In concluding this subject, I remark, that Dissenters, even the most furious and bigoted amongst them, cannot but admit, how reluctantly soever it may be, that the Established Church in providing religious instruction for hundreds and hundreds of thousands, who but for such an establishment must have been utterly destitute of it, has done some good; and were they in reality the pious and holy people they pretend to be, they would heartily rejoice that such good has been done, and not seek to destroy the instrument that has done it: they would rejoice that the land is covered with a Church, which the Eclectic Review, the organ of Dissent, confesses " it cannot be denied, professes the life-giving doctrines of the Gospel, favours every great principle rescued from Rome by the Reformers, and puts into the lips of the people, a language of devotion unrivalled in majesty, beauty, propriety, and comprehension."

To belong to a Church which compels such praises from even her bitter enemies, is an honour and a blessing highly enjoyed by

Your's, Sir, most obediently,

L. S. E.

LETTER XIII.

ON THE KING'S SUPREMACY IN ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS.

SIR,

CLOSELY Connected with the subject just concluded is another, upon which I will make a few brief remarks. I allude to the King's exercising Supreme Authority over the Church-that is, over all the Members of the Church, whether Clergy or Laity, and over all their actions, whether Ecclesiastical or Civil. "We learn from the Old Testament," (which Dissenters may be told is believed by Churchmen to be the Word of God,)" that under the Mosaic Dispensation the Kings exercised the chief power in all matters which appertained to Religion, and that their Authority was acknowledged by the Priests and Levites: Abimelech appeared before Saul, and answered the accusations which the King urged against him as High Priest. David made many regulations concerning the Public Worship of God; and particularly, he instituted the courses of the Priests.+ Solomon moved Abiathar from the High Priesthood; and the succeeding Kings frequently gave direction and orders which were readily obeyed, in cases relating solely to ecclesiastical persons and things."§

In the New Testament, we find Christians commanded as follows-" Let every soul be subject to the 1 Sam. xxii. 11. +1 Chron. xxiii. 6. 1 Kings, ii. 26 and 27. See Bishop Tomline's El. Theol. vol. ii. p. 552.

Higher Powers.”* "Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates."+ "Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." These precepts, as well as others of the like nature, contain no exception in favour of the Clergy any more than of the Laity. They are equally obligatory upon both descriptions of persons, in matters Ecclesiastical as well as Civil.

This

In order, however, to obviate objections, and to set the matter in a clear light, the Thirty-seventh Article of the Church explains and limits the power of the King. "We give not to our Princes the ministering either of God's Word or of the Sacraments." can be exercised by none except those who have been duly and properly Ordained expressly for the purpose; nor has the right of doing so ever been claimed by any Christian Prince. "The Jewish Priests submitted to King Uzziah in all things which were not forbidden by the Law of Moses; but when he attempted to burn incense in the 'Temple, which was permitted to none but Priests, they openly resisted him, and the sacrilegious Monarch, while he held a censor in his hand, was suddenly smitten by God with a leprosy,"§" and was a leper unto the day of his death." The Church of England does not allow the Civil Magistrate to interfere in the celebration of Divine Ordinances; but she considers it the bounden duty of every Christian to yield obedience to him, whenever he does not command any thing contradictory to the Word of God. In every thing else he has a right to demand implicit obedience; if not, in what does his authority consist? Dissenters, however, are not very careful in this mat'ter, their own fancies must be attended to whether the King is obeyed or not. Mr. Scales, speaking of the

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Civil Powers, says, "Religion is not the province of those Powers, and there we owe them no allegiance."* "Thou shalt do no murder"-"Thou shalt not commit adultery"-"Thou shalt not steal," &c. are religious commands; and being, therefore, according to Mr. Scales, not within "the province of those" (i. e. the Civil)" Powers," Dissenters, in regard to such commands, Owe them" (i. e. the Civil Powers) "no allegiance." This, surely, is "liberty of conscience" sufficient for any Dissenter, how "tender" soever his conscience may be.. Mr. Scales proceeds, " Civil and Ecclesiastical Governments occupy departments which are totally distinct from each other; and their boundaries are clearly defined by our Heavenly Teacher when he says, Render, therefore, unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things which are God's.' But, then, the question immediately recurs, what things are God's, and what things are Cæsar's? If they be so totally distinct from each other, and so "clearly defined," as it is asserted, it would surely be no difficult thing for Dissenters to "define" and distinguish them from each other, that no mistake may arise. The dispute does not turn upon the text itself; it is agreed on all hands that we are to "Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things which are God's." The question is what are Cæsar's, and what are God's? what things are purely Religious, and what are purely Civil? Mr. Scales says, that Civil Magistrates are to be obeyed" in all things which come fairly within their jurisdiction." But the question again recurs, what are the things which do come within their jurisdiction? and who is to be the judge as to whether they come "fairly" within it or not? If, according to the Dissenting notion, every individual is to be allowed to judge for himself, the Authority of the King is a mere nonentity, and there is an end to the whole business

at once.

Scales, T. 70.

All the cant that the King in exercising Authority in Ecclesiastical matters, robs Jesus Christ of his Headship over the Church, is perfectly childish and silly, and not worth a word. We might just as well say, that an inferior Civil Magistrate, or one from whom there is no appeal, in exercising the Authority vested in him, robs the King of his Supremacy and Honour. Dissenters are also very fond of asserting, that Churchmen, in acknowledging the Supremacy of their King over all persons and in all matters, as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, within his jurisdiction, reject and abandon the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church, and set up the King as Head in his stead. Really what impious folks these Church people must be!! Who can for a moment wonder that such pious, holy, and heavenly-minded folks as Dissenters are, should piously indulge in "keen hatred, and now and then a little round abuse of the Church" and Churchfolks? Who can for an instant suppose, that these said Dissenters, who monopolize all the piety and holiness in the kingdom-if not in the world-and who, to say nothing of their modesty and self-righteousness, are withal persons of very weak and tender consciences, can possibly be wrong? in what they, good folks, so conscientiously, so liberally, and so very disinterestedly affirm respecting those wicked fellows who are so stupid as to go to Church, and will not do themselves the kindness of hiring and paying for seats in the Dissenting Meeting-houses? How provoking it is that these bigoted Churchfolks will not go to hear the Dissenting Teachers, who alone preach the Gospelare so liberal and charitable-so pious and holy-and who, seeing they are not of this world, but of that kingdom which is not of this world, never dabble in politics-never step out of that kingdom which is not of this world into political meetings, or any thing of that sort-never interfere in any thing at all but what is purely of a spiritual nature, and who are taking such draughts of knowledge, and such rapid strides in the