ART. The words binding and loofing are ufed by the Jewish XIX. writers, in the fenfe of affirming or denying the obligation of any precept of the Law that might be in difpute. So according to this common form of fpeech, and the fenfe formerly given to the words, kingdom of heaven, the meaning of these words muft be, that Chrift committed to the Apoftles the difpenfing his Gofpel to the world, by which he authorised them to diffolve the obligation of the Mofaical laws; and to give other laws to the Chriftian Church, which they fhould do under fuch visible characters of a divine authority, impowering and conducting them in it, that it fhould be very evident, that what they did on earth was also ratified in heaven. Thefe words, thus understood, carry in them a clear fenfe, which agrees with the whole defign of the Gospel. But whatsoever their fenfe may be, it is plain that there was nothing given peculiarly to St. Peter by them, which was not likewife given to the rest of the Apoftles. Nor do these words of our Saviour to St. Peter import any thing of a fucceffive infallibility that was to be derived from him with any diftinction beyond the other Apoftles: unless it were a priority of order and dignity; and whatever that was, there is not fo much as a hint given, that it was to defcend from him to any fee or fucceffion of Bishops.

Luke xxii. 32.

15, 16, 17.

As for our Saviour's praying that St. Peter's faith might not fail; and his reftoring him to his apoftolical function, John xxi. by a thrice repeated charge, feed my sheep, feed my lambs, that has fuch a vifible relation to his fall, and to his denying him, that it does not feem neceffary to enlarge further on the making it out, or on fhewing that these words are capable of no other fignification, and cannot be carried further.

The importance of this argument, rather than the difficulty of it, has made it neceffary to dwell fully upon it: fo much depends upon it, and the miffionaries of the Church of Rome are fo well inftructed in it, that it ought to be well confidered; for how little ftrength foever there may be in the arguments brought to prove this infallibi lity, yet the colours are fpecious, and they are commonly managed both with much art, and great confidence.

ARTICLE XX.

Of the Authority of the Church.

The Church hath Power to decree Rites or Ceremo nies, and Authoritp in Hatters of Faith. And per it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anp thing that is contrary to God's Wozd written; neither map it fo expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefoze although the Church be a Witness and keeper of Holp Writ, per as it ought not to decree any thing against the fame, lo belides the fame ought it not to enforce anp thing to be believed faz necellity of Salvation.

THIS

HIS Article confifts of two parts; the first afferts a power in the Church both to decree rites and ceremonies, and to judge in matters of faith: the fecond limits this power over matters of faith to the Scriptures: fo that it muft neither contradict them, nor add any articles as neceffary to falvation to thofe contained in them. This is fuitable to fome words that were once in the Fifth Article, but were afterwards left out; inftead of which the first words of this Article were put in this place, according to the printed editions; though they are not in the original of the Article figned by both Houses of Convocation, that are yet extant.

As to the first part of the Article, concerning the power of the Church, either with relation to ceremonies or points of faith, the difpute lies only with those who deny all Church power, and think that Churches ought to be in all things limited by the rules fet in Scripture; and that where the Scriptures are filent, there ought to be no rules made, but that all men fhould be left to their liberty; and in particular, that the appointing new ceremonies, looks like a reproaching of the Apoftles, as if their conftitutions had been fo defective, that thofe defects must be supplied by the inventions of men which they oppofe fo much the more, because they think that all the corruptions of Popery began at fome rites which feemed at first not only innocent, but pious; but were afterwards abused to fuperftition and idolatry, and fwelled up to that bulk as to opprefs and ftifle true religion with their number and weight. A great part of this is in fome refpect true; yet that we

may

19.

ART.
XX.

I Cor. xiv. 40.

may examine the matter methodically, we fhall firft confider, what power the Church has in those matters; and then, what rules the ought to govern herself by in the use of that power. It is very vifible, that in the Gospels and Epiftles there are but few rules laid down as to ritual matters in the Epiftles there are fome general rules given, Rom. xiv. that must take in a great many cafes; fuch as, Let all things be done to edification, to order, and to peace and in the Epiftles to Timothy and Titus, many rules are given in fuch general words, as, Lay bands fuddenly on no man, that in order to the guiding of particular cafes by them, many distinctions and fpecialities were to be interpofed to the making them practicable and useful. In matters that are merely ritual, the ftate of mankind in different climates and ages is apt to vary; and the fame things that in one scene of human nature may look grave, and feem fit for any fociety, may in another age look light, and diffipate men's thoughts. It is alfo evident that there is not a fyftem of rules given in the New Teftament about all thefe; and yet a due method in them is neceffary to maintain the order and decency that become divine things. This feems to be a part of the Gospel liberty, that it is not a law of ordinances; these things being left to be varied according to the diverfities of mankind.

Gal. ii. 4.

iv. 9.

V. I.

The Jewish religion was delivered to one nation, and the main parts of it were to be performed in one place; they were alfo to be limited in rituals, left they might have taken fome practices from their neighbours round about them, and fo by the ufe of their rites have rendered idolatrous practices more familiar and acceptable to them: and yet they had many rites among them in our Saviour's time, which are not mentioned in any part of the Old Teftament; fuch was the whole conftitution of their fynagogues, with all the fervice and officers that belonged to them they had a Baptifm among them, befides feveral rites added to the Pafchal fervice. Our Saviour reproved them for none of thefe; he hallowed fome of then to be the foederal rites of his new difpenfation; he went to their fynagogues; and though he reproved them for overvaluing their rites, for preferring them to the laws of God, and making thefe void by their traditions, yet he does not condemn them for the ufe of them. And while of the Matt. xxiii. greater precepts he fays, Thefe things ye ought to have done; he adds concerning their rites and leffer matters, and not to have left the other undone.

23.

If then fuch a liberty was allowed in fo limited a religion, it seems highly suitable to the fublimer ftate of the

Chriftian

XX.

Christian liberty, that there fhould be room left for fuch ART. appointments or alterations as the different ftate of times and places fhould require. In hotter countries, for inftance, there is no danger in dipping; but if it is otherwife in colder climates, then fince mercy is better than even Hof. vi. 6. facrifice, a more fparing ufe may be made of water; afper- Matt. xii. 7. fion may anfwer the true end of baptifm. A ftricter or gentler difcipline of offenders must be alfo proportioned to what the times will bear, and what men can be brought to fubmit to. The dividing of Chriftians into fuch diftricts, that they may have the best conveniencies to affemble themselves together for worship, and for keeping up of order; the appointing the times as well as the places of worship, are certainly to be fixed with the beft regard to prefent circumftances that may be. The bringing Chriftian affemblies into order and method, is neceffary for their folemnity, and for preventing that diffipation of thought that a diverfity of behaviour might occafion. And though a kifs of peace, and an order of deaconeffes, were the practices of the apoftolical time; yet when the one gave occafion to raillery, and the other to fcandal, all the world was, and ftill is, fatisfied with the reasons of letting both fall.

Now if Churches may lay afide apoftolical practices in matters that are ritual, it is certainly much easier to juftify their making new rules for fuch things; fince it is a higher attempt to alter what was settled by the Apoftles themfelves, than to set up new rules in matters which they left untouched. Habits and postures are the neceffary circumftances of all public meetings: the times of fafting and of prayer, the days of thankfgiving and communions, are all of the fame nature. The public confeffion of fins by fcandalous perfons; the time and manner of doing it; the previous fteps that fome Churches have made for the trial of those who were to be received into holy orders, that fo by a longer inspection into their behaviour, while in lower orders, they might difcover how fit they were to be admitted into the facred ones; and chiefly the prescribing ftated forms for the feveral acts of religious worship, and not leaving that to the capacities or humours, to the inventions, and often to the extravagancies of those who are to officiate all these things, I fay, fall within thofe general rules given by the Apoftles to the Churches in their time: where we find that the Apoflles had their customs, as well 1 Cor. xii. as the Churches of God; which were then opposed to the 16. innovating and the contentious humours of fome factious men. And fuch a pattern have the Apoftles fet us of com

I

XX.

19 to 23.

ART. plying with those things that are regularly fettled, where foever we are, that we find they became all things to all men: to the Jews they became Jews; though that was a religion 1 Cor. ix. then extinguished in its obligation, by the promulgation of the Gospel; and was then fallen under great corruption : yet, in order to the gaining of fome of them, fuch was the fpirit of charity and edification with which the Apostles were acted, that while they were among them, they complied in the practice of thofe abrogated rites; though they afferted both the liberty of the Gentiles, and even their own, in that matter: it was only a compliance, and not a fubmiffion to their opinions, that made them obferve days, and diftinguith meats, while among them. If then fuch rites, and the rites of fuch a Church, were still complied with by infpired men, this is an infallible pattern to us; and lets us fee, upon how much ftronger reasons we, who are under thofe obligations to unity and charity with all Chriftians, ought to maintain the unity of the body, and the decency and order that is neceffary for peace, and mutual edification.

Therefore fince there is not any one thing that Chrift has enjoined more folemnly and more frequently than love and charity, union and agreement amongst his difciples; Heb. x. 25. fince we are alfo required to affemble ourselves together, to conftitute ourselves in a body, both for worshipping God jointly, and for maintaining of order and love among the fociety of Chriftians, we ought to acquiefce in fuch rules as have been agreed on by common confent, and which are recommended to us by long practice, and that are eftablished by thofe who have the lawful authority over us. Nor can we affign any other bounds to our fubmiffion in this cafe, than thofe that the Gospel has limited. We must obey God, rather than man; and we must in the Matt. xxii. first place render to God the things that are God's, and then give to Cafar the things that are Cæfar's. So that if either Church or State have power to make rules and laws in fuch matters, they must have this extent given them, that till they break in upon the laws of God and the Gofpel, we must be bound to obey them. A mean cannot be put here; either they have no power at all, or they have a power that muft go to every thing that is not forbid by any law of God. This is the only measure that can be given in this matter.

Acts v. 29.

21.

But a great difference is here to be made between those rules that both Church and State ought to fet to themfelves in their enacting of fuch matters, and the measures of the obedience of fubjects: the only queftion in the point of

obedience