ranny, which the authors and abettors of fuch meatures have in fact laboured to establish, under the counterfeit names of the true faith and the true church of Christ;^ demanding and forcing, as fit means to this end, a flavish fubmiffion of men's understandings and confciences to their ufurped and anti-christian authority in matters of religion. It we reflect on past ages, we shall find it true in hiftory, that perfecution has always been employed in fupport of error and abfurdity in belief, of faperftition in worship, and of an arbitrary and tyrannical power: that in former times, perfecution began and increafed in proportion as men departed from the purity of the chriftian faith and worship; till the fyftem of popery was established on the ruins of chriftianity: and that in latter times® perfecution hath abated, juft in proportion as proteftants have returned back to the genuine principles of the golpel. And whenfoever the proteftant nations fhall become further reformed, and intirely conformed to the truth of christianity, then, and not till then, we may certainly expect, that a compleat univerfal toleration will take place in thofe nations.

This leads to another observation fimilar to the foregoing which is, that among all parties of chriftians, where there is the most moderation, candour, and humanity in practice, there is alfo the moft truth, and the leaft error in belief and opinion. Confequently, the fureft teft by which any person of common understanding may try how far any party or body, church or nation of chriftians underfland the truth of the gospel and are found in the faith, or on the contrary are wrong in their doctrine and principles, is to observe what degree of charity or enmity they maintain, in their general conduct towards the different parties of their fellow-chriftians. This observation is founded on reason: for undoubtedly those are mok likely to avoid error, who are the treeft from prejudice and a party bias. It is attefted by hiftory; which informs. ds, that perfecution has been always applied to fupport

error and fuperftition. It is agreeable to experience: beCause the church of Rome is at this day the most`un-" charitable, domineering, and perfecuting in practice, and at the fame time, the most erroneous and corrupt in doc trine. It is deducible from the inftance of the Apostle; who was infallibly in the right, and understood the true principles of chriflianity better than any of the chriftians to whom he wrote, yet had at the fame time može candour, condefcenfion and charity towards those who differ ed from him, than all of them put together. Finally, it is the fame teft, by which our Saviour and the Apostles teach us to try the foundnefs of men's faith and the truth of their proffeffions. Our bleffed Saviour thus inftructs us to detect the falte prophets, the wolves that appear in fheep's cloathing: ye fhall know them by their fruits. Now by what fruits can we fo certainly dif tinguish them, as by their humanity and goodness, or their malice, cenforioufness and bitterness towards their fellow-chriftians. And again by this fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye love one another. Thus likewife the Apoflle James teacheth us to judge of the true faith; Thou haft faith and I have works. Shew me thy faith without thy works; and I will fhew thee my faith by my works.. In another place he gives us the character of true religion, as diftinguished from all falf hood, fuperftition and tyranny, that may affume the name or mask of religion. Who is a wife man and endued with knowledge among you? let him fhew out of a good converfation his works with meeknefs of wisdom. But if you have bitter zeal and contention in your hearts; glory not, and lie not against the truth. i. e. Do not cover your uncharitablenefs with boasting and bypocritical pretentions of holding the right faith and maintaining true religion. This wisdom defcendeth not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, devilish; it is vile craft and wicked policy to gain your worldly ends. But the wifdom that is from above, the true knowledge and

faith of the Gospel, is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle," eafy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrify.-A more juft and admirable defeription of genuine chriflianity cannot be expreffed; and here is the true mark and character held out to us, by which we may difcover it in the world.

Thus we find it is a confirmed obfervation, That the true faith and charity of the Gospel are infeparable, and that the latter is the clue by which we are to find out the former, amidst the confufion of various difcordant opinions, modes parties, and denominations.-Under this head let me add, That it becomes us, as christians, to extend our charity even to thofe, who of all men in the world leaft deferve it, I mean, perfecutors themselves. I is poffible, nay probable, that fome of them may act pure. ly from a mistaken judgement, tho' they are fallen into the moft pernicious of all errors; and that they may real ly think that they are doing God fervice, while they are abufing and perfecuting his most faithful fervants. This we know was actually the cafe of our apostle, who did it ignorantly (and not from baf. and worldly motives) and therefore he obtained mercy.

To conclude:-The great points of our conftant view through the whole conduct of life, fhould be these three. First, To preferve our minds open to conviction and rezdy to receive information; left we should be blinded with ignorance and prejudice, and act by the impulfe of an erroneous judgment and confcience: in which cafe it is poffible that we might fall into the like dreadful error that the apoftle was involved in before his converfion; and do the greateff injuries to mankind, under a wild' enthufiaftic imagination, that we are contending for the truth, and promoting the glory of God.-Secondly, that' having gained the best information we are able, we act freadily and confiftently, according to the judgment of our own confcience, unmoved by any worldly motives. This is chriftian integrity, which God, if not men, will

always approve. To act otherwife in any inftance is in fome degree criminal: for whatever is not of faith is fin. And finally that we allow and encourage others to do the fame; and not only forbear blaming, but approve and commend them for their integrity, in following the dictates of their own confciences, how muchfoever, they differ from us, according to the noble example, as well as instruction, which our excellent apostle hath fet before

us.

On the first of these depends the knowledge of truth; on the fecond, the peace of every man's own mind; on the third the peace of faciety; and on all three together, the general improvement, happiness, and falvation of mankind.

S E R

MON

ON THE

Office and Dignity of Chrift.

Acts V. 31.

Him bath God exalted to be u Prince and a saviour.

VARIOUS opinions have arifen among *Chriftians concerning the power and office of our bleffed faviour. This variety hath been a natural confequence of their different understandings and methods of conceptions, their different means of instruction and information, and the different fenfes in which they have interpreted the fame words of Holy Scripture. Many attempts have

been made to remove these differences, to rectify men's opinions, and to promote the knowledge of truth. But fuch attempts have not only failed of attaining the end propofed; but have been often made with fo little judg. ment, or received with fo little candour and impartiali. ty; that inftead of remedying that difference of opinion, which, if an evil, is a very small one; they have added to it that difcord of affection and party-hatred, which is undoubtedly a very great evil.

2

One thing which bath contributed to render all fuch attempts ineffectual, or productive of confequences worfe than the difeafe itself, hath been this. Men have rather studied to divide and multiply the characters afcribed to our Saviour in the New-Teftament, and confequently to perplex our minds in conceiving of them; than to reduce them to one intelligible meaning: and particularly have applied thofe titles to the perfon of our Lord in a metaphyfical fenfe, which are given to him in fcripture folely on account of his office and dominion. It will greatly facilitate our conceptions, and ftrengthen our chriftian belief, if we confider the various eminent titles and cha racters afcribed to him, as intended not to figuity differ ent properties of his nature, or offices of his mediation; but only, to recommend him to our efleem and veneration in various allufions to different dignities and offices among men.- For instance, in allufion to the office a d digni ty of High Prieft among the Jews; he is faid to be our High Prieft, and to offer his own blood as a facrifice for us. - allufion to patrons and interceffors in earthly courts; he is characterized our advocate with the Father; and defcribed as continually making interceffion for us. Io, reference to the power and dignity of temparal princes; he is ftiled, A pince mighty to fave to the uttemolt, and his government an everlating kingdom.→ Compared to generals who fight the battles of their country, and overthrow its enemies; he is denominated the captain of our falvation, who fubdues our fpiritual enç