that I dare not waste my time in industriously confuting it. Let any man of common sense only look on the title pages of the sermons we have lately preached at Oxford, and he will need nothing more to shew him the weight of this senseless, shameless accusation; unless he can suppose the governors both of Christ-church and Lincoln-college, nay, and all the University to be Papists too.

76. You yourself can easily acquit us of this: but not of the other part of the charge. You still think we are secretly undermining, if not openly destroying, the church. What do you mean by the church? A visible church (as our Article defines it) is, A company of faithful (or believing) people: cœtus credentium. This is the essence of a church: and the properties thereof are (as they are described in the words that follow) "That the pure word of God be preached therein, and the sacraments duly administered." Now, then, (according to this authentic account) what is The Church of England? What is it indeed, but the faithful people, the true believers of England? It is true, if these are scattered abroad, they come under another consideration. But when they are visibly joined, by assembling together to hear the pure Word of God preached, and to eat of one bread, and drink of one cup, they are then properly the visible Church of England.

77. It were well if this were a little more considered by those, who so vehemently cry out, The Church! the Church! (as those of old, The Temple of the Lord! the Temple of the Lord!) not knowing what they speak, nor whereof they affirm. A provincial or national church, according to our Article, is the true believers of that province or nation. If these are dispersed up and down, they are only a part of the invisible church of Christ. But if they are visibly joined by assembling together to hear his word and partake of his supper, they are then a visible church, such as the Church of England, France, or any other.

78. This being premised, I ask, How do we undermine or destroy the church? The provincial, visible Church of VOL. XII.

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England? The Article mentions three things as essential to a visible church: 1st, Living faith, without which indeed there can be no church at all, neither visible nor invisible; 2dly, Preaching (and consequently hearing) the pure Word of God, else the faith would languish and die; and, 3dly, A due administration of the sacraments, the ordinary means whereby God increaseth faith. Now come close to the question; in which of these points do we undermine, or destroy the Church? Do we shut the door of faith? Do we lessen the number of believing people in England ? Only remember what faith is, according to our homilies, (viz. "A sure trust and confidence in God that, through the merits of Christ, my sins are forgiven, and I reconciled to the favour of God.") And we appeal to all mankind, Do we destroy this faith, which is the life and soul of the Church? Is there, in fact, less of this faith in England, than there was before we went forth? I think this is an assertion which the father of lies himself will scarce dare to utter or maintain.

With regard then to this first point, it is undeniable, we neither undermine nor destroy the Church. The second thing is, the preaching and hearing the pure word of God. And do we hinder this? Do we hinder any minister from preaching the pure word of God? If any preach not at all, or not the pure word of God, is the hindrance in us or in themselves? Or, do we lessen the number of those that hear the pure word of God? Are, then, the hearers thereof (whether read or preached) fewer than they were in times past? Are the usual places of public worship less frequented by means of our preaching? Wheresoever our lot has been cast for any time, are the churches emptier than they were before? Surely, none that has any regard left either for truth or modesty, will say, that in this point we are enemies to, or destroyers of, the Church.

The third thing requisite (if not to the being, at least) to the well-being of a church, is the due administration of the Sacraments, particularly that of the Lord's-supper. And

are we, in this respect, underminers or destroyers of the church? Do we either by our example or advice, draw men away from the Lord's-table? Where we have laboured most, are there the fewest communicants? How does the fact stand in London, Bristol, Newcastle? O that you would no longer shut your eyes against the broad light which encompasses you on every side!

79. I believe you are sensible by this time, not only how weak this objection is, but likewise how easy it would be, terribly to retort every branch of it upon most of those that make it: whether we speak of true living faith, of preaching the pure word of God, or of the due administration of the sacraments, both of baptism and the Lord's-supper. But I spare you. It sufficeth that our God knoweth, and will make manifest in that day, whether it be by reason of us or you, that men abhor the offering of the Lord.

80. Others object, "That we do not observe the laws of the Church, and thereby undermine it." What laws? The rubricks or canons? In every parish where I have been curate yet, I have observed the rubricks with a scrupulous exactness, not for wrath, but for conscience' sake. And this, so far as belongs to an unbeneficed minister, or to a private member of the church, I do now.. I will just mention a few of them, and leave you to consider, which of us has observed or does observe them most.

1. Days of fasting or abstinence to be observed:-The forty days of Lent; the Ember days at the four seasons; the three Rogation days; all Fridays in the Year, except Christmas-Day.

2. "So many as intend to be partakers of the holy communion, shall signify their names to the curate, at least some time the day before: and if any of these be an open and notorious evil liver, the curate shall advertise him, that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's-table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented.

3. "Then (after the Nicene creed) the curate shall de

clare unto the people, what holidays or fasting-days, are in the week following to be observed.

4. "The minister shall first receive the communion of both kinds himself, and then proceed to deliver the same to the bishops, priests, and deacons, in like manner, if any be present, and after that, to the people.

5. “In cathedral and collegiate churches, and colleges, where there are many priests and deacons, they shall all receive the communion with the priest, every Sunday at the least.

6. “ The children to be baptized, must be ready at the font, immediately after the last lesson.

7. "The curates of every parish shall warn the people, that without great necessity, they procure not their children to be baptized at home in their houses.

8. "The curate of every parish shall diligently upon Sundays and holidays, after the second Lesson at evening prayer, openly in the Church, instruct and examine so many children as he shall think convenient, in some part of the catechism.

9." Whensoever the bishop shall give notice for children to be brought unto him for their confirmation, the curate of every parish shall either bring or send in writing, with his hand subscribed thereunto, the names of all such persons within his parish as he shall think fit to be presented to the bishop."

81. Now, the question is not, whether these rubricks ought to be observed, (you take this for granted in making the objection) but whether in fact they have been observed by you or me, most? Many can witness I have observed them punctually, yea, sometimes at the hazard of my life: and as many, I fear, that you have not observed them at all, and that several of them you never pretended to observe. And is it you that are accusing me, for not observing the rubricks of the church? What grimace is this! “O tell it not in Gath! Publish it not in the streets of Askelon!"

82. With regard to the canons, I would, in the first place, desire you to consider, two or three plain questions.

1st. Have you ever read them over? 2dly, How can these be called, "The canons of the Church of England?" Seeing they were never legally established by the Church? Never regularly confirmed in any full convocation? 3dly, By what right am I required to observe such canons as were never legally established? And then I will join issue with you on one question more, viz. Whether you or I have observed them most? To instance only in a few.

Can. 29. No person shall be admitted godfather or godmother to any child, before the said person hath received the holy communion.

Can. 59. Every Parson, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and Holiday, before Evening Prayer, shall, for half an hour, or more, examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish.

Can. 64. Every Parson, Vicar, or Curate, shall declare to the people every Sunday, whether there be any holidays or fasting-days, the week following.

Can. 68. No minister shall refuse or delay to christen any child that is brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or holidays to be christened, or to bury any corpse that is brought to the church or church-yard.

(N. B. Inability to pay fees does not alter the case.) Can. 75. No ecclesiastical persons shall spend their time idly, by day or by night, playing at dice, cards, or tables. Now, let the clergyman who has observed only these five canons for one year last past, and who has read over all the canons in his congregation; (as the King's ratification straitly enjoins him to do once every year) let him, I say, cast the first stone at us, for not observing the Canons (so called) of the Church of England.

83. "However, we cannot be," it is said, "friends to the Church, because we do not obey the Governors of it, and submit ourselves (as at our ordination we promised to do) to all their godly admonitions and injunctions." I answer, in every individual point of an indifferent nature, we do