but in the Original they feem to import fomewhat more. The Latin Version fully expreffes it, Oportet effe Hærefes; it is fit, it is meet, it is convenient there should be Herefies, because, many excellent Ends are served by them; a great deal accrues from them to the Church of Chrift. And this leads me to the third general Head I am to infift on, viz.

III. To fhew for what Reafon God permits Herefies, and what Ends they serve for; and particularly to explain the Reafon given by St. Paul, viz. that they which are approved may be made manifeft.

1. And here I cannot but in the first Place take Notice of this, that the being of Herefies and Divifions amongst Christians, is a great Confirmation to us not only that the Scripture is our true Rule of Faith, but also that we have the true Scriptures. It has often been taken Notice of as a very remarkable Thing, and really it is fo, that the Jews, who have ceafed to be a Commonwealth for above 1600 Years, and have had no Place of abiding, but have been, and are scattered into all the Places of the habitable World; nay farther, at feveral Times all means imaginable have been used for the rooting them out from the Face of the Earth; do yet, notwithstanding all this, continue not only in being, but continue as diftinct from all other People, and as obstinately

3

nately tenacious of their own Religion, as they were when they lived under their own Government in the Land of Canaan. There is no Inftance like this to be given in Story. What Ufe now is to be made of this? Why (as many have obferved, and St. Auftin particularly) this is a ftanding Proof of the Chriftian Religion; and that (to omit other Inftances) in this refpect thefe People are the bittereft Adverfaries that the Chriftian Religion ever had; but yet these People always have, and ftill do own, nay and are very zealous for that very Canon of Scripture upon which we Chriftians do ground our Religion, and from which we fetch the chief Arguments that we bring against them. Nay, and they of all Sorts of People have been the most careful to preferve Copies of thefe Scriptures entire, and free from any Corruption or Alteration. From whence we Chriftians have a demonftrative Argument, that the Scriptures of the Old Teftament which we urge against the Jews are fincere and uncorrupted; that there have been no Tricks played, no Fraud or Forgery used by us to make thefe Writings speak as they do, fince the greatest Enemies we have in the World do bear Testimony to us that we have the true Scriptures, and do themselves make ufe of the fame Copies which we do.

To bring this now to our Purpose: The fame Thing that the Jews our Adversaries

do

do for the Old Testament, do the Hereticks and Schifmaticks among us for the New. Had not these been in the Church, we could not have been fo fecure of the Rule of our Faith neither the Authority, nor the Sufficiency, nor the Genuineness and Uncorruptedness of the New Teftament, could ever fo well have been made to appear. But now fince there always have been Herefies and Diverfities of Opinions, fince there always have been Schifms and Factions in the Church of Chrift, and all of these, how dif agreeing foever otherwife, have always pleaded the Scripture for themselves, and have appealed to the Writings of the Apoftles and Evangelifts, as the infallible Rule by which they would have their Doctrines to be tried; and fince further their Books differ nothing from ours, but they read and quote the Gospels and Epiftles as we do, without any material Difference or Variation, and have always done fo, (excepting some few of the antient Hereticks, who were fo bold as utterly to reject some entire Books of our prefent Canon); I fay, laying all these Things together, it is a very ftrong Argument, both that our Scriptures are the only true and certain Rule by which we are to be determined in Matters of Faith, and alfo that they are purely and fincerely conveyed to us without any confiderable Variation from the Original Copies. Which Two Things are of confiderable Moment and Importance

Importance to every Chriftian. And yet these two Things could not have been near fo well evidenced and made out, had there been no Herefies or Divifions in the Chrif tian Church. By the Being of these we gain Teftimony of our Adverfaries both to the Truth and the Integrity of the Rule we proceed by. And the Teftimony of an Adversary is in all Difputes accounted the ftrongest Proof that can be given of a Thing.

2dly, Another excellent End that Herefies ferve in the World, and for which God permits them, is this, that they extremely tend to excite Mens Induftry, and to put them upon the Search of Truth. They prove an excellent Means to perfuade Men that they ought not in Matters of Salvation be prescribed to by others; but that they fhould examine all Things, and bold faft to that which, upon their Examination, they found to be true and good, according to the The Apostle's Rule.

God Almighty did not make us Engines and Machines to be acted and moved at the Pleasure of others; but having given us the Power of Reafon and Judgment, he meant we fhould exercise them not only in Matters of a civil, temporal Concernment, but alfo in Matters of Religion too. defigned not only that every one of us should fatisfy ourselves about our Religion, but that we should take fome Pains in gainVOL. VI.

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ing that Satisfaction to ourselves; that we fhould employ the best of our Skill, and our Wit, and our Parts in inquiring into thefe Matters; that fo we might perform to him a reasonable Service. There is none can deny but that this is a Design both worthy of God, and moft fuitable to the Nature and Faculties of Men. But now how could this Defign have been served, at least half fo effectually, if there had not been Differences in Opinion? If there had not been Herefies, and falfe Doctrines, and Schifms in the World? If all Men from the Beginning of Chriftianity had been of the fame Belief, and Perfuafion, and Communion, what Occafion would any Man have had to examine or inquire into the Grounds and Principles of his Religion? What would he have to do further as a Chriftian, than only to believe and practife as he saw others do before him? that is to fay, all Mens Parts and Induftry muft have been turned quite another Way; and the Bufinefs of Religion would not at all have employ'd them. And they would indeed have been at a profound Peace, but at the fame time all Study and Search into Truth would have been fuperfeded. A Numbnefs and Stupidity would have feized all their Faculties, and Ignorance and an implicit Faith would then (as it is now in all Places where they make it their Business by Fire and Inquifition to prevent all Differences in Opi