prefent established Church, or in ordering ite Rites and Articles of Faith, that it was done not only without, but in actual Oppofition to them: "For in the 1ft of Q. Eliz. the Parsliament alone established the Queen's Supre

macy and the Common-prayer-book, in spite "of all Oppofition from the Bishops in the Houfe of Lords; and the Convocation then fitting, were fo far from having any Hand in thofe Church-acts for Reformation, that they prefented to the Parliament feveral Pro"pofitions in Behalf of the Tenets of Popery, "directly contrary to the Proceedings of the Parliament. *".

"

Hence then, Sir, I think you must be absolutely forced to own (what I know Gentlemen of your Robe don't care to hear) viz. That the Church of England is really a PARLIAMENTARY Church; that it is not properly an Ally, but a mere Creature of the State. It depends entirely upon the Acts and Authority of PARLIA MENT for its very Effence and Frame. The Qualifications of its Minifters, their Power to officiate, the Manner in which they are to adminifter the Sacraments, are all limited and prescribed by Authority of Parliament, and this Authority, which at firft made, can alone alter and new-make it; can abolish, or add to its Articles or Rites, according to its Pleasure, even tho' the whole Body of Bishops and Clergy ever fo much dislike, or proteft earnestly against it.

It is a Point therefore inconteftible, and abfolutely out of Doubt, that THE CHURCH, your Ага

*Fide Prieftcraft in Perfection, Pref. Pag. 4.

Article declares to have this Authority and Power here, is the KING and PARLIAMENT of thefe Realms; and it is no other than they.. But,

THIRDLY. The grand Point which yet sticks, and which, without your Affiftance, I shall never get over, is, how came the civil Magiftrate by this Authority in the Church of CHRIST? Who gave him this Power to decree Rites in Christian Worship, which Chrift never decreed; and to make articles of Faith which Chrift never made? Neither CHRIST, nor the Apoftles, ever gave him this Authority; whence

then is it derived?

The Subjection to higher Powers, and Obedience to Magiftrates, which the Scriptures enjoin Chriftians, relates only to civil, not at all to religious Matters: For this obvious Reason; that the Magiftrate at that Time was every where Pagan. The Apoftles therefore instead of paying, or exhorting Chriftians to pay, any Subjection to him in religious Affairs, ftrenu ously exhorted them to renounce and difavow it-to come out from among them and be feparate. They were every where, you know, Sir, Diffenters from the established Church.

It

CHRISTIANITY is fo far from enjoining, that it actually forbids, Obedience to civil Governors in Things of a religious Nature. commands us to call no Man upon Earth Father or Mafter*, i. e. to acknowledge no Authority or Jurifdiction of any in Matters of Religion,

Matt. xxii. 8, 9.

Religion, but to remember, that ONE, one only is our Mafter and Law-giver, even CHRIST; and all Chriftians are Brethren; i. e. ftand upon an equal foot, having no Dominion' over one another. Tho' the Princes of the Gentiles exercife Dominion over them, and they who are Great exercife Authority upon them, yet it shall not, our LORD fays, be so amongst you . Nay, but your Church replies, in this its ተ XXth Article, it shall be fo amongst us.-There are fome who have Authority over others in Matters of Faith. There are other Mafters befides CHRIST Thus the Article and the Scripture manifeftly clash: Will you be fo good, Sir, as to adjust the Controverfy betwixt them, and tell me which I am to follow.

The Church is CHRIST'S Kingdom: a King dom not of this World: For his voluntary Humiliation and fuffering of Death, he is advanced to the high Honour of being fole Lawgiver, Judge and Sovereign in religious Matters. He only hath Authority to fix the Terms of Communion for his Followers or Church; and the Terms which He hath fix'd, no Man upon Earth, nor Body of Men, have Authority to fet afide, to alter or new make. And if any Men upon Earth fhall prefume to alter, or new make, Terms of Communion in his Church, they are guilty of great Arrogance, and invade his Authority and Throne. But this, we apprehend, is what you have done.

+ Matt. xx. 25.

You

You will not now receive a Perfon to publick Baptifm or the Lord's-Supper upon the Terms on which CHRIST and his Apoftles would have received him. Neither CHRIST not his Apofiles ever made the Sign of the Cross, or other Sponfors befides the Parents, neceffary to a Child's Baptifm; nor did they ever make kneeling a neceffary Term of receiving the Sacramental-Supper; but both these you make neceffary +. Thus you have taken upon you to new model the Church of CHRIST, to change and fet afide his Laws, and to make others in their room.

Now give me leave to ask you, Sir, by what Authority do you prefume to reject thofe from your Church, whom in your Conscience you believe CHRIST and his Apostles would have received into theirs? Are you wiser than they? Or is your Church better framed, and more perfect than theirs? If an honeft and fincere Christian now brings his Child to you to be publickly baptized, defiring it may be done without the Sign of the Crofs, and that himself may ftand forth as Surety for its Education; would you not refuse him? Or if he defired to be admitted to the Communion of Chriftians, in the other Sacrament of the Supper, but that he might not take it Kneeling: Would you

C

not

+ The XXVIIth Canon requires, the Minifter never wittingly" to administer the Communion to any, but to fuch as kneel. The XXIXth Canon requires, that no Parent shall be urged to be prefent at his Child's Baptifm; nor be admitted to answer as Godfa ther for his own Child.

not reject him? But if the fame Perfon had come to JESUS CHRIST or the Apostles, offering himself and Child upon the fame Terms, would they not have received him? But how is it, Sir, that you take upon you to reject from CHRIST'S Family and Church, those whom you believe HIMSELF would have received? Is not this Lording it over GOD's Heritage, and ufurping CHRIST's Throne? Is it not fetting yourselves up for Law Makers and Rulers in his Kingdom; claiming Homage from his Subjects? And are not his faithful Subjects, by the Allegiance they owe HIM, obliged to enter their Proteft against fuch Ufurpation, and to ftand faft in the Liberty wherewith CHRIST bas fet them free?

Where then, let me appeal to your own fober Judgment, does the Guilt of Schifm lie: Upon you or upon us? Upon us, who offer our felves to Communion in your Church upon the Terms which CHRIST appointed, and are ready to do every Thing which CHRIST has commanded: Or upon you, who abfolutely reject us, unless, befides what CHRIST hath order'd, we will fubmit alfo to fome Orders and Devices of your own? We come as the Lord's Servants, and defire to eat at the Lord's-Table, with reverent Submiffion to all his Appointments. Nay but, fay you, you shall not come to the Lord's-Table, unless you will kneel; i. e. unless you will come in that Posture, which tho' CHRIST in his Wifdom did not think proper, yet which we in our Wisdom have

thought