a 
DISSENTERS. 
rity by which they are enjoined and made neceffary to the 
inftitutions of Chrift, and to a participation of Chniftian or- 
dinances, may be reafonably called in queftion. The 2oth 
article of the church of England afferts, indeed, “ that the 
cherch hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and hath 
authority in matters of faith”? If the church hath really 
this authority and power, then all objections urged by dif- 
fenters again{t particular articles of faith, cr modes of pro- 
feffion and worthip, muft be vain and impertinent ; becaufe 
the church, fuppofed to p-ffefs this authority, ought 
be reverently obeyed. But this authority, claimed on behalf 
of the church, is controverted by the aientctes They 
ture, ought to be left indifferent in pradfice, and fhould 
be bound upon Chrift’s fubjects either by civil or ecclefiaf- 
tical laws: neither of which can, in this cafe, be of a any vali-. 
dity, as being both alike of human origin. That “ - bee 
ould be done decently and in order’ (1 Cor. xiv. 20 
ne admit ; but they think there is a manifett cei 
between Gitcdin tances of natural decency and order, whic 
are neceffary to be agreed upon and obferved, in order to the 
performance of any divine worfhip at all: and fuch rites and 
ceremonies, fuch additions-to divine inftitutions, as are not at 
all neceflary, in the reafon ef the thing, or by any law o 
Chrilt ; but only enjoined by a human, that i a» in this cafe, 
the church 
e church 
Rome hath this prerogative, fuch a claim, it/ has been 
faid, will overthrow the reformation itfelf, and fubvert the 
-very foundation of the church which we wifh to eftablifh. 
It may be faid, however, that our church hath exprefsly 
guarded againft any fuch abufe of the power it claims, 
adding in the 2oth article: * Yet is it not lawfu an - 
eburch to ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s 
written ; neither may it fo expound one place of ecipiar 
that it be repugnant to another.” io of this repugnance 
and contrariety, the church, and-not every private perfon, is 
the only proper judge: for if every ae perfon hath autho- 
rity to judge of the church’s decifions, and to reject them if 
they appear to him repugnant to Scripture, then the church’s 
authority, in points of faith, comes to jutt nothing at all. It 
is an authority to.decree, where none are bound t mit ; 
oe 
church, 
4, 
ct 
pee ety 
elives,; without being determined by the pr 
judices of education, the laws of the civil magiftrate, or 
eo 
) 
the decrees of councils, churches, or fynods. It will be 
inquired, however, where does the church pretend to be 
the only proper judge, or where cae private Chriftians 
to judge for themfelves in thefe matters? To which it will 
be replied, the authority it claims is o this kind; it has 
S This power to order the manner of God’s 
fettle articles of faith, it has been faid, is not at all fodved 
in the bithops and ere» who are ufually denominated our 
fpiritual paftors and guides, but entirely in the king and 
parliament.of thefe se under whofe diretion and con- 
troul the clergy are ccordingly the diffenters al- 
lege, that the ak of England is a see prea! ene 
ot properly an ally, but a mere creature of t e= 
Scilag entirely upon the aéts and authorit of peiainnt 
for its very effence and Sed The f aereana of its m 
ters, their power to officiate, the m in which t se 
to adminifter the (eames are all limited ad  ialarag by 
is authority, whic 
f in Chriftian worfhip, which Chrift never decreed, and to make 
articles of faith, which Chrift never made? Neither Chrift, 
nor the apoftles, as they fay, ever gave him this authority ; 
and therefore they wifh to know whence it is derived? The 
{ubjeétion to higher powers, and obedience to magiftrates, 
which the Scriptures enjoin on Chriftians, relates, as they 
conceive, only to civil, not at all to religious m asa be- 
caufe the magiftrate at that time was every where pagan. 
So far is Chriftianity from enjoining, that it adiually forbids 
obedience to civil governors in things of a religious nature. 
It commands us to ** call no man upon earth father or,maf- 
ter,”’ A xxiii. 8, 9.) z. e. to acknowledge no oo 
eh dition of any in deer of religion, but to remem- 
r that ‘one only is our mafter”’ an laweiver, even Chrift 
aa that all Chriltians a are brethren, having no dominion 
i 
i. 4.) They appealed to reafon and confcience, a referred 
the final decifion to every man’s own private jud 
f a i judge 
‘¢ we {peak as unto wife ai) e t we fay.” 
(3 Cor. x. 15.) erceans are commended for * fearch- 
ng - dase tact ‘a af the . 
which the apottles ‘declared to them “t were fo" 
8 the duty of ever 
an 
e 
ell a is able, in the u all the means and helps which 
vine Providence puts into his power; and thus fhould every 
man § fully perfuaded in his own mind.” elieve 
many things upon * human authority ;”” meaning by autho- 
rit 
