baptized by one sort of priests, or by another? or of what use to mankind are the abstruce questions about predestination, free-will, or free-grace? what is the difference, as to the duties or ordinances of Christianity, if they be administered under the direction of a single person, a bench of bishops, or a lower house of convocation, or none of them all, so they be piously administered? or whether the chimerical line of succession, be broken, or ever had a being?

Since 'tis agreed amongst all our present sects of Christians, that the Saviour of the world is the Son of God, descended from Heaven to teach virtue and goodness to men, and to die for our redemption; how are we concerned in the scholastic notions of the trinity? will the scripture be more regarded, or the precepts of it be better observed, if the Three Persons are believed to be three divine distinct spirits and minds, who are so many real subsisting persons? whether the Son and Holy Ghost are Omnipotent of themselves, or are subordinate and des pendent on the Father? or if they are independent, whether their union consist in a mutual consciousness of one another's thoughts and designs, or in any thing else? whether they are three attributes of God, viz. goodness, wisdom and power? or three internal acts, viz. creation, redemption and sanctification? or two internal acts of the one subsisting person of the Father; that is to say, the Father understanding and willing himself and his own perfections? or three internal relations, namely, the divine substance and godhead considered as unbegotten, begotten and proceeding? or three names of God ascribed to him in holy scripture, as he is father of all things, as he did inhabit in an extraordinary manner in the man Jesus Christ, and as he effected every thing by his spirit, or his energy and power? or lastly, whether the three persons are only three beings, but what sort of beings we neither know, nor ought to pretend to know; which I take to be the trinity of the mob, as well as of some other wiser heads.

As far as I can remember, these are the important questions which have set mankind together by the ears, for so many ages; and it seems are yet thought of consequence enough to create new feuds, and mortal dudgeon amongst all our sets of ecclesiasticks. But why must we of the laity quarrel about them too? What have beaus and belles, old women, coblers and milk-maids to do with homoousios, consubstantiality, personality, hypostatical union, infinite satisfaction, &c. none of which hard words, or any like them, are to be found in scripture; and therefore, I think, we may even return to Rome, that being the place from whence they came, and be contented to be good Christians without them.

We ought to shew our faith and obedience to God, by a cheerful submission to his commands, and not affect a vain curiosity of prying into his secrets; pretend to philosophize upon his abstracted nature and essence; and, with our limited and corrupt understandings, assume to comprehend infinite wisdom and power, and define the modus of its existence and operations. Almighty God would not make himself farther known even to Moses, nor suffer himself to be otherwise described to the children of Israel, (though to get them out of the land of bondage) than by the comprehensive words, I am that I am; which methinks might baffle our officious impertinence, and put us in mind of the danger of peeping into the ark.

The above disputes make us neither wiser nor better. Men are not intended for speculation; exceeding few are capable of it. The faculties of our minds, as well as the frame of our bodies, are adapted to labour, and to supply the exigencies of our nature. We are formed for society and mutual help, and the goodness of God has implanted in us qualities suited to these ends; he has, besides, given us precepts for our assistance, and annexed infinite rewards to the ob servance of them. We know how to be good parents, good children, good neighbours, and good subjects; but how small a part of mankind understand, or are capable of understanding metaphysical questions! When they use the terms, it is plain that they have no ideas annexed to them, but fight at blind-man's buff, and quarrel about what none of them understand. It is evident therefore that the All-wise Providence could not intend to perplex and confound weak minds with such subtilties, for the knowledge of which he has not given them suitable quali fications. T.

NUMBER 13.

The Church proved a creature of the civil power, by acts of parliament, and the oaths of the Clergy.

I HAVE observed, in my last paper, that many of the protestant priests endeavoured to divert the growing spirit in the Christian world for reformation, to metaphysical and useless speculations, of no benefit to the present or eternal happiness of mankind, whilst they were seating themselves at leisure in the chairs of their predecessours.

But far otherwise was it, where it fell under the direction of laymen; who considered it as an opportunity put by Heaven into their hauds, to free themselves from the usurpations, and unjust denomination of the priesthood. They made no scruple (nctwithstanding the loud cry of sacrilege) to seize and apply to publick uses, a great part of those riches, which the clergy had extorted from old women, and superstitious and enchanted bigots; the compositions for murders, for 'publick and private robberies; the plunder of dying and despairing Sinners; and the supports of their own idleness, pride, ignorance and debauchery.

A bold and honest physician (whose name was Erastus) at this time started up, and told the world, that all these squabbles of the clergy about their own power, were disputes de lana caprina, (concerning a non-eternity) and that none of them had any right to what they almost all claimed that the quarrel amonst them was only which of them should oppress the laity, who were independent of them all; for that their ministers were their servants, creatures of their own making, and not of God Almighty's. He shewed them from reason and scripture, that every state had the same authority of modelling their ecclesi

astical as civil government; that the gospel gave no pre-eminence, or authority to Christians over one another, but every man alike (who had suitable abilities) was qualified to execute all the duties and offices of their most holy religion; and that it was only a matter of prudence and convenience to appoint particular persons to officiate for the rest, with proper rewards and encouragements; which persons would be entitled to no more power than they themselves gave them.

This doctrine, as little as it pleased the clergy, yet prevailed so far with the laity, that most protestant states modelled their ecclesiastical polity according to their own inclinations or interests; and particularly, in England, the whole reformation was built upon this principle, which ever till lately was esteemed the great characteristick of the Church of England; and therefore 'tis the last degree of priestly inso lence for a body of men to call themselves the only true churchmen, at the same time that they deny, and every where exclaim against, the fundamental and essential article which distinguishes it from most oth er churches, and particularly from presbytery; for as to the rest of the articles, the Calvinists are more orthodox than the churchmen themselves.

At the very beginning of the reformation, the clergy here in England, conscious of their own enormities, and the just vengeance which hung over their heads, were contented to disgorge their ill-gotten, and as ill-used power; and, in full convocation, threw themselves upon the king's mercy, acknowledging his supremacy in the fullest and most significant words; and promised in verbo sacerdotii, that for the future they would never presume to attempt, alledge, claim, or put in. use, enact, or promulgate any canons, constitutions, or ordinances, without the king's most royal license and assent had thereunto; and humbly besought his majesty to appoint thirty-two persons, half clergy and half laity, to examine the canons and constitutions in being, and to abrogate and confirm them, as they should think good.

This petition was charged into an act of parliament by the 25th of Hen. the viiith, Chap. 19. But it is there declared, that the crown and convocation together, shall not put in execution any canons, constitutions, or ordinances, which shall be contrariant or repugnant to the king's prerogative, or the laws of the kingdom: the same statute also gives an appeal from the supreme ecclesiastical court, to the king's

commission.

In the same session of parliament, the manner of proceeding upon the Conge d'Elire is directed, viz.* A licence from the crown is to be sent to the chapter to choose or elect an archbishop or bishop, and a letter missive with it, to nominate the person whom they are to choose; which if they do not obey, nor signify the same, according to to tenor of the act, within twenty days, they are subjected to a præmunire; and if the election be not made within twelve days, the king may nominate a bishop by letters patents without any election at all, as is now done in Ireland, and formerly was so in Scotland, where their bishops were durante bene placito.

The next year the parliament reciting, that the king justly and rightly is, and ought to be supreme head of the church of England, enact the same, and that he shall have full power to visit, redress, reform, ⚫ 25 Hen. viii. Cap. 20.

26 Hen. viii. Chap. 1.

correct, and restrain all errours, heresies, abuses, offences, contempts, and enormities, whatsoever they be, which by any manner of spiritual authority or jurisdiction, ought or may be reformed, redressed, &c.

Afterwards, in the 37th year of the same reign, the parliament, reeiting, that the bishop of Rome and his adherents, minding utterly to abolish, obscure, and delete the power given by God to the princes of the earth, whereby they might get and gather to themselves the rule and government of the world, had decreed, that no layman might exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction, lest their false and usurped power which they pretended to have in Christ's church might decay, wax vile, and be of no reputation, (which power they affirm to be contrary to the word of God, and to his majesty's most high prerogative) and reciting also, that archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical persons, have no manner of jurisdiction ecclesiastical, but by from, and under the king's majesty: enact, that laymen, qual ified as the law appoints, may exercise all parts of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and all censures and coercions appertaining, or in any wise belonging thereunto,

The 2d and 3d of Edward the sixth, Cap. 1. enacts the common prayer-book, (which was before compiled and drawn up by the king's authority) and makes it a law.

The 3d and 4th of Edward the sixth, Cap. 12. appoints such form and manner of making and consecrating archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons, and other ministers of the church, as by six prelates, and six other men of this realm, by the king to be appointed and assigned, or by the greater number of them, shall be devised, &c. and none other. These two acts were confirmed with some alterations, in the 5th, and 6th year of this reign.

The 1st of queen Elizabeth, Cap. 1. establishes and enacts, that all jurisdictions, privileges, superiorities, and pre-eminences, spiritual and ecclesiastical, at any time lawfully used, or exercised, for the visitation of the ecclesiastical state or persons, and for the reformation, order, and correction of the same, and of all manner of errours, heresies, schisms, abuses, contempts, offences, and enormities, shall be annexed to the imperial crown of this realm; and gives power and authority to it to appoint any persons, being natural-born subjects, to exercise all sorts of ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and declares at the same time what and what only, shall be deemed heresy.

The oath of supremacy (which is an assent to these laws, and obliges those who take it, to assist and defend them) is appointed in this act; which oath all ecclesiastical persons, as well as any others, who shall be promoted and preferred to any degree or order in the University, are to take under severe penalties.

The 8th of Queen Elizabeth, reciting, that the queen had in her order and disposition, all jurisdiction, power and authority, ecclesiastical as well as civil; and had caused divers archbishops and bishops to be duly elected, and consecrated; dues confirm all the said elections and consecrations; as also the common prayer-book, and the orders and forms for the making of priests, deacons and ministers, which were added to it in the fifth and sixth years of Edward the sixth.

All which before mentioned acts are now in being, in full force, and sworn to by all the clergy, who are subjected to a præmunire if they contradict them.

Thus our parliaments, at or just after the reformation, whilst the memory of sacerdotal oppressions continued in their minds, were resolved to pare their claws, curb their insolence, and not leave it in power to corrupt religion any more; and therefore put it under the care of the civil magistrate, who could seldom have any interest in perverting it; whereas there is not any instance where, when it has been left to the conduct of any set of ecclesiasticks whatsoever, they have not abused and sacrificed it to the advancement of their own wealth and power.

Even Aaron himself (though a high priest of God's own appointment) when Moses, the civil magistrate, was but a little while absent, to receive the Almighty's commands, cheated the Israelites of their earnings melted them into a golden calf, and encouraged the dupes to say these were the Gods which brought them out of the land of Egypt. He built an altar before his idol, proclaimed a fast, and then made use of all this deceit to extort from that stupid and superstitious people, burnt offerings and peace offerings. This provoked Almighty God to that degree, that his wrath was kindled against the whole nation, and he was inclined to consume them all, till Moses the lay sovereign, turned his fierce wrath by his prayers, and by remembering him of the oath he sware to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, namely, that he would multiply their seed like the stars in heaven, &c. And then it is true, that the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them. But no thanks to the priest who had drawn them into this scrape. Exod. Chap. 32.

T.

NUMBER 14.

The Clergy proved to be creatures of the civil power, by the canons, and their own public acts,

Is my last discourse, I have shewn what is meant by the supremacy of the crown of England; by virtue of which, our kings sometimes with, and sometimes without their parliaments, have governed and modelled the ecclesiastical state, ever since the reformation, bishops, as well as inferiour clergymen, have been often suspended and depriv ed by the king's authority; and, in the instance of archbishop Abbot, for his pleasure. The popish bishops were all deprived by queen Eliz abeth, and some thousands of the parochial clergy were ejected by the act of uniformity; and many also of all orders were deprived at the revolution.

I shall now proceed to shew what have been the opinions and prac tice of the whole body of the ecclesiasticks, since the making of these laws; in doing which, I shall take notice only of their public and au thentick acts: for as to the whimseys of private doctors, I think them