SERM. ters continued, I know no rules fo good, and IV. which can be fo properly applied, for

pro

moting peace and religion, as those given by the apostle in a parallel cafe, namely, the debates among the primitive chriftians, concerning the Jewish ceremonies; and they are all fummed up in charity and mutual forbearance. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwife minded, God shall reveal even this unto you; nevertheless whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the fame rule, let us mind the fame thing, Philip. iii. 15, 166

SER

SERMON V.

Of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY.

GAL. V. 1.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Chrift hath made us free.

I

Have already endeavoured to explain SER M. the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made V. his followers free, and which the apoftle exhorteth men ftedfastly to maintain, having fhewn that it primarily and directly meaneth the deliverance of the christian church from the grievous yoke of ceremonial obfervances, which, faith St. Peter, neither the Jews themselves, nor their fathers, were able to bear. But by a parity of reason, and indeed according to the defign of the gospel and the plain meaning of its declarations, christians ought to be always free from the appointments of human authority in the affairs of religion and confcience, Chrift Jefus being the fole king in his kingdom, and head of his body which is the church,

SERM. and no other authority than his, nor other V. motives than those he hath declared, being

capable of producing that obedience which alone can fatisfy the obligations of christianity. This prerogative, however, of Christ, and these privileges of his subjects, have been most injuriously invaded by the popish hierarchy and fcheme of religion, which is a kingdom directly oppofite to his, and a religious model perfectly the reverse of the christian conftitution. By confidering this contraft, of the christian state as delineated in the gospel, and the antichriftian ufurpation introduced upon it, we may the better understand the excellency of the former, both in respect to purity and freedom, and be led thankfully to acknowledge the goodness of God in our begun deliverance from the fervitude of the other, which we hope will be carried to a yet greater perfection.

But it may be neceffary to enquire a little farther into the extent of human power and liberty in matters of religion, fince there is a diverfity of fentiments upon this fubject among proteftants themselves, fome of whom fet up claims to authority, much more moderate indeed than thofe of popery, which yet others difallow. There are churches

of

of great eminence in the reformation which SER M. in their publick confeffions affert, that the V. church, meaning that which is called reprefentative, or an affembly of church guides, bath authority in matters of faith. The expreffion feemeth to be exceptionable, and the pretenfion to a power of determining points of faith, very unbecoming men who acknowledge themselves fallible: But, to make it confiftent with proteftant principles, it is interpreted as meaning only what is called a minifterial authority, which fingle teachers as well as focieties of them have to declare their own fenfe of fcripture doctrines, which doth not at all bind the consciences of others, nor is intitled to any farther regard than that of fair and impartial examination, equally due to the opinions of private perfons, and only to be received as every christian judging for himfelf feeth it fupported with fufficient arguments: Nor are these church-definitions, as fuch, enforced with any fanction, any rewards or punishments affecting the fpiritual state of men; for being no part of religion, as the apoftle faith in another parallel cafe, they do not commend us to God; for neither if we receive them are we the better, nor if we receive them not, are we the worfe. But fince the I 4

beft

V.

SERM. beft proteftant writers, who think themselves concerned to make an apology for this, have foftened it fo as to leave little more in it than an inconvenient and improper way of fpeaking, I fhall infift no farther upon it. There is another claim more peremp torily infifted on by many proteftants, and of a power more properly binding upon conscience, which if it be juft, layeth an effectual restraint on the liberty of private chris stians in the matters wherein it is exercised, that is, a power to decree rites and ceremonies.

It is alledged, in defence of this preten fion, that the Jews, burdened as their religion was with a multitude of positive divine appointments, yet added to them many ritual ufages, which were only imposed by ecclefiaftical authority, or handed down by tradition from their fathers; such as a kind of baptifm in ufe amongst them, and fome ceremonial obfervances in the pafchal folemnity, which it doth not appear that our Saviour ever reproved them for, on the contrary, he hallowed thofe to be the federal rites of his new difpenfation; that whereas the New Teftament doth not determine the external circumstances of religion, nor lay any ftrefs upon them; the apostles them