the fecond, as it re-established the Church of Christ, as existing in this country, on the bafis of a spiritual kingdom, fubject in civil concerns to the civil power. In the third, as it restored the Ministry to the legitimate object of their profeffion; the establishment of truth.

The evils difplayed in curfory description in the preceding part of this discourse, as the fatal confequences of thofe ambitious contests of fuperiority which gradually changed the character of Christ's kingdom, exhibit but an imperfect sketch of the disgraceful circumstances which the fucceffive fcenes of history difclose. By nothing could they be fo effectually counteracted, as by the adoption of the important principle of the independency of every Church in its national character; as fubject to no fpiritual head but Chrift; as conceding no fuperiority, and claiming no pre-eminence of jurifdiction; as authorised to frame its own laws, and to regulate its own government. This principle it is, which, while it tends to reduce the different affemblies of Christ's Difciples to the level of that equality which He established, excludes all emulation but that of fidelity to his fervice, and difclaims every idea of mutual animofity and perfecu

tion;

tion; which, while it acknowledges no paftor of an univerfal Church, limited to mortal exertions, submits the preservation of the purity of the individual establishment to the vigilance of its immediate guardians, refponfible for the integrity of the faith, the common pledge committed to the cuftody of all, only to Chrift and his univerfal Church, and reftricted in the regulation of the exterior regimen of the fociety only by orders of necessary institution, and considerations of local expediency; which, while it recedes merely from a nominal centre, preferves its appointed orbit, violating no connection of Catholic union, deranging no fyftem of general harmony.

This important principle, grounded on the effential character of a fpiritual kingdom, and confecrated by the fanction of the Apoftles and firft ages, was the foundation laid by our Reformers, to authorise those changes by which they fought to restore the image and decayed character of the Primitive Church. In the language of early and unadulterated truth they declared, that “ all "the Apostles were equal, and all the Bifhops were alfo equal, fince the whole

*Con. Nic. Can. vi. Concil. Conft. c. 3.

"office

"office and epifcopate was one entire thing, "of which every Bishop had a complete and "equal fhare *." Anxious to exhibit in the excellency of their renewed Church a conformity to the purest model, they withdrew not from the original platform of the Catholic faith, but from the innovations of modern corruption. Cordial to maintain the fellowship of general fanctity, they prefumed not to reprefent the light of falvation as beaming only within the restricted limits of a national establishment, but confidered all who were united by "one bap"tifm" to "C one faith," as common Difciples of "one Lord," common members of one Church +.

This principle, however, when adopted in its most extenfive fenfe, did not give any countenance to unneceffary revolutions or divifions; fince, though it admitted the right of every community to withdraw from effential and fundamental corruptions, and to establish and regulate its own ecclefiaftical difcipline, it furnished no apo

*Cyprian. de Unitate. Burnet, Vol. I. b. ii. fol. 138. Collyer's Collect. of Records, Vol. II. fol. 18.

+ Nowell's Catechifm, p. 96. Acts, ch. x. Gal. ch. vi. ver. 15, 16. Ephef. ch. iv. ver. 5. ver. 11, 12. Matt. ch. xxviii. ver. 19.

F

ver. 34, 35Col. ch. iii.

logy

1

logy for caufelefs feparation or wanton difturbance of general constitutions: it did not fet up the individual congregation in oppofition to the Catholic Church, nor erect private judgment as commenfurate to the deliberate decifion of the fpiritual authority. Confecrated on the ground of religious liberty, it became the bafis of toleration, and produced immediate effects in the indulgence conceded to congregations of foreigners in this country*; though indeed a farther extenfion of its import was neceffary to embrace the rights of the individual subject to the enjoyment of an unfettered confcience, and to that uncontrolled freedom of worship which is now allowed.

The retrospect of the corruptions of the Romish Church which has been made, may ferve alfo to illuftrate the important advantages which could not but refult from fubjecting to lawful control a powerful and ambitious clergy, who, fkreened under formidable protection, and claiming exemption from civil courts †, had been tempted to the indulgence

As that of John A-lafco, and the French and Walloon Churches. See Burnet and Clarendon's Hift. vol. ii. p. 174. † An oath was imposed on Stephen, that ecclefiaftical perfons and caufes fhould be fubject only to the jurifdiction of the bishop.

indulgence of every vicious paffion; whose jurifdiction, nearly paramount to the legiflative dominion of the country, had exercised a tyranny of the most offenfive and dangerous character.

From the first measures of Henry, which cut away the root of the Papal ufurpation, every branch of the independent power of the Clergy foon withered and decayed. Their coercive authority, juftly confidered as of human appointment, was restrained, by qualifications judged expedient by the State *; and

bishop. Blackstone, b. iii. ch. 8. Henry I. forbad any clerk to attend in temporal courts. In fucceeding reigns there were many contefts on this point. King John, after the conftitutions of Clarendon had paffed, conceded to the Clergy that no clerk fhould for the future be brought perfonally before any fecular judge for any crime or tranfgreffion, except for of fences against the foreft laws; or in the cafe of a lay fee, for which fervice was due to the king, or fome other fecular perfon. See Reeves's Hift. of English Law, vol. i. p. 179. Edward IV. confirmed the exemptions from arreft in criminal caufes and penalties of premunire. Collyer, Vol. I. 52. Places of worship were confidered as fanctuaries from the Saxon times, by a privilege ufeful in turbulent and vindictive ages, but dreadfully pernicious in later periods. Many abbeys were, by ufurpation or conceffion, exempted from all jurisdiction of Pope or King.

*

25 Henry VIII. c. 14. Burnet, Vol. I. b. ii. fol. 147. Collyer, Vol. II. p. ii. b. ii. fol. 83. The power which the Clergy derived from the confent of their congregations before they were protected by the State, may be confidered under Chriftian governments as a derivation from the State. The State should indeed then be regarded not in oppofition to the Church, but as conftituting a part of it-as the Laity of the Church.