a christian, unless I fubfcribe to your lordfhip's, or the church's explanation of the words in question; I challenge you to fhew me the difference, between your lordship's claim to authority in controverfies of faith, and the extravagant pretenfions of the romish church to abfolute dominion over the reason and the confciences of men.

With refpect to the fecond article, esteemed by your lordship to be fundamental in religion, viz. the doctrine of the atonement, as explained in the articles of our church; I fhall observe, that, profeffing a belief in fcripture, and fubfcribing to its authority, I confefs alfo with St. Paul, in the third verse of the fifteenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, "that Chrift died for our fins according to the fcriptures." If you afk in what manner his death availed us, i. e. in what fenfe I understand thefe words; I answer, in their scripture fenfe; and, the fense of scripture, I faithfully labour to explore to the best of my capacity and power. If your lordship should require more than this confeffion, and fhould infift, before will acknowledge me to be a chriftian, upon a fub

you

a subscribed testimony to your opinion, or the opinion of the church, I must say, that whatever your lordship may affect, you are a papist in your heart; and that your defign of domination over confcience, is as evident, as if you had expreffed yourself, in the most authoritative language of him, whose feat is on the feven hills.

To restore the scriptures to their due fupremacy, above the precarious comments and doubtful interpretations of fallible men, is the end and aim of the affociation, which vifibly gives you so much difquiet. If your lordship hath formed any fyftem of faith and doctrine refpecting the trinity, and the atonement, which you think to be the doctrine of scripture; the petitioners have no defire to disturb your peace, or the peace of the church, with endless controverfies upon the subject. They are disposed to permit to you, and to every other chriftian, the free and unmolested enjoyment of your opinions, with respect to the real import of any expreffion, in the facred writings. They remonstrate, and, my lord, although the oppofition of your brethren should be seven-fold increased,

increased, they will continue to remonftrate, against the requifition of fubfcription to human interpretations of fcripture in a protestant church. And if, by the wisdom of the legislature, they fhall be released from the neceffity of declaring their faith in the words of a Cranmer, a Ridley, or a Parker, they will then have obtained the ultimatum of their defires; and, will leave to your lordship, and every other chriftian, unlimited and unreftrained, the fame power of interpreting fcripture, which, as members of a church that calls itself proteftant, they claim themfelves.

WITHOUT any preamble, I propose the following queries to your confideration.

I. Is it not a natural inference from the terms, in which fubfcription to the thirty

nine articles is required, that the candidate should, in his heart, be perfuaded that all and every of the faid articles are agreeable to

the word of God?

2. Is it poffible, that the expreffion of fuch perfuafion can be fincere, unless the subfcription be preceded by a careful comparifon of the doctrine of the articles, with the truths contained in holy writ?

3. For infance, is it not afferted in the athanafian creed, (to the truth of which every candidate for orders must subscribe,) that all who admit not the trinitarian scheme, as there delineated, fhall, "without a doubt, perish everlaftingly ?"

4. Is it, therefore, decent, that an article of fuch importance, fhould be fubfcribed without any previous acquaintance with the word of God?

5. Is it not the indifpenfable duty of your lordships, whom the law hath commiffioned to take the fubfcription of the clergy, to inquire, with the moft confcientious ftrictnefs, whether the perfons who apply to you for ordination, have made the moft material points of doctrine contained

in these articles, the subject of their ftudious attention ?

6. Is there a fingle lecture read upon the articles, in the university of Cambridge?

7. Are not lectures also upon the word of God, neglected by many of the tutors, and difcouraged by the heads of houfes in Cambridge, upon the idea, that the study of the fcriptures, at this time, would be particularly dangerous to the church?

8. Is it not a fact, that to the machinations of a junto of your order, Mr. Croft owes his feat as member for the university?

9. And, would not an equal exertion of your interest have affected the establishment of lectures upon the word of God, in every college in Cambridge?

XXIX.

A LOLLARD.

SIR,

DECEMBER 18, 1773.

IT has often been afferted, and very ably proved, that myfteries are the bane of true religion; that they teach us to idolize our

Own