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after, of perfons, whofe characters are compounded of good actions and bad; which exhibits doctrines, feemingly, the most oppofite, fome of which, are greatly dishonourable to God, others greatly injurious to men ; which delivers precepts, the meaning whereof is, at least, doubtful, and therefore, is liable to be disputed, and, in their literal and most obvious fenfe, the advocates for the Bible, and the trumpeters of it's praise, do not think proper to govern their actions by; all these hold forth a plain reason to us, carefully, and attentively, to read the Bible, and Seriously to confider the contents of it, thereby to distinguish and separate the wheat from the tares, as, in fuch a composition, fome of the latter muft needs take place, in order to attain to, and be kept in, the path of truth, and in the right line of duty. For, as the Bible throughout, and in all it's parts, can scarcely be admitted, and as all the disagreeing parties, that appeal to it, cannot poffibly all be right; fo, furely, it concerns us to take heed, left we be found amongst the many, which, in fuch a hurliburly, must needs be wrong. And tho' the church of Rome has carefully guarded against those evils, by locking up the Bible in an unknown

tongue,

tongue, and by providing, at least, a pretended infallible, living judge, to be always at hand, to give to the people the true fenfe of the Bible, and to fettle and determine all points, that are relative thereto; yet, alas! this is far from being our cafe. We have not only the Bible put into our hands, in our mother-tongue, but we are alfo required to read it attentively, and practically apply it to ourselves, which, confidering the various, and different, and the multiplicity of, tenets, that feerningly are contained in it; the figu rative and ambiguous language, in which some parts of it are expreffed; and the very different measures of understanding and penetration of those who read it; and add to thefe, the different interefts of men, that will be mixed and blended with them; thefe will, as it were, naturally, and almost unavoidably, introduce the divifion and confufion above-mentioned. And, feeing the complainers do not only admit, but insist, that the Bible ought to be put into our hands, and to be read, and practically applied, by all; therefore, furely, they ought either to provide us with fuch an infallible, living judge, as the Church of Rome pretends to boast of, that may fettle and determine

all

all points, to general fatisfaction; or elfe to indulge us in the liberty of examining, as well as reading, the Bible,and judging for ourselves, with relation thereto, and forming our conduct by that judgment; else our case will not be greatly unlike, nor less abfurd, than, that of a young child, whofe nurfe fet him a-walking, and then corrected him for walking alone. So we are put into the high road to error, by having the Bible put into our hands, and being required to read it; and then are complained of for, and upbraided with, walking in the paths of it, at least in those paths they are pleased to call error. Upon the whole of this argument, I hope it appears, that I have not gone out of the line of truth or my duty, by doing what fome have been pleased to call, falling foul of the bible.

Ir may, perhaps, be expected, before I leave the fubject, that I take notice of a complaint, subsequent to the former, viz. that, by falling foul of the Bible, 1 have dug up foundations, and greatly unsettled the minds of men. This imputation is most common, and answers the purposes of all parties. Whoever oppofes popular opinions, whether true, or falfe, fuch an one expofe. himself to this charge. To oppofe Popery

ir

in a Popish country, or Mahometanism in a Mahometan country, is digging up foundations, and greatly unfettling the minds of men. In the reign of King Charles the fecond, the doctrine of unlimited paffive-obedience, and non-refiftance, to thofe invefted with civil power, was reckoned to be a doctrine of the Church of England; yea, if I mistake not, it was deemed the darling doctrine of our church; and, confequently, Dr. Benjamin Hoadly, now bishop of Winchester, and all others, who vigorously oppofid that dangerous doctrine *, in vindica

tion

* Perhaps, the Abettors of the doctrine of unlimited paffive-obedience and non-resistance, will, in jupport of that doctrine, call in St. Paul for its voucher. Romans xiii. I, 2. And as fuftice is due to all doctrines, and to all perfons and parties; fo I acknowledge, I think, they may fairly claim him, as he seems at least to be plain, exprefs, and full to their purpose. But then, no authority, whether that of St. Paul or an Angel from heaven, can poffibly alter the nature of things, can make a false proposition true, can make bad confequences, or conclufions, to be otherwife than what they really are; and therefore, all authority is to be put by, that is not compatible with truth. St. Paul faith, Let every foul be fubject unto the higher powers, for (or because) there is no power, but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. IVhofoever, therefore, refifteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God; and they that refift fhall receive to themfelves damnation. In this addrefs of St. Paul to the Romans, he first exhorted them to be obedient to those in power; and then condemned refiftance to that power, by obferving what that refiftance was made to, and what would

follow

tion of our late happy Revolution, and in defence of our civil and religious liberties, fall

under

follow upon it; all which he grounded, not upon the use and application of power, but wholly upon the origin and foundation of it, which muft of neceffity be the fame, whether that power be rightly used and well applied, or not; that is, if all power be of God, then it is equally of him, whatever use be made of it. The argument, used by St. Paul, to enforce obedience to those in power, and to restrain resistance to that power, is that all power is of, or from God; thus it is the ordinance of God; and therefore, it is to be obeyed, and not refifted. Now, if by power being of, and from God, and it's being the ordinance of God,if this be, of itself, a proper ground, or reason, for paying obedience to that power, and a reafon againft refifting it, which is most manifeftly St. Paul's argument; then, the misapplication of that power cannot poffibly cancel an obligation, that wholly arifes from the origin and foundation of it. St. Paul, indeed, backs his argument for obedience to thofe in power, and for non-resistance to that power, by observing to the Romans, what benefits he prefumed they received from it. For, (faid he) Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the fame. For he is the minister of God to thee, for good; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for be beareth not the fword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. St. Paul, in this branch of his argument, does not argue from what rulers ought to be, but from what they then were; tho', leaft he should fail herein, he ftill kept to his main argument, by ftiling governors the ministers of God ; now, for St. Paul to aver that of all governors indefinitely, which, perhaps, was fcarcely true of any, this was certainly a bold attempt; tho', indeed, it was fuitable to that bold, pushing, adventuring temper, St. Paul appears to have been very much governed by. For, supposing this epiftle was wrote at the beginning of Nero's reign, whilft his government was mild and gentle : yet

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