tion as waiting upon her majesty, and that too "to be instructed by her, and to learn her judgment; and not that, neither, how the law stood "in relation to their proceedings, but how the gospel stood in relation to the opinions of Mr. "Whiston and the mystery of the Trinity? And "do you not now perceive your misrepresenta"tion of the case, and that I did not talk without "book, when I spake of it as a specimen of your *talent, which, indeed, is not mean in that way?"

There is one thing, I here perceive, Sir, which is, that if you do not talk without book, yet, when the book is before you, you either want capacity or integrity to make a proper use of it. For, besides the partial and maimed account which you have given of this matter, his lordship expressly adds the important passages which follow; whence the public will please to observe with how little fairness and truth you treat this famous case, and how great is both the church's and my own infelicity; she in having an advocate, and I an opponent, capable of such low and dishonourable methods of defence.

His lordship says, "That, by the act of Ist of "Elizabeth, which defined what should be judged "heresy, that judgment was declared to be in the "crown. The bishops, in convocation, drew "out several propositions from Whiston's books, "which seemed plainly to be reviving of Aria"nism, and censured them as such. The lower "house (excepting to one proposition) censured "them in the same manner. This the archbi"shop, being then disabled by the gout, sent by "one of the bishops to the queen, for her assent; (page 1194, Approbation;) who promised to CONSIDER OF IT. At their (the convocation's) meeting next winter, no answer being come "from the queen, two bishops were sent to ASK "it, and to receive her majesty's pleasure in it; "but she could not tell what was become of the

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paper the archbishop had sent her. So an ex"tract of the censure was again sent to her; but "she THOUGHT NOT FIT to send any answer to "it. So Whiston's affair slept, and all farther proceedings against him were stopped, since "the queen did NOT CONFIRM the step that we "had made, though he afterward published a large work in four volumes octavo.”*

Here let it be noted, 1. The judgment of what is, or is not, to be treated as heresy is, by our (truly apostolic) constitution, lodged wholly in the crown. The QUEEN, when such wears it, is the proper, the sole judge what doctrines and books shall be censured as heretical,---what principles and tenets are, or are not, contrary to the holy orthodox faith.

Note 2. The two houses, having extracted several passages from Mr. Whiston's books, and censured them as heretical, + deputed first one bishop, then two, to wait upon the queen, to ask her approbation and consent, to receive her ma jesty's pleasure in this affair, and to desire her confirmation, without which their censure was not of the least signification or validity in the church.

3. Upon the receipt of this request, the quecí, as sole judge, promised to CONSIDER OF IT. The affair was of great importance, viz. "What "the primitive apostolic doctrine was concer"ning the Trinity, Incarnation, Nature and Ge- ' "neration of the Logos? Whether there were

Burnet's Hiftory of his Times, Vol. VI. pages 1133, 34, 35, 94. Edit. 12mo.

The archbishops and bishops, in their addrefs to the queen, fay, that Mr. Whifton had advanced several damnable and blafphe mous affertions against the doctrine and worship of the ever bleed Trinity and, in their cenfure, they earnestly befeech all chriftian people, by the mercies of Chrift, to take heed how they give ear to... thefe falfe doctrines, as they tender the honour and glory of our Saviour, &c.

"three persons existing in one undivided substance; or whether the Logos was distinct in "essence from the Father, not created, nor made, "but in an ineffable manner begotten from eter-. "nity? And, finally, whether the apostolical con"stitutions were a genuine and inspired book, "and a true part of the sacred canon?" Her majesty was now applied to by her two houses of convocation, and requested, as sole judge, to pronounce authoritatively upon these points, i. e. to tell them whether Mr. Whiston's doctrine was to be received or rejected, to be considered as. heresy or not in this church. The queen as became a wise judge, refused to pronounce rashly. She took time to consider of it, to weigh sedately in her mind the merits of the cause, lest she should condemn the innocent.

Note:The scriptures, and the four first general councils, are the measure set by law to judge of heresy. Her majesty, therefore, being now requested by her clergy to judge authoritatively in this important case, acted a worthy part deferring her judgment till she had examined carefully the rule by which she was to judge.

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Observe, 4. After the queen had taken time maturely to consider of these deep and mysterious points, she thought not fit to send any answer. Upon her majesty's THOUGHTS the issue of this great affair is seen absolutely to depend.

Finally, 5. It is worthy to be observed, that her majesty's thoughts and judgment, on this weighty case, were quite different from those of her learned bishops and clergy. They thought: Mr. Whiston's writings" contained damnable "and wicked doctrines, and earnestly beseech "all christian people, by the mercies of Christ, "to take heed how they give ear, &c."---and judged them to deserve a public and solemn censure her majesty thought otherwise. She did not think fit to pass this public and solemn cen

sure on them by confirming the step the convocation had taken. In consequence of which, their proceedings were all stopped, and the solemn censure.they had passed with all their earnest obtestations, by the mercies of Christ evapo rate into air. This is a fair and true state of the case. What improvements are here made, by the wisdom of later ages, in the primitive aposto lic plan! Behold the WOMAN now empowered not only to teach, but to usurp authority over the man; over all the archbishops, bishops, and priests of this realm; to vacate their most solemn censures, to quash and stop at once their spiritual proceedings, in an affair where blasphemous doctrines and damnable and wicked errors were bringing danger of everlasting ruin to the souls over whom they watched! See here, Sir, the two scales that are to try doctrines and opinions in your holy apostolic church. In one is laid the united judgment of all the bishops and clergy in convocation convened; in the other, the queen's alone:---lo, the former mounts and kicks the beam! The single judgment of the queen, in the balance of the church, weighs more than that of all the learned bishops and priests of the realm!*

And is not this exactly consonant to the account I had given? "Is not here, Sir, the very "comely and edifying sight (at which you ex

cept) of the two houses of convocation wait

* See a series of fuch exertions of feminine-archiepifcopal paftoral authority, throughout the whole reign of Queen Eliza beth; particularly the cafe of Archbishop Grindal, whom the fequeftered in great wrath from his archiepifcopal functions, for refufing to obey a rafh and tyrannical order of the Queen, relating to church-matters. Under this fequeftration he conti nued many years. The two houfes of convocation prefented to the Queen a moft humble and earnest petition for his restoration, but could not obtain it. Vide Fuller's Church Hift. Book IX. page 120.-Neal's Hift. Pur. Vol. I. pages 358, 374.

+ Appendix, page 37,

*ing upon the good queen, to be instructed by "her majesty whether that gentleman's books, "concerning the Trinity, were to be condemn"ed as heretical or not? Do they tell us, (you "ask) of the synod laying their censure before "the queen, to have her judgment upon it?" Yes. "And of their waiting upon a WOMAN, "to learn, from her mouth what the church is to believe, and what to reject, as to this great "mystery of faith?" You must see and feel that this really is the case: and you must permit me to wonder that you, Sir, who, as a dutiful son of the church, ought to have drawn a veil over every thing which can reflect no honour upon it, should, by a rash and indiscreet defence, so much injure the cause which you wish to support.

As your Letters and Defences breathe a noble compassion for the straying souls of Dissenters, the extraordinary instance, with which you conclude the whole, ought not to be overlooked. You are concerned, it seems, "That I have read, " and in several instances agree in sentiment "and reasoning---with, the author of the Rights "of the christian church, and appear to have "much studied and profited by that worthy au"thor;---and are sorry to find dissenting minis"ters and gentlemen dealing so much in books "of this sort. So long as this is the case, what hope of a comprehension! Or, indeed who "would wish for it!"* I have read, Sir, and I hope profited by, the Rights, &c. as you profess to have read, and I hope not without profit, Bellarmin, an author incomparably worse. As for my agreement with the author of the Rights, &c. as far as he agrees with truth, with Scripture and with law, you must give me leave to say, (without augmenting, I hope, your sorrow) that I esteem it, not the least reproach: nay, for once,

* Appendix, pages 41, 44.