"Errors in the Countries around us. And "where Truth happens to be received for "the Sake of Authority, there is just so much "diminish'd from the Love of Truth, and "the Glory of Reafon, and the Acceptable"nefs of Men to God, as there is attributed "to Authority”. "It was Authority, which crufh'd the noble "Sentiments of SOCRATES, and others, in "the heathen World; and prevented the Re ception of them among Men. It was Au thority, which hinder'd the Voice of the "Son of God himself from being heard; and "which alone stood in Oppofition to his pow"erful Arguments, and his divine Doctrine; "whilft it was a more moving Question, a<c mong the People, to ask, do any of the Pharifees, or Doctors of the Mofaick Law, "believe in him? than to ask, whether ever "Man pake or lived, or work'd Wonders like "him? and whilft Excommunication, or being put out of the Synagogue, was the Mark "fet upon those, who should embrace his Re ligion. It was Authority among Heathens, which afterwards put all the Stop to CHRIST'S "Profeffion, which this World could put. d 2 "And "And when Chriftians were increased into a Majority; and came to think the fame Me"thod to be the only proper one, for the Advantage of their Caufe, which had been "the Enemy and Destroyer of it; then, it "was the Authority of Chriftians, which, by Degrees, not only laid waste the Honour "of Chriftianity, but well nigh extinguish'd "it from amongst Men. It was Authority, “which brought in all that merciless Heap of "useless and burthenfome Fopperies; Prayers "in an unknown Tongue; Prayers to Mul"titudes of Beings; and the whole Load of "Abfurdities and Depravations of true Reli gion, under which the Chriftian People "were in Captivity, till they became grofs " and weighty enough at laft to break the Props that fupported them. rity, which would have Reformation, where it is; It was Authoprevented all and which has put a Barrier against it, wherever it is not. "It was humán Authority in Religion, which "alone fet up itself against the Beginnings of "this Church of England itfelf; and which "alone now contefts with it the Foundation, "upon which it stands. This Authority was at at first exercised in little by those, who "were fo far from pretending to fuch Enor mities, as it afterwards arrived at, that they "would have detefted and abhor'd the Thought of them. And fo it will be for er ever, and every where. The calling in the Affiftance of mere Authority, even a"gainst Errors, or Trifles, in religious Mat"ters, at first, will by infenfible Degrees come "to the very fame Iffue, that it has been hi"thertoo seen to end in. And how, indeed, "can it be expected, that the fame Thing, "which has in all Ages, and in all Countries, "been hurtful to Truth and true Religion, among Men, fhould in any Age, or or in any Country, become a Friend and Guardian "of them; unlefs it can be fhewn that the "Nature of mere Authority, or the Nature "of Man, or, both, are entirely alter'd from " what they have hitherto been? For it is not "in Religion, as it is in the civil Concerns of “human Life. The End of human Society is "anfwer'd by outward Behaviour, and Actions; " which therefore ought to be restrain'd and "and govern'd by civil Authority. But the "End of Religion, and of the Chriftian "Reli c Religion, in particular, is deftroy'd, juft in Proportion to the Influence of great Names; "and to the Effect of worldly Motives, and mere Authority of Men, separated from the Arguments of Reafon, and the Motives and Maxims of the Gospel itself. THE IV. That it is a common and neceffary Method for new Revelations to be built and grounded on pre- cedent Revelations V. That the chief Proofs of Chriftianity from the Old Teftament are urged by the Apostles in the VI. That if thofe Proofs are valid, Chriftianity is invincibly establifb'd on its true Foundation 24 45 |