it; to what purpose all this renunciation of human authority in matters of Religion? this raising fuch a duft about nothing, merely to blind our eyes. Thus much I have thought neceffary in order to put you upon your guard against the fly and infidious infinuations that lurk conceal'd under the mask of truth in the affertion I have been confidering. The affertion itfelf is ftrictly true. Jefus Chrift is the only Head of his Church; nor has any earthly power a right to prescribe what Chriftians are to believe. But from the mode of urging this, and from the ftating it fo particularly as the grand principle wherein all Diffenters agree, would not any unprejudic'd ftranger, ignorant of the differences between us, be naturally induc'd to fuppofe, that this faid agreement was peculiar to the Diffenters exclufively? that the Church of England difavow'd this grand principle? that by her entitling the King her fupreme head, she renounces the Headship of Chrift? that fhe enforces articles on your Faith by the mere dint of human authority, utterly unfupported by the word of God in Scripture? This is in fact what they wish you to believe, though they dare not openly and unequivocally avow it. And this covert mode of attack appear❜d to me of confequence fufficient to demand demand fingly one entire discourse. Their open and avow'd objections, together with what I have farther to offer upon the fubject, I fhall be able to comprize in two more Sermons; and having detain'd you long enough at present, shall now difmifs you with the ufual conclufion; afcribing all honour and glory, praise, might, majesty, and dominion to the ever-bleffed and undivided Trinity in Unity, for ever and ever. AMEN. SERMON At that period of time when England, at length happily emancipated from the spiritual tyranny of Rome, was to establish a National Church for herfelf, it could not be expected in the nature of things that all should be uniformly of one mind respecting the model and form whereon that Church should be conftituted. The Maxim which our Reformers fo prudently adopted, of departing from the Church of Rome no farther than she had departed from the Church of Chrift, was by no means agreeable to fome hot headed zealots, who were for reprobating and discarding indifcriminately whatsoever had been adopted by Papal Rome, however primitive and orthodox ; all which the cant of fanaticism affected to abominate, as polluted by the infectious touch of the fcarlet whore of Ba bylon bylon. Because the Bishop or Pope of Rome had ufurp'd and exercis'd an undue dominion, therefore all Church government by Bishops was Popifh and Antichriftian: because the Church of Rome had invented and introduced many ceremonies that encourag'd fuperftition, and led to idolatry, therefore all ceremonies were fuperftitious, Popifh, and idolatrous: because Papal Rome ufed a Liturgy, all Liturgies were Popish: because Rome encourag'd pageantry, they were for banishing decency. Hence originated the petulant cavils rais'd against praying by precompos'd forms, or a Liturgy; against the use of the Surplice, which though white, was branded as a rag of that fame fcarlet whore; against the innocent, however fignificant ceremonies of the cross in baptism, and the ring in marriage; and against the humble and reverential posture of kneeling at the holy communion. But thefe ridiculous and trifling objections feem at present to be nearly worn out: the expediency of precompos'd forms is pretty generally acknowledg'd by the wifeft and beft of the Prefbyterians themselves, and rejected only by the most illiterate bigots of that fect: and it is candidly own'd, that the old Puritans objected not fo much to the ceremonies themfelves, as, to the authority which impos'd them. And this is one Ariking inftance among many, of the perverfe mifapplication of the principle confider'd in my laft discourse, of Chrift being the only Head of the Church. All these I fhall pafs over; as well as what relates merely to Church government, for the reafon already affign'd; that every National Church has an indefeasible right to model it's own, provided there be nothing therein repugnant to the word of God. Under this head I comprize the exception taken against us, on account of our withholding from Chriftian people the power of choosing their own Ministers. In the opinion of our Reformers the inconveniences of that practice were imagin'd far to over-balance it's conveniences: the Founders of the Scottish Church, with the generality of our Sectaries, thought otherwife: nor has either party any right to find fault with the other on this point. On the propriety of requiring a subscription to Articles from the Clergy, I fhall only observe, that every Society has an undoubted right to prescribe rules and orders to all whom it admits to a ministration of it's Offices, and a participation of it's emoluments. And I hesitate not to affirm, in reply to a most base infinuation, that our declaration of unfeigned affent and confent to every thing contain'd in, and prefcrib'd by the book of Common Prayer, has not the most distant tendency to injure either delicacy of confcience, or the ftricteft re gard |