82 A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. will makehereafter, is not my business to enquire into ; but cera tainly, we are to admit none to christian communion who have not the knowledge,that is essential to christianity. And though we cannot precisely reckonup the certain number of essential or fundamental articles, yet we may lay down such characters of them, as may assist and regulate the affairs of christian com- munion. SECT. H. We may begin therefore with negatives, andmay boldly sáy, those cannot be fundamentals either of faith or prac- tice, which are not very clearly revealed, either in express words, or in very plain, easy, and obvious consequences ; they must be such as the meanest christianmay be able to find by reading his bible, with sincere desire of truth, with holy diligence, and with humble prayer : For the way of holiness and salvation is so plain, that fools shall not err therein ; Is. xxxv. 8. which may be ex- plained by that text, 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. Not many wise are called, but the foolish timings of this world, &c. Those again cannot be fundamental which are only to be found in such verses of scrip- ture, the authoritywhereof may have been any ways dubious or reasonably suspected. For fundamentals must have the strongest authority, as well as the plainest evidence, and that for the same reason. Upon this account, I would never call that a funda- mental, which is not mentioned but in one single text of scrip- ture ; for it is possible, that such a single text might be con- tested by critics, or transcribed false, by the neglect or iniquity of men, or be falsely translated, either by ignorance or design, Fundamentals must be revealed in several parts of the bible, and appear to he the frequent design and subject of the holywriters ; that so the faith and salvation of plain christians might be secured against the danger of fatal mistakes, and the subtilty of critics, or cunning deceivers. Such articles also can never be funda- mental, as have no necessary, influence on the honour of God, the good of our neighbour, or our own holiness and final salvation, for since the honour of God, and the good of men, is the very end of the gospel, that can never be an essential part of, it, with- out which, these ends may be happily and gloriously attained. SECT. III. The plain and positivecharacters of true funda- mental articles in christian religion, seem to be such as these : 1. Those without which there can be no religion : Such as, that there is a God ; that this God is to be worshipped, believed, and obeyed; that he governs man in this life in order to a final judg- ment ; that there is a future state ; and rewards and punishments hereafter, according to our different behaviours here. 2. Those also seem to be essential, necessary, and funda- mental articles of the christian religion, which are the chief points that raise it above natural, or distinguish it from the Jewish religion, and which are represented in scripture as the up,di¡.,,
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