portant truths of religion which are taught in the gofpel. Hence the apoftle, recommending unity amongst Christians, and fhowing wherein it confifts, mentions faith as one confiderable inftance, Eph. iv. 5. One Lord, fays he, one faith, cre bap tifm; and it is reprefented as the defign of all divine ordinances, "that they may be brought in "the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the "Son of God, unto a perfect man." Now it will be easily perceived how well adapted creeds are to promote this act of Chriftian communion.

The church of Scotland, therefore, by this her Confeffion, embraces with the fincereft love and friendship, and joins in the most extensive fellowfhip with all thofe through the world that receive the fame common faith, and declares her inviolable affection and unity with all fuch as believe the important truths of the glorious gofpel, entertain the hope of the great falvation, and the neceffary means to attain it; though the nearer they approach to her in the belief of thofe truths that may be of an inferior nature, this communion becomes ftricter and more intimate.

It hath occafioned a fenfible concern to all who value religion and goodness, and hath been the frequent object of their regret and forrow, that there fhould be fo many lamentable divifions amongst the Proteftant churches, who were united together in throwing off the yoke of Antichrift, and in their generous efforts against that fpiritual tyranny, and feemed all then to be animated by the fame noble spirit, and to move towards the fame end; but have fince, to the reproach of our holy religion, and the scandal of adverfaries, given way to a fpirit of faction and difcord, crumbled into parties, and formed distinct fects. Lutherans and Calvinifts, Prefbyterians and Epifcopals, &c. have feparated from one another, under different denominations,

denominations, fet up interfering interefts, and pursued contrary measures.

How much foever it were to be wished, it can fcarce indeed be ever expected, while we breathe the impure and cloudy air of these lower regions, that fincere Christians fhould agree in all their opinions about smaller matters, and their notions concerning the circumftantials of religion; fince we here know but in part, and fee darkly as through a glass. A perfect agreement in judgement, and abfolute unity of faith, are reserved for that world of light and purity, where God himself being the fun, the invariable light of truth flows, without an interpofing cloud, into all thofe purified fouls that are perfectly fit to entertain it in its unmixed glory.

But it is a melancholy confideration, and altogether inexcufeable, when charity is the peculiar character of our religion, and when it is one of its plaineft, as well as moft important precepts, That, ftudying mutual forbearance, "whereunto "we have already attained, we fhould all walk by

the fame rule, and mind the fame things;" that yet Proteftants fhould be more alienated from one another in their affections, than they are divided in their fentiments; and that the feveral parties, upon numberless occafions, manifeft the greatest bitterness and hatred against one another, and give a loose to all the impetuofity of paffion, and refentment, and envy; load one another with the blackest calumnies, and exert the greatest warmth and keennefs of party-zeal in a mutual oppofition; and that, even where matters arrived not to fo great an extremity, univerfal experience is too fruitful an evidence, that a difference of sentiments in religious matters, especially amongst feparate churches, is attended with a coldnefs of affection, and a faintnefs and languifhing, if not a

I

total

total extinction of love; as if a difagreement in opinion, or zeal for a truth of confeffedly fmaller importance, could excufe a contempt of the most momentous commands of our Saviour, and a trampling on thofe graces, the begetting of which in us is the defign of his fufferings, and the fcope of all his doctrines; and which will remain the glory and ornament of a heavenly religion, when victorious Charity will fhine with an undiminished beauty and luftre, after the grave hath drawn a fhadow over Faith and Hope.

Now there are few things which will conduce more fuccessfully to beget thefe noble virtues of Christianity, revive moderation and forbearance amongst the Proteftant churches, and maintain a friendly correfpondence, than a right improvement and an attentive confideration of their feveral Confeffions of Faith; because thereby it will be evident, that they agree, not only in the effential foundations of religion, but in all the principles of special moment; and that those which any of them differ about, are no wife comparable to the others, either for their number or importance. One thould think, that an agreement in any principle of moment fhould be at least as apt to warm the affections of Chriftians, and infpire them with a mutual love; as a difference in another, perhaps difputable opinion, and a pretended zeal for reli. gion in maintaining it, are effectual to engender ftrife and animofity.

Would, therefore, the feveral parties of Proteftants but seriously confider in what great things we all concur, That we are the fubjects of the fame Almighty King, and equally profefs our hope of the common falvation; That we agree all in the belief of Jefus being the Meffiah, of the glorious things that a Chriftian is raifed to the expectation of, and the proper means to attain thefe E

ble flings,

bleffings, the faith and obedience of the gofpel; That we join in the principles of the Reformation, and profefs a mutual abhorrence of the idolatry and abominations of the Antichriftian church; and thus have one hope, one faith, one baptifm in a word, did we confider, that men of all these divifions may be alike pilgrims and ftrangers in this world, animated by the profpect of the regions of light and day, when the clouds that now darken and perplex us will be entirely diffipated, and may all in fincerity make religion their principal study, and agree in their choice of God for their portion, and preferring the honour of Chrift to their quickest joys; how would the meditation hereof ftifle our angry paffions, and cool our unnatural heats? Our being united in the love and fervice of our common mafter, would reconcile the keeneft difputants, and blunt the edge of controverfy: we would be afhamed of our uncharitablenefs and impatience, and blufh at the treatment we give to thofe that may be members of the fame body whereof Chrift is the head. Our hearts would relent, and our bowels would be moved, when we reflected on the endearments of a heavenly friendfhip, which, notwithstanding of our prefent little differences, we may all be exalted to the eternal enjoyment of. And fure, could there be any fhame in that happy place, no doubt we would be then confounded at the fight of many there, whom we treated as enemies upon earth, and purfued with bitter and incurable refentments or prejudices.

Did we thus improve the harmony of the Proteftant Confeffions, we would embrace one another with the warmest affections, and manage our debates with coolnefs and moderation; and we are fure controverfies fweetened with temper and charity, would be much readier to gain converts,

and

!

and bring us to an uniformity, than the way in which they are at prefent managed. An extenfive charity, and a noble freedom of love, that are unconfined by the little distinctions of parties and fchemes, would unite good men of all denominations, and make virtue and piety every where efteemed and loved; and that warmth and zeal which are so uselessly or hurtfully fpent in our inteftine feuds, would be employed in a vigorous oppofition to our common enemies, and joint efforts against the prevailing interest of darkness and wickedness.

Upon this occafion it will not be improper alfo to obferve, that by comparing together the doctrines of the Proteftant churches, it will appear, that as to thofe opinions in which we differ from. our neighbours in England, about government and worthip, we have on our fide a better claim to the fuffrages of all thofe churches beyond fea who with us threw off the Romish yoke; and that thofe diftinguished by the name of High church, who have stretched their fchemes about the abfolute neceffity of Epifcopal ordination, baptifm, and communion, in fuch an extravagant manner, muft, together with us, and their own Diffenters, unchurch almost all the other Proteftants but themfelves; which plain confequence will readily expofe their narrow bigotry and vanity to contempt with all who have a value for the Proteftant caufe; and we hope, that the ranking with Heathens and publicans fo many great and good men, at once damning all the heroic martyrs of the Reformation, may fill even themfelves with horror, beget in them fome remorfe, and engage them to examine a little more coolly the nature and tendency of fo wild and uncharitable principles.

As for us, we pity their impotent malice, and are content to run the common fate of Proteft