Earls of Cromartie > [NSLBLANK]

1714.] LETTER ON ROMAN CATHOLICISM. clxxi
what needs more to yow who was not in so remote a state from the doctrine
of Christ 1 ? Allow me to say I know not another society who requires such a
solemnity on this side of the witches, as is said; but if evry oath should be made
in truth and with judgment, so cheefly that wherin so high a subject as the
Gospell and Apostles' Creed, or a Church who ownes them, is abjured. I conjure
you, in the name of the blessed Jesus, to evite that horrid act. The Donatists'
error and condemned herisy was but to have ane oath or vow renewed at the
receaving of penitents, how farr grosser most it be not only to renew, but to
abjure, your former truths, for companies sake only, with alleadged errors 1 Dear
sonne, lett these and the feare of the God of Truth prevail with yow to stopp to
consider, to examine and re-examine, and to acquaint me with any thing that
induces yow to leave us, or yow consumate it, since in that delay (as I said at
first) yow are in a religious duty comanded by Christ and practised by his saints.
That this may be the more welcome to yow I have sent it by the hand yow love
best in the world, whose greeff for your course should add to the perswasion both
for your delay and consideration, and it is againe desyred by your affectionat and
greeved father." 1
In connection with the matter of the letter now quoted, it may be noted
that Lord Cromartie wrote short essays on particular subjects in religion. A
short essay by him may here be given : —
Secret Rocks in the Christian Voyage.
In CREDENDO. In beleeving beware of beleeving too litle, for that is a defect
in faith, — a reflection on what God reveals, a branch of atheism. To conclude
your judgment on that silly thing, human reasone, and not on God's veracity, is
on the matter to give the ly to God, and so is a dreadfull sinne, tho' oftymes litle
adverted to. By it yow extend the limits of the invisible church, since yow allow
these to be such who beleeve not the articles necessare, which is a conditionall
charecter of church membership in the invisible church which none can dispence
with, and is Antichristianisme. Beware also of beleeving too much, i.e. ought
with a divine faith, as unfallible, but what God hath revealed to yow, for that
were to sett reasone, or man's authority and veracity on a levell with God's : it is
Antichristianisme to give such legislative power to any but God, and it narrowes
1 Original Letter, holograph (without date), at Tarbat House.