qually yoked together with Unbelievers," 2 Cor. vi. 14. may we fuppofe he intended to restrain the Prohibition only to thofe abfolute and notorious Unbelievers, who were Pagans or Heathens? Or did it extend to all, that did not believe the Manifeftation of Chrift outwardly in the Flesh. The Jews did believe in God, and that Chrift, the Son of God, fhould come; but they did not believe in him as he was then come, and manifefted in the Flesh among them. Might the Chriftian Believers, notwithstanding that, have mingled in Marriages with the unbelieving Jews, becaufe of their general Belief in God, and in Chrift to come, though they rejected him in his then prefent Appearance? Would that have been an equal Yoking? If one that believes, not only the outward Appearance of Chrift, with refpect to his having come in the Flesh; but his inward Appearance alfo, with refpect to his being come in the Spirit, by his

divine

divine Light and Grace, to rule in the Hearts of his People, and thereby to direct and enable them, as they attend thereunto, how to perform divine Worship and Service to God, fhould marry one that denies and opposes that inward and fpiritual Coming and Appearance of Chrift in the Heart, and fticks only to his Belief of his outward Coming, and Appearance in the Flesh at Jerufalem: Would fuch a Couple be equally yoked?

If two Perfons of different Judgments about Matters of Faith and religious Exercises (as going to Places. of Public Worship, Preaching, Praying, Thanksgiving, &c.) fhould incline to marry each other, prefuming in their fond Affections, that notwithstanding that Difagreement, they may live comfortably together, they may find too late, that they were greatly mistaken. For although, if it were only a Difagreement in their Tempers, or natural Difpofitions, B 3 which

which concerned only their outward Converfation one towards the other, or the Management of their temporal Affairs, it might be hoped they might live tolerably together: Yet, where the Difference is of fo high a Nature, as concerns the Peace of Confcience, and Safety of the Soul, on either Side, that cannot be reconciled, without the Converfion of one of them, which is out of Man's Power, of himself, to effect, Wherefore, although fuch may promise to themselves Unity in fuch Contrariety; yet by that Time their Folly hath corrected them, they will find Caufe to be of another Mind. And if their Love to God and Religion be not quite overcome by those Paffions which engaged them into that unwarrantable Undertaking, they will feel, after Marriage, their Spirits more plainly and warmly conflicting one with another, and striving to bring each other into a Conformity unto that Way of Worship, which he or she is in. And then,

which

which foever of them prevails, the other must lofe Peace of Confcience (the greatest of all Loffes) unless fuch Compliance fpring from a true and unfeigned Conviction, that the Worship fo conformed to, is the right; which is more than may reafonably be expected by any, who are guilty of tempting the Lord with fuch mixt Marriages.

When two of difagreeing Perfuafions in religious Exercifes join in Marriage, no Man can reasonably think that their Affection to each other is grounded on, or governed by, Religion; and if not, that it must be by some worldly End: And to cloke fuch a Marriage with a Pretence of Hope, to convert each other to what each believeth is right, is in plain English, no better than finning, that Grace may abound; doing Evil, that Good may come " of it."

But the Cafe is otherwife, where two of one and the fame Perfuafion in Religion, or of no Religion, are joined together in Marriage; and afterwards one of them is converted to the true Religion: The Converted may expect the Lord's Bleffing; and abiding together, may be a Means of Sanctification and Good to the other, according to the Apostle's Doctrine, 1 Cor. vii. 14. and the Nature of true Christianity.

Now, as to the latter Part of the Objection, I readily grant that the Lord hath many, that in a Senfe may be faid to belong to him, who are not as yet profeffed Members of the vifible Church, nor known unto it. This our Saviour plainly intimated, when, in his Difcourfe to the Jews, pointing at the Converfion of the Gentiles, he said, "Other Sheep I "have, which are not of this Fold ; "them alfo I must bring, and they "fhall hear my Voice; and there

fhall be one Fold, and one Shep