1. Let us take heed left our Profession of Religion degenerate into any thing which may make it look like a Sect. Christianity as it was instituted by Christ is not a Sect, let not Christians then be Sectaries. We make our Profession of Religion a Sect when we monopolize the Church and its Ministry and Sacraments, and spend that zeal in matters of doubtful Disputation which should be reserved for the weightier matters of the Law. When we place our Religion in Meats and Drinks, 1which should be placed in Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost. When we profess Religion with a Conceit of our selves, and a Contempt of others, and with any Worldly secular Design; when we sacrifice the common Interests of Christ's Kingdom to the particular Interests of a Party, and in a word, when our Profession is tainted with the Leaven of the Pharisees, 2which is both souring and swelling, then it degenerates into a Sect. Let us therefore adhere to the sure and large Foundations, and be acted by a Principle of Love to, and so maintain Communion with all that in every place, 3and under every Denomination, call on the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Let us be Modest in our Opinions, Charitable and Candid in our Censures, Self-denying in all our Converse, Acting always under the Influence of that Wisdom that is from above, which is first Pure, 4then Peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of Mercy and good Fruits, without Partiality and Hypocrisy, that by this well-doing ⟨p. 9⟩we may put to silence the Ignorance of those who call Religion a Sect.5
1. Let us take heed left our Profession of Religion degenerate into any thing which may make it look like a Sect. Christianity as it was instituted by Christ is not a Sect, let not Christians then be Sectaries. We make our Profession of Religion a Sect when we monopolize the Church and its Ministry and Sacraments, and spend that zeal in matters of doubtful Disputation which should be reserved for the weightier matters of the Law. When we place our Religion in Meats and Drinks, 1which should be placed in Righteousness, and Peace, and Ioy in the Holy Ghost. When we profess Religion with a Conceit of our selves, and a Contempt of others, and with any Wordly secular Design; when we sacrifice the common Interests of Christ's Kingdom to the particular Interests of a Party, and in a word, when our Profession is tainted with the Leaven of the Pharisees, 2which is both sowring and swelling, then it degenerates into a Sect. Let us therefore adhere to the sure and large Foundations, and be acted by a Principle of Love to, and so maintain Communion with all that in every place, 3and under every Denomination, call on the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Let us be Modest in our Opinions, Charitable and Candid in our Censures, Self-denying in all our Converse, Acting always under the Influence of that Wisdom that is from above, which is first Pure, 4then Peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of Mercy and good Fruits, without Partiality and Hypocrisy, that by this well-doing ⟨p. 9⟩we may put to silence the Ignorance of those who call Religion a Sect.5
- 1Rom. 14. 17, 18.
- 2Luke 12. 1.
- 31 Cor. 1. 2.
- 4Jam. 3. 17.
- 51 Pet. 2. 15.
