Himfelf deftroy'd the Order, and Govern-- 
 ment^ which He thinks riecefTary in His own 
 Kingdom; and that therefore, the denying fuch 
 Authority to Men, as He has never given them^ 
 does not tend to deftroy either Order or Govern-, 
 ment^ but to Eftablilh them, in the Senf.^ in 
 which He wills and defires them fThat Chrijv. 
 neither requires, nor dehghts in. Any External 
 Order m His Kingdom, but what iS perf vlly 
 confident with that Freedom of His S. Wedrs^ 
 with which He has made them free; th>t He 
 guards againft No {Lxterndl Cdnfufion, which. i^ 
 the Effed of the Integrity, Honedy; and Si:i 
 ceriry of His Suhjetls, guiding ThenVielves, wu li 
 their utnioft Care, by their own Confzien cs^ 
 under ///J Diredions : And confequently, tr^c 
 
 U He, 
 
( ^9^ ) 
 
 //<?, who leads Chrifiians to be direded by 
 Chrijiy in Religion, eftabliflies t\\zx. Kingdom ia 
 the Hands of Chrifl^ which otherwife would, 
 with refped to Him^ be a State of Anarchy, 
 without its True and Proper King : that HCy 
 who denies that Authority to Men, which is in- 
 confiftent with that of Chrifi^ only reduces ^^^ 
 Kingdoms of 7l^^ i¥(f;; (not of Chrijf) to that 
 y?ff rf State of Anarchy ^ to which They ought to 
 be reduced : and that He^ who pleads only for 
 the Undoubted Right of All Chrifiians equally 
 to be the Difciples of Chrijiy and not the Slaves 
 of Meny pleads for No External Confufion^ but 
 What Chrifl Himfelf has been pleas'd to per- 
 mit and allow in His Church ; viz^ thtConfuJion 
 arifing from Honefty and Uprightnefs of Heart 
 in following Chrift ; and pleads againftNo£x/d*r- 
 fialOrdery in Pradiice, but what is inconfiflent 
 with the Right of All Chriftians to be directed 
 by Chrifl ; and againft None, but what Chrijl 
 Himfelf contemns, in comparifon of that Real 
 and True Chriftian Order^ which He has efta- 
 bliflied between Himfelf as Heady and His Di- 
 fciples as Members ; between Himfelf as King 
 alone, and All ChriflianSy as Subjeds to Him, 
 and not by Him put Under any OtherSy fo as 
 to be obliged to obey Them, in Connradic3:ion 
 to Chrifl' s Laws, underflood and received accord- 
 ing to the Befl Light of their own Confciences. 
 St. Paul indeed fpeaks of Decency and Order, 
 m Ajfemhlies of Chrifl ians : But in What Points, 
 and in What Manner, it is worth while to confi- 
 der. He exhorts the ChriflianSy in their Congre- 
 gations, 
 
( 29^ ) 
 
 gations-, not to interrupt one Another^ in their 
 Teachings or Prophefying ; but to fpeak, one af- 
 ter another : without which Reftraint upon 
 Themfelves, 0;/<?Endof their afTembUng together 
 would be wholly fruftrated. And in what man- 
 ner does He fpeak of this, which was really 
 neceflary ii\ their Ajfemhlies > Not in the man- 
 ner, in which He fpeaks of Righteoufnefs and 
 Holinefs, and All the Fruits of the Spirit. Nor 
 does He thunder out Excomrnmications^ or De- 
 nunciations of God's Eternal Wrath, againllAny 
 who fliould tranfgrefs that Order ^ which He, xho 
 an Apoflle, had given them : nor fpeak of fuch a 
 Tranfgreffion^ as He does of the IVorks of the 
 Fkjh, and of Thofe Sins which He frequently e- 
 iiumerates, as excluding Men from the Kingdom 
 of Heaven, and intitling them to the Eternal 
 AVrach of God ; nor fpeak of fuch a Tranfgr ef- 
 fort as He does of the Inceftuous Corinthian, 
 They therefore, who fo frequently appeal to 
 this Diredion of St. TatiH^ to argue for Sub- 
 miflion to Every thing orderM by frail Men for 
 the Decency^ Beauty^ or Outward ?omp of Cir- 
 cumflances relating to the Manner or Form of 
 Worfliipping God ; and this, m fuch a manner, 
 as not to leave it to their Own Judgments or 
 their own Confciences ; may be fure that They 
 both forget the Toint to which He applied His 
 Rule ; and grofly err both from the Defign^ and 
 the Spirit^ of the Apoftle. I hope, I conform 
 My-felf to His Example. All that External 
 Order and Decency^ which is necelTary for the 
 Purpofes of Chriftian Ajfemhlies, I am ready to 
 
 U z con^ 
 
( ^9^ ) 
 
 contend for, as the Apoflle does. Nay, All that 
 Uniformity iw the different Congregations of the 
 fbme Land, which is the Efled: of a WilUng 
 Choice, and the Refult of Judgment and Con- 
 ic\Qwz<^^ I fliall ever efteem, to as high a Degree 
 as it can claim : becaufe, whilft it is fo procu- 
 red, it can never either injure Civil Society^ or 
 deflrcy Good Learning and True Fhilofophy^ tlie 
 Ornaments and Comforts of Humane Life, as 
 well as x\^ Conftant Friends to True Religion ; 
 tho' Learning and Fhilofophy^ generally fo call'd, 
 or as They are generally made ufe of, by De- 
 figfiing Men, are the Enemies and Corrupters of 
 it. But to fpeak of Thefe^ or the Hke Points, in 
 the fame high Terms, as We ought to do of the 
 Weightier Matters of Chrift'5 Law ; to infifl: up- 
 on Thefe^ by Virtue of Mere Authority in Some^ 
 and indifpenfaUe Olligation to Suhmiffion in Others ; 
 and to make fo hght of the Terrors of tht Lor Jy 
 as to throw them about, upon fuch Accounts, 
 wdth an Ardor, and Zeal^ which is only due to 
 much greater things : TbiSj I iliall, I confefs, 
 ever efteem contrary to that Rule of proportion^ 
 which A/mighty God prcferves in All His Me- 
 thods ; as well as to the profefs^d Dellgn and 
 Declarations of the Gofpel of His Son. 
 
 7. There is nothing in tliis A.rgumeni I am 
 now upon, more truly to be lanieiited, than to 
 confider what ic is that is eftecni'd by a Body of 
 ChrifianDtvines, as One of t\\Q Great eji Aggrava- 
 tions of die Guilt of My Dotlrine ; Fiz. That to 
 IcadChriftians to iht'it King, is to lead t\\Q;m from 
 All Government ,• and that tg inculcate upon 
 
 Them^ 
 
( ^9^ ) 
 
 Them, the Neceflity of following Cbrljf, and 
 obeying H/s Laws, is leading them to a Sfafe^ 
 
 * in which Every Man is left to do what is right 
 
 * in His own Eyes/ Upon w hich Suhjecl there 
 would not need One Word of Explication, were 
 it not for the lake of the prejudices of Men : 
 and therefore I fliall here be very Ihort, and very 
 plain. There are but three\N2iY^ for Men to ad in. 
 Every Man mud either do what is right in His 
 own Eyes ; Or, He muft do what is right in 0- 
 ther Mens Eyes ; or, He muft do what He him- 
 felf judges to be Right and Fitdng, in i\\q Eyes 
 of God and of Chrijh If He does what is right 
 in His own Eyes, in the Bad Senfe, in which a- 
 lone the Committee can complain of it ; that is^ 
 if He ads without any Regard to Any Laws, 
 or Any Governours : This is following His own 
 Inchnation, Cuftom, and Pallion ; and not Rea- 
 fon, or the GofpeL And in this Bad S^nk, I 
 have pleaded againft it, as much more effedu- 
 ally than They have, as it is more effeduai for 
 the preventing it, to dired Men to Chrijt^s Un- 
 erring Laws, than to Any of the Decifions of 
 Weak Men : fo far am I from dcferving this 
 Part of their Cenfiire, or from having given 
 them the leaft Handle for it. If the Man does 
 ' what is right in Other Mens Eyes,' He may 
 have thtApprohation of All who really and know- 
 ingly oppofe what I have taught : But He is tru- 
 ly of Popijh Principles, in a Protectant Profefwn ; 
 He is the Difciple of Men, and not of Chrifi. 
 And as far as He proceeds in doing ' what is 
 
 * right in Other Mens Eyes', juft fo far He for- 
 fakes the Briqjotefi Sunjhine of Noon-day^^ ap- 
 
 U 3 * pointed 
 
( ^94 ) 
 
 pointed by Go^; and prefers the Uncertain Glim- 
 merings of the Darkejl Lanthorn before it. He 
 leaves the ftrait Line of Duty pointed out to 
 Him by Chrijl ; and bewilders Himfelf m the 
 Endlck Lalyr/nthsj and all theWinding Paths of 
 Wanton Opinion, and Wanton Power. But if He 
 does what, after the fincereft Confideration, He 
 judges and efteems to be ' Right in the Eyes oiF 
 
 * God, and of Chrift ;' He the^ conduds Him- 
 felf exadly according to the Rule which I have 
 laid down. And if This be, in the Efteem of 
 Chrijltan Divines-, to leave Every Man to do 
 what is Right in H i s own Eyes, in a Senfe 
 iimvorthy of a Chriftian : I pray God to inter- 
 pofe, for the Support of True Religiony before it 
 be quite perilli'd from the Earth. 
 
 This I muft beg Leave to infift upon, that I 
 have never once made Ufe of this Exprejfion in 
 My Dodrine ; that All that I have done towards 
 this great Evil, is teaching Men to * do what is 
 Right in the Eyes of Chrift, according to the 
 Belt Light They have ; and not what is right 
 in the Eyes of Other Men^ weak and fallible as 
 Themfelves. I add therefore, that They^ who 
 condemn this^ muft maintain, if they will ad: 
 confiftently, that * Chriftians ought to do what 
 
 * is Right in Other Mens Eyes.' And if this 
 be true ; there is an End of All Religion^ and 
 All Confcience ; All Fear of God, or Regard to 
 Chriji ; All Defenfe of the Reformation^ or of 
 the Church of England, If it be not true ; then 
 I have no more deferv'd this Part of their Seve- 
 rity by My Do&rinej than Truth it felf, and 
 xliQ Go/pel it felfj have deferv'd it. We may. 
 
( ^95 ) 
 
 methinks, differ from One Another in Many 
 Points, very innocently ; and We may, in the 
 Methods of Honour, and Qhriftiamty ^ endea- 
 vour to guard, on each Side, againft what We 
 think of pernicious Confequence : But God 
 grant, We may all take Care not to carry Our 
 Refentments into the Vttals of All that is good ; 
 or, out of Zeal againft particular Principles, to 
 lay waftethe Foundations o^Chriflianity it fcif; 
 to remove the Boundaries of Good and Evil ; 
 to put Darknefs for Light ; the Decifions oi Men^ 
 for the Laws of God ; Subjedion to Fellow- 
 Creatures, for Obedience to Chrxji ; the Do^rmes 
 of Any particular Churchy for the Gofpel ,• the 
 Dictates of Any Humane Authority^ for Chriflia- 
 n'tty ; Direct Toperi for Troteflantifm ,• and a 
 Gawdy Figure drefs'd out by Modern Fancy and 
 Imagination, for the Only True^ Original Church 
 of England. I do not fay this, to charge upon 
 thefe Worthy Terfons^ or upon Any of Them, 
 that They do explicitly^ and knowingly^ main- 
 tain even the Contradidorj Tropofitions to Thofe 
 which They condemn : But to obferve that, by 
 Certain Conjequence^ and in order to be Self- con- 
 fiftent. They muft do fo ; and that if One be 
 falfe, the Other muft be trte. 
 
 Sect. IV, 
 7/;<?XXXIVth Article ^/ Our Church, confiderd 
 
 TpHE Committee^ ^Ultx. thck General Argument^ 
 
 -■- proceed thus. ' xA.nd We beg Leave to clofc 
 
 * thefe Obfervations, in the Words of the Thirty 
 
 U 4 ^ fourth 
 
( ^56 ) 
 
 fourth Article of Our Church. W/jofoever, 
 through His private Judgment^ willingly and pur- 
 pofely^ doth openly break (much more, They add^ 
 teach and encourage Others to break) theTra- 
 ditions and Ceremonies of the Churchy which he not 
 repugnant to the Word of God^ and he ordain d and 
 approv d hy Common Authority^ ought to he rebu- 
 ked openly^ {that Others may fear to do the 
 like) as One that pfFendeth againft the Com- 
 mon Order of the Church, and hurteth the 
 Authority of the Magiftrate, and woundcth 
 the Confciences of Weak Brethren.' 
 To which I anfwer in a few Words, that 
 They might as reafonably have cited againft 
 Me Any PafTage in the Liturgy^ Homilies^ or 
 Articles of the Churchy as this. They do not 
 fay how They apply it to Me^ or to My Caufe : 
 •and it is a little hard to put the uneafy Pro- 
 vince upon Me^ of being My own Accufer^ as 
 well as Defender* This, I fay, relates not to 
 Me^ becaufe I have not ' willingly and purpofe- 
 ' ly, either broke, or taught Others to break, 
 
 * the Traditions, andCeremonies,of the Church, 
 
 * which be N o T Repugnant to God's Word ; 
 
 * and be ordainM by Common Authority :' but 
 have exprefly taught Chriftians to fearch Gods 
 Word; and to receive, not rejed^All fuch Things 
 (call them by w^hat Name you pleafe) as are 
 agreeable to it. And it is wonderful to fee a 
 Paffage alledg'd againft Me^ to which My Con- 
 dud: has been perfedlly agreeable. I have not 
 
 * offended againft the Common Order of the 
 ' Church • but promoted All that ought to he 
 
 * ia 
 
^< a97 ) 
 
 ^ in the Church of Chr/ft. I have not * hurt 
 ' the Authority of the Magiflrate;' but fup^ 
 ported it, and defended it. I have fliewn what 
 it is ; to what it ought, and to what it ought 
 not, to extend it felf : and I have diftinguilh'd 
 it from the Authority of Chrift, I have not 
 ' wounded the Gonfciences of weak Brethren/ 
 unlefs it be to w^ound the Gonfciences of Chri- 
 ftians, to warn Them againft All Approaches 
 towards ofFending their Great Mafter ,• and to 
 lead them to a Gonftant Attention to His 
 Will. In the Scripture-Senfe, This Phrafe flg- 
 nifies to induce Any to fm againft their own. 
 miftaken Gonfciences, by Our Example. In 
 this Senfe, it is impoffible I fliould have any 
 thing to anfwer for : becaufe I have taught 
 Them to follow No Do^rine^ tho' back'd with 
 the moft powerful Humane Example^ but that 
 of Chrijt Himfelf In the other and nov/ com- 
 mon Senfe of giving Offenfe^ I fear, I have 
 rather ' wounded the Gonfciences of Strong 
 Brethren^ than of Weak^ in the Opinion of 
 Thofe who moft diflike what I have laid. But 
 this is no Guilt of Mine ; and can therefore^ 
 deferve No Punifliment. I defire neither to 
 difpleafe, nor difturb, any Man in the WorlJ. 
 But I follow the Example of Thofe^ who firft 
 drew up this Article, I fet up Chrijl above All 
 Churches : as They did. I declare equally w^idi 
 Them^ againft Abfolutc Suhmijfwn to Humane 
 Authority in Rehgion. I refer Men, as They 
 did, to the Words of Chrijl, in His Gofpel And 
 if This fliould ever happen to be againft any 
 
 thing 
 
( ^98 ; 
 
 thing decided and determin'd by Any Churchy 
 or Magijlrate^ in Pofleffion ; it is no more than 
 what the firft Reformers thought Themfelves o- 
 bhged m Confcience to do. They themfelves 
 did thus ' offend againft the Common Order of 
 
 * the Church ;' They themfelves did thus ' hurt 
 
 * the Authority of the Magijirate ; They them- 
 felves did thus * wound the Confciences of 
 
 * Weak Brethren . And I am very confident. 
 They who firft drew up this Article did not 
 mean to condemn either Themfelvesy or the firft 
 Reformers^ or Thofe who follow exadly in their 
 Steps. 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 Obfervations u^on the Concluiion of the 
 
 Reprefentation* 
 
 S E C T. I. 
 
 The Three Paragraphs foHowing their Obferva- 
 tions, conjiderd. 
 
 THE Committee, having concluded their 
 Ohfervations upon feveral Paffages of 
 My Sermon^ proceed thus. 
 * Having thus laid before Your Grace, and 
 I Your Lordfliips, the feveral Paffages, upon 
 
 * which 
 
( ^99 ) 
 
 * which This Our humble Reprefentation is 
 
 * founded, together with Our Obfervations on 
 
 * them ; We muft profefs Our^ felves to be e- 
 
 * qually furpriz'd and concern d, that Dodrines 
 
 * of fo evil. a Tendency fliould be advanced by 
 
 * a Bifliop of this Eftabhfli'd Church, and that 
 
 * too in a manner fo very remarkable — That 
 
 * the Supremacy of the King fliould be openly 
 
 * impeach'd, in a Sermon deliver'd in the Royal 
 
 * Audience ; And that the Conftitution of the 
 
 * Church Ihould be dangercufly undermined; in 
 
 * a Book profelledly written againft the Princi- 
 
 * pies and Pradtices of fome who had departed 
 
 * from it. 
 
 * But, fo it hath happened, this Right Reve- 
 
 * rend Bilhop, in his extream Oppofition to 
 
 * certain Unwarrantable Pretenfions to Extrava- 
 
 * gant Degrees of Church-Power, feems to have 
 
 * been fo far tranfported beyond His Temper 
 
 * and His Argument, as not only to condemn 
 
 * the Abufe, but even to deny the Ufe, and 
 
 * to deftroy the Being, of Thofe Powers, with- 
 
 * out which the Church, as a Society, cannot 
 
 * fubfift ; and by which Our National Confti- 
 
 * tution, next under Chrift, is chiefly fupported. 
 
 * Under thefe Apprehenfions, We could not 
 
 * not but hold Our felves oWiged, to reprefent 
 
 * Our ownSenfe, with that of Our Brethren of 
 
 * the Clergy, to Your Lordfliips ; and to fub- 
 
 * mit the Whole to Your much weightier Judg- 
 
 * menr, which We do, as with the moft Un- 
 
 * feigned Sorrow for the Unhappy Occafion, 
 I and all becoming Deference to Our Superiors, 
 
 ' fo 
 
( 3O0 ) 
 
 ^ fo with die niofl: fincere and difmcerefled Zeal, 
 ^ and with No other View in the World, but to 
 
 * givQ Check tq^the Propagation of thefe Erro- 
 
 * neous Opinions ; fo deltrudive of All Go- 
 
 * vernment and Difcipline in the Church, and fo 
 
 * derogatory to the Regal Supremacy and Le- 
 
 * giflative Authority, as Weprefume, may have 
 
 * been fufficiently evinced. Of which Our Ho- 
 ' neft and Loyal Intentions, We doubt not, 
 
 * but Your Lordiliips, in Your known Good- 
 
 * ncfs, will favourably apprize His Majefty, if 
 
 * it Ihall be thought needful or expedient, in 
 
 * order to fet this Matter, together with Our 
 
 * Proceedings thereupon, in a true and prooer 
 
 * Light. 
 
 Having before vindicated My Do^rines front" 
 What The Committee has laid upon Them, I 
 fliall nowadd,inanfwerto thefirft oi Thefe Para- 
 graphs here produced, that ' I muft profefs My- 
 ' felf to be equally furpriz'd and concerned that 
 ^ Dodrines fo Chriflian^ fo eflential to the Caufc 
 ^ of the Refo-^mation^ and of the Church of Eng- 
 ^ land^ fliouid be thus underftood, or thus trea- 
 ^ ted, by a Body of Divines of this Trotefta^it 
 
 * Eflahliflo d Church : and that too in a manner 
 
 * lo very remarkable — -That in their Zeal for 
 
 * the Supremacy of the King^ They fliould de- 
 
 * clare it to be touchU and "affeded by fome of 
 
 * the plaineft Truths in the Gofpel ,• and by the 
 
 * very Maxims upon which C/:'/'//?/^;;//^ isfound- 
 
 * ed ,• And that, in their Zeal for the Conftitu- 
 
 * tion of Our Church, They fliould declare it 
 
 * to be dangeroudy undermin'd in a Book, by 
 
 ' Thofe 
 
( 30I ) 
 
 * Thofe very Principles^ by which alone it cati 
 
 * {land ; and without the Truth and Jufticc of 
 
 * which, It could not have had any Right fo 
 
 * much as to B E> 
 
 To the Secpnd of thefe Paragraphs^ I anfYver^ 
 That ' I have not been tranfported, by the A- 
 
 * bufe of Any Good Thing, to deny the Ufc of 
 
 * it : nor ever, I hope, argued, after fo weak a 
 
 * Manner ; but that I have equally condemn d 
 
 * Bad and Pernicious Principles, in All Sorts 
 ' and All Parties oiChriJlians: That I have nor, 
 
 * either in My Sermon^ or Frefervative^ denied 
 
 * the Ufe, or deftroy'd the Being, of Thofe Pow- 
 
 * ers, without which the Church, as a Society, 
 
 * cannot fubfift ; and by which Our National 
 
 * Conftitution, next under Chrift, is chiefly fup- 
 
 * ported. But that I have fliewn that Chrift has 
 
 * not given to Any Fajlihie Men^ in His Churchy 
 
 * the Powers belonging to Infallihility alone; 
 
 * that I have deftroy'd only fuch Powers, as 
 ' are deftrudive to His ReUgion, and His 
 "" Church, as He inftituted them ; and fuch as are 
 
 * abfolutely iuconfiftent with the very Suppofi- 
 
 * tion of Our National ConJlitutioHy being right- 
 
 * fu/ly what it is : And that I have indeed de- 
 ' ftroy'd only the One, Enormous, Anti-Chri- 
 
 * ftian, Anti-Proteftant Claim of a Church-Au- 
 ^ thority, to which Inferiors are indifpenfably o- 
 
 * bliged to fubmit their Confciences and Con- 
 
 * dud; a Claim deftrudlive to the Nature of 
 
 * Chrift's Religion and Church ; and by which 
 
 * Our National Conftitution is fo far from being 
 ' fupported, that , without throwing off All 
 
 ' Claims 
 
( 301 ) 
 
 Claims to fuch a Power, It could not at firft 
 have been ,- nor can be now defended, without 
 continuing to renounce them.' 
 To the 7 bird Paragraph^ I anfwer, That ' I 
 cannot by any means perfuade My-felf to call 
 in queftion what They fo ferioufly profefs ; 
 or to doubt either of the Unfeigned Sorrow with 
 which They All came to the Uneafy Work of 
 Cenfuring Me; or of their becoming Defe- 
 rence to their Superiors, of the Number of 
 whom I do not pretend to be ,• or of their 
 moft fincere and difinterefled Zeal, free from 
 the leaft Taint of Perfonal Regard, and from 
 Every other View in the World, but to give 
 Check to Pernicious Principles. But I fear 
 the World will not think it fo clear, beyond 
 All Contradidion, that it was this Unfeigned 
 Sorrow J This difinterefled Zealy This Freedom 
 from All Perfonal Views ^ which induced them, 
 to pafs by Every other Book^ and Sermon^ then 
 in Being : and at fo critical a Time, to fliew 
 Me to the Worlds as the Firfi of All the late 
 Numerous Writers^ to be mark'd out by their 
 Cenfure ; and My Principles^ leaning too much 
 to the Authority of Chrifi^ as the Mofl Perni- 
 cious oi All : Which induced them, after They 
 had thus thought of Me, to fumnion All their 
 Strength, and All their Numbers^ to make the 
 Blow as fudden and as effedual, as They 
 could ; not to do Me the Honour once pri- 
 vately to enquire after My own Explications 
 of lome General Expreffions^ or How I would 
 interpret them My-felf; not to give Me the 
 '^ 4caft 
 
( 5^5 ) 
 
 leaft Notice of their 2.eal^ or of the Intent of 
 it, that I might have heip'd, by difowning 
 many of the Confequences 2ii\d Meanings fixt up- 
 on Me, to forward their good Defign ,• but 
 to chufe rather, to pur the Worfl Interpre- 
 tation poffible upon fome of My Words, m- 
 ftead of a Better of which They were capa- 
 ble ; and a Bad Interpretation upon Others^ 
 of which They were not at j/? capable ; to force 
 Pernicious Principles upon Me, firft, and then 
 to fliew their Zeal againft them, after They 
 had made them Mine. The World, I fay, w^iil 
 take upon Them to judge, whatever We fay, 
 whether Thefe are the Marks of Unfeigned 
 Sorrow at the Work, or of Difinterefled Zealy 
 in the Beginning and Manner of its Profecuti- 
 on. For My-felf,- I am ready to beheve what 
 They allure Me of their own Hearts, even a- 
 gainft All thefe Appearances. And I beg of 
 Them^ in return, to believe Me that I firfl: 
 taught, and now defend, My Own Dod:rine, 
 with No other View m the World ; [I hope, 
 I may ufe the Word Fiew^ as I have done once 
 heretofore, in the fame Stn^e in which They 
 and All Writers have us'd it ;] but to propa- 
 gate the molt Chriftian, and the moft Ufeful 
 Principles : Principles equally effential to the 
 Being of the Church of Chrifi in general, and 
 of the Church of England in particular ; and 
 equally necelTary, to ihew the True Foundationy 
 and true Boundaries-^ both of Civil and Spiri- 
 tual Authority/ 
 
 Sec t. 
 
( 504 ) 
 
 S E C T II. 
 
 The Two laft Paragraphs, confuterd. 
 
 ^ I " H E Committee proceed thus. * We are by 
 
 ^ * no means infenfible chat there are Di- 
 
 ' verfe other Offenfive PafTages, in the Sermoit 
 
 * and Book above-mention'd, which Wc for the 
 ' prefent omit, as not falling fo diredly under 
 ' the Two Heads propofed : nor are We igno- 
 ' rant that feveral Offenfive Books, have of late 
 
 * Time been publiflfd by other Writers, whofe 
 ' Confidence doth loudly call for the Animad- 
 
 * verfions of the Synod ; to which alfo We llialf 
 
 * be ready to contribute Our Endeavours. Bur 
 
 * We apprehended this to be a Cafe, very Sin- 
 
 * gular, and Extraordinary, fuch as deferv'd a 
 
 * leparate Confideration, That a Biihop of this 
 
 * Church fliould, in his Writings, make void 
 
 * and let at nought thofe very Powers, witli 
 ' which He himfcif is inverted; and which, by 
 
 * Virtue of His Office, He is bound to excr- 
 
 * cife : In particular, as often as He confers 
 ' Holy Orders, Inftitutes to any Ecclefiaftical 
 ' Benefice, or inflidls fpiritual Cenfures. Nor 
 
 * v^^ere We lefs apprehenfive that the Eminence 
 Vof His Lordfliip's Station and Charad:er, as 
 
 * it aggravates the Scandal, would alfo hejp to 
 
 * fpread the 111 Influence bothflirther and fader, 
 \ under that Colour of Argument, with which 
 
 * He endeavours to cover th.efe His pernicious 
 ' Tenets/ 
 
 If 
 
f 30^ ) 
 
 ' If Yoiir Grace and Your Lordfliips, aft^t 
 having maturely weigh'd the Premifesj fliall 
 find jud Caufe for the Complaints which have 
 given Rife to this Reprefentation,Weref!: affiired 
 that, in your godly Zeal and great .Wifdom, yoii 
 will riot fail to enter on fome fpeedy and efFe- 
 d:ual Method, to vindicate the Honour of God 
 and Religion, that hath been fo deeply wound- 
 ed ; to allert the Prerogative given to AH Godly 
 Princes in rioly Scriptures, that hath been fo 
 manifeflly invaded ; and to re-fettle thofe weak 
 and wavering Minds, which may have been in- 
 fnared or perplexed by any of the Unfound Do- 
 d:rines Taught andPublilh'd by this Right Re* 
 verend Bifliop. Which Your LordHiips Pious 
 Counfels and Endeavours will be attended with 
 the United Prayers of Us, our Brethren whom 
 We reprefent, and of All good Chdftian People/ 
 I.I am very forry to fee a Body of Chrijlian 
 Divines-, defcend i\\ fuch a manner as this, in 
 order to add to a Load great enough already | 
 and, after they have taken fo much Pains to 
 condemn fo many of My Prbpojitions^ not to be 
 content with that^ but to leave the Matter with 
 this Sting behind it, that there are * Diverfe o- 
 ' ther OfFenfive Paffages i\\ the Sermon and 
 
 * Book aforefaid, which They for the prefeilt 
 
 * omit, as not falling fo dired:ly under the 
 ^ Two Heads'propofed/ Now, if Thefe Pajja- 
 ges deferv'd their Cenfure ,- it had been a much 
 more generous Condud: in them, to have pro- 
 duced Them fairly into the Light. And if They 
 had made Three Heads inftead of Two ; I pre- 
 
 X * fume. 
 
( 5o6 ) 
 
 fume, it could nor have cofl them a great 
 deal of Trouble; or, if it had, They Them- 
 felves would have efteem'd it fufficiently com- 
 penfated by the Service They would have done 
 to Truth, and Religion, by fetcing a Mark 
 upon Any Pernicious Tenets. But if by Of- 
 fensive Pajfages^ They mean only Paflages 
 Difagreeable, Unpleafant, and fach as many 
 are forry and griev'd, not only to find propos'd 
 to the World, but to fee them clearly and plain- 
 ly fet before the Eyes of Them who are con- 
 cerned in them : Then, I will confefs that I 
 believe The Whole Sermon, and The Whole 
 Prefervative, to be very O f f e n s i v e to Ma- 
 ny in the World. But I will add, that this is 
 no Argument in the leafl, either againft the 
 Truth of the Dodrines ; oc againft the Fitnefs 
 of Teaching them. Not againft the Truth of 
 the Dotlrinesy becaufe the Greateft and moft 
 Important Truths have been always Offen- 
 sive in this Senfe ; not excepting the Gofpel; 
 and the very firft Beginnings of this Protejlant 
 Church of England it felf : Not againft the Fit- 
 nefs of Teaching them ; becaufe, on the contra- 
 ry, the more there are m the World, poflefs'd 
 by Falfe and Pernicious Principles, the more 
 Need there is, and not the lefs, of declaring and 
 preaching the contrary ; their being Offended at 
 it^ being an Argument for it, net againft it. 
 
 X. The Reafons^ given for ferting a Mark up- 
 on My Principles in a particular Manner, now 
 follow. * They are not Ignorant that feve- 
 [ ral other Offenfive Books have of late Time 
 
 * been 
 
C 3^7 ) 
 
 * been publifli'd, by other Writers, whofe Con- 
 
 * fidence doth loudly call for the Animadverfi- 
 
 * ons of the Synod/ Offenjive Booksy is a very 
 Calm Expreffion for thefe Other Books^ which 
 have fwarm'd lately amongft Us: Books written 
 diredly againfl; their own Church of England; 
 not attacking any of its Ctrcumflantialsy but 
 crying loudly Down with it^ Down with it^ even 
 to the Ground ; declaring it to be No Church of 
 Chrifi, and All the Ordinances adminiftred, even 
 by this Committee^ and AH other Members of 
 the Convocation^ to be Null and Void; and Them- 
 felvesy and Ait their Peofle^ to be in a State of 
 
 Schifm^ and Danmation. This with refped to 
 the Church. And with regard to the Leg/flative 
 Authority^ and Supremacy, for which this Learn- 
 ed Body have difcover d fo great ^Zc2il; Books 
 written in Defiance of All our Law^s ; declaring 
 Us all in a State of Ufurpation ; and both King 
 and People intitled to God's Wrath : this Learn- 
 ed Body tliemfelves not excepted. 
 
 Both the Prefervativej and the Sermon like- 
 wife, as to its main Dodrine, took their Rife 
 from this View of the Triumphs and Infults of 
 the Enemies to our Conftitution in Church and 
 State, I do not now fpeak of Perfons : and 
 therefore, I beg that I may not, as I have too 
 often been, be mifmterpreted as fetting My-felf 
 up above Any of My Brethren of the Clergy. 
 But this I will prefume to fay, that the Princi- 
 ples which I have oppofed to the State-Princi- 
 ples of our AdverfarieSy are much more fitted, 
 (I do not fay, to make Men Subjedts af the pre- 
 
 X 2, fent 
 
fent Government, but) to make 'Men Zealous 
 and warmly Affe^flionate to it, than Any that 
 have been, or can be oppofed to them ; and alfo 
 more.efledual, in their: Tendency, to deftroy 
 and root out ykofe otO\xri Adve rf arte s^ as they 
 are diametrically oppoficeto them: And that the 
 Principles which I have oppos d to -their Church- 
 principles^ are a much more proper and certain 
 F.emecly againft Themy than Any Other I have 
 ever yet heard of; and,- as to our own Churchy 
 that They are fo fat from tending to its Injury, 
 that They^ and 1 hey alone ^ render Men conftant 
 and fettled-MemberS' of it, upon a true Trote- 
 ftant Principle ; whilit Others, contradid:ory to 
 thern, may, I grants make Weak Men for the 
 prefent, cry aloudy ind defame^ ^nd demolijh 
 Hoiifesy and rnurther xhoix: Neighbours, for the 
 Church 'y'hxit are feen tp lay theni open, as an 
 Eafy Pr^y, to the AtMi^^s of its Enemies ; and 
 to render the Tranfition iliort and quick, from 
 the Branch to the B.oot,y Jcom the Succeffors to 
 the- Predeceffors, from Derived Church-Authority 
 to its Original, and from the miftakeiv and abu- 
 ied Principles of the Church of England^ falfly 
 fo <:aildv'to-the Real and Avowed Principles of 
 the Church of Rvme. jrhis I have. Ihewn fully, 
 both formerly in the Prefervative^ and now in 
 •this Defenfe : "Sind am ready to iliew it again, if 
 the Sun 2it Noon-Day needs to be pointed out.--, , 
 But bo>vever this be ,• I labour'd:widi the 
 grearefl Sincerity, to /d9 both this Olwri? and 
 State the utmoft Scryice.^ in My Power, not a- 
 gainil the little Inconfiderable Outworks^ but a- 
 
 gainft 
 
( ?09 ) 
 
 gainft the very Foundations of AH the whole 
 Scheme of Papijis and Non-jurors : againft Prin- 
 ciples which chreaten'd Dejlrutiion even to Thofey 
 who have feem'd much more pleas d with the 
 Principles themfelves, than They have appear d 
 difpleasd with the Ufe,l\\t Natural Ufe, The 
 Non-jurors made of them. Whatever the Sue- 
 cefs was ; I did My bed : and This^ methinks, 
 might merit Pardon at lead ; and help a Httle 
 to make My Defeds be over-look'd. But, 
 on the contrary, All t\\ok Books; t\\ok Offen- 
 Jive Booksy are over-look'd : and the Defenjive 
 Booksy written feriouily and heartily againft 
 them, are particularly pitch'd upon, to be made 
 the Mark' of Common Reproach^ by having the 
 Public Cenfure of a Learned Body affix'd to them. 
 I heartily willi Them^ and this Proteflant Churchy 
 a Better and a more fincere Advocate^ than I 
 have been ; and Himy whoever He be, a better 
 return of His Lahours. 
 
 The Reafon given for this Condu^y \s very re- 
 markable. * They apprehend this to be a Cafe 
 ' very Singular, and Extraordinary, That a Bi- 
 
 * lliop fliould fet at nought thofe very Powers, 
 
 * with which Himfelf is inverted, ^cl I have 
 already fhewn that I have fet at nought nothing, 
 but what Chrift himfelf has yd"/ at nought: That 
 it is impoffible / iliould be invefted with Pow- 
 ers, which No Mortal Man can be invefted with : 
 That, therefore, Ifet at nought No Powers, but 
 what neither /, nor Any Man living, can pofTibiy 
 be invefted with : That I neither canexercije Paw- 
 ersy with which I am not and cannot be invejled; 
 
 X 3 nor 
 
( 3 to) 
 
 nor will^ver ht guilty of fo great a Sin^ as that of 
 pretending tc Them : and that the Whole of this 
 Reafon goes upon the Suppofition of a Matter 
 without Proof, and M^ithout FounJation. This 
 they ^ive as a Reafon for t feparate Confiderati- 
 on of My dangerous Do^itrines : but Th^y do 
 not fo much as pretend that this is a Reafon for 
 entring upon this firft ; for fingling cut Me frfi^ 
 and, for the prefent, pafling ove*: the feveral 0- 
 ther Offenfive Books j which They fpeaK of, in 
 fuch a Manner only, as to leave Us to guefs 
 what, and of what Nature, They are. But e- 
 ven atbeft; I cannot fee the great ObHgation 
 upon them, arifmg from this Reafon* A Bifhop 
 has fet at nought the Powers of jgi/Z^^^j: There- 
 fore, A Body of Preshytersy never entrufted 
 with the Guardianlhip of Thofe Towers^ with- 
 out waiting for the Sentments of the BifhopSy 
 put Them in Mind of Their Duty, and requeft a 
 Cenfure from Them. ' 
 
 But I will here beg Leave to put Them in 
 Mind of fomething as Singular and as Extra- 
 ordinary; and that is the Condu^ of a Body of 
 Chrijlian^ Protefiant^ and Church of England 
 Divines, in condemning, in Effe^^ Thofe Prin- 
 ciples^ without which, I fay it with Afliirance, 
 neither the Gofpel^ noi* the Reformation^ nor the 
 Church of England^could ever by Right have had 
 One fmgle Votary in the World. 
 
 The Other Reafon is taken from the Appre- 
 henfion * that the Eminence of Flis Lordlhip's 
 ' Station and Character, as it aggravates the 
 * Scandal, would alfo help to fpread the 111 
 
 ' In^ 
 
( 3»I ) 
 
 Influence, both farther and fafter, under thar 
 Colour of Argument, with which He en- 
 deavours to Cover thefe His pernicious 
 Tenets/ To which I anfwer, that the ' Emi- 
 nence of Any Man's Station and Characfter 
 certainly aggravates the Scandal of Any thing 
 truly Evil:' But that I fliould have thought it 
 an inexcufable Crime, and a much greater 
 Scandal to Me, if being a Bijhop, (a Chrijliarty 
 a Protejlant, a Church of England Bifliop,) I 
 could have either diflembled, or ftifled Thofe 
 Principles, which are the Support of the Gofpel, 
 of the Reformation, and of This Church in parti- 
 cular. If Thefe Protefiant and Chrijlian Princi- 
 ples receive Any Advantage from the Eminence 
 here fpoken of, I confefs, I rejoyce much more, 
 than ever I have before done, in What gives 
 them that Advantage: and it fliall ever be an 
 Argument to Me, to endeavour, thro' the reft of 
 My Life, to make it fubfervient to fo great a 
 Good. But I do afliire the Committee, that I 
 never endeavour'd to Cover My Tenets un- 
 der the Colour of Argument: but have ta- 
 ken a great deal of Pains firft to Un c o v e k, 
 and lay them open to the World, with all the 
 Plainnefs poffible ; and then to guard them with 
 Real, and Subftantial Arguments, to the Beft of 
 My Judgment. 
 
 I Willi, for the fake of Truth, and of All Lo- 
 vers of Truth, the fame Method had been ta- 
 ken Againji them, which I have taken For them ; 
 that the Tenets oppofite and contradidory to 
 Them, had been fet over againft Them, in th.e 
 
 X 4 or;.m 
 
( 31^") 
 
 open Light ; and the Arguments fiipporting 
 Themy placed over againfl the Arguments upon 
 which the Others rely. I fliall do this, as well 
 as I am able, before I conclude. But I wilh, it 
 had been done by the Hands of Thofe^ whofe 
 Caufe it would have ferv'd much better, than 
 the Method chofen inftead of it ; if it be a Caufe 
 that can be ferv'd by Arguments as, I doubt not. 
 They themfelves think it to be. If I am fo 
 unfortunate, as to have only the Colour of Ar- 
 gument; the Beft and only Thing that could 
 have been efFedlually opposed to That^ in. the O- 
 pinion of All Equal Judges, is Real and True 
 Argument. But when the Colour of Argument^ 
 which is confefs'd to be on One Side, is oppo- 
 fed, not by Argument^ or the Colour of Argu- 
 menty but i3y Cenfure.s^ and by calling for Au- 
 thoritative Declarations^ on the Other ; this will 
 make the World without Doors fufped that 
 this Colour of Argument^ which feems fo grie- 
 vous, is Colour and Suhflance both; and that 
 Authority is oppofed to Argument^ not becaule 
 it can be the Inflrument of Any fuch Rational 
 Conviction, as Men and Chriftians ought to be 
 govern'd by ; but becaufe it is always near at 
 Hand, . when Argument may be out of Sight ; and 
 as eafily apply d and equally efFed:ual, againfl: 
 Real Argument^ as it is againft the Colour oi Ar- 
 gument, 
 
 It is indeed, the Greateft and moft Irrecon- 
 cileable Enemy to Truths and Argument^ that 
 This World ever furniOfd out, fmce it was in 
 Being. All the Sophijlry ; All the Colour of 
 
 ' riai^ 
 
H 313 ) 
 
 Plaufihility; All the Artifice and Cunning of the 
 fubtileft Dtfputer in the World, may be laid o- 
 pen ; and turn'd to the Advantage of that very 
 Truth, which they are defign'd to hide, or to 
 deprefs. But againft Authority there is No De- 
 fenfe. It is Authority alone which keeps up the 
 Groffefi Errors in the Countries around Us. And 
 where Truth happens to be receiv'd for the fake 
 x>i Authority; there is juft fo much diminilh'd 
 from the Love of Truth, and the Glory of Rea- 
 fon, and theAcceptablenefs of Men to God j as 
 there is attributed to Authority. 
 
 It was Authority J which cruflVd the Nolle Sen- 
 timents of Socrates J and Others^ in the Heathen 
 World ; and prevented the Reception of them 
 amongft Men. It was Authority, which hin- 
 dered the Voice of the Son of G^^himfelf from 
 being heard ; and which alone flood in Oppo- 
 fition to His Powerfiil Arguments^ and His Di- 
 vine Dofirine : whilft it was a more moving 
 Queftion, amongft the People^ to ask, ' Do A- 
 
 * ny of the Pharifees,orDod:ors of the Mofaical 
 
 * Law, believe in Him?' than to ask, * Whe- 
 
 * ther Ever Man fpake, or liv'd, or work'd 
 
 * Wonders, like Him;' and v^hil^ Excommuni- 
 cation, or being put out of the Synagogue, was 
 the Mark fet upon Thofe who fliould embrace 
 His Religion. It was Authority among Hea- 
 thens^ which afterwards put all the Stop to 
 Chris's Pro^effion, which This WorU cowld put. 
 And when Chriflians increas'd into a Majority ; 
 and came to think the fame Method to be the 
 only proper One, for the Advantage of Their 
 
 Caufe, 
 
( 3H ) 
 
 Caufe, which had been the Enemy and Deftror- 
 er of it : The^h ^^ was the Authority of Chrzjh- 
 ansy which, by Degrees, not only laid wafte the 
 TEionom oiChrifiiamty^ but well nigh extinguifh'd 
 it from amongfi Men. It was Authority^ which 
 brought inAll that Mercilefs Heap of UJfelefs and 
 Burthenfom Fopperies ; Prayers in an unknown 
 Tongue; Prayers to Multitudes of Beings; and 
 the whole Load of Ahfurdities^ and Depravati- 
 ons of True Religion, under which the Chrifiian 
 People were in Captivity, till they became grofs 
 and weighty enough at laft, to break the Props 
 that fupported them. It was Authority which 
 recommended and guarded Them, by Difgracesy 
 and by Inquijitions ; by making it infamous^ or 
 terrible^ to Any to oppofe them. It was Autho- 
 rity ^ which would have prevented All Reforma- 
 tion^ where it is ; and which has put a Barriere 
 againft 'vc^ where-ever it is not. It was Humane 
 Authority in Religion^ which alone fet up it felf 
 againft the Beginnings of this Church of Eng- 
 land it felf: and which alone now contefts with 
 it the Foundation upon which it ftands. This 
 Authority was at firft exercis'd in little^ by Thqfe 
 who were fo far from pretending to fuch Enor- 
 mitiesy as it afterwards arriv'd at, that They 
 would have detefted and abhorr'd the Thought 
 of Them. And fo it will be, for ever, and eve- 
 ry where. The caUing in the Affiftance of Mere 
 Authority^ even againft Errors^ or Trifles^ in Reli- 
 gious Matters, at firft, will by infenfible Degrees 
 come to the very fame Ifliie, that it has been 
 ever hitherto feen to end in. And how indeed, 
 
 can 
 
( V5 ) 
 
 can it be expeded, that the fame Th'mg^ which 
 has in All Ages, and in All Countries, been hurt- 
 ful to Truth and True Religion^ amongll Men, 
 fliould in Any Age, or in Any Country, become 
 a Friend and Guardian of them ,• unlefs it can 
 be ihewn that the Nature of Mere Authority^ or 
 the Nature of Man ^ or Both^ are entirely alter'd 
 from what They have hitherto been. For it is 
 not in Religion^ as it is in the Civil Concerns of 
 Humane Life. The End of Humane Society is 
 anfwer'd by Outward Behaviour^ and Anions z 
 which therefore, ought to be reftrain d and go- 
 vern'd by Civil Authority. But the End of Re- 
 ligiony and of the Chriflian Religionyin p:jLmcu.larj 
 is dejlroydy jufl in Proportion to the Influence of 
 Great Names ; and to the EfFedt of Worldly Mo- 
 tivesj and Mere Authority of Men, feparated 
 from the Arguments of Reafon^ and the Motives 
 and Maxims of the Go/pel it felf. 
 
 I fliall now add, with a View to the Lafl Pa- 
 ragraph^ that I cannot but hope that All who 
 look into this Debate, will find that there was 
 
 * No juft Caufe for the Complaints which gave 
 
 * Rife to this Reprefentation : That I have not 
 
 * wounded the Honour of God and Religion ;' 
 but have vindicated it, and eftablifli'd it upon 
 the only Foundation upon which it can Hand: 
 That 1 have not * invaded the Prerogative given 
 
 * to All Princes, (whether Godly on Ungodly,') in 
 
 * Holy Scriptures/ but have * aflerted That Pre- 
 
 * rogative,' and That only, which All Godly 
 Princes will claim ,• which belongs to Them, as 
 Civil Magiflratesy and which alone is confident 
 
 with 
 
with the Defign, and Declarations, and even the 
 Eflence, of the Go/pel of Chr(ft : That I have 
 neither ' infnared nor perplexM Weak Minds 
 * by MyUnfbund Dodrines ; unlefsit be ^nUn- 
 found Dotlr he x\\d.t Chrift is King Over His Sub- 
 jects, and that His Kingdom is not of this World ; 
 iinlefs it can jufHybe calld 'Infnaring or Per- 
 ' plexing Mens Minds,' to flievv Them the Only 
 Way to Chriftian Reft, and Chriftian Peace ; to 
 guide Them out of the Terpkxt Mazes of Infi^ 
 nite Humane Variety, and Unbounded Humane 
 Fancy ,• to undo the Snares of Humane Artificey 
 compos'd of Words without Meanings and Foiver 
 ^vithout Rights and Outjide without Sincerity ', and 
 to lead Them into a plain and open Path, with 
 the Day-hght around them ; and to teach Them 
 not to be ' infnared or perplexed' by Neiv and 
 Humane Gofpels: but to have Recourfe to the 
 Old Original One^ and to compare every thing re- 
 quired, either in Belief or Pra^ice^ with what is 
 declared in That to be Necejfary to Salvation, and 
 Worthy of Chrijl\ Vifciples ; in which All O- 
 pies^ and All Tranflations of it, agree. 
 
 And it being now fo, that This Matter lies be- 
 fore The World ; I have fpared neither 77^^^^^/?/, 
 nor Lahour^ to give my helping Hand towards 
 the right Underftanding of a Caufe, in which 
 Every Chrijlian is infinitely concern d. I have 
 endeavourVi to explain My own Senfe with the 
 iirmoft Clearnefs, and without Difguife. I have 
 endeavoured fairly and juftly to ftate what is 
 opposd to it ; and what muft be True, if My 
 bo^rine be falfe. And fince A Worthy Mem- 
 ber 
 
her of that Committee which drew up this Kt^ 
 prefentation^ '\\\Y\\s Anj^}ier to a Letter^ P- <^ii 
 6%, has been fo gopd as to lay down fome Par- 
 ticulars ; and to^ declare that if I .jcan juftify 
 My-felf in Them^ I ,may them dnfwei(\\the Repre- 
 fentation; I beg Leave to add here^ upon the 
 Review of the. Whole, that! have J^ealbn to 
 hope, from His Account of the Matter, riiat I 
 have eifedually done it. ,^f^ v,^}-j ^ -^^^^ 
 
 J have ' proy'i that My Doctrines do not 
 l.tend to fubvert-Any Government or Dif- 
 ^eipline', which Chrifl wills fliould be in His 
 CHurch, or Any Part of it ; but to eftablifli 
 All that is truly rChriflian, and All that can be 
 claini'd by Weak Men, fubordinate to Chrifl:. 
 I have fhewn that ; Vit is not ^»/k coafiftent with 
 
 * My Opinion, but that it is My Opinion, that 
 the Churchy may cenfure Men in One Senfe for- 
 their Behaviour with refpec3: to the Laws of 
 Chrifl: ; that ' Spiritual Governors may Judge, 
 
 * Cenflire, and Punifli Offenders in what He 
 ^ calls Matters of Rehgion', that ' m thefe 
 *^^ Points I, can make Room for a Judge on 
 V Earth ;' and thtSy in the fame Senfe, in which 
 alone this Worthy P erf on himfelf contends for 
 it, Fiz, as all this relates to Judging Open Sin- 
 ners jto be Open Sinners, and to punifhing them 
 by refufing to them thq folemn Tokens of Ex- 
 ternal Communion : And I have fliewn that 
 This i^ not at all contradided, or affeAed, by 
 My Affirming that ^ Chrift is the fole Judge of 
 *':their Behaviour ; that No one of HisSubjedts 
 * .1^5. Authority to Judge, Cenfure, or Punidi 
 
 * the 
 
.* the Servants of Another Mafter ;' in Another 
 and a quite different Senfe ; in Points oi Another 
 Sort ; or in that Senfe, in which Chrift is de- 
 clared to be Judge alone, or not at all/ 
 
 I have fliewn that I ' can exhort Men to pay 
 
 * All that Regard to their Spiritual Teachers 
 
 * and Paftors, Vliich can be due to Frail and 
 Falhble Spiritual Teachers and Pallors ; after 
 declaring that ' the More Close and Imme- 
 
 * diate Their Regard is to Chrift, the more cer- 
 
 * tainly and the more evidently true it is, that, 
 
 * They are of His Kingdom : nay, that No- 
 thing can effectually fecure this Due Regard to 
 Spiritual Teachers and? aftors ^ but the having a' 
 Qlofe and Immediate Regard to Chrift ; without- 
 which * All Regard to Men in Religion is Un- 
 due, and Unchriftian. I have iliewn that I ' can 
 
 * teach Men to reverence Thofe who are Over 
 
 * them in the Lord ^ with all that Reverence 
 which can be due to. them ; after having exhor- 
 ted Them to * fliew Themfelves Subjeds to 
 
 * Chrift in the Affair of Salvation, without Fear 
 
 * of Man's Judgment' : Nay, that unlefs Men 
 ilievv Themfelves Subjccfts to Chrift in the Affair 
 of Salvation without Fear of Humane Denuncia- 
 tions, or of Man's Judgment,whilftThey live and 
 ad: as becomes that SuhjeElion to Chrift , They 
 are not in reality C/;///?/^;^^' ; nor can They reve- 
 rence Thofe who are fet over them in the LorJy 
 asfuch, or in that Senfe and manner, in which 
 Chrijl requires Them to be reverenced* They 
 may Reverence Them too much, as They do ii^ 
 Many Other Countries ; and This would be Re- 
 
 4* verencing 
 
( V9 ) 
 
 ■verenchg Them as Perfons, not fet over them in 
 the Lord ; but fet over the Lord Himfelf : Or, 
 They may reverence Them too little. But They 
 cannot reverence Them, under the Notion of 
 Perfons^^^ over them in the Lord^ and agreeably 
 to the Will of Chnjl, unlefsThey fliew Them- 
 felves Subjeds to Chrift, without Fear of Man s 
 Judgment, in their Obedience to His Laws : or 
 without any Concern or Dread upon Them, on 
 Account of Any Powers Men may claim, which 
 Chrift has never given Them, or which are de- 
 ftrucStive of Chritfs own Authority. * Thefe 
 
 * things I have Ihewnto beperfec^tly confiftent ; 
 
 * and that My Doctrines tend to fet Men loofe 
 ^ from No Church DifcipHne,' which even this 
 Worthy Per/on Himfelf has at all contended for, 
 in His Writings in this Controverfy, or fo 
 much as nam'd with Any Mark of Approhation ; 
 from None^ but what All Proteftants have fet 
 
 . Themfelves loofe from^ at their Departure from 
 the Church of Rome ; and l^one, but what All 
 Meny and All Chrifiians^ and All Church oi England 
 Men, ought to be fet loofe from., and ought open- 
 ly to difclaim, as an Infamy to their Nature ,• 
 as a Scandal to their Holy Profeffion ; and as a 
 Reproach to that Reformed Churchy to which They 
 belong. And therefore, I hope, I have ' an- 
 * fwer'd the Reprefentation\ according to His 
 own Sentiments and Declarations. 
 
 I hope that, by this Time, the Account given 
 before-hand, by this fame Worthy Perfon, of My 
 Intended Anfwer, appears as much miflaken and 
 wifreprefentedy as Any Point can pOiTibly be. 
 
 Nor 
 
{ 520 ) 
 
 Nor did I ever give Him the leafl Ground for 
 His continued and repeated Sarcafms upon this 
 Head. The Only Pretenfe was, that, in My 
 Anf, to Dr. Smpe, I alledg^d that, as to this 
 Point oi Authority, I had taught nothing agaiaft 
 Any Authority but what is, in effed:, Ahfolute ; 
 nothing againft Any Authority^ but what He 
 Himfelf could not help owning in Words to be 
 Unjuflifialle ; and that what I had then faid a- 
 bout My Dofirine upon that Point, as well as 0- 
 thers^ would be more plain in My Anfwer to the 
 Reprefentation : which certainly was neither to 
 fay that I would pafs by Any One Part of the 
 Whole Reprefentation ; nor, that I would fpend 
 My own Time and the Reader's, in a long Dif- 
 courfe againft Alfo/ute Authority. It was fo far 
 indeed from this, that ic impHed in it the very 
 contrary : for to declare that I will fliew that 
 what I condemn is likewlfecondemn'd in Words 
 by Thofe who cenfure Ale ; and allow'd to be 
 Unjufiifahle by their own. Conftant Acknow- 
 ledgments ; this, I fay, is only declaring that I 
 will argue from Their own Acknowledgments ; 
 not that I will labour to convince Them of 
 what this fuppofes Them to be convinced of, al- 
 ready, and which is therefore fuppofed in My 
 own Words, to be Unnecejfary and NeeMefs for 
 Me to do. 
 
 When therefore. He is pleas'd to reprefent 
 
 Me, as if I had declared My Dejign to Anfwer to 
 
 fon7e Points, of My own imagining, in which I 
 
 thought I could eafily triumoh ; and to pafs by 
 
 Others^ upon which the Committee lays great 
 
 Strefs .• 
 
( 3^0 
 
 Srrefs; as if I was' preparing 2Ln Elahor ate Argu- 
 ment againft Ahfolute Authority^ or writing a Trea- 
 fife againft That alone, which No one claim'd ; 
 with the Thought of which He is fo much de- 
 lighted, as to repeat it many times over in His 
 Two late Performances : TheWorld will fee, that, 
 as This Prophefy proceded at firfi from a Fruit- 
 fulnefs of Invention^ without the leaft Ground 
 from any thing I hadfaid or hinted ;.fo nowit is 
 not at zW fulfill d by t\xt Events in //;/j- Anfwer ; 
 in which I have both fliewn that Other Points 
 are contain d in the Keprefentatton ^ than He 
 Would have Us believe to be there ; and alfo 
 demonftrated My own Readinefs and Inclination 
 to confider Every Individual Argument^ and Sen- 
 tence in it. 
 
 But I need not be much furpriz'd at His giv- 
 ing fuch an Account of My Future Anfvoer^ be- 
 forp I had faid One Word to lead Him to it ; 
 when it has now been feen, in the foregoing 
 Pages^ that He has not been more happy, in the 
 Notion He has been willing to give the World of 
 the Reprefentation of a Committee^ of which He 
 Himfelf was a Memler ,- and this, after it Was 
 printed, and might have been reconftder'd by 
 Him, at His Leifure, and with the greateftCare* 
 And having mention d this, I cannot but obferve 
 
 here, with a good deal of Wonder, That a 
 
 Solemn Charge fliould be made by a Learned 
 Body J againft A Sermon^ and Book^ pick'd out of 
 a vaft Number, as the moft obnoxious, and the 
 moft worthy of a Partieular Notice ; That the 
 firfi Part of this C/^jr^d^ ihould be, in the moft 
 
 Y folemti 
 
( 5^^ ) 
 
 fblcmn manner, and the mod pathetic Words^ 
 declared againft Them, as tending to Subvert 
 All Government and Difcipline in the Church 
 of Chrift, and to reduce His Kingdom to a State 
 of Anarchy and Confufion ; or as seeming 
 to deny All Authority to the Church : and 
 that One of their own Body, writing for their 
 Honour and Service, Ihou d reduce the TVbole of 
 this Terrible Accufation to This only, that I 
 feem to deny a Power of refufing the Ho/y Com- 
 mmion to a Notorious and Open Sinner againft 
 the Moral Laws of Chrift 5 reprefenting All 
 their Zeal to centre in This Point only, not once 
 thought of by Me, nor once mention'd by 
 Them : and at the fame time, that He fliould be 
 contending for an J^ of the Civil Power which 
 is the greateft Hindrance to the Exercife of 
 this Authority^ and expreffing great Severity a- 
 gainft Me^ for declaring againft it. — ' That, as 
 to the Second Tart of the Charge^ relating to tlie 
 Qivil Magiftrate^ He iliould reduce the Whole 
 almoft to this only, That They contend it is 
 the Bufinefs of the Magi/Irate, to puniili Vice as 
 a Sin againft Thofe Principles of Religion., pro- 
 perly focalfd, in which All Men are agreed; and/ 
 contend, He is to punifli it, as 2Ln Outward A^/on 
 againft the Puhlic Good of Humane Society ; 
 which anfwers Every End of His Office, even 
 better than the Other ^ and has been declared by 
 this Worthy Ferfon Himfelf to do fo. 
 
 Whether \\\^ Learned Committee will think it 
 for their Honour to find fo Solemn and Pompous a 
 Charge dwindled away into Two fuch Minute 
 
 Points ; 
 
( ^n ) 
 
 Points ; and fo little worthy of the Particular 
 and Extraordinary Notice of a Convocation ; 
 They bell know. For my own Part ; I have, 
 found Them contending for Other Sort oiThings 
 in the Reprefentation it felf ; and have thought it 
 my Duty to confider Their Charge^- not as One or 
 Two of Their own Members, or as I My-feif 
 might wifn it had been, but as I founi it, in 
 reality and m fad: to he. And indeed, I have 
 not omitted to regard every fingle Part of it, 
 with that Light which I have received from All 
 their own Ohfervations in it ; as well as from 
 Thofe which Dr. Sherlock has obhged the World 
 with ,• and Any Others, that I could hear of. And 
 I now recommend the Whole to the Sincere and 
 Impartial Examination of All the Worthy Mem- 
 bers oitho: Committee^ in. particular; and in ge- 
 neral, to the ferious Confideration of All Chri- 
 fiiansj into whofe Hands it may come. 
 
 ^.^m^^^M 
 
 The Conclusion. 
 
 T Can think of Nothing better, to leave iw the 
 ^ lafl Place upon the Minds of Qhrijlians and 
 Trotiftants^ than a Particular Enumeration of 
 My Do^rines^ and of Thofe Oppofite to them, 
 which mud be True, if They are Falfe : and 
 alfo, a Particular View of 77^<?y^ Fri/zci/fc, up- 
 on which what I have taught is founded, in or- 
 
 Y % dec 
 
( 3H ) 
 
 der to compare them with the contrary. This 
 will not only be appUcable to the prefent De- 
 /'^/^, but to Ali Others of theUke fort, in which 
 They may at any time be concern 'd. 
 
 77:?(f Propofitions contain d 
 in Tkofe Pajfages of My 
 Sermon and IPreferva- 
 tive, which are made the 
 Foundation ^/f /'^Charge 
 in the Rcprefenration. 
 
 I. Chrift Himfelf is 
 King m His own King- 
 dom. 
 
 ^. Chrifl: is the Sole 
 Law - giver and Sole 
 Judge of His Subjedls, 
 in Ail Points relating to 
 the Favour, or Difplea- 
 furc of Almighty God. 
 In other Words, 
 
 3. No One of His 
 Subjeds is Law-giver 
 and Judge over Others 
 of them, in Matters re- 
 lating to Salvarion. In 
 other Words thus, 
 
 4. No Men upon 
 Earth have a Right to 
 make any of Their oven 
 .Declarations or Dcci- 
 fions to concern and af- 
 
 the Proportions, con- 
 tradiclory to Them .• 
 which therefore , mufl 
 hemaintaind to ieTruc 
 and Chriftian, hy All 
 who condemn the Others. 
 
 I. Chrifl: Himfelf is 
 Not King mHis ovi'n 
 Kingdom. 
 
 ^. Chrift is N o t the 
 Sole Law-giver and Sole 
 Judge of His Subjeds, 
 in AH Points relating to 
 the Favour, or Difplea- 
 fure of Almighty God. 
 
 3. Some of His Sub- 
 jcds areLaw^-givers and 
 Judges Over others 
 of them in Matters re- 
 lating to Salvation. 
 
 4. There is a Right 
 i{\ fome Men, to make 
 Their own Declarations 
 and Decifions to con- 
 cern and afFedt the State 
 
 of 
 
( 3^5 ) 
 
 fed: the State of Chrift's 
 Subjeds, with regard 
 to the Favour of God. 
 
 of Chrift's Subjects, 
 with regard to the Fa- 
 , vour of God. 
 
 All thefe are to the fame Purpofe : and fuffi- 
 ciently explain my Meaning ; as I have ftated 
 it in the foregoing Pages. 
 
 5. The moreCLOs e 
 andl M M EDI ATE the 
 Regard of Men to Chr/ft 
 is, the more certainly 
 and evidently true it is, 
 that They are of His 
 Kingdom. 
 
 \iia.' 
 
 6. It is worthy of all 
 Chrijliansy to live and 
 ad: as becomes Thofe 
 who wait for the Ap- 
 pearance of an All- 
 knowing and Impartial 
 Judge ; and in fuch a 
 Behaviour to beWiTH- 
 ouT Fear of Mans 
 Judgment, who is both 
 Ignorant of Many tilings 
 neceffary to form that 
 Judgment, and Partial 
 in the forming it. 
 
 y. A Close and Im- 
 mediate Regard to 
 Chri(i Himfelf, is not fo 
 certain and evident a 
 Mark of being of His 
 Kingdom, as a Cx o se 
 and • Immediate Re- 
 gard and Refped: to 
 Frail Men, Subordinate 
 to Him. 
 
 6. It is Not worthy 
 of all Chriftians to hve 
 and ad: as becomes 
 Thofe who wait for the 
 Appearance of an All- 
 knowing and Impartial 
 Judge ; but it becomes 
 then), at the fame time 
 that They live and ad: 
 thus, to be under a Fear 
 of Man s Judgmeui:,who 
 neither has Capacity 
 nor Authority to deter- 
 mine their Condition ; 
 afid who, in very niany 
 Y 3 Cafes, 
 
( 5^6 ) 
 
 7. We muft Not 
 frame our Ideas,from the 
 Kingdoms of this World, 
 
 to what OUGHT to 
 
 be, in a V I s I E L E and 
 SENSIBLE manner, in 
 Chriffs Kingdom. 
 
 S.OurTitletoGod's 
 Favour depends upon 
 our Real Sincerity in 
 the Condud; of Our 
 Confciences, and of our 
 ownAdionsundertheiti. 
 
 9. Humane Benedi- 
 (Slions — Abfolutions — 
 Denunciations — - Ex- 
 communications — do 
 not determine either 
 God's Favour, or Anger, 
 towards Chriftians : and 
 thereforejare^^/;^?^^^, 
 when they pretend fo 
 to do. 
 
 10. Whoever has a 
 Right to add Sandions 
 to Chrijfs LavvS, is fo 
 far King, and has fo far 
 
 Cafes, contradidls the 
 Judgment which Chrifl 
 will make. 
 
 7. We Must 
 frame our Ideas, from 
 the Kingdoms of this 
 World, to what ought 
 to be, m a visible and 
 SENSIBLE manner, in 
 Chriff s Kingdom. 
 
 8. OurTitle to God's 
 Favour doth not depend 
 upon Our Real Sinceri- 
 ty in the Condud: of 
 our Confciences, and of 
 our own Adions under 
 them ; but upon our 
 Adual Being h\ the 
 Right. 
 
 9. Humane Benedi- 
 ctions — Abfolutions — - 
 Denunciations — — Ex- 
 communications — do 
 determine God's Favour, 
 and Anger , towards 
 Chriftians : and there- 
 fore, are not Fain Wordsy 
 when they pretend fo 
 to do. 
 
 10. Men may have a 
 Right to add Sandions 
 toChrift's Laws, with- 
 out having any Part of 
 
 Regal 
 
( 3^7 ) 
 
 Regal Power in Chrift's ' 
 Kingdom. i 
 
 II. The Sandions of i 
 Chrift's Laws, appoint- 1 
 ed by Himfclf, are Not j 
 the Rewards of this! 
 World ,' not the Offices 
 or Glories of this State : 
 not the Pains of Pri- 
 foiis,Banifliments,Fines, 
 or any lefler and more 
 moderate Penalties ; 
 nay, not the much lef- 
 fer Negative Difcou- 
 ragements tliat belong 
 to Humane Society. He 
 was far from thinking 
 that thefe could be the 
 Inftruments of fuch 
 a Perfuafion as He 
 knew to be acceptable 
 to God. 
 
 IX. Chrift chofe the 
 Motives which are not 
 of this World, to fup- 
 pprt a Kingdom which 
 is not of this World. 
 
 13. The Maxims, 
 oppofite to the Max- 
 ims upon which Chrift 
 founded His Kingdom, 
 are contrary to the In- 
 tcrefts of TrueReligion. 
 
 Regal Power in His 
 Kingdom. 
 
 1 1 . The Sandions of 
 Chrift's Laws, appoint- 
 ed by Himfelf, Are the 
 Rewards of this World; 
 the Offices and Glories 
 of this State : the Pains 
 of Prifons, Banifliments, 
 Fines, or otlier lefler and 
 more moderate Penal- 
 ties ; or the much iefl^er 
 Negative Difcourage- 
 ments that belong to 
 Humane Society. Thcfe 
 He thought the proper 
 Inftruments of fuch a 
 Perfuafion as He knew 
 to be acceptable to 
 God, 
 
 12. Chrift did not 
 chufe theMotives which 
 are not of this World, 
 to fupport a Kingdom 
 not of this World. 
 
 13. The Maxims, op- 
 pofite to the Maxims up- 
 on which Chrift found- 
 ed His Kingdom, are a- 
 grceable and helpful to 
 thelntetefts of True Re- 
 ligion, 14. 
 
( 3 
 
 14- To apply World- 1 
 ly Force or Worldly 
 Flattery , Worldly Plea- 
 fure or Worldly Pain , 
 to the Cafe oi Religion; 
 i^ a Method oppofite 
 to the Maxims upon 
 which Chrift founded 
 His Kingdom : and 
 therefore, contrary to 
 the Interefls of True 
 Religion. 
 
 1$. Chrift knew the 
 Nature of His own 
 Kingdom, or Church, 
 better than Any fmce 
 His time. 
 
 i6. Chrift left No 
 Such Matters to be de- 
 cided againft Himfelf, 
 and His own Exprefs 
 Profeffions- 
 
 17. To teach Chri- 
 ftians that They muft 
 either profefs^ or be Ji- 
 lent^ againft Their own 
 Cpn^Qmi^^Sy becaufe of 
 
 28 ) 
 
 j 14. To apply World - 
 |ly Force or Worldly 
 Flattery, Worldly Plea- 
 fure or Worldly Pain, 
 to the Cafe oi Religion; 
 is not oppofite to the 
 Maxims upon which 
 Chrift founded His 
 Kingdom : Or, is not 
 contrary to the Inte- 
 refts of True Rehgion, 
 tho'it be contrary toOur 
 Blefled Lord's Maxims 
 relating to it. 
 
 15. Ciirift did not 
 know the Nature of 
 His own Kingdom, or 
 Church, better thanHis 
 profefs'd Followers do, 
 fince His time. 
 
 16 Chrift cfid leave 
 the Nature of His own 
 Kingdom,and the Max- 
 ims of fupporting it, to 
 be decided^ by Others 
 after Him, againft Him- 
 felf, and againft His 
 own exprefs Profeffions. 
 
 17. To teach Chd- 
 ftians that They muft 
 either profefs^ of be fi- 
 lent^ againft Their own 
 ConfcienceSj in regard 
 
 to 
 
( ?29 ) 
 
 the Authority of Others, to the Authority of 0- 
 over them, is to found thers^ is a very good 
 that Authority upon the Doctrine; very confift- 
 
 Ruines of Sincerity and 
 Common Honefty ; to 
 4tach a Dodrinc which 
 would have prevented 
 the Reformation and the 
 
 ent with the Sincerity 
 and Honefty becoming 
 Chriftians ; very ufeful 
 for the Juftification of 
 the Reformation^ and 
 
 Being of the Church of Church of England y per- 
 England; which devefts fedly confiftent with 
 Clirifl of His Empire in Chriftians Regard to 
 
 His own Kingdom, and 
 leads His People to pro- 
 ftitute their Confciences 
 at the Feet of Men. 
 
 ^ i8. Chrift never m- 
 terpofeth, fince his firft 
 Promulgation of His 
 Law, either to convey 
 Infallibility ; or to af- 
 fert the True Interpre- 
 tation of it. 
 
 Chrift as their King ,• 
 and not at all leading 
 them to proftitute Their 
 Confciences at the Feet 
 of Weak Men. 
 
 1 8. Chrift does in- 
 terpofe, fince the firft 
 Promulgation of His 
 Law, to convey Infal- 
 libihty to Some of 
 Thofe who interpret it ; 
 or to aflert the True In- 
 terpretation of it. 
 
 Thefe are the Tropofitions which I l>ave laid 
 down ;. and xht Propojitions contrary to them. 
 I produce thefe laft, not to infmuate as if Any 
 One Member of the Committee^ which drew up 
 the Reprefentat ion J exphcitly and knowingly 
 maintains Thefe contrary Propofitions : but to 
 objferve that the Propofitions in M^ Sermon and 
 
 Pre- 
 
( 330 >) 
 
 Prefervative^ upon which They have jfix'd fuch 
 and fuch luppofed Abfurdities, Tendencies, and 
 Evil Confequences ,• and upon which They have 
 built their Charge ; cannot be denied to be TruCy 
 and Chriflian^ without allowiiig Thofe, which 
 are Contrary to them, to be True and Chriftian^ If 
 My Propojitions are Falfe^ or Umhriftian^ or 
 Worthy of Cenfure ; then the Propojitions con- 
 tradid:ory to them muft be True^ Cbrifltan^ and 
 Worthy of Approbation. I have therefore pro- 
 duced them ; and having done fo, will only add 
 this. If thefe Propojitions^ contradidory to 
 Mine, are neither True, Chriftian, nor Worthy 
 of Approbation ; then certainly, My Propojitions 
 are neither Falfe^ nor Unchrijtian^ nor Unworthy 
 of Approbation ; but truly and juftly what They 
 ought to be, and what All Chrijlians and Prote^ 
 Jlants ought to join to inculcate and promote. 
 
 And that this may be done the more efFedual- 
 ly, I fliall here add Some Principles^ which ought 
 to be the Meafures of Judging, to Us all, in Eve- 
 ry fuch Important Matter ; and which, I am 
 well aflured, will never fail Us, whilft We ap- 
 ply them with Sincerity and Uprightnefs of 
 Heart. They are the Principles^ upon which All 
 the foregoing Arguments rely : and the Principles 
 contrary to them, muft be the Support of what 
 is Urged againft thofc Arguments. 
 
 I. Chrijl has the Supreme Authority of Legi/la- 
 tor and JuJge^ with refped: to All Chrijlians. 
 
 X. No Authority therefore, can be juftly 
 claim'd hy Any Chriflians^ of what Rank foever, 
 in any Chrijlian Church, which deftroys the Su- 
 preme Authority of Chrijl* 3. The 
 
( 331 ) 
 
 3- The Will o^ChriJi is deliver'd to All Chri- 
 ftians for the Concluil of their Lives. 
 
 4. No Humane^ Fallihle Authority therefore, 
 can determine Chriflians in Toints of Religion, 
 which Tiiey themfelves do not judge to be agree- 
 able to the Will of Qhrifl. 
 
 y. Whatfoever equally concerns the Salvation 
 of All Chriflians^ is equally propofed to the 
 Under flandings of Ail. 
 
 6. There can, therefore, be no fuch thing as 
 fuhmitting Our Under flandings^ out of Humility 
 or out of Lazinefsj to Any Other Men whatfo- 
 ever, in Points relating to Eternal Salvation ; 
 without either fuppofing that Chrifl did not de- 
 liver His Will for Us^ in things which concern 
 Us ; or did not deliver it plainly enough for Us 
 to find it out, (with the Aids and Means, He 
 has put in Our Power,^ in Thofe Points which 
 concern Our Eternal Salvation^ and therefore 
 require all fufficient Plainnefs : tho' the taking 
 in the Advice and Affiftance of Others^ and at- 
 tending to their Arguments, is perfectly confi- 
 ftent with the foregoing Tropofition. 
 
 7. No Argument can be admitted by Trote- 
 flants^ which deflroys the very Eflence of Fro- 
 teflantifm : nor can any Reafoning conclude 
 juftly in Favour of Any Powers amongft Them, 
 which They conflantly and ftrongly condemn 
 in the Church of Rome. 
 
 8. No Authority therefore, can be claim'd by 
 Any Reformed Churchy which was jnftlv con- 
 demn'd and oppos'd, in order to the Reformation 
 It felf. Confequently, 
 
 9- Na 
 
( 3^2 ) 
 
 9- No Suhmtffion in Religious Affairs can juflly 
 be demanded homProteJlants^ hy Proteflanfs, upon 
 any fach Foundation, as would have abfoiutely 
 prevented the Reformation it felf. 
 
 10. Whatfoever was True at the Time of the 
 Reformation^ is True ftill. 
 
 11. Whatfoever Principles are True and Jufi^ 
 when urgM againft Papifis^ are Ukcwife fo^ a- 
 mongft Protejlants. 
 
 IX. Whatever Principles and Conduct, are 
 Unjuftifiahle in Papijls^ are equally foy in AH 
 Proteflants* 
 
 13. Whatfoever was the Foundation of the 
 Reformed Church of England thtriy is fo flill : and 
 whatfoever was neceilary to juftify it at frfl^ is 
 iieceflary to defend it novo. 
 
 14. Nothing therefore, which contradicts the 
 Main Principle of thQ Reformation ; and That, 
 without which the Church of England it felf could 
 not juftly have been in being ; can be for the 
 True Interefi of this Churchy as it is a Proteflant 
 Church. 
 
 If. As it is a Chrijiian Churchy nothing can 
 be fuppofed either to fupport or defend its In- 
 terefi, which, admitted as True, would have 
 prevented even the Reception of Chriftianity it 
 felf; or which contradids the Main Z)^^;^ of 
 the Gofpel, 
 
 1(5. The Principles therefore, which alone cmi 
 juftjy and unexceptionably fupport it, are fuch 
 as are Uniformly and Confiftently Chrijiian^ and 
 Proujfant* 
 
 When 
 
( 533 ) 
 
 When th^k Propofitions fliall be duly confi- 
 der d, I will be content to be condemn'd by All 
 Chriflians and Protefiants, who will openly, and 
 in fo many Words, condemn Thefe Propofitions : 
 and indeed I defire to be acquitted by Thofe 
 Qhrtflians and Proteftants only, who fee and 
 acknowledge Them to be true ; and ad juftly 
 and confiftently, upon them. 
 
 I will fay a Word or two to apply them, and 
 then put an End to the Reader's Trouble. 
 
 Let us then fuppofe that this Sermen had been 
 preach'd at the firft beginnings of the Reformation 
 here in England: whilftAllCii;i/Q^c^5-wereinthe 
 Hands of /'ij^i/Zj; andwhilftthe firft Foundations 
 oit\\^Church oi England were laying, in a glorious 
 Oppofttton to Their Pretenfions to Humane Autho- 
 rity in Religion^ as fuch. Let it be read with this 
 Suppofition^ by Any Protejiant putting Himfelf 
 fo far back ; and placing Himfelf in the Cir- 
 cumftances, in which Proteflantifm was, at that 
 Time. And then, let it be confider d whether 
 it be True, or Falfe ; Flelpful to the Defignd 
 Reformation^ or not. If it be found fo, let it 
 be acknowledged to be as Jujl now, as it would 
 have been then ; and as neceflary to defend this 
 Reformationy and this Church of England^ at this 
 time, as it would have been then^ to form them : 
 and that Principles^ very good and very necefla- 
 ry theny have not loft their Nature, and are 
 not become Malignant and Pernicious now. 
 
 But as This Sermon has been preach'd, and the 
 Principles avowed in the Prefervative, publiflied 
 in thefe latter Days, when the Church of Eng- 
 land 
 
( 3H ) 
 
 land is in a flourifliing Condition, and has that 
 Eflahlijhment by Laws^ which the Romijh Church 
 had heretofore ; let Us now confider what any 
 Roman Catholic^ of a common Underftanding, 
 might be fuppofed to fay, upon the Reception 
 They have met with, amongft Many Members 
 of This Church ; and the Ufage of their Author : 
 and what I doubt not, Many of them have al- 
 ready faid to ProteftantSj upon whom They can 
 hope to make any Impreffions. 
 * You fee what the Advocates of your Church 
 are truly aiming at, whilft They are com- 
 plaining, in All their Writings againfl Us, of 
 Our Enormous Claims ; and keeping Tou from 
 returning to Us^ by Outcries againft Our En- 
 mity to Toleration^ and Pretenfes to Church- 
 Power. In their Controverfies with^jr, when 
 They were firft forming their Churchy or have 
 thought Themfelves to have Occafion for ity 
 None fo ready to come to a temper with All o- 
 ther Proteflants; None fo great Enemies to 
 A// Authority Over other Mens Condudt 
 in Religion; None fo Zelous againft: bringing 
 the Motives of this World into Religion ,• 
 None more hearty for the People's Right to 
 fearch the Scriptures ; and to follow that 
 which appear'd true to Themfelves, accord- 
 ing to the Beft; Light it fliould pleafe God to 
 affi)rd them ; None fo vehement againft: ad- 
 hering to the Clergy^ or being determin d by 
 their Weight, or Learnings in Rehgion. But 
 when They themfelves are fettled in the 
 Worldly Powery and the Humane Advantages^ 
 * * which 
 
( 335 ) 
 
 which They have ftripd Us of; it is quite o- 
 theiwife. Here you have an Inftance. One 
 of their own Church has openly declared a- 
 gainft Humane Authority Over the C o n- 
 sciENCES of Others in Rehgion ; againfl: 
 All Authority to oblige Others to Suhmifwn^ 
 or Silence^ againfl: their own Confciences; a- 
 gainfl; adding the Sandions of this World to 
 Chrifli's Laws ; againfl: regarding the Deciji- 
 ons of Any Leaders, 2isfuch, or without com- 
 paring them with the Will of Chrifl:. He has 
 refer'd Chrtjlians to Chriji Himfelf, for ChrijF^ 
 Religion ; and aflerted Their Right to follow 
 Their own Confciences^ after their fincere En- 
 deavours towards feeing the Truth. And 
 how has All this been received? Has it not 
 been charged^ as deftroying All Authority in 
 the Church ; as making All Profeflions in Re- 
 ligion alike; nay, as putting Religion and 
 Irreligion upon an Equal Foot; as leading to 
 Difreped: and Difregard to the Clergy ; as 
 leading All Men to do what is Good in their 
 own Eyes, in a bad Senfe ; and as reducing 
 Chrift s Kingdom to a State o^ Anarchy and 
 Confufion ? 
 
 * Judge Ton from hence, if They-^ who charge 
 tlici^tPrinciples in fuch a manner, do not claim 
 Thofe Powers, which in their Writings againfl: 
 C/jT, They utterly in Words difclaim. They 
 ever aflert the People"* s Righr to judge for 
 TJiemfelves, and to fearch the Scriptures for 
 Themfelves, in their Arguings vv^ith Ws : and 
 ever difown the Authority of Clergy, and 
 
 ' Coun^ 
 
( 356 ) 
 
 Councils ; and ever profefs that All is to be 
 examin d by the Rule of Gods Word ; and that 
 the Illiterate are as much Judges for themfelves, 
 as the moft Leamed All this, when They are 
 direding Themfelves againft Usy and prevent- 
 ing the EfFed: of Our Arguments. But as foon 
 as any One inculcates and ^reffesThefePoints in 
 general, upon Chrifiians; and fliews any Zeal 
 for them, without particularly applying them 
 againft Us only ; You fee, He prefently be- 
 comes loaded with Ail the Reproach imagin- 
 able. Some declare them to be Falfe and Per- 
 nicious. Others declare them not fit to be 
 fpoken, or trufted to the World. Some de- 
 clare them utterly inconfiftent with the Inte- 
 reft of the Church of England, And Others de- 
 clare that the fpeaking fuch Things does not 
 at all help its Intereft Now, this is a plain 
 Demonftration that They^ who thus treat thefe 
 Principles^ only fometimes write againft Our 
 Ufe of them, for Our Purpofe ; but really re- 
 ferve, and monopolize them, for their own ; 
 that They no more v^'i^iTheir People to judge 
 forThemfelves, thznWe do Ours*^ and that their 
 Aim is to eftablilli that Authority in their Own 
 Hands^ which They deny to Others only. And 
 this will fliew You that They had Ni? Rights 
 (if their Charge againft Thefe Principles be 
 juft,) to depart from Us : or to throw off Our 
 Authority : and therefore, that You ought to 
 return to the Centre of Unity and Church- 
 Communion, amongft Us.' 
 
 f Nor 
 
( 357 ) 
 
 Nor can I fee how Any One, who lays this 
 Charge upon thefe Principles, could dired: a Per- 
 fon to anfwer to all this. But I think, a very 
 good Anfwer may be made to it, upon thefe 
 very Principles ,* and fuch an On^^ as cannot 
 be rephed to: And this in the following manner. 
 * It is true indeed that. Some are pleas'd thus 
 to treat Thefe Principles^ and Thofe who in- 
 culcate them upon Protejlants in general ; and 
 to claim a Clofe and Immediate Regard to the 
 Do^rines and Decifions of Spiritual Taflors^ e- 
 ven whiift They are warning the whole World 
 againft regarding what is preach'd by One of 
 Thofe Spiritual Fajiors, who differs from them. 
 But this is No Argument^ either againft the 
 Reformation^ or the Church of England : nor 
 againft Thofe many Excellent Perfons amongfl 
 Its Fafiors^ and Members^ who adhere with- 
 out Variation to the true Foundation of both • 
 andfcornthe poorCondud: of approving 777^if 
 in Protejlants^ which They and All their Bre- 
 thren conftantly condemn in Papijls. The 
 Principles o? the Reformation^ and oFthe Church 
 of England-, are true and juft ; notwithftanding 
 the Precenfions of Thofej who appear with fo 
 many Zelous Expreffions in the Caufe of this 
 Church. For My own Part ; I could not have 
 been of this Church, if the Decifions of Hu- 
 mane Authority^ properly fo call'd, could have * 
 claim'd the Regard of Chriftians. I now com- 
 municate with it, as founded upon the Right 
 oi All Chrijlians to judge for Themfehes ; and 
 as I judge it lawful and ChriiUan fo to do. 
 
 Z ' But 
 
r 338 ) 
 
 But I do not condemn the Right of this Church 
 it felf to be what it is, by judging^ cenfuringy 
 or pmijhing^ Thofe who, coiidudting them- 
 lelves by the beft Light They have, neither 
 think nor aft, as I do. I leave Them to the 
 Judgment of God: nor will I ever call in any 
 of the Motives 'of this World to enUghtcn or 
 diredl their Confciences. Tou^ and Others^ may 
 call this, leaving All Men to do v>^hat is right in 
 their own Eyes : But I efteem it to be leaving 
 Them to do what They ferioufly judge to be 
 Right in the Eyes of Chrifi and of Go<^/. Tou^ and 
 Others^ may call it, if you pleafe, fetcing Men 
 loofe from All Religion ; and leading Them to 
 1^0 Religion. But the Reformers^ and the Church 
 of England at firft, thought it quite otherwife. 
 And / Ihall ever think it to be the only way 
 to True Religion^ v/hich rehes upon a fmcere 
 and willing Choice : and the contrary Method 
 to tend to the Deftrudion of All Religion iw 
 the Eyes of God, by deftroying the Honefi 
 Enquiries and the fincere Choice of Men. But 
 I know what You Roman Catholics always 
 mean by Religion ; and that is, Tour own Parti- 
 cular Communion. a^id Way of Worfhip : and Vv hen 
 You reprefent r\\tTrat Protejlant Principles as 
 DcPirudlive to AH Religions^ or Rehgious Pro- 
 fefions^ You always leave out of the Account 
 'Chrift^s Religion^ and the Chrijlian Profejfion. 
 I join in Communion with the Church of Eng- 
 land^ as a Part of Chrift's Churchy and not the 
 Whole. And Your Argument therefore, can- 
 not perfiiade Me to quit this Proteftant Church 
 
 ' of 
 
(339) 
 
 o^ England^ till you can iLew Me that the Do- 
 Prints of Particular Men in it, are the Aw 
 thentic A^s of the Church ; or that I canaot 
 communicate with it, wichout approving of 
 what Any of its Members have thought fit 
 to fay. If you can do this ,• I wiUindecd for- 
 fake its Communion: but I Will not then return 
 to Yours, for the very ftme Reafons for 
 which I forfake the Other. But I know, This 
 cannot be prov'd of the Church of England. I 
 know the Principles thus treated, are the 
 Principles of Our Church, and of All Protejiants : 
 and that Tour Chief Strengch lies in this only, 
 that They are not confiftently maintainM and 
 own'd ; but Many Claims and Practices, con- 
 trary to Them, continu d amongft Protejiants, 
 Let*^ but Thefe Principles be uniformly, con- 
 ftantly, openly, declared and allow'd ; and 
 the Condutt of All Protejlant Churches be gui- 
 ded by Them, without Deviation : and / 
 know% 2inA.Tou know, that Your Mouths would 
 be for ever ftop'd ; that You would not be a- 
 ble to frame One plaufible Argument: againft 
 the Reformation ; and for the Church of Eng- 
 land in particular, that it could have nothing 
 to fear from theUtmoft of Tour Enmity \ and 
 could meet with Nothing from All Protejiants 
 around ir, but Every Inftancc of Due Regard 
 and Friendfliip/ 
 
 Thus have I endeavour'd to fliew how an 
 Honed Man might anfwer to fuch 2\\ Attack of 
 a Roman^Catholic ; confiftently with his being a 
 Protejlant^ and a Member of the Church of Eng- 
 land. Z -L Aad 
 
( 34-0 ) 
 
 And now, for a Conclufwn of th.t Whole'j 
 I fhall add but a few Words. I have 
 carefully confider'd and re-examin'd the 
 Trincifles 1 have publiih'd, w^ith regard 
 to Chnjliamtjj to the Reformation^ and to 
 the Church of England ; and I have no 
 Favour to entreat even of Thofe amongft 
 Ourfelvesj who may poffibly come to the 
 reading of this "Defenje with the Strong- 
 eft of Humane Prejudices about Them^ 
 but what 1 now beg of Them with the 
 greateft Earneftnefs : and that is, that 
 They would remember. They are Chri^ 
 flians and Trotefiants ; and therefore that 
 They would admit nothing in this De- 
 bate, as true, which muft, in Eifect and 
 at the End, deftroy the Right of the 
 Whole Reformation ; the Foundation of the 
 Church of Ej^igland in particular ; and the 
 very Ejjence of Chriftiamty it felf. . This is 
 All I have to ask o^ Men. And I ask it, 
 
 not 
 
( 34-1 ) 
 
 not only for My own fake, who can never 
 fuffer in their Opinion, if this One Thing 
 be granted ; but for Their o^uun fakes aHb, 
 and for the fake of ^lli that ought to be 
 moft valuable in their Eyes. 
 - And of Almighty God, I beg, with 
 All the Fervency becoming a Chrijliany 
 that if, in the Whole or Any Part of 
 this Debate, 1 have advanced what is 
 difagreeable to His Will, or deftru(5live 
 to the Great Deiign of His Son's Religion^ 
 It may effedually be brought to nought ; 
 and the Weaknefs of it laid open in fuch 
 a manner, as to prevent the Reception or 
 Tro^agation of it for ever : But if I have 
 advanced what is really the very Ejjence 
 of All that is good in His Eyes ; what a- 
 lone can make Religion truly Religion; 
 What alone can make IVIen the Diiciples 
 of His Son, and the iVorfii^^ers of Him- 
 felfj according to His will; that This 
 Good and Excellent Caufe may not fuf- 
 fer 
 
fer at frejent^ either thro' any Red Im^er- 
 feciions of mine^ or thro' Any^ which Hu- 
 mane Paffion and Humane Refentment 
 may fix upon Me^ in order to ftop its Pro- 
 grefs ; and that^ in Time to come^ it may 
 pleafe Him to raife up Terfons^ in All Re- 
 Ipeds more quaUfy'd to fupport and pro- 
 mote a Caufe^ equally ufetul to Religion 
 and Civil Society; equally neceffary to the 
 Happinefs of Humane Life here^ and here- 
 after *y and equally Important, with re- 
 ipedt to the Dignity and Well-being of 
 MaU;, and to the Honour and Service of 
 Almighty God Himfelf ! 
 
 FINIS. 
 
So?ne BOOKS lately fruited for James Knapton ani 
 Timothy Childe in St. Paul'j Chunh-yard. 
 
 SEveral Trad:s formerly publifli'd, now colleiled into one Vo- 
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 The prefentDelufionof many Proteftants confidered : A Sermon 
 prcach'd in the Par jih Church of St. Peter s Poor in Broad'Jireety 
 N&vemhe?- 5, 171 5. Fourth Edition. 
 
 The Rcftoxarion made a Bleffing to us by the ProtcftantSuccef. 
 fion: A Sermon preach'd before the King ac the Royal Chappel at 
 St, jfam(^s's. May 19.1616. The Fourih Edition. lyiy* 
 
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 and Common Senfc of the Chriftian Laity. The Fourth Edition. 
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 The Nature and Duty of a publ ck Spirit : A Sermon preach'd 
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 An Anfvver to the Reverend Dz.Snape's Letter to the Lord Bi- 
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 of Bangor, Containing an Account of His Behaviour, and 
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 A 
 
A Second Letter to the Reverend Dr. Sherlock^ being a Reply to 
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 Papifts not excluded from the Throne, upon the Account of 
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 A Letter to the E^eveiend Mr. Trap, occafioned by hisSermon on 
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A 
 
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