SEETION VIII. 581 What would you say, Sir, to one who pretends tobe a minister of the gospel, who denies these doctrines; and preaches to the people Agrippai's creed? For my part, I declare my opinion freely, I cannot believe him to be a minister of Christ or his gospel, and I should think it my duty to discourage his preaching Yo the utmost, and persuade all my friends to avoid'him as they would avoid poison, or the pestilence. I think 'it is preaching another gospel, as St. Paul calls it; Gal. i. 6 -9. or such a per - version of the gospel of Christ, that if any man whatsoever, or an angel fromheaven shall preach it, 'I believe the great apos- tle would say, Let fain 'be accursed. Truly, Sir, replied Charistes, though I have learned to attend with reverence] and profit upon the labours of ministers who have had very different sentiments upon many points in christianity, yet I think I should never encourage melt to set up for ministers of the gospel, who renounce two of the chief doctrines for which a gospel ministry seems to be instituted, who abandon two of the chief mediums by which sinners are invited and encouraged to repent and return to God, and who leave out of their preaching the two chief blessings for which Christ and the Spirit were revealed to the world. I could never,think it my duty to give them any countenance in their work : 1:could never say, God speed, lest I should he partaker of their evil deeds; 2 John 10, 1.1. Yet since I am not an apostle, I would not pro- nouncea curse upon them, butI would pray for them with sin- cere and hearty addresses to the mercy-seat, that they might be taught better themselves before they proceeded to teach others, lest if theblind dead the blind through a false way, in the midst of day-light and sun-beams and many warnings, they should both fall into the pit and perish in their chosen darkness. May the God of light and truth open the eyes of all such as go astray, guide them into the paths of graceand peace, and incline them to submit their souls to his conduct in the way of happiness 1 May theybe so wise as to take heed, that they re- sist not any degrees of scriptural light breaking in .upon their sounds in their searches after knowledge, lest they provoke God to abandon them to their own darkness for ever. He is ajealous God, tender of the honours and offices of his Son, and of the dignity. of his blessed Spirit inhis divine operations. Far be it fromme in the anidst'of my charitable language, to speak any thing that should .encourage the dangerous opinions of Agrippa andhis disciples : But I heartily lift up these petitions of them, that the good Spirit of God would shew them their mistakes, and recover them from event snare.gf the devil. May he release their souls from every criminal prejudice, and guard their en- quiries from, every dangerous error, that being converted to the both of Jesus, as our great sacrifice of atonement, and seeking 003
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