Bangor hath fhewn, that the word, in the original, doth not fignify a ruler in the most proper fenfe, which implies a law-giver, but only a teacher or guide; as may be feen in his answer to the reprefentation of the committee of the lower houfe of convocation, page 60, 61.

If it should be objected, fecondly, that all things ought to be done decently and in order, in the affemblies of the faints; and that therefore the pastors, in Chrift's church, must be invefted with authority to make fuch laws as are neceffary thereto, and the people must be obliged, in confcience, to pay active obedience to them, becaufe decency and order cannot otherways be provided for; and confequently, without fuch an authority, the church of Chrift would be no other than a Babel of confufion. I anfwer, That all things ought to be done decently and in order, and to edification in the affemblies of the faints, I readily grant, but that this cannot otherways be provided for, than by the pastors of Chrift's church affuming to themselves a power to make laws, which in reality they have no authority to do, this I deny. For as Chrift is the fole head and governour of his people; and as all his fubjects, as fuch, stand upon a level in point of authority, one member not having a right of dominion over another in his church; fo, where any thing is neceffary to be determin'd, with respect to order, decency, and edification, which Chrift hath not determin'd, there every particular church may and ought to lay down fuch rules to themfelves, as are neceffary thereto, according to St. Paul's direction to the church at Corinth, I Cor. xiv. 40. And fo decency and order may be fufficiently provided for in the affemblies of the faints, without the paftors of Chrift's church affuming to themfeves a power, properly fpeaking, over their brethren, which they have no right to.

Thus, Sir, I have given you my observations, with relation to the question before-mention'd. I fubmit them to your confideration, and beg leave to fubscribe my self,

Decemb. 5th,

3737.

SIR,

Yours, &c.

TREA

PART of a

LETTER

To another Gentleman, relating to the foregoing Enquiry.

W

HETHER I have truly stated the cafe, with refpect to the grounds of obedience, and the measures of authority, Sir, I fubmit to your judgment. And as this is a cafe, in which the happiness and mifery of human fociety is very nearly concern'd; fo it feems to me to be beneath the wisdom and goodness of that God, who hath made this earth a convenient habitation for a multitude of creatures, and hath made a plentiful provifion for their comfort and well-being; I fay, it feems to be beneath his wisdom and goodness, to put the happiness and mifery of the bulk of mankind, into the hands, and leave it at the will and pleasure of a few of that fpecies: which he must have done, if he hath given a general commission to governours to make what laws they please, and made it the duty of their people to pay active obedience to all their commands. Befides,

Such a general commiffion would not only leave the prefent happiness of human fociety at the mercy of governours, but might also be a great hindrance to our eternal well-being. For upon fuppofition that governours are invested with authority to make what laws they pleafe, and that their people are bound, in confcience, to obey them, then it will follow, that the way to eternal life is fo much the ftraiter; because our eternal happiness would as much depend upon our fincere obedience to all our governours commands, as it doth upon our fincere obedience to all God's commands, notwithstanding we may be under powerful temptations to tranfgrefs. For, fuppofe our governours fhould command us to make a confeffion of all our fecret fins to the parochial paftor every Lord's-day? I chufe to put this cafe, because fuch an inftance of our obedience is not contradictory to the commands of God, he having no-where forbid us to make fuch a confeffion. This would make confeflion to the paftor as neceffary to falvation, as repentance towards God. And forafmuch as the parochial paftors are of like paffions with other men, and fome of them are not only capable, but difpofed to make as bad ufe of fuch knowledge, as any other men, what a strong and powerful temptation must men be under, when they have done amifs (if they have not a great degree of confidence in their paftor, that he will not use the knowledge of their faults to their hurt: I fay, what a strong and powerful temptation must men be under in fuch a cafe) to adventure the lofs of their fouls, in another world, by concealing their faults, in order to preserve their reputation in this, or prevent any other great evil,

.

which the knowledge of their faults might expofe them to? they would be tempted to conceal all fuch faults from their paftor, as they had reason to fear he would make ufe of the knowledge of them to their peril. And tho, in this cafe, governours cannot be judges, whether their laws are obeyed or not, becaufe they cannot difcover the fecrets of men's hearts, and confequently cannot punish the tranfgreffors of them, yet this defect of knowledge and power, in them, doth not leffen our obligation to obedience. For, if they have authority to command, it must be our duty to obey, whether they have the knowledge of, or can punish our faults, or not. And tho they cannot punish men in another world, for tranfgreffing their laws in this, yet the cafe is much the same, with refpect to the tranfgreffor; because if God hath required us to obey all the commands of our governours, and if he will punish our disobedience (which is here fuppofed) then our punishment is as certain, as if it were in the governour's hand to inflict it, except our fincere repentance doth prevent it. But bleffed be God, that he hath not put fuch a ftumbling-block in the way of our prefent or future well-being. For the magiftracy is, in a general or natural fenfe, the ordinance of God, because the nature and reafon of things make the use of it neceflary to the fupport and well-being of human fociety (as every thing is, which the nature and reafon of things makes neceffary to be done) yet it is no farther the ordinance of God, than as it is a proper means to answer that end; because the natural ufe and neceffity of it (which alone constitutes it a divine ordinance) arifes wholly from that relation, viz. as it is a proper means to obtain the aforefaid end. And therefore the most abfolute Prince upon earth, how great and extenfive foever his power may be; yet his authority or right to command, as it is the ordinance of God, can extend only to fuch things wherein the good or hurt, the fafety or danger, of human fociety is concern'd. This may perhaps more plainly appear, from an inftance of like kind. Eating and drinking are the ordinance of God, in the fame fenfe as magiftracy is; because the nature and reafon of things makes the use of thefe neceffary to the fupport and comfort of our natural life.. Now if a perfon fhould eat or drink (either for quantity or quality) that which is no way neceffary to the support or comfort of his natural life; fuch eating and drinking would not be the ordinance of God, because it would be defective and wanting in that very point in which the ordinance of God, in this cafe, doth confift, viz. in being a proper means to attain the aforefaid end; which is the only thing that conftitutes it a divine ordinance, because its natural ufe and neceffity wholly arifes from its relation as a proper means to its end. So in like manner, magiftracy is the ordinance of God; because the nature and reafon of things makes the use of it neceffary to the fupport and well-being of human fociety: but if magiftrates fhould take upon them to command, or forbid that, wherein the interest of the fociety is not at all concern'd, this would not be the ordinance of God; because it would be defective and wanting in that very point, in which the ordinance of God, in this case, doth confift, viz. in being a proper means to attain the aforefaid end; which is the only thing that conftitutes it a divine ordinance, because its natural use and neceffity wholly arifes from its relation as a proper means to its end.

To perfue this argument farther, would exceed the bounds of a common letter, and therefore I defift. TREA

TREATISE XVII.

THE

PREVIOUS QUESTION,

With regard to

RELIGION.

Humbly offered to be confidered, in order to the settling and determining all other questions on this subject.

To which is added,

A Supplement to the Previous Queftion, with regard to RELIGION,

Wherein several objections made to the Previous Question are examined, and in which God's moral character is more fully vindicated. In a Letter to a Friend.

L..