try, nor treat others ill, that they may profess they believe certain doctrines, which they do not believe; all such are received by these, and also invited to this table. It is manifest indeed, that communion cannot be maintained with him, who makes use of force to impose his opinions upon others; who worships other gods, besides the true God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; or who, by his conversation, shows that he makes light of the precepts of the Gospel; or who owns any other laws of salvation, than those wrote in the books of the eternal covenant. But he, who behaves himself the direct contrary, is worthy to have all Christians maintain communion with him, and to be preferred to all the rest who are of a different opinion. No mortal man, nay, no angel can impose any new Gospel upon Christians, to be believed by them. Now, according to this Gospel, he is a true disciple of Christ, who from his heart believes his doctrine, and his only, so as to obey it the best he is able, according to the infirmity of this life; who worships one God, loves his neighbour as himself, and lives temperately in respect to all other things. If anything be diminished from this, the laws of the covenant, which none but God can abate anything of, are maimed. And if anything be added, it is a useless yoke, which none ought to impose on Christians. Such laws can be received from God only, who alone is the determiner of eternal salvation. Perhaps some may here ask me, by what name these Christian societies, which I have now described, may be distinguished? But it signifies nothing what denomination they go under. The reader may conceive all churches to be meant, in which, what I have said, is to be found. Wheresoever that only rule of faith, and that liberty which I have described, is, there they may be assured true Christianity is, and they need not inquire for a name, which makes nothing to the purpose. I believe there are many such 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 mankind may obey it only. INDEX. A Abauzit, Firmin, biographical notice of, I, 95. Settles Adoration, in what sense the word is used in the Aikin, Dr, Eulogy on his character, as a successful Akenside, Dr, his Ode on Bishop Hoadly, I, 251. Ambition, episcopal, a fruitful source of schism in the Ambrose, first ascribes to the Apostles the creed com- Apocalypse, Newton's observations on the, II, 226. Apostles' Creed, I, 25. History of the, 26. Changes in Arius, his controversy with Athanasius, VI, 355. Athanasius, his character described by Clayton, VI, 255. B Balcanqual, Scottish commissioner at the Synod of Dort, Bangorian controversy, began by Hoadly, I, 244. Baptism, meaning of the text in which the Apostles are |