of Protestants enumerated by Evans in his Sketch of the different denominations of Christians, and of twice forty other sects whom he omits to mention.

When I remarked that our blessed Master Jesus Christ wrote no part of the New Testament himself, and gave no orders to his Apostles to write it, I ought to have added that, if he had intended it to be, together with the Old Testament, the sole Rule of Religion, he would have provided means for their being able to follow it; knowing, as he certainly did, that 99 in every 100, or rather 999 in every 1,000, in different ages and countries, would not be able to read at all, and much less to comprehend a page of the sacred writings. Yet no such means were provided by him: nor has he so much as enjoined it to his followers in general to study letters.

Another observation on this subject, and a very obvious one is; that among those Christians, who profess that the Bible alone is the Rule of their Religion, there ought to be no Articles, no Catechisms, no Sermons, nor other instructions. True it is, that the abolition of these, however incompatible they are with the Rule itself, would quickly undermine the Established Church, as its clergy now begin to understand; and, if universally carried into effect, would, in the end, efface the whole doctrine and morality of the Gospel; (1) but this

(1) The Protestant writers, Kett and Robison, have shown, in the passage above quoted, that the principle of private judgment tends to undermine Christianity at large; and Archdeacon Hook, in his late charge shows, by an exact statement of capital convictions in different years, that the increase of immorality has kept pace with that of the Bible Societies.

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consequence (which is inevitable) only shows more clearly the falsehood of this exclusive rule. In fact, the most enlightened Protestants find themselves here in a dilemma, and are obliged to say and unsay, to the amusement of some persons and the pity of others. (1) They cannot abandon the rule of the Bible alone, as explained by each one for himself, without proclaiming their guilt in refusing to hear the Church, and they cannot adhere to it, without opening the floodgates to all the impiety and immorality of the present age upon their own communion. -I shall have occasion hereafter to notice the claims of the Established Church to authority, in determining the sense of Scripture, as well as in other religious controversies: in the mean time I cannot but observe, that her most able defenders are frequently obliged to abandon their own, and adopt the Catholic Rule of Faith. The judicious Hooker, in his defence of the Church of England, writes thus: Of this we are right sure, that nature, Scripture, and experience itself, have taught the world to seek for the ending of contentions by submitting to some

(1) One of the latest instances of the distress in question is exhibited by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marsh. In his publication, The Inquiry, p. 4. he says very truly, the poor (who coustitute the bulk of mankind) cannot, without assistance, understand the Scriptures:' Being congratulated on this important, yet unavoidable concession, by the Rev. Mr. Gandolphy, he tacks about in a public letter to that Gentleman, and says, that what he wrote in his Inquiry concerning the necessity of a further rule than mere Scripture, only regards the establishment of religion, not the truth of it: just as if that rule were sufficient to conduct the people to the truth of Religion, while he expressly says they cannot under

stand it!

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judicial and definite sentence, whereunto neither parties that contendeth, may, under any pretence or colour, refuse to stand. This must needs be effectual and strong. As for other means, without this, they seldom prevail.' (1) Another most clear-headed writer, and renowned defender of the Establishment, whom I had the happiness of being acquainted with, Dr. Balguy, (2) thus expresses himself in a Charge to the Clergy of his Archdeaconry: The opinions of the people are and must be founded more on authority than reason. Their parents, their teachers, their governors, in a great measure, determine for them, what they are to believe and what to practise. The same doctrines, uniformly taught, the same rites constantly performed, make such an impression on their minds, that they hesitate as little in admitting the articles of their faith, as in receiving the most established maxims of common life.' (3) With such testimonies before your eyes, can you, dear Sir, imagine that the bulk of Protestants have formed, or were designed to form their religion by the standard of Scripture? He goes on to say, speaking of controverted points: Would you have them (the people) think for themselves? Would you

(1) Hooker's Eccles. Polity, Pref. art. 6. (2) Discourses on various Subjects, by T. Balguy, D. D. Archdeacon and Prebendary of Winchester. Some of these Discourses were preached at the consecration of Bishops, and published by order of the Archbishop; some in Charges to the clergy. The whole of them is dedicated to the King, whom the writer thanks for naming him to a high dignity, (the Bishopric of Gloucester,) and for permitting him to decline accepting of it.

(3) Discourses on various Subjects, by T. Balguy, D.D. P. 257.

have them hear and decide the controversies of the learned? Would you have them enter into the depths of criticism, of logic, of scholastic divinity? You might as well expect them to compute an eclipse, or decide between the Cartesian and Newtonian philosophy. Nay, I will go farther: for I take upon myself to say, there are more men capable, in some competent degree, of understanding Newton's philosophy, than of forming any judgment at all concerning the abstruser questions in metaphysics and theology.' Yet the persons, of whom the Doctor particularly speaks, were all furnished with Bibles; and the abstruse questions, which he refers to, are: "Whether Christ did, or did not, come down from heaven?' whether he died, or did not die, for the sins of the world?' whether he sent his Holy Spirit to assist and comfort us, or whether he did not send him?' (1) The learned Doctor elsewhere expresses himself still more explicitly on the subject of Scripture without Church authority. He is combating the Dissenters, but his weapons are evidently as fatal to his own Church as to theirs. 'It has long been held among them that Scripture only is the rule and test of all religious ordinances; and that human authority is to be altogether excluded. Their ancestors, I believe, would have been not a little embarrassed with their own maxim, if they had not possessed a singular talent of seeing every thing in Scripture which they had a mind to see. Almost every sect could find there its own peculiar form of church-government; and while they forced only their

(1) Discourses on various Subjects, by T. Balguy, D. D. p. 257.

own imaginations, they believed themselves to be executing the decrees of heaven.' (1)

I conclude this long letter with a passage to the present purpose from our admired theological poet :

As long as words a different sense will bear,
And each may be his own interpreter,
Our airy faith will no foundation find:
The word's a weathercock for ev'ry wind.' (2)

AFTER all that I have written concerning the Rule of Faith, adopted by yourself and other more rational Protestants, I have only yet treated of the extrinsic arguments against it. I now therefore proceed to investigate its intrinsic nature, in order to show more fully the inadequacy, or rather the falsehood of it.

When an English Protestant gets possession of an English Bible, printed by Thomas Basket, or other 'Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty,' he

(1) Discourse VII. p. 126.

(2) Dryden's Hind and Panther, Part I.