Vefted with all power both in heaven and earth, foon after his afcenfion, he confered the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon them, which qualified them in the best manner for gating his religion in the world.

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This religion as published by Chrift and his Apoftles, and contained in the Scriptures, is a moft excellent and perfect inftitution, admirably adapted to the ttate and circumstances of mankind. It contains the laws of nature, with various additional directions, affiftances, promises, and motives fuited to our unhappy circumftances of ignorance, weakness, and guilt, and directly tending to promote our purity, comfort, and eternal felicity. For as it has provided a remedy for the fears and forrows of humble perfons, fenfible of their guilt and infirmities, by offering a free pardon to them who believe and repent; effectual affiftance to all who are defirous of holiness, and exert themfelves in the way appointed for obtaining it, and eternal life to them who perfevere in well doing; fo on the other hand, it has taken away all ground of hope from impenitent and careless men, by affuring them that without holiness none fhall ever fee the Lord, but that all who obey not the Gospel, fhall be punished with everlafting deftruction, from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.

For preferving the knowledge of this excellent religion, and accomplishing its ends in the world, it is agreable to the will of Chrift

Christ that focieties be formed, in which the doctrines and duties of his Gospel are taught and inculcated, and the Father worshiped through him, the only Mediator between God and men. And he appointed two peculiar fervices of religion, viz. Baptism and the Lord's-Supper; the former to be observed only once, as a token of admiffion into his Church, and of a right to the bleffings of his kingdom; the latter to be celebrated often, in commemoration of his dying for us, and as an acknowledgment of our chriftian obligations.

Though the apoftolic office ceafed with the lives of those who were first ordained to it by Chrift himself, yet it is fuitable to his directions, that Paftors and Teachers be continued throughout all ages, for preaching his religion, offering up prayers, and adminiftering his ordinances.

And notwithstanding the gifts which were confered on the first Minifters of the Gospel are not continued, I apprehend that faithful diligent men, who give themselves to reading, meditation, and prayer, that they may underftand the will of God, enter into the true fpirit of the Gofpel, and qualify themselves for discharging the duties of the christian Miniftry, have encouragement to hope for a bleffing on their ftudies and labours from the Head of the Church. For excellently as this kingdom is constituted, and well as it is furnished with means for its preservation and

profperity, it is not left to the mere natural operation of thofe means, but our Lord conftantly prefides in it, directing its affairs, and by his influence promoting the improvement and happiness of his difciples.

Thus does our Lord exercife his power and grace towards mankind at prefent, but they will be more fenfibly and gloriously dif played hereafter, when defcending from heaven in his own and his Father's glory, he shall raife the dead, convene all men before his tribunal, with unerring judgment separate the good from the bad; and affigning the wicked to mitery proportioned to their guilt, fhall reward the righteous with everlasting life and happiness, rifing according to the perfection of their obedience and holiness, though infinitely above their deferts. Then cometh the end, when he fhall deliver up the kingdom unto the Father, that God may be all in all.

This I fincerely deliver as a general idea of that religion which I firmly believe; and according to which I hope, by divine affiftance, to form both my public and private conduct, that I may fave myfelf and others.

As we have in common with all the Reformed Churches, both at home and abroad, renounced the authority of the Church of ROME, notwithstanding her arrogant pretenfions to be the only true Catholick Church

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and her Anathemas denounced against all that have departed from her Communion as Hereticks and Schifmaticks, divided from the body of Chrift; give us leave to ask you, what are your fentiments concerning the Reformation, and the reafon and foundation of the Proteftant Profeffion ?

The Church of ROME appears to me to be different not only in her ceremonies, and many of her doctrines, but in her very fpirit and conftitution from the Church of Christ ; particularly, as he claims dominion over the faith and religious practice of men, and inforceth her injunctions by the terrors of this world, without which her Anathemas are objects of contempt and I avow it as a fundamental principle of chriftianity, " that every man hath a right, and is required by Chrift, to judge for himself in matters of is religion, and to act agreably to his own judgment, formed by the holy Scriptures, "which is the only rule of faith and prac"tice to chriftians."

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I cannot therefore but look upon the Reformation, as a neceffary, and, as far as it hath proceeded, an excellent work; and heartily pray that all who have rejected the authority of the Church of ROME, may renounce her impofing fpirit, with all her corruptions of the chriftian religion,

QUESTION III.

As there remain fome differences ftill in the constitution and worship of the Proteftant Churches themselves, though profeffedly agreed in one common fundamental principle of the fufficiency and authority of the facred Scriptures alone, as the rule and standard of chriftian faith, worship, and practice, will you pleafe to let us hear why you think it more eligible to exercise your chriftian Miniftry among the Proteftant Diffenters, under the Toleration, than in the Church established by Law?

ANSWER.

The great principle of true religion, "that "it is the right and duty of every one to "fearch the Scriptures, and act agreably to "his own judgment in religious matters," obligeth me to diffent from the Church eftablifhed by Law; fince fhe affumes power" to "decree rites and ceremonies, and authori"ty in controverfies of faith." The acknowledging this authority would be in an high degree improper, as I do not find that Chrift hath delegated fuch power to any man, or body of men on earth, and seems to me to be directly inconfiftent with allegiance to him, who is the fole Head and Law-giver of the chriftian Church *.

In her Service alfo there are fome things that appear to me inconfiftent with the fim

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* Matth. xxiii.8, 9, 10. xvii. 5. John xiv. 23, 24.