what grounds we have for our perfuafion that such common faith was nothing more or less than a belief in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and the other articles contained in our Creeds. Under this perfuafion, the Church of England, as a national Church, as a Church reformed from the grofs errors, corruptions, and fuperftitions of Rome, has not only "power to decree rites, or ceremonies, but authority in controversies of faith ;” viz. authority, not to determine, but to declare. Accordingly we do not anathematise, or moleft them that renounce our Doctrine, or separate from our Difcipline, upon principles avowed by ourselves. We maintain our own rights without encroaching upon the privileges of others. We "discover, condemn, and avoid" what we call and believe to be herefies, without 'aiming, or withing to prevent them by coercion. We conceive spiritual government to be as compatible with religious liberty, as temporal jurifdiction is with civil; and that when the Reformers afferted the right of private judgment in matters of religion, the natural right of all men to make ufe of their own faculties, they could not poffibly mean to invest every individual with the "privilege of working out his own falvation by "his own understanding and endeavours," independently on any extraneous affiftance, or inftruction whatever; and much less to intimate, that he

is under an indifpenfable obligation fo to do. Were this the cafe, the Apoftle's queftion, are all Teachers must be answered in the affirmative; and the neceffary confequence would be, that EVERY BODY, and yet No BODY would be a Teacher. Which is abfurd. Neither the jufteft claim, nor the most reasonable exemption can alter the nature of things. If it be true, that this Church derives her exiftence from the exertions of human reafon, emancipating itself from fpiritual flavery; it is as true, that he owes her prefervation to decent order, and legal establishment. If it be true, that the bulk of the people naturally wish to act, to think, and to judge for themselves; it is as true, that they naturally take advice or inftruction from others, fubmit to controul, and reverence authority. In fhort, to whatever causes we are to afcribe that diverfity of opinion which diftracts the world; how perplexing fo ever the prefent conftitution of things may be; or for whatever reasons it has pleased infinite wisdom to place us in a state of trial, infirmity, and imperfection; one general truth muft univerfally be subscribed to; viz. that, with refpect both to faith and practice, the Lord knoweth them that are bis, ‡ and will hereafter acknowlege them accordingly.

1 2 Tim. ii. 19.

P. S.

any

P.S. It is needlefs to tell the fenfible reader, that I have not been profeffedly contending with of the latitudinarian writers whose works are incidentally quoted, or referred to, in the progress of these Difcourfes and Annotations. If what has herein been offered be fufficiently folid and fatisfactory, they are severally replied to, though not in form, yet in effect.

THE END.

N. B. The reader is defired to correct a few errors of the Prefs with his pen; efpecially in p. 84. 1. 15.-109. l. 1.— 147. 1. 16.-333. 1. 26.-334. 1. 11.