an enlightened mind, in the idolatrous worship of any creature, though enjoined by any humian authority; remembering the words of Christ, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve," Matt. iv. 10. and also that awful voice from heaven respecting all anti-christian corruptions of the Gospel in mystical Babylon; "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues," Rev. xviii. 4.

Think not to avail yourselves of the wretched equivocation of many divines, who imagine that they may safely ascribe all divine honours to Jesus Christ, on account of his union with the Father, when they believe no more of his proper divinity than professed Arians or Socinians. By this artifice they secure the reputation and emoluments of orthodoxy; but let them consider the value of the purchase, and the price they give for it. To mere worldly considerations, to the praise of men, and e filthy lucre, they sacrifice that integrity, for the loss of which worlds cannot compensate.

The publisher of these tracts does not conceal his name through the fear of any thing that men can say of him, or do to him, but merely to give what he has written a better chance of being readi without prejudice. What he has done is out of a sincere good will and compassion to the multitude, who believe they know not what, or why, and what is of more consequence, who know not what spirit they

they are of; but instead of speaking the truth in love, mistake bitterness and rancour for a zeal for God and his truth; and also for the sake of a better sort of people, who are unhappily drawn into the same delusions.

Considering the deference which the common. people always pay to the judgement of men of learning, there can be little doubt but that, if those persons who, having studied this subject, have been convinced that Christ is not God, and ought not to be worshipped as God, had openly avowed their opinion, and had had recourse to no mean subterfuge or equivocation, this fundamental article of true and rational Christianity had long ago been the prevailing belief; and our religion appearing more worthy of its divine author, there would have been, at this time, fewer unbelievers in all Christian countries, and many more converts made to it from other religions. And, compared with this glorious advantage, what has been gained by all the arts and sophistry of ministers, who have concealed their real meaning under ambiguous expressions, lest, as they pretend, they should too much shock the prejudices of their hearers?

That some regard should be paid to the prejudices of the weak is allowed; but let not this lead men to criminal dissimulation, or extend to things of so much importance as this, respecting the unity of God. In this case, let us keep at the greatest distance from every thing that is disingenuous; let the truth be

spoken in the most explicit manner; and let the consequences be left to the power of truth, and the God of truth. Besides, it is impossible that while men retain depraved and unworthy notions of God, their devotion should be such as God requires; so that this pretended tenderness injures those who are the objects of it, as well as bears an unfavourable aspect on the interests of Christianity more at large. Such are the effects of the wisdom of this world, when it is put in the place of sincerity, and a regard to the plain truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Professing the purity of the Christian faith, let us be careful, my brethren, to adorn it by a blameless and exemplary life. More especially let us beware that we do not wear the form of godliness, when our hearts are destitute of the power of it; and that we indulge no secret hope, that by any peculiar strictness and austerity of life, by frequent or long prayers, or by attending on much preaching, and using other means of religion, we shall atone for a neglect of the weightier matters of the law, righteousness, mercy, and truth. Let the integrity of our hearts appear in the cheerfulness of our countenances, and let us show that we love God whom we have not seen, by loving our brethren whom we do see, and by being always ready to do them every kind office in our power.

To judge of our love to God, or of our love to Christ, directly, by what we feel when we think of them, especially when we are excluded from the world, as is the custom with many, is to expose our

selves

selves to the grossest and most dangerous delusions. We find in the Scriptures a much plainer and safer method of judging in both these cases." This," says the apostle John, "is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. If ye love me," says our Lord, "keep my commandments. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you;" and "This is my commandment, that ye love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another."

Remember that true Christian charity is humble, modest, and diffident; and that he is pronounced to be happy, who feareth always, so as to be circumspect in thought, word, and deed; and that, for this purpose, we are to put on the whole armour of God, that we may withstand the temptations of the world.

Rather than indulge a Pharisaical pride, in recounting your experiences, boasting how vile you have once been, or thought yourselves to be, in order to make others believe how holy and sanctified you are now, content yourselves with the language and practice of the humble publican, who, speaking to God and his own heart only, cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"

Rejoice in all the real good you see done by others, whatever may be their ill will, or opposition to you; and be especially upon your guard, lest your just aversion to what is corrupt in the principles or practices of others, lead you to dislike what is good in them. Let not the Pharisaical rigour of sorne throw

C 3

throw you into the opposite extreme of levity; and let not their laying an undue stress upon praying, preaching, and other means of religion, make you neglect them, as we are too apt to do, with respect to any thing that has been much abused.

Having enough to do with our own hearts, let us be particularly upon our guard against that spirit of censoriousness which many professing Christians indulge with too little restraint. Let us remember that the true Christian beareth all things and hopeth all things; and let us never forget the awful warning of our Lord, "Judge not, that ye be not judged; for with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

Be not moved, my brethren, by the rash censures and reproaches of others. Persecution, of some kind, is what all who live godlily in Christ Jesus must expect to suffer in this world. To their wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice, answer with the wisdom that is from above; which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Let us even rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer shame, and insult, for the sake of Christ, though our sufferings come not from the professed enemies of Christ, but from false brethren; and let us not be concerned at being counted deceivers, if we be conscious to ourselves that we truly love the Gospel, and that we labour to promote and adorn it.

You