192 :L AINST IINCHAn1TAELENESS. performed. Ifwe will but trace the principles ofthose that dissent from us, throughall the lengthof remote and feeble consequences, and be sure tofindsome terribleabsurdity at the endofthem, we shall not easily maintain our charity. O how often do we put their opi- nions upon the rack ! we torture every joint and article of them, tillwe have forced them to confess some formidable errors which their authors never knew or dreamed of: Thus thé original no- tions appear with a frightful aspect, and the sectators of them grow to be theobject of our abhorrence, and have forfeited their right to every grain of our charity. Evangillo believes that Christ Jesus hascompletely answer- ed the demands of the law in order to ourjustification, and that in the room and stead of all believers. Nomineus hears this doc . trine, and thus begins his chain of severe and false deductions ; then, sails he, the law has no power to demandobedience ofus ; then we are not to be charged withsin ; though webreak the law hourly and profanely ; then the may contemn all the commands, sport with the tlireatenings, and.defy God the lawgiver and the avenger. He proceeds then to pronounceEvangillo awicked an- tinomian, and in the name of the Lorddelivers Trim up to Satan, that he may learn not to blaspheme; 1 Tim. i. 20. Evangillo, on the other hand who has been well instructed in the way of salvation, and has learned the duties of faith and hope, but is not yet so well improved in the charity of the gospel, hears Nomine- us preaching up repentance and sincere obedience, as the con- . ditions ofour justificatiOn and acceptancewith God to eternal life : '1-Ie smiles his breast with his hand, and cries, Surely this man knows no use of Christ in Our religion, he makes void his righte- ousness and his death, he is a mere legalist, a papist, a rank so- ciuian, hepreaches ¿inóther gospel, and though he were an angel from heaven let him hé áccúrsed ; Gal. i. S' 9. Thus when men dress up their neighbours in all the strained consequences Of their opinions with a malicious pleasure they pursue this thread of argument, they impose horrid conclusions which can never be drawn from their doctrines, and never leave the pursuit till they have pushed eachother to blasphemy and damnation. Whereas, if the doctrines and the persons now mentioned were put into the balances of truth and charity, perhaps the principles of Evangillo would be found tohave most weight of scriptureon their side, and Nomineus more of the fair shews of reasoning : But neither the one would he found to throw Christ out of his religion, nor the other to make void the law : And both of their lives would appear shining in holiness, hilt that they want the bright garments of charity. Let me name VII. A seventh spring of this uncharitable humour ; and that is, when we magnify circumstancial differences into substantial ones, and make everypunctilio of our own scheme a fundamental
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