ESSAY VII. .297 safer it to descend and warm their hearts. Jesus the. Saviour has been discovered to them in a good degree of outward light, but has never been revealed in them with power, nor their souls changed by divine grace into the image of the gospel. While they boast of their orthodox faith they forget their chris- tian, love. Stellino has stuck his brain all over with notions, and fancies his higher sphere sufficiently illuminated for the conduct of mankind that is round about him, and beneath him : But this set of notions is like a winter-night overhung with stars ; bright and shining, but very cold., Natural affections have no room in hit soul, it is too much spiritualized with opinions and doctrines. His divinity lies all in his understanding, and the common duties of humanity scarce ever-employ his tongue or his hands. If a man does but profess every tittle of his creed, and be- lieve just as Stellino believes, he is declared fit for holy com- munion ; and if he will but dispute warmlyfor the hard words that distinguish his scheme, and can pronounce Shibboleth well, he shall not be adjudged to death or damnation, but joined heartily to the fellowship of the saints, though his flaming im- moralities proclaim him a son of Satan : Satan himself has per- haps a more accurate and nice skill of the controversies of divi- nity, than the best of our professorsand doctors have arrived at!; but his pride and malice are chains of darkness, and make a devil of him in spite of all his knowledge : Yet Stellino affects too . near a resemblance to Lucifer, that fallen son of the morning. Vices that are odious to human nature, and wild licentious vesses of a bitter tongue which destroy all civil society, are very little faults in his opinion, when put into the balance with orthodoxy and zeal. If my conversation among men be blameless and honourable ; if my practice consist of virtue and piety ; if I profess a solemn faith in Christ the eternal word, the only begotten Son of God, who came into the flesh, who died to make a true atonement for the sins of men,and testify my un- feigned subjection to him, and declare the grounds of my hope ?. yet I must not be admitted to the special part ofworship where, Stellino presides, because I am not arrived at his degree of light, and differ from his expressions a little, when I explain the words justification and the covenant of grace. I3is lips are ever full of declamation and controversy, and he harangues copiously upon the most affecting points of our religion ; he talks much of the amazing condescensions of divine mercy, and of the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man; but it hat not yet taught him love to his fellow-creatures, nor kindness towards his brethren. Such another christian is Misander ; he reserves the. dotie$ .; N 3
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