ESSAY IX. 237 Andby the same false method ofreasoning may a church- man, whose soul has been brought to repentance and holiness by the ministry of the public church on which he has attended, al- most hates the name of a non-conformist, and severely inveigh against-themall as schismatics and foolish teachers, when per Imps he never ventured into a meeting- house, nor heard one .sermon in any oftheir assemblies. So far is it possible for piety, ignorance and prejudiceto meet in the same mind : Butour God who knows the frame of human nature, looks down, and pities and forgives. A hearty tendency towards God, and a pursuit of heaven, is well pleasing in his sight ; though perhaps the tra- veller, through ignorance, takes many a wrong step, and per- forms many a duty not exactly conformable to the directions of the word. Now, though this argument be sufficient to determine him to be.a christian, in opposition to other religions, because other religions havenot this power-to sanctify him, yet it ought not to be sufficient for ever to determine him to a particular party of ehristians, because it was not the particular opinions of that party, but the substantial and great doctrines of christiani- ty or the gospel, which areprofessed and pretended to by both parties, that were so powerful to the turning of his heart towards God. After all this discourse, I would not be understood as though I encouraged this laziness of men, and neglect Of due and just reasoning ; no, for reason is the talent that God hath given to be used in the affairs of religion; and he hath given us the rule of his own word for our determination, by which all our worship ought to be regulated, and not by human inventions ; and men are highly guilty in their neglect hereof: But a gracious God will forgive, for he knows our frame and our frailty. I believe God doth accept of such inward, sincere and experimental arguments as vulgar christiansuse to make or keep themselves churchmen or dissenters, Calvinists or Arminians. If they feel their souls raised to a more heavenly frame, and effectually engaged to the 'love of!God, religion and justice, by attending occasionally on a ministry different from their education, sometimes they will be ready to separate even from a true church to which they belong- ed, for want of knowing the guilt and terrors and damnation that `some men include in that hard word, schism; and I persuade myself that a gracious God will accept of their upright designs and their honest :motives, will pardon their separation, though it should prove unwarrantable, and bless their new communion to the advantageof their souls. Thirdly, But suppose a man should forcibly divest himself of all former aversions and inclinations to the separate or the established churches, and enter into a sober search, and solemn debate with himself about the merits of the cause ; how few are
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