in which w'^ celebrate the Death of Chfift, according to his Command, till he comes •, and fhow that we are wilHng to beefteemed" his Difciples, 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 Difference 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 Explication of the Chriftian Doctrine, wc have followed the Method of that v^'hich they call the ApoftlesCreed.and have avoided sll ExpreiTions, which have caufed any Controverfies amongft Chriftians; becaufe we are treating of thofe things in which they are agreed: And we do not for this Reafon condemn as falfe, any thing that may be added by way of Explication or Confirmation; on the contrary, we highly approve of their Endeavours, who explain and confirm Divine 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 unalterable; 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 crucified under Pontius Pilate, was raifed from the Dead the third Day, was taken up into Heaven, fits now at the Right-hand of the Father, and will come to judge the Quick and Dead by the Refurredlion of the Flefh. Keeping to this Rule of Faith, other Matters of Difcipline (or DoSlrine) and Behaviour, admit of Correal 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. Concerning 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 cannot be underftood but by the Dodrine of their Church; but others again deny it •, and (to mention 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 of the Holy Spirit, not only in order to the Belief of the Scripture, (which may without any great Difficulty be allowed,) but alfo in order to underlland the Meaning of the Words containedin it •, which I do not fee how it can be proved; but we will grant this alfo, provided they will acknowledge 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 faithfully 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 underl^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 acknowledges 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 admit or rejedf any thing, before ic fufficiently appears tO be either true or fa lie. '''l*fof*'U% '^eternal.yjiu).'iiiii'-_. •,, Sal vjc-* 302 What Chrtjliaji Church BooIc^B Salvation, in the Books of the New Teflament, promifed to any one who embraces this or that controverted Opinion; but to him who heartily receives in his Mind, and exprefles in his Aftions^ the Sum of the Chriftian Religion, as we have de*-fcribed it. /vtiiisd ^n Jiii/i // Jri^fijejii i S F fc V. VI. Nothing elfe ought to he impofed upon Chriftians^ hut what they can gather from the New 'T^ament, (^) T H I s therefore is the only thing that can juftly be impofed upon ail Chriftians, viz. that they embrace whatever they think is contained in the Books of the New Teftament, and obey thofe things which they find there commanded, and abftain from thofe things which are there forbidden; •if any thing further be required of them as neceffary, it is without any Authority. For would any fair Judge, require a Chriftian to believe a Doctrine came from Chrift, which he does not find in the only faithful and undoubted Records, in which all are agreed the Revelation of Chrift is derived down to us? Let other Dodrines be true; let us fi mpit m to'^nb ari ^ avaiJbd {a) Thti thenefore is tJ^-oiilf ' Twfeefe QifiH Is Taid ta have tHe thing, Sec] To this belongs Key qf DavUi, which is thus .whatChrift faith, Matt. XXllL deicribed, ^^bich opens (namely *ver. 8. and following. *' Be Heaven) and no one /huts, and *' ye not called Rabbi, for one nvbichjhutteth and no one open- ** is your Mafter, even Chrift, eth. U we are to believe •* and all ye are Brethren. Chrift only, and there remains " And call no Man your Fa- no other certain Record of the ♦* ther upon the Earth, for one Revelation made by Chrift, but . ** is your Father which is in the New Teftament; it is •* Heaven: Neither be ye manifeft from hence, that in ••called Matters, for one is Matters of Faith, we ought to •* your Mafter, even Chrift.'' give Credit only to ihefc Ste mMo James III, i. To Books, the fame Purpofc, Re'v. III. 7.
Se£t/6. we are to join with. "S\- 303 take this for granted a little while; they cannot however be efteemed as true by him, who, amongft the different Sorts of Chriftians, follows the middle way, and allows of no certain Record of the Revelation of Chrift, but the Books of the New Teftament. Whilfl he beUeves this, nothing elfe can juftly be required of him; and he will believe this, till it Hiall be made appear to him by plain Arguments, that the Knowledge of Chriftianity is fafely to be had fomewhere elfe, which I bdieve will never be done.
{a) I F any one therefore attempts to take away from Chriftians the Books of the New Teftament, or to add to them fuch things as do not appear to be true; we are by no means to hearken to fuch an one; becaufe he requires that of us, which no prudent Man will allow, viz. that we ihould believe that which we are not certain of, or negledt that which all own to be the fure Record of the 'Revelation of the Gofpel. There is no need of examining all Controverfies fingly, and one by one: 'V^hich would be an endlefs thing, and cannot be i^ione but by very learned Men, who have abundance cof Leifure. Whoever impofes any.thing upon sus, as neceflary to be believed, which we cannot believe; he drives us from himfelf; becaufe Be-'lief cannot be extorted by Force; nor will any one ^who fears God, and is a Lover of Truth, fuffer himfelf to profefs what he does not believe, for %: But ^^''■' {a) If any one therefore at- ** preached to you, let him ^^temptSy &C.3 "Jo this relates ** be accurfed/* And indeed ^'XMz Saying of Paul, Gal. it is no Man's Bufinefs to add *?1, 8. ** If we, or an Angel any thing to the Gofpel, as ^-** from Heaven preach any o- tieceilary; nor todiminilh any •• ther thing for the Gofpel, thing from it, as unprofitable.
•* than that Gofpel we have j(J4 JVhat ChrijUan Ckirch BookL But they who differ from this, objed; that if every one be left to their own Liberty, in judging of the Meaning of the Books of the New Teftamcnt; there will be as many Religions as there are Men •, and Truth, which is but one, will immediately be opprelled by a Multitude of Errors. But I think, that before an Opinion, which is efbablilhed upon folid Arguments, be oppofed by Objections, the Foundation upon which it is built ought to be overthrown; becaufe fo long as that remains firm, the whole Superftrufture raifed upon it cannot be fhaken; as we fee here. For if any Inconvenience fhould follow from what has been faid, it is neverthelefs true, till it be made appear not to be fixed on a firm Bottom. But to pafs by this now; it is falfe that the Revelation of the New Teflament is fo obfcure, that the Sum of the Chriftian Religion cannot be truly learned from it, by any one of a found Mind, v/ho is defirous of Truth. It is evident from Experience, that it may be truly learned from thence; for all Chriftians, as has been already fliewn, agree in the principal Parts of it; which was obferved by Gro~ tius. Book 11. Sed. XVII. We have no Regard here, to a few fimple or wicked Men y fince whole Societies of Chriftians, who in other Refpecls, out of their too great Eagernefs of Contention, are apt to differ from one another, and to run into the contrary Extremes, are here agreed.
Sect. VII. ne Providence of God ^ in preferviug the Chriftian Dotfrine^ is very wonderful.
In this Particular, as in numberlcfs others which relate to the Government of human Affairs, the Divine Providence is very wonderful 5 which, notwithftanding lb many Differences, as were of old, and are at this Day amongft Chriftians, yet hath preferved Seft; 7. ^e are fo fohi with, 305 preferved the Books of the New Tcitament entire, even to our times •, that the Chnftian Doctrine may be recovered' out of them, as often as it happens to be corrupted. Nor has it only delivered down to us this Treafure entire •, bu:alfo in tlie midfr of the hottell Differences, has fo fecured the Chriftian Do61:rine itfelf, that the Sum of Religion has never been forgot amongil Chrillians.
i No inconfiderable Number of Chridians at this Day contend, that many Errors, in former Ages, crept by Degrees, in amongft the Seds of Chriftians; which when others denied •, in the XVIth Century after the Birth of Chrift, that famous Separation in the ^Feft^ was made upon that Account, by which Chriftianity was divided into two Parts, not very, unequal. Yet in thofe Ages, whofe Errors are reproved by that Part of the Chriftians which made tne Separation I now mentioned, and whofe Faults were highly aggravated by both Sides, and that not without Grounds; the Sum of the Chriftian Religion before drawn up by us, was all along maintained, {a) There is no Age fo thick t- clouded (a) There is fto Age fo thik ty, lived Bcnrard, Abbot of clouded, t^c] None have a the Monadery of Claravallis^ worfe Report, than the Xih whole Learning Piety, and and Xlth Centuries, as isgrant- Conllancy, are commended by ed by thofe who (lick to the very many, and whofeWiitings See of Romts as much as by were often read in the followthofe who have maue a Sepa- ing Ages, and never condemnration from it. Yet if any one, ed. No.v from thence an enfor his own Satisfaftion, wjil tire Body of the ChriitianDocre^d amongft the Boohs of the trine may e:ifily be colle^ed i Tathersy the Writing'; of thoie and it is no lefs certain of the Centuries, he may eafilv col- following Cenf-'ries down to lea all tlie Dodrines mention, the XV Ith Nor is there any nd in the IVth Sect. At the Doubt of tiiofc that fylie**/., Beginning of the XIl;h Centu- 3o6 IVhat Chrijlian Church Book I, clouded with Ignorance and Vice, but the forementioned Articles of Faith, may eafily be colledted from their Writings that remain. It muft not indeed be difTembled, that many things foreign and unknown to the Books of the New Teftament, have been added and thruft into the Chriftian Theology; whence it is, that the true Wheat of the Sower in the Gofpel, hath not brought forth fo much Fruit as it would otherwife have done, had the Ground been cleared of Thorns and hurtful and unprofitable V/eeds. Many Vices and Faults, were not only admitted or borne with, but applauded alfo. Yet was not found Dodrine ever the lefs fafe, whilft the Books of the New Teftament remained, and whilft Chriftians were endued with common Senfe; for by this means, very eminent Men were often raifed up, who corrected the Errors and Vices of their Age, and ventured to oppofe the Torrent. Thus according to the Promife of Chrift, God hindred {a) the Gates of Death from frevailing againfi the Church 5 that is, did not fuffer every Society wherein the Chriftian Dodlrine was prefcrved entire, to be extinguiftied; though fometimes they were blended and obfcured with foreign and contrary Opinions, and fometimes were more fi ncere and pure. Wherefore (to obferve this by the Way) unlefs this Dodrine was really fent to us trom God, it could never have efcaped out out [a] The Gates of Death from haveobferved. Therefore this />/-fX'rt/7/«ff, &c ] bo we explain one thing may be gathered J Ao-. >'!*/'», becauie neither that from this PJace, that it will Word, nor the Hebreiv ^N'li* never happen, that theChrirtian Scheo/, which anfwers to it, e- Church fhould entirely perifh, ver lignifies in the Sacred Wri- or that there (hould be no Sotings, an evil Spirit, but only ciety left, amonglt whom the ihe Grave, or tiie State of the Sum of the Dodrine of the Dead, a& Gntiui and others Gofpel Qiould 110c rejnaia.
Se6i:. 7, 8. ive are to join vjith, 307 out of fuch a Deluge of Vices and Errors, but would at length have been overwhelmed by the Changeablencfs and Folly of Human Nature, and have entirely perifhed.
Sect. VIII. An Anfwer to that^ejlioiu Why God permits Differences and Errors to arife amcngfi Chrijiians, Perhaps fome may here objedl againfl what has been faid, that the Divine Providence would have better confulted the Prefervation of the Chriftian Dodrine, if it had prevented the Errors that are and have been amongfl Chriftians, and maintained Truth and conftant Agreement, which is the Companion of it, amongft them, bjf its Omnipotence. But it is not for us to inftruft God how he ought to diredl himfelf, in the Government of human Affairs, that they might be better. On the contrary, it is our Duty to think that God had very wife Reafons for fuffering what he did fuffer, tho* we cannot fo much as guefs at what they are. But if any probable Reafons can be given for the Things that are done; we ought to believe, that God permits thofe Things which daily come to pafs, to be done for thefe, or more weighty Reafons.
To make a Conjedlure from the Reafon of Things; we are above all Things fure, that the Defign of God was (a) to create Men free, and to fuffer . [a] To create Men free, SiC.^ Gofpel Preparation, Eook Vf.
This is taught with the high- ch. 6. and other?, whole Snyeft Conjenc by all Chrillian ings are quoted by Diomjiui Antiquity. See Juftin the Feta^vius, in his Theological Martyr's Apology I. ch LIV. JDo6trine.s, Tom. I. Book \T.
and LV. Irenaius ^ook IV. ch. 6. There are allb many ch. 9. ch. 29. towards the 1 hings to this Purpole, Tom.
Xz joS Wloat Chrifiian Church Book 1.
fuffer them to Gontinue fo to the End; that is, not fb good, that they mull ntceflarily continue good always; nor fo bad, as that they muft of Neceluty always lubmitto Vice j but mutable, fo as that they might pafs from Vice to Virtue, and again from Virtue to Vice j and this with more or iefs Eafe, according as they had longer or fhorter Time given up themfelves to Virtue or Vice. Such we fee the Hebrew Peo^ le of old were, and fuch were the Chriftians afterwards. Neither of them were drawn by an irrefi (table Force either to Virtue or Vice; but only reflrained by Laws, which propofed Reward to the Good, and t unifhment to the Bad -, to which were added by the Divine Providence, various Incitements to Virtue, and Difcouragcmcnts from Vice; but yet neither of them deprived Man of his native Liberty, whereby he had a Power of obeying or difobeying God, as is evident from Experience i for there were always Good and Bad, though the Divine Laws prefcribed Virtue, and prohibited Vice equally to alL That this would be fo amongil Chriftians, Chrifl: has plainly fignify'd in two Parables, (^J) the one of the Tares which the Enemy fo Wed, after the Wheat was fown ^ {b) the other of the Net, which took good and bad Fifli alike j by which he fignified, that there would always be in the Church, a Mixture of good and bad Chridianr,; whence it follows, that he very well faw the Evils that would always be in the Ghriftian Church. Moreover Paul tells the Chriftians, (c) ihi!iJjha'-^jf^Mj^.ke S^^ Aivf^ lio -iiX bnE bsrHi'^-^^inih srf ^ that ^lut.'\llf.' 24. and follow* - &c.] i Or. XL 19 For there ing. muji be alfo Herejies a?no7rgyou, \^b) TZ? other of the Net.S>:c'] that they -tchnh are appioued, Mat. Xlil. 47 and follow- 7;:ay be made manijeji among ii:g. y<.u\ th.il if, as thty are Men, there Sed:. 8. Wc' arc to join wi:l\ 509 that they who are approved may he made manifeft, (a) And indeed unlcfs there had been Diffc rences among Chrilbans concerning Dodlrine, thtrc had been no room left for Choice, and for that fort of Virtue, by which Truth is preferred to nil other Things. Therefore even in this Particular alfo, the Divine Wifdom fiiines bright; which caufed an excellent Virtue to flourifh out of the midft of the Vices of Men.
I F any one fhould obje6l here, (h) as Tome do; that it were better there were no fuch kind of Virtue, than that there fhould be Vices contrary to it, from whence fo many horrid Crimes, fo many Calamities, and fo great Miferies fhould befal Mankind, and fuch heavy Punifliment attend them after this Life: To this we anfvver, that thefe Evils were not of fuch a Confideration with God, that upon their Account, he fhould not give an Inflance of his Power in creating free Agents. Unlefs this had been done, no Creature woukl have beUeved, that it could have been done. Nay, God himfclf would not have been thought to be free, unlefs he himfelf had planted this Opinion of himfelf by his Omnipotence in the Minds of Men, which otherwife they never could have conceived from his Vv'orks.
there is a Necefllty, unlefs Century I. ^;7«ff LXXXIII. 8, tfeey were changed for the Li Clerc.
better, that there (hould arife (b) As fame tio, kc'] Thi?
Se<5ls amongft them, by which Cbjeaion is largely propofcd, the Good may be diRingiifhed and fee off with Rhetorical from the Bad; whilft the Good Flourifhes by Peter Baylei ftick to Truth and Charity, whom wc have confuted in and the reft run in:o all other fome of the Volumes of the Thii.gs. See Mat XVIII. 7. Choice Uh,ary, and efpeclally (a) AndindfedunLfs, S:c ] in the Xth, Xlih, Xilth, "in See this handled more at large Ftetjch.
X3 2 10 What Ckrijlian Church Book I.
Works. Nor could he have been woriliipped, if he had been thought to do, or to have done all Things, not out of his free Goodnefs, but by a certain fatal Neceflity •, uniefs by a fatal Worlhip aifo, and fuch an one as is not at all free. The Vices and Calanrjities of this or the other Life, are not comparable to fo great an Evil, as the fuppofing God to be ignorant of any Thing -, For if vvc find any Dif-Eculty about them, we ought to confidcr that God is mofc good, juft, powerful, and wife, and will not didi otherwife than agreeable to his Perfedlions; and will eafiiy find a Way and go in it, whereby to clear thofe Things which feem to us to be intangied; and to fhow to all intelligent Creatures, that nothing was done by him, which ought not to have been done. In the mean I'ime, till that Day fpring, in. which all the Clouds of our Ignorance fhail be difperfed; he hath given us fuch Experience of himfelf, and fuch Inftances of his Pcrleclions, on the Account of which, v/e may and ought entirely to confide in him, and patiently to wait for what he will have come to pafs. More might be faid on this Matter, but that it would divert us from thgt End wc are tending to, and carry us to what does not belong lo this jPlace. ijfi i.zirni^ Sect. IX. ^hey profefsand teach the Chriftiait Do-^rine in the pureft Manner of alU '^ho propofe thofe livings only asnecefjary to he believed^pra^tfedy or hoped for ^ which Chriflians are agreed in, T o pafs by thefe Things therefore, and return to the Choice of our Opinion amongft the different Se6ts of Chrifliians; nothing feems polTible to be done rpote fafe and wife, in this State of Affiiirs, than for us to join ourfelves with that Se6t of Chriflians, which acknowledgers the New Teftament only for the Rule of their Faith, without any Mixture mi Secfl 9. we are to join 'Lvlth. 3 1 1 ture of human Decrees; and who think it fufHcient that every one Ihould learn their Form of Faith from thence •, conform their Lives to its Precepts, and expedl the Promifes which are there made. Which if it be done fincerely, and without any Diflimulation; the End of fuch a Search, will be that very Form of found Words, which we have made appear to have remained the fame, amidft fo many and fo great Storms of Errors and DiiGTentions, during the paffing of fo many Ages, and the Changes of Kingdoms and Cities. In it are contained all Things that are neceffary to Faith and Pradice; to which if any one would have any other Things added, it may lawfully be done, according to the Circumftances of'Time and Place •, provided they benotimpofed as necefiary (a) (which belongs only to the fupreme Lawgiver,) nor contrary Doctrines to thefe obtruded. ^'^ '^^^ Christians difpofed in the Manner we have been fpeaking of, ought not to fubmit their Neck to the Yoke of human Opinions, nor toprofefs they believe what they do not believe; nor to do that which they cannot approve in their own Minds> becaufe they think it contrary the Precepts of Chriil. Therefore, where-ever that Chriftian Liberty, which I have now mentioned, is not allowed, they muft of NecefTity depart thence; not as if they condemned all that are of a different Opinion from themfelves, but becaufe every one is abfolutely obliged to follow the Light of his own Mind, [a) Which helongi only to the ferve them; which Right he Supreme Lanvgirver, &c ] See declares ro belong to Chrift what PauHzys upon this Mat- only. And to this may be re*' ter» Rom. XIV. i. nfrd fo on. ferred what St James fays; Wherehefpeaksofthofe who ch. IV. 12. There is bat om impole Rites on others j or La^gi'ver, nxho is able tofavt who condemn ihofc that ob- and to dfjir^y.
312 What Ckriftufi Church Book I, ar.d not that of another's; and to do that which h^ judges bell: to be dofie^; ^nd to avoid that which he thinks to be Evil, j'J f' Sect. X. All prudent Pcrfons ought to partake of. the Sacrament^ with thcfewho require ncthihg elfe, pf Chr'ifttans^ hut what every one finds in the Books of the New ^efiament* Since Chrift has appointed two Signs or Symbols of Chriftianii:y,Baptirm and the Lord's Supper; it was not indeed in our Power, to receive Baptifm where we judged the Chriftian Religion to be moft pure, bccdufe we were baptized very young; but Hnce we do not come to the other Sacrament till we are of riper Agi, we may diftinguilh that Society of Chriftians, in which we are wiling to be Partakers of it • which if we have not jflready done, v/e ought ^/*!t^H'EUE are (om^"'who make the Sacrament, (which according "to CH rift's Inftitution, (a) is a Token of that Peace and Love v^hich is between £^hr:(lianf,) a'Mark of Dillindion •, and exclude from it aif thofe, who do not think it fafe to fubrnit to any Voke, but what Chrift has laid upon them \ of toreceive any Things as necefTary to be believed, pradifed or hoped for, but thofe which they are Verily perfuaded are contained in the Books ot the i^^w 1 eftam*ent;" and who are therefore very cautious of 'admitting any other Forms qf Faith, be-''- fides \a\ Is a Token of fh {if Peace one Body^ for nve are all Percncf Love, ^c-] iJee i Ccr X. tc.kers ot that one Bread.
j6, 17. where mtntioniiig the Which Woids tTjciv; that by Sacramjsntal Cup and Biead, thr Savrament isli^nified tj-ic of which manv arc Partaktrs, m.ifua) Agiefimtnr oFChrJilithe ApolUc adds; Tor «u'f he- itns; and {o the heft FnterprC" f/ig man^P arg one Bnad and lers uiiderftand it.
Scft- lo. noe are to jctnAvith: '^ 313 fides that which we have mentioned. It is but juft: and reafonable indeed, that we fiiould maintain Peace with luch Men as thele \ {a) But for receiving the Sacrament upon this Condition, that we fhould embrace any other Rule ot Faith and Pradice, bcfidt the Books of the New Tcftament, and think all thofe excluded the Church who will not admit them; this a religious and prudent Man will think very wicked. But all they who are true Lovers of the Gofpcl, fafely may and ought to approach the Sacramental Table of them, who know no other Laws of obtaining eternal Salvation, but thofe laid down by Chrift and his Apoflles in the Books of the Gofpel Covenant, as every one can underftand them. For whoever 'acknowledges the Books of the New Teftament for the only Rule of Faith and Praflice \ who fincertly conform their Lives to that Rule 5 in a Word, who allow of no Idolatry, nor treat others ill, that they may profefs they believe certain Dodrines which they do not believe; all fuch are received by thefe, and aifo invited to this Table. It is manifeft indeed, that Communion cannot be maintained with him, who makes ufe of Force to impofe his Opinions upon others; who Vv'orlhips other Gods, befides the true God the Fa* ther, Son, and Holy Ghoil; or who by his Converfation, fhowsthat he makes light of the Precepts of the Gofpel; or who owns any other Laws of Salvation, than thofe wrote in the Books of the eternal Covenant: But he who behaves himfelf the tlir€(5t contrary, is worthy to have all Chriftians maintain ic) Butforrscii-vbigtheSa' iojoininreceivifr^ the Sacracrament^ &c.] And this was mer.t i wliere lie fpeaks of the the Opinion of Grofius, as ap- Reafons of forbearing the Com* pear? from that hctle Book of munion. 'J om. IV. of his 3 1 4-* JVhdt Chriftian Church Book L maintain Communion with him, and to be preferred to all the reft who are of a different Opinion. \a) No mortal Man, nay no Angel can impofe anynew Gofpel upon Chnftians, to be believed by them: Now according to this Gofpel, he is a true Difcipleof Chnft, who trom his Heart believes his Do6trine, and his only, fo as to obey it the beft he is able, according to the Infirmity of this Life •, who worfhips one Go'i, loves his Neighbour as himfelf, and lives temperately in refped: to all other Things.. If any Thing be diminifhed from this, the Laws of the Covenant, which none but God can abate any Thing of, are maimed: and if any Thing be added, it is an ufelefs Yoke, which none ought to impofe on Chriftians. Such Laws can be received from God only, who alone is the Determiner of ett rnal Salvation.
Perhaps fome may here afk me by what Name thefe Chriftian Societies, which I have now defcnbcd, may be diftinguiftied? But it f'gnifies' nothing what Denomination they go under; The Reader may conceive all Churches to be meant, in which, what I have faid, is to be found. Where- -foever that only Rule of Faith, and that Liberty. which I have defcribed, is; there they may be affur: d true Chriftianity is, and they need not enquire for a Name, which makes nothing to the -Purpofe. I believe there are many fuch Societies;-and I pray the good and great God, that there may be more and more every Day -, that at length his ' 'Kingdom may come into all the Earth, and that Man- ^ kind may obey it only.
(a) Mortal Man, &€.] See the Notes or SsR. I.
Y.CT Sed:. ir. wearctojoinivith. jjr Sect. XI. Concerriing Church-Government.
A fmall Difficulty may here be objedled to us, which arifes from the Form of Church-Government and DifcipUne, commonly callfdEccIefiaftical: For no Society, fuch as a Church is, can fubfift without Order, and therefore there muft be fome Form of Government appointed. Now it is debated amongft Chriftians, what Form of Government was appointed by the Apoftles •, for that feems preferable to all others, which was appointed from the Beginning; and therefore of tv/o Churches, in which the Gofpel is taught with equal Purity and Sincerity in all other Refpedls, that is to be preferred, in which the Form of Government is Apoftolical j though Government without the Thing itfelf, that is, the Gofpel, is only the faint Shadow of a Church.
There are now two Forms of Government, one of which is that wherein the Church ads under one Bifhop, who alone has the Right of ordaining Prefbyters, or the inferior Order of the Gofpel Minifters; the other is that, where the Church is governed by an Equality of Prelbyters, joined with fome Lay-Perfons of Prudence and Honefty. They who, without Prejudice, have read over the moft antientChriftian Writers that now remain, (rt) very well know, that the former Manner of Difcipline, which is called Epifcopal, fuch as that in the South Part of Great Britain^ prevailed every where in the Age immediately after the Apoftles; whence we may collcdl, that it is of Apoftolical Inftitution. The other, which they call Prejhyterian^ was inftituted (a) Verywell knoiju, &c.] 6. and LXVIIl. 8. and the See my Ecclejlaftical Ihjlorv^ follonxiing ones. Le Clerc. Century I. to the Year LII.
3 1 6 What Chrijlian Church Book I.
tuted in many Places o^ France, Switzerland, Germany, and Hollayid, by thofc wr>o in the XVlth Century made a Separation from the Church of Rome,