Nations, and preaching the Gospel wherefoever they could find opportunity, converted Multitudes of fingle Perfons to the Chriftian Faith; thefe united themselves in little Societies by agreement to affemble together at certain Seasons, and worship God by the Apoftles Directions thro' Jefus Christ.

III. In fome of those fame Cities wherein Christianity was preach'd, there were or might be alfo feveral other Societies of Men under the fame Civil Government, united together by peculiar Agreements among themfelves for different Purposes.

Let us now fuppofe for inftance in the City of Corinth there might be a College of Philofophers, a Society of Painters or Antiquaries, a Synagogue of Jews, an Assembly of Deifts, and a Church of Chriftians.

IV. Each of thefe being voluntary Societies chufe their own Prefidents, Teachers, and other Officers out of their own Body as they stood in need of them, in order to regulate the Affairs of their Society: and they themselves contriv'd and agreed upon Rules and Laws for the Government of their own Society, except where their original Founder had left them certain Rules and Directions,

to which they confented to submit.

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V. The chief and most important things in the Chriftian Society were appointed by Chrift and his Apoftles their firft Founders. Other Circumftances which were not appointed by the Apostles, and which yet were neceffary to be determin'd fome one way, these were probably determin'd by the common Consent and Agreement of the Church for their mutual Conveniency and general Edification; fuch as, the Hour of their WorShip, the Place of their Meeting, &c. As for other Circumftances which were not neceffary to be determin'd one way, fuch as their common Habits, their Gestures, &c. thefe were generally left indifferent to every Worfhipper; always provided they acted agreeably to the common Light of Nature and Reason of Things, and in a Consistence with the Intereft of the State.

I say, it seems most probable that the Determination of thefe Things was left to the publick Agreement of the People or to their private Liberty: But if any Persons shall fuppose they were left to be determin'd by the. Rulers or Officers of the Church, I will not by any means debate that matter here; 'tis enough for my purpose if it be acknowledg'd, these things were left to be agreed upon or determin'd

determin'd by the Church itself, either the People or their Officers, and not by their Civil Governors*.

VI. Yet ftill let it be remember'd that the Power of the State or the Civil Government is fupreme over all these Societies and their Officers, in all things which relate to the Peace and Welfare of the Nation or the City; and none of them have any Right to do any thing contrary to the Good of the City, or the Civil Government..

As for inftance, If the Colledge of Philofophers profefs and maintain the Opinion of a publick Community of Wives, or of expofing or murdering their Children, if the Synagogue of the Jews fhould refuse to give any Pledges of their Allegiance to Heathen Governors, if the Chriftians fhould pretend that Civil Dominion is founded in divine Grace, or that the Saints should rise and take the City, or that no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks; or if any of thefe Societies should profess and maintain the Right of perfecuting or punishing

* I have no concern here in that famous Queftion, Whether a Chriftian Church must be govern'd by an Epifcopal Perfon or Bishop in the way of Monarchy, or by a Synod of Prefbyters in a way of Ariftocracy, or by the Vote of the People in a way of Democracy: but it is evident that the Civil Powers, of what Form foever they be, have no juft Right or Authority to govern the Church in things facred.

ing any other Society for their peculiar Sentiments or Practices which affect not the State or the publick Good, they themselves may lawfully be fent out of the City and be banifh'd from the Protection of the Civil Government, for thefe things are contrary to the publick Welfare.

VII. But if nothing be found in any of these Societies contrary to the Interests of the State or Welfare of the People, then they may by their profeffed Allegiance claim Protection of the State; the Rulers of the State have no proper Power nor Authority to hinder them from meeting in their feveral Societies which were inftituted for different Purposes: Nor have Magiftrates any Power to determine the greater or the leffer Offices, Rules, Actions, Circumftances, or any Affairs relating purely to these diftinct Societies: they have no power to appoint the Painters what fort of Pencils or what Colours they fhall ufe; nor to require the Philofophers to change any of their Opinions, or to read Plato, or Zeno, or Ariftotle, or to alter the courfe of their Lectures; nor can they impofe Rules on the Affembly of Deifts when to fit, or stand, or kneel; nor fhould they command the Jews when they fhall wash them felves,

them felves, or what Flesh they fhall eat; nor impofe upon the Chriftians what Habits or Garments they fhall wear, or what Gestures they shall use in their Preaching or Singing, or any other Parts of their Worship.

VIII. It is granted indeed that if the Neceffity or Welfare of any fuch City or State require that foreign Silk fhall not be worn, nor any foreign Paper be ufed, in order to encourage a national Manufacture, or that no Perfon fhall appear without a woollen Garment upon them, to promote the Breeding of Sheep, or that Veal shall not be eaten, nor Calves be flain for a Twelvemonth, in order to maintain the Breed of Cattel after a great Murrain, &c. All thefe Societies ought to fubmit their particular Rules and their perfonal Liberty to these Laws of the State, and to comply with them as the State enjoins. But where the Affairs of the State do not require fuch Commands or Prohibitions, there these private Societies and their Actions are not to be model'd and determin'd by the meer Humor, or Caprice, or arbitrary Will of a Magiftrate.

IX. Perhaps you will fay, Are not Civil Magistrates to be obey'd in omnibus licitis & boneftis, that is, in all things that are Law

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