it convenient to change their style; and, when the war was carried on against Episcopacy. itself, the expurgatorial authority of their editors in later editions expunged these charitable attestations out of their works; which hath a very guilty appearance.

11. The Dissenters plead, that what is called the Act of Toleration, has given a sanction to their separation, and taken away the sin of it. They are "not chargeable with schism, since they who have the power of continuing or altering our Church at their pleasure, have given them liberty to withdraw, and have taken their places of worship under their protection as well

as ours."

If I understand this plea right, it is a millstone about the neck of all the rest; because it shews, that the apologist of the Dissenters hath argued without principles, and so hath fallen into a manifest contradiction. He began with mocking at the Church of England, as having no foundation but upon the King and Parliament: or, as another Dissenter hath expressed it, in the like insulting strain, as " built upon the foundation of the Lords and Commons, the King himself being the chief corner stone." And they have argued, that it even ceases to be a Church, of Christ, because it acts under the allowKK 3

ance

ance of the civil power. Yet in their own case, the King and Parliament, by an act of grace, can make schism to be no schism! The protection we have from the civil government is cast in our teeth, as a disadvantage, which extends even to the unchurching of us, and throwing us out of the kingdom of Christ; but the same thing (supposing them to have it) takes. from them the guilt of their separation ! And thus they give to the King and Parliament, the privilege of God himself, who only can forgive sin which is more than we ever allowed them.

away

It is a very false suggestion, that our civil government can alter the Church at their pleasure. There is, indeed, a sense, in which it may be said, that a man has power to do whatever he can do by force and violence; but still there is an essential difference between the power of force and the power of right and authority. The Church of England never can be altered legally, without the consent and act of the Convocation, who are a part of the constitution: and if it were otherwise done, it must be done by an act of violence, against the rights. of Englishmen, for Englishmen do not lose their rights by being Christians and Churchmen; as their enemies are inclined to have it. There

can

can be no power of authority in laymen to make or unmake a Church, any more than there can be a power in the Church to make or unmake the civil constitution; and nothing can confound these powers but an overbearing principle of infidelity; from which may God deliver us; who hath promised that the gates of Hell (the judicial power of the adversaries of Jesus Christ) shall not prevail against us. Suppose the civil power should make an act, that the King shall ordain priests, or that priests shall not baptize children, nor consecrate the sacrament, what would such an act signify? There-. fore, they have not the power to alter the Church at their pleasure; for this might be their pleasure, if their wits, or the grace of God were to forsake them. Such a power, if it were claimed, was never exercised even by Heathen persecutors. However, the Dissenters do not seem unwilling that such a tyrannical power should be exercised, and appear to relish the idea of it, if it be but turned against the Church of England. No one spiritual act can be exercised, nor is it claimed by the civil power in this country; which can neither baptize, nor ordain, nor absolve, nor consecrate, nor excommunicate; although the Dissenters, in the heat of their zeal, have given the state a spiritual

K K 4

spiritual power, and even more, over us and themselves too. But the state can say, who shall or shall not partake of temporalities: and this very state will say, some more, some less, as long as the Church accepts of their protection, and enjoys a legal maintenance and support under them. Worldly politics in such a case will be sure to interfere, and abuses will arise. Churchmen will be apt to accommodate themselves to the views and inclinations of the state, or some of the acting members of the state, who are their friends; their doctrines will change with the times; their consciences will become too flexible and easy, and the people whom they teach will be in danger from them. There is no convenience in this world. without its inconvenience. When the state was schismatical in the days of the grand usurpation, the Church of that time could find no such sin as sacrilege in the Scripture, for the fear of giving offence to their patrons, who were deep in the guilt of it: and the Assembly of Divines (as it was remarked long ago by Bishop Patrick) avoided all mention of it in their Annotations.

12. The Dissenters hold themselves blameless, because many persons of the Church of England, and some of great and popular cha

racter,

racter, have justified and even applauded their separation.

I find great stress laid upon this circumstance, which is blazoned out with pompous words and splendid quotations, as well of what hath been spoken (or so reported) as written. But the fear or favour of men, especially of men too attentive to the interests of this world (as some of their friends have certainly been) is a very unsound bottom' for the Dissenters to rest upon: and so they esteem it themselves, when it is on our side. But if any false brethren amongst us take part with them, all such are excellent men, ornaments of the establishment, and of unanswerable authority. Sometimes the Dissenters are all for the Scripture; Jesus Christ is their only King; and to him they appeal for the rectitude of their proceedings: but if they find a flatterer amongst us, they make the most of him: and some such are always to be found; for all are not Israel that are of Israel; and it doth not follow, that a man must be true to the Church of England, because it hath introduced him to a seat in the House of Lords. Temporal considerations bring some men into the Church, whose hearts and affections never were, nor ever will be with it. Of such no honest man can approve; and therefore the approbation of such,