serving their Doctrines; which can hardly continue, if every one has a private Opinion to himself, and does not declare the Sense of his Mind to another, unless for his own Advantage; for those Things that are concealed, are by Degrees forgotten, and come in Time to be quite extinguished; but Christ would have his Doctrine, and the Churches which profess it, be perpetual, that it may not cease to be beneficial to Mankind.

WHEREFORE Whoever derives his Knowledge of the Christian Religion from the New Testament, and thinks it true; such an one ought to make. Profession of it, (a) and to join himself with those of the like Profession. But because there is not at this Time (neither was there formerly) one Sort of Men only, or one Congregation of such as are gathered together in the Name of Christ; we are not therefore presently to believe that he is a true Christian, who desires to be called by that holy Name; neither ought we to join ourselves (b) without Examination, to any Assembly who stile themselves Christians. We must consider, above all Things, whether their Doctrines agree with that Form of sound Words, which we have

the Help of Schools in which it was taught; but the Christian Churches, which are united by a much firmer and stronger Bond, will, with more Certainty and Ease, propagate the Doctrine they receive from their Master, to the End of the World, which can hardly be done without Congregations. Pythagoras would have effected this, but in vain, because his Doctrine had nothing divine in it. See Laërtius and Jamblichus.

(a) And to join himself with those, &c.] See the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, where they are commanded to found Churches. And Heb. x. 25.

(b) Without Examination, &c.] See 1 Thess. v. 21. But more expressly, 1 John iv. 1. "Beloved (says he) believe, "not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they be of "God; for many false Prophets are come into the World, « &c.".

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entertained in our Mind, from an attentive reading of the New Testament; otherwise it may happen that we may esteem that a Christian Congregation, which is no further Christian than in Name. It is therefore the Part of a prudent Man, not to enter himself into any Congregation, at least for a Continuance; unless it be such, in which he perceives that doctrine established, which he truly thinks to be the Christian Doctrine; lest he should put himself under the Necessity of saying or doing something contrary to what he thinks delivered and commanded by Christ.

SECT. II.

We are to join ourselves with those who are most worthy the Name of Christians.

AMONGST Christians that differ from each other, and not only differ, but (to their Shame!) condemn one another, and with cruel Hatred banish them their Society; to agree to any of them without Examination, or, according to their Order, to condemn others without Consideration, shews a Man not only to be imprudent, but very rash and unjust. That Congregation which rejects, though but in Part, the true Religion (a Representation of which he has formed in his Mind) and condemns him that believes it; cannot be thought by such an one, a truly Christian Congregation in all Things; nor can it prevail with him to condemn every Man which that Church shall esteem worthy to be condemned, and cast out of the Society of Christians. Wherefore a wise and honest Man ought above all Things to examine, in these Dissensions amongst Christians, who are they which best deserve the holy Name of Disciples of Christ, and to adhere to them. If any one should ask,

what we are required to do by the Christian Religion, supposing there was no such Christian Society at all, amongst whom the true Doctrine of Christ seems to be taught, and amongst whom there is not a Necessity laid upon us of condemning some Doctrine which we judge to be true: In this Case, he who apprehends these Errors, ought to endeavour to withdraw others from them; in doing of which, he must use (a) the greatest Candour, joined with the highest Prudence and Constancy; lest he offend Men without doing them an Advantage, or lest any Hopes of bringing them to Truth and Moderation, bẹ too suddenly cut off. In the mean Time we are to speak modestly and prudently, what we think to be the Truth; nor should any one be condemned by the Judgment of another, as infected with Error, who seems to think right. God has never forsaken, nor never will forsake the Christian Name so far, as that there shall remain no true Christians; or at least none such as cannot be brought back into the true Way; with whom we may maintain a stricter Society, if others will not return to a more sound Opinion; and openly withdraw ourselves from the Obstinate (which yet we ought not to do without having tried all other Means to no purpose ;) (b) if it be not allowed

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(a) The greatest Candour, &c.] Here that Precept of Christ's takes Place, Matt. x. 16. where we are commanded " To be "wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves;" that is, to be so far simple, as not to fall into Imprudence; so wise, as not to be crafty, and offend against Sincerity; in which Matter, there are but few who know how to steer their Course in all Things, between the Rocks of Imprudence and Craftiness.

(b) If it be not allowed, &c.] Whilst it is allowed to have a different Opinion, and to profess our Disagreement, there is no Reason to depart from a public Society, unless the Fundamentals of Christianity be perverted by it; but where

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you to speak your Opinion fairly and modestly among them, and to forbear condemning those whom you think are not to be condemned. The Christian Religion forbids us speaking contrary to our Mind, and falsifying and condemning the innocent; nor can he be unacceptable to God, who, out of Respect and Admiration of those Divine Precepts, can endure any Thing rather than that they should be broke. Such a Disposition of Mind, arising from a Sense of our Duty, and a most ardent Love of God, cannot but be highly well-pleasing to him.

WHEREFORE amongst Christians who differ from each other, we are to examine which of them all think the most right; nor are we ever to condemn any but such as seem to us worthy to be condemned, after a full Examination of the Matter; and we are to adhere to those who do not require any Doctrines to be believed, which are esteemed by us to be false, nor any to be condemned which we think to be true. If we cannot obtain this of any Christian Society, we, together with those who are of the same Opinion with ourselves, ought to separate from them all, that we betray not the Truth, and utter a Falsity.

this is not allowed, and we cannot without dissembling or denying the Truth live in it; then we ought to forsake that Society; for it is not lawful to tell a Lye, or to dissemble the Truth, whilst a Lye possesses the Place of it, and claims to itself the Honour due to Truth only. If this be not done, "the Candle is put under a Bushel." Thus Christ did not depart from the Assemblies of the Jews, neither did the Apostles forsake them, so long as they were allowed to profess and teach the Doctrine of their Master in them. See Acts xii. 46.

SECT.

SECT. III.

They are most worthy the Name of Christians, who, in the purest Manner of all, profess the Doctrine, the Truth of which hath been proved by Grotius.

BUT it is a Question of no small Importance, and not easily to be resolved, who of all the Societies of the present Christians have the truest Opinions, and are most worthy of that Name by which they are called. All the Christian Churches, as well as those who have long since separated from the Romish Church, as the Romish Church itself, do every one of them claim this to themselves; and if we lay aside all the Reasons, we ought no more to give Credit to the one than to the other; for it were a very foolish Thing, to suffer such a Choice (a) to be determined by Chance, and to decide all Controversies as it were by the Cast of a Die.

Now since Grotius has not proved the Truth of the particular Opinions of any present Sect of Christians, but only of that Religion which was taught Mankind by Christ and his Apostles; it follows, that that Sect of Christians is to be preferred before all others, which does most of all defend those Things which Christ and his Apostles taught. In a Word, that it is in every Particular truly the Christian. Religion, which, without any Mixture of human Invention, may be wholly ascribed to Christ as the Author. To this agree all those Arguments of Truth, which are laid down in the Second Book Of the Truth of the Christian Religion; nor do they agree to any other any further than it agrees with that.

(a) To be determined by Chance, &c.] See Note the 9th, on Section III.

IF