Clofenefs and Perfpicuity, and be as cautious to ufe a weak uncertain Argument as they defire; they may fall upon the newest and beft Ways of anfwering Objections, and putting an End to Controverfies in the moft ingenious and clear Manner; and in all thefe Things a Man is at perfect Liberty, without any Biafs from the Authority of Creeds, to go beyond his Neighbours and excel the reft of the Church.

No Difadvantage is done to any new Difcoveries, except those that may be defigned for the Defence and Propagation of Dotrines contrary to the publick Standard: Now 'tis plain, fo long as any Society remains convinced of the Truth thereof, they must look upon all fuch Difcoveries to be directly contrary to the Inte reft of Religion, or to the Growth of true and folid Learning; and all the feeming Learning and Labours which tend this Way, muft be thought by them Steps towards real Ignorance and in fo far an extinguithing the Light of Truth.

I may admire the Works of thofe from whom I differ in other refpects, and acknowledge the great Benefits that our common Religion may receive from their Studies; but fo long as I am, for Example, what the World calls a Calvinist, and in my Confcience fully convinced of the divine Original of the Principles which diftinguith that Party, I cannot help believing that thefe Labours which are defigned to oppofe Calvinism, must be in fo far oppofite to Truth and Knowledge, and that they can only tend to improve Learning falfly fo called, to the Growth of what the Apostle names Philofophy and vain Deceit (a).

And while this is the View which a Church hath of Things, muft fhe not think that the Restraints of her Confeffions, are the fureft Means to promote true and valuable Learning, in ftead of being a Hindrance to it? And is it not a palpable Abfurdity, to fuppofe the Objection of our Adverfaries fhould be of any Weight with her, when the is convinced that a contrary Management would only tend to difcover to the World new Arts of Sophiftry, and fill it with perverfe Difputers endued with more Cunning and Subtilty? and that the Thing encouraged thereby, would be the Learning of the Man defcribed by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. 3. If any Man teach otherwise and confent not to wholesom Words, even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinefs, v. 4. He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about Questions and Strifes of Words, whereof cometh Envy, Strife, Railings, evil Surmifings, V. 5. Perverfe Difputings of Men of corrupt Minds, and destitute of the Truth, &c.

It is true that we don't reckon it impoffible, but that Difcoveries of fome Truths may be made not only new, but contrary to fome of our prefent Principles; for we don't fancy that we are infallible, and abfolutely fecured from Miftakes: But then we can only think that an Opinion of an Adverfary may pelibly be true,

while

while, at prefent at least, it appears highly probable that it is false; whereas we think it in the last Degree, probable that the contrary Sentiment is true, and only poffible that it may be falfe; in which

Cafe I think it evident that we must be determined more by the Probability than by the bare Poffibility, and accordingly think that found Chriftian Learning will be in the likelieft Way to increase when that Principle is adhered to.

HERE remains now only one Objection against Confeffions they occafion in the World, and the great Difadvantage they are to Peace and Charity. Hi enim libri, fays an Author of that Side, origo & fomentum adhuc fuerunt, tot litium, altercationum, rixarum, infectationum, contentionum, fimultatum, acerbitatum, conviciorum, condemnationum, & nefandarum diftra&tionum ; quibus nunquam carebit Ecclefia dum illorum librorum & fcriptorum autoritas ftabit (a).

What we have reprefented upon the laft Argument, may in a great Measure be applied to this Objection alfo; and therefore a very few Obfervations upon it will be fufficient to answer it. In the first place, It may, we believe, without Prefumption be affirmed that any Mifchiefs and Diforders which can be laid to the Charge of Confeffions, have been almoft wholly owing to the Abuse of them, and their having been built upon wrong Foundations, and enforced with unjustifiable Arguments.

It was when Creeds claim'd an abfolute Submiffion and implicite Faith, when they were edged with the Sword, and carried along with them Blood and Torture, that they became very dangerous Tools and fatal to the Peace of Mankind. Confult the History of the Church in all Ages, and it will be found that Perfecution and an Invafion upon the Rights of others, a Humour of impofing the Faith of the prevailing Party upon the Minority, and enforcing this Invasion on the Confciences of Chriftians, by Fines, Imprifonments and Death it felf, were the Springs of all the Evils complained of.

But does this in the least affect that Authority of Confeffions, which, as we have proved, is perfectly confiftent with all the moft extended Rights of a rational Creature, and takes its Rife from the unalienable and fundamental Privileges of all Societies? Is it an Objection against Creeds which are recommended by none but equitable and rational Arguments; and are not urged upon others against their Confciences, nor are attended by the dreadful Train of Deaths and Tortures, which contain the Sting and Poifon of the Papal Decrees, and if they be taken away, afford an eafy Accefs to reap the Sweets and Advantages of Confeffions, without the alledged Hazards?

ha

Thefe

Vide De pace Ecclefia reftituenda confilium, apud Clericum Bibl, ebeific, Tom. 7. Pag. 402.

Thefe uncharitable Heats, bitter Invectives, and calumnious Mifreprefentations of Perfons and Things, which are too oft to be found amongst contending Parties; with all the other melan choly Fruits of Divifion, which difquiet Mankind, and difturb their Peace and Happiness; are not owing to a vigorous Zeal for thefe Doctrines which appear to be according to Truth and Godliness, nor to a high Efteem and fteady Adherence to our Principles concerning Creeds: But they are to be entirely attributed to the unfanAtified Paffions of Mankind, and thofe Affections and Inclinations which have not been purified by the Grace of God, nor brought under the Obedience of the Gofpel, our Pride and Vanity and Worldly-mindednefs, Fondnefs of Applaufe, Efteem of our own Schemes and Performances, and all the other Branches of Selflove.

"Tis thefe that raife all the Storms'which tofs about Mankind,and have broken the Harmony of Societies, and the Peace of Families; thefe have blown up the Coals of Contention, and fed the Flames which have fo long devoured the World. Thefe corrupt unbroken Hearts of ours, make us fo impatient of Contradiction; fo fenfioly touched with the leaft Oppofition to our Opinions, which we vainly fancy every body fhould be as fond of as our felves; and fo eagerly bent upon Methods of revenging the fuppofed Injury done our Judgment: Hence Men become fo fierce and imperious, fo little tender of their Fellow-creatures that may differ from them; and fo violent in all their Meafures, abandoned to Anger, Refent ments, Hatreds, and hence we are fo ready to pafs a rash and cenforious Judgment, concerning the Motives and Ends of those who think otherwife than we do, to excommunicate, and it may be damn them, and, while they live, to treat them as our Enemies. Whence, fays the Apoftle, come Wars and Fightings among you? come they not bence? egen of your Lufts that war in your Members (a).

It thefe Paffions were mortified, and Men would fubdue their ow Spirits, if we would form the Temper of our Souls upon the Mo del of Chriftianity, and practife thofe noble Virtues which are the diftinguishing Ornaments of our Religion; all thofe Mitchiefs would foon have an End, and we would then fee what had been the true Caufe of all our Diforders. Make a Man humble and modeft, convince him of the Weaknefs of Mankind and the Nar rownets of humane Understanding, purify him from Pride and Vain-glory and Self-love, and engage him to imitate the Meeknefs and Lowlinefs of the bleffed Jefus, and then all his Life and Actions will breathe Peace and Love and Charity, and he'll make the World and the Church happy.

But if this be not done, it is in vain to fancy that this or the other Scheme of Principles will procure Quiet and Harmony to Societies. It is Unacquaintednets with humane Nature, and the

(a) James 4. L

truc

True Springs of our Misfortunes, which makes People imagine that the running down Confeffions of Faith, and the expoling all Compo fures of this Nature to Contempt, will ever do the Bufinefs Thofe Paffions would lofe none of their Fury, and would prove as outrageous in the Breafts of thofe that were for no Reftraints of this kind, as in thofe of any other: We fhould fee, and we actually have feen, a vain and proud Free-thinker as fond of his own Notions, as imperious, and as uncharitable, as the most zealous Promoter of Orthodoxy; his Paffions as ready to boil over, and inflame Societies to their utter Distraction and the Ruin of their Peace: Thefe Corruptions feated in the Heart, will always find fome Vent to break out at, and if they don't exert themfelves about religious Matters, they'll do it in a Way equally disadvanta geous to the World.

There can be therefore no Colour of Reafon in this Objection, except it could be proved, that the Principles which we have endea voured to vindicate with refpect to Confeffions, are inconfiftent with the Graces of the Chriftian Life, which are beautified with fo in comparable Charms, and would render the World fo happy did they prevail in it.

But what Pretence is there for fuch an Allegation? May not Moderation and Meeknefs in the Management of a Caufe, be reconciled with the moft un haken Steadinefs? And are not the warmeit Zeal for the Faith of the Gofpel, and the most vigorous Efforts in contending for it, confiftent with a Love to the Souls of Men, a moft compaffionate Concern for their Errors and Backflidings, and fincere Endeavours to reclaim them managed with all the winning Arts of Modefty, Humility, and Diffidence of one's felf, and a Deference for our Neighbour? May I not ma niteft all the Beauties of the perfecteft Charity and Good-will, and all the Charms of Patience, Self-denial, Candor and Ingenuity with respect to a Man, whom I can't make Choice of for my Minifter, or perhaps admit into Chriftian Communion, till he give fome reafonable Affurance that he is a Difciple of Jefus, and hath embraced the Faith once delivered to the Saints? fince I may exercife all thefe Graces towards Perfons, concerning whom I am perfwaded that they never were Chriftians, or that they have departed from the Truth; and ought to fhow all Gentleness to all Men, Heathens and Publicans, if we may thereby reclaim them, and bring them to the Knowledge of the Truth.

Thefe are the principal Objections, which, we conceive, can be brought against Confeffions, as they are embraced and made ufe of by all the Reformed Churches, and particularly the Church of Scotland And we flatter our felves that fo full and plain Anfwers have been. made to them, that it will be eafy for the Reader, by the Help of them, to difcover the Weakness of any other Cavils of the fame Nature, which are so vainly boasted of by Adverfaries.

FAVING thus finished what relates to the Arguments againft HAV Creeds, and vindicated their Equity, Ufefulness and Neceffity; it remains only that in a few Words, we represent fome Things which imprefs us with the moft hearty Concern in this Affair, make us look upon the Question as a Matter of great Importance, and animate us with a warm Zeal and Activity in espousing what appears to us the better Side.

The near Connection which the Queftion concerning Confeffions hath with the Doctrines of Revelation, and the great Influence they have upon them, their appearing one very proper if not abfolutely neceffary Mean to preferve thefe in their Purity, and to manifeft our high Efteem and cordial Acceptation of them, repea ted Experiences, that the Clamour and Contempt which Articles of Faith and Creeds have of late been expofed to, have almoft always proceeded from a Coldnefs of Affection to the Truths of the Gofpel, and an Indifferency as to Matters of Faith: And the vifible Tendency which they have to leffen that fteady Concern, and great Value for the Doctrines of Chriftianity, which fhould poffefs the Breaft of every one who pretends to be a Follower of Jefus, and to reduce us to the degenerate and hateful Temper of Laodicea, join together in touching us after a moft fenfible manner, when we reflect on this Subject, and naturally intermix the Regard for the Truth it felf, with our Efteem for Confeffions fo neceffary to fecure it.

And is Religion reduced to fo low an Ebb, and the Impreffions of the great God and our bleffed Saviour fo far razed out of the Minds of Mankind; that they can with an Eafinefs of Thought, behold a Flood of Errors breaking down all the Boundaries of Truth, the moft facred Myfteries of Godlinefs impudently denied and impugned, and the diftinguishing Doctrines of Chriftianity, whereby it is exalted above the Darknefs of Paganism and the Follies of Mahomet, treacherously undermined, fubtilized into an airy Phantom, or at leaft doubted if not difclaimed? All which muft be born with, as little Differences in Opinion, that ought not to diminish our Efteem and Affection to the Maintainers of them fhould not interrupt Chriftian Communion, or even unfit a Man for being our Minifter, at least we need not ufe the fmalleft Caution in Enquiries about his Faith, or purfue the neceffary Means to difcover it, and obtain Satisfaction that he is not of the Number of the groffeft Hereticks.

;

We can't but look upon fuch a falfe Moderation and Charity, and a pretended Love of Liberty, as a bafe Forgetfulness of our Duty and the Obligations we are under to our Saviour, a real betraying his Honour into the Hands of Infidels, and inglorioufly deferting or looking with a ftupid Unconcernednefs upon thefe Interefts, which fhould be dearer to us than our Lives, and have a conftant Preference to our chiefeft Joys.

Where is our Religion if the Doctrines of it be corrupted? Are not thefe the Defign and Subftance of Revelation, which God bleffed the World with, that he might enlighten their Understand