Let me afk one Question here: What would you have thought of a Man who pretended to be a few in the Land of Israel during that Difpenfation, and yet did neither believe nor practife any thing relating to the Sacrifices and Offerings of Atonement which were appointed by Mofes, but renounced and neglected them all? Could you imagine this Man was a fincere and compleat Few? Or could he be a hearty Believer and Practifer of the Religion of Mofes? How then can a Man be called a compleat Chriftian, who renounces the only Sacrifice of Atonement which belongs to the Christian Religion, and which is the only Medium of our Forgiveness of Sins? The Man who denies and renounces this effential Doctrine, tho' in common Language he has the Name of Chriftian given him, (the Name being determined by the major Part of his Opinions) yet if Names were to be apply'd by the Rules of ftrict Proportion and Justice, I do not fee how his Character could arife higher than that of almost a Chriftian.

As thefe Words were pronounced, Ferventio rofe up, for he was grown big with an Inference which he could not suppress: Upon this foot, fays he, Agrippa can scarce be half a Chriftian, for his Creed has dropp'd fo many of thefe Effentials of Chriftianity, that I fear he is almost a Christian. But pray,

Charistes,

Charistes, go on to your third Confideration. I obey, Sir, faid Chariftes, and purfu'd his Difcourfe..

Confid. 3. All the Effentials of Chriftianity can hardly be fuppofed neceffary to be believed or acknowledged in order to the Salvation of every Man; for Ferventio him-felf has confefs'd that his own Charity might extend fo far as to include a Heathen within the Reach of Salvation, who fhould be Religious and Penitent, defirous to know and do the Will of God, and to truft in his Mercy fo far as the Light of Nature can trace out his Mercy and his Will, provided that he never had Opportunity or Means to know Christ and his Gofpel, and confequently neither knows nor believes any one of the peculiar Effentials of Christianity. 'Tis hard to make incurable Ignorance a Ground of utter Condemnation. And therefore 'tis certain that when our Saviour com-mands his Gospel to be preached to all, and pronounces Damnation on him that believes it not, there must be fufficient Light and Evi-dence fuppofed: and none can incur this Sen-tence but fuch as by fome Fault of the

*

Will,

* Effentials of Chriflianity are either common or peculiar. Common are thofe which it borrows from Natural Religion, fuch as the Being of God, the Neceffity of Holiness, Repentance for Sin, and hoping for Mercy. The peculiar Effentials of it are the Atonement of Chrift, his Interceffion, Faith in him, praying in his Name,. Baptifm, the Lord's Supper, &c.

Will, either neglect, avoid, or refift this Evidence.

Confid. 4. If this be admitted, will it not follow then, that there is no one of all the peculiar Effentials of Chriftianity which are abfolutely and certainly neceffary to Salvation, where there has not been fufficient Means of Light and Evidence for the Knowledge of them? And confequently the neceffary Requifites to the Salvation of particular Perfons in Christianity itself, as well as in all the rest of the Difpenfations of God towards fallen Man, muft. be as various as are the Cafes and Circumftances of every particular Perfon, with regard to their dif ferent Opportunities and Advantages for Light and Knowledge.

And upon this foot of Reasoning, not only in different Nations and in different Ages, the Things that are neceffary to the Salvation of particular Perfons must be very different, according to the different Re-velations and Advantages under which they lived, but even in the fame Nation and in the fame Age, fome of thofe Articles of Christianity may be neceffary to the Salva tion of thofe Perfons who live in religious Families, and in Towns where the Gospel is preached in its Fulness and Glory, which Articles are not neceffary to the Salvation of those who live in obfcure Villages, among Rocks and Woods, in little Cottages and

:

dark

dark Corners of the Country, where there is no Preaching, and where very few People are poffefs'd of Bibles, or are able to read them. Some Points of Faith and Practice may be neceffary for those who are educated in the constant Profeffion of them amongst the brightest Evidences of Reason and Scripture to support them, which may not be neceffary to those who are bred up from their Infancy amidst the contrary Errors, and are furrounded and clouded with a thoufand unavoidable Prejudices against them. 'Tis only a Neglect or Refiftance of Light that renders Error fo very criminal a Thing..

Confid. 5. Thence it will follow, that however Christian Churches muft form the best Judgment they can for themselves, how many of these Effentials of Christianity are neceffary to be profefs'd in order to ChurchFellowship (which Affair must be transacted by the general Rules of Scripture and Men's outward Profeffion) yet it is God alone, wha is the fupreme and final Judge of Men's eternal States, that can determine how much of thefe Effentials in Faith or Practice is neceffary to the Salvation of each particular Perfon: He alone knows the precife Meafure of Light and Evidence which is fufficient to convince every Man of the Truth, and 'tis he who has Authority to fay, TheSoul that believes it not fhall be damned. I fay, 'tis he alone has fufficient Penetration and