Part 3

Besides this (said he) your Church will require me to believe other Absurdities as bad as these, as that Kings and Bishops have a Divine Right to that Power, which they exercise over us, whereas with my own Eyes I saw our Great and Gracious King accept the Crown of _England_, as the Gift of the People. And I see as plainly, that Bishops are an Order of Men of their own (not of Christ's) making. I was told that our Bishops Order was founded in that of the 12 Apostles, and the Presbyters Order in the 70 Disciples: Upon this I resolved to see if the 12 and the 70 were different Orders, or no, and read over the 10th Chap. of _Matthew_, the 3d and 6th of _Mark_, and the 9th of _Luke_, in which places the Power which Christ gave to the 12 is set forth, which amounteth to this, _viz._ a Charge to Preach the Gospel, a Power to work Miracles in casting out Devils, healing the Sick, _&c._ And I also read in the 10th Chapter of _Luke_, that the 70 were sent forth for the same Reason, and with the same express Power as were the 12, _viz._ To preach the Gospel, heal the Sick, and cast out Devils, _vers._ 2.9.17. And he telleth the 70 at the 16th Verse, _That he who heareth them, heareth him; and he who despiseth them, despiseth him_, as he had said to the 12, in _Matthew_ 10.40. Indeed they were only added to the number of the 12, _Because_ (as 'tis said there) _the Harvest was great, and the Labourers few_, i.e. because Multitudes followed Christ, and were disposed to become Christians, therefore he encreased the number of his Apostles, or Teaching Disciples. I can find no Footsteps of any Jurisdiction given to the 12 over the 70, or indeed over any body else; and in the 18th Chapter of _Matthew_, where Christ speaketh of binding and loosing, 'tis manifest from the first Verse, that his discourse was made to his Disciples. So in the 20th of _John_, the Holy-Ghost and Power of remitting and retaining Sins, was given to the Disciples which met together after Christ's death, _vers._ 19. in which meeting, there might be some of the 70 as well as some of the 12: 'Tis certain the 70 received the Holy-Ghost, and if Baptism be a Key of Admission into the Church, they had it: If binding or loosing be declaring wherein we are bound in duty, and wherein we may use our liberty; if remitting and retaining Sins be declaring what Iniquity God will forgive, and what he will not; the 70 shared this Power with the 12. As for delivering up to Satan, and inflicting Diseases; since 'twas a miraculous Power, which we read not that Christ appropriated to the 12, we have no reason to think 'twas detained from the 70. If then Christ appointed but one Order, _viz._ that of Teachers, the Order of Rulers dignified themselves above, and distinguished themselves from their Brethren, yet I am willing to submit to those Powers, which the Laws of _England_ have given to the Bishops, though what they claim by Divine Right, I esteem as an Usurpation.

Moreover (says he) although I am become a Christian, I have not ceased to be an _English-man_, and for that reason cannot be in party with the Bishops, who by their false-prerogative Doctrines, and other shameful Assistances, so lately betray'd the Charters and Liberties, Rights and Privileges of their Country, were setting up an absolute irresistible Power in K. _Charles_ II. which being demised to K. _James_, endangered not only the Liberty and Property, but Body and Soul of the Nation. Nor can I so soon forget how their long debates, about admitting the _P._ of _Orange_, our Good and Great King, to the Sovereignty, was the occasion of spilling so much Protestant Blood in _Ireland_; nor the late Protestation of some of the chief of their Party against his Majesties Right to the Crown; nor how careful they have been since, that (as it now falls out) he should have no pretence to any rightful Title. If any Clergy-man was so honest as to Preach up his Right, as justly grounded on the Consent of the People, (as Mr. _Johnson_ for instance) he must lie under pain of the Church's highest displeasure, though otherwise ever so Orthodox and Conformable; so that since the beloved Title of Conquest is burnt by the Parliament, and the Matrimonial Title is (to the great grief of all good Men) dead and buried with the Queen; it remaineth according to Holy Church, that he hath no Title at all, but only bare Possession; and this they mean when they call him _de facto_.

But I cannot find that they will allow him to be King of the Clergy so much as _de facto_. Alas! his Livings, whereby alone he is capable to oblige them to call to mind their now forgotten Loyalty, which of late years they preached up, as the summ of the Law and the Prophets; Alas! these good Things are taken out of his hands by the Conquering Bishops, that the Clergy may have a separate Interest from the State on this side the Water, and be led to pay an intire Allegiance to the holy Order. When _Hen._ VIII. came to know that his Bishops swore Allegiance to the _Pope_, he began to think of some ways and means how to make himself King of his Clergy, which he saw could not be done but by casting out the _Pope_'s Power; and hence sprung that King's Reformation of his Politicks, rather than Religion. And if our good King were sensible of the Reasons why an _English_ Papacy is settled in a Committee of Six, _viz._ to fix the Obedience of the Clergy on themselves exclusively, (for no Man can serve two Masters) I doubt not but he would think fit to demand what is so much wanted, _viz._ the Allegiance of the Clergy to their King; if he dissolves this Committee he may ask and have, for where their Treasure is, there their Hearts will be also. For these Reasons (said he) I shall be cautious how I enter into Church-membership, since I plainly see that every Party of Christians embodied, organized, clergy'd and modelled into a National Church, casteth an awe upon the Sovereign Power, and suffereth it not to provide equally for the Common Good of the Subject; but will appropriate the _salus publica_, and influence the Government to serve its own particular, its own private Ends.

Thus, Sir, I have given you an account of those Prejudices, which have brought forth _Deism_. But yet these very Prejudices without a strong assistance of Passion, could never have wrought upon Men to cast off Revelation; for you see the same Prejudices remain in the _Deist_ turn'd Christian. Whosoever therefore, upon the fore-mentioned Reasons turneth _Deist_, cannot be excused, tho' I could heartily wish all these Pretences could be taken away from 'em. I am far from begrudging the Bishops and Clergy that small Maintenance, which by Law is settled upon them; and, I hope, they have no other aim in discharging their Offices, but to save our Souls, by imprinting on our Hearts the Reason, the Excellency and Advantages of the Law of Christ. I hope also, that they comport themselves to the Common Interest of their Native Country, and of the Protestant Religion throughout the World. Truly I could wish that Notional Divinity were laid aside for Practical; and that unintelligible Mysteries were not insisted on, as matters of necessary Belief. He, who lately wrote his Thoughts of the Causes and Occasions of Atheism, might have consider'd, that he, who cloggeth the Notion of God with Absurdities, mis-leadeth Men beyond _Deism_. I pray God give me his Grace, by which I may sincerely conform my self to the Law of Christ, and I will never concern my self with the Speculative Drs. in Divinity. And I heartily join with our Church in that Petition, _Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all Bishops and Curates, that they may both by their Life and Doctrine, set forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly Administer thy holy Sacraments_. By this they would bring Souls to Heaven, gain the Love of all good People, secure their own Temporal Interests, stop the Mouths of their Adversaries, and compel the Deists to become Christians.

_I am, Sir,_ _Your Affectionate_, &c.

_FINIS._

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If your Curiosity should lead you to be an Ear-witness of such Discourses I have here Written to you, when I come to Town, which will be as soon as the Parliament Sits, I will endeavour to give you that Satisfaction.