Essai VII. 102 Again, I would ask Momus, why are the names of Christ and the holy Spirit appointed so generally to be used in bap- tism, which is the ordinance which initiates us into christianity ? Is it not toput us in mind that when we profess christianity we profess the chief articles that relate tohim as our Saviour, viz. Jesus Christ tobe thepropitiation,for our sins, we profess tobe born pftheSpirit, or regenerated and renewed to holiness by the Spirit of God? Now if a man asserts himself to be a christian, when he believes and professes neither of these doctrines, then St. John may be to blame indeed in denying the benefit ofcommon christian friendship to such a man. But whither would this Moms hadus ? What ? would he make a christian out of such adversaries to the name and gospel of Christ as neither trust in him as a propitiationfor their sins, nor hope to be renewed and made holy by the Holy Spirit of God ? Let us learn of the hea- then poet : Est modus in rebus, sent certi denicue fines." There must be somemeasures and bounds set to every gene- ral virtue, and even tochristian charity itself. This does not ex- tend to infidels in the same sense. Surely, there must be due limits set to every thing of this kind : They can scarce be justly called Christians, and treated as such, let their profession be what it will, svito renounce Jesus Christ in his chief design of coming into the world, as a propitiation for sin, and who re- nouncethe Spirit of God as the effectual spring of our regenera- tion and holiness. Ìf all deists and infidels may be received into the christian church, into our good esteem and friendship, those may also be our fellow- christians, who deny the most im- portant principles of christianity : But let us take heed that we do not give Mat which is holy to such who have no claim to it; Mat. vii. 6. and give charity and christian friendship to those, who seem, according to the word of God, to have no pretence to it. It has been objected indeed against this second as well as against the third epistle of St. John, that they havenot sufficient proof of their divine original : Now it would be too large in this place to enter into a discussion of that question : But there is no- thing said in this epistle that is disagreeable to the sense of other holy writers in other parts of scripture ; and by our protestant writers these epistles have been generally represented'as part of the word of God in the New Testament : Nor can I find suffici- ent reason to reject it, merely because some persons, that need a more abundant measure of indulgence and of charity than the scripture seems to allow, will not allow it this post of honour, and that is because it excludes them from our good esteem, front christian communion and friendship. Yet after all this censure )f Moms and his followers, if any such there be, I would still slope and persuade Myself there aresome serious and pious souls
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