"faved; and the fecond by eating Bread and "drinking Wine, to put us in mind that "Jefus Christ the Reformer of the World "died in Vindication of this Doctrine of "Pardon of Sin upon Repentance, and to "confirm the Difcoveries of this Mercy "to finful Men.

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"After this he rofe again from the Dead,

gave his twelve chief Difciples a little "further Inftruction about propagating this "general Reformation; then he afcended

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to Heaven, to intercede for Men, and to "rule over them, and afterward furnished "the Apoftles with miraculous Powers, on "purpose to awaken the Attention of the "World to the Rules of Virtue and Good"nefs, which they fhould teach them in "the Name of Jefus their Master: And "therefore we are faid, in the New Testa"ment, to be fanctified by the Holy Spirit, "because the Miracles wrought by the Gifts "of the Spirit rouzed a ftupid World into "Confideration, and alfo did fomething "toward the Confirmation of thofe Truths "which Mankind were exhorted to confi"der in order to their Reformation and "Salvation.

He concludes his Paper thus: " Now if 66 any Man has any other Creed made up of "Notions and Mysteries which goes beyond all this, I affirm that he draws more out of his Bible than God ever put B 3 " into

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"into it; and tho' I will never be angry "with him, fays Agrippa, for believing "more than I, yet I cannot but laugh at "him for a strong Believer: I dare pro"nounce boldly he is not juft of my Reli

gion, nor can I be of his; and if he "thinks me but almost a Chriftian, I think "him gone as much beyond Christianity."

Paulinus was a Gentleman of Piety and great Zeal for the Gospel of Chrift. He lived far in the Country, and was much retired from the World. Tho' he held fome Acquaintance with Criticks and learned Authors, yet he read his Bible with more Conftancy and Application, and learned his Religion thence. He was pretty well verfed in the Writings of St. Paul, but he had heard or known very little of Agrippa or his Sentiments till laft March: Then he came to London, which he had not feen for ten or twelve Years before, and happen'd to get a fight of this New Creed. As foon as he had read it, he was much furpriz'd and concern'd that any Man who profess'd himself a Chriftian fhould lofe fo much of his Faith; but was much more grieved when he found, by further Conversation, that this was the Christianity which was now growing in vogue; and upon his Repetition of this Creed in company, he repeated his Concern and Zeal.

Muft then (faid he) the glorious Gospel of our bleffed Saviour be narrow'd and curtail'd

at

at this rate, and reduced almoft to the mere Religion of Nature? I acknowledge indeed, and I glory in it, that the Gospel which I find in the New Teftament contains every Article of Natural Religion, and includes in it every thing that Reafon can teach us about God or Virtue. The Man who renounces any one Point of the Religion of Reason, so far renounces Christianity also; for the Doctrine of the bleffed Jefus comprehends every part of it, and confirms it for ever. But when the Light of Nature and Reafon, in this fallen and degenerate State, had appear'd by the long and painful Experiments of fo many Ages and Nations, to be ineffectual to reform, to fanctify and fave a vicious World, Was not the glorious Gofpel of Chrift brought in to do that for us which the Light of Reafon and Nature could not do? Was it not made manifeft enough by the Jargon and wild Opinions of the Philofophers that the World by Wisdom knew not God, nor the right Way to recover his Favour or his Image? And was it not upon this View that God fent his Apostles with the Meffage of a crucified Chrift, and with that Doctrine which the Greeks called Foolishness, to fave the poor and the humble Believer? Was not the Son of God fent into this World to be the Saviour of finful Men? And was he ordained to fave them only by teaching them over again the Doctrines B 4 which

which Philofophy or Reafon teaches? No furely Thefe Doctrines were made originally for innocent Man, and were found infufficient to reftore him after his Fall. But Chrift was fent, if we will believe the Gospel, to do that for us which the Law and Light of Nature could not do, in that it was weak thro' our Flesh, i. e. thro' our Incapacity of fulfilling it: He was fent down to die and be facrificed for the Sins of Men, i. e. to ranfom or redeem Men, who by their Sins had deferved Death, and to turn their finful or vicious Hearts to the Love of God and Holiness, by the inlightning and perfuafive Influences and effectual Operations of his Holy Spirit, to lead them not only into the Belief and Practice of the Natural Law of God, but also to teach them fome new Doctrines and Duties, fuch as Faith in the Blood of Chrift, Rom. iii. 25. seeking Juftification before God not by any Law of Works, but by the Righteoufness or Obedience and Death of Chrift, Gal. iii. 11,----14. Rom. v. 9, 10, 18, 19. Love and Obedience to Chrift as our Lord and Saviour, John xiv. 15. Heb. v. 9. Praying for the Spirit of God to enlighten, renew and fanctify us, and to help us in our Addreffes to God and every Duty, John iii. 5, 6. Luke xi. 1,--13. Rom. viii. 26. Love to our Enemies by the Example of Christ, and Hope of the Refurrection of the Body and Eternal Life through his Death and Rifing

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again, and his everlasting Interceffion, Rom. viii. 11, 34. 1 Cor. xv. 20, 23. Heb. vii. 25. These are Articles which the Light of Nature knows nothing of, and which fhall certainly iffue in the Salvation of those who believe and practise them.

Thus fpake Paulinus in the Company of fome of his Friends. Cavenor and Ferventio were both prefent; the former had lately imbibed the Opinions of Agrippa fecretly, but amidft his new Doctrines he found fome Doubtings ftill, and was follicitous and cautious about his Salvation: Ferventio was a mortal Enemy to these Opinions, and maintained the common Articles of Faith with a warm and vehement Zeal. There was another Man in Company, one Charistes, a hearty Chriftian, and a Perfon of known Moderation in religious Difputes: Ferventio had little Knowledge of him indeed, but he lived moft-times in Paulinus's Houfe, and was much in esteem with Cavenor.

I am forry, fays Chariftes, that fuch fort of new Christianity as Agrippa's Creed fhould ever prevail among us. Ay, fays Ferventio, with anger in his Looks, 'Tis fad indeed, for our old Religion is quite spoil'd by it and destroy'd. Why fhould either of you be forry or angry, anfwer'd Cavenor, if this should appear to be the Truth, tho' it has not been the current Sentiment of our Fathers? Pray, good Paulinus, now you have to'd