the acccufer, and the promoters of the accufation, as well as the methods, by which the Mifcellanift, and other writers of that class, have endeavoured firft to blacken the doctor, and then the administration; we can look upon the whole, as nothing but a plot of fome zealous bigots, who, as Erafmus complains in a like cafe, fubornarunt quendam fui fodalitii virum effrontem, effrænis licentiæ & petulantia, factum ad confpuendum Erafmum, nibil recufantem modo innotefcat; non miror hunc bominem infanire, fed patres illos demiror quorum auctoritate fretus hæc audet: Qui fi non vident quantum dedecoris & invidiæ conciliaturi fint ordini fuo, defidero in illis judicium; fed fi, quod arbitrer, favent, defidero in illis fobriam mentem.

If we judge wrong, as to this affair in general, or any of its particulars, you will, I hope, be fo good as to rectify our mistakes; and in return, you fhall from time to time receive an account of what paffes in the univerfity worth your notice. We are,

SIR,

Your bumble fervants,

CANTABRIGIENSES.

NUM B. IV.

Cum creaturæ nulli, nullis angelis, æternum & immutabile decretum divinæ voluntatis, quam in evangelio patefecit, mutare liceat ; fervemus id nos quoque immotum & incorruptum, nec ex humana fapientia aliquid contra evangelium, aut incerta præter evangelium ftatuamus. Formul. Refor. confcript. à Luth. &c.

F the conduct of the first reformers, in Separating from the communion of the church of Rome, was commendable in itself, and can be justified by reasons of the highest importance; if they had a real right to follow the dictates of their own confciences in the great affairs of religion, and to protest against all attempts made, either by the civil or ecclefiaftical power, to infringe or deprive them of this ineftimable privilege: the confequence is, that fince truth or reafon are immutable in their nature, every man, in every age and nation, hath an equal claim to the fame liberty; and may and ought fteadily and vigorously to oppofe and protest against all principles and practices, that are inconfiftent with, or fubverfive of it.

SUCH

SUCH indeed who are flaves to worldly and corrupt paffions, fond of imaginary characters and prerogatives, and willing to keep others in fubjection to themselves, will not fail to ftigmatize even the cause of liberty itfelf, as faction and fedition. To plead for it, is with them licentiousness and libertinism---To question their claims, is fure to be reprefented as a mark of infidelity ----To protest against either their corruptions of religion, or their ufurpations and abuses of power, argues in their judgment profaneness and enmity to all religion, and is even a crime to be punished by the civil magistrate.

BUT as cenfures of this kind are generally very unjust, and have feldom any thing to fupport them but ignorance and presumption, they can affect and terrify none but weak and fuperftitious minds. All wife men will acknowledge that the cause of liberty is the cause of God, and despise the impotent reproaches of weak or defigning bigots. The name of Proteftant is an honourable badge of freedom; and every Confiftent Proteftant must hate every mark of oppreffion and flavery, be a ftrenuous afferter of his own rights, and a zealous advocate for the rights of others. The reformation owes its being to men, who had the honesty and courage to oppose their own private judgments to the established opinions of the whole chriftian world; to think for themfelves, tho' threatened with all the terrors of civil punishment in the present life,

and

and damnation in a future ftate, for fuch dreadful impiety and infolence; and to protest against those errors in opinion, and fuperftitions in practice, which the church had fanctified, and the ftate established. And as truth is always the fame, and as the reasons upon which the reformers acted were neither local nor temporary, but fuch as will hold good to the end of the world amongst all nations, I shall now affert my own principles; and do by these prefents, in my own name, and in the name of all the Confiftent Proteftants of his Majesty's dominions, enter and publish this my following PROTEST.

I Do in the first place therefore publickly declare, that the facred writings, which contain a revelation of the will of God, are the only fure, authentick, and infallible rule of the faith and practice of every christian man, by which all opinions are to be fairly and impartially examined, by whomsoever they may be taught or recommended, or by whatsoever authority, whether civil or ecclefiaftical, they may be enforced: And that nothing ought to be believed as a neceffary article of the chriftian religion, which is contrary to, or not contained in, these scriptures of divine infpiration and authority; but rather ought to be rejected as falfe in itself, or unneceffary in its nature.

AND in confequence of this, I do PROTEST against fetting up and allowing the decrees of any men, or body of men, as of equal au

D

thority

*

thority and obligation with the word of God; whether they be councils, fynods, convocations, or general affemblies; whether they be antient or modern, Romish or Proteftant, epifcopal, Prefbyterian or Independent, Popes, Fathers and Doctors; whether they pretend to abfolute infallibility, or only to the humbler grace of moral certainty and affurance. In virtue of the obedience and fubmiffion I owe to the heavenly and univerfal paftor of chriftians, I wholly and for ever renounce them as my mafters, authoritative guides, and fupreme directors in all or any the affairs of religion and falvation; and all their traditions, canons, and injunctions, as things not worthy or able to oblige the confcience, because not proceeding from the infallible Spirit of truth, nor attended with the fanction of a divine command. And in this I have the firft reformers, as well as the reafon of the thing, to juftify and fupport me; who frequently declared that the fcripture doctrine ought to be kept inviolable and incorrupt; and that nothing fhould be bound on chriftians by human prudence, contrary to the gospel, or that is uncertain befides the gospel. Thus also are we taught by the twentieth article of our own excellent church, which declares, That 'tis not lawful for the church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's word written. Wherefore, tho' the church be a witness and keeper of holy writ, yet as it ought not to decree any

See Dr. Waterland's Import. of Trinity, p. 178, &c.