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it will be altogether as difficult to determine, who are to fettle thefe Modes, as Articles of fpeculative Belief; and the very fame wild Confequences will follow from allowing it to the Majority, the Church, or the civil Magiftrate, in one Cafe, as in the other. Befides, the Lawfulness, Expediency, or divine Authority of any particular Form of Worship and Difcipline is as much a matter of private Opinion and Speculation, as the Truth or Falfhood of doctrinal Propofitions; and therefore, it is as natural to expect a variety of Sentiments about it.

BUT it may be asked, what will become of the public Order, if all this be allowed? The Author anfwers, "What is public Order? It

cannot be Uniformity in Matters of mere "Opinion, for this has been fhewn to be im"poffible; and there will be no more Disorder from a variety of Sentiments in Reli

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gion, than from different Schemes of Philo"fophy, Politicks, Oeconomy, or different "Rules of civil Life; nay, than from the "Difference of Men's Faces, natural Tempers, "Circumstances, or the infinite variety that "appears in the Conftitution of the Universe, "which yet, upon the Whole, is perfectly "harmonious and beautiful. The right Or"der of Things, with refpect to Mankind, "who are intelligent Beings, and indued with "moral Powers, is when every Individual exercifes his Reason, and forms his Notions of

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Religion for himself; and the more strictly "this Order is preferved, Differences in leffer "Matters, will be more unavoidable and ne"ceffary. Add to this, that a variety of "Sentiments in Religion, while Moderation

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"and mutual Charity are maintained, can do "no hurt, as well as create no Confufion ; "whereas an attempt to introduce public Uni

formity, and the impofing unfcriptural Terms " of Communion, have been a conftant Source "of Schifm in the Church, and as long as they "continue, will infallibly keep alive a fpirit "of Animofity, and perpetuate Contention and Violence."

FROM the foregoing Principles Mr. Fofter makes a few Obfervations, relating to the Nature and Guilt of Schifm. And first, that let the Differences amongft Chriftians be ever fo many, as long as mutual Charity is preserved, there cannot be the Guilt of Schifm. Even the Church of Rome, fo corrupt as it is, would not be fchifmatical, if it did not confine Chriftianity to its own Faction, and make Party-Peculiarities neceffary Terms of Communion; and thereby renounce all Friendship and Unity with Chriftians of a different Perfuafion. So that a turbulent, excommunicating, uncharitable Spirit, is the Effence of Schifm, and not mere Difference of Opinion; not the Ufe of different Ceremonies, or of no Ceremonies at all; or joining ourselves to any particular religious Communion. For, according to St. Paul, this Crime may be committed where there is no Separation from a particular Church, as may feen in his firft Epiftle to the Corinthians. Secondly, Differences among Chriftians are not only innocent, while Unity of Affection is preferved, but there are many Cafes in which a Separation from a particular Church is abfolutely neceffary. This is universally allowed when its Worship is idolatrous and fuperftitious, or it requires unlawful Terms of Communion. And therefore, it is needlefs to infift any

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longer upon it. Thirdly, None who are truly boneft, and upon a deliberate impartial enquiry, think themselves oblig'd in Confcience to diffent from their Brethren, can poffibly incur the Guilt of Schifm. For this would be to make. Honefty itself a Crime; and at the fame time that we fuppofe it a Man's duty to act according to the light and directions of his Conscience, to reproach and condemn him for it.

But is it not our duty to facrifice a few Scruples for the peace of the Church? Not one, έσ fays our Author; for if the Peace of the

Church can't be fecur'd without giving up "Confcience, Honour and Integrity, it is bet*ter to be difturbed; better there. were no Church at all, than the cause of true Piety and Virtue fhould fuffer by it. Befides, how "is this Peace broken by the fcrupulous Diffent of an honeft Mind from establish'd Opinions and Forms of Worship, while he behaves "charitably, and is content with enjoying his own liberty, without infulting and cenfuring "" others? -Nay, even tho' the Terms of "Communion, with any particular Church, ' are allowed to be lawful; it does not from "thence follow, that I am oblig'd to worship "statedly with it; but if I think the confti"tution and manner of Worfhip, in other "Churches, more expedient and useful, I am

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certainly at full liberty, as a Man, and a "Chriftian, to join with them. Not "that I am against a compliable Temper, in or❝ der tó reconcile religious Differences; but there's no reafon that the compliance fhould be all on one fide. We ought not to fubmit N°. XXIII. 1734. Nn ❝ too

VOL. IV.

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too tamely, for fear of establishing Arbitrary "Power; and I can't but think that it may be

of great ufe, to ftand up against unwarrant"able Incroachments and Impofitions, for the "fake of the common Rights of Mankind, "which are thereby invaded." Mr. Fofter adds, that as there are Cafes in which only one fide is guilty of Schifm, there are others in which both are chargeable with it, the impofers of human Schemes and Forms of Religion, and those who diffent from them; viz. when they condemn, reproach, and uncharitably refuse Communion with each other.

The importance and fingularity of the fubject of the two foregoing Difcourfes has carried us, in our account of it, to a greater length than we thought. Therefore, not to be tedious to our Readers, we fhall only give the Heads of the following Sermons, and fo conclude.

The thirteenth is upon Prov. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are Peace. The Author, 1. promis'd a few things for explaining and illuftrating the Obfervation contain'd in thefe words. And then, which is his chief defign, he proceeds to fhew the peculir excellency of the pleafures of Religion and Virtue. In the fourteenth, upon Job. xxiv. 15. And if it feem evil unto you to serve the Lord, chufe ye this day whom ye will ferve, &c. He proves, 1. that Religion is a voluntary thing, and a matter of choice, fo that every Man has an undoubted right to judge for himself, what Form or Method of Religion is most rational and agreeable to the Divine Will, and the Civil Magiftrate ought to leave him in the quiet poffeffion of it. 2. That no Man can be obli

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ged to embrace a Religion that is Evil, i. e. contrary to Reason, and the moral Fitness of things; but on the contrary is bound to reject it. 3. That we should be faithful to the caufe of God, and the intereft of Religion and Virtue, even in times of moft general corrup tion and depravity. The Text of the fifteenth Sermon is, -Who has abolished Death, and has brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gofpel; 2 Tim. i. 10. Mr. Fofter firft confiders what evidence Natural Reafon affords of a Future State, which evidence he. proves to be nothing more than Probability. And then, he fhews the great advantage we receive from Chriftianity with refpect to this. important Article, by which it appears, that notwithstanding the difcoveries which Reafon may make, and the Intimations we find of it in the Writings of the Old Testament, it is reveal'd in a fo much plainer and stronger manner, that it may, with great propriety, be faid to be brought to light through the Gospel. The fixteenth and laft Sermon is upon 2 Pet. iii. 3. Knowing this first, that there fhall come in the last days Scoffers, walking after their own Lufts. The Author, first, confiders the nature, folly and danger of the Crime mentioned in the Text. Secondly, He enquires into the causes of it. And, thirdly, Concludes with fome fuitable Reflections.

This Difcourfe is, as all the reft, an excellent one, and those who are any way inclin❜d to Infidelity or Prophanenefs, fhould do well to read it over and over.

FINI S.

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