I always had a great veneration, for that Command of the Apoftle, who lays a Charge upon Chriftians mutually to bear with, and to forbear one another, in Matters of private Difference either in Opinion or Practice; and there is a great Latitude of Charity to be exercifed among particular Churches, with regard to the feveral Genius's and the different Rights of People: I willingly allow to all Men, much more to Chriftians, all that Liberty, Natural, Civil, and Religious, that confifts with Scripture and Reason, which is as much as I defire to use or enjoy my felf: 1 admire the excellent Temper, of Constantine the Great, who profeffed he would not have Men Cudgell'd, but Convine'd to be Chriflians; that Religion was a Matter of Choice, not of Conftraint; that no Tyranny, no Rape, no Violence is more deteftable than that which is committed upon the Confciences of Mankind, when once they come to be Mafters of fo much Reafon as to chufe for themselves, and understand thofe Principles upon which they laid the Foundation of their Faith. This was. the Sense of that Great Emperor, who never interpos'd his Imperatorian Power to alter or to innovate, to judge or decide in Matters of Religion, but left that to the Piety and Prudence of thofe Holy Bhops, who by their Unanimity in Doctrine and Practice, furmounted the the Terrors of Perfecution, and carried on the Cause of the Gofpel, with fuch Splendor and Authority, that few Chriftians had the Impudence to difpute, much lefs to diffent from that exquifite Harmony and Publick Order they died Martyrs to establish. And confiftent with this Primitive Notion of Church Unity and Forbearance, has been the Practice of all Nations, where Chriftianity has been receiv'd: It was foon obferv'd to be the most fatal Neglect, to leave Religion fo loose and diffolute, as to have no Hedge about the Vineyard, to impofe no Limits or Restraints upon the Perverfnefs and Ob ftinacy of fuch bafe and refractory Spirits, who under the name of Liberty, and the pretence of Confcience, oppofed themselves to the Publick Settlement, and therefore it was thought fit there fhould be every where fome Grand Univerfat Eftablishment, as fhould be the públick Meafure and Standard of Religion, with reference to Doctrine, Worship, and Government: This was always recommended to the People, and enjoyned by the Authority of the State, which very feldom made ufe of the Sword to enforce Obedience, yet always took care to fupprefs Schifm and Diffention, that the Diffenter fhould modeftly offer his Objections to an Ecclefiaftical Affembly, who examined faithfully into his Pretences, and to whose whofe Determinations he was oblig'd to fubmit. It was an Inftitution in the very Infancy of the Gospel, to appoint Perfons of the most eminent Piety, Wisdom and Learning, to be, as it were, the Guardians and Confervators of Religion: The Power they exercised was originally of Divine Right, and from our Saviour defcended upon the Apostles and their Succeffors, to whom, in cafe of Difference and Difpute, addrefs was made, not only for their Counsel and Judgment, but to obey their Decifions and Decrees, which bound every Man to receive no other Doctrine in opposition to what that venerable Confiftory delivered to the Churches. This Precedent of the Apoftolick Age, induc'd the Times that followed to convene Ecclefiaftical Councils, to overfee the Concernments of Religion in their refpective Districts and Provinces; whofe Office was to try and examine any Novel Doctrine, and whose Authority prohibited the difperfing of New Opinions, till they were propounded to the Coun cil, with the Reasons why the Diffenter thought fit to add to, or to differ from the Profeffion of the Publick: If the Pious Convocation admitted of his Arguments, he had Liberty of declaring them to the World, otherwife, it was Excommunication to propagate his DoAtrines, to reflect upon the Wisdom of the Synod, Synod, or to violate the Unity of the Church: This was the only Liberty of Confcience allowed of, in the pure Ages of Chriftianity, when it was thought to be a Principle of Disorder and Confufion, for every one to do what the Spirit mov'd him to believe to be right in his own Eyes. It is certain, that private and modeft Differences very fafely may, and very charitably ought to be born with Tenderness, and a compaffionate Forbearance; but it would be the Peft of every Thing Sacred, to establish Iniquity by Law, I mean to tolerate the Ignorance and Impudence of proud and ambitious Minds, out of fear of encroaching upon the confcientious Liberty of a Chriftian; for I fhall always be of this Opinion, that when once Men come to be free to profefs what Religion they please, they will foon take the Liberty to be of no Religion at all. N. B. Whereas the Lord Bishop of Bangor has invented a New Method of answering Controverfies by way of Advertisement in the Publick Prints; thefe are to represent to his Lordship, that the Company of Comedians, acting at the Theatre Royal in Drury-lane, by an undeniable Right, have always had the Honour of the first Advertisement; and it is hum |