tions, and are, for the most part, undone by the Experiment. THE first Principles of our Proteftant Church are the Principles of the Reformation; namely, the fpiritual Supremacy of the Crown; the Right of the Laity to judge for themfelves; the forming of all Ecclefiaftical Polity by the Legiflature; and, confequently, the creating of Clergymen by the Civil Authority; a Power forgot by too many of the Clergy, and remembred, against their Wills, by the Laity. Whoever would maintain the Reformation, muft maintain these Principles; or embrace Popery, if he defert them. Whether the folemn Oaths of the Clergy in general have been fufficient Pledges and Motives for their believing and defending them, I appeal to their Behaviour, and their Writings. BEING the fworn Servants of the Law, many of them have avowedly contradicted and bid Defiance to the Law. Being entrufted with ferving and inftructing the the People, they have deceived and fet up for commanding the People. Being chosen by the Crown to "minifterial Offices, they have claimed a Power above the Crown; from which they acknowledge, upon Oath, to have received all Power. They have done what in them lay, to make the Mercy of God of none Effect, by damning whom they pleased; and to difarm his Juftice, by pardoning whom they would. They have made Heaven itself to wait for the Sentence from the Priest's Mouth, and God himself to fol low the Judgment of the Priest. They have pretended to oblige God Almighty to open and fhut Heaven's Gates. They have afferted, that the Priesthood is a Princely Power, greater and more venerable than that of the Emperor: That the Spiritual Government (that is, a Government by Priests) is farther above the Civil Power, than Heaven is above the Earth: That a Bishop is to be honoured as God: That "the "Revenue of Priefts ought to be greater than the Revenue of Kings: That greater Punishment is due to an Of"fence against a Prieft, than to an Of fence against a King: That Kings and "Queens are to bow down before the << Prieft, with their Face towards the Earth, and to lick up the Duft of his Feet: That it is the Royal Office of ་་ Kings and Queens, to carry the Priest "in their Bofom, or on their Shoulders: "That Great Men ought not to fay, My 66 Chaplain, in any other Senfe than we As to the King's Nomination of Bifhops, and the Power that he has over the Convocation, they have maintained, that "The Church fhould as reasonably have the Nomination and depofing of "Kings; and that it is as reasonable, that "the Parliament fhould neither meet or act without the Bishop's Licence and 86 Authority: That the Chief Magiftrate "is bound to fubmit to the Bishop, who may excommunicate him: That it is 66 66 a a Contradiction, and an Impoffibility, "for any State to have Authority over "the Church, that is, over the Priests: "That the Priefts Power extends to the "fettling of Fafting, and Feafting, and "Cloaths That thofe Clergy, who "comply with the Government, and yet "retain their old Principles, are the best "Part, and moft numerous of the Cler gy"; that is, that thofe of the Clergy, who are perjured, are the best and most numerous. They have decreed, that to maintain the Sovereignty of England is in the Three Estates of England, namely, in King, Lords, and Commons, is a damnable Principle. They have afferted, that the Lords and Commons have no more Share in the making of Laws, than a Beggar has in one's Alms: That all Subjects are Slaves, as to Life and Property:" And that Re"fiftance is not lawful for the Mainte "nance of the Liberties of ourselves or others; nor for the Defence of Reli-"gion; nor for the Prefervation of "Church. A 5 "Church and State; nor for the Salva❝tion of a Soul; no, nor for the Re"demption of the whole World." THERE is a choice Catalogue of these extravagant Doctrines, collected in a Pamphlet published fome Years fince, and intituled, A new Catechism, with Dr. Hickes's Thirty-nine Articles; and all of them taken out of the Writings of Men in the highest Reputation among you. Yes, Gentlemen, all these impious, mad, and felfish Doctrines have been maintained by those of your Order, and never yet contradicted by any public A&t of your Body. On the contrary, with your usual Charity and Good-nature, you have fallen upon those who exposed them, tho' they were evidently the very Corner-ftones of Popery, and a flat Contradiction to the whole Spirit and Progrefs of the Reformation. THERE isno Medium between Popery and the Reformation; that is, between the claiming of any Power in Religion, and the |