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Tincture of Calvinifm along with them, as infested our Universities, Cathedrals, and Parish-Churches, with thofe Principles and Notions; infomuch as it was thought almost impoffible for a Man to be a good Divine, that had not studied Calvin, Beza, Zanchy, and the rest of that Fraternity : And when Difputes happened here, as they did in the very Beginning of Queen EliZabeth's Reign, Beza, Bullinger, Gualter,

c. were thought the proper Oracles to be confulted with upon that Occafion; and whatever was not agreeable to the Senfe of those Foreign Presbyterians, was too generally believed to be Popifh and Antichriftian. Thus Calvinism prevailed amongst us, fo that by the time King Charles I. came to the Crown, it had almoft univerfally over-fpread the Nation; infomuch that when Archbishop Laud, and fome other Eminent and Learned Bishops his Contemporaries, endeavoured to ftop this Current, and introduce the Doctrines and Ufages of the Primitive Church, the Cry of Popery was raifed immediately against them by the Calvinifts; and not only they, but Church and State alfo, were overwhelmed with the Torrent. Upon the Reftoration of King Charles II. the Calviniftical Divinity grew into Difefteem; and John Calvin, whofe ipfe dixit was once thought

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thought an Authority not to be gain-faid, was no longer regarded. But still we thought it proper to fetch our Divinity from the Foreign Presbyterians, and to study the Dutch Systems; there being some, it feems, started up in that Country, who durft controll even Calvin himself.

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Epifcopius, Philip of Limborch, and Curcilaus came in Vogue, and were put into the Hands of the young Students in Divinity. Thefe Men had, it must be confefs'd, a more rational Way of Arguing, than the Old Calvinistical Gentlemen, which taught the Divines of that Age to make some fine Difcourfes upon Moral Subjects, but with very little Divinity in them. But as these New Syftematick Writers were as much Strangers to the Fathers, as the Old Calvinifts, and for that Reafon fpoke contemptibly of them, and had no Regard to the Doctrines of Primitive Christianity; fo their Followers in our Church trod in their Steps, and were as little acquainted with the Doctrines of the Ancient Church, as the Old Difciples of Calvin, Bullinger, Gualter, Beza, Zanchy, &c.

THUS, whilft we ftudied only to make what we call Practical Difcourfes, and Popular Harangues, and treated of the Chriftian Church, not as of a Society founded, and incorporated by Chrift, which had a

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Government, and Magiftrates of its Own, deriving their Authority from Him, independent on the States of the World; but only as a Sect believing fuch and fuch Opinions, and using fuch and fuch Rites; we had almoft loft the true Notion of Chriftianity; and that Article of our Creed, concerning the Catholick Church, and Communion of Saints, was rightly understood by very few of our People: So that now we come to teach them the true Meaning of this Article of Faith, according as it was understood by the Apostles and Primitive Fathers, and to tell them that the Church is a Society diftinct from, and independent on the State; that the Bishops are the Chief Governours of this Society, under Christ, and derive their Authority from Him, and not from the Civil Magiftrate; they having not been used to fuch DoArine, take it prefently for Popery. For the Followers of the New Dutch Divinity, like the Old Calvinists, have taught their Disciples to brand whatever thwarts their own Opinions with the odious Name of Popery Although it be never fo contrary to it, as I truft I have fhewn our Doctrines to be.

THUS alfo, whilft they endeavour to bring all Things to the Standard of their own Reason, and they can fee no Cause, 1 2

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why the Ministry of Man fhould, upon any Occafion, be requifite for the Remiffion of Sins, they charge the Doctrine of Sacerdotal Abfolution as Popish allo; notwithstanding it is fo plainly taught in the Liturgy of the Church of England, agreeable to the Holy Scriptures. Neither have they any Notion of receiving the Forgiveness of Sins, even by the Means of those Sacraments which Chrift inftituted for that very End and Purpose, there being little or nothing taught to that Purpofe, but rather the Contrary, in the New Dutch Divinity; hence they can fee no Neceffity of an Epifcopal Commiffion to make thefe Sacraments Valid and Effectual for the Remiffion of Sins, and procuring Grace, as not knowing any fuch Effects to belong to these Divine Ordinances; but they look upon them as Two pofitive Commands which Chrift has thought fit to impofe upon us to try our Obedience, and that for that Reason we are bound to receive them, and may expect fome Reward for that Obedience; but for any other Advantages to be received by them, they feem to have little Thought or Concern; and for this Reason it matters not much from whofe Hands we receive them, or whether there be any proper Priests to adminifter them or not; only for Order Sake, and because what is

Every Body's Bufinefs may in Time be thought No Body's Business, it is very fit fome particular Men should be chosen to minifter thefe Sacraments to others, not that the Nature of the Thing requires it, but only that the Thing may be done with Regularity and Decency. Hence, when we come to teach, that there is fomething more in these Sacraments, than a bare inftituted Rite or Ceremony, and shew that they are Pledges of GOD's Love, Seals of His Pardon and Grace; that the Elements in the Eucharist are not only to be eaten and drank by us, but to be offered to GOD the Father, as the Representative Body and Blood of His Son, to render Him propitious to us, through the Merits of that great Sacrifice which Chrift Himself offered, whereof they are the Memorial; and from hence inferr, that none can minister thefe Ordinances, but by a Commission derived, in a continued Succeffion, from Chrift Himself; we are thought to preach ftrange Doctrine, and it must have a Tendency to Popery; though, as I have fhewn, nothing can be more oppofite to Popery than this Doctrine is.

AGAIN, when we have had a General Silence concerning the Unction of the Sick, or thofe who have occafionally mentioned it, have spoken of it as a Thing out of

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