1 SECTION V. General Advices. LET all the different fects and parties of chriftians attend with candour to the opinions and practices of others, and freely adopt whatever they are convinced is good in any of them. There is no fect or party but hath fome thing belonging to it of an adventitious nature, and that is no necessary part of the general system; and let not our party prejudices blind us so far, as to make us condemn and reject what is good in any set of men, merely because they hold it; but be the fyftem ever fo bad, let us glean from it. every good idea, and every useful custom. Were all parties faithfully to attend to this, the very worst of them would be made tolerable, and they would all foon be brought nearer to one another in affection and mutual charity, if not in opinion also. Let us all accuftom ourselves to the confideration of having one proper head, and make less use of other names, by way of party distinction. We are to call no man father, or master, upon earth; for we have one father, even God; and one master, even Chrift. The use that is made by many of the authority of the Reformers, and others, appears to me to be an infringement of this injunction. The use of the names of men-tends much more to enflame a party fpirit, than any other method of distinguishing one another. Befides, by frequently calling one another Arians, Socinians, Calvinifts, &c. we are too apt to forget that all these are only different denominations of christians; and in order to raise an odium against their adverfaries, many fcruple not in fo many words, to fay they are no chriftians. Now had men kept to the dictinction of opinions only, I cannot conceive how any man could ever have been called a deist, or an infidel, who profeffed to believe the divine miffion of Chrift, Chrift. But the terms Arians, Socinians, &c. eafily pafs into that of no chriftians. This, however, is a most base, and difingenuous proceeding; and those perfons might, with the fame propriety, call their adverfaries Mahometans. In all our disputes about different tenets, and modes of the chriftian religion, let us be careful not to lose fight of the great end and design of christianity in general, viz. that Chrift came to blefs mankind, in turning them away from their iniquities; to redeem (or deliver) us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. The chief thing, therefore, that we should attend to, and the only rule for eftimating the importance of any opinions, is their efficacy for this moral purpose. Let us, then, not fuffer ourselves to be deceived by mere words, and pompous founds. As to those who follow other rules of estimating the importance of opinions, and who think that mere belief can be of any avail to recommend them to the favour of God; they ought, as I observed before, to have very good reasons for their perfuafion. For, if once the above mentioned plain and obvious rule be quitted, it will not be easy to find another that can be applied to any good purpose. After lofing this clue, men will be involved in an endless labyrinth. They will often cry peace, peace, to themfelves, when there is no peace; and they will, also, often fear, where no fear is. I have nothing more to recommend to the different fects and parties of chriftians, but to remember that we are all men; and to be aware of the force of prejudice, to which, as fuch, we are all liable. If we be not ftrangely infatuated indeed, we shall be fenfible, that there have been great and good men of all parties. Ridley and Latimer were men who entertained very different opinions, with respect to the points which are now denominated orthodox; yet they were both burned at the fame stake, and suffered martyrdom with equal conftancy. This confideration alone, if fufficiently attended to, cannot fail, I fhould think, to ftagger the faith of thofe, who believe the favour of God to be confined to any any one party, especially if they be naturally men of modefty and candour. As men, however, we are certainly all of us fallible, and liable to adopt opinions without fufficient evidence. Let us, therefore, as becomes reasonable beings, in these circumstances, be careful to keep our minds always open to conviction; let us cultivate humility, and a diffidence of ourselves, and earnestly apply to the God of truth, that we may be led into all truth. What effect these confiderations may have upon my readers is very uncertain. It is not improbable, but they may inflame the animofity of fome against the author and his friends; but on others, it may be hoped, they will have a different and more favourable influence. If they be of any use to make any perfons think and reflect, and fearch the fcriptures more than they have hitherto done, it is all that I defire; having no doubt, but that the refult will be favourable to what I think to be the cause of truth and virtue. Whether we preach or write, we are properly compared to those who sow feed; and this it is our duty to take every proper opportunity of doing, though we know not whether it will be productive. Eccl. xi. 6. In the morning fow thy feed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knoweft not whether shall profper. For though Paul may plant, and Apollos water, it is God that gives the increase; that is, the fuccefs depends upon the operation of causes, and the influence of circumftances, which, though they be unknown to us, are under the direction of that great Being, who, in his infinite wisdom, difpofes of us and of all things. May his will be done, and to him be glory, through Jefus Chrift. Amen. THE END. |