The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preached at the merchant's lecture in…The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preach'd at the merchant's lecture in…

They that are yet unacquainted with the most necessary things of Christian Religion, are to he held as Catechumens, under Instruction, if they be willing. They that live licentiously in the state of Penitents, till they give that Proof of their serious Repentance, as that their Profession thereof appear not to be slight and ludicrous.

They that are yet unacquainted with the most necessary things of Christian Religion, are to he held as Cateohumens, under Instruction, if they be willing. They that live licentiously in the state of Penitents, till they give that Proof of their serious Repentance, as that their Profession thereof appear not to be slight and ludicrous.

They that refuse to learn, or be reformed; that live in open Hostility against the known Laws of Christ, are not Visible Christians, are not visibly in the way of Salvation. Visible Subjection and visible Rebellion are Inconsistencies.

They that refuse to learn, or be reform'd; that live in open Hostility against the known Laws of Christ, are not Visible Christians, are not visibly in the way of Salvation. Visible Subjection and visible Rebellion are Inconsistencies.

If therefore any Society of Men, professedly Christian, do make other Limits of their Communion; admitting those that Christ's Rule excludes, excluding them whom it would admit; especially, if the Alteration be, not only by the making those things necessary which he hath not revealed or enjoined as necessary, but ⟨p. x⟩which he hath not revealed or enjoined at all; and so is not only to add to Christian Religion taken at large, but even to it's Essentials: This is substantially to change the Evangelical Covenant, to make it another thing, to break Christ's Constitution, and set up another. If they be little things only that we add, we must know there is nihil minimum in Religion. What, if as little as they are, many think them sinful, and are thereby thrown off from our Communion! The less they are, the greater the Sin to make them necessary, to hang so great things upon them! Break the Churches Peace and Unity by them, and of them to make a new Gospel, new Terms of Life and Death, a new way to Heaven. And is, as much as in us lies, to make things of highest Necessity, depend not only upon things of no Necessity, but that are, in our Religion, perfect Nullities, not having any place there at all. And thereupon is, in effect to say, If you will not take Christianity with these Additions of ours, you shall not be Christians; you shall have no Christian Ordinances, no Christian Worship; we will as far as in us is, exclude