ed." For historical facts I give you that credit which your character seems to demand, but not for doctrines: fathers are not always wiser than their children. The piety of many of you I revere: your furious, passionate behaviour towards each other I detest: your skill in interpreting Scripture I never admired. But I will examine your creed by the word of God: only be assured, that the authority of your synod weighs nothing with me.

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If cardinal Bellarmine should put into my hands the decrees of the council of Trent, and say, "receive these, and believe them, for they have the seal of infallibility upon them: they were framed by a general council, and confirmed by his holiness the pope.' My answer is, I will examine them, to see if they agree with the word of God. "Examine them! I say receive them, and believe them: if you refuse, you will incur the dreadful anathema both of the pope and the general council, whose authority you have the arrogance to question. If you hesitate I will instantly denounce it against you." You may do so if you please: I am not afraid of brutum fulmen: the curse causeless shall not come. Could I find your infallibility sanctioned by the word of God, I would respect it. But I cannot, and I must try every thing by the sacred Scriptures. Adieu, cardinal Bellarmine.

Should archbishop Parker deign to reach me the articles of the church of England, and have the courtesy to add, "these were drawn up by the most eminent reformers, some of whom gave their lives for the truth. It is the queen's (Elizabeth) command that you, as well as every other subject of her realm, should receive them, on pain of her displeasure.

They have been also ratified in convocation." May it please your grace, I highly respect the reformers: I revere their virtues, and would throw the veil of charity over their faults; but I must examine their doctrine, whether it be according to the Scriptures of truth. I must, according to divine command, try the spirits whether they be of God. "It is the queen's injunction, man, that you should declare your unfeigned assent and consent to the whole." With all due reverence for her majesty, as my civil ruler, I must be plain to say, that as I do not believe the infallibility of popes and councils in matters of religion, neither do I believe the infallibility of queens and convocations. I must examine for myself. Whatever in the articles is agreeable to the book of God, in receiving it I receive them: and whatever is contrary, I must reject. "Consider what you do: the consequences are serious. You know I have ejected a great number of ministers from their livings because they refused subscription, and would not yield a full conformity: many of them are entirely ruined; and some are in prison. It was the queen's wish." I know you have: I am no stranger to your character and proceedings; but whatever may be the consequences, I must obey God rather than man.

If the prelate should be followed by a presbyter who should thus address me, "I am Mr. Herle, prolocutor of the assembly of divines which met at Westminster. This is our confession of faith, confirmed by proofs from the word of God, you are requested to subcribe it." The most I can say, sir, is, that I will examine if it accords with the sacred oracles. "Why will you not put your name to it? It has been approved by the ablest divines, and subcribed

by all the ministers and elders of the church of Scotland, which is said to excel every other church in purity. Pray do." I assure you, sir, I have a very high esteem for many of the members of the assembly. With the exception of the synod of Dort, I do not know that there was ever a council of Christian ministers, who, for talents, piety, and zeal, could be compared to them either in ancient or modern times. But they were fallible men, and I must try their sentiments by the sacred Scriptures. But stop, I have just cast my eye on the twenty-third chapter, where it is asserted, that" the civil magistrate has authority, and it is his duty to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God be kept pure, and entire, that all blasphemies, and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administred, and observed. For the better effecting thereof, he hath power to call synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them, be according to the mind of God." The only proof from the New Testament of this prodigious authority, is Matth. ii. 4, 5. And when Herod had gathered all the chief priests and Scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born; and they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written in the prophets." So you call this proving a doctrine from Scripture, Mr. Herle? Take back your confession of faith, I will not put my hand to it..

Should I, after this, have the honour of a visit from Dr. Owen and Mr. Howe, and they should bring with them the system of the congregational brethren

agreed on at the Savoy, and say, "this is the substance of divine truth, which we have drawn from the Word of God, after much prayer and patient attention to the subject," I would reply, gentlemen, I am greatly honoured by your visit. From my heart I can truly affirm, that there are not two men in England, or the world, whom I more highly esteem, to whom I am under greater obligations for the benefit I have reaped from their writings, or to whose judgment I would pay greater deference. But I can receive nothing on your authority, I must examine your confession of faith by the oracles of truth. "You mistake our meaning (they reply), we are not come to desire you to subcribe it as your creed. It was not designed to be imposed on any one, but to be laid before the world as an exposition of the sentiments which we hold. Examine it by all means: embrace what appears agreeable to the divine will, and if any thing be contrary to the form of sound words, reject it. Gentlemen, farewell.”

Let none imagine from what I have said on this subject, that I treat human authority with contempt: far from it. If a wise and good man assert any thing to be a divine truth, I hear with attention, and give it the weight which is due to so respectable a character. If twenty good men assert the thing, I listen to it with still greater respect. If two hundred of equal wisdom and goodness unite in the assertion, I consider myself bound to weigh it with still greater deference. If it be a subject in which their worldly interest is not concerned, nor the prejudices of education interwoven, the person, who would treat such authority with contempt, merits the severest reprehension. But still I consider them as fallible men; and it is my duty to

compare their sentiments with the Old and New Testament, and to receive them just as far as they agree with the writings of Peter, and Paul, and John, and the other apostles of Jesus Christ, "these holy men of God, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Another important principle, which belongs to my system, is, "the right of private judgment in all matters of religion." Personal conviction lies at the foundation of all rational devotion, and Christian [ practice. If a system of opinions be presented to my reception as of divine authority, I must require to know the evidence on which it rests. If it be satisfactory to my mind, I embrace it, and I feel my obligations to act under its influence. But if it does. not carry conviction to my mind, I must reject it, for it does not prove itself divine. To whomsoever it may be a rule, it cannot be a rule to me. Should any find fault with this reasoning, I beg leave to ask, if I am not to judge for myself, who is to judge for me? "The priest," will it be said. If a thing appears to me to be false, am I to receive it because he says it is true? But what priest? "Your parish priest, to be sure, who is your lawful teacher." If he has such a right as being my parish priest, then the curé of St. Sulpice in Paris has the same right as parish priest over his numerous parishioners. Then the parish priest at Toledo, the iman of a mosque at Constantinople, a bramin at Benares" No, no, no, for shame." But where is the weak link in the chain? If I am to submit to the parish priest because he is my legal pastor and teacher, appointed by authority to guide me in matters of faith, there is precisely the same reason for the