SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE. 251
thing to be necessary to be believed that was not so antecedently unto that proposal. Churches may help the faith of believers; they cannot burden it, or exercise any dominion over it. He that be- lieveth that whatever God reveals is true, and that the holy Scrip- ture is a perfect revelation of his mind and will (wherein almost all Christians agree), need not fear that he shall be burdened with mvd- titudes of particular articles of faith, provided he do his duty in sin- cerity, to come to an acquaintance with what God hath so revealed. Now, if men's common interest in Christ their head, and their parti- cipation of the same Spirit from him, with their union in the bond of the covenant of grace, and an equal sharing in the love of God the Father, be the principles, and, upon the matter, the only grounds and reasons of that special love, without dissimulation, which Chris- tians ought to bear one towards another, — from whence the modera- tion pleaded for must proceed, or it is a thing of no use in our pre- sent case, at least no way generally belonging to the gospel of Jesus Christ, — and if all these things may be obtained by virtue of that truth which is professed in common among all known societies of Christians, doth it not unavoidably follow that we ought to exercise moderation towards one another, however differing in or about things which destroy not the principles of love and union? Certainly we ought, imless we will resolvedly stifle the actings of that love which is implanted in all the disciples of Christ, and, besides, live in an open disobedience unto his commands. This, then, indispensably exacts moderation in Protestants towards them that differ from them ; and that not only within the lines of Protestancy, because they believe that, notwithstanding that dissent, they have, or may have, for aught they know, an interest in those things which are the only reasons of that love which is required in them towards the disciples of Christ. There is a moderation proceeding from the principles of reason in general, and requisite unto our common interest in humanity, which is good, and an especial ornament unto them in whom it is, espe- cially if they are persons exalted above others in place of rule and government. Men fierce, implacable, revengeful, impatient, tread- ing down all that they dislike under their feet, are the greatest de- facers of the image of God in the world, and, upon the matter, the only troublers of hiunan society. But the moderation which the gospel requireth ariseth and proceedeth from the principles of union v/ith Christ before mentioned ; which is that that proves us disciples of Christ indeed, and will confirm the mind in suitable actings against all the provocations to the contrary which, from the infirmities and miscarriages of men, we are sure to meet withal. Neither doth this at all hinder but that we may contend earnestly for the truth delivered unto us, and labour, by the ways of Christ's appointment, to reclaim
252 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUIL
others from such opinions, ways, and practices, in and about the things of rehgion and worship of God, as are injurious unto his glory, and may be destructive and pernicious to their own souls. Neither doth it, in the least, put any discouragement upon endeavours to op- pose the impiety and profaneness of men in their corruption in life and conversation ; which certainly and unquestionably are inconsistent with and destructive of the profession of the gospel, let them on whom they are found be of what party, church, or way of religion they please. And if those in whose hearts are the ways of God, however diversified among themselves by various apprehensions of some doctrines and practices, would sincerely, according to their duty, set themselves to oppose that profaneness, wickedness of life, or open viciousness of conversation, which is breaking in like a flood upon the world, -^and which, as it hath already almost drowned the whole glory of Christian religion, so it will undoubtedly, if not prevented, end in the woful calamity and final ruin of Christendom, — they would have less mind and leisure to wrangle fiercely among themselves, and breathe out destruction against one another for their mistakes and differences about things which, by their own experience, they find not to take off" from their love to Christ, nor weaken the obedience he requires at their hands. But whilst the whole power of Christi- anity is despised, conversion to God and separation from the ways of the perishing world are set at nought, and men think they have nothing to do in religion but to be zealously addicted to this or that party amongst them that profess it, it is no wonder if they think their chiefest duty to consist in destroying one another. But for men that profess to be leaders and guides of others in Christian reli- gion, openly to pursue carnal and worldly interests, greatness, wealth, outward splendour and pomp, to live in luxury and pride, to labour to strengthen and support themselves by the adherence of persons of profane and wicked lives, that so they may destroy all that in any opinion differ from themselves, is vigorously to endeavour to drive out of the world that religion which they profess, and, in the mean- time, to render it so uncomely and undesirable that others must needs be discouraged from its embracement. But these things can- not spring from the principles of Protestants, which, as I have mani- fested, lead them unto other manner of actings. And it is to no purpose to ask, why then they are not all affected accordingly? for they that are not so do live in an open contradiction to their own avowed principles ; which, that it is no news in the world, the vicious lives of many, in all places professing Christianity, will not suffer us to doubt. For though that religion which they profess teacheth them to " deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world," if they intend the least