Reason why there must be, viz. that they which are approved may be made manifeft.

The Method I fhall obferve in treating on thefe Words, fhall be as follows:

I. To give fome Account of what is here meant by Herefies.

II. To fhew, how it comes to pass that there always must be Herefies.

III. To fhew for what Reasons God permits Herefies, and what Purposes they ferve.

A

IV. To make an Application of the whole.

I. I begin with the firft Point, What is meant by Herefies. Now as to this, it is to be obferved, that the Word Herefy is often to be met with in Scripture; and fometimes in that Senfe in which it is commonly used by profane Authors, when it imports no more than fome confiderable Difference in Opinion, or fuch a Diftinction of Men as to their Judgment, as makes them of a different Sect from the reft they converfe with. And thus Chriftianity itself is Ver. 22. ftyled a Herefy in the 28th of the Acts. But then it cannot be denied that the Word is often taken in a bad Senfe, and undoubtedly

it is fo in my Text; and befides the bare Difference of Opinion, or being of a different Sect from others, denotes fome great Fault in the Man that holds that Opinion, or that is of that Sect. Were it not thus, we cannot imagine that St. Paul, when he ist reckoning up the Works of the Flesh, fuch as Murder and Adultery, and the like, fhould put in Herefy among them, as he doth in the 5th of Galatians. Well, now Ver. 20% the Question is, What is meant by Herefy, when it is taken in a bad Senfe, when it is made one of the Works of the Flesh? Now, in answer to this, I fay there are two Notions of Herefy in the New Teftament, when that Word is taken in an ill Senfe: For fometimes it is ufed with refpect to the Christian Faith; and fometimes with refpect to Christian Peace and Communion. Of both thefe I fhall now give an Account.

1. Herefy is fometimes ufed with respect to the Chriftian Faith, and then the Notion of it is this: It is a Departure from, or a Renouncing of fome neceffary Article of the Chriftian Religion; and that not fo much thro' Ignorance or Miftake, as from a vicious Principle, and for the ferving fome fenfual Defires or Interefts. This, I fay, is the Notion of Herefy with reference to Faith, as far as we can judge from those Texts of Scripture which fpeak of it in this Sense. St. Peter thus defcribes Hereticks. 2 Pet. 2. 1. He tells us, that as there were falfe Prophets

B 2

Titus 3.

10, II.

phets among the Jews, fo there fhould be falfe Teachers among the Chriftians, who should privily bring in damnable Herefes, even denying the Lord who bought them: and thro' Ver. 3. Covetousness, with feigned Words, making Merchandize of Souls. St. Paul alfo bids Titus to reject an Heretick, after the first and Second Admonition, forafmuch as he that is fuch, is fubverted and finneth, being condemned of himself. These are the two principal Texts of Scripture that speak of Herefy or Hereticks with reference to matters of Faith; and I doubt not but it is from these two Texts, that the common ecclefiaftical Notion of Herefy, as it is diftinguished from Schifm, is taken up. But now from these two Texts we plainly fee, that Herefy is not fo much a Fault of a Man's Understanding, as of his Will. In the Sense of these two Apostles, he only is an Heretick that denies fome fundamental Truths of Chrift's Religion, that fubverts the Faith, and teaches Doârines inconfiftent with Chriftianity; and this out of evil Principles, fo that his own Confcience cannot but accufe him. But he is not a Heretick, however he may be miftaken in Matters of Religion, who holds to the Foundation of the Chriftian Faith, and means honeftly, and endeavours. to inform himfelf as well as he can. So that it is in every Man's Power to avoid the being a Heretick; and none but a wicked Perfon can be fo. St. Auguftin, I am fure,

was of this Opinion, when he said, Errare poffum Hæreticus effe nolo; I may be under Errors or Mistakes, but I will not be an Heretick. Intimating that it was not fo much Defect of the Understanding, as Vice and Sin and a corrupt Inclination of Mind, that made a Man to deferve that Name.

The Reflection I make upon what I have now faid about Herefy in Matters of Faith, is this: We fee from hence how groundlefly, how unreasonably, we Protestants are charged with Herefy by our Adverfaries. They make no Scruple of calling us Hereticks, and telling us we fhall be damned upon that Account, unless we come over to their Belief. Why, what is it they would have us believe? We believe all that Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles taught to the World, fo far as we have Knowledge of it. We believe all the Holy Scriptures, and not only fo, but we make them the Rule of our Faith. We believe all thofe Articles of Faith into which all Chriftians in every Country from Christ's Time to this have been baptifed, and which by all the Antients have been accounted a perfect Summary of the Chriftian Faith; nor do we hold any thing inconfiftent with them. We own both Chrift's Sacraments; and we adminifter them entirely. We renounce all the Herefies that were condemned by the antient general Councils; nay, we are ready to refer ourselves to thofe Councils,

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Councils, and to the primitive Fathers who lived at that Time, for the Trial of all the Points which are difputed between us. And laftly, we are fure we are not obftinate in our Errors, if they fhould prove fo; we are fure we have no fecular Ends to ferve in the maintaining them; and moft of all fure we are, that we are not felf-condemned, that our own Confcience doth not accufe us for being of this Way; (which yet is one of thofe Things that go to the making of an Heretick): Now if all these Things can be truly faid of us, (as I think they may be truly faid of the Church of England, and of all the honeft Members of it) how is it poffi ble that we can in any Senfe be guilty of Herefy? In the Senfe of the Scriptures and of the Fathers I am fure we are Orthodox Chriftians; And in the Sense of the greatest Divines, even in the Roman Communion, I am fure we are no Hereticks. And if after all that, we must be branded with that Name, all that we can fay is, that after the Acts 24.14 Way which they call Herefy, so worship we the God of our Fathers.

But, 2dly, there is another Notion of Herefy in the Holy Scriptures, besides that I have now mentioned; and that is with re1pect to ecclefiaftical Peace and Communion: As a Man who deferts the Faith is guilty of Herefy, fo is he who caufelefly breaks the Communion of the Church, a Heretick also in the Language of the Scripture.

Now