Party, and can never be the Objects of real Affent; for no Man can be faid to believe what he does not understand, and has not fuitable Ideas of, as far as his Belief goes. We must understand the Meaning of every Term in a Propofition, before we can affent to it, or diffent from it for Words, of which we do not understand the Signification, are the fame to us as if they had no Signification at all. How much therefore more honeft and prudent would it be to own, at firft, our Ignorance concerning certain abstruse Speculations, than to form Propofitions about them, pretend to define and explain them, and then confefs, that we do not understand our own Definitions and Explanations; and call out Herefy and Atheism, when we are defired to speak intelligibly, and tell what we mean!

BUT to the Proofs from Scripture: John iii. 18. fays, He that believeth in him is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemnedalready. And v. 36. He that believeth on the Son, bath everlasting Life; and he that believeth not on the Son, fhall not fee Life. And chap. vi. 40. Every one who feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may live eternally. And v. 51. I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven ; if any Man eat of this, he fall live for ever. K. 4

And

And Acts x. 43. To him all the Prophets bear Witness, that through his Name, whoever shall believe in bim, fhall receive Remiffion of Sins. And chap. xvi. v. 31. And they faid, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be faved, and thy House. And Rom. chap. x. v. 9. If thou shalt confefs with thy Mouth the Lord Jefus, and halt believe in thine Heart, that God hath raifed him from the Dead, thou shalt be faved. 1ft Epiftle of John, chap. iv. v. 2, 3, and 15. and chap. v. ver. 1. to the fame Purpose.

༢,

THESE, with many more plain and direc Texts, make only this Article neceffary to be believed, and fuperfede all others. Nor is this required of us, barely because it is true, or to gain adventitious Honour to the Deity, who wants not the Applause of poor mortal Men; for fuch Belief could fignify nothing: But it was required of us to obtain Obedience to his 'Commands, and direct our Practice, to promote virtuous Actions, and the Principles which produce them. John chap. v. ver. 24. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that fent me, hath everlafting Life. And chap. viii. v. 31. Jefus faid to thofe Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my Word, then are ye my Difciples indeed.

So

So that Faith in Christ is not enough, unless we obey his Word; or rather, we cannot be truly faid to believe in him, whilft we reject his Commandments. First Epistle General of St. John, chap. ii. v. 3, 4, 5. And hereby we do know, that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: He that faith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a Lyar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby know we, that we are in him.

LET us therefore fee what are thofe Commands, in the Observance of which Christianity. confifts. It does not confift in the Observance of Days, nor Months, nor Times, nor Years, Gal. iv. 10. And Rom. xiv. v. 5. One Mán efteemeth one Day above another, another Man efteemeth every Day alike: Let every Man be fully perfuaded in his own Mind.

IT does not confift in pofitive Inftitutions, in Forms and Ceremonies, 1 Cor. chap. vii. v. 19. Circumcifion is nothing, and Uncircumcifion · is nothing, but keeping the Commandments of Chrift. And Gal. vi. v. 15. In Christ Jesus, neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a new Creature. Gal. v. ver 6. to the fame Purpose.

IT does not confift in Meats nor Drinks, in Fish nor in Flesh. 1 Cor. chap. viii. v. 8, 9. Meat commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better; nor if we eat not, are we the worfe. But take heed left this Liberty of yours become a Stumbling-block to them that are weak. And Rom. xiv. v. 17. The Kingdom of God is not Meat nor Drink; but Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft.

IT confifts not in long Prayers, nor in many Prayers. Matth. vi. v. 7,8. When ye pray, use not vain Repetitions, as the Heathens do; for they think they shall be heard for their much Speaking. Be ye not therefore like them; for the Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask. Indeed, it feems plain to me from this Text, as well as from the Reason of the Thing, that Prayer itself becomes chiefly a Duty, as it raises our Minds, by a Contemplation of the Divine Wisdom, Power and GoodTM nefs, to an Acknowledgment of his repeated Bounties to Mankind; and as it difpofes us to an Imitation of thofe high Perfections, and to be merciful and beneficent to one another. For it is abfurd to fuppofe, that we can direct the All-wife Being in the Difpenfations of his Providence; or can flatter or perfuade him out of

his eternal Decrees. If therefore any Texts in Scripture feem to carry a contrary- Implication, I conceive that they ought to be underftood with the fame Allowance as those are, which speak of God's Hands and Feet, and of his being fubject to human Paffions. ⚫

IT does not confift in Sacrifices performed n pompous Churches, and magnificent Build-ings, or in confecrated Trinkets. A&ts xvii. v. 24, 25. God, that made the World, and all things therein, feeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands, neither is worshipped with Mens Hands, as though he wanted any thing, feeing he giveth to all Life and Breath, and every thing. Acts .vii. v. 48, 49, 50. The most High dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands. Heaven is his

Throne, and Earth is his Footstool. What Houfe will ye build to me, faith the Lord; or where is the Place of my Reft? Hath not my Hand made all Things?

HIS Being is univerfal, not confined to Churches, Chapels, Choirs, nor Altars; but his Prefence is every-where alike, and not more immediately in one Place than another. Acts xvii. v. 27, 28, 29. He is not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have Our Being, as certain also of your own Poets have