568 THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. And I fear then, said Paulinus, I shall fall under censure upon the same account. Perhaps my zeal for these great and blessed doctrines of the gospel may have given too much sharp- ness to some of my expressions, while I was pursuing a course of argument: But you will forgive me, Charistes, since you know that I have two sons here in London, . in the midst of these errors and dangerous opinions. The young fellows do not want a natural genius, and I thank God, they have something of a serious turn towards religion too; but they love to keep polite company, and if Agrippa's creed grow much in fashion, I fear they will be tainted with it, and lose a great deal of that chris- tianit.y which I taught them in their younger years. It was that tender concern for the welfare of their souls which dwells always with me, that might help perhaps to give an edge and accent to some of my sentences, and I feel it inclines me sometimes to say a severe word or two against these growing and pernicious no- tions : And though after all that Cavenor has said in a way of excuse, I am still satisfied of the falsehood and danger of them, vet I am forced to acknowledge that in some of his. questions he has suggested several thoughts, which may draw out the heart of a christian to greater degrees of moderation and can- dour than Ferventio seems to admit o£ However, Charistes, I begyou would proceed to fulfil the request of these gentlemen here present, and spew us your opinion upon the subject of their debate. I take a pleasure, Sir, said Charistes, to obey your orders at all times, and particularly since you have confirmed the re- questof these gentlemen : And I would therefore humbly pro- pose it to the company, whether this contest between Cavenor and Ferventio about the necessity of believing the atonement of Christ in order to salvation may not be compromised by some such considerations as these : I. There are some things which hold so very important a placein the christian religion, that in their very nature they seem to be essential to christianity as it is a well-connected sys- tem of doctrines and practices, formed upon the complete revela- tion of the New Testament. These have been usually called fundamentals, from a supposition that the apostle enumerated them all; Heb. vi. 1. where he speaks of thefoundation of re- pentance from dead works, and faith towards God, &c..and which are there called the principles of the doctrine of Christ. But I chuse rather to call them essentials, to avoid something Of those controversies which have been already formed upon the word fundamentals, and are attached to it. Now among other characters which may be given of essen- tials or fundamentals, I look upon those things to besuchessen- tial parts of christiauity which being clearly revealed in the
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