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of the primitive meaning.-This primitive or literal meaning is moreover associated in the mind with truth, and is therefore esteemed and honoured: the new sense, having originated in some degree in falsehood, is associated with falsehood. The one is always like keeping one's word, the other has always the appearance of quirk and evasion: it is indeed invented, in order to avoid offensive plain

ness.

Prejudice is also on the side of the literal sense in religious matters particularly; a man, who seems to act without artifice and duplicity, is judged to be more pious and religious than one, who seems to be evading his duty. And he, who follows the literal sense, in religious forms, does nothing which in effect counteracts this prejudice, even when he is less strictly right than he, who uses the new and acquired sense: he mixes with those, who differ from him, and there is nothing which hinders them from worshipping together; nay, from sympathizing in many parts of devotion. To require from any one an interpretation of his form of assenting would be, to impose a new form.

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4. We have already mentioned the possibility, that a tacit reformation might be total; as each part might become obsolete, every part might become so; or at least every distinguishing part; in this case, a religious society would change its doctrines, and yet retain the expressions by which they were defined. But now, at the same time that one society did this, another might adhere to the old sense of the forms; this last will be easily allowed; but, if both happened together, there would be two religious societies, dissenting from each other, yet using the same Articles of Faith. We have seen the more strange of these suppositions exemplified

Chap. vi. Sect. 5.

plified in the Church of Geneva; the multitude may possibly retain the Calvinistic notions, especially if any teachers do: and then the whole case would be exemplified.

I have heard it said, that those, who have been commonly called Methodists amongst us, have spoken of themselves as the true Church of England, and have said, that we have departed from the true sense of our Articles, &c. which they retain: I do not derive this from any undeniable authority, but by way of illustration we will suppose something of the kind to be true:-as far as I can judge, Mr. Wesley, Mr. Whitfield, &c. give too literal a construction to expressions of Scripture, which should be understood popularly or figuratively: they may therefore understand articles too literally, into which those expressions of Scripture are introduced: but no matter: supposing they understood parts of our Articles in a literal sense, which we assent to in a different sense, we are two different Churches of England, using the same forms.—Which is the true Church may not be clear; we might be called the present Church, and they perhaps the antiquated Church; each party may be sincere; in each the Minister may assent in the sense in which he is understood to assent by those, whom he accounts the most judicious.Amongst the ancient pagans, we are told, that the Philosophers, or -initiated, had one religion, and the

See Burn's Eccles. Law, under Dissenters, in his explanation of Sect. 8. of the Toleration Act.

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Warburton on Grace, p. 264. 12mo.

In Wesley's Letters, Mr. Samuel Wesley writes thus: p. 113-or Lett. 27. "It is in vain for Whitfield to pretend he is of the Church of England, unless there be two, one subordinate, the other opposite, to the present ecclesiastical establishment and authority; one within doors, the other without."

So, at Geneva, there may be a present Church, and an antiquated Church.

the profanum vulgus another; and these seem to have gone on together as one, in some respects.Could the Elect and auditors amongst the Manicheans be mentioned as a similar instance?

5. Here, another passage of Dr. Powell's second Discourse occurs, which used to seem difficult to me. "That he may understand them (the Articles) in their most obvious and primitive signification, will scarce be doubted. And yet, if there is any place for doubt, it can be only here." This may mean, common men will scarce doubt, that a man speaks truth, who speaks according to the literal sense; but those, who have considered the nature of veracity and of tacit reformations, will see, that a man, by speaking according to the literal sense, may speak falsehood.

6. I will conclude this Chapter with some illustrations of some things, which have been advanced in this and the two foregoing chapters. Let any one read the 74th Canon of our Church; and keep in mind, that every Minister is under engagement, made expressly or tacitly, to obey canonical authority. It appears, First, that a tacit reformation has,

a Vol. of Disc. p. 36.

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b It may be convenient to conceive this engagement to be made with regard to every particular separately; as a general promise is the same thing, in effect, with a number of promises to perform each particular; and as then the obsolete duties would be distinguished from those which were still in force.

"The true, ancient, and flourishing Churches of Christ, being ever desirous that their Prelacy and Clergy might be had as well in outward reverence, as otherwise regarded for the worthiness of their ministry, did think it fit, by a prescript form of decent and comely apparel, to have them known to the people, and thereby to receive the honour and estimation due to the special Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God. We therefore following their grave judgement, and the ancient custom of the Church of England, and hoping that in time new-fangleness of apparel in some factious persons will die of itself, do constitute

and

since 1603, taken place in the Church of England, with regard to the habits of its Ministers. 2. That he, who engages himself to obey the laws with regard to Apparel, is understood to engage himself according to present notions of decency and gravity, that is, in the new and acquired, not in the literal sense of such engagement: and therefore that the person, who does act after the new and acquired sense, speaks truth though contrary to the Letter; whereas any one, who should make the engagement in the literal sense, would speak falsehood though according to the Letter. He would deceive those, who were authorized to receive his promise: nor would his deceit be wholly harmless; as it would

bring

and appoint, That the Archbishops and Bishops shall not intermit to use the accustomed apparel of their degrees. Likewise all Deans, Masters of Colleges, Archdeacons, and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches (being Priests or Deacons) Doctors in Divinity, Law, and Physic, Bachelors in Divinity, Masters of Arts, and Bachelors of law, having any ecclesiastical living, shall usually wear Gowns with standing collars, and sleeves strait at the hands, or wide sleeves, as is used in the Universities, with Hoods or Tippets of silk and sarcenet, and Square Caps. And that all other Ministers admitted or to be admitted into that function, shall also usually wear the like apparel, as is aforesaid, except Tippets only. We do further, in like manner ordain, That all the said Ecclesiastical Persons above-mentioned shall usually wear in their journeys Cloaks with Sleeves, commonly called Priests Cloaks, without guards, welts, long buttons, or cuts. And no Ecclesiastical Person shall wear any Coif or wrought Night-cap, but only plain Night-caps of black silk, sattin, or velvet. In all which particulars concerning the apparel here prescribed, our meaning is not to attribute any holiness or special worthiness to the said Garments, but for decency, gravity, and order, as is before specified. In private houses, and in their studies, the said Persons Ecclesiastical may use any comely and scholar-like apparel, provided that it be not cut or pinkt; and that in public they go not in their Doublet and Hose, without Coats or Cassock; and that they wear not any light-coloured Stockings. Likewise poor beneficed Men and Curates (not being able to provide themselves with long Gowns) may go in, short Gowns of the fashion aforesaid."

bring contempt and disgrace on the Church.3. That, in the case of a tacit reformation, if any one said, that all the Ministers subscribed what none believed, there would be just as much force in the observation as if he said, all the English Ministers engage to dress as none of them intend to dress; the remark would be true, but trifling: they all do engage to dress, as they are expected to dress, according to present ideas of clerical decency. 4. It is conceivable, that there might be two sets of Ministers obeying the Canon, one dressing according to it, literally, the other obeying it according to modern customs of grave cloathing for religious ministers; in this case, it might be questioned which set were the true Ministers of the Church; and it might be found more discreet to wave that question, and call one set the present, or modern, the other the antiquated Ministers of the Church.-~ 5. A perusal of this Canon might illustrate the nature of that Liberty, which arises from continuance of the same Laws for a length of Time. The most decent of the Clergy, in point of dress, is not at present so much confined, as any one would be, who obeyed the Canon literally; or who was obliged to conform strictly to any new Canon.-6. It might shew how custom, in things naturally arbitrary and indifferent, once prevalent, is right, though at first it was wrong for the departure from the precise dress of the Canon, has, in all probability, been faulty at first.-7. Lastly, it is not the least important thing for us to learn, that, while particulars of an indifferent nature vary, general principles continue firm and immoveable; and are of eternal obligation. Our obligation to be subject to ecclesiastical authority is not in the least impaired: the duty of decency, of providing things honest in

Kala, Rom. Chap. xii, verse 17.

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