in a "matter of infinite, of everlasting concern ;' " and this while all men of sense agree to commend the most exact, thinking, and clear reasoning on any other subject but that of religion.

To say, "It is no matter what men's principles be, if their lives are but good," is the same as to say, "Paganism and Mahometanism are as safe ways to heaven as Christianity," which is downright infidelity.

To say, "good men may differ; there are more ways to heaven than one, all equally safe; it is needless to be at pains to look things to the bottom," is much the same as to say, "Let every one sincerely live up to his own scheme, and he will be safe," which again will land one on the shores of infidelity.

When our blessed Savior sent his apostles abroad into the world, it was with this commission: Go, preach the gospel to every creature, and he that believeth-the very gospel I send you to preach and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not the very gospel I send you to preach-shall be damned. And, according to this commission, they went and preached, and gathered churches, and then said, not from an uncharitable disposition, but merely viewing things in the light of their Master's words, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." And when false teachers arose, and endeavored to accommodate the gospel scheme a little better to the taste, the natural taste, of mankind, the very chief of the apostles, as it were, stepped forth into the view of the whole Christian world, and, with an assurance and solemnity becoming one inspired by Heaven, said, "But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed." "But what shall I do?" says a poor, ignorant, benighted soul, anxious for his eternal welfare. "Were all learned, religious sort of men agreed, I should think I might safely believe as they believe; but now I am perfectly

disconcerted and confounded. And is it likely such a poor, ignorant creature as I am should ever find the truth, and see to the bottom of these controversies, so as to know what is right and what is wrong? What shall I do?"

Were the differences subsisting in the Christian world really owing to any obscurity in divine revelation itself, I do not see how poor, ignorant people could be to blame in being thus at a loss. Or, indeed, if, after all, they should happen to believe wrong, to mistake some false gospel for the true one, I do not see how they could be to blame, much less so much, so very much to blame, as to merit eternal damnation. When, therefore, our blessed Savior so peremptorily declares, "He that believeth not shall be damned," let him be who he will among all mankind, who shall hear the gospel, it is a complete demonstration, that, in the judgment of our blessed Savior, the gospel revelation is quite plain enough, upon a level even with vulgar capacities; so that it cannot be misunderstood or misbelieved by any individual, unless the fault is in himself; yea, unless he is so greatly to blame in the affair as justly to merit eternal damnation. To say otherwise, is to charge our Savior with injustice in denouncing eternal damnation against every unbeliever; which, again, is no better than downright infidelity.

"But how can these things be?" may an inquisitive reader say; "for, if the true gospel of Christ were so clearly revealed in the sacred writings, how unaccountable is it that the Christian world so greatly differ?" Not unaccountable at all, only granting what must be granted, or Christianity be given up, that the true gospel of Christ contains a system of sentiments diametrically opposite to every vicious bias in the human heart. Such a system it contains, or it did not come from God. And if it does contain such a system, then, so long as the generality of mankind are under the influence of their vicious biases, they will naturally seek darkness, rather than light; self-justifying error, rather than self-condemning truth; and it is well known how apt men are to believe that to be true which they wish to have so in other matters besides that of

religion. Besides, tell me, whence was it, that, in the apostolic age, whence was it, that, in the very days of miracles and inspiration, professed Christians began to differ? Was it because the sacred writings were obscure? Why, then, did they not inquire at the mouths of the apostles, who were yet alive, and who all agreed among themselves? Nay, inquire at the apostles' mouths. Indeed, no; they would rather call their inspiration into question, than submit to their decision. St. Paul found himself so vigorously opposed by false teachers among the Galatians, that, with all his miracles, inspirations, and elaborate reasonings, he could not keep up the credit of his scheme, no, not even among his own converts, who once were ready to pluck out their eyes for him; rather, in endeavoring to keep the truth up, his own credit sunk by the means, (Gal. iv. 16;) and, a little before his death, after full experience of the nature of error and delusion, he plainly tells his son Timothy that the case with some was really hopeless; saying, "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." And, while the apostles were some of them yet living, numbers of their converts actually separated from their churches; numbers of their graceless converts, I mean. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for, if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us."

Now, it cannot be pretended there was any want of external light and evidence, needful to discern and ascertain the truth, in that age; and, nevertheless, matters began to work then very much as they have all along since. It is not, therefore, through want of light and evidence externally held forth, that men have gone into error, in one age and another, who have had the Bible in their hands; but it has been entirely owing to the vicious state of their minds. And therefore St. Paul reckons heresies among the works of the flesh, and gives them a place along with adultery, fornication, witchcraft, murder, drunkenness, etc., as being criminal in the same sense with them. (Gal. v. 19-21.)

And indeed the sum and substance of the gospel may be

reduced to two or three points, which must be in a manner self-evident to a mind rightly disposed; or, to use our Savior's words, to those who have "a good and honest heart;" for, as all Christians were baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, so right apprehensions of the character and offices of these three is the sum of all Christian knowledge. For he who believes God the Father, the Supreme Governor of the world, to be by nature God, an absolutely perfect, an infinitely glorious and amiable Being, infinitely worthy of that supreme love and honor, and universal obedience, which the divine law requires at our hands, and that, consequently, his law is holy, just, and good; and he who believes that God the Son, the express image of the Father, became incarnate, and died to do honor to the divine law, was set forth to be a propitiation to declare his Father's righteousness, that he might be just, and yet the justifier of the believer; and he who believes that God the Holy Ghost is appointed to be an enlightener and sanctifier, to bring sinners to understand the truth, see it in its glory, believe, love, and obey it he who understands and believes these points cannot fail to understand and believe all the rest; for all doctrinal, experimental, and practical religion natively results from these fundamental truths. Besides, these fundamental truths give light to each other; so that, if once the glory of God, the Supreme Governor of the world, is seen, the reason and nature of his law will be plain; and, if that is plain, the design of the incarnation and death of the Son of God will be evident. And then the whole gospel plan will naturally open to view, and appear to contain a complete system of religious sentiments, harmonious and consistent throughout, perfect in glory and beauty. And, while we discern the opposition of this system of truths to every vicious bias in the human mind, the nature and necessity of the regenerating and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit to bring us rightly to understand the gospel, see it in its glory, and love and practise it, will be easily discerned; and, at the same time, every one, well acquainted with his own heart, may discern the true source of all the various errors which have been

broached in the Christian world; for the root of them all is in the heart of every child of Adam.

To assist the candid, inquisitive reader to look down into the bottom of truth and error, and see things in their original sources and in their mutual connections, that the true Scripture scheme may rise into clear view, and the first spring of all the chief errors now in vogue may be clearly discerned, is the design of the following sheets.

The reasonings are not built upon here and there a Scripture text, detached from its connection with its context, to carry away the reader's mind with the mere sound of words; rather all the reasonings are at bottom founded on Scripture facts, viewed in a Scripture light; facts which cannot be denied without giving up our baptism, and overthrowing Christianity by wholesale. And a chief design is, to lead all parties, if they will but attend to the subject, to see that the great doctrines of the gospel are not disputable points; yea, so far from it, that there is no consistent medium between the ancient apostolic Christianity and infidelity.

The subject is noble; the design is good; the execution, far as it is from being equal to so noble a subject, is presented to the candid reader's critical perusal and mature judgment. With a becoming generosity, overlook the blemishes of the manner; with the greatest eagerness, attend to the matter; seek the truth, search for it as for silver, dig for it as for hid treasure; neither believe nor disbelieve, but in exact proportion to evidence to the law and to the testimony, like the noble Bereans.

N. B. The reader may be advertised, that, some time after this Essay was begun, Mr. Cudworth's further defence of Theron and Aspasio came to hand; some remarks upon which are, therefore, inserted here and there in the margin, so far as appears needful to clear and establish the truth.

March 11, 1762.