APPENDIX.

ON

COMMUNICATING IN RELIGION,

WITH THOSE WHO ARE SEPARATED FROM

THE

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

WHOEVER seriously considers what has been shewn in the preceding inquiry, and the light in which the sacred Scriptures represent to us all false religions, will have no difficulty in drawing this conclusion, that every communication with such, in religious matters, must be highly criminal in the sight of God; because every such communication implies an approbation of their false doctrine, and is, as St. John expresses it," a communicating with their wicked works,” 2 John, 11. It might, therefore, seem unnecessary to advance any thing further on this head; but, as the licentiousness of the heart of man, fostered by the latitudinarian maxims so current in the world, is 2 H

VOL. II.

but too apt to take liberties in practice, under some specious pretence or other, which a bare conclusion from other principles might prove too weak to restrain; and, as the spirit of God has thought proper to lay down our duty on this point, in the plainest terms, in his sacred Scriptures, it cannot, therefore, but be agreeable to all sincere disciples of Jesus Christ, to know to the full what their holy religion teaches them concerning it, both for their own satisfaction, in knowing their duty, and the grounds of it; and also that they may be armed against the "cunning craftiness of such as may go about to deceive them." This appendix, therefore, is added, to shew, from the most incontestable authority, that it is altogether unlawful for the members of the true Church of Christ to have any religious communication, even though in appearance only, with any of those who are separated from her communion; and that the vain pretexts which may be brought to authorize such communication, are mere delusions; and, as St. Paul justly calls them, "impositions of philosophy, vain deceit, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ," Col. ii. 6. ; as will manifestly appear by what the sacred word of God declares upon this subject.

SECTION I.

PRINCIPLES PREMISED FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

Q. 1. ARE We obliged to confess our holy faith outwardly, acknowledging ourselves to be mem-bers of the Church of Christ?

A. We are strictly obliged to confess this outwardly, when either God's honour, or the good of our neighbour's soul requires it; for this important reason, because the Scripture makes it an express condition of Salvation. Thus, (1.) "Thisis the word of faith which we preach; that if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and be lieve in thy heart that God raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for with the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," Rom. x. 9. In which words the apostle declares, that it is an article of divine faith, revealed by God, and preached as his word by the apostles, that if we confess Jesus outwardly, and believe him in our hearts, we shall be saved; for, though the internal faith of the heart is sufficient for our justification, that is, for being reconciled with God through repentance, yet, if occasion be given, we are also bound to confess outwardly, both by words and actions, without shame, or fear of the world, the faith which we believe in our hearts, in order to obtain salvation. And it is with great reason that St. Paul affirms this to be a revealed truth; for, (2.). Jesus Christ himself declares it to his holy apostles in these words, "Whosoever, therefore, shall. confess me before men, I will also confess him be

fore my Father who is in heaven," Matth. 32.; and, in another place, he repeats it with an asseveration, saying, "And I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God," Luke, xii. 8. In these words, the necessity of confessing our faith in Jesus Christ is revealed by him; which, therefore, St. Paul in the former text calls the word of faith. Now, by confessing Jesus Christ, is not only meant confessing our belief of his person, but also of his doctrine, and, consequently, of his Church, in which alone his true doctrine is preserved; for of St. Paul, before his eonversion, it is said, that "he breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord," Acts, ix. 1.; that is, against the Church of Christ, as he himself declares, saying, beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it," Gal. i. 13.; and yet, when Christ appeared to him by the way, going to Damascus, he said to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?"...." I am Jesus whom thou persecutest," Acts ix. 4.; where it is manifest, that persecuting Christ, and persecuting his Church, is the same thing; and, consequently, confessing Christ, and confessing his Church is the same thing also, according to his own words to the Pastors of his Church, "He that hears you, hears me; and he that despises you, despises me."

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Q. 2. Is it a grievous sin to deny Christ, or his faith and Church?

A. It is, of its own nature, a most grievous sin of the deepest die; for Christ himself says, "Whosoever shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven," Matth. x. 33.; and again, "He that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God," Luke, xii. 9. On this authority St. Paul declares

the same truth as a faithful saying, and commands his disciple Timothy, and in him all the pastors of God's Church, to preach and inculcate the same to their people : "A faithful saying....if we deny him, he will deny us; if we believe not, he continueth faithful, he cannot deny himself; of these things put them in mind, charging them be. fore the Lord," 2 Tim. ii. 11.; where it is manifest, that, to deny Jesus Christ, and, of consequence, to deny his faith or Church, is a deadly sin, which, at the great day, will bring upon us that dreadful sentence, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity,' Luke xiii. 27.

Q. 3. How does it appear that denying the faith or Church of Christ is included in these texts, and is the same as denying Christ himself?

A. This is manifest both from the reason given above, and also from the following express declaration of Christ himself, saying, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also shall be ashamed of him, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels," Mark,. viii. 38.; where it is evident, that the being ashamed, not only of Christ, but also of his words, that is, of his doctrine, of his faith, and consequently of his Church, the depository of his faith, is a mortal sin of its own nature; and if the being ashamed of these is a mortal sin, how much more the denying them ?

Q. 4. But is it not allowable to deny our faith outwardly, whilst we keep it firm in our hearts, in order to escape some great evil, such as the loss of all our goods, or of our liberty, or of life itself?

A. No: It is never allowable, even in appearance, either by words, or signs, or actions to deny