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have contrary Opinions, there are Inventions enough whereby they may keep their Opinions and their Orthodoxy too. Can it be believ'd, that all of the Church of Rome have Faith enough in their Church, and Senfe little enough in themselves, to believe Tranfubftantiation? I fay nothing nearer home: But fome certain Difputes, in which Senfe Articles may be fubscribed, have fome Meaning. Whether for inftance, as Articles of Peace, or in any poffible Literal or Grammatical Senfe; or in fine, in a Senfe in which they can be true, and not in a Sense in which they neither are, nor can be fo. How then do fuch Tefts answer their pretended Intention, if a Man becomes Orthodox by Subfcription? Men may fit as long as they please, to determine what fhall be fubfcribed for Orthodox, but methinks they might spare their Pains, confidering that other Men will fit again upon them, and their Decifions; and if they can't believe them, will determine at laft for themselves a Senfe in which they can subscribe them, if they judge it for their Convenience fo to do.

But if the Scripture be a Teft fufficient, and the fubfcribing this enough to denominate a Man Orthodox, how fhall we know how to rank and call Men?

True, this has fomething in it indeed. Were we come to this pafs, we fhou'd be at a fad Lofs for Shibboleths, that is, for Party Names and Invidious Marks of Diftinction: And fhou'd be forc'd to fhare the Name Chriftian in common with all o ther Pretenders to it. Thus all who own'd the Bible, and believ'd in Jefus Chrift were without any Diftinction call'd Chriftians firft at Antioch, notwithstanding their different Sentiments. Then

each

Paul Bephas Apollo!

each Squadron had not got fome Man's Name at the Head of them, inftead of that of Jefus Chrift. And I can't think it wou'd be any juft Matter of Lamentation, fhou'd it ever come to be thus with the Chriftian World again.

But what wou'd you have them own'd and receiv'd as our Fellow Chriftians who err in Fundamentals, who differ in important Articles, and bring in damnable Herefies?

'I never yet cou'd fee a Lift of Fundamentals in Chriftianity. I have heard Proteftants when upbraided by the Romanifts for want of Unity, plead Agreement in Fundamentals. And I have heard the Papifts hereupon demand fuch a Lift, but I never knew any Proteftant hardy enough to produce it. That only in my Notion is a Fundamental miftake in Religion, which is inconfiftent with a good Heart and a Religious Converfation. If a Man give any reasonable Evidence of his being imprefs'd with a fear of God, and that he is concern'd to know and do his Will, however he may err we are not to feat our felves in God's Throne ; and because he is not Religious in our Way, reprobate him at once, and conclude him profane and ungodly. Twill be kind to use all the proper Methods we can, to convince and reclaim him: But to condemn, anathematize, and cenfure him as an Heretick; and then cry, away with him from the Earth this is the very Spirit of the Inquifition, and a conduct worthy only of that fhameless Church who has no bounds to her Claims, nor any Pity or Remorse to those that dispute them.

FINIS.

;

OCCASIONAL PAPER.

VOL. II. NUMB. II.

LETTERS

TO THE

AUTHOR.

CONTAINING,

I. A Vindication of the Character of a Proteftant from Modern Diftin&tions.

II. Of the Roe-Buck Proceffion, January 19. With a Judgment on Sir H. M's. Pamphlet, Down with the Mug-Houfes.

III. of Canvaffing for Places, efpecially by Church

men.

IV. Of the Jumble and Mischief of unconnected Ideas.
V. Of the Diffenters writing little against Popery in King
James's Time.

LONDON:

Printed for J. Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard; F. Harrifon under the Royal Exchange, and A. Dodd without Temple-Bar. (Price 3 d.)

1717.

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LETTERS

TO THE

AUTHOR

T

HIS Mifcellany comes Abroad into the World with all grateful Acknowledgments to my Correfpondents, for the early Affiftance fo many of them have been pleased to give towards carrying on this Second Volume. As that Paper in the former, which was wholly taken up in fuch Letters, met with particular Acceptance; I cannot doubt but this will be at leaft an equal Entertainment, being upon feveral Subjects of Confequence or of agreeable Amusement. I lay them together, as they come in my Way, without being follicitous about their Order, any further, than to Number them according to the Account of their Subjects given in the general Title.

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