cles of faith in particular established churches, or fuch as fhould have the countenance of particular ftates. The fynod of Dort in Holland made decrees concerning articles of faith, and proceeded in as rigorous a manner against those who did not conform to them, as any popifh fynod or council could have done. The time is not yet come, though we may hope that it is approaching, when the abfurdity of all interference of power, civil or ecclefiaftical, in matters of religion fhall be generally understood and acknowledged. APPENDIX Of the Authority of the Secular Powers, or the Civil Magiftrate, in Matters of Religion. WE have feen the daring attempts to introduce an arbitrary authority, fo as to decide concerning articles of faith, as well as concerning matters of discipline, made first by the popes, who were nothing more, originally, than bishops of the single church of Rome, and afterwards, by councils, or a number of bifhops and other ecclefiaftical perfons. This ufurpation led the way to another, not indeed fo exceffive in the extent to which it has been carried, but much more abfurd in its nature. The former ufurpations were of the clergy, who might be supposed to have studied, and therefore to have understood, the christian system; but the latter is by mere laymen, who cannot be fuppofed to have given much attention to religion, and confequently muft be very ill prepared to decide authoritatively concerning VOL. II. A a cerning its doctrines or rites. Of this nature is the ecclefiaftical authority which, upon the reformation, was transferred from the popes to the fecular powers of the different states of Europe, and more especially that which was affumed by the king and parliaments of England. The Roman emperors, when they became chriftians, did, indeed, interfere in the bufinefs of religion; but it was either to confirm the election of bishops (which was foon perceived to be of confiderable. importance to them in civil matters) or to convoke fynods, or general affemblies, when, as they apprehended, the peace of the state was in danger of being difturbed by herefies, and factions in the church. But though they fometimes figned the decrees of the fynods, it was never fuppofed that their vote was neceffary to the validity of them; and though they regulated the revenues, and other things of an external nature refpecting the church, they never prefumed to pronounce either by their own single authority, or that of the fenate in conjunction with them, what was truth or what was falfehood, what ceremonies ought to be admitted, and what ought to be rejected, as has been done by the civil governors of Europe fince the reformation. Conftantine, who was himself prefident, or moderator in the council of Nice, fpeaking to the bishops on that occafion, faid, as was mentioned before, before," Ye are bishops of things within the "church, but I am bishop as to externals.'" And long afterwards, when the civil and ecclefiaftical powers were much more intermixed, Charlemaigne, in a letter to the churches of Spain, fays, concerning the council which he had held at Franckfort, I have taken place among the "bishops, both as an auditor, and arbitrator. “We have seen, and by the grace of God we "have decreed that which ought firmly to be "believed*." But though this great prince says We have decreed, it is not probable that he himfelf had fo much as a proper vote in the refolutions. If he had, he would hardly have called himself an auditor, or an arbitrator, though this feems to imply his having more power than that of giving a vote. Though it is not questioned that the emperors generally carried their point with the bishops, and got them to make what decrees they pleased, it was by their intereft with them, and influence over them, and not by a proper authority. And during the prevalence of the papal power, the ftate was fo far from encroaching upon the church, that ecclefiaftics ufurped upon the fecular power, so as even to make and depofe kings. A feries of facts relating to the ecclefiaftical hiftory of England, will abundantly confirm what I have hear advanced concerning the ufurpation Milot's Hift. of France, p. 62. of |