To this we are beholden for all the Corruptions and Fopperies brought into Religious Worship, as well as the ill-fhapen and ungainly Brats of Paffive Obedience; the Divine Right of Kings and Bishops; the Uninterrupted Succeffion; the Priests Power of the Keys; of Binding and Loofing; remitting and retaining Sins; the Real Prefence in the Sacrament; the Altar, and Unbloody Sacrifice upon it; the giving the Holy Ghoft; of Excommunication, as laid Claim to; and Confecration of Churches and Church-Yards; the Reconciliation of God's knowing what we fhall do with a Power in us not to do it; of Perfecution for Opinions, and the Tritheistical Charity; with a long Train of Monkish Fooleries befides: All, or any Part of which, could never have entered into the Heart of One Layman, or Clergyman either, if Nothing had been to be got by them.

NUMBER

NUMBER XV.

Wednesday, April 27. 1720.

The Abfurdity and Impoffibility of ChurchPower, as independent on the State.

I

Have fhewn, in my laft two Difcourses, that the Clergy of England have no Jurifdiction, Power or Authority whatfoever, which is not derived mediately or immediately from the Legislature; and that they have all fworn to this Principle: I now own my felf fo much concern'd for their Reputation, that I will even run the Hazard of incurring the Dif pleasure of fome of them, by proving, that they have taken true Oaths, and that it is impoffible to constitute a Proteftant National Church upon any other Foundation.

I intend to fhew, in the Course of these Papers, that there is not the leaft Colour or Pretence for the chimerical Diftinction of Ecclefiaftical and Civil, in any other Sense than

as

as the Words Maritime and Military are used to denote different Branches of the Executive Power; for take away the legal Establishment, and the Clergy can have no Power at all, but what flows from the Consent of voluntary Societies; which I undertake hereafter demonstratively to make out; and I defy all the Ecclefiafticks in the World, united together, to take one Step towards proving the contrary, without plunging themselves in everlasting Nonfenfe and Abfurdity.

But to keep them a little in good Humour, I will fuppofe, for the prefent, that their wild Hypothefis is true; and that our Saviour, whilst upon Earth, (even against his own Declarations) had Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction over the whole Earth; that he gave it to the Apostles; that they convey'd it on to their Succeffors; and that the Church of Rome, and the prefent Clergy of the Church of England, as by Law established, are their undoubted Succeffors: Nay, I will be fo civil as not to ask one Queftion, what fort of Power that was? but take it for granted it was worldly Authority, and ought to be rewarded and fupported by worldly Equipage, Wealth and Titles; and if they have any Thing more to ask of me, I will grant that too, and then examine what Ufe can be made of these Conceffions to the prefent Purpose.

I defire first to be informed, from whence they will fetch their Ecclefiaftical Heraldry of Archbishops, Diocefan Bishops, Deans, Chapters,

Chapters, Archdeacons, the new Office of Deacons, Officials, Commiffaries, the Two Houfes of Convocation with co-ordinate Powers, Ecclefiaftical Courts, Parish Priests, and Curates, with the whole Train of inferior Machines, and spiritual Under-strappers. Here I doubt all their Texts, all their Schemes will fail them; for very few of these hard Names will be found even in their own Translations of the Bible, and they must have Recourse to Human Authority at last.

If they fay, (as I fufpect they will) that the Government of the Church being conveyed down to the Bishops from the Apostles, they must have all Power which is neceffary to it; and confequently have a Right to appoint Courts of Judicature, and Ecclefiaftical Officers, as alfo to give them proper Powers to answer the Ends of their Trust.

I would then ask them, whether this great Epifcopal Authority is given to every Bishop, independent of all the reft; to all the Bishops of the whole Church every where dispersed, agreeing together; to the Majority of this Whole; or to the Majority of any Number of them meeting in one Place, either by Confent, Accident, or the Appointment of Princes or States? For, I think, it must be agreed by all the World, that if the Bishops had any Power from God, which is Independent of the Civil Sovereign, he cannot restrain, model or limit it; and that any accidental Alterations of the Bounds of Dominions, ei

ther

ther from Conqueft, Chance or Confent, can no Way affect this Divine Authority, or hinder its Operation.

If every Bishop has this whole Power delegated to him from God; then by what Authority can the Exercise of it be afterwards reftrained to a particular District or Diocese, fo as to make his Actions out of it, not only invalid, but fchifmatical and criminal? Who can limit a Power given by the Almighty ? Not the Civil Sovereign, who has nothing to do in another Jurifdiction; nor the Bishop himself, who must accept it upon the Terms God has given it.

It cannot be fuppofed that he receives it for his own Sake, but as a Trust for the Benefit of Christianity; and it must be the higheft Breach of this great Truft, not to dif charge it perfonally, but to divide it with others, of whofe Honefty he can have no fufficient Knowledge.

Befides, when thefe Bifhops differ from one another, (which will happen as often as they have different Complexions, Interests, or Understandings) what muft the Chriftian World then do? Muft they follow the Bishop of Br, or the Abbot of W-- ? Or suffpend their Chriftianity till they are all agreed? A folid Rock truly to build God's Church upon.

So great a Body of Men as the whole Christian Church, or the Majority of them, never did, or could meet together; and if

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