Authority of the Church, in it's true Nature and Extent, is as facred and inviolable as ever; and it is an Authority in itfelf as fufficient for the Difcouragement and Suppreffion of Herefy, Schifm, and Infidelity, as the most abfolute can be; for though a general Freedom of thinking, and uncontroulable Latitude of Sentiment, have been contended for as Proteftant Privileges, yet these are neither allowed nor countenanced by the Principles of the Reformation. That there might be no Danger of Encroachments from Church Authority upon Chriftian Liberty rightly stated, the holy Writings are not only indulged, but recommended to every hand: to these the Church appeals for the Purity of her Doctrines, and the Legality of her Power; and in doing this she both owns the Right, and challenges the Examination of private Judgment, or human Reason. But then private Judgment, or human Reason, as it is the standing Teft of these Matters, is one Thing; and the Judgment, or Reason of every private Man, another. It was upon rational Principles that this Church was reformed: but the Reformers did not, nor poffibly could, take the Judgment and Advice of the Many, upon the Occafion. They laid the Scriptures indeed open to public View, that the moft Simple and Unlearned might fee how grofly they had been impofed upon in Matters that concerned even their eternal Salvation; and that these Scriptures

Scriptures might be a perpetual Barrier against the like Abuses and Corruptions for the future; but ftill they reserved to themselves the difcretionary Right of spiritual Rulers, to order and fettle fuch Things as did not, nor poffibly could, fall under public Cenfure, and to make fuch Orders, Rules, and Conftitutions, as they thought requifite for the Peace and Government of the Church ".

In

2 I am forry to find myself obliged, in Juftice to my Subject, to animadvert upon certain periodical Authors, who profefs to make Candor and Impartiality the Rule of their Criticisms and Determinations. The Reader will, I hope, believe that nothing but a Defire to discharge my Duty as an Author in the best Manner I am able, and a Hope to undeceive the Public at least in a Matter of the prefent Importance, has given Occafion to what I am about to object, when he is hereby affured that I have no manner of Reason to be perfonally dissatisfied either with the Defign, or the Conduct of thefe anonymous Gentlemen!--Indeed, which is another Circumstance I might urge upon this Occafion, I fhall now, it is more than probable, incur the Displeasure of this HIGH COURT of literary JUDICATURE, and confequently be at the Mercy of, though, I trust, not juftly render myself liable to their feverest Animadverfions. But I have long taught myself neither to court Applause, nor decline Ill-will, by proftituting my Principles, or disguifing my Sentiments, as an Englishman, or as a Son of the Church of England. Without farther Preliminary then, I charge these monthly Writers with endeavouring to bring into public Difefteem and Contempt all ecclefiaftical Authority whatsoever; with favouring new and heterodox Notions; with promoting latitudinarian Principles

In fine, as to all clear and undoubted Points of Faith and Confcience human Reason is not in an arbitrary

Principles in Matters of Religion; with encouraging Schifm and Diffention; and with countenancing the Infidelity of others, and even avowing their own, either by direct Positions and Affertions, or by plain Infinuations, or by Citations, without any, or at leaft due Cenfures, of Paffages from Authors of declared Difaffection to the Doctrine, the Discipline, and the Clergy of the Church. This Charge will, I perfuade myself, be abundantly made good by a very few, but undeniable, Vouchers from themselves.--But before I produce thefe, which I shall do without a scrupulous Regard to the Order of Accufation, I must just defire the Reader to forbear giving his Judgment either for or against these Monthly Cenfors, till he has carefully perufed all the Places quoted, and fairly compared them with their respective Originals.—In their Strictures on the Works of the late Lord Bolingbroke, the following Paffage occurs ;- One would be tempted to think, from the abufive "and fcurrilous Manner in which he (Lord Bolingbroke) treats

DIVINES of all Denominations, that he was of Opinion no "Caufe could be good in which they interefted themselves. "That many of them, instead of doing any real Service, "have done great Differvice to the Interests of true Religion, " is a melancholy Truth; their Bigotry and Party-Zeal, their "ambitious and interested Views, their perfecuting Spirit, and "their confining Christianity within the narrow Precincts of "their respective Systems, have been attended with the most "fatal Confequences. Some there have been among them, "however, who have done Honour to human Nature; have "not only preached, but lived the Gospel; have refolutely "maintained the Cause of Truth and Liberty," &c. &c. (See Monthly Review for March 1754, Art. 20, p. 185.)-A very little farther thefe Gentlemen thus exprefs themselves; "Had his Lordship contented himself with railing at the "CLERGY,

arbitrary Manner to be directed and controuled; but in Matters of Church Discipline, and outward Oeconomy

"CLERGY, and with expofing their Conduct, where it de

ferved to be expofed, it had been well; but he has gone much "farther; he has attacked the Religion of his Country in a very "indecent Manner;" and thus at the Distance of a few Sentences; "That every Man has a natural Right of "publishing his Reasons for rejecting the Religion of his "Country, we readily allow; and efteem it a peculiar Happi"nefs under the prefent Government, that no Perfon needs "apprehend any Molestation on account of his particular

66

Opinions, and Speculations in Matters of Religion. But "though every Perfon has undoubtedly this Right, yet it is "furely incumbent upon all to write in a fair, open, and ❝ candid Manner, and not to infult and reproach those who "differ from them, or revile and calumniate any established "Religion whatever." (p. 186.)-The Reviewers introduce their Remarks upon a Satire, intituled, The Robin Hood Society, with the following Paragraph,-" The Defign of this "Poem is to represent the weekly Society for free Enquiry, "&c. who meet at &c. as an Affembly of illiterate, deistical "Mechanics, and profligate Perfons; who indulge them"felves in an unwarrantable, illegal Abufe of the Liberty we ❝ enjoy of freely debating upon facred Subjects. Whether the "Character here given of this Society, be a juft one or not, "we leave those to judge who better know what usually paffes "at the Robin Hood, than we, who have not the Honour to belong "to this Society, can pretend to do." (See Monthly Catal. for July 1756, N°.4.)—After having given us fome Account of Mr. Peckard's Obfervations on the Doctrine of an Intermediate State, &c. thefe Authors proceed-" As to the Merit of the "Performance, we fhall only fay, that the Reader will find in "it fome juft Reflections concerning the Doctrine of the na"tural Immortality of the Soul, and fome very free Senti❝ments in regard to Church Authority." Dr. Sykes's Treatife on VOL. I.

P

The

Oeconomy only, private Judgment and particular Opinion is evidently to be fuperfeded by the Authority of a legal Establishment.

I am

The Scripture Doctrine of the Redemption of Man by Jefus Christ, gives the Reviewers an Opportunity to make these Obfervations."Nothing can be of greater Importance, than to en"quire into the true Meaning of this Doctrine of Redemption. "It is allowed by all to have it's Difficulties, and there have "been feveral contradictory Schemes efpoufed and defended "with more Heat and Paffion, than could have been excused

in a fincere Chriftian. It is very strange, that many Advo"cates for what are called Chriftian Doctrines, do often act a "Part entirely inconfiftent with the Character of one who "profeffes himself a Follower of Jefus. All Paffion, all Pre"judice, all Party-spirit, must be laid afide; as should in"deed the Prepoffeffions in Favour of Words, and Names, "and Hypotheses that are not scriptural; for as Redemption "is a Matter of Revelation, it is not to be explained by Metaphyfics, nor by Schoolmen and their barbarous Terms. "The only Way of coming at the Truth, is that which Dr. "Sykes has taken, of collecting all the Texts relative to this

Subject; for if all the Texts agree in laying down a rational "plain Account, confiftent with natural Religion, and confiftent

with one another, their Report cannot but be true.”Presently after they deliver their Sentiments concerning the Doctor himself in Terms as follow." Our learned Au"thor's former Writings fhew him to be a very impartial and «fincere, as well as able Enquirer after Truth, attached to "no Party, or Syftem. His Effay on the Truth of the "Chriftian Religion is, by far, the best Book on that Topic. "In this his new Performance, he seems to have well confi"dered the Scripture-doctrine of Redemption; let us there"fore hear what he has to fay upon this moft interefting "Subject; and let us hear him with all that Candor, "Attention, and brotherly Love, that becomes those who "hold the Faith as it is in fefus." (See Review for May

66 1756.