not make himself farther known even to Mofes, nor fuffer himfelf to be otherwise described to the Children of Ifrael, (though to get them out of the Land of Bondage) than by the comprehenfive Words, I am that I am; which methinks might baffle our officious Impertinence, and put us in mind of the Danger of peeping into the Ark.

THE above Difputes make us neither wifer nor better. Men are not intended for Speculation; exceeding few are capable of it. The Faculties of our Minds, as well as the Frame of our Bodies, are adapted to Labour, and to fupply the Exigencies of our Nature. We are formed for Society and mutual Help, and the Goodness of God has implanted in us Qualities fuited to thefe Ends; he has, befides, given us Precepts for our Affiftance, and annexed infinite Rewards to the Obfervance of them. We know how to be good Parents, good Children, good Neighbours, and good Subjects; but how fmall a Part of Mankind underftand, or are capable of understanding Metaphyfical Queftions! When they ufe the Terms, it is plain that they have no Ideas annexed to them, but fight at Blind-Man's Buff, and quarrel about what none of them underftand. It is evident therefore that the All-wife Providence could not intend to perplex and confound weak Minds with fuch Subtilties, for the Knowledge of which he has not given them fuitable Qualifications.

T. NUM

ດ

NUMBER XIII.

Wednesday, April 13. 1720.

The Church proved a Creature of the Civil Power, by Acts of Parliament, and the Ŏaths of the Clergy.

HAVE obferved, in my laft Paper, that many of the Proteftant Priests endeavoured to divert the growing Spirit in the Chriftian World for Reformation, to Metaphyfical and ufelefs Speculations, of no Benefit to the prefent or eternal Happiness of Mankind, whilst they were feating themselves at leifure in the Chairs of their Predeceffors.

BUT far otherwife was it, where it fell under the Direction of Laymen; who confidered it as an Opportunity put by Heaven into their Hands, to free themfelves from the Ufurpations, and unjust Domination of the Priest

hood.

hood. They made no Scruple (notwithstanding the loud Cry of Sacrilege) to feize and apply to publick Ufes, a great Part of thofe Riches, which the Clergy had extorted from old Women, and fuperftitious and enchanted Bigots; the Compofitions for Murthers, for publick and private Robberies; the Plunder of dying and despairing Sinners; and the Supports of their own Idleness, Pride, Ignorance and Debauchery.

A bold and honest Physician (whofe Name was Eraftus) at this time started up, and told the World, that all thefe Squabbles of the Clergy about their own Power, were Difputes de lana caprina, (concerning a Non-Entity) and that none of them had any Right to what they almoft all claimed: That the Quarrel amongst them was only which of them fhould opprefs the Laity, who were independent of them all; for that their Minifters were their Servants,Creatures of their own making, and not of God Almighty's. He fhewed them from Reason and Scripture, that every State had the fame Authority of modelling their Ecclefiaftical as Civil Government; that the Gospel gave no Pre-eminence, or Authority to Chriftians over one another, but every Man alike (who had fuitable Abilities) was qualified to execute all the Duties and Offices of their moft holy Religion; and that it was only a Matter of Prudence and Convenience to appoint particular Persons to officiate for the reft, with proper Rewards and Encouragements; which Perfons would be in

titled

titled to no more Power than they themselves gave them.

THIS Doctrine, as little as it pleased the Clergy, yet prevailed fo far with the Laity, that most Proteftant States modelled their Ec- 、 clefiaftical Polity according to their own Inclinations or Interefts; and particularly, in England, the whole Reformation was built upon this Principle, which ever till lately was efteemed the great Characteristick of the Church of England; and therefore 'tis the last Degree of Priestly Infolence for a Body of Men to call themselves the only true Churchmen, at the fame time that they deny, and every where exclaim againft, the fundamental and effential Article which distinguishes it from moft other Churches, and particularly from Presbytery; for as to the reft of the Articles, the Calvinists are more Orthodox than the Churchmen themselves.

AT the very Beginning of the Reformation, the Clergy here in England, conscious of their own Enormities, and the juft Vengeance which hung over their Heads, were contented to difgorge their ill-gotten, and as ill-ufed Power; and, in full Convocation, threw themfelves upon the King's Mercy, acknowledging his Supremacy in the fulleft and most fignificant Words; and promised in verbo facerdotii, that for the future they would never prefume to attempt, alledge, claim, or put in use, enact, or promulgate any Canons, Constitutions, or Ordis

I

pances,

nances, without the King's moft Royal Licence and Affent had thereunto; and humbly befought his Majefty to appoint Thirty Two Perfons, half Clergy and half Laity, to examine the Canons and Conftitutions in being, and to abrogate and confirm them, as they should think good.

THIS Petition was changed into an Act of Parliament by the 25th of Hen. the VIIIth, Cap. 19. But it is there declared, That the Crown and Convocation together, fhall not put in Execution any Canons, Conftitutions, or Ordinances, which shall be contrariant or repugnant to the King's Prerogative, or the Laws of the Kingdom: The fame Statute also gives an Appeal from the fupreme Ecclefiaftical Court, to the King's Commiffion.

IN the fame Seffion of Parliament, the Manner of Proceeding upon the Conge d'Elire is directed, viz. *A Licence from the Crown is to be fent to the Chapter to choose or elect an Archbishop or Bishop, and a Letter miffive with it, to nominate the Perfon whom they are to choose; which if they do not obey, nor fignify the fame, according to the Tenor of the Act, within Twenty Days, they are subjected to a Præmunire; and if the Election be not made within Twelve Days, the King may nominate a Bishop by Letters Patents without any Election at all, as is now done in Ireland,

25 Hen. VIII. Cap. 20.

and