Page images
PDF
EPUB

with it, to tell me what I may do to give them farther Satisfaction.

HOWEVER, fince not only I, but the Doctrines alfo, which I and fome others have taught, are charged with Popery; and it is principally for the Sake of thofe Do&rines, that I have been induced to write and publish this Vindication: I think it proper to fhew, that thofe Doctrines are likewise most of them directly contrary to, and irreconcilable with the foregoing Articles of the Popish Creed; and if any of them be not directly contrary to it, yet they have no Dependence upon it, nor the leaft Tendency to establish any one Part of it. The Points which have been thus lately published, and charged as favouring of Popery, and which I think myself obliged to defend against fuch an unjust and unreafonable Accufation, are these :

ift, THE Independency of the Church upon the State, as to its pure Spiritual Powers.

2dly, THE Divine Right of Epifcopacy, and the Neceffity of an Epifcopal Commiffion to the Valid Administration of the Sacra

ments.

3dly, THE Oblation of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharift, as a proper Sacrifice.

4thly, THE Neceffity of Sacerdotal Abfolution.

5thly, THE Unction of the Sick. 6thly, THE Middle State of Separate Souls from their Death to the Refurrection, and the Lawfulness of praying for their perfect Confummation in Blifs.

1. THE Independency of the Church upon the State, as to its pure Spiritual Powers, cannot be a Popish Doctrine, because it is as Old as Chriftianity itself, which scarce any Part of Popery is, by at leaft Six Hundred Years. For our Bleffed Saviour and His Apostles exercis'd their Spiritual Powers not only without Leave from, but even in direct Oppofition to the Commands of the Civil Magiftrates, by an Authority receiv'd from, and immediately dependent on GOD alone. For when the Apostles were car-* Ad. ivò ry'd before the Council, and commanded 18, 19. not to fpeak at all, or preach in the Name of Jefus, they answered, whether it be right in the Sight of GOD to hearken unto you, more than unto GOD, judge ye. And accordingly, the Apoftles exercised their whole Spiritual Authority, not only Preaching the Word, and Adminiftring the Sacraments, but they likewife appointed others to perform thofe Offices, Ordaining and Confecrating Bishops, Priefts, and Deacons,

Deacons, and allotting to them their feveral Districts: The fame was also done by the Fathers of the Primitive Church for Three Hundred Years, though directly against many Imperial Edicts. And afterwards, when the Empire became Chriftian, the Church exercised her Spiritual Authority, Independent upon them, and looked even upon Sovereign Princes, as fubject to the Spiritual Discipline of the Church; as, not to give other Instances, we learn from the well-known Example of St. Ambrofe Bishop of Milan, and the Emperor Theodofius. And our Church, in the 37th Article, declares, That we give not to our Princes the Miniftring either of GOD's Word, or of the Sacraments; confequently, that thofe who are appointed to minister them, derive no Authority from the Prince to minifter thofe Ordinances; and therefore they, and not the Prince, are Judges when, and to whom they ought to administer them; and when, and to whom they ought to refuse them; and also, whom they fhall ordain and appoint to perform thefe Ministrations. For though our Princes are declared to have Authority to rule all Eftates and Degrees committed to their Charge by GOD, whether they be Ecclefiaftical or Temporal, yet no Spiritual Power is attributed to them, only they

are

nifac. III.

are to restrain with the CIVIL Sword, the Stubborn and Evil Doers. And the moft Eminent Inftance in the World, of a Bifhop's claiming à Superiour Spiritual Authority over his Collegues, by vertue of a Title received from a Prince, is the Authority which the Popes challenged over Platin. all the Bishops of the World, by vertue of in Vit. Boa pretended Donation from the Emperor Conftantine, and a real Donation which they obtained from the Tyrant Phocas, for that Purpose. By the Force of which, they took upon them the Style of OEcumenical Bishops, and erected a tyrannical Jurifdiction over the whole Roman Empire And by their Concordates with other Sovereign Princes, have let them into fuch a Share of the Spiritual Jurifdiction, as the first Christian Princes were Strangers to: So that whatever Spiritual Power is ufurped by Princes, owes its Original to the Papal Tyranny, and Encroachments on the Ju rifdiction of other Bifhops, and confequent ly is either direct Popery, or a Relique of it.

D

2. THE Divine Right of Episcopacy, and Neceffity of an Epifcopal Commiffion to the Valid Adminiftration of Sacraments, is no Popish Doctrine, but the plain Doctrine of the Church of England. For it is declar'd in the Preface to the Forms of Ordination,

E

that

that from the Apostles Time there have been thefe Orders of Minifters in Chrift's Church, Bishops, Priefts, and Deacons, and that no Man fhall be taken to be a Lawful Bishop, Prieft, or Deacon in the Church of England, or SUFFERED TO EXECUTE ANY OF THE SAID FUNCTIONS, except he hath bad Epifcopal Confecration or Ordination. Now, the Functions of a Bishop, Priest, and Deacon, as appears from the Forms of Ordination, are to minifter the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Difcipline of Christ, as the LORD hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the fame, according to the Commandments of GOD. Confequently, only fuch as are Epifcopally ordain'd can, in the Opinion of our Church, be fuffered to minifter any of those Ordinances. Then in the 23d Article She alfo fays, It is not Lawful for any Man to take upon him the Office of Publick Preaching, or Miniftring the Sacraments in the Congre gation, before he be Lawfully called, and fent to execute the fame. And those we ought to judge Lawfully called and fent, which be chofen and called to this Work by Men who have Publick Authority given unto them in the Congregation, to call and fend Minifters into the LORD's Vineyard. That is, fuch as are Episcopally called and fent ; for fo the Church declares in the fore-cited Paffage.

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »