29© what Chrijlian Church Book I.
Account; by this means, befide the mutual Love, and ftridl Friend fhip of Chriftians united into one Society, there is alfo a Provifion made (a) for pre- ferving their Dodlrines; which can hardly continue, if every one has a private Opinion to himfelf, and does not declare the Scnfe of his Mind to an- other, unlefs for his own Advantage; for thofe things that are concealed, are by Degrees forgot- ten, and come in time to be quite extinguifhed; but Chrift would have his Dodrine^ and the Churches which profefs it, be perpetual, that it may not ceafe to be beneficial to Mankind. .ly- Wherefore whoever derives his Knowledge -of the Chriflian Religion from the New Tefta- ment, and thinks it true •, fuch an one ought to make Profeflion of it, (h) and to join himfelf with thofe of xht like Profeflion. But becaufe there is not at this time (neither was there formerly) one .fprt of Men only, or one Congregation of fuch as / <are gathered together in the Name of Chrift ^ we \^e not therefore prefently to believe that he is a true Chriftian, who defires to be called by that holy Name i neither ought we to join ourfelves, {c) without Examination, to any AfTembly who riG: {^) ^^^ prefer<ving their Doc- Do£lrine had nothing divine in ,f/-/«^/, &c.] Thus likevvife all it. See La'ertius and yam-* ^*the Philoiophers tranfmitted hlichus.
'^'^heir Dodrine to Pofterixy, by [h) And to join himfetfijwith iUthe Help of Schools in which thofe, &c.] See the Epillles to il ilt.was taught; but the Chri' T/^c/-^jf and ^zVkj, where they -y-^ian Churches, which are u- are commanded to found rited by a much firmer and Churches. And Heb.X. 25.
ftronger Bond, vvili with more [c)lVithoutExaminati9n,Sc^,'] ;^'Gerta^nty and Eafe, propagate See i 7hiJf.W.2i. But more -■iiheDoftrine they received troni exprefsly 1 John W^ i. Betheir Mailer, to the End of lue /aved{[2Lys he) 6e/ieve nete'very World, which csin h^iidly be Spirit 6ut- try the Spirits nvhe- ^done without Congregations.' ther they be 0/ God; /or many Pythagoras \yo\i\d have efFeded /alje Prophets are comt inio the this, but in vain, becaufe his Worlds &c.
ftile themfelves Chriftians.^ We muft confidcr, above all things, whether their Dodrines a^rec with that Form of found Words, which we have entertained in our Mind, from an attentive reading of the New Teftament*, otherwife it may happen that we may efteem that a Chriftian Congregation, which is no further Chriftian than in Name. It is therefore the Part of a prudent Man, not to enter himfelf into any Congregation, at kaft for a Continuance •, unlefs it be liich, in which he per- ceives that Doctrine ellabliflied, which he truly thinks to be the Chriftian Dodrine; left he ihould put himfelf under a Neceflity of faying or doing fome thing contrary to what he thinks delivered and commanded by Chrift.
Sect. II. We are to join our [eh es with thofe^ "^ha are moft worthy the Name of Chrifiians, ^,^ Amongst Chriftians that difler from each other, and not only differ, but (to their Shame!) condemn one another, and with cruel Hatred banifli them their Society; to agree to any of them with- out Examination, or, according to their Order, .jtb condemn others without Confideratioh^'^fliows a Man not only to be imprudent, but very rafli and unjuft. That Congregation which rejeds, though ^biit in Part, the true Rerrgion (a Reprefdntraition of which he has formed in his Mind;, and con- demns him that believes it; cannot be thought by fuch an one, a truly Chriftian Congregation in all things'; nor can it prevail v/ith him, to condemn every Man which that Church fliall efteem worthy to be condemned, and caft out of the Society of Chriftians. Wherefore a wife and honeft Man, '■i)ught above all things to examine, in thefe Dif- •;;^jf^hfi9ns amongft Chriftians, who they are, which 292 What Chriftian Church- Book L beft^ deferve the hbly-Name of Difciples of Ghrifb, and'^o adhere to them. If any one fhould afk, what we are required to do by -the Chriftian Re- ligion, fuppofing there were no fuch Chriftian Society at all, amongft whom the true Dodrine of Ghrift feems to • be- taught, and amongft whom there is not a NecefTity laid upon us of condemning fome Do£trinej which we judge to be true: In -this Cafe, he who apprehends thefe Errors, ought to endeavour to withdraw others from them; in doing of which, he muft ufe {a) the greateft Can- dour, joined with the higheft Prudence and Con- ftancy; left he offend Men without doing them any Advantage, or left all Hopes of bringing them to Truth and Moderation, be too fuddenly caft off. In the mean time, we are to fpeak modeftly and prudently, what we think to be the Truth *, nor Ihould any one be condemned by the Judgment ot another, as infected with Error, who feems to think right. God has never forfaken, nor never will forfake the Chriftian Name fo far, as that there ftiall remain no true Chriftans; or at leaft none fuch as cannot be brought back. into the true Way, with whom we may maintain ia ftri6ter So- ciety, if others will not return to a more found Opinion; and openly withdraw ourfelves from the obftinate, (which yet we ought not to do without haying tried all other Means to no Furpofe ^) .j(^) if it be not allowed you to fpeak your Opinion '^'{a)ThegreateJI Candour, kcJ] "be crafty, and offend againft jRere that Precept of Chrift's Sincerity; in which Matter, takes Place, A/fi/ A X. 1 6. where there are but few who know we are commanded, to be ^vulje how to fteer their Courfe in all as Serpents, and harmlefs as things, between the Rocks of Doves: that it., (O be fo far imprudence and Craftmefs.
fimple, as not to fall mto Im- {b) Iftt be not nllQnj:ed,hc.'\ prudence j lo v. lie, as not to Whilil it i; allowed to have a fairly and modeftly amongft them, and to forbear condemning thofe whom you think are not to be condemned..The Chriftian Rehgion forbids^ us fpeaking contrary to our Mind, and falfifying and condemning the Innocent; nor can he be un*iccep- table to God, who out of Refped and Admiratioa of thofe Divine Precepts, can endure any thing rather than that they Ihould be broke. Such a Difpofition of Mind, arifing from a Senfe of our Duty, and a mod ardent Love of God, cannot but be highly weli-pleafing to him.
Wherefore amongll Chriftians who differ from each other, we aretp examine which of them all think the mod right •, noT are we ever to con- demn any but fuch as fecm to us worthy to be condemned, after a full Examination of the Mat- ter; and we are to adhere to thofe who do not, re- quire any Dodlrines to be believed, which are efteem- ed by us to be falfe, nor any to be condemned which we think to be true. If we cannot obtain this of any Chriftian Society, we, together with thofe who are of the fame Opinion with oi|rfelves, ought to feparate froni them all, that we betray not Gh?ja:^Li|h>.^nd.utt^r.a Falfity.jv/ ibnf ] p. U hn-'O? ^lom £ c* riar;! * '?r<:yho li.'?i ■.:.■> different Opinion/ and to pro-, the Place of it, and claims to fcfs our Difagreement, there is, iaelf the Honour due to Truth no Reafon to depart from a,< only. If* this be nOt done, public!: Society, unlefs the th'r Candle is f-ut'iinder aBuJkeL Fundamentals of Chrillian'ity '1 faus Uhrill did not depart be perverted by it; but where from the AfTemblies of the this is not allowed, and we y^ty/, neither did the.A pol^les cannot witho_ut diflembling or forfake them, fo long as they denying the Truth, live in it; were allowed fO profefs and then we ought to forfake that teach the Doftrine of their Society; for it. is not lawful to Mailer in them. See J^i \t{\ a Lye, or to diifemble the XIII. 46. " '' -% ' [.Oi^,ttvjj'%\\f> iQv ^ rnl osni U 5 Sect.
^ki^VtW.^^h&^'^f'eWdJi worthy the Name ofChri- ^'ftihns\-^ho m the pur eft Manner of all ^ P^^Ms 'i^Jhe l)o3riney the Truth isf which hath been pr 6^ oP.UT. iris a Queflion' or no fmalJ Importance^ aM^nbt 'eafiry to be reiolved, who of all the So- cieties of the prefent Chriftians, have the truefl Opinions, and are moft worthy of that Name by which they are called. All the Chriftian Churches, as well thofe who have long fmce feparated from the Ro?niJh Church, as the Romijh Church itfelf, do every one of them claim this to themfclves; and if we lay afide all the Reafons, we ought no more to give Credit to the one than to the other -, for it were a very foolifh thing, to fuffer fuch a Choice {a) to be determined by Chance, and to decide, ^^ Controverfies as it were by the Caft of a Die..". j^ -Now, fince Grotkis has not proved the Truth oF tfie particular Opinions of any prefent Se6l of CKriftians, but only^ of that Religipn, w,hich was taugjit Mankind by ChViftandhis ApoHles; it fol- lows, that that Seft of Chrillians is to be preferred before all others, which does moft of all defend thofe things which Chrift and his Apoftles taught. In a Word, That is in every particular truly the CHriftian Religion, which without any IVl ixture of human Invention, maybe wholly afcribed to Chrift as the Author. To this agree all thofe Arguments qf Truth, which are Jaid down in the lid Book Of the 'Truth of the Chrift tan Religion; nor. do they agree to any other, any further than it agrees with ■fl^t. -■ '', ^^ ^'^'^'' '^^ ''''■^" ■ "•■'^' Sed. 3. nj^ears to join. with,' \y zgs I F any one adds to, or di mini (lies from, the Do6lrine delivered by Chrifl: y the more he adds or diminiflies. To much the farther he goes from the Truth. Now when I fpeak of the Dotirine of Chrift, I mean by it, the Dodrine which all Chri- ftians are clearly agreed upon to be the Dodrine ofChrift; that is, which according to the Judg- ment of all Chriftians, is either exprefsly to be found in the Books of the New Tcllament, or is by necefTary Confcquence, to be deduced from them only. As to thofe Opinions, which ak fome Chriftians think, were delivered by Word of Mouth, by Chrift and his Apoftles, and derived to Pofberity in a different Method, namely either by* Tradition; which was done by fpeakingonly; or which were preferved by fome Rite, as they ima- gine, and not fet down in Writing till a great while after; I fhall pafs no other Judgment upon them here, but only this, that all Chriftians are not agreed upon Them, as they are upon the Books of the New Teftament. I will not fay they are falfe, unlefs they are repugnant to right Reafon and Revelation; but only that they are not agreed about the Original of them, and therefore they are controverted amongft Chriftians, v/ho in other Refpedls agree in thofe Opinions, the Truth of which Grotius has demonftrated y for no wife Man will allow us (a) to depenc} upon a thing ascertain, Us certain, &c.] This is the Sacrifice is beino^ quiet, ^ind not very thing St Faul means, meddling in thofe things 'which Rom, XIV. 23, where he nve are not pe^fuaded of. And teaches us that nvhatfoever is a little after, To he quiet in the not of Faith is Sin. On which Dark is moji fafe; that is.
Place we have quoted the where we are not agreed what Words of Phi/o, out of his is to be done.
feook concerning Fugitives, fo long as it appears uncertain to usV-efpecially K ^ Though the ControV^erfies amongft Chriftians be very fliarp, and managed with great Heat and Anin:iority, fo that we nnay hear Complaints made on all Sides, of very obvious things being denied by fome of the contending Parties; yet notwith- ftanding this, there are fpme things fo evident, that they are ail agreed in them. And it is no mean Argument of the Truth of fuch, that they are al- lowed of by the common Gonfent of thofe who are moft fet upon Contention, and moft blinded by PafTion. I do not rriean by this, that all other things about which there is any Contention, are doubtful or obfcure, becaufe all Chriftkris are liqt'' agreed in them. It may eafily happen thatthdt piay be obfcure to fome, which would be very^ plain, if they were not hindered by FafTion •, b\i;^ k 'is hardly pofTible that the fierceft AdverfariesV who are mofb eager in difputing, fhould agree a-' bout an. obfcure Foint.i^^-^^ i^-fuotfrj abii>7/i3j.x ^£v/ . F I R ST then, allChriftffii?ti6% aliW^^e^grectf concerning the Number and Truth of the Books of the New Ted ament > and though therebe fome fmall Controverfies amongd learned Men about (/?) fome Epiftles of the Apoftles, this is no great Matter; and they all acknowledge, that there is nothing but Truth contained in them, and that the Chriftian Dofbrine is not at- all altered, either by l^e^ping or rejecting them. And this Cbnfent is ..^..;...- ■...^...-, --..:--^^- - -of won 3d 3-i3ilw en^V£9H oini qa n^JtEi aew sri fPjiieSj ^i:.'\ I'tie fcpiilj^ _,ro; o^,.\v.hich arc dilputed by- the '/Vfi^/ A-o-rV the Second!"•- learned Meii. pi/lIe of Fcter, tht" Cwq lalt of no fmall Moment in aDifcoiirfe abouftlie un«^ doubted Original of a Divine Revelation under tke new Covenant. P or all other Records or Foot^- fteps of ancient Revelation, that Have been pre- fervcd according to the Opinions of fome, arc called in queftion by others. -0':^ 'sM h -> --.-^ u ■ ^ Further, Chriftians are agreed in rhany Ar- ' tides of Faith, which they embrace, as things to" be believed, pradifed, and hoped for. For infbance; ail who have any Underdanding, believe (f Ihall men-; tion only the principal Heads here,) I. That there' is one God, eternal, all-powerful, infinitely good and holy; in a Word, endued with all the mofl: excellent Attributes, without the leaff Mixture of hnperfedion; that the World and all Things con-;, tained in it, and confequently Mankind, were created by this fame God; and that by him all things are governed and dire<5led"with the higheft Wildom. II. That Jefus Chrid is the only Son of the fame God; that he was born at Bethlehemy of the Virgin Mary^ without the Knowledge of a Man, in the latter Part of the Life of Herod the Great, in the Reign of Aiignftus C4efar; that he was afterwards crucified and died, in the Reign of ^iberius^ when Pontius Pilatt was Governor of Ju- daea \ that his Life is truly related in theHiftory of the Gofpel; that he was therefore fent from the Father, that he might teach Men the Way to Salvation, redeem them from their Sins,.'and re- concile them to God by his Death; and that this hisMiffionwas confirmed by innumerable Miracles-, that he died, as I before faid, and rofe again, and, after he had been very often feen by many, who had difcourfed with him, and handled hini; he was taken up into Heaven, where he now reigns, ^nd from whence he will one Day return, to pafs a final Judgmgnt according to the Law* of the ^^^ TVloat Chrijlian Church Book >!.;, the Gofpcl, upon thpfe-who were then alive, and upon all them that are dead, when they fhall be raifed out of their Graves; that all the things that he taught, are to be believed, and all that he commanded are to be obeyed, whether they re- late to the Worfhip of God, or to Temperance in reftraining our PalTions, or to Charity to be exer- cifed towards others; that nothing could be ap- pointed more holy, more excellent, more advan- tageous, and more agreeable to human Nature than thefe Precepts; however that all Men (Jefus only excepted) violate them, and cannot arrive at Sal- vation, but through the Mercy of God. III. That there is a Holy Ghoft, who infpired the Apoftles of Jelus Chrift, worked Miracles to recommend them, and inclines the Minds of pious Men conftantly to obey God, and fupports them in the Affliftions of Life; that we are to give the fame Credit, and in all things to obey this Spirit fpeaking by the Apofcles, as we do the Father and the Son^ IV. That the Chriftian Church owes its Original and Prefervation from the Days of Chrift to this time, to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft \ that all they who believe thefe things, and obferve the Precepts of the Gofpel, fliall obtain Mercy of God, whereby they iliall be made Partakers of the Refurrediion, (\{ they be dead when Chrift fhall come,) and of a happy Tife to Eternity -, on the Cphttaf);, ^Uthfy who have diminiflied from the Faith q£ the Gofpel, and have not obferved its Precepts, Ihall rife, (if they be dead^ to be punifhed, and their Punifhment fhall be eternal Death, V. Laftly, That Chriftians ought to pro- fefs all thefe things,, both, at their Baptifm, in which we declare tliat we will lead a Life free from the Filthinefs of Iniquity, according to the Direc- tion of the Gofpel j. aAd,allp,at the Lord's- S.upper> in which w'^ celebrate the Death of Chfift, ac- cording to his Command, till he comes •, and fhow that we are wilHng to beefteemed" his Dif- ciples, and the Brethren of thofe who celebrate it in hke Manner; moreover, that thofe Rites, if they are obferved by us, as is rcafonable, and are celebrated with a religious Mind, convey heavenly Grace and the Divine Spirit to us.
(a) These things, and others that are nc^ cefifarily connefted with them, (for it is not to our prefent Purpofe to mention them all particularly,) all Chriftians beheve; lior h thtre any other Dif- ference but only this, that fomc add many other things to thefe, whereby they think the foregoing Dodlrines ought to be explained or enlarged with Additions j and thofe fuch, as they imagine were delivered {a) T/je/e things, ana others, &c.] In the foregoing Explica- tion of the Chriftian Doctrine, wc have followed the Method of that v^'hich they call the ApoftlesCreed.and have avoid- ed sll ExpreiTions, which have caufed any Controverfies a- mongft Chriftians; becaufe we are treating of thofe things in which they are agreed: And we do not for this Reafon con- demn as falfe, any thing that may be added by way of Ex- plication or Confirmation; on the contrary, we highly ap- prove of their Endeavours, who explain and confirm Di- vine Troths; and we doubt rot but that many things have been already found, and may yet be found, to illuftrate it. *rer/ul/ian]\idges rightly of this Matter, in the firft Chapter of his Boole concerning veiling irgins. " The Rule of Faith is altogether one and the fame, entirely firm and un- alterable; namely, that we believe in one all powerful God, the Creator of the World, and in his Son Jefus Chrift, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was cru- cified under Pontius Pilate, was raifed from the Dead the third Day, was taken up into Heaven, fits now at the Right-hand of the Fa- ther, and will come to judge the Quick and Dead by the Refurredlion of the Flefh. Keeping to this Rule of Faith, other Matters of Dif- cipline (or DoSlrine) and Behaviour, admit of Cor- real ion, i;;s. the Grace of God operating and allilling to the End, ^\:\ 3.O0 What Chrijiian Church Book I.
delivered to Pofterity, not by the Writings of the. Apoftles^ but by |:he Tradition and Cuflom of the Church, or by the Writings of latter Ages. Con- cerning thefe Additions, I fliall fay nothing niore than what I before advifed; that Chriftians are not agreed upon them, as they are upon the Dodrines now explained, which are put beyond all manner of Doubt by their own Plainnefs, if we allow but the Authority of the Holy Scripture, which no Chriftian in his Senfes can refufe.
I F any one weighs the Arguments, by which the Truth of the Chriftian Religion is proved, with thefe Do6lrines in his View: he will obferve, (and if it be well obferved, it will be of great ufe) that all the Force of the Argument is employed about thefe things, and not about thofe Points which dir vide the Chriftian World, as was before hinted.
$'Bioms'Wy IVhence every one ought for itmt\tH^ z-^ivA-i Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion, is rlDiii ^.J;N -this Agreement and DifagreemenE amongl^ Chriftians, prudent Men will judge it moft fafe,j to take their Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion from the Fountain, which is not in the leaft fufj peded^ and whofe Streams all confefs to be pure and undefiled. And this Fountain, is not the Creed or the Confeflion of Faith of any particular Church, but only the Books of the New Teftament, which all acknowledge to be genuine. T confefs fome Chriftians do fometimes lay, that thofe Books can- not be underftood but by the Dodrine of their Church; but others again deny it •, and (to men- tion but this one thing,), ^hat Opinion is very fufr picious, which depends only on the Teftimony of thofe that affirm it; and they fuch, whofe chief Jntereft it:is> that it fhould feem true. Others fay^ that there is ntt^ of the extraordinary Aftiftance of of the Holy Spirit, not only in order to the Be- lief of the Scripture, (which may without any great Difficulty be allowed,) but alfo in order to underlland the Meaning of the Words contained- in it •, which I do not fee how it can be proved; but we will grant this alfo, provided they will ac- knowledge that all Men, who read the Books of the New Teftament with a religious Mind, intent upon the Truth, are afforded this Spirit:by the Goodnefs of God •, there is no need of contending for any thing more than this. Every one therefore, may wifely and fafeiy gather his Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion, from thefe Books; yet making ufe of thofe Helps that are neceifary or profitable for the underflanding of fuch Books -, which we will not now enquire after.
Whoever therefore believes, that the Reveia-- tion of the Will of God made by Chrift, is faith- fully related in the Books of the New Teftament;. fuch an one muft of neceffity embrace all things which he there meets with, according as he under- l^ands them, as Matters of Faith, Pra(5i:iCe and Hope; for whoever believes in Ghriff, oUght to receive with a religious Mind, every thing which he thinks comes from him j he cannot defend himfelf with any Excufe, whereby to admit fom.e, and rejed: others, of thofe things which he ac- knowledges to come from Ghrifl. And fuch are thofe Doctrines I before explained, and concerning which all Chriflians, as I faid, are agreed.
A s to the reft, about which they conteft; fince they are not fo very plain, a religious and pious Man may and ought to deliberate concerning them, and with- hold his Judgment till they appear more evident to him. For it is very imprudent to ad- mit or rejedf any thing, before ic fufficiently ap- pears tO be either true or fa lie. '''l*fof*'U% '^eternal .yjiu).'iiiii'-_. •,, Sal vjc-* 302 What Chrtjliaji Church BooIc^B