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Church therefore is perfwaded, that they are obliged by the Laws of God and Nature, to try the Spirits to which they hearken; and to have fome tolerable Affurance, that thofe Perfons are poffeffed of the neceffary Qualities for that Office, who are received as their Spiritual Rulers, and particularly that they fhould know whether their Doctrine be of God. And if that Church alfo be convinced, That without an Affent given by him to fuch and fuch Articles of Faith, in plain and determinate Words, and, as at prefent Things obtain in the World, in other than precifely fcriptural Phrafes, there can be no juft Satisfaction had as to their religious Principles: And that a Subfcription to fuch a Confeffion, is the beft or the only Way to manifeft the Purity of their Faith, and diftinguish them from Hereticks. In all which that Church would, as we hope hath been proved, think very right; it is plain that no alledged Inconveniencies to Religion and Learning, muft diffwade her from adhering to Confeffions, which the may fecurely do, and leave the Event of Things, to the over-ruling Providence of the infinitely wife and good Governor of the World.

In the next Place, notwithstanding of the Authority which our Church gives her Confeffion, fince it is not made a Term of Chriftian Communion, or a Qualification for any Civil Poft, it is evident that our Practice can, at the utmoft, be alledged to have a bad Influence upon Ecclefiaftical Officers only, and prove a Hindrance of new Difcoveries in Theology only by them: For the Laity, as they are ufually called, are left at a perfect Liberty to improve it, they may contribute to the higheft Advances in Religion, make what Progrefs they can in the Search of Truth, reform what is amifs in Religion, rectify the Notions of Chriftians, and manifeft the Fal hood and Uncertainty of the established Articles of Faith, without the fmallest Restraint or Biafs upon their impartial Underftandings, from the Fear of temporal Difadvantages, did they recede from the Standard of Publick Orthodoxy. And methinks with us we fhall believe it no Inconveniency to Chriftianity, if the Minifters of the Church, who receive Maintenance from it, bestow their Labours in the Defence and Improvement of the Principles of the Reformation, what we think the Faith of the Gofpel; and continue to do fo, till we be perfwaded that there are better and more agreeable to the Word of God to be embraced in their ftead: While the other Members of the Church will furnish out enow of Free-thinkers for the Difcovery of new Truths,and the forming Chriftianity on a newer and better Model.

I fhould be glad thefe Gentlemen who are fo extremely zealous, that all publick Teachers may enjoy the fame Liberty poffeffed by themfelves, whofe Understandings are not fettered and prejudiced by humane Confeffions, would give the World an experimental Argument, of the great Advantage fuch an unreftrained Licence would be to the Church, by their new Difcoveries of Truth, and unCommon Progrefs in Learning: And not afford Occafion of obferving, That the most Part of thefe Adventurers, produce nothing but airy Schemes that have no Foundation in Scripture or Reafon,

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Speculations and Conjectures which tend more to fwell them with Vanity and Conceit of their own Fancies, and to diforder the Imaginations of Mankind; than either to reform the Lives or enlighten the Understandings of Chriftians, with folid and useful Knowledge; and that as great Improvements have been made in all the Parts of Learning, which have any Relation to Divinity, by thofe who were fully convinced of the Advantage and Juftice of Confeffions, as by any of their Oppofers.

But it will be perhaps a more folid and ferious Argument, That Religion and Learning cannot eafily fuffer fo much Damage, as is apprehended, from the Authority of Confeffions, and their being made a Term of ministerial Communion by the Churches of Chrift That though the Lofs of the publick Benefice, and the Fear of any other Difadvantages which attend a Departure from the Standard of Orthodoxy, may poffibly prevail with fome to conceal what they think Truth, and fmother thofe Difcoveries which they would have communicated to the World, had the Shackles of humane Creeds been knock'd off them, yet they can have this Effect only upon mean and cowardly Spirits, that are void of true Piety, and more under the flavish Dominion of their Eafe and Pleafures than the Power of an immortal Life.

They will have no Influence upon good Men, who have devoted themfelves to the Glory of God and the Honour of Religion; thefe, though poffeffed of a Stipend which none can enjoy, but thofe who adhere to the eftablished Confeffions, or continue in that Faith which is embraced by their Congregations, will be ready to entertain with Joy any new Light that may irradiate their Souls as they value Advances in the Knowledge of the Son of God more than an Increase of their Treafures, and difcern a Beauty in Truth fuperior to the Charms of this World, the Rays of it will fhine in upon them with too ftrong and permanent a Bright nefs, to be overclouded by all the Vapours and Mists which can arife from their Temporalities: As they'll never fubfcribe a Confeffion, but when perfwaded in their Confciences of the Conformity of its Articles to divine Revelation; fo they'll with Courage oppofe themfelves to it when convinced of their Error, they'll not be afraid openly to abandon it, and will prove as zealous in promoting what they now fee to be the Mind of God in the Scriptures, as if there had never been fuch a Thing as a humane Creed in the World. So that our Practice as to Confeffions will prevent no new Discoveries of Truth, nor any Improvement in Knowledge by Perfons endued with thefe noble Qualities, nor will it in the leaft hinder the diffufing of that Light through the World; fince, according to the Principles laid down in the Beginning, there is no Perfecution allowed, nor any forcible Methods to hinder the Preaching of the Truths which may be difcovered, and recommending them by all the Strength of Scripture and Reafon.

Now it is Men only of this Temper and Difpofition that are fit to discover Truth and rectify Abufes; it is from them only that

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the World can expect a Reformation of Churches, which may have departed from the Faith of the Gospel, and polluted their Creeds by an impure Mixture of Error; and 'tis by their Labours that Light and Purity can expect to make Conquefts in the Minds of Men, and prevail over inveterate Delufions. Men who are thus fincerely devoted to God, and prefer Heaven to this World, will make the most impartial Searches into Truth; and, having their Minds purified from the bafer Paffions which govern others, and raised above the airy Phantoms of Greatnefs and Riches and popular Applaufe, their Understandings will be freer from Prejudices of every Kind, their Enquiries will be more modeft fincere and diligent, the heavenly Light of pure Doctrine will make the eafieft Paflage, and find the best Entertainment from Spirits, whofe Temper and Affections are fo fuited to the Nature and Condition of thofe fuperior Regions of Glory and Purity: And as fuch will be in a peculiar Manner difpofed to grow in the Knowledge of God, and improve in folid and useful Theological Learning; fo they'll be animated by the warmeft Concern for the Interefts of Truth whenever they perceive it, and with the moft vigorous Zeal will contend for it, and diffuse the Rays of that Light which God hath caused to fhine into their Souls. And what Prejudice can the hitherto unanimous Practice of the reformned Churches as to their Confeffions do to Learning? or how does it tend to prevent the most useful and important Difcoveries, when it will not in the leaft influence any that can be made by the Perfons we have now mentioned ?

It was by Men of fo difinterested and heroick Spirits, that ever Religion gained any thing in the World. The Holy Apoftles and Primitive Chriftians were of this Temper, and animated by thefe generous and exalted Principles, and thus they were fitted for the Defence and Propagation of the Gofpel; the greateft temporal Loffes did not make them fmother the Truth, nor could the Terrors of Blood and Violence hinder them to proclaim aloud the Tidings of Salvation; Perfecution only put an Edge on their heavenly Zeal, and enabled them with the greater Joy and Triumph to furmount the most formidable Difficulties.

Such alfo God employed at the Reformation to revive the decayed Interefts of Religion, and rectify the Disorders that had spread themfelves through all the Parts of the Romish Religion: Our Fa thers were of a brave difinterested Spirit, their Souls were connaturalized unto divine Things, and under the Power of another World; and therefore when the Light of the Reformation, that Day-fpring from on High overshadowed them, the Influence of corrupted Creeds, the Canons of Councils, and the Decrees of Popes, the Lofs of Temporalities, and the Cruelty of the fevereft Perfecution, did not prevent their abandoning the Church of Rome, and promoting the bleffed Change with the moft vigorous Zeal.

Truth and Religion flourished under all thefe Difadvantages. The Apostles indeed had Reafon to complain of their Sufferings for Righteoufiefs Sake, the murdering and torturing them for

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differing from the Empire in their Sentiments, being a manifeft Encroachment upon the Liberties of Mankind, and a Perfecution altogether unjuftifiable: But then where did they ever pretend to the Emoluments of the Heathen Priests, or grafp at the Revenues of the Temples? Did they imagine that the Pagans before they were converted, fhould take away the Revenues from their own Priefts, and beftow them upon the Chriftian Minifters ¿ Or-did they infinuate that it was a Lots to Religion and Learning, that fo felt-contradictory a Scheme did not obtain? They thought indeed that they who ferved at the Altar fhould live by the Altar; but did they expect that Perfons were to fet Bread upon that Altar who did not worship at it? No, they knew that Men must first be converted to Chriftianity before they heaped Favours upon the Teachers of it.

Let us fee how forcible this Objection is, with refpect to the pretended Loffes which Religion and Learning may fuitain, from the Reftraints which Confeffions lay upon Ecclefiaftical Officers: Why, they may hinder the World from obtaining new Difcoveries in Divinity from Men of narrow covetous Spirits, who prefer a Stipend to Light and Purity; whofe Souls are fo poffeffed by the ba feft and moft inglorious Paffions, Timoroufnefs and Worldlymindednefs, that rather than be expofed to temporal Inconveniencies, they'll counteract their Confciences, ftifle Truth, and profefs with the Mouth what they abhor in their Souls. By this Means, perhaps, a Stop may be put to Alterations in an established Creed, by Men who have not the Courage to declare their Principles, nor dare oppofe the Majority; but, it feems, look upon Temporalities to be the most perfwalive Motives, and never defigur to ftand it out against fo ftrong an Argument.

How unlikely is it that fuch Men would ever be ferviceable to Religion, were there no manner of Restraints, even not that of Confeffions, upon them? or that the Changes they'd make, would be in favours of Truth? They feem utterly unfit Subjects for the purified Light of Faith, and not at all calculated either to receive it themfelves, or convey it into the World; and upon fuch, Error and Herefy were much more ready to make an Impreffion.

With what Scorn then and Contempt, may Christianity_look down upon the Profers of fuch unworthy and infignificant Votaries? How fmall Advantage can Truth ever expect from their Difcoveries? And how little need we be difgufted at the Ufe of Confeffions, though, whenever a Church is fo unhappy as to be plagued with fuch Minifters, thofe Confeffions may be an Argument with them, to keep their Difcoveries to themselves, and not enlighten the World with them.

I am fure 'tis incomparably more probable, that any unjuftifiable Restraints upon thefe Men, will rather prevent the Discovery of Error (if we may ufe the Phrafe) than of Truth. There are very powerful Arguments, with People of fome Tempers, befides the Love of a Reformation, which may engage them to depart from the publick Standard, and publish Schemes of their own: A natu

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al Levity and Inconftancy of Mind, that cannot remain long fixed upon any thing; a Warmth of Imagination and Sprightliness of Fancy, which will be fruitful of new Difcoveries, that others have not attained to; a fond Conceit of one's felf, and a Notion that we are wifer and more clear-fighted than our Neighbours; a Contempt of what is commonly received, and an Ambition to diftinguith our felves from the inferior Part of Mankind, who have not fuch a Freedom and Elevation of Mind as we haye; the Glory which a new Scheme furnishes to its Author, if it happen to take in the World, and the Applaufes and Homage which are paid by his Admirers to the Head of a fuccefsful Party; are all plentiful Sources, from which unknown Hypothefes, and new Improvements in Divinity may overflow the World.

From thefe Motives, it is very likely that any new Discoveries and Alterations in the received Faith or Worship would be made, by the Men we have defcribed, and therefore, had we no other Ufe for Confeffions, a Regard to Truth and to the Peace of Society, would make us value them as Means of curbing the Paffions, and ftopping up fuch impure Streams as muft fpring from fo corrupt a Fountain, and will much more probably poifon the Minds of Men than refresh and nourish them.

There remains one Confideration, which we hope will be a full and clear Aufwer to the Objection. When it is brought as an Argument to perfwade any Church to lay afide the Ufe of Confeffions, That fuch Restraints are a great Hindrance to further Advances in Knowledge, and are accompanied with mighty Prejudices to Religion and Learning, fuch Things will be understood, as that Church will think real Prejudices; and the Discoveries which would otherwife be made, muft be fuch as the Society will value and defire to promote: Otherwife the preventing them, can never be urged with them as an Argument against their Confeflions.

But now we are, what every Church muft neceflarly be with refpect to their own Standard, fully convinced, that Religion and Learning can nowife be fo well promoted as by a Conformity to our Confeffion, and by Men who maintain the Principles which it teaches; and that fo far as any deviate from them, they wander out of the Paths of true Knowledge, and it becomes the more improbable that Chriflian Learning can be improved by their Labours.

Our Confeffions can't be alledged to have the leaft bad Influence upon the highest Advances in Studies agreeable to them, they don't lay the finalleft Reftraint upon Minifters, to explain the Scriptures with greater Force and Evidence; to difcover new Arguments whereby the Truth may be vindicated with the greatcft Dexterity, and the Doctrines and Commands of Chriftianity recommended to the Faith and Practice of Mankind, in their brighteft Glory and lovelieft Excellency: They may be as knowing in the Oiginal Languages, Ancient Customs, Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, and all other Parts of Theological Learning, and improve them to as great Advantage as they are able; they may reafon with as much

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