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A N

ENQUIRY

CONCERNING

Fundamental Articles

O F

FAITH. &c.

RUTH and Charity are no lefs ef-fcntial to a Chriftian^ than Reafon is to a Man : The former is claim'd by all, how widely foever they differ among themfelves 5 the latter is fomc-times not only pretended to, but as it were in-grofs'd by many, who, from the manner of their treating thofe who differ from them, give the Standers by occafion to conclude, that if weigh'd in a juft Balance, they alfo would be found wanting. But my Defign in the following Pages is to enquire into the Nature of thefe excellent Endow-A 1 ments

ments, rather than the Juftice of Men's Pretv'^n-fions unto 'em j and that we may confine our Thoughts within a narrow Compafs, we ihall conlider Charity^ not as compriung all thofe Offices of Kindnefs which we owe to Mankind in general^ as it is the Sumni of the fecond Table of the Moral Law j but principally as it refpeds our Sentiments of Men, embracing a fett of Notions in Religion, which we call true or falfe j and therefore we ihali not couddQ^Trutb as having all T'hi'ngs founded on jtifi Evidence iax .its Object •, but as depending on a 'Divi?ie I'ejlimony^ and.as having a Referehce to, and Connexion with. Salvation. We have therefore in this Argument no.irnmediate Concern with thofe who deny divine Revelation, or others who fet human Authority on a Level with it, and therefore take it for granted,

J . ■. ■ ■' . § I. .

That the Scripture is the Foundation and Rule of T'ruth^ the Standard by which 'tis to be tried, and the Trcafurv in which 'tis contain'd. That indeed which pai-.lcular Perfons judge true may not be fo, and the only Reafon is, becaufe 'tis not an exprefs T'ext of Scripture^ or a jull Deduction from it : However, that fome Scripture Con-fequences are juH, is no hard Matter to prove j but it is not our Bufinefs at prefent to determine what are fo, nor do we reckon 'emfo becaufethey . are <?//rj, but we mufb. fuppofe that Ibme are fo j . for if no Man ever drew a juil Confequence from Scripture, it has hitherto been of no Ufe to thofe-that have enquired into the Senfethereofj and then no Dowirincs deliver'd from the Pulpits, fince the , Apoftles Time, are to be depended on, otherwife then as probable^ but having no Foundation of Pertai?ity j and then our Religion would be brought into very narrow Limits 5^ and 'tis v^rell, if while

I >ve

we guard (as doubtlefs we ought to do) agaiaft every Thing that has the leaft Tendency to efta-bhlli the IntaUibility of Man's Reafoning, we do not fet aiide thofe Confequences which are felf-e-vident, and by that means open a Door to Seep-ticifm, and deny them > though equally juft with that Method ot" Reafoning, by which we prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God, or any other Principle of Rehgion deduced from thence 5 which we cannot fafely do, though not contain'd in exprefs Words therein^ and whatever Confeg^en-cesaie julljare to be beheved, becaufe they are fo, without Regard to the Authority of him that infers 'em.

This Argument might be maintained without much Difficulty > but a Reverend * Brother has judicioufly manag'd it, and is able to maintain what he has advanc'd, when a Reply thereunto fhall render it neceffary. All that I fhall infer from thence is. That whatever Do6brine contains a jufl or true Senfe of Scripture, is Scripture, and ought to be deem'd fo, not only by him who makes the Deduction, but by all Men.

§ II.

Every Part of Scripture has one determinate Senfe^ or no Scripture contains two contrary Senfes j 'tis true, many of the Words us'd therein will admit of various, and fometimes contrary Senfes, as is common in all Languages 5 but that the Mind of the Holy Ghoft, conveyed by every Word, is to be taken but in one determinate Senfe (which we are often at a Lofs to know 5 from whence arife various Conjedlures, according to the various Sentiments of Expofitors) is very obvious j for o-

therwife

* Mr. Cumm'm^'s DifTert concerning Scripture Confequences,

therwife two contrary Ideas, contained in the fame Word, or two contrary Propofitions,contained in the fame Sentence, muft be both true. Certainly if Simplicity andPlainnefsof Style be the Beauty of an human Compofure, and the contrary detracts from its Ufefulnefs, and argues a Defe6t of Wifdom, Goodnefs and Faithfulnefs in it*s Author, we ought by no means to aflert any Thing which would caft the like Blemiih on the Sacred Oracles^ or contain an unworthy Charge againft a holy, wife and gracious God, and which would bring the Scriptures into Contempt, and render them like the Trumpet *which gives an uncertain Sound, § III. Though the 'Truth and Authority of every Part of Scripture be the fame, inafmuch as 'tis equally infpir'd by the fame infallible Spirit j yet its Ufefulnefs^ or immediate Subferviency to Sal* vation^ which we call the Importance thereof, cannot be fuppos'd to be the fame, as to all the Doctrines or Hiflorical Narrations which it contains. Thus the Order and Time in which this lower World was fram'd, the Genealogies interfpers'd thro' many parts of Scripture, the M^ars of Judah and Ifrael^ and the Hiftory of the Affairs of other Nations, with which they had to do, and many o-ther Things related, concerning the Providence of God to his Church > though they are not only infallibly true^ but exceedingly delightful and ufe-ful to anfwer many Ends, far more valuale than any that can be attain'd by the beft Hiftories of human Compofure j yet thefe cannot be fuppos'd to be of equal Importance with other parts of Scripture, containing the Hiilory of the Life and Death of our Blefj'ed Saviour > the fame may be obferv'd concerning many other Doctrines contained in Scripture. Butbecaufe this Head is principally to be conlider'd in our prefent Argument^ we ought to be more particular in the Proof thereof :

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oi: And this I fhali chufe to do, not by an In-du6tion of all the particular Doctrines, that may be concluded to be of the higheft Importance j but by laying down a general Rule^ whereby wc may judge of the Importance of a DoElrine^ which when duly confider'd, 'twill eafily appear that one Do6trine is of far greater Importance than ano^ ther 5 the Rule I wou'd lay down, is, that every Dodrine is of greater or Icfs Importance, according to its Tendency, to anfwer the great End, for which the Scripture was given, 'viz. the pro^ moting true Religion^ which confifts in our advancing, and having becoming Thoughts of the divine Perfeftions, and worfhipping God agreeably thereunto, as thofe who expeft the End of their Faith^ even the Salvation of their Souls. That thefe things are of the lafl Importance^ I need not prove J and 'tis as evident, that they are fo con-nefted, that one cannot be attained without the other ; and that every Do6trine contain'd in Scripture, has not an equal Tendency to anfwer thefe Ends will be allow'd. But if it be enquired, what kind of Do&ines thofe are ? It might be anfwer'd. Such as are fuppofed in, and are the very Bafisand Foundation of, all religious Worfhip. Of this kind are thofe which truly fix and determine the OhjeEi thereof, and direft us to give it to no other but a Divine Perfon^ who only can have a Right to it, as having all divine Perfeftions j and that there are more than one Divine Perfon who have thefe Perfeftions, on which this Right to Worihip is founded 5 and as to the Mode of IVorfhip^ that finful Man is to have Accefs to God, and may hope for Acceptance with him, in and thro' a Mediator^ who is both God and Man, of which we have fo plain and large an Account in Scripture J alfo that this Accefs is the Refult of the Divine JJJiftancey and particularly, 'tis by one S^^

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rit yjc are to obtain it. That thefe Doftrines arc of the high eft Importance^ and abfolutely neceflary. to be behev'd, is plain fromthe Account wchave in vScripture, of the Nature of inilituted Wor-fhip y fo that without it, the Foundation of re-vcal'd Religion is fapp'd, and a full Stop put to it in the Chrillian World, which profefles to be btult upon the Foundation of the Apoftles and Fro-fhets^ Jesus Christ himfelf being the chief Corner Stone. And that a Diredory for true Religion is to be found no where elfe, thofe who own the Necefiity, as well as the Sufficiency and Authority thereof, will allow. Several other Doctrines fubfervient to Religion, and involved in it, might have been inftanc'd in j but what has been (aid is fufficient to prove the general Pofition laid down, that fome Do£trines are of greater Importance than others.

§ IV.

Tho' every thing aiTerted contrary to the genuine Senfe of Scripture is an Error > yet every Error of that Nature is not linful. In confi-dering the Inmcency or Sinfulnefs of Error, we have nothing to do in our prefent Argument with that which is in^vincihle^ ariling more efpecially fromthe want of Divine Revelation j for wefup-pofe a Perfon enquiring into, and miflaken about •the Senfe of Scripture -, now to underftand the ■Senfe of Scripture, is either to have -^perfedl and adequate Conception of a Do6lrine contained therein, or elfe to have ^juft Idea of it, fo far as it may be comprehended by us : In the former Senfe, there are fome Doftrines which the Wifdom of .Men or Angels can never fully attain to : In particular thofe that relate to the incommunicable Perfections of God, whom by fearching none can find out to FerfeClion^ Job xi. 7. This Defecl of Underftanding argues us finite^ but not ftnful^ and

proceeds

proceeds from the Difproportion that there is be^ tween the Objcd- and the Faculty, v/hich is conver-fant about it. Our Enquiries indeed concerning thcfe divine My/Jeries^may be fo circumftantiated,as to render them linfulj as when they are attended with a vain Conceit^ that what is immenfe may be brought within the Compafsof a finite Mind-, or with a bold Curiofity in learchinginto what belongs not to us to know, nor indeed is poflibletobeknown.

Error, in the latter Senfe, as ret'er'd to Scripture Do61:rines, which come within the Reach of our Conceptions, or may in a con-fiderable Degree be comprehended by us, is our not taking in the true Senfe of what is reveard^ arifing from our not rightly underflanding the Propriety of the Languages, in which the Scriptures were wrote 5 the Import of the Phrafesufed by the Holy Ghoft therein, or from a Defe^ in our arguing^ as when we infer Confequences that are not juil from Scripture Premifles j now though this be a DsfeB^ it cannot in every Inftance be reckon'd ftnful 5 for though two contridi6tory Proportions can't be both true, yet differing Per-fons m.ay aflert what is contradictory to each other 5 in which Cafe one mufl err, who, notwithftand-ing at the fame Time, may not be chargeable with Sin 5 as in thofe Inftances, in which the Obje6t or Mode of Worfhipis not immediately concerned, the Foundation of it weaken'd, nor the Error in the leafl fubverfive thereof,nor of what is immediately fubfervient thereunto. Thus if I think that Melchizedeck^ mention'd in Gen. xiv. was Christ afTuming the Form or Likenefs of the human Nature, to anfwer that prcfent Occafion, and to give an Emblem of his future Incarnation, as he did in various other Inflances j and another thinks that he was an Inhabitant of the Land of C^^^^^^^ha-ving the Charader and Dignity of a Prieft and

B King^

King^ we can't both be free from Error 5 but I hope we are neither of us to be charg'd with Sin: Or if with a becoming Humility and Reverence, agreeable to the Greatnefs of the Myilery, I conceive thofe Scriptures, which fpeak of a Subordination of the Son to the Father, are better underftood, and may be vindicated more confiftently with his divine Glory, as a fclf exilHng Being, by fuppo-fing that they all refer to him as Mediator j in which fenfe he is not only fubordinate, but a Sub-je6t 'y and another, tho' allowing this to be true in many Inltances, yet thinks, that fome of thofe Scriptures may as well be accounted for, by affert-ing, that the Son is fubordinate to the Father, as begotten by a necefTary Communication of the divine EfTence, in which Refpecl, the Father is the fountain of the Deity^ or of the 'Trinity : One of us is doubtlefs miftaken, as to the Senfe of thofe Scriptures, from which our differing Sentiments are deduc'd j but we have both a Defign to fee forth the Glory of the Son, as God, equal with the Father, and as having adiftindt Perfonality from him 5 we both defire to honour the Son as we ho-now the Father^ and neither of our Sentiments are fubverfive hereof \ therefore neither of us is guilty of a finful, much lefs of a dangerous Miftake j but to pafs by other Inflances that might be men-tion'd.

§ V.

The Sinfulnefs of Error confifls principally in its EffeBs and Confequences -y and thefeare either the begetting in the Mind unwarrantable and unbecoming Thoughts of God and divine Things, or incapacitating us for his Service. Not to have right Conceptions of the great God contains not only an Abfu) dity in it felf, bur hereby an Injury is offer'd, and a Refle6lion caft upon him 5 and if fo, whatever is an Inducement thereunto, or the

Spring

Spring from whence it proceeds ; much more that which renders thefe unworthy Thoughts of him in fome CenCe neceflary, niuft be reckon'd finful.

That Error aifo is finful, which renders a Perfon altogether unfit, rightly to perform that religious Worjhip^ or other Ads of Duty which we owe to G OD ; for whatfoever is indifpenfably our Duty, the bare Nori-performance of it is culpable or criminal, for thereby we deny him the Glory due to his Name j and if this is occafion'd by Error, that cannot be altogether clear from the like Charge.

§ VI.

Errors fubverfive of the fundamental Ar^ tides of Faith^ or fuch as contain a Denial of thofe Truths which are of the higheil Importance, are inconfiftent with the divine Favour, and a Right and Title to eternal Life, as well as UnhoUnefs and Immorality in Pra6t:ice. They who make no Pre-tenfions to Religion, will fcarce deny its Neceffity to Salvation 5 and therefore 'tis reckon'd n^) Inftance of Uncharitablenefs to aifert that Irreligion excludes from it ', and this is applicable, not only to the outward and more grofs A6ls of Immorality and Prophanenefs, but to the Habits and Principles from whence they proceed, which are alfo the Obje6b of divine Difpleafure j this, I think, needs no Proof, for though human Judicature takes no Cognifance of any other but overt A6ls, be-caufe none can judge beyond what is apparent to him j the Gafe is otherwife, when we have to do w^ith the Searcher of Hearts. Let me alfo add, that the total Sufpenfion of internal Rehgion, when a Perfon has nothing more than what is contained in the outward Form thereof, which hardly deferves the Name of Religion, is difpleafing to God, and difqualifies for Salvation, as well as Irreligion in the more notorious Inftances B 2. thereof i

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thereof -<, for this is in Effcd to deny the Allegiance due from us, as Subjefts, and neglecting to pay the Debt we owe him as Creatures -, and fuch an one may truly be faid XoMve'-ivitboutGou in the IVorld^ and tlierefore without Hope j as wxU as another, whofe Oppofition to the divine Laws, is a more vifible Argument that he does fo, and confequently that he has no Right to eternal Life. This, I preiiime, willalfo be allowed, and therefore the 'l^hmg that I am. to evince, is that the denying the moil irnportant ox fundamental Articles of Faith (which how they may be known, has been before confider'd) is pernicious in its Confequen-ces, as well as Irrehgion or Unholinefs of Heart and Life j though I don't fay that they are equally aggravated, or alike difplealing to God> which that i may do, I need only prove that there is foiViCthing in the one, which renders a Perfon un-jneet for the Fruition of God, and the heavenly Stare, as well as the other. That this may appear, let us confider that finful A6t:ions, or even a Sul-penfion of good ones, which, \ve fuppofe, difplealing to God, arife from, and are refer'd to the erroneous Di6latcs of the Mind, as notaflent-ing to, or diil)dieving divine Truths > fo that the firil DeFecl: is in the Uriderfiandingy and this leads to Irreligion and Immorality, which are feared in .the Will^ which a6ts under'the Conduct and Di-redion rhereof ^ if therefore the Didares of the Utide^ftanding lead to fmful Actions, they are not excufable from the Guilt and Confequence there-pf Thus if Idolatry be a Sin, then the Mind that prefents a wrong Objccl:, is involv'd in Guilt, and irs erroneous Dictates chargeable, as well as the Will, which is more dircdly and immediately fo-, and if the bare Sufpcnfon of Religion might-be ab If rafted from thofe a&s" of Irreligion^ ^^^^^^^^^^ arc DofiCive, which is, as has been coniidcr'd, 'dif-^ --^pleafing

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pleafing to God 5 or if the not ivorjhippinga Di-'vine Perfon^ who has a Right to wodhip, be a Crime, becaufe a Negled to pay the juft Debt we owe Him -, then an erroneous Mind, fo far as it is concern'd herein, muft be chargeable with the Crime and its Confequents. 'Tis for this Reafon doLibrlefs, that the Scripture fo often reprefents it as a Matter of the lall Importance, to know God and divine Things immediately fubfervient to Religion 'y and denounces the fevereil: Threatnings a-gainft thofe who -ayc ignorant thereof: Thus we are told that 'tis Life Eternal^ that is abfolutely necefTary thereunto, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath fent. And on the other Hand, there are the highefl Inftances of Divine Difpleafure, exprefs'd by the pouring forth of his Wrath, and his taking Vengeance on them, who know hi?n not^ as well as thofe who obey not the Go/pel', and the Reafon is evident, becaufe the one neceflarily flows from the other. Our Saviour alfo tells the Jews.^ If ye believe not that I am He^ that is, that I am the owv, or the I Am, or felf-exilling Being, or He whofe Name alone is Jeho^ iiah 5 or elfe if you believe not that I am the Mef-Jiah^ He that was expe6ted before, to come into the World with that Chara6t;er, and as fuch to bring about the great Work of Redemption, which you are fo immediately concern'd to know and believe, you fhall dye in your Sins.

Several things of the like Nature might be colle6led from Scripture, which we pals over, and ihall only add, that if fome Dodrines contain'd therein, are not neceffary to be known to Salvation, then divine Revelation it felf would not be neceflary, and the Principles of natural Religion ••would be fufficient, though the Scripture were loft J but this is very contrary tothe Apoftle Paul's Method of arguing, Ro7n, x. 13. where he afTerts

a Con-

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a Connexion between the Exercile of Religion, or calling upon the Name of the Lord, and Salvation^ which will more eafily be allow'd > and then he ailerts theNeceflity of /yj/V/:? to Religion5or calling on God, and in Order to that, the Ncceflity of- hearings 'which cometh by the Word of God y therefore the Word of God is necefTary to Salvation, which it can't be, if its mofl: important Dodnnes are not neceflary to be known and believed in order thereunto. I might add, which "Will filencc, if it does not convmce, that they who deny the Neceffity of believing Scripture Doctrines unto Salvation, allow, as apprehending it does not concern themfelves, that it is neceffary to Salvation to believe there is a G o d, and confe-quently that Speculative Jtheifm excludes from his Favour > and what is the Reafon that this is of fo dangerous a Tendency, but becaufe all Religion is hereby excluded ? Therefore I might hence infer, that the denying Scripture Revelation, and particularly the moil miportant Articles of Faith, or perverting them, which is in Effcft the fame, as much excludes true Religion, as Atheifm does Religion in 2;eneral > and what is Religion if it be not true ? Therefore if the one be allow'd to be important, -cWid the Difbelief thereof pernicious, "why ihoLild the fame be denied with refped to the other ?

IF it be obje^led, that Atheifm is contrary to the Dictates of Nature, and is a Denial of what is manifell to any one, who makes ufe of his rea- . foning Faculty 5 to this it may be anfwer'd. That the Method by which a Dodrinc may be known, whether it be more or Icfs obvious, does not make the Doctrine it felf of greater or lefs Importance, ,and makes no Alteration as, to its Tendency, to an-fwer certain Ends to which it is fubfervient, therefore that adds ao weight to the objection : Bat

our Bufinefs is only to enquire, what Influence fpe^-culative Atheifm^ or the Denial of the mofl: impor^ tant Articles of Faith^ contained in Scripture, have on Religion ? And if they are equally inconfiftent with the true Religion or Worfhipof God, then if onebeallow'd to be of a dangerous Confequence, the other muft not be denied to be fo.

I F the Diftinction concerning Religion in gene^ ralj and the true Religion^ be fuppos'd not to have any relation to Salvation > let me add, that whatever Perfons may call the true Religion, agreeable to their different way of underftanding Scripture5 yet certainly there is fuch a Thing, which may julHy be fo call'd ; and if to worfhip God, as God, deferves that Chara61:er, then that is as ne-cefTary as any one can fuppofe Religion in general to bcj and indeed all Worfhip without it has nothing more than the Name j and if none can wor-iliip God aright, without his own Prefcription, and that rightly underftood, efpecially as to what concerns the EfTentials thereof, and in particular the divine Glory of its Objed j then the denying thofe Scripture Do<5lrines, which are neceflarily fubfervient thereunto, are equally dangerous with, fpeculative Atheifm, which is allow'd to excludc-from the Favour of God.

IF this be reckon'd an hard Saying, bordering on Uncharitablenefs, let it be confider'd that it rather refpecls the Do5lrines themJelves, than the Perfons that hold 'em. But if it befaid that thefe two are not to be feparated, but he that holds pernicious Doctrines, mufl be in danger of perifhing. I pretend not to fet Bounds to the Mercy which God may have in Store not only for thofe who deny the mofl: important Articles of Faith, but even for Atheifls and immoral Perfons : 'Tis not for us to pretend to determine the final Eflate of Perfons, to whom a compaffionate God I is

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is able to give Repentance to the Ackno'wledgment of the Truth > neverthelefs we are bound, unlefs the Arguments alledg'd appear inconclufive, to afTert fome Doctrines to be of a danj^erous Tendency j not as expreiling any Hatred againir thofe that hold 'em, but as a Motive which we defire to be in-fluenc'd by, to acknowledge the Kindncls of Providence, if we are led into the Knowledge of the contrary Truth 3 or to excite us to a more diligent fearch of Scripture, that we may attain the Knowledge thereof, and be further eftablifn'd therein.

§ VII.

A s the moil fincere diftnterefted Inquiry after Truth don't render him who denies it lefs errone-■ ous^ fo it does not render the Truth it felt lefs ne-cejjary to be known or believed by him •, the for-^ mer of thefe none ^ill deny, fince Millakes don't take their Denomination from (however they may be fometimes occafion'd by) a Defe^lof Diligence or Impartiality in our Inquiries after Truth, but from their Contrariety and Oppofition to it 5 and as for the latter^ fince the Importance of a Doctrine, as has been before conlidered, confills in its Subferviency to Religion and Salvation-, there is no rcufon to fuppofe that the fame Truth may be of Importance or necefiary to Salvation to one, and not fo to another. It will be hard to prove, that the fincere Inquirer after it may be religious, and fo have a Right to eternal Life, without rightly underilanding or believing thofe Dodrines which are fubfcrvient to Religion, and neceiTary to be knov/n to Salvation, fo that no Man's State "is to be reckon'd defperate, but his w^ho through a fupine Negligence omits to enquire after it, or is prepofieiled with Prejudice in favour of one fide, or partial in his Enquiries.

W E are in order to our evincing the Truth of thisPropoiition 3 to confider what it is that jiffefts

a Man's

a Man's State fo far as to render him the Obje<9: of divine Difpleafure j and to prove that it is the denying, or not beheving thofe Articles of Faith, which we call the moft important, and not meer-ly his not ufing thofe fincere Endeavours to know them, which he ought to have done, that brings him under this Inconvenience. We muft therefore afTert, thatthofe Errors are pernicious which are fubverlive of Rehgion, asdire6led by, andcon-tain'd in, divine Revelation, whatever be the Spring or fuperadded Aggravation of them. If this be not true, then 'twill follov/ either that a Man may be faved without Religion, or elfe, be rehgi-ous without knowing thofe Things which are directly and immediately fubfervient thereunto -, and that he may be faved without worfnipping aright, or elfe may worfhip aright, without having juft Ideas of the Objeft and Rule thereof, as contain'd in Scripture j but this muft be allow'd to be pre-pofterous, by all who own the NecefHty of, and pay a due Regard to, divine Revelation.

However, the contrary is maintained by many, who argue, that nothing renders a Perfon the Object of divine Difpleafure, but what is in our Power to avoid: Or, that Sin, which is a Tranf-grelTion of the divine Law, has not itsRefidence in the Underftanding, but the Will j and therefore the divine Refentment refpeds not what we think agreeably to the Evidence that prefents it felf to us, but what we do > from whence it will follow, that all Errors, abftra61:ed from the Wil-fulnefs which may attend them, are equally innocent, and have none of them a pernicious Tendency.

T o this it may be reply'd, that this Method of arguing, fuppofes fome Things which are not to be allowed, viz. that it is poflible for the Mind to be perverted, as to its Ideas about divine Truth, and ^ C the

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the mofl important Articles thereof 5 and yet the Will, at the lame Time, not to be in the leall: af-£ed:ed therewith, which never was nor can be true in F:\d: : Thus it is impoflible for a Man to be miftaken about the Nature of Good or Evil, with a particular Application thereof to himfclf 5 or a-bout what is neceflliry to Salvation, or w^ho is the Obje6t of religious Worfhip, and how we are to perform it, but the Will mufl be fome way or other affefted with it, fo that hereby a good or a iinful Aftion is introduced 5 thus if an erroneous Mind fuggefts that the Son and Spirif are not to be worshipped as God j can the Will be altogether unaftecled hereby ? If it refoives to worfhip notwith(landing, then it is guilty of Prefumption, and confequential Idolatry j and if it refufes to worfhip them, it denies them the Glory that is really, though not apprehended to be, their due, which neceilarily incurs divine Difplealure.

Again, that fuppofition, that nothing is dif-pleafing to God, but what is in our Power to avoid, is not to be allow^ed of, unlefs it can be proved, that the habitual Inclination of fallen and depraved Nature, to Sin, which is unavoidable, is not difpleafing to Him.

And when it is afferted, that fome Errors, which w^e call dangerous or difpkaftng to God, are not really fo, becaufe unavoidable to the Per-fon that holds them j this cannot be allow'd, becaufe falfe Reafonings may be unavoidable to particular Perfons, who cannot fee the Force of the Premifles, from whence other Conclulions ought to be deduced, and yet the Perfon herein be cul-pable. This was the Cafe of thofe with whom the Apoftle Paul difputed, who could not help thinking Chriflianity Foolijhnefs > becaufe they could not fee the Force of his Arguments, to evince the Truth thereof 3 yet this is reckoned a pernicious

# grrc^i?

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Error in them, for they arediftinguirti'd frbmthofd ivho are faved^ and charadterized as them that p-riJJo^ I Cor. i. i8.

IT remains therefore, that fome mental Errors render Men the Obje6t of divine Difpleafure j and if any, then fuch are included, as have been before dcfcrib^d. It muft therefore be concluded by thofe who fuppofe that the Sincerity of their Enquiries after Truth, exempts them, who happen to fall into the greatefl: Errors, from the divine Difpleafure 5 that the Sin which adheres to thefe Errors is difpenfed with, becaufe of the Sin-cerity of their Enquiry after Truth. This is afTeit-cd by many, with fo much AfTurance, that the vi'-left Abfurdities are charged on the Denial of it, as though it contained an Impeachment of the divine Goodnefs, and argued a Defedinhis Govern'-ment, and reprefented him as dealing with us, iri fuch a way, as we wou'd not, nay ought not, to deal with any whom we have a Right to give Laws to.

This Method of arguing is reducible to one general Headj viz. th2.tii\M^n u/es his bej^ Endea* ^ours to avoid any Error^ it lliall not be imputed to him, fo as to involve him in Guilt and Punifh-ment. But if this Propofition be true, it will from hence follow, that the moral Impotency of the Will to perform thofe Ads, which are good in all their Circumftances, exempts from Punifliment otherwife due to the Non-performance thereof 5 and then Difobedience to the divine Law, fo far as the contrary is out of our Power, is no Crime. But this fuppofes, either that there is no fuch Thing 2iS moral Mpotency in M^n to what is good, or elfc that God's Right of commanding, or efpecially of puniihing, in cafe of Default of Obedience, mud (land or fall with our Power to perform it.

C z But

(zo)

B i; T not to inlift on the Abfurdlty of this Po-fition, or its openuig a Door to Licentioufnefs j I fhall only obierve from hence, that if a Defect of Knowledge of divine Truth, or the Minds being perverted in fuch a Manner, as is before difcribed, has been proved to be difpleafing to God, which Argument we fhall not now reaiTume j 'twill then follow, that though the Sincerity of our Enquiry after Truth extenuate, yet it don't render it no Crime, and confequently not punifhable by God, in Proportion to its Aggravation, and the Importance of the Truth denied.

But if it be farther objected, that God's Right to puniili, don't neceflarily infer the Exer-cife thereof, for then who could be flived ?

I A N s w E R, that his Right to punifh, and the Exercife of that Right^ are not to be feparated m thofe Inflances, where the Crime and the Punifh-ment are infeparably conne6led, in the Nature of the Thing. Thus, if to knoiv the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath fent^ be infeparably conne6ted with the Fruition of God, in and through a Mediator j and by Confequence the not knowing this, infeparably conne6led with Non-frui" tion^ then fo far as not to enjoy, is not to be happy, or not to obtain eternal Life j there is from the Nature of the Thing, fuch a Connexion between the Defe^ not knowing, (^c. and the Pu-nijhment not enjoying, which is impofHble to be difTolved •, therefore if you fuppofe a Perfon not to know God and Jesus Christ, (^c. God has not only a Right to debar him from the Fruition of himfelf, but from the Nature of the thing, he cannot but punifh the Perfon, fo far as Exclufion from this Favour, contains in it the Nature of Punifhment -, it is therefore no Ground of Exemption from it, ^ for any one to alledgc, that he has endeavoured after this Knowledge, tho' without

out Succefs, fince the Bleffing connefted with it, depends not on the Endeavouring after, but the actual attaining of it.

If this reafoning^ be jufl, 'twill follow from hence, that fuch Errors as we are confidering, are puniihable: But what degree of Punifhment, be-iides what arifes from the Nature of the Thing God will inflidl, I pretend not to know 5 neither does it concern our prefent Argument.

But iiippofe it fhou'd be granted, that Sincerity in fome Inltances thereof, entitles to, or is connected with the di'vine Favour^ and exempts from Pu-nifhment j yet fincere or difinterefted Endeavours to know the Truth, are the loweft Degree o£ Sin^ cerity that can be fuppos'd -, for in this Cafe there's no Temptation to Hypocrify j for what Advantage can any one propofe to himfelf, by diffembling in his Enquiries after Truth? Or what remarkable In-fiance of Virtue is there in a Man's endeavouring not to impofe upon himfelf ? And {hall this entitle to Salvation, fo far as knowing the Truth is fub-iervient thereunto ?

And fuppofe farther, that we are ever fo fincere ia our Enquiries after the Theory of divine Truth, are there not fome Referves of Sovereignty ia God to be allow'd of, fo that he may deny Suc-cefs to us if he pleafes ? If not, why is his hading into all ^riith^ or giving us the Knowledge thereof, mention'd in feveral Places of Scripture, as an Inftance of fpecial Favour ?

B u T if even this will not be allow'd, may not the Jincere Enquirer ^^icv Ti'uth^ be a vile Perfof$ in many other Refpe6ts, and fo forfeit the Favour pleaded for, by thofe v/ho fuppofe Salvation conneft-*. ed with it ? Is there not fiich a Thing as judicial Blindfiefs^ ftrong Deluftons^ or being left, not forc'd^ hy Go jy to believe a Lie^ as the Apoflleintimates ? And may not this happen to one, who does notde-

( ^o

fire to deceive himfclf ? and may not this beaPu-nifhment for other Sins, which Men are chargeable with, notwithftanding the Sincerity of their Endeavours to know the Truth ?

To what has been fuggefted under this Head, I muft not omit to mention one Scripture, which, if duly confider'd, will fupport our prefent Argument, tho' often brought as an Objedion againll it, viz. 'Titus iii. lo, ii. Where the Apoftlc fpeaks o^ an Heretick^vj\\o(c Sentiments are chargeable with Sin, and for them he is to be rejedfed by thofe who are Members of aChriilian Church. 'Tis thought indeed by many, that the Perfon here fpoke of, is one who pretends to believe one Doctrine, viz. that which is of a moft de{l:ru6tive Tendency, but really believes another, and therefore is rejeded; not for his Sentiments^ but his In-Jincerity^ which many fuppofe to be the true and only Charader of an Heretick ; and therefore the only Reafon why he is faid herein to fin, is be-caufe he is mroy^ardyi^r^ felf-condemned^ that is, as is fuppofed, becauie he knows in his own Con-fcience, that what he maintains for Truth, is an Error.

B u T to this it may be reply'd, that though all niuft grant, that there may be fome in the World who think to find their Account, by gaining popular Applaufe, or that they may fome way or o-rher ferve their worldly Intereft, by propagating an Error which they don't really believe j yet I humbly conceive, thefe can't be the Perfons intended by the Apoftle in this Scripture, for the Heretick is there reprefented as inconfillent with himfclf j and the Inconfiftency or Contrariety of his Sentiments is fupposM to be known, and is alledg'd as an Aggravation of the Charge, on which his Reje5fion or Expulfion from that religious Society is founded. But did ever any Man propagate

( ^3 )

one Dodrine, and tell the World he believ'd another, fo that he might in this Senfe be convicted as an Hypocrite ? Therefore if the World can't be fiippos'd to know this by his own Confellion, and the Church cou'd not cenfure him for it, but upon fufficient Evidence-, or if they can't be fuppos'd to know it, but by divine Infpiration, which 'tis true they were favour'd with in that Age, in which among other extraordinary Gifts, they had that of difcerning of Spirits > yet 'tis greatly to be quefli-on'd, whether ever they proceeded againftany one by fuch<«xtraordinary Intimations, without fome apparent matter of Accufation, which was known by thofe who had not this extraordinary Gift. For if they had had a Liberty to proceed agiinil Perfons in fuch a way, why did not our Saviour reje61: Judas^ who was one of that Society which attended on his Miniftry, when he knew that he was felf'condemned in a moil notorious Degree ? Yet we find he did not, and the Reafon doubtlefs was, becaufe he defign'd that his Church in fuc-ceeding Ages, fhou'd in all their judicial Proceedings, lay hold of other Evidence, which might be eafily known by all, when they expell'd any one from their Communion.

Besides, if this be fenfe of the T'ext^ and the Ground on which Perfons are to be rejected, then no one can be known to be felf-condemn'd now 5 for we have no fuch extraordinary Intimations thereof, fince miraculous Gifts are ceafed, and is there any thing inftituted as an EfTential in the Government of the Church, which could not be put in Pradice, except in the JpofioUc Age ? If fo, then having Recourfe to cxtr^oi-dinmy difcerning of Spirits^ as a Foundation of this Procedure, will not ferve the Purpofe for which 'tis alledg'd.

I T muft therefore be concluded, that the Per-fon here faid to hcfelf-condemnd^ was not deem'd

( M ) ■

fb, becaufe he pretended to hold that Faith which he really deny'd > but becaufe his prefent profefTed Sentiments contradicted, what he had before pretended to hold, which was a Term on which he was admitted into the Church, and therefore they took Cognifance of his Self-condemnation ^ in as much as his prefent Errors contain'd a Contradiction to that Faith which he onceprofeflcd in common, with the reft of that Society, when he was £rft admitted a Member of it.

§ VIII.

Since every particular Church or Society of Chriftians^ is oblig'd to adhere to the mofl important ox fundamental Articles of Faith^ the denying or not believing of them, difqualifies for Church-^ Communion. In civil Societies every difbinct Body is govern'd by its own Laws, which are fometimes arbitrarily agreed on 3 in which Cafe they may be alter'd at Pleafure, and an Aflent to, or Compliance therewith, is fofar a Term of Communion, as it is infifted on, or difpens'd with 3 in this Cafe it is not neccflary that all the Members ihould a-gree in their Sentiments, 'tis fufficient if their Actions don't tend to fubvert the Order, fix'd on and agreed to by the Body. But'tis farotherwife in a religious Society, for that is not only to con-, form it felf to the Laws of Society^ contain'd in the Law of Nature^ whereby the Liberty and Rights of Mankind are fccur'd : But the higheil and mod valuable Ends are defign'd thereby, and a, peculiar Glory is put upon it, in which Refpedt^^ it is diilinguirti'd from all other Societies -, and thofe Methods of Government wherein it differs from them, are to be found only in divine Revelation y from whence we learn, that the diflinguilhing Chara61:er of every Member thereof, is his profef-fed SuhjeUion to Christ, and Confent to be go-yern'd by his Lazvs contain'd therein 5 this renders

(M)

it a Church of C h r i s t, without which it would not be own'd by him, much lefs entitled to his fpecial Care and Prefence. Thefe Laws which have a higher Sanftion than what is merely human, are fuchasMen can neither alter nor difpenfe with, by admitting any into that Society, without infift-ing on a profefTed Compliance therewith, as a Term of Communion. And they are, in general, fuch as tend to advance the Mediator's Glory, as fit to be their King and Lord^ who has an abfolute Sovereignty over the Confciences of Men \ this divine Glory was afcrib'd to our Saviour by Peter in his Confeffion, "Thou ^r^ Christ, the Son of tht living God 5 and this, not the Perfon ofPeter^ as Proteftants generally maintain againft the Papifts, is that Rock on which, as our Saviour fays, the Church is built.

Moreover, thofe Laws which are immediately fubfervient to Divine JVorJhip^ which determine the ObjeEi and Manner how it is to be per-form'd, in Comphance wherewith Salvation and all divine Privileges are to be expefted, they are to be fubmitted to, and whatever Do6trines are necef-fary thereunto, are to be known and believed, or the End of the Inftitution of fuch Religious Societies cannot be attained. This a Church is fuppos'd to do, or it forfeits its Relation to, and Interefl in Christ, and all the Glory which is put upon it, as a Chriftian or Religious Society.

A N D if the whole Church is oblig'd to embrace that which is profeffedly the common Faith^ then every Member is oblig'd. This is obvious, for in all Societies, efpecially whereaio Difpenfation is given to particular Perfons, that which is a Term of Communion to one, is fo to another, whether the qualifying Condition be arbitrarily or necejfarily imposed. If there be certain Pa5la convent a efta-bliih'd by Confent, as in civil Societies^ or if fome D things

(z6)

things are cnjoin'd by the Will of a LegiJIafor j thefc are equally Terms of Communion to all.

And that this holds good in a Religious Society,, is plain, fince that is to be governed by certain Laws which Christ has eftabliih'd, as neceflary to attain the moft valuable Ends of Church-Communion. Thefe Laws are profefledly comply'd with by every Member thereof > and indeed, his Relation to the Society, is an implicit Declaration of his Compliance therewith. He is therefore fuppofed, and does, as it were, profefs to believe, thole Doctrines on which the Church is built, which we call Fundamental Articles of Faith^ and are neceflary to the right Performance of that Worfhip, which is the higheft End of Church-Communion. If therefore he fhould appear to deny or difbelieve thofe Dodrines, which he is fuppofed, or pretends to embrace, he would incur the Guilt of Infince-rityj and the Church at the fame time, in allowr ing him to remain in the fame Relation to it as before, would not be altogether Guiltlefs.

Ohj. IT will be obje&ed that a Church,or religious Society, may difpenfe with the Denial of fome Do6i:rines in particular Perfons, which the greater Number of them embrace: Therefore that which is a Term of Communion to one, may not be fo to another 5 and therefore there is no Infincehty or Guilt contracted on either fide. And that there mull be a Difpenfation allowed to fome for Difference in Sentiments, is plain, becaufc otherwife all mud be fuppofed to be of a Mind, which can hardly be faid of any two Perfons in the World.

Answer, To this it may be reply'd. That tho' it be granted that the Members of a Society can't in all things be of the fam^ Mind, fince Men's Sentiments differ as much as their Countenances j yet this don't ov^erthrow what we contend for, mlz. That there ought to be an Harmony or A-

'(^7 )

greement in all things which are profefledly Terms of Cvmmunwn. Now my having in all Refpeds the fame Sentiments with every Member of the religious Society to which I ftand related^ can't be a Term of Communion, fince it is an impoifi-ble Condition j nehher is there aiay ProfefHon made of fuch an Agreement, nor is it abfolutely necefla-ry to attain the Ends of Church Communion, as diat Agreement in thofe Doftrines which we have been confidering is fuppofed to be. The Laws to be fubmitted to, and Do6brines to be embrac'd, are fuch as are not arbitrarily impos'd by the Will of the Society 5 in which Cafe they might be dif-pens'd with as to particular Peifons: But fuch as are epjoin'd by the Authority aud Will of the Divine" jLegiJlator'^ which therefore none can difpcnfe with, unlefs youfuppofe that He can. And that He cannot difpenfe with thofe things which are efTential to it, as a Religious Society^ appears from their ne-ceflary Tendency to anfwer the great Ends thereof, which cannot be anfwer'd any other way, or at leaft we know not of any j and therefore we cannot determine what he may or will difpenfe with as to what relates to thofe Laws which are fubfer-vent to religious Worfhip. Thus if our owning, admiring, and adoring the divine Glory, as difco-vered in Scripture, and attaining Salvation in the Way therein prefcrib'd, be the great Reafon of the Inftitution of Religious Societies , thefe Ends can't be attained but by our knowing and believing thofe Dodrines which are fubfervient thereunto. Arid then the Denial or Difbelief thereof can't be dif-p^ns'd with 5 not by Men^ for they are not Lords of the Divine Law 5 nor by C h r i s t himfelf, for he cannot detra6t from his own Glory.

But this will farther appear, if we confider a

Church as a worjhipping AJfembly. All facial IVorfhip

is fuppos'd to be uniform^ efpecially as to what con-

D 2 ccrn^

( ^8 )

cerns the EJfentiah thereof. For if a Society is not a-greed herein, and in particular as to the Perlon whom they worfhip, or how and by what Rule it is to be performed, it is the Seat of Confufion, and a&not as a Body of Chriftians who approve themfelves to God, who fearches the Heart 3 to whofe all-fee-ingEye the Confufion and Contradidion that is in his Worihip, plainly appears, how much foever concealed the Sentiments of fome may be from Men. And how Httle this deferves the Name of Religion, will eadly be obferv'd j for what a Reproach muft it be to a Religious Society^ if we confiderthe Confequence of differing Sentiments, with refpeft to Fundamental Articles of Faith^ and the Influence they have on the JVorJhip perform'd, when one advances the Glory of God, and another at the fame time dethrones and cafts Contempt on Him 5 one worfhips the Son and Spirit^ as fuppofing the fame divine Glory is due to each of the Perfons in the Godhead'y another, as the juft Confequence of his denying their Divinity, while pretending to join in the fame Worship, has a fecret Abhorrence of what they who differ from him are doing, as fuppofing them guilty of Idolatry. Or if a Church think fit to profefs their Faith, as the Church of England-dots^ in a Form of Words which they apprehend confonant to Scripture, as fuppofe it be in the Words of the Nicene or Athanafian Creed \ one underftands it without the Help of Criticifm, in the moft known Senfe thereof 5 but another, who denies the Faith contained therein, as much as he abhors the Name of a Creed^ is forc'd to ufe abundance of Evafions, and diftinguifh away the Senfe of the Words j fo that while he confeffes the fame Faith in Words, his Senfe of them is not only con-tradiftory to the refl of the Affembly, but to the common Senfe of Chriftigns ufing the fame Word$.

. Again, fuppofe one Member of a Religious Society owns Christ, in worihipping him as a Surety^ and to have niade Satisfaftion to divine Juftice for the Sins of Men, and acknowledges him the Lord of our Righteoufnefs ; from whofe infinite Merit he expefts to obtain Remiffion of Sins, and adores him with the greateft Thankfulnefs, as having done this for him: But another kcs no Ne-ceifity of expefting RemifEon of Sins, and Salvation this way, or of owning him under that Cha-radter. Or if, while one prays for the divine Power of the Holy Ghoft to be exerted as acknowledging him to be the Author of San6iification^ and a-nocher thinks there is no need of it, fince there is nothing fupernatural in this Work which requires his Agency 5 or fuppofe one thinks that Divine Revelation is the only Rule of Worfhip, and another that natural Religion is fufficient, and therefore that he is not oblig'd to thank God for his great Favour in giving him the Scripture, how difplea-fing wou'd fuch Worfhip be to God! How void of Harmony! as tho' there was nothing certain or determinate in Religion, which muft be infifted on as a Term of Chriftian Communion in thofe Afts of Worfhip j or as tho' Perfons who pretend to have Communion with one another, and as fuch worfhip God together, may fo widely differ in thofe things in which divine Worfhip is fb much concerned J and yet their Worfhip be irrcprovable, and the Religious Society that joins together in itj blame-lefs.

CO ROLL ART, The refujtng to admits or excluding one who denies the moft important Articles of Faith^ from Church Communion, is not to he reckonedinimious Treatment nor charged on the Church as a Crime, A real Inju^ ry^ which is founded in Injuftice^ does not confifl '^ denying a Perfon that which is reckoned a Privilege,

no

vilegc, but in denying or taking it away, fuppo-fing him to have a Right to it. Now 'tis certain, that no one has a Right to the Privileges of a Religious Society^ but thole who have a Warrant-to claim them from Christ, the Lord and Head thereof: And we muft not fuppofe that he will give fuch a Warrant or Right to any who are un-qualify'd for them. Since therefore the denying Fundamental Articles of Faith^ difturbs the Harmony, confounds the Worfhip, fuUies the Beauty, and cafts a Reproach on a Religious Society^ and prevents the Perfons attaining the End of focial Worfhip, it mufi; needs difqualify him for Communion, and argue that he has no Warrant from Christ to claim this Privilege. And therefore, as it would be Unfaithfulnefs to him to grant it : So the Denial thereof does not in the lead invade the Right or Property of the unqualified Perfon, and by Confequence has not the leaft Appearance of In-^ juilice, nor ought to be deem'd an Injury, howe-^ ver 'tis often refented as fuch.

As for Exflujion from Church Communion^ this may be confider'd as defign'd to reclaim him who is thus dealt with, as well as to aflert the Honour of C H RI s T, whofe divine Glory he denies -y and therefore 'tis an Inftance of Love to him who is turn'd afide from the Faith which he once pro-fefs'd. Or if it be confidered as an A6k ofjujiice^ 'tis no other than denying him a forfeited Right, which cannot contain in it any thing criminal, for by the fame Reafon a Religious Society is chargeable with a Crime, when it excludes any one from its Communion for the vileji PraBkes^: For tho' the Caufes of Exclufion are various, and one more aggravated than another, yet they all agree in this, that they denominate a Perfon to have no Right or Claim to what he is depriv'd of, as being forfeited by him : If therefore denying the Fundamental

r3x)..

tal Articles of Faith contains in it fuch a Forfeiture, as has been already proved, this Proceedure againil him is not to be reckon'd injurious. And that it don't neceflarily contain in it an Inftance of Un-charitablenefs^ will further appear, if we confider that a Perfon's Welfare in this, and the other World, don't confift in, or abfolutely depend on his Relation to a Church j there is an higher Tribunal, at which he is to be tried, and a Righteous Judge to whom an Appeal may be made, by whofe Sentence he {lands or falls. As to what relpefts human Cenfures, they don't render a Perfon farther from the Mercy and Favour;of God than he was before •, they carry m them, indeed, the Nature of a Reproof: Now Reproofs don't increafe a Perfon's Guilt or Mifery, as he is an Offender a-gainft the Almighty^ but are rather a Means to extricate him from it. And as fuch Dealings ought to proceed with the greateftTendernefs andCom-paflion, without Cenforioufnels in faftning Crimes on him deilitute of Proof 3 nor with Malice and Revenge, as tho' 'twas not the Caufe of G o d that was herein pleaded 5 but with a Spirit of Love and Meeknefs, as deliring nothing more than his Good ; and if fo managed they ought not to be deem'd Uncharitable^ nor exafperate or draw forth the Pafli-ons of thofe who fall under them.

PART

(33)

REMARKS

O N T H E

Behaviour of they^^^,

AND

Primitive CHRISTIANS

IN THEIR

CENSURES,

And {hewing what is UncharitablenefSy S'c.

PART 11.

AVING in the firfi Part^ laid dowa fome Propojttions relating to thofe ^r-ticks of Faith which are lubfervienc to divine Worjhip-y and fhewn how the contrary Errors, fubverfive thereof, dif-qualifie for Church Communion: We proceed to E confider

( 34 )

confider the Behaviour of Men towards one another, as conform'd to, or difTonant from, the Rules of Juflice and Moderation, whereby we may fix a iuft Idea of Charity^ and determine who may truly be charg'd with making a Breach upon it.

The fir ft Debt we owe, as Chriftians, is to Truths whereby we proclaim His Glory, and telH-fy our Subje6l:ion to Him, whofe revealed Will is the Standard thereof. The next is to Mankind^ who have an equal Right to claim the Duties of Charity, Meeknefs, and Forbearance from us, as we have to expert 'em from them.

And fince Men maybe eonlider'd under a twofold Capacity j either as Members of a Religious Society -y or as united by the common Bond of Hiima-mity , hence arifes a twofold Idea of Charity^ both of which will come under our prefent Confidera-tion.

W E begin therefore to confider it as exercis'd or neglefted by Religious Bodies of Men. Thefe are fuppofed to embrace the fame Faith, and to be carrying on the fame Defign, 'viz. the propagating the Name and Intereft of God in the World and their common Salvation 5 and therefore they ought to maintain an Unity of Affe61:ion5 thereby to ftrengthen the Hands of each other, and fo an-fwer the End of their mutual Relation.

B u T when we confider the Corruption of human Nature, we can hardly fuppofe a Religious So-ciety^ but we mufl: allow that there may be Offen^ C ^^ given by fome of its Members j and we can ^ijjrcarce conceive of Men as defective in Knowledge, as well as often byafs'd by Paflion and Prejudice, but v/e mud withal fuppofe that there is a Liable-nefs to misjudging, or taking Offence where 'tis not really given.

And lince we mufl: allow the Church a Right to judge of the Qualification of its Members for

that

r35)

that Rektioiy'it will alfo follow, that they may be miflaken in judging about Perfons offending, whom they apprehend to deferve Exclufion from' their Communion 5 which is the main Ground and Reafon of that Uncharitablenefs which is often found in Religious Societies.

This is more notorious, when they pretend to determine a Man's future State by his prefent Sentiments and Behaviour, and at the fame time to fhut the Door of the Church, and Heaven it felf againll him. This is to deal with Men as tho' they infallibly knew the fecret Counfels of God, and who are eventually excluded from his Mercy, which is certainly beyond our Province to do, feeing He gives no Account of his Matters to any one ^ and it is at the fame time to preclude all thofe Methods which are to be us'd to reclaim, as what muft ne-cefTarily be vain and fruitlefs, which is contrary to the Apoftle's Advice, z 'Tim. ii. 2f. In Meeknefs in-firu6iing thofe that oppofe themfelves^ //God, per adventure^ will give them Repentance^ to the acknozv-ledging of the Truth. Mull we conclude that be-caufe God will not lave a Perfon whilil led away by pernicious Errors or Pra6tices, that therefore he will not deliver him from them ? Or is there no Difference between what we apprehend to be at prefent very dangerous^ and what is altogether de-[perate and irretrievable ?

The more common Inftances of this Temper, as difcovering it felf in the private Refentment of particular Perfons, not pretending to a divine Authority for it, will be confider'd v/hen we havefirft taken a View of it as ullier'd in with awful Solemnity, and enforced with a terrible Sanation, as the deliberate A61: of a Church dealing with thofe who offend either by corrupt Do6i:rines or Practices.

That fome Inllances of Refentment are to be

exprefs'd againll fuch, and particularly that they

E 2. are

are to be excluded from Church Communion^ has been before prov'd > it being the undoubted Right of every Religious Society to ufe all proper Methods to keep it felf uncorrupt: But that which is chargeable with Uncharitablenefs is the Abufe hereof, by thofe who, as it were, fet themfelves in the Room of Christ, take the Scepter out of his Hand, or aft as tho' they had the Difpofal of the State ,of Men in both Worlds.

The Scriptures that are alledg'd to give Countenance to this Temper are fuch asfpeakof God's binding or loofing in Heaven^ that "which is hound or loosed on Earth \ or remitting or retaining Sin^ agreeably to the Sentence of the Church: SeeiV/^2^.xvi. ip, and Chap.iLvm. i8. znAJohn xx.z\. Which V^exts^ if we fuppofe they refer to the Sentence of Excommunication^ yet they give no Countenance to the Opinion, or Practice founded thereon, of thofe who aflert the InfaUihility of the Churchy in their Determinations concerning them who offend j or that G o D is oblig'd to a£l agreeably to what is done on Earth, whether juft or unjuftj which wou'd diveil him of his Sovereignty, and argue him to be under an Obligation to approve of what may be mofl vile, or fometimes to punilb what i% agreeable to his own Will, tho' not apprehended fo by the Judgment of the Church. ThisMiftake has led many into unwarrantable Excefles in their Proceedings againft Men charg'd with pei'verfe Do6trines or Praftices. The Church of Rome have firft injurioufly made Men Offenders, and pretended them to be avow'd Enemies to Religion, while they have been pleading its Caufe according toTruth, and then dealt with them as fuch 5 and when in o-ther Cafes the Crimes have been fuch as that any Society pretending to Religion might juftly withdraw from the Perfons charg'd therewith, they have notwithilanding gone beyond their Line, as

(37)

maintaining that none whodieoutoftheEncloiure of the vifihle Church can be faved, and concluding that God will certainly pafs a Sentence agreeable to theirs. And if the Offender has not been ex-eluded in a formal Procefs out of the Church while livings they excommunicate him when dead^ as in the Inftance of Bucer and Fagius in England > which Abufe crept into the Church about the middle of the Jixth Century^ being eilabliih'd by the fecond Council at Conftantinople^ and was two or three Centuries before that, a difputable Point among particular Perfons > therefore Chryfoftom * argues a-gainft it, and that with juft Reafon, alledging, that to their own Mafter they ftand or fall > for what has a Church to do with thofe who are no longer its Members, nor under itsJurifdi61:ion?

But paffing by this, which is fo notorious a Corruption of CI arch Diicipline, we find in the earlier Ages of the Church, that ilie has endeavoured to render this Sentence formidable by the Anathemas annexed thereunto, either taken from the Jewijh Form of Excommunication^ or from thofe two Places in the New Ttefiawent^ Gal. i. 8. I Cor. xvi. 22,. where the Word Anathema isufed, 'ui%. in the one againfl thofe who preach another Gofpel^ and in the other, againfl thofe who love not the Lordjefus-y to the latter of which Marana-tha is added, to put the Pcrfon in Mind of the Lord's comings when the Threatning contain'd therein fhall be fully executed.

But that we may be a little more particular in eur Enquiries about the Origin thereof, before we come to confider how 'twas abufed by the Chrifii-an Churchy we may obferve that 'tis doubted by fome, whether Excommunication was pradtifed by

* Tom. V. De Anath. Sermo.

the

■ (38)

the Church before the Bahylonijlo Captivity^ and thefe fuppofe that 'twas then us'd as a neceflary Expedient to punifh thofe whom they cou'd not try and condemn as they had done before, by the Authority of the civil Magiftrate 5 whereas in foregoing Ages, when they were in their own Land, and their civil and religious Polity remained unbroken, their Ecclefiaftick and forenfick Laws were fo interwoven, and the fame Perfons oftentimes being Judges of both, that there was no need of any Ecclefiaftical Punishments diftinct from the Civil.

But tho' this be allow'd, yet there are fome Expreflions in the Books of Mofes^ relating to the Government of the Church before the Captivity, which feem to import, that befides the Puniih-ments inflided by the civil Magiftrate, for Crimes that were againft the moral Law, or contain'd in them a Breach made upon the civil Conilitution, which were principally corporal 3 there was another fort of Punifhment inflided, by which Perfons were depriv'd of thofe Privileges which were more efpecially Religious, which they were favoured with as a Church under the fpecial Care of God, as his pecuhar People. This was inflided for their negleding to adhere to thofe Ordinances by which they were, in an eminent Degree, diilin-guiih'd from the World.

The moll general Exprcffion by which the great-eft Punifhments, whether Civil or Eccleliaftical, are denoted is cutting off^ which is to be taken in various Senfes. Thus fomctimcs God threatens to do it immediately himfelf, and that with fome extraordinary Indications of his Difpleafurej Eating of Blood has this Threatning denounc'd againft it, Lzv. xvii. 10. / "jjill e'ven fet my Face againft that Soul that eateth Bloody and will cut hi?n off from a-mong his People, And as for thofe that ganje their

Seed

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Seed to Molechj who were puniih'd with Death, and the People were to fione them with Stones j yet befides this 'tis added, ril fet my Face againft that Man^ and cut him off from amongft his People 5 and the fame is faid of thofe that turn'd after fuch as had familiar Spirits and Wizards^ which was a Crime that deferv'd Death > and God threatens to infli6fc it himfelf, to wit, if the Magiftrate was neghgent in performing his Duty, by putting the Laws in Execution againft them. See Levit. xx. 2, 6. la this God condefcends to difplay his Glory in a miraculous Way, agreeably to that Form of Government which ^-s&Theocratical'y and as iom^Jew ijh Writers think, he often cut ofF Perfons by his own immediate Hand, for many other Crimes which in their own Nature deferv'd Death, when there was not fo full a Proof thereof, as to be pu-nifhable by Men.

Again, when it is faid, I'hat Soulfhall be cut off from among his People^ as it often implies a Direction given to the civil Magiftrate, in dealing with Offenders which deferv'd Death: So, I humbly conceive, it is fometimes to be underftood, as containing G o d's Warrant and Law given to that Churchy to feparate Perfons from their Communion^ in Cafes where Death was not inflifted by the Hands of the civil Magiftrate j and it is more efpecially to be underftood in this Senfe, when 'tis threatned as a Puniihment for the Negle6t of feme Act of divine Worftiip, or not duly obfei*viiag fome Rites or Ceremonies which were neceflary to the right Performance thereof^ this was doubtlefs a Sin, and w^as fufficient to forfeit the Privilege of being a Member of that Religious Society^ fince every one who had a Right to attend on their Worfhip, mufl perform it according to the divine Prefcription, or elfe be excluded from it. Accordingly when being cut off^ is threatned for fuch an Offence (e-

fpecially

(40

fpccially if not committed pefumptmujlf^ and in Contempt of God's Inftitution > in which Cafefome-times Death was inflided by the Hand of the civil MagiftratCjas mNumb.yiv. :5o',to 3 5-.) then the Meaning thereof is, that he fhall htjeparatedfrom the Congregation by Excommumcation^ or declared incapable of joining in thofe rehgious Duties which were perform'd by them as a Churchy under the immediate Government and Proteftion of the Jl-mighty^ inafmuch as he refufes to perform them in the way which was prefcrib'd by God, and prac-tifed by the Church. In this Senfe I conceive it is to be taken in Ge;^.xvii. 14. The uncircumcifed Man-child^ i^c. JJjall he cut off from his People^ he has broken my Co'venant. They who fuppofe that the Punishment here threatned is Deaths are obhg'dto conclude, that the Man-Child here fpoke of is one that is adult J and if fuch a one did not wiUingly fubmit to this Ordinance, he was to be cut <?/ithat is, flain. But 'twill be hard to prove, that fince the Man-Child fpoke of, -z;. 12. who was to becir-cumcifed, was one of eight Days old, that in this 14;^^ V. it fliould only fignify one that is adult. Many there are who being fenfible of this Inconvenience, in explaining this Scripture, apprehend that the Punilbment o^ cutting offw^s not to be inflid-^d on the Child being but eight Days old, but on the Parent •, which mull be fuppos'd, if by it wx are to underftand Death: But if otherwife, wcun-derftand by it a declaring the uncircumcifed Child deprived of the Privileges of an Ifraelite^ which it was to be admitted to by Circumci{i->n, then 'tis not abfurd to fuppofe, that it may be the unhappy Subjed thereof, in whom there is an Inllance of a Breach made upon God's Covenant, thro' its Parent's Default, who is, at the fame time,^ chargeable with Guilt, as being the Occafion of

it.

Moreover,

(4i)

Moreover, there are other Inftances of Per* fons being liable to be cut off^ from the Church for not obferving the Laws which were annexed to fome parts of divine Worihipj as if any one did eat leavened Bread during the Week in which the FefHval of the Pajover was celebrated, Exod. xu. ip. 'Tis alfo threatned, in cafe they attended on any holy Ordinances, and in particular on the Sacrifice of Peace-offerings^ and eat the Flefh thereof, being unclean. Lev. vii. 20, ii. In which, and [ome o^ ther Inftances that might be mentioned, I humbly conceive, that, by a Perfon's being cut off, we are to underftand his being denied the Privileges claim'd by the Members of that Church j as, in fome refpeds, every unclean Perfon was, while his Uncleannefs re-

main'd upon him. .

T MIG H T further argue, that if aPerfon s bemg cut off, always fignified his being punifh'd with Death by the Hands of the Civil MagiftratCj then the Apoftle Paul, who ufes the Jewijh Mode of fpeaking, (and the fame Word, which we are con-fidering, fo frequently us'd in the Old Teftament) Gal V. 12. Iwou'd they were even cut off whkh trouble you, he muft be fuppos'd to defire, or rather advife, that they jhould he cut off by Death % which Advice, at that time, was impradicable, con-fidering the pofturc of Affairs, when the Civil Magiftrate would not, and the Church could not, inflia corporal Punifhments on thofe that troubled them 5 therefore the Words contain a Diredion to them to cut off or feparate from their Commu-^ nion thofe who dillurbed the Peace or Purity thereof. This therefore is fometimes the Senfe of that Word in the Books of Mofes 5 and from hence it evidently appears, that the Jewijh Church pradis'd Excommunication againft thofe who deferv d it, before the Babylonijh Capivity, tho' free from thofe many Abufes thereof, which according to

( 4^ )

the account of Jewijlo Writers were introduce by that Church in after Times.

A s to their Government during the Captivity^ lb little is faid of it, that I think it can't be determined whether they then praftis'd Excommunica-tion or not. Indeed, in Ezra's Time, after their return from Babylon^ we read of it with an additional Circumftance, not mentioned any where elfc in Scripture, of Confifcation of Goods attending it j thus it was proclaimed, Ezr. x. 8. that whofoe-ver wou'd not come to Jerufakm to teftify his Confent to put away the ftrange Wives, that many of 'em had married, within three Days, all his Suhftance pjould be forfeited^ and He feparated from the Congregation of thofe that had been carried away: This indeed feem'd a new Law, and carried in it the Appearance of Severity > but 'tis fufficiently plain, that this Conduit may be juftified in Ezra^ tho' it don't follow, that Countenance is hereby given to the Praftice of thofe who took Umbrage from it in folloiving Ages , when adding corporal Punifhments to Excommunication^^ for there was fomething peculiar in this Cafe, and he might po{^ fibly be warranted herein, by forne immediate divine Intimation relating thereunto. But without having recourfeto that, which is not diredly mcn-tion'd in the Text, we may confider, that there was an exprefs Law of G o d, which forbad the Jfraelites to join in Affinity with foreign and idolatrous Nations, Deut, vii. 3. ^hou Jhalt not make Marriages with them^ thy Daughter thou jhalt not give unto his Son^ nor his Daughter fhalt thou take unto thy Son: This was the particular Grievance complain'd of at that time, and was like to have a fatal Tendency to introduce Idolatry into their Worihip, as Nehemiah obierves it had done in So» lornon\ time, occafion'd by his marrying many (irange Wives^ Chap. xiii. zf, z6. And 'tis ob*

r 43)

fervid, that they had not only been guilty of this Sin, when their Temptation to ic was greater, while in Babylon; but even fince they return'd from thence. Thus Ezra in his Prayer confefles it as an Iniquity that abounded at that time, after they had been blefs'd with fo eminent a Deliverance, and feems jealous of the People's Inclination to continue in it. Chap, ix, iq, 13, 14. Befldcsthis, we may confider that He had a very extenfivc Coipmiflion from Jtrtaxerxes, to inflio: fuch like Punifhments on thofe who obftrufted the Work of Reformation which he was ingag'd in. Chap. vii. 2(5. Whofoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of the King^ let Judgment he executed fpeedily upon him 5 whether it be unto Death^ or to Banijhment^ or to Confifcation of Goods^ or to Impri-^ fonment j the Law of God, which was to be ob-ferved, it's call'd the Kin^s Law^ becaufe its Obligation Was to be farther enforc'd by his Authority > and Ezra was to vindicate the Honour thereof, by various Methods of infli&ing corporal Punifhments, among which, this of Confifcation of Goods was one, (o that herein he did no more than fulfil his Commifljon, The Puniihment indeed may feem hard, but the thing enforc'd hereby was fuch, as milder Arguments probably might not have perfuaded them to comply with j and then God's Judgments would have foUow'd, till he had confum'd 'em, fo that there floould be no Remnant nor efcaping. Befides, the People had before this Proclamation was ifTued out, covenanted^nd a-greed by Oath, that they would put away their Itrange Wives 5 Ezrax. 3, f. Therefore when he faw them, notwith(landing this, backward thereunto, being invefted with the Authority of a Ma-giiirate, v. 4. he takes Courage, and ifTues forth this Order. 'Tis plain from hence, that this was Hn extraordinary Cafe, and therefore when the fame

F z was

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was pra£tis'd in following Ages, without the like Warrant and Occafion, 'twould be very hard to vindicate the Juflice thereof.

And this may lead us to confider the Praftice of Excommunication among the Jews after Ezra's Time, as we have an Account of it from their own Writers. We find that there were various kinds or degrees thereof 5 ^ One of which only abridg'd the Perfon who fell under it of fome Privileges which that Church enjoy'd, but not of all j and this was little more than what the Chriftian Church calPd a(pogio-/xor, Separation Ah^entio^ &C. This was inflifted for fome Offences which can hardly be call'd Crimes, but as they were deem'd fo by the Pride, Caprice, and undue Refentment of a. degenerate, and at that time, in many refpefts, ill govern'd Church.

They had alfo another Degree of Ex communis cation "f, which carried in it more of Terror, by reafon of the many Anathemas annexed to it, containing

*This they call ^ll^ Nid denouncing m^ny Cur/es againfl:

i) u I i fee Lightfoot, Hor. Heb, him, as tho' they defign'd to

^ Taim. in i Cor. v. f. where make Anathemas cheap and

he affigns from Rabb'micd VM contemptible with Men lefs in-

t&rs, twenty four Reafons for clin'd to Bigotry than the moft

infii£ting this Cenfure, many of 'em were. See a particular

of which are trifling, and hard Account hereof in that Chapter

ly deferve a Recital j and, as of Lightfoot now referr'd to,

that learned Author obferves , where other things are menti-

it was to remain in Force thirty on'd, that argue a great degree

Bays, during which time, if of Deteftation, as not only that

the Perfon repented not, 'twas they are forbidden to eat or

to be kid on him thirty Days drink with him, but to come

more ; and after that, in cafe of within four Cubits of him, who

Obftinacy, another thirty Days, fell under this Cenfure.

and then they proceeded to a f This they call CD"^n Che-

nother degree of Excommunication, rem , the fame which in the

which they apprehended would Chrijiian Church is call'd Ana-

terrify him witha Witnefs, by thema. And fome, who treat of

this

(45}

taininga great Abufe and Perverfion of the Defiga of that Law, relating to the Curfes that were to be denounc'd on Mount Ebal^ mentioned in Deut, XXVii. which was not defign'd as a Form to be us'd in Excommunication^ but as an Expedient to prevent thofe Sins which expos'd to the divine Wrath. And tho* they pretend to have a Warrant for this, taken from Deborah and Barak's curfing MeroZy Judg. V. 23. or from Jojhua's denouncing a Curfe on him that ihould rebuild Jericho-, Jojh. vi. 25. yet this does not give Countenance to their Proceedings j for certainly we mufl: diftinguifh between Anathemas denounc'd by immediate divine Direction, by thofe who had the Spirit of Prophecy 3 and iuch as were denounc'd by them who were altogether deftitute thereof

That they pradic'd this Method of ExcommU" mcation^ by denouncing Curfes againft thofe who were ftruck with it, is very obvious to all that are converfant in their JVritings-j and alfo that thefe Execrations were not only denounc'd againft thofe who had committed the vileft Crimes^ fuch as open Blafphemy, or Idolatry, (^c. but even for Ohftinacy^ or Contempt of the le£er Excommunication before defcrib'd, which was often inflifted for

this Matter, fuppofe that they Schammatha is deriv'd from

had yet a third degree of Excom Schamath feparavit j and fo it

munication call'd fi^nOti? Scham is the fame with the firji Degree^

MATHA, which they think is call'd, as was before hinted,

the fame with Maranatha. Niddui j and therefore the

Where this Sentence was pafs'd whole of this Matter is cotL-

the Perfon was deem'd liable to tain'd in what the Chrifiian

temporal and eternal Punifli Church c^Ms Excoinmunicatio Mor*

ments. But the other, ory^ y<9^ and Minor. But this may

€ond Degree of Excommunication be \dt to the Diibuiiition of

is fo full of Curfing, that little thoie Criticks who"" are pleas'd

more can be added to it ; there with Diiputes about things q£

fore fome think the Word no Moment.

very

veiy fmall ones^y as for offering an Affront to a Wife-man "f, or Do6ior of the Law > or for fpeak-ing difrefpe6lfully of Him when dead > or fornot appearing when fummon'd to anfwer to any Ac-cufation before an Ecclefiaftical Court of Judicature 5 or even for not paying pecuniary Debts after a formal Procefs in Lawf"!".

The Curfes they denounced * contained a horrid Wifli, that every thing that is terrible and detef-ted by Men, or which is reckoned an uncommon Mark of di'uine Vengeance^ might fall upon them: They load 'em with all the Anathemas which Mofes^ Barakj Elifha^ and others, have laid on thofe who moft deferv'd ^emj and make mention of thofe Names and Attributes of God^ which might ftrike the greatefl Terror into the Minds of Sin? nets J and they delivered the Perfonupto he curfed by all the Angels^ whom they fuperllitioufly fup-? pos'd to have the Governnient of the various Times and Seafons, Days and Months of the Year j that fo, by their means, he might never fee an happy Day in this World: And they yet go further, and give him up as one who is to have no part in the

^ Thus the Sanhedrim ex as having wrought this Mira-

communicated the Man, whofe dtyVerfe i6. ^cc Cocceius zd

"EyesourSaz'iour had open'd,for Excerpt. Gem, Sanhedrim,^. IX.

fpeaking without that juft De ff See Vitr'mga de Synagoga

corum and Refpeft to 'em Vet. pag. 745-.

which they expeded, John ix. * See the Form or Inilru-

27, 34. For it was not becaufe me^it us'd when a Pcrfon was

he confefs'd our Saviour to be thus Excommunicated and Ana^

Christ, purfuant to the Order thematiz^'d , in Seld. de Jarey

that they had made amongft Nat. ^ Gent. lib. 4. chap. 7,

themfelves, v. 22. forhefeems and Buxtorf Lex. Talm. in voce

as yet to have been a Stranger Cherem, /int fuper ipfum plaga

to him under that Charafter; magnA ^ fideles Tncrbi magm

Qnly he had a Refpe<St for him, (^ honibiles,

Rpfmv

(47)

Refurredtlon of the Juft in the next. To this height of vile Uncharitahlenefs^ yea, furious Rage and Revenge, was that wretched Generation of Men arriv'd, if Credit may be given to their own Writers^ that give an Account hereof.

And as ih^ivExecrations were void of all Cha^ rity and Humanity j fo their Behaviour towards thofc who fell under 'em was little better. An Inftance of which we have in that irreconcileablc Hatred they exprefs'd from Generation to Generation againft the Samaritans'^^ who, zsRabbini^ cal Writers tell us, were formally excommunicated and anathematiz'd for their malicious Oppo-fition to the Jews in Nehemiah's Time, and their Separation from them, when fetting up another Temple on Mount Gerizim^ and eftabhming another Priefthood to minifter in it. That this Hatred between 'em continu'd to our Saviour's time, appears from the Woman of Samaria's Anfwer to Him, when defiring her to give him to drink j (whereby it appears, that he did not approve of this unwarrantable Behaviour of the Jews towards them) fhe refers to the morofe Treatment which the Samaritans generally met withfrom the JewSy who would have no Dealings with 'em, efpecially in any Inftances in which the leaft degree of Friend-fhip or Obligation were contained, John iv. p. How is it.that thou being a Jew^ afkeft Drink of me^

• See an Account of the gion; and, which is more, ex-Manner of their Excommunica eluding them from any Part in tion, by founding three hundred the Reflirredlion of the Juft, Trumpets, and bringing forth in Lightfoot's Harmony of the four as many Copies of the Lawj 'Evan. Part III, on John iv. 6. and how all were prohibited ^Xidfofephus's Account of the from converiing with them, firft Rife and Occalion thereof, admitting any of them there infcrted.

to be Profelytes to their Reli-

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*lvho am a Woman of Samaria, for the Jews bavt no Dealings with the Samaritans '\ ?

And after Chriftianity took place in the World, they turn'd their Artillery upon our Saviour and his Followers'y to this the Apoftle feems to refer, when in i Cor. xii. 3. he fpeaks of fome who pretended to fpeak by the Spirit of God, and yet caird Jesus accurfed\ and that they made it their conftant Pra6tice to curfe the Chriftians m their Prayers, as well as common Converfation, is fujffi-ciently evident*.

Thus concerning Excommunication^ as it was praftis'd in the corrupt Ages of the JewifJj Church, To this let me add, that there was another fort of Pradlitioners in this Art of Curftng^ tho' much inferior to the former, and thefe were the Heathen 5 whether the Jews borrowed it from them, or they from the y^wJ, I will not difpute: That the Heathen had Excommunication among them is very obvious, and not at all ftrange, fince the Law of Nature fuggefts as much, if abftraded from the Abufe thereof j which we find alfo among them, as appears by the various Methods of Execration annexed to it, as is obferv'd by fome of their own Writers "fi", who occafionally takes notice of it.

Thus much concerning the Origin and ancient Pra6lice of Excommunication^ before it was received

in

t How hr this Rule cxten f j Thus C&far th Bel. Gal.

ded it felf, fee Lightfoot Hor. gives an Account how in the

Heo. and Talm.'mjohniyr, 8,9. Adminiftration of religious Af-

* See Buxtorf. Lex. Talm. in fairs by the Druids, among the

loce MiN. Aternum exitium illis ancient Gauls , they excluded

imprecantur qui a lege Judaica thofe who rctus'd to confornr

deficmnt ad Chriftianos, and Juf to their religious Conftitution,

tin Martyr, Dial, cum Tryph. from the publick Exercife of

'A^xxLxTuq Kxrx^ci^s ?^ civr^ their Worfhip, and particularly

sxM>a> j^ roTi kTs MurS, from attending on their Sacri-

ficegs

( 49 )

in the like Form, by the Chriftian Churchy which we are now to confider •, and one would think that this was but a very indifferent Precedent for them to follow, which not with {landing they did, as will appear from what we fhall take occafion further to Remark, concerning the Ahufc of Excommunication in the early Ages thereof. It mufl indeed be allowed, that their Zeal in Defence of the Truth and Purity of Religion is in many other In-ftances to be commended: But this Practice of affixing Anathemas to Excommunication cannot be reckoned an Excellency in them > and indeed fome

fices, as thofe who were reckoned among the viler Part of Mankind j and others were prohibited from entiing into their Hou fes, or exchanging a Word with 'era, for fear of being de-fii'dj neither were they allow'd the Benefit of the Law, nor the common Inftances of Re-ipedt, which others had a Right to. 6*/ c^u'is aut frtvatusaut pub-I'tcus eorum decreto non ftet'itfacr'i-ficits interdicunty ^c.L{h.6.\.\^. That this was alfb pradis'd among the Grecians, may bein-ferr'd from what we read in Sophocles, in OI A T n T T P, lin. 243. C^ Seq. where he introduces Oedipus, pronouncing this Sentence againft any one who fhould refiife to difcover his Father's Murtherer, not knowing then that himfelf was the unhappy Manj that no one fhould entertain or converfe with fuch an one, or have Communion with him, in Prayer or Sacrifices, nor ihould admit him to ufe thofe Luftrati-

ons that were obferv'd in reIf-» gious Worfliipj and he proceeds to denounce Curfes againft him as a wicked and excommunicated Perfon, and againft thofe who fhould entertain or conceal him.

Toy xva^' oiTtccvou 1 ■

rivet MiiT h Qiuv iv^aXci fjuitrt B-vf/zXtrt Koivoy TToiit^ f/jyiTi ^i^vkQcc<i nf//ii)f '^6iiy ^' mtt' oI'kuv %u,vrxii.

Another Inftance of this we have in Juftm, Hiji. Lib, v. cap. I. who gives an Account of Alcibiades's being accus'd for divulging the Myjieries of Ceres, and that for this he fell under the Difpleafure of thofe who had the Management of the Affairs of Religion, and accordingly 'tis faid, Inde non dam' natum fe tantum verum etiam Diris per omnium facerdotum Ke-ligiones devotum cognoojit.

C 50 )

df the Fat beys J who had more Mildnefs iii their Temper, feem to blame it, efpecially as containing too much Severity and Injultice in its AppUcation. Thus Chryfoftom ^ obierves, that it ought rather to be affixed to Do5irines than PerfonSy or at leaft the Perfon mufl be fuppos'd finally impenitent, or never difpos'd to embrace the Faith of the Gofpel 5 and therefore they cannot be excused from Uncharitablenefs^ who have often us'd it without due Regard had thereunto. Thus'tis obferv'd by Socrates'^^ that 'twas commonly us'd by the Church, in the Form oi Excommunication ^ and to render the Sentence more dreaded, as determining a Man's State to be hopelefs, if he happen'd to die under the Weight thereof (without confider-ing the Fallibility of thofe who pronounc'd it, and the Poflibility of its being mifapplied) fome have explain'd it in fuch a way, as tho' the fame Regard was to be paid to it as to a divine Oracle adjudging Men to cverlailing Deilrudion > and 'twas to be entertain'd with equal Dread and Confufion. Thus 'Tertullian% calls it, an Anticipation of the future Judgment j and Cyprian \ fuppofes fuch an one far from a fiate of Salvation.

And fome have fuppofed, that the Perfon when

excommunicated^ was pojfeffcd by Satan^ which

they conclude to be the Senfe of the Apofile when

■ he {peaks of delivering fuch an one unto Satan^ in

I Cor. v. f. Of this Opinion is the learned Cave\\^

f In locofupr. chat. § Apol.froChr. cap. 59. Sum-

* Speaking concerning the mionfuturi Jtul'icij pr&JHdicium,

Church's pronouncing an Afid -i^ De Orat. Dom. Timendum

thema againft Ncjiorius, ' for his eji O" orandum ne dum quis ab-

Herefy, fays, that this was the Jhntus feparatur a Chrijii corpore

ufual Form o^Exco'/'ajnunication-^ proculremaneatafalute.

in like cafes kv'.^ifx,oirKrocv ^ru || Prtmithe Chrijiianity, Part

yufi ol ^^is'iocvot x,x?iZiv ucJB-oi^iv III, Ch^p. j.

who

( 5^ )

who argues 5' that finee the Apoflies had a Power to infliS: extraordinary corporal Punifhments for fome notorious Offences, as when Peter flruck Ananias and Sappbira dead, and Paul fmote Ely mas the Sorcerer with Blindnefs 5 therefore it may be concluded, that they had a Power to dehver Men over into the Hands of Satan^ that he might actually fiezeand take PofTefTion of them 5 and thereby a mighty Terror might be flruckinto the Minds of Men, who would be afraid to commit thofe Crimes whereby they would incur this Cenfure. And he further argues, that it was more needed at that Time, feeing there was a Defed of civil ccerci've Powers therefore fi nee the Magi flrate took no Care to defend the Churchy God was plcafed to do it in this Method, by granting the Apoflles this extraordinary Gift.

But I humbly conceive, that there never was fuch a Power granted to the Churchy how much foever the Neceflity of Affairs feem'd to require it. That there was no fuch thing after the Apo-flolic Age^ feems highly probable, which alfo that excellent Author abovemention'd allows 5 for certainly if there \\2A^Juftin Martyr^ who liv'd in the middle of xh^fecond Century^ or 'Tertullian^ in the End of it^ ox Origen^ who liv'd in tht heginningoi the Thirds or Cyprian^ who flouriHi'd in the middle of that Century^ would have taken fome notice of this extraordinary itiiraculous Punifhment attending Excommunication'y but they are altogether filent about it, which they would hardly have been, had they known any thing of it, fince fome of them fpeak in fo awful a Manner concerning the Church's proceeding againfl thofe whom they apprehended to deferve it. And fome * of them

G z take

* Jtijlin Martyr, in Collo^* cum Tryph. tells the j^ews, that the . ^ ' Church

( jO

take notice of Her being favour'd with extraordinary Inflances of Miracles, which, it feems, were not wholly ceafed in their Time, and affign it as a confirming Evidence of the Truth of the Chri-ftian Religion againft the Heathen^ laying their Lives at Stake upon it, that they ihould be enabled pubHckly to caft out Devils^ whom their Enemies worfhipped as Gods, and force 'em to con-fefs themfelves impure Spirits, who were ready to quit their Pofleflion at the Chriilians Command, in the Name of the true God. Thus then it is fufficiently evident, that this extraordinary Pu-nifhment did not attend Excoynmnnication in the jiges immediately following the Apftles Time. And

church in his Time had the Gift of Prophecy j which £«-[eb'ms in H//?. EccU L. \sr.z, 17. takes Notice of; and therefore doubtlefs believ'd it to be true in Fad (tho' it \% very much to be queftioned, whether there was any fuch thing in the fourth Century, in which he liv'd) So Gregory Nyjfen, and Bafily who liv'd a httle after Eufebius, alTert that there were many Mi-racles wrought in the third Century by Gregory of Neo-C'S.fcirea, for which Reafon he is call'd Thaumaturgus j tho' 'tis not improbable that they may be im-pos'd on in fome things which they relate concerning him, e-fpecially when they compare him with the Apoftles and ancient Prophets, not excepting Mofes himfelf, in this refpeft; and 'tis certain , many things are related of his Miracles, which feem too fabulous to obtain Credit ; yet there is Ground enough from all that they fay, to fup-

pofe that he wrought fome; and that therefore in his Time they werfe not wholly ceas'd. See Greg. Nyjf. in Vtt. Greg. Thaum. and Bcifil de Sp. Sanclo, cap. 2.9. andOrigen affirms that in his Time the Cliriftians had a Power to perform many Miraculous Curesy and to foretel Things to come. See L. i. contra, Celfs. Katj Wi ly^vn rS dynf

(ruTircci ihTToCOiicri occiUiovcc^ tccci

nvcc Kecrcc ro Cs/A>3|U/6t rS Aeyj< TTfpt fj^iXXoyrm, If this had not hQ(in true, CelfuSy who wanted neither Malice nor Opportunity, would certainly have detec' ted the Fallacy. And had there not been fuch a Difpenfation of Miracles in Tertullian's Time, he would never have appeal'd to it, and affign'd it as a Proof of the Truth of the Chrijlian Religion. See his Apologet. adv., Genfes, cap, 23.

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indeed it does not appear to me, that there was any fuch thing in the Church in their Time-y for it don't follow, that becaufe in two or three In-ftances corporal Punifhments were inflifted by them for notorious Crimes, in which we have no mention of Excomrnunkatioyi preceding, that therefore it commonly attended that Eccleliaftical Sentence.

We muft therefore enquire, whether there may not be fome other Reafon allign'd, why the Apoftle orders that the Perfon in the Church at Corinth^ who had been guilty of Inceft^ fhouldJDC deli'ver d to Satan^ when he gives Infiru6tion concerning his Excommunication. I am inclined to ac-quiefce in the more common Senfe given of that Textj viz. That the Perfon who had committed this notorious Crime, who was to be caft out of the Church, was faid to be delivered to Satan in as much as he was left in^ or confign'd over to^ Sa^ tan's Kingdom: Such a figurative way of fpeaking is not uncommon either in facred or prophanc Writers. Moreover , Satan's Kingdom is fome-times oppos'd to C h r i s t's 3 and therefore as Christ is Lord of his Churchy they who arc within its Enclofure, are entituled to His fpecial Care and Proteftion, as well as governed by the Laws which he has prefcrib'd. So Satan is defer ib'd *, as the Prince of the Power of the Air^ the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Difohe^ dience-y the Prince of this World y and the God of this World'y his Empire is calPd the Power of Dark-nefs^ which we are faid to be deliver'd from^ when tranflatedinto the Kingdom of Christ. Now then, if Christ's Kingdom and Satan's are thus oppos'd to each other 3 if Christ is faid to reign in his

* ^}h. n, 1. Jofj. xii. 31. and xiv. 30. zCor, h. 4,

Churchy

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Churchy and Safan^ by divine Permiflion, to reiga over thofe who are out of the Churchy and much inore over thofe who are cajl out of it, for Crimes containing an open RebeUion againft the Laws of Christ -, then it is no Impropriety of Speech to fay, that fuch an one, when call out of the Church, is delivered to Satan 5 that iiy his Relation to it being difTolved, he is left in the World or Satan's Kingdom J and whereas fome fuppofe,that there were other Confequences which attended this Exdujion^ 1^/2;. that fuch might be exposed to a more than ordinary Degree of Temptationj and many of them given up to the Terrors of their own Mind, under a Senfe of Guilt improv'd by Satan againft 'em, 'till God was pleas'd to interpofe with his reftor-ing Grace, over-ruling this for their Good : I will not deny it, provided it be not extended fo far as to contain any thing extraordinary or miraculous in it. This I humbly conceive to be the Senfe of the Words in this Scripture > and as fo coniider'd, it has a more dired Tendency to anfwer the End there aflign'dj viz. The DeflruUion of the FleJJo^ that the Sprit may he fa-v'd in the Day of the Lord Jefus^ than to fuppofe a Perfon corpo" rally pojfcfs'd by the Devil, which if the more immediate EfFecl thereof be Lunacy^ is inconfiftent with the aftings of Graces or than to fuppofe that the Perfon thus delivered to Satan^ was filPd with a great degree of Malice and Enmity fugge-iled by him^ which can hardly be reckon'd a Means conducive to Salvation, as the Apoftle fays this Deli'very over to Satan was to be look'd upon and improv'd as fuch.

But tho' the Church had no Power to deliver any up to be corporally poflefTed by Satan^ who rendred themfclves liable to its Cenfures^ yet they endeavoured, as was before hinted, to make the-m as much dreaded as was pofllble > (0 that they fliould

conclude

(n)

conclude their Condition as bad or worfe than if this Evil had befallen them -, fince 'twas generally fuppofed that there was little or no hope of Salvation till they had obtained Peace with the Church. This made them willing to fubmit to any Conditions of Humiliation, rather than have this Bond ( for fo'tis calPd) remain upon them. What but this could have mov'd them to appear before them "in filthy Garments, with Sackcloth and Aihes, falling down at the Feet of the Bijbop or Pre/by-terSj and kneeling to the very Laity defiring their Prayers > and this done not only by the common People, but Kings and Emperors muft fubmit to it ? The Story of Theodofius the Great is well known, who after he was excommunicated for having carried his Refentment beyond all the Bounds of Rea-fon and Juftice againft the Inhabitants of 'Thejpi-lonica^ for killing one of his General Officers in a Tumultjby giving them up to be murdered and plundered at Difcretion by the Soldiery, was forc'd to fubmit to this Difcipline with uncommon Expref-fions of Sorrow, and Plenty of Tears j firft, immuring himfelf in his Palace, and after that, fuf-fering one of his Courtiers, who offer'd his Service, to go and intercede in his Behalf for the Church's Reconciliation^ and his Re-admiffion into its Commu--nion^ but to no Purpofe, till he came in Perfon and humbled himfelf to fuch a Degree as tho' he had immediately to do with God rather than Men-^ and this he did, as concluding that fo long as the Doors of the Church were fhut againil him, he was inevitably JJmt out of Heaven^ calling to mind that Scripture, Whomfoe'ver ye floall hind on Earthy JJoall be bound in Heaven ^. And Eufebius giwts an In-ilance of the like Humiliation, in order to obtain

* Thee J. Hift. Eccl. //^. v, cap. 17.

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the Church's Reconciliation^ tho' in a Perfon much inferior to the former^ which, as he fays, was after all obtain'd with great Difficulty **. . . If therefore Excommunication ftruck fuch a Terror into the Minds of Men, it will naturally lead / us to enquire whether 'twas ever inflidted unlcfs for the 'ullefi Crimes^ fuch as were inconfiftent with the Profeilion of Chriflianity, or a Right to the Favour of G o d and eternal Life.

In anfwer to which it mufl be conlidered,that fometimes they pafs'd this Sentence for Offences which could hardly be caWd Crimes, even for what fcarce deferv'd a Reproof, as will appear to any one who confults the Canons of the Coun^ cils of the antlent Church, wherein they not only fufpended from Church Communion, but did it with the Addition of an Anathema, for fome things that were below the Church's Notice, and much lefs defervcd fo fevere a Cenfure -jr. This is fuch a

vile

** 'Enpb. Hifl. Eccl. Itb. v. as long a time as the Bifhop of

Ca^. tilt, the Church to which he belonged

t A Sufpenjion of Pcrfons plcas'di which Decree they pre-

ftoin Church Communio'o, whe tend to be given by the fpecia!

ther for a Hmited time, or not. Dictate of the Holy Ghoft. This

was often inflicted for very is an indefenfible Inftance of

fmall Crimes: Thus the Conndl Pride and Prophancncfs, as well

^t Elibert in Can. fo. fufpended as uncharitable and ludicrous i

any one who fhould cat with a but 'tis not to be wonder'd at,

yew -y and one of the GalUcan v/hen we confider that 'tw^s in

Councils in thefixfh Ce?2turyy vtz. a very corrupt Age of the

Cone. Matifconepf. II. In Can. 15-. Church.

determine, that if any Lay-man And as Perfons were often

meeting a Clergy-man upon the fufpended, Co fometimes they

Road, did not pull off his Hat were anathematisi'd for very

and bow to him with the great fmall Offences: Thus the Council

eft Degree of Reverence, or if held at Ga'igra, in the fourth

being on Horfeback, did not a Century, made 20 Canons, to e-

light off from his Horfe to pay very one of which an Annthe-

that Refpeft to him, he was to ma is affixed j and in fome of

he fufpended from Communion iov 'em \yhat they were difpleas'd

with

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vile Proftitution of a tVord^ than which nothing is more awtuias 'tis ufed in Scripture^ fo thatfome have thought they divefted it of its common Idea^ and made it fignify no more than a bare Sufien-Jion or Exdufton from the Commmiion of the Church , which is the moil favourable Conflru6lion that can be put upon it j and one would be enclin'd to think fo, were it only usM occafionally, in which Cafe it might be thought,not to be fo well underllood as when it is fo often ufed : But when we find it fome-times joined with a7t Execration^ and generally annexed to Cenfures denounced for the moft heinous Crimes, in which Cafe the Form is, let him be excommunicate and anathe?natiz'd^ how can we other-wife conclude than that it contains the worft that the Church can do againft an Offender? 'Tis true, Socrates the Church Hiilorian, as has been before obferved, fays, that tht Sentence of Excommunicatio7i is commonly called Anathema > but he adds, that 'tis fo called, that is to fay, an Anathema was annexed to it when denounced againft the firfi Author or Propagator of fame hlajphemous Here-fy. And ^ Theodoret^ "who explains it as importing, that a Perfon is a?i Alien from the common Body of the Church j yet he applies this Explication of ic to the Senfe of that Scripture where the Apoftle

with and prohibited, can hardly the Lord's Day j and the fourth

be prov'd to be contrary to the Council at Carthage, held in the

moral Law or Rule of the Gof fifth Century in Can. 64. declare

pelj and other things, tho' lin a Peffbn who does fo no Catho-

ful, don't deferve Excommuni lick, which is little better than

catioriy much lefs fuch an one. to anathematize him. 'Twere

An Inftance among others of endlefs togive Inftances of this

their denouncing an Anathema Mature, all which tend rather

for an Offence that did not de to cxpofe and make the Cen-

ferve it, may be feen in C<^n. fm?s of the Church contemn'd

18. of that Council^ where they than anfwer any valuable End.

anathematize thofe xhaxfafi on -^ In Comment, ini Cor.y:vu^2.

H Taysj

C 58 )

fays 5 Let him that loveth not the Lord Jefus he Anathema Maranatha 5 which is as much as to fay, that it imports fomcthing which carries in it a being thruft out of the Church with fome uncommon Marks of Infamy and Difpleafure. To this it may be added, that 'tis fufSciently evident that the tJfe hereof in Excommunication^ was derived from the Cuftom of the Jews^ and that it anfwers to the Word C h e R e m ufed by them in the hke Cafe y and what a terrible Idea they had of it will be eaiily obfcrvcd from what has been before fug-gefled. And to all this let me add, that 'twas never ufed in that which is called the lejfer Excommunication^ which was infli6ted for a certain limited Time, and when that 'twas expired the Perfon might be re-admitted into the Church with much iefs Difficulty. If therefore it carries in it the Severity of thofe Ecclefiaflick Cenfures^ which were entertain'd with the greatefl Dread and Horror, and yet was denounced £orfmaIl Offences^ what can "we call this but a great Degree of Uncharitable-nefs?

And indeed it can hardly be deem'dany other, if we conGder the Occafion^ tho' the Anathema be left out, and only the lejfer Excommunication denounced, if VN^e confider how awful a thing 'twas reckoned by moll in the third and fourth Centuries to be feparated from the Church in what Form foevcr it was done, as has been before obferved.

Another Reafon of Perfons being cut off from the Communion of the Churchy was their re-fufing to give an AfTent to all things that were decreed in fome foregoing Councils-y ni which many things were expreffed in fuch a way, that 'twas difficult to underlland their Meanings and many C-^niurcs were pafied by them on Perfons andThings, without a due Regard had to Jullice, or the Merits of theCaufe. And \vhereas they condemned

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many as Hereticks^ for holding Sentiments far from being fubverfive oi^nyfundamental Article of Faith j yet he that cou'd not join with 'em herein was e-qually cenfur'd^.

But fuppofe the Crimes real and notorioufly great, which defervedly exclude a Perfon from a Religious Society^ fuch as fcandalous Immoralities or Herefies fubverfive of the Foundation of our Faith'y yet it was an unjuftifiable Extream, and contrary to the Laws of a Religious Society^ and the good Ends that fhould be anfwer'd by fuch Cen-fures^ when they depriv'd the Perfon excommunicated of the Ordinances or Means of Gr^^^, which fhould be ufed for his Recovery, as they feem in fome Inflances to have done. ¥he Lord's Supper^ indeed is an Ordinance which thofe who deferve to be feparate from the Communion of the Church, muft be fuppofed to be unqualified for, as being unable to attain the Advantages defigned thereby: And it being an Ordinance in which there is Communion, it fuppofes a Perfon united to that Society wherewith he communicates 5 therefore they were not to blame for prohibiting an excommunicate Perfon from partaking of it. But their Cen-fure reach'd farther than this, for they wou'd not admit him to join with them in Prayer nor hearing the IVord \ > the former none are to be excluded

* Vid. Com. Lateran. A. D. Frujlrd jam du^ltat in c&teris 649. Can. 16. and 17. quoque con/entire els ^ particeps

t Thus Firmilian, in his E- ejje-j ut ^ fimul cum eis conve-piftle to Cyprian, having com- niat- (^orationespariter cumiifdem plain'd of Stephn^ Bilhop of mifceat, vid.M^EpiJi.Cyp. y^'^"*, Rome his admitting Hereticks to ^Tertullian mApol. 39. ipeak-Baptifm, fays, that he might ing concerning Per/ons excom-even as well communicate with municated fays, that they not them in other Parts of Wor- onlj refused to admit 'em to ihip^ and particularly in Frayety join with the Church in Trayer, H a ^ but

( ^o )

eluded from but fuch as have committed the Sift unto Death^ which it is an hard Matter, if not im-poflible, for any to determine who have not, as the Church had in the ^ry^ v^^^ thereof, an extraordinary difcerning of Spirits y the latter none are to be excluded from, for the Heathen were admitted to come into the AfFembHes of the Church, to hear the fVord in the ApolUes time 5 for fuch were they who are called unlearned^ i Cor. xiv. 23, 24.

But there was another Inilance o^Uncharitable' nefs in their Behaviour towards thofe who are excommunicated^ which is beyond all the reil, in that fome have determin'd that they fhould not, if

but that they wou'd have no form'd) in the Habit and Poflure thing to do with them in what oiMourners •■> this they were en-related to holy Things. And in join d to do for a certain limited the 4jth of the CanoJis, h\^y time,x'/;::.a Year or more, accord-attributed to the ^poflUs,-which, ing to the Nature of the Offence, tho' fpurious, contain doubtlefs Thefe were cail'd ^poo-;iA«;svrf5, the Senfe of feveral Coanc'ds in Mourners. Then they were ad-the third anci fourth Centuries j admitted to hear the Word with the Compilers thereof depofe the Catechumens^ and from that and condemn thofe Bifhops, time they were call d «s«f«iiy/>«/£vo* Presbyters, or Deacons who Hearers-^ and when they had pray'd with an Heretick\ and in continu'd fome time in this the nth Canon, they are threat Clafs, they were admitted to ned with 2xcommunication who join with the Church in Prayer pray'd with an excommunicate and Singing, and after that to Perfon, or fo much as /pake to partake of the Lord's Supper : him in his own Houfe. This State of Tryal continu'd It will farther appear that fometimtsfeveral Months, zs The-thofe v/ho wcTC excommunicated oJo//us the Great fubmitted to it were excluded from, all Religious for etght Months, which State of Jf^r;^//'perform d in the Church, Tryal, and Time of Exclufion, if we conficler the Methods us'd, was much fliorter than what and the various Steps that were many v/ere oblig'd tofubmitto taken in order to its being re who were very often kept out concil'd to thofepwho were cafi: of the Cliurch for five or ten out of its Communion. At firfl Years, moreor lefs, according as they were oblig'd to /iand rcith the Governors thereof deter-out the Church-Doors (while min'd. See Theod. Hift. Eccl. in the Worfliip of God was per Loc. fnpr. citat,

the

(<JI)

the Crime was of an extraordinary Nature, be re-^ admitted into the Churchy tho' they repented of their Sin, but muft live and die under the Weight of this Cenfure *; But this was counted very fc-verc, and therefore 'twas thought fit afterwards a little to relax it f.

Thus we have confidered fome Inftances of the Rigour and Severity in the Difcipline of the and" ent Churchy which notwithftanding in other Re-fpe6ts was much preferable to any other Religious Societies in following Ages in their afTerting and defend ing the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, and the Divinity of its Author, againft a great Variety of Enemies; and many have done this with uncommon Learning and Judgment 5 the Steadi-ne{s and invincible Courage of its Martyrs and Confejfors in fufFering Reproach and Death for it; and their mutual Love, where this Occafion did not excite their Zeal to fuch a Degree as tended to abate it, was uncommon.

W E might have proceeded much farther to con-fider the many corporal Punijhments infli6tcd on Offenders in following Ages^ when the Chui'ch grew

* Thus the Tlibmm Coun fuppofe that the Church thought clU which was conven'd a it neceilary to deny them a/ler-bout the Year 30j*, in feve fe^ Recmciliatm Sitthzt timCt to ral of their Canons, determine deter others from committing that for fome Crimes Men the like Crimes, but that they fhould not be admitted to the did not intend hereby to ex-Communion of the Church in elude them from the divine Mer-the end of their Lives. Some cyj which whether theyfhou'd indeed have excused th's rigo obtain or no, remain'd a Secret rous Sentence, by fuppofing that that they did not pretend to de-they intended no more hereby termine. Thus Forces. Infiru5i. but to determine that they HiJi.Theol.LiS. ii. Cap. ■^, §.iS. ^ou'd be ftill excluded from the f This was done in the fa-Lord's Supper, tho' net from the mous Council at Nice mConfian-Church's Abfblution, if defir'd. tine's Time. See Can, 12. and See Cave's Prim. ChiJiia?iity,P.trt Cone. Carrhag. iv. Can. 7(5. and 3. Chap. J. Fag. 37 J. Others Cone. Araujiac. Can. 3.

more

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more degenerate, and To gone through the many Scenes of Perfecution pra6tic'd in the Papacy^ to the great Scandal of the ChrilHan Rehgion: But I •fhall proceed no farther in my Hiftorical Remarks on the Uncharitahlenefs of religious Bodies of Men.

I0/Uncharitablenefs m the ConduB of Men towards one another.

HAVING confider'd that 'there are fome Errors in DoUrine^ which difqualify for Church Coynmunion^ and how we may judge of them J and that, when difcovered, a Church; may exclude thofewho hold them from its Communion^ without being guilty of Uncharitabknefs-^ and iaftly^ what Breaches have been, or may be made upon the Laws of Love and Charity, in the Man-Tier or Occafion of excluding Perfons from Church Communion: We now come to confider this Vice^ as difcovering its felf in the Behaviour of particular Perfons towards each other in the more common Inftances thereof. And bccaufe the Sentiments^ as well as the Anions of Men are liable to Cenfure j and 'tis no lefs offenfive to be deem'd an Heretick^ than to be charg'd with Prophanenefs or Immorality in Converfation 5 we fhall have fome Regard to both, and lay down feveral Propofitions^ whereby we may be better able to determine, what may or ought not to be deem'd Uncharitahlenefs,

§. I.

Uncharttableness fuppofesa Perfon charg'3 with what is reckoned Criminal^ for it is a tacit Accufation brought in againft another, which oc-^^afions an Alienation of AfFedion, and tends to dif-

folvc

foive the Bands by which Men are united, and o-blig'd to do thofe Services to each other, which the Laws of Nature and Chriftianity dircd:. There are fome pecuHar Endowments, which we either are^ or ought to be poflefled of, as Men or Chrifti^ ans^ that entitle to fuch a Degree of Love as the Nature of the Thing requires j and to be deftitute of them is attended with Dijhonour^ and in fome Inftances reckoned a Crime-y and to difown our Right or Claim to them, efpecially without juft Reafon^ is properly Uncharitahlenefs. It will hence follow, that if the Thing we are fuppofed to want, either has in it no Excellency^ or to be deftitute of it, is no Reproach j or if it be what we neither pretend to^ nor belongs to our Chara5ier^ then 'tis no Breach of Charity in any one who will not allow us to have it. Thus, fince 'tis no Difparage-ment to a Phyfician^ that he has never read the polemical Writings of the School-men^ nor to a Divine that he is not vers'd in the Writings of Galen and Hippocrates j nor to one who underllands many other Branches of ufeful Learning, but pretends not to any Skill in the Mathematicks^ that he is not able to demonftrate one Proportion in Euclid^ 'tis no defeft of Charity to conclude fo. As to re-' ligious Matters^ there are fome Sentiments or Opi* nions which have fuch Ideas annexed to 'em, as carry the Appearance of Reproach > and all ground-lefs Infinuations that any one embraces them, are an Inftance of Uncharitahlenefs: But if it be no Difionour either to afHrm or deny a Doftrine, then Charity has nothing to do with a Man's Opinion about it: Or if it be reckon'd an Honour to affirm what generally palTes for Truth, tis not dcem'd uncharitable to conclude that he is on the reputable fide of the Queftion > tho' perhaps he be not on the right fide thereof. Therefore in Popijh Countries tis not reckon'd uncharitable to conclude,

elude, that a Perfon believes thcDoftrlnc ofTran* fubftantiation^ or other Do6trines of the Romijh Churchy how abfurd foever they appear to thofe of the Reformed Religion j tho' twould be refented as a Crime to charge any with the Belief thereof where that prevails. And if Arianifm were the prevailing Opinion, 'twould be reckon'd no Reproach to deny the Divinity of our Saviour^ and therefore no Breach of Charity to charge Men with itjhowdeteflable foever the Error be initfelf. So that Uncharitahhnefs^ as confidered under this Limitation, is a thinking, without fufficient Evidence^ that a Man believes what it is 2iDiJhonour to be thought to believe, who therefore conceals his Sentiments till a more favourable Opportunity offers.

A N D as for what concerns a Man's moral Cha-ra5ier^ 'tis no Uncharitahlenefs to think him viJe^ who makes no Pretentions to the leaft Degree of Virtue or common Honcfty: But if Men of the ^^7^ Chara5ler Tind flri6left Morals, lliould reproach one another with thofe Indecencies of Exprefiion, which one would rather have look'd for among thofe who bid Defiance to the more polite Methods of Raillery-, this can hardly be excus'd from Uncharitablenefs^ tho' want of Charity be ofttimes the grand Pretence for their taking fuch a Liberty.

§. 11. When an Accufation is brought in againfl a* ny one, 'tis either lod^d in our own Breaft^ or dij^ covered toothers 'y and if difcover'd^ thePerfon'sZ)^-Jign in reporting it, and the real Detriment re-ceiv'd thereby, is to be confider'd as what will render the Guilt of Uncharitablenefs much greater. The leaft Degree thereof is indeed a Crime^ tho' no prefcnt, real, or fenfible Difadvan-tage may accrue thereby, as it can hardly be fup-

pos'd

' ( ^5 )

posM to do when our Refentments are lock'd up in our own Bread 5 fince'tis inconfiftent with that Love which is due to others: And how Uttle Pre-jiidice foever they may receive from it 5 yet^ if our railions be not under a due Government, it may lead us to further Inftances of injurious Behaviour towards them. When the Mind of Man is overcharge with Refentment, it is not only filPd with perpetual Uneafinefs^ and proves its own Tormenter j-but 'tis hard to know where this will end, whether it may not grow up to a perfe6t Enmity^ and prompt Men to attempt any thing that is injurious and unwotthy, againft the good Name and Welfare of him whom they hate. And was this univerfal, how would the Peace and Happinefs of fhis lower World be difturb'd, and Men but one Remove from the moil envious and miferable Part of the Creation!

§. Hi. We are accountable to Got), with refpeft to the Juftice of our Sentiments concerning Men, as fuppos'd to embrace or deny the greateft and moft important Articles of the Chriftian Faith* 'Tis almoft impoffible but, fo far as we know Men, we muft determine fomething concerning them, which is either attended with Pkafure or Dijlike^^ and this is either Good or Evil^ as it is agreeable to^ or recedes from^ the Rules of Juftice. Therefore ^tis not an Inftance of Uncharitahlenefs to think that a Perfon is departed from the Faith^ no more than to fay that he is guilty of any Aftion that is fcandalous and vile > provided our Conclufions relating to this Matter are ftri^ly juft^ and founded on fufficient Evidence > this is the only thing that will keep us free from the Guilt of Cenforioufnefs or evil Surmifing, in this, or any other Caie, where things of a criminal Nature are conceiv'd againft others in our Thoughts.

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He is therefore chargeable therewith who con^ eludes a Perfon vile, lays Crimes or Herefies to his Charge which he pretends not to prove^ and which he would never have thought of, had he not been his Enemy j this Charge is tl^erefore founded in Malice^ and reflects a greater Difho-nour on him that firft invented, and refolves, right or wrong, to maintain it, than it does,on the Perfon accufed.

There are alfo other Charges^ founded not fb much in Malice as Bigotry^ which carry in them a great deal of Uncharitablenefs; as if a Perfon is not of that Party to which we adhere either in civil or religious Matters, then we are ready to faften Crimes upon him which have no Foundation but in our own Imagination. This is what has divided whole Nations, embarrafs'd their Affairs, and put them into the. utmoft Confufion j it has occaiion'd Schifms in Churches, and ExceiTes of Paflion and Refentment in thofe who are more attached to their peculiar Humour, or rather under the Influence of others, than inquifitive after the Reafon of Things. This, next to fecular In-tereft, has been the main Support of the Romijh Churchy the Cement that has held them together for fo many Ages. They knew well enough what they did when they perfuaded the People to put out their Eyes, and believe as the Church believes^ without being obliged to render a Reafon of their Faith j for if they fhould be too inquifitive about that Matter, 'twould be the ready way to make them caft it off j fo that nothing more is required but that a Man be a Bigot to that Party. And the Confequence hereof is the fame as in all other Inftances of Bigotry^ it makes Men ready, when the V/ord of Command is given, to cenfure and condemn all others, and to fpend their Shot on thofe whofe Faith they are Strangers to, which

(^7 )

they may cafily be fuppos'd to be, fincc they arc fo to their own.

This has broke the Harmony of the moll reformed Churches in the World j tho' alas! 'tis no new thing, fince the Apoftle Paul faw it fpring up when the Church was in a better Condition than now 5 and reproves their Party-zeal, which produced, as he obferves in i Cor. iii. Envying^ Strife^ and Divifions^ tho' without Reafon, fince Paul^ Apollos^ and Cephas were carrying on the fame Defign, and preaching the fame Gofpel, as Minifters ^/Christ, by whom^theyMieved > yet each of them, it feems, had his refpedive Admirers, who could hardly allow common Civility to any other. I might further confider, that this has, in all Ages, made fome confiderable Numbers of Men give in to new broach'd Errors-^ fo that there fcarce ever was any new Do6lrine advanced, but fome have been ready to adhere to it 5 and then a Flame is kindled, and Reproach mutually diftribu-ted till the Peace of the Church is broken -, and all this arifes from Mens being firft inclined to believe whatfoever they are taught, and then to follow the Example and Dire6lion of their Leaders, as to Temper and Condud, towards thofe who differ from them; tho' they have nothing to fay in the Behalf of the Caufe or Party tliey adhere to. This difpofes them, on all occasions, to declare againfl thofe who cannot think as they do, even in the fmalleft Matters of Religion 3 and all this arifes from a rafhand precipitate Judgment of Men and Things not founded in Juftice j for which an Account is to be given to Him who judges according to Truth.

§. IV. Where it is morally impoflible, that we can h-Avefufficient Evidence to fupport an Accufation^ Juftice and Charity oblige us to exercife a Sufpenfe

( ^8 )

of Judgment^ and not pretend to aflcrt what we cannot prove. No one who is tender of his own Reputation, would in any other Inilance advance an Argument which he knows he cannot maintain \ for this is to trifle with Mankind, and betray the Truth: Much lefs ought any one who attacks the Honour or good Name of another, to load him v/ith Charges which be can't make good, which is to defame and hearfalfe Witnefs againll him. This may be fo commonly obfei^v'd in Converfation, that where one thing furmis'd or reported concern-' ing another is true in all its Circumftances, an hundred are (if not altogether falfe and groundlefs) To perverted, that 'tis difficult to depend on any thing related to the Prejudice of another, efpeci-ally if he who relates it, foems to wifi it were true, if it be not fo.

When this fort of Treatment extends it felf to Mens moral Cbara^er^ then they are fometimes charg'd with any thing that is Ipofe and vile^ and that, on no other Ground than uncertain Hear-fay^ which feldom gives a true Report of Things, when it induftrioufly propagates what makes to their Difadvantage. And to make a greater Improvement on this Subject, how often are themofl: fecret D^efigiis of Men pretended to be known, and even the Sincerity or Hypocrify that is in their Hearts ? Have thefe Men an extraordinary difcern-ing of Spirits^ or are they like the Prophet^ who could tell the King of tfrael what his Adverfary the King of Syria fpoke in his Bed-chamber ? Or have they a greater Penetration into the Defigns of Men, than they have themfelves? who know nothing of the Matter, till their Thoughts are confidently told by thofe who pretend to this ex-quiiite Knowledge of Things j and they wont ftick to tell what Men will do for the future when they can't tell themfelves.

As

As to Mens Sentiments about important Articles of Faith^ thefc cannot always be known, and then we are not proper Judges concerning them, efpe-cially when for Reafons beft known to themfelves, they induftrioufly conceal them, and complain of Impofition and rude Treatment, if any one defires to be inform'd about them. In this Cafe, to avoid Uncharitahknefs^ we muft not offer Violence to their Inclination, by needlcfs Importunity to obtain that Satisfaction which is not to be allow'd j and therefore we are not to determine beyond our E-vidence. How far we are bound to enquire into the Reafon of Mens being thus cautious, and on the referve, when the Honour ofG o d in the World requires a publick Profejjion of their Faith, or we are more immediately concern'd to know it, I fliall , not enquire.

I MIG H T under this Head of pajjlng a Judgment on Mens Sentiments without fufficient Evidence^ take notice of the raib and inconclufive Determinations of fome that profeis themfelves to be in the new Scheme^ who take a Liberty to aflert what I pre-fume they cannot prove, that all the Men of Senfe among th^DiJfenting Minifters^ are ont\\GNon-fuh-fcrihing Side, and that thefe, for the moft part, give in to that Scheme^ tho' they want Courage to own it publickly. This is but a very indifferent Spe^ cimen of Charity^ in thofe who talk fo much of itj and were there Ground for thisfurmife, 'twould give a verymelancholly View of things. But Af^ fertions without Proof deferve no regard, neither is there Ground tofuppofe this meerly becaufe they are claimM by them j and tho' lam not authorized to give the Senfe of others, I might be bold to affirm, that to the beft of my Oblervation, there are none of thofe who fubfcrib'd to the Do5irine of the I'rinity in the Words of the firji Article of the Church of England^ &p. how fmall a Scantling

(7o)

ling foevcr of Charity will be allowM 'em, but would receive the latter part of the Infinuation with Indigaation, fince there is a vafl difference between not declaring their Faith in the DoUrine of the Trmityy^nd denying it. And if itbeprefum'd, that a fmall Number of them have too favourable Thoughts of the New Scheme^ does it follow that the greater or'beft part have fo ? Thefe are Inftan-ces of Infujiice to Mens Chara6ters in aflerting Things deftitute of Evidence, in a Cafe wherein Sufpenfe of Judgment is the mofl that fhould be pretended to.

§, V. Ira Perfon holds any Do&rines contrary to the mofi important Articles of Faith laid down in Scrip-ture^ the neceffary Confequences of his Errors may, without Uncharitablenefs, be charg'd upon him, If mt difown'd by himj znd if they l;e^ thefe Confequences are notwithftanding to be charged on thofe Sentiments, abftradling from their being /:?/;,. and he is not altogether free from the Imputation of a Crime. Every Pofition, whether true orfalfe, has iisjuft Confequences deducible from it 3 thefe indeed may not be equally evident to every one, for all do not reafon alike, and many can't fee the Conne£t:ion and Dependance of Things, which are eafily apprehended by others. In this Cafe, 'tis unjuil to fay a Perfon holds that which he declares he does not 3 for if we fuppofe him not to prevaricate (which Charity obliges us to do, unlefs there arefomeCircumftances which give Ground to fufped his Integrity) we have no other way to judge of his Sentiments, but by the Difcovery he makes thereof himfelf: But if he denies the Confe-quence, which ought with the greateft Reafon to bededuc'd from what he affertsj while I am bound to fay, that he argues injudicioufly, I cannot but conclude alfo, that his falfe Reafoning may he

deem'd

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deem'd more or lefi culpable, as It more or lefsaf-fe£ts Religion, or detrafts from the Glory of G o d, 'Tis true, a Perfon may infer ahfurd Confifmmn which argue no more than a Defe<2: of Judgment, or a confus'd way of Thinking, as when they relate to Do6irines of no great Moment-^ but if they relate to thofe which he of thcgreaieft Importance^ 'tis no indifferent Matter how he argues about them 5 for even his falfe Reafoning may in fome Cafes be imputed to him as a Crime-, and that either when his Premifes are true, and his Conclufion de{lru(5bive of Religion, or when the Premifes from whence he argues are pernicious,and yet the Conclufion he infers from them contains an undoubted Truth. In the former of thefe Cafes, fuppofe the Premifes true^ and the Conclufion fah-'uerfive of Religion^ this way of arguing mull be charg'd on him as a Crime. Thus, if he afTerts that God is merciful^ and infers from thence, that He is not Jufi j or Jufi'y and therefore concludes that He is not Merciful-^ or as Jonah argues, he knew that G o D was Merciful and ready to forgive the Sin of the Nine^ites^ therefore 'twas his wiieft way to refufe to obey his Commiilion to preach to 'em whatever it might cofl him: Or fuppofe a Perfon aflerts that C h r i s t /i G o d, but yet concludes, if we may call it a Conclufion, that He is not to he worfhipdy certainly, in fuch like Cafes, Mens falfe Reafoning don't excufe them from the Charge of Guilt that attends thefe Confequcncesj this I fuppofe will, without Difficulty, be allowed. But fuppofe his Premifes falfe and pernicious, and the Conclufion illogically deduc'd from 'em, if I may fo fpeak, to be true, and tending to eflablifh Religion, yet his Reafoning may be reckoned cri-^ minal j efpecially if he be capable of taking in aa Argument: Thus, if a Perfon fhould afTerr, that iho, Univerfie^ or Frame of Nature // God, and

conclude

(7^)

conclude from thence, that God is Omniprefenf^ or that the divine Perfections may he comprehended^ and therefore that he is to be lov'd and worflnp d by us > or that the Son and Spirit -xx^ inferior Gods, dependent on another divine Being, wz. the Fa^ ther^ therefore there is hut one divine Being-y or that they have divine Perfections^ arbitrarily commiinica^ ted to 'em, therefore they are to he ivorjloifd^ tho' divine Worfhip is an afcribing infinite Perfection to its ObjecS):: The Conclufion in thefe Inftances is true^ but not juftly deduc'd from the Premifes which are falfe. And is this Man to be excus'd who thus argues, becaufe in his way of Reafon- j ing a Truth is deduc'd ? this is as tho' Religion fhould be prefs'd or enforced by a wrong Motive^ or a falfe Principle laid down as the Ground of a true one. He who thus reafons can not be excus'd from a Crime, tho' what he affirms is true 5 for in this Gale h\s Ideas of Truth are accidental, ungrounded and irrational, which therefore differ but little from Error 5 and therefore tho' the pernicious Confequence of an Error is not to be fo reckon'd his^ as that he muft be charg'd with holding ir, yet in many Cafes he is far from being guiltlefs, fo far as Religion is herein concern'd j in that he does not improve his reafoning Faculty to the beft Advantage, in deducing thoie Confequences which he ought, that tend to advance the Name and Glory of God.

Ohj. A Perfon can't help his own Reafoning.

Answer, True, and if a Perfon fhould fiy he can't help committing Sin, fhall he for that Reafon be difcharg'd from the Guilt thereof? buC this I need not enlarge on. See Part I.

§. VI.

We are not to entertain Thoughts of Mens . having departed from the Faith with any other I

Temper

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Terppcr of Mind than what Chriflianity fuggefls i and that teacheth us to pity the Perfon whole Er" rors we dcteft, and not to exprefs our Refentment by endeavouring his Ruin. In this Cafe wefuppofe a War is indeed commenc'd, fome falling, and each fide thinking it (elf obliged to contend earneftlyforthe Faith: But how is this Contention to be managed ? not by im'entingznd reporting what may tend to render our Antagonifl odious, nor by receiving any Report of that Nature with an Jir of Pleafure^ as concluding that thereby his Caufe is weakened, and if he maintains it with the greateft Strength of Argument, yet all he fays ought to be treated like himfelf with Negleft or Contempt: How mean a Way is this of engaging againll: the Defenders or Oppofers of Truth ! But alas! 'tis too common with many who have no better Arguments to produce. If he, who is on the other fide of the Queftion, be in "x publick Station^ and therein y^^ for the De^ fence of the Gofpel^ how plcafing a thing it is among thofe who are Mafhers of this way of arguing, to have fome Reproach ready at Hand to load hira with ! *Tis no great Matter whether it be true or falfe, *twill anfwer their End if it be but credited, which no doubt it will be by fome, and fo aa end will be put to the Difpute, and he will be obliged to turn his Weapons in his own Defence, This is an Expedient for a weak Adverfary to make good his Retreat, without acknowledging that he is no longer able to maintain his Ground ^ but 'tis a very diihonourable way whether itbeus'dinPrint or Converfation. The Prefs is no Stranger to this Temper: If any one dares venture to appear in publick, he mull be prepared to run the Gantlope of Reproach and Cenfure, if he happens to imbark in a Caufe that meets with Oppohtion 5 let him but make one remarkable Blunder, (and he's a happy Man that don't) if one of his Arguments i$ weak,

K pd

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and apparently inconclufive, then his whole Performance is exposed, and as it were hifs'd out of the World j and then let him fay what he will in its Defence, the Caufe he pleads mult fall to the Ground, Jic conduditur contra^ &c. And fometimes the Mind is poflefs'd with Prejudice, and the Argument muft needs be unworthy of Regard, becaufe it is managed by one who is of a differing Party j for it feems the whole World is divided into Parties > Thus if one pleads, with Juftice and Strength of Argument, in the Behalf of Liberty^ he can fay nothing to the Purpofe, unlefs he extends his Ideas to the very Borders of Free-fhinking and Seep-ticifm^ banters the Word Orthodoxy^ and maintains, without any Exception, the Innocency of Error, and that a Man may lampoon and laty-rize the Do5lrme of the hie [fed 'Trinity with Impunity. Or if any one is branded, tho' unjuilly, with the Charafter of an Impofer or a Creed-maker^ which, as that Word has been explained of late, is one who pretends to tell others that they mull: believe as he does, it is in vain for him to attempt any thing on the Head of Charity -y the Anfwer is ready at Hand, it maybe, before they know what he has to fay for it, as Jehu rcply'd to the King of IfraeV^ Mefiengers, What haft thou to do ivith Peace ? as tho' it was impoffible to enter into the State of the Quellion, without extending the Idea i?/Charity to whatever length they who pretend to be on the charitable Side think fit. And let a Man defend the Dodrine of the Trinity in any other way than what is done by thofe who give in to the new Scheme^ and immediately he is a SaheUianj and only for a Trinity of Names-y or if he maintains a Trinity cf Perfons^ then he is a Trithcift. Or if a Man is but once fufpe6led of Arianifm^ then let him ufe what Doxologies he will, and produce the commonly receiv'd Arguments to prove the Divi-4, nity

C 75 )

nity of the Son and Holy Ghoft^ yet he has fbme fecret Referve, and is an Arian in his Hearty thefe are the various Ways in which Uncharitablenefe difplays it felf.

The common Topicks infifted on to this pur-pofe, are want of Senfe or Learning j and therefore he is not worthy to be difputed with, or elfe he manages his Argument with too much Warmth and Uncharitabknefs 5 his Paflion indifpofes him to receive Convidion, therefore 'tis to no purpofe to difpute with him, or elie he is deftitute of common Morality^ and therefore not fit to beconvers'dwith. Thus fome Men are difpos'd to contemn their Ad-verfary when they cannot anfwer his Arguments, and plentifully to deal forth Slander, being ready to receive any Report, how groundlefs foever it be, which may furnifh him with Matter for that Purpofe.

This Temper is the Reverfeof what is a part of that Defcription of Charity given by the great Apoftlc, I Cor. xiii. 6. // rejoiceth not in Iniquity^ but rejoiceth in the 'Truth *. ^. d. If he happen to

heai'

* I am fenfible that many for that which is contrary to it, fuppofe the Apoftle, by Truthy viz. a doing Injuftice to the intends no more than common Name of God, a having unwor-Jujiice between Man and Man? thy Thoughts of his Perfedions yet fince in the New Teflament as difplay'd in the Gofpel: This this Word is often taken for is fometimcs called in Scripture the Gofpel, as 3 JEpi/i. John ver. a, Lye, and that particularly as 3, 4. and 2 Thejf. ii. 10. zTim. oppos'd to Gofpel Truth: Thus ii. 18. and c. iii. 7. and in di- the Apoftle, in Eph. iv. i^-. ex^ vers other Places j therefore I hons ?tiions to fpeakthe Truth i fee no Reafon to conclude that this Truth is that which they it (hou'd not befo taken in this have been taught by htm, and as Place. If therefore Truth is it is in f efus, wcr, zi. This they taken for the great important are again exhorted toy^^«^, or de-Dpftrines of the Gofpel, in the clare , and accordingly to put Succefs and Spread whereof away lying, ver. 2f. that is, to Charity rejoiceth, then when on affert nothing that is contrary the other Hand 'tis faid not to thereunto. See alfo 1 John ii. rewce in Iniquity, k^ifcU is put 22. ffho is a lyar, but he that K 2 <Jf»irtp

hear that any of his Friends are departed from the Faith which they once embrac'd, or if it fhould be infinuated that the greatell; part of thofe who ftand upon advanced Ground are departed from it, he is far from being pleas'd with the Report 5 if ill-grounded, he deteils it as the vilcll Reproach > or if there be too much Reafon for this Iniinuation, his Soul is griev'd to think that Chrid's Interefh ihould be defcrted, and the Hands of thofe that ftand up for it weakened.

And on the other Hand, with what Delight does he behold Truth defended at the Expence of all that is dear to them who are truly valiant-for it! This endears them to him the more, and as unwilling that they ihould fufFer alone, and think themfelves deferred when they are reckoned Fools, or what is worfe, for Chris t's fake he readily hazards his own Reputation, and is content to fall >j(/ith them: This is a difficult, but a truly noble Inllance of Charity, as rejoicing in opprefled Truth.

But its Way is fometimes more eaiy and grateful v/hen it rcjoiceth in the Triumphs and Succefs of Truth, when its Enemies are filenc'd, if not convinc'd by the Brightncfs of its Evidence, ita Defenders encourag'd, and the Infe<5l:ion of pernicious Errors abated. This is the Concern of Cha-* rity^ with refpefl to ^ruth j and the Reverfe hereof is highly criminal, and very contrary to a Chri-flian Temper.

Jenkth that *}([hs h the Chr'iji^ Minds, and Co they apoftatize

So z Thejf. ii. lo, ii. They from the Truth; 'tis this that

who receive not the Love of the Chanty takes no Delight to think

Truth, u e. the Gofpej with Love of, and ib rejoiceth not in Ini-

are given u^pto believe a Ly^that quity. is left to the Error of tijeir owj)

S.vn. Ch4-

( 77 ) .

§. VII.

CtiARiTY is not to be extended to, or withheld from Perfons at Pleafure, as tho' it were a pre-carious Virtue, or to be difpens^d in away of Sti* fulation^ upon the Performance of certain Conditions which the Perfon that exercifes it thinks fit to acquiefce in: This would fuppofe it not to be founded in Juftice^ but in our arbitrary JVill^ and not to be reckoned as a Debt due to Mankind,-which we are unjuft and guilty in the Sight of God if we withhold J but as an Ao: of common Favour,, to be extended to whom and *in what way we our felves judge convenient.

They who are Witnefles to thofe Parts of Converfation which are much difreliih'd by Men of Temper andjuftice, will often hear Men, whofe Talent lies that way, charging one another with Crimes they never thought of before: But a Defire of making Reprifals renders the Invention fruitful and flowingv fbthat if one produces, out of his Store of Scandal, fome ill-natur'd Compliment, the other will immediately return it upon him, other-wife he is outdone, baffled, and put to Silence, which he refolves not to be: This is to aft hke him whom Solomon defcribcs as C2&m^Fire'hrands^ Arrows^ and Death^ and faith^ Am I not in Sport ? and this he does not becaufe the Perfon defervcs it, but becaufe he provokes to it, which is as much as to fay, if you have a bad Opinion of me, I am refolv'd to have the fame of you, whether you de-ferve it or no: But if his Behaviour is kind and obliging, then he ihall have the like Treatment, and be entitled to that Charity which he purchafes tohimfelf thereby.

W E need not go far for Inftanccs of this Nature, 'tis too well known that fome Men have cntertain'd a Quarrel with each other on the Foot p£dalari»g^ or refufmg to declare their Faith in

the

the DoElrme of the hlcjjed Trinity^ and Reproaches have been diftributed on each Side ^ Arianifm on the one Hand, and Impofttion^ Perfecution^ and denying the Sufficiency of Scripture^ in determining important Articles of Faith on the other^ have been, and are ftill reciprocally charg'd. By fomc the Charge is founded on the Gonditci of each Side, but others affign no other Reafon but what is very weak, viz, your Side have faflned an unjuffc Charge on us, therefore they muft not take it a-mifs if we make Reprifals of that Nature upon you: What is this but to refolve to be uncharitable^ that is, unjullto the Characters of Men, if they are fo to us.

But if we (iippofe on the other Hand^ that Performs grow weary of this Temper, and what may not Time produce, or rather the good Hand of that Providence which rcftrains thofe Remainders of Wrath which he does not defign to over-rule to his own Glory? We will therefore fuppofe Men refolv'd to enter into pacifck Meafures 5 and, if fo, thefe muft be fuch as the Nature of the thmgs in Debate require, confifting principally in a Demand of Ttioral Evidence that the Charges are unjuft on either Side 5 and in order thereunto, 'tis prepofte-rous to alTert that there ought to be a Stipulation or Agreement to thisPurpofej that one declare that he will not lay any thing to the Charge of the o-ther, provided he may have the fame Treatment from him : This indeed might without any Difficulty be comply'd with, were there not other Cir-cumftances attending the Charge on each Side, which render it neceflary that the Juftice thereof be confider'd, fince the Honour of G o d, and Sa-tisfaftion ,of the World is concerned therein. And bcfides, this renders that conditional which is an ahfolute Duty, for I am bound, fo far as in me lieSj to live peaceably with allMen^ whether they will or no.

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If therefore fome kind Friend would propofe an Expedient for Peace, 'tis not enough for him to advife one Side to allow their offended Brethren to be no j^rians^ merely for not declaring their Faith in the Do6lrine of the blejfed trinity in thofe Words which they thought well chofen, for that will give Occafion to fome uncharitable Standers-by to think them fo for fome other latent Rea^ fon, which the Word Merely is fo far from guarding againft, that it may be underftood to contain an Infinuation of that Nature > therefore this Expedient, as I humbly conceive, with Sub-miflion to better Judgments, would do more hurt than good. And on the other Hand, to acquit Perfons from the Charge of denying the Sufficiency of Scripture to determine Articles of Faith^ merely iox fubfcrihing to the Do^rine of the 'Trinity in other than Scripture Words, may give Occafion to fome to think that they deny its Sufficiency for other Reafons > efpecially fince 'tis generally allow'd by 'em that Articles of Faith may be determin'd by juft Scripture Confequences. From hence it may be concluded, that to refufe to give in to fuch a Pro-pofal ought not to be deem'd on either Side an In-Itance of Uncharitabknefs.

But if it were proposed that both Sides fhould communicate their Sentiments in a private and friendly Converfation, (which I hope is not op-pos'd by their Arguments who fo ftrenuoufly dif-pute againft, declaring their Faith in any other than Scripture Words) if to confer together about the Do6frine of the Trinity is not by them reckon'd an Offence^ or to propofe it as the Subjed of Converfation an Impofition^ and if Perfons will let one another know their Sentiments plainly, which is no gi'eater Hardfliip to one Side than the other, and 'tis no more than what moft Perfons would do, if ioxii^ Qth^vJrticks of Faith^ which few or nonede^

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ny were made the Subjc6b of Converlation 5 I fay, if this were done, and 'twas happily found that each of them agree in thofe things in which they were thought to do before the Quarrel began, or if the Difference appears to be only about fome Modes of Explication^ Vv^hich have no Tendency ro overthrow the Subjiance of the Do^rine^ then let him have the Brand of Uncharitabknefs put upon him who is not heartily wiUing to lay afide all former Prejudices, and purfue thofe Methods which make for Peace, and the rolling away the common Reproach, and let him be reckon'd criminal who fo much as negle6ts to give a Check to the leall In-finuation againil another, as tho' he was departed from the Faith, when he is fufficiently furniili'dto confute it from what he knows to the contrary. Without this, all that any one can reply to fuch a Charge can be no other than this, I hope you are miftaken, or I fhou'd be very glad, were I able, to tell you I am fure you are fo.

DID I thus know a Man to be free from the leaft Sufpicion of having departed from the Faith, I ought to be reckon'd uncharitable if I did not put a Stop, as far as it lies in my Power, to any Accu* fation of that Nature againil him, tho' I had Rca-fon to conclude that the Perfon whom I plead for, through his Miilake of me, rather than his having ground for it, were mine Enemy > for I am oblig'd by the Laws of Chriliianity to do juilice to thofe that efpoufe the Caufe of Truth, not becaufc they are my Friends^ nor as expe6ting that they fliou'd do the fame by me, but becaufe the Honour of G o t> and Religion is concern'd herein, which ought to give Law^ to my Condu6i; in this Matter,

§. VIII,

Charity is not inconnflent with Zeal for fruth^ tho' often reckon'd fo by thofe v/ho areun-eafy at the Defence thereofj or any Oppoiition

made.

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iiiade, how juft foever it may be, to the contraif Errors. I don't intend, by Zeal^ thofe furious Ex-CefTes of Paffion which difturb the Mind, enflame the Spirits^ and degenerate into Hatred and Fury % which Temper is indeed included in the general Idea of the Word, but it don't comprife the whole Nature thereof, for it is fometimes oppos'd to Luke-warmnefs and Indifferency^ which the [acred Writ-^ ings every where condemn ^ and under this Notion we confider it, and in particular as having Truth for its Objed, and fuppofe it to be kept within its due Bounds: This is certainly confident with Love and Meeknefs j for our Saviour did not. tranfgrefs the Bounds of Charity when the Zeal of his Houfe tranfported him in an uncommon X)(?^r^^; neither could the Scribes and Pharifees difcover the leaft Exorbitancy of Paflion in himj when he fo often caird them Hypocrites^ and reprov'd them with a Warmth which the Nature of the thing requir'd. Nor was the Apoftle Paul to blame when he addrefTes himfelf to Elymas in fuch Expreflions as xhtk^j^dis xiii. lo. O full of all Subtilty and all Mifchief^ thou Child of the Devil^ thou Enemy of all Righteoufnefs-^ when milder Terms would not have reach'd hisCafe. But as for us, we linov/ fo little of Men, that to be too free in giving fuch Charafters might be unwarrantable j notwithiland-ing there is a Zeal which may be expreffed, while we are fparing in our Reflexions on Men whom we have to do with: This is what I call Zeal for Truths abftradiing from the Perfons who have departed from it j and it coniifts in an argumentative Way of defending it, or expofmg the Abfurdities of the contrary Errors. This, no doubt, might be done, if there were not a Man upon Earth who efpoufed 'em j and this does not neceflarily infer a Defigri to expofe particular Perfons, what Con-ftru&ions foever ill-natur'd Cenfure mnv put upod

it: Or iF my Arguments are more direftly levcU'd at particular Perlbns, yet while I oppole 'em only as. imbibing thole Errors, and am willing to grant 'em whatever is praife-worthy in their Charader, lam far from having any Hatred redounding to them whom I oppole J or if I expofe the Confequence of their Scnriments, I cannot bereafonably fuppos'd from hence to deiire, that whatlbever Evil they contain may fill upon them. Thus I may aflert an Argument to be pernicious in its Confequences, and yet attempt and hope for the Convidion and Salvation of him that maintains it, or that aDo<5lrine leads to Licentioufnefs^ and would have that Effecl on fome others if holding it, and yet at the fame time conclude that many, who fee not that Confequence attending it, and w^hofe Converfation evinces the fmie, are far from deferving the Charafter of licentious or profligate Perfons, efpe-cially if the Confequence be not neceifary, (elf-evident, and plainly fubverfive oF all MoraUty.

This 1 the rather take Notice of, becaufe Men are not inclin'd, as they ought, to do one a-nothcr Jullice in what relates to Zt'^/, fmce many think that 'tis almofl impoHible for any one to op-pofe an Error, but he muil reflect upon fome who are known to maintain it, which is imm.ediatcly cenfur'd as a kind of Rudencfs, not to let People a-lone who deiire to be undifturb'd. And if fome Errors are diflinguiili'd from others, as being of a very dangerous Nature, fuch as are inconfiltent with true Religion under the Direclion of diijine Rez'c-Icition^ or having fuch an Influence as renders our Faitb^ in its various Branches, Tain and fruitlcfs^ as the Apoflle Paul fays concerning the denying the RefurreBion of the dead in general, and that of Christ in particular 5 or if we confider them as being of fuch a Nature that they reflet on^ and tend to defame the Nam.e and Glory of the great

H God

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God ouv Saviour j which is infinitely preferable to all created Glory, and take the Crown from his Head, and argue Him not fit to govern the World who is its rightful King 3 this is fappos'd by fomc to be intolerably warm, and little lefs than to revile Perfons whofe Notions and Temper are better than our own. And if w^e lament the unhappy Spread of Jrianifm in a Quarter where 'twas leaft expected, and with it the Growth of Deijm-y then we affli(^ our fclves with ncedlefs Fears and Jealoufies, and at the fame time endeavour to make others uncafy as well as our felves.

If Minillers bring this Matter into the Pulpit, their Zeal^ how well qualified foever it be, is re-proach'd as inconfiftent with Charity^ and their Warmth prejudicial to the Church's Peace > which "wou'd be eaiie enough, were it not for theDiftur-bance it receives from fuch a Method of preaching 3 and'if the Word Hcrefy is but once nam'd, much more if we fpeak of Men's hiyigingin dam-nahJe Hcrcfies in the Apoftle Peter's Words, con-fiiling in denying the Lord that bought ''em : This tries their Temper, and puts 'em into a Rage, be-caufewe have no more Charity % and if, in the fame Apollle's Words, we call the Propagators of thcfe Herefies falfe Prophets^ and falfe Teachers^ and happen not to fubjoin fome note of Exception, then we mud: needs mean fome of our Brethren who differ from us in Matters of Conduct. Or if we fay, according to the Apoftle PauPs Prediction, that fome have departed from the Faith^ giving heed to feducing Spirits^ and Do6iri'nes of Devils^ then we mark out particular Perfons, and give 'cm hard Names J thefe are the Conftru(^l:ions which are often made of the moll warrantable Zeal for Truth. That there may be juilReafonto blame the imprudent, intemperate,and groundlefs Zeal of fome, I will not deny: But certainly it is very pollible for Men

L 2. to

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to exprefs thfeir Zeal, on this Occafion, without giving juft Reafon for Difguft. Why may not this be allow'd ? lince true Zeal is acknowledge by all to be very conlillient with Charity or Love to Mankind, when any onebearsaTeilimony againilVlce^ which wc may do, with the greateil Warmth, and at the fame time not be fufpefted of being guilty of the Breach of Charity^ or the leaft Degree of Mahce againfl thofe whom we think it our Duty to reprove.

§. IX. LuKEWARMNESs, or waut of Zeal for the great Do5irines of the Gofpel^ is no neceflary Ingredient in true Charity. Here we might take Occafion to confider the Behaviour of fome,whofe natural Temper enclines them to nothing but Peace^ Love^ and Unityy among Men of all Denominations 5 this is their conftant Theme, and it Teems to be the greateft part of their Religion 5 fothat they are not much concern'd, tho' 'Truth in its moil important Articles be in the utmotl: Danger, or fuffer Shipwrack, if this remains fafe and entn-e. Thefe are Men who cannot breath in any other but a calm and temperate Air ^ their PaiHons are not often ruffled, nor their Peace didurb'd by religious Jarrs and Contentions, than which there is nothing they fly from with greater Abhorrence. Happy Temper indeed ! and niuch to be defired, were it not, at the fame time, p^njuft to Truth^ and did it not niake Infringements on that Zeal and Concern which every one ought to have for it: But this is certainly a great Abatement of its Excellency j and, as fo qualified, we can call it no other than Lukewarmnefs^ as to that which has an higher Title to our Efteem, fince divine 'Truth is a Beam of His Glory who is the higheft Objecb of oiir Love, Were thefe Men caird in as Mediators to reconcile the various contending Parties, their Advice w^ould be to lay afide

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all Difputes, without theleaft Regard had to the Imr portance of the things in Debate, all are good Men in their Opinion, therefore what if there be fonie httle Miftakes in fome Men's Sentiments about the J^ivinity of our Saviour and tioe Holy Ghoft 5 or if fome fay that they have the fame divine Nature with the Father^ and others think that they are a little inferior to Him^ or that they deriv'd their Being and Perfections from him, what doth all thi^ avail, fince all acknowledge that they are God, and that the Son muft be worihipped? that is, we mufl acknowledge his Kindnefs, in what he did and fuffer'd for us, and the Spirit may be worihipped, tho' there be no Example or Command for it in Scripture, if fo be we afcribe to him the Honour that is his due for the kind Offices he performs to the Church. And fuppofe you don't know one another's Meaning of thofe Scriptures, which afcribe Divinity to thefe three Perfons^ it is enough if you do but agree in Words^ and it is beyond Difpute, that both Sides arewilhng to give their Affent to thofe Scriptures, in which this Doctrine is contain'd, as infallibly true. Thus we may (iippofe thefe Men giving Advices for Peace, and as a farther Motive to it, they will tell us th'^it Errors in Judgment^ whatever they be, excepting fuch as deny the Being of a God, are not of fo bad a Tendency as want of Love to one another -, therefore we muft contend at no rate, tho' many think there is the greatcft Reafon for it. Were any ^exts of^Sf ripture to be given up as fpu-rious, and fuch as they could readily part with, they Ihould be, in their Opinion, thofe thatadvife to contend earneftly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints J or to ftrive together for the Faith of the Gof-pel^ &c. and they are apt to call Zeal^ whatever be the Occafion of it, and tho' mixed with Love and ^ompajjion to Mens Perfons, an angry Temper^ which ■ • '• ■ we

(S6}

we are, by all means, to layafide. This is like the Advice of fome good hiimour'd Men, in Matters of common Right and Juilice, who without con-jfidering the Merits of the Caufe, would have no Man ever go to Law with another, whatever he may fuffer by it: But were the Caufe their own, they would hardly lofc an Eftate, which they have an apparent Title to, for want of pafling through thofe ul'ual Methods by w^hich it might be tried and determined. This Advice hath its Weight only in trifling Matters, which no wife Man would be at the Trouble to conteft •, or if Refpect was only had to the Temper with which things ought to be contcfted, every one muft allow that \vhatever the Caufe be, whether in religious or civil Matters^ it ought to be managed with a due Temper of Mind, difcharged from that Malice and Rancour which the corrupt Nature of Man fometimes prompts him to, as being impatient of Contradiction.

As for the Docirines that we are to contendfor^ which, ufing the Apoftle's Words, we may call the prefent Truths they are far from being mere I'rifleSj fuch as may be received or rejected, and our State as Chriilians not affected thereby y but, as has been before confidered, they are fuch as fupport the whole-Fabric k of Religion-, and to be only '\Scep-tick in them, is to lay the Foundation of perpetual Uneafinefs, and to be at a Lofs as to what de-ferves tlie Name of Religion. Can we therefore exprefs a greater Tnllance of our Love to others than to attempt their Convi^ion^ If denying thofe jyoctrincs^ oY Eflab/ifljment^ if embracing them, e-fpccially when there is the leaft Danger of their beingturn'd afidefrom them> (in which Cafe it is hard that any one lliould be charg'd withUnkind-nefs who warns them of it) he is therefore no Friend to Mankind who thinks it needlefs, and advifes Men not to be at the Trouble, to fearcb after

Truths

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Tritth^ or who entertains hard Thoughts of any who endeavour to enforce it by the jufteft Methods . of arguing. To call this a delighting in War and Contention-, and to exclaim as much againft it as one would do againfl thofc Excellcs of Paflionand Prejudice which affc6t Men's Perfons, as though theie two could never be feparated, is to perfuade Men to put out their Eyes while the Enemy is upon them, or to lay afide their Weapons in a Time of War. What may Pollerity expe<51: from this? our Charity to them will not be much feen while we are indifferent as to thofe Truths which they may, by our Example, be tempted not only to difregard, but alfo to deny and wholly to reje6t. T he Conclufion therefore that may be drawn from hence, is evident, 'viz. that 'Truth and Loi^e fhould not be feparated ^ fo that we are not to be indifferent as to the one, while we are zealous for the other. I might fhcw that there is a great Difference between unwarrantable Z^^j/ for Truth, which is for the molt part attended with Hatred to Men*s Perfons -, and a Jlupid Indolence and Lukewarmnefs in the Caufe thereof, joined with a fpecious Pretence of our lovina: all Men: The M^r////;;^ between them con(ilb in our doing what in us lies, as hereunto moved by the Law of Love, to prefervc thofe, who are in Danger of turning afide from the Faith, from this Apollafy, and the lad Confequcnces thereof It is Lo've that is the Motive inducing us hereunto, and that lliould exprels it felf with Tender-nefs and Compallion towards them who are led afidcj fince it is not their Perfons but their Sentiments that we militate againll, which we are oblig'd to do to prevent the fpreading thereof j and thereby, as much as in us lies, to guard againfl: the In-convenicncics which others may fuitain thereby: By this means we exprels a due Regard to truths

■ and

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and a Love to thofe who are, or may be, inclined to depart from it^ at the fame time. §. X.

■ There may be Uncharitahlenefs not only in their Temper who make it their Bufinefs to recommend univerfal Charity}, but this is often dif-cernable in the Manner of their pleading for it. That they, who would have us conclude that in religious Matters they are entirely Mailers of their Paflions, are not always calm and undifturb'd when treating of 'em, is too obvious to require Proof: And tho' it be no delightful Thing to expofe human Frailty in thofe Inllances in which all are liable to it, yet §uis tulerit Graccos^^z. We need look no farther to furnifh us with Matter under this Head than fome late Pamphlets^ in many of which the Authors conceal their Names, probably becaufe they can't conceal their Temper \ and one wou'd be tempted to conclude that their Stile is a Satyr on their Argument, which fo often recommends and urges that which they themfelves at the fame time exprefs fo little of.

But, not toinfifl any farther on this Head, let us enquire what they mean by univerfal Charity^ is it only this, that we are to perform thofe Offices of Kindnefs which we owe to one another as Men, defiring for them the bed of Bleffings, and doing what is in our Power that they may attain them? In this all are or ought to be agreed, in as much as it is, without doubt, a moral Duty 5 but that which they feem to contend for, under this glorious Chara6ler, is, that we fhould think alike of all Men, tho'one embraces what one calls an important Truth , and another denies it as an Error 5 and that we fhould do this more efpecially with refpe6t to what concerns their Right to eternalLife^ Or at leaft to the peculiar Privileges vMch the Church

enjoys

joys as a tledge thereof 5 or more particularly that \ve fhould thinic an ^rian who fincercly enquires after Truth is in as fair a Way for eternal Life as he who hath what we call the jufteil Notions of it ', and that tlpprefore we mud, if we would be duly charitable, conclude that he who calls the Dodirine of the Trinity an unreafonable Dodrine, a Fiction of Mens Invention, and therefore he cannot worihip thefe three divine Perfons as we do^ by giving them equal Honour, yet we muft fup-pofe that he has as good a Right to the Privileges of a Worfhipper as any other: This Idea of Charity we mull; be exCus'd from entertaining, and at the fame time hope not with (landing that we are not defedive as to what may truly be call'dfoj for it is a Charity for Mens Perfons^ rather than their Notions^ that the Gofpel obliges us to: And as our Love to Men takes its Motive from what is moft excellent or amiable in them, they have certainly the greateft Right to it who walk in the Truth^ as it is in Jefus.

If the Example of thofe whom we contend with about this Matter may be of any Significan-cy, or any Regard is to be had to an Argument turn ad hominem^ we may, by comparing their Charity with ours^ eafily fee who hasmoft Reafon to bring in the Charge of Uncharitahlenefs, Nothing is more common with them than to declare, and their Pradice vifibly correfponds to it, that they have Charity for all^ but thofe who have no Charity •, that is, for all but thofe who oppofe their own Scheme of Do6irine j or if they mean by it that they hope all may be faved in any Religion^ this is to extend their Charity too far in one Refpeftj while, by excluding thofe from it who abhor and condemn their Notions, they contract it too much in the other: But if they intend hereby that they are ready to exprefs their Love in M the

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the tmefl Inftanccs thereof to the Ferfons of all Men, but fuch whom they brand v/ith the Cha-ra£i:cr of Uncharitablenefs^ then we may boaft that our Charity far exceeds theirs, for m this Refpe61: it does or ought to extend it feif to al, without Exception, even to thofe who have none for us, tho' we are not allow'd to have the leail Degree thereof. And this may kad us to enquire whether, when they condemn the UncharitaMenefs of others, they don't herein convi6t themfelves: Are w^e warm in our Temper to a Fault ? fo are they 5 other wife, what means their charging our Faith as being un-reafonable, when we adore, and think with Hu-mihty and Reverence on what we cannot comprehend. If their Ch ARiT Y fo far exceeds ours, what means that intuiting Sneer which is fome-times obferved when the Dotlrine ofthel'r'mity^ox any other Doftrine wherein we differ, is publickly af-ferted and attempted to be prov'd, as tho' the Mufcles of the Face could fupply the Defe6ls of the Brain,, which is a new Method of anfwering Arguments? Or what that farcaflical Banter on the Word Orthodoocy^ as tho' there was nothing certain in revealed Religion ? or if it be our Orthodoxy which they intend to expofe thereby, as fuppofing that we have no more Right to that Word than we have to Charity^ all that I lliall fay to that is, let not him that girdeth on his Ilarnefs boafi as he that pitteth it off.

But paffing this by, as what muft be expected and fubmitted to from thofe who have no otha* Conditions of Peace to offer, but our denying the Faith which wt profefs, or ceafing to maintain it^ I cannot conclude this^E^jv without-4'eflc6ting, with fome Concern, on our unhappy Circumllan-ces, as having not yet foimd out the %vay of Peace with our Brethren^ v/ho profefs themfelves to be

with

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with us in the Do6lrine of the ever hlejfed trinity 5 and many of them, I prefume, have a juft Regard to it as a Do6trine of Importance ; there is Hill a mutual Charge of Uncharitablenefs advanced, and a Refervednefs of Temper agreehig thereunto. Whether this proceeds from a remaining Diflike of former ConduU in what relates to thofe things that firil occafioned the Divifion, ox fomething new has offer'd, I pretend not to determine-, every one is Judge of the Matter of his own Refentment, and it may be, one fees thofe Occaiions forEflrange-ment that another knows nothing of, for the Quarrel is now lodg'd in private Hands, and ceafes to be the A6t of any Body of Minifiers^yct 'tis perpetuated in fuch a way that fome fpeak on this Sub-J€6l as tho' they were the Reprefentatives of the reft. And upon the whole, we have but a very melancholly Scene of Affiiirs, efpecially when things proceed fo far that common Civilities are almoil laid afide, and Party-Zeal, Uke a Torrent, carries down all before it. This indeed is no new thing, for we find that the fame Temper was complain'd of in Cyprian's Time, in Words too well adapted, as it happens to ours^ tho' upon a very differing and lefs momentous Occafion"^.

IF I am afk'd what Occafion there is for our prefent Contentions, it might be eafily anfwered that there can be no juft Reafon for them, fo far a-s they are managed with cenforious Inftnuations^ deftitute of that Proof which one would expe61-, nor for fhunning all friendly Converfation, or being forc'd to be upon the Guard therein, as tho'

* Vident [/a/ Angel't] diver- divifis ab inviccm nee confabu-fas quorundam mentes, &: fcifTas latio jam poflit cKc^ aut fermo voluntates, quail non tantum communis, tinml^ Cyprimo in unum, 8c eundem Dominum Ep'tfi. 75-. fimul invocent, 8c feparatis 8c

Pag. 7f. Lin. 17. for him, read tl^tn,

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we look'd for nothing elfe but that it fhould be perverted to our Difadvantage > that part of the Controverfy which difcovers it felf in Pajfion and Prejudice can never be vindicated : But if theQue-ftion be ftill urged upon us by thofe who defireto be fatisfied what it is that we really contend about, whether it be mere Trifles and groundlefs Reports which we will not be at the Trouble either to confute or receive Satisfa6tion whether they are true or falfe, but chufe to believe them true, rather than demand a Proof that they are fo: If this be the Ground of all 5 then that Wifdom and Juftice, by which our Temper fhou'd be govern'd, will be very much call'd in Queilion: But many, rather than think that there is anyDefed in thisRefpeft, will be apt to conclude that there is fomething of greater Importance that lies at the Bottom which we are not willing to own : And for their Satif-fa£tion, 'tis pity the thing were not truly ftated in Converfation, that neither Side may be reckoned to be what their Soul abhors. There is an eafy Way to prevent the bad Influence o^ falfe Reports^ without calling a Synod to cenfure thofe to whom they owe their Original, fince thefe, with Men of Temper and Jullice, appear and die at the fame time. If therefore our Contentions proceed from this Spring, one would think 'twere not dif-licult to compremife them: And if fo fmall a Matter as Mens knowing one another, and diftin-guifhing between what is merely furmifed^ and what is triie^ would heal the Wound, there is no one but owes fo much to the Caufe of Peace, as that he fliould readily contribute his part to it. If the Servants of that angry Courtier mentioned in Scripture cou'd give an happy Turn to his Rage by telling him, x}:\'Mif the Prophet had bid him do fgr^e great thing to obtain what he came to him fori he would have done it^ v/hy may not this fmall

Concie-

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Condefcenfion be us'd to obtain Co valuable an End as what we defire, and allay the Heats that are a-mong us. But if Providence has not at prefent a Defign to grant us this Favour, let the Blame lie at his Door who refufes it, and the whole Body, fome few excepted, be guiltlefs,

I might infill on a far more weighty Argument to induce us hereunto, than w^hat is taken from the fecuring the Reputation of particular Perfons, who apprehend themfelves injurioufly accufed and reproached, fince it would tend to the Satisfa6tion of Multitudes who wifh well to the Intereft of Religion in general, and may probably be further eftablifh'd in the Truth hereby. Some are ready to think that whatever Complaints might have been made at firft of Impofition and Perfecutioriy tho' I am perfuaded nothing lefs was defign'd, yet, if inftead of putting the worft Conftru6tion oq the mofl: innocent A6tions, both Sides had joined together againft the common Oppofers of the Faith we profefs, as it would not have tended fo much to their Difhonour as to be dif-united in a time of common Danger, fo it might have been well accepted by Him, whofe divine Glory is called in Queftion > and they who have fuch low Thoughts of Him, would have lefs Reafon to boaft of the valt Additions made to their Party, which 'tis to be hop'd notwith(landing are not fo great as they imagine who arefo fanguine upon the Matter: And if the Moderation of one Side had not fb much declined the Zeal of the other, the common Intereft of Religion would have been more promoted. . •

But is there no Hope that'twill be otherwife? Shall Contentions have no End ? Will Men bite and devour one another till they are confumed one o'^ another? Shall not frut^j and Peace have a freih Luftre put upon them, and prevail in our Day :

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This is only known to Him who JIllls the raging of the Sea^ and commands a Calm. But we may conclude that things will have a better Afpe6t when Men are brought to a better Temper j when groundlefs Surmifes are not entertain'd to any one's Difadvantage > when Accufations are not depended on as true, without the leaft Attempt to prove them fo 5 and when, in particular, to lament the De-fe5lion of many from the Faith^ and warn People of the Danger of Apoflacy, without the leall Shadow of Refleftion on thofe who fuppofe them-felves aggriev'd thereby, is not call'd a Faflingfor Strife^ or with a Defign to keep up the Difference. When Perfons no longer bring Charges of this Nature, without pretending to make them good 5 or when the Imprudence of fingle Perfons in Con-verfation fhall not be imputed to the whole Body, or unwary Expreffions or A6lions done with no ill Defign fhall be no longer mifreprefented, fo as to be made to fignify more than what was ever intended by them. In fine, when Perfons can fee a Neceflity of coming into fome Meafures to prevent the Growth of Error among thofe who are iirll inclined to conclude that there is not fo great Weight in thofe Truths which we contend for, and then are led to deny 'em, and afterwards dif-cover fuch a Warmth of Temper as not to be eafy, or upon good Terms with thofe by whom they are defended: And when the common Intcrell of Religion has the higheft Place in our Affc6lions, and bears down all Rcfentments of perfonal Injuries, look'd upon thro' a Magnifying-Glafs, and aggravated to fuch a Degree as tho' 'twere hard to invent a Punifhment equal to the Crime 3 or to afperfe and give an unjuft Reprefentation of our Sentiments, which indeed is vile, and not in the lead to be vindicated, deferv'd an Exclufion from that Charity and Degree of Friendihip which they

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are admitted to who blafpheme that worthy Name by 'which we are called-^ and when Abatements are made for human Frailty in others, which fome-times we cannot but confefs we Hand in need of our felvesj when this Temper prevails among us, we may hope to fee the Revival of that Intereft which is infinitely preferable to all that Honour and Efteem which, by falfe Suggeftions, we are capable of being robb'd and plundered of.

B u T if this is too great a Bleffing to be ex-peded, if we muft yet dwell in the Flames, and ftruggle with unfurmountable Difficulties, and have things laid to our Charge which we know nothing of j if we muft ftand alone, and bear the Shot of Friends and Enemies j if we muft either ceafe to bear our Teftimony againft the growing Error of the Day, or elfe be reckoned uncharita^ hle^ and charg'd with reviling thofe whofe Sentiments we are Strangers to, and therefore can't reafonably be fuppos'd to intend: If we muft be mark'd out as exercifing intemperate Zeal, beyond all Bounds of Reafon and Charity, we can only commit our Caufe to Him ivhofe Judgment is according to "fruth; he knows whether any of us deferve that Cenfure, or whether we have not too much Reafon to blame our felvcs for want of Zealy confidering the Occafion there is for it, and the Glory of that Caufe which we are called to maintain, whilft many of us can fay we know no-thing by our fel'Ves^ with refpeft to want of true Charity to the Perfons of all Men: And whatever hard Thoughts any may entertain of our Temper and Condu6l, I am perluaded that every one who wifheswellto the Intereft of Christ will rejoice, when it farther appears, as it does now in many Inftances, that a cenforious World is as much miftaken in their Sentiments o£ our Brethren^ v/hcn it charges them with having departed from the

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common Faith^ as they who are thus chargeJ arc miftakeii in us when they think we are Enemies to Peace 5 which I hope we are defirous to cultivate and maintain upon iht jufteft Grounds^ and by our Love to them in the fruth^ to approve our felves His Difciples^ who is the wonderful Counfeller^ the mighty Godj the everlafting Father^ the Prince of Peace.

FINIS.

In a few T>ays will be publtpd

I. A N Expofition of the old and new Teftament: XX Wherein each Chapter is fumm'd up in its Contents; the facred Text inferted at large, in diflind Paragraphs; eachParagraph reduced to its proper Heads; the Senfe given, and largely illuftrated, v^ith practical Remarks and Ob-fervations. By the late Reverend Mr. Matthew Henry* In fix Volumes in Folio.

2. A Memorial of the Reformation, chiefly mEngland-^ and .of Britain's Deliverances from Popery and Arbitrary Power, lince that time, to the Year 1719. Containing the State of the Reformation under King^ Henry VIIi, K. Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth ; with the Principles and Endeavours of thofe who have from time to time flood for a further Reformation, as a fliort Hiftory of Non-conformity : A particular Relation of all the Plots and Confpiracies of Papifts and others againft the Reformation, and Civil Liberties of the Land: Some fhort Memoirs of the Civil War in K. Charles Ifl's time; and a diflind Anfwer to the Queflion, M-^ho cut off the King's Headl By the Reverend Mr. B. Bennet. The Second Edition, with large Additions. 8'''. Price 5-/. Both printed for ]qii^ ClARK, &C.