ESSAY VIMI. 227 whether theybe brighter or more obscure." Mere then is aplain and pretty general rule given us, whereby we may judge whe- ther any particular opinion or practice be more or less important, andeonsequently whether óúr zeal for it should be warmer or cooler, viz. Is the evidence of this practice, or this truth ihscrip- ture more bright or cloudy ? According to the light of evidence, such generally should our zeal be. Violence and fierce conten' tion among christians, especially abent natters of lesser moment, tsr of doubtful dispute, are infinitely scandalous to the christian name; and as they tend to ruin and destroy the churches of Christ, so in all ages they have greatly grieved the souls of those who love the interests of christianity, and wish well to Sion. SECT. III.=Some Reason why these Differences are permitted to arise among Christians. If it would not offend my readers, I Would here Come to an ingenuous confession, that the different sentiments and dreadful quarrels of christians about some of the lesser things of religion; and thedark and dubious expressions in scripture, wherein some parts of our religion are revealed, have sometimes been a sore temptation and sorrow té my heart, so that I have wished these doubtful disputables had been more clearly determined there. I have been-plunged into the briars of this perplexity, when I have seen persons of devout soul, serious and humble, dissent so Widely from each other, both in opinion and practice, and that in matters of somemoment too, and even after long and honest in- quiries Into the meaning of God in his word. tinder these diffi- culties I have said in my heart, " Why did not the God of wisdom and of love express every article of belief and duty in words of plainest revelation and precept; that we might have all read the same sense, and been all of ;one mind ? Why did he leave the least point of ònr religion dubious or obscure, when, with a long foresight, he surveyed all the quarrels and rage, the infinite scandal, the crueltyand the blood, that in future ages would be theconsequences of religious disputes ?" I have been pained at my soul, and felt an inward afflicting heaviness in such a meditation as this ; nor could I ever satisfy myself with that profane answer which some witty men have given, viz. " That God, who might have made the rules of our duty plain and undisputed; chose to express them in words ca- pable of several interpretations, that christians might be liable to be led into many different opinions, that hereby God might please himself with the variety of devotions that were paid him ; and that howdifferent soever their sentiments and practices might be, yet that his commends are equally obeyed by all the various kinds of worship and service, which the consciences of men sincerely conceive themselves bound to offer." This notion inclines to that wildopinion, which supposes that aux forms or methods of wor' P 2
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