Venn, I was at that time advanced as far in irreligion as you represent me to be at prefent, I fhould think you might conclude, that notwithstanding your diftreffing apprehenfions, the evil, whatever it be, will not proceed much farther.

After calling upon Mr. Venn, as I do upon you, to prove the feveral charges advanced against me, which I diftinctly pointed out to him (though it was to no purpose; for like the man without the wedding garment, he remained speechlefs on the fubject from that day to this) I faid to him, as I do to you, I defire you, as a man, and a chriftian, to lay C your hand upon your heart, and question yourself concern< ing the real temper of mind in which you wrote to me, the true motive of your conduct, and the end you had in ' view in endeavouring, as you have done, to expose me to 'the odium and indignation of mankind.'

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As the Reply to Mr. Venn abundantly answered its purpofe, I have no defign to reprint it. But as the Confiderations on Differences of Opinion among Chriftians, which I prefixed to it, may be as useful now as they were then, I shall subjoin them. This was the first piece of religious controverfy that I wrote, and much as I have written fince, I hope it will appear that I have never loft fight of the obfervations (equally proper for all who write or read controverfy) which I then made.

CONSIDERATIONS

Ο Ν

Differences of Opinion among Chriftians,

Originally prefixed to the Reply to Mr. Venn.

SECTION I.

Of latent Infincerity, and direct Prevarication.

HAVING, in my Letter to Mr. Venn, advanced as

much as I think fufficient, by way of reply to his Examination of my treatife, I was not willing to omit this opportunity of addreffing, to the public, a few general confiderations, relating to differences of opinion among chriftians. If the nature and fpirit of his pamphlet be confidered, there are but few persons, I imagine, who will think an answer, addreffed to him only, in the leaft neceffàry, or expected from me. Indeed, I never confidered the anfwering of Mr. Venn as my principal object; but I thought it afforded me a fair occafion of expofing the grofs mifreprefentations, and unworthy cavilling, which not Mr. Venn only, but too many others, fcruple not to make use of, in order to render thofe who differ from them, in fome fpeculative points, odious to their fellow christians.

This is not a complaint of mine only, or confined to the present occafion. Numbers of the faithful fervants of Christ have been greatly injured, and have had their usefulness impeded, by the fame ungenerous and unjust treatment. It has been the cafe, more or lefs, in all ages; and I am forry. to see such a profpect of the continuance of it in time

to come.

How

How many worthy minifters of the gofpel, who have taken great pains to understand chriftianity, and are seriously disposed to promote both the knowledge and the practice of it, to the utmost of their power, have their hands, as it were, tied up, by those who bufy themselves in Spying out their christian liberty. Many of them are fo circumstanced, that, should they endeavour to serve the interests of christianity, and of mankind, in the way which they fhould think best adapted to answer the purpose; such a clamour, they cannot but foresee, would be raised, and fo furious an oppofition would immediately be made to them, that they are convinced they should do more harm than good by the attempt. There are but few whofe advantageous fituation, ability, and firmnefs of mind, concur to enable them fuccessfully to encounter the difficulties they would hereby involve themselves in; fo that, being incapacitated for doing all the good they are defirous of doing, they are content to do the little they can do, in as quiet and inoffenfive a manner as poffible; following the prudent advice of our Lord, who admonishes us, not to caft our pearls before fwine, left they trample them under their feet, and turn again, and rent us.

That the interefts of practical chriftianity fhould sustain fo great a lofs, is a thing truly to be lamented; and though, fuch is the state of things in this world, that thefe offences will come, and we are, therefore, to lay our account with meeting with them; we cannot help faying, with our Saviour, who foretold them, Woe unto them by whom they come; that is, to those who are the criminal cause of them.

Far am I from cenfuring thofe perfons who are merely mifled, or thofe who, in consequence of having been misled themselves, endeavour to mislead others. Every allowance. fhould be made for all thofe who offend through ignorance, though they be carried away, even to the moft violent acts of perfecution, by a zeal that is merely not according to knowledge. But the woe of Chrift will certainly fall with its whole weight upon those, who make a handle of the prejudices of mankind, to gratify their own pride, or promote

their

their own worldly interefts and ambition; and who labour to inflame those prejudices with a view to making them fubfervient to such bafe purposes. Nor will those escape animadverfion, who are, in part only, actuated by fuch unworthy motives; and who, though they may think the cause they are engaged in a just and good one, yet profecute it with more ardour and vehemence, than a pure regard to the goodness of it would have excited in them.

Very few of the actions of men have, I believe, one fimple cause. We are generally influenced by a variety of motives in whatever we do. It, therefore, behoves us the more carefully to distinguish the influences to which we are subject, and under which we really act. God forbid that I should take upon me to condemn any individual of his creatures. Himself only knows our hearts, and he will render unto every man according to his works. But the general nature of our motives, the kind, or clafs, to which they are reducible, may in some measure, be known by the manner in which they operate. And the most distinct of all, in their nature and effects, are those which have the interest of this world, and thofe which have that of another for their object.

The man whose sole spring of action is a concern for lost fouls, and a care to preserve the purity of that gospel, which alone teaches the most effectual method of their recovery from the power of fin and Satan unto God, will feel an ardour of mind, that will prompt him ftrenuously to oppose all thofe, whom he confiders as obftructing his benevolent designs. An ardour of mind will likewife be felt by the man whose fole object is the advancement of his reputation, his party, or his fortune; but this ardour cannot be fuppofed to operate in the very fame manner in both cafes, so as that they cannot be distinguished by an attentive obferver. There will certainly be fome difference in the choice of means to promote these several ends. We fhould naturally expect more fairness, more candour, more meekness, and more generofity, from the chriftian, than from the mere man of this world. The paffions of the latter would, alfo, be apt to run into

perfonal

personal animofity, envy, jealoufy, hatred, and malice; whereas the utmoft zeal of the former would not only ever appear to be confiftent with, but would be greatly productive of, the moft difinterefted benevolence, and the most affectionate brotherly love. By this rule we may, in fome measure, try the spirits whether they be of God. But let the utmost diffidence and candour accompany every judgment we form, remembering that we must all stand before the judgment-feat of Christ.

When perfons exprefsly avow the motives of their conduct, not to acquiefce in their declarations has the appearance of queftioning their veracity; because it is taken for granted, that every man muft know the principles of his own conduct. But the human mind is fo complex a thing, that there is great room for felf-deception; efpecially in cafes where the paffions and affections are ftrong, and when they occafion fimilar emotions, as well as produce fimilar effects. In this case a bystander may be a better judge than a man's felf. A zeal for our opinions, and a zeal for our party, on the advancement of which our own perfonal reputation and influence depend, are neceffarily connected, and reciprocally promote one another. For the fame reason, a dislike of opinions has an affinity with the dislike of those who hold them, as men who are embarked in an interest opposite to ours, and whofe credit and authority obftruct our own. Alfo, all the emotions of mind that are excited by the fame objects, how different foever they be originally, by frequent affociation mix together, fo that the parts of that complex feeling which refults from their union, are no longer diftinguishable. When two perfons, who have had frequent intercourfe, have been a long time at variance, and the fubject of their contentions have been. numerous; can either of them analize the fudden emotion they will feel upon an unexpected meeting, and by which they may be inftigated to some instant and violent act?

We often begin to act with one motive, but, as we proceed, we come infenfibly within the influence of others; fo

that,