Mercy, or Justice, is virtually inclufive of the whole Race of Mankind:-That Chrift bas obtained eternal Redemption for all those who pay fincere Obedience to the Will of his Father, as far

as it may be known:- -That all Men's perfonal Claim to Happiness in Chrift will be measured by the Extent of their Abilities, and the Improvement of their Advantages:-That though all Men are by Nature born in Sin, and the Children of Wrath, and there is no meritorious Goodness in any Man" that is ingendred of the Offspring of Adam," yet yet there may be in every Man fomething imputable to him for Righteousness through the Merits of Chrift:-That particular Privileges and Affiftances are covenanted, but probably not confined altogether to Chriftians: That no Man is absolutely destined to eternal Happiness or Misery, and that Prefumption on one hand, is as dangerous as Defpair on the other.

In a word, it will behove us as Chriftians, to bold fast the Profeffion of our Faith without wavering, and it will become us at the fame time as Men, rather to magnify than extenuate the Love of God in the Redemption of the World by his Son Jefus Chrift: and methinks, instead of abfolutely appropriating the Merits of our Saviour's Death to a particular Denomination, or to a felect Branch thereof, we fhould think

more

more highly and worthily of God, by supposing even unknown Worlds, and the whole Universe of intelligent Beings, to be comprised in fo glorious a Dispensation.-As for Chriftians themselves, the least they can do is, according to the plain, but pertinent Direction of our Church-catechism," hear

tily to thank their heavenly Father that he hath " called them to this covenanted State of Salvation ; "and to pray unto him to give them his Grace, "that they may continue in the fame unto their "Lives End."

СНАР.

CHA P. III.

Containing an Examination of other religious Matters relative to Church Polity, and Ecclefiaftical Government.

SECT. I.

HE Zealots of the Church of Rome have

TH

ever affected to reprefent the Reformation as the fruitful Parent of Herefy and Divifion in the Chriftian World. When our Forefathers, fay they, abjured the Supremacy, and renounced the Infallibility of the Apostolic See, they did in effect fupprefs all Church-Government, introduce Anarchy and Confufion into the Chriftian Republic, and set up private Opinion, in Opposition to, and to the Subverfion of public Authority. Accordingly Modes of Faith, and religious Systems, continue they, are as changeable among us as other ordinary Fashions, and the Scriptures have been interpreted at random by the perverfe Rule of Men's Fancies, or Interests, or at best by the precarious One of their Understandings.—But this is a Reproach that has frequently been replied to, and in a great measure retorted upon the Enemy. Religious Differences, and opposite Tenets, are no Novelties in the Church of Rome. The most fanguine of the Affertors of the Doctrine of the Infallibility of the Church in general, are not agreed

agreed in what Hands to place it.

With

regard to Errors, and Herefies, it is indeed but too certain, that many of the most pernicious Nature sprang up in the first and pureft Ages of Christianity; and that public Authority, in what Hands foever vested, and in what Manner foever executed, could never effectually fecure the most effential Doctrines of the Church from the Attempts of human Pride, and Wickedness against them.- Thus Schifms and Diffentions, of various Kinds, and Oppositions to antient ChurchGovernment, have perpetually disturbed the public Peace of our Sion, and once overturned in a manner all Ecclefiaftical Polity among us: but such Schifms and Diffentions were no neceffary Confequences of our Separation from the See of Rome; unless it can be demonftrated that there is abfolutely no Medium between oppofing Spiritual Tyranny, and encouraging fchifmatical Licentiousness.— In Vindication therefore of our Holy Mother, the Church of England, we will endeavour to inquire into the Nature and Extent of that Authority which was clearly and undoubtedly lodged by Chrift in his Church.

For this Purpose then let it be observed, that our Saviour himself, as much as he difclaimed all temporal Jurifdiction over the Perfons of Men, did yet frequently exercise the Authority of a spi

ritual Governor, and Law-giver, in a manner perfectly fuitable to his own Situation in Life, and the infant State of the Religion he came to teach. We find him even during his Minority giving Proofs of the Zeal and Affiduity with which he meant to execute the Commiffion entrusted to him by his Father; for though he was fubject to his natural Parents, like other Children, yet when they found him in the Temple fitting in the midft of the Doctors, and both bearing them, and asking them Questions, to the Astonishment of all present, and gently rebuked him for the Sorrow and Uneafinefs he had given them by withdrawing from their Company; he checked the Impropriety and Impertinence of that Sorrow with a manifeft Air of Superiority and Independency; how is it that ye fought me? wift ye not that I must be about my Father's Bufinefs? The fame Superiority over his Holy Mother he afterwards exerted when he manifested forth his Glory, by his Beginning of Miracles at Cana of Galilee.-Again, if we take a View of him in the Discharge of his Ministry, we may obferve him, as well when he wrought many of his Miracles, as when he delivered his great Doctrines to the Public, affuming an Importance agreeable to the Divinity of his Character, and the Dignity of his Office; with Authority be commanded the unclean Spirits; and not only the Matter of his Doctrine, but the Manner of his preaching it, was

peculiar