We conceive the whole contents of this book to be of importance; but if there is any head which we wish to treat with more than ordinary folemnity, it is the present, in which we mean to confider a subject which a believer will do, with as much holy fear and religious awe, as was upon Aaron wher he entered within the vail, into the Holy o Holies..

Here, we have been wounded indeed! Her we may again cry, Woe! woe! woe! How was David's holy zeal kindled, when he hear the uncircumcifed Philiftine Goliah of Gat

defy the armies of the living God!" Hov did it grieve the holy apostle James, to hea "the rich in this world blafpheme that worth

3

name by which the poor were called '!" Bu we have heard words which we will no utter and from men who are defirous o

1 1 Tim. iii. 16.

2

I Sam. xvii. 26.

3 James ii. 7

bein

being confidered as PROFESSING the SAME

RELIGION WITH OURSELVES.

The above mystery, and all other the myfteries with which it is connected, muft depend upon fcripture; and here our opponents affume to themselves the victory, as they affert, that we take our opinions from the firft, fecond, and fifth articles of the church of England, and from the Athanafian creed; whereas they are the persons, according to their own account, who follow fcrip

ture.

In the former head we declared, and we now again, with reference to the subject in hand, repeat, and those of us who are churchmen, think they are acting the part of good churchmen in declaring that they profess no credence in these or any other of the articles of the church of England, neither in the Athanafian creed, any further or otherwise than the fame are (and it is our opinion that they are) agreeable to the Holy Scriptures. As a corroboration of this declaration, we refer to the fixth article of the church of England; and we here fubjoin a paper drawn up

[ 17 ]

by one of our brethren, which he ufes in-
ftead of the Athanafian creed, which he is
cautious of ufing, he being fearful that the
penner of it hath been, in fo mysterious a
fubject, almost too explicit. If
any of the
learned and ruling men among us Chriftians
fhould think that any good hint may be
taken from it, his attention to it will meet
an additional reward. It is, in part, moulded
into the form of a
a prayer, and part into that
of a creed; and is as follows:

O GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD, who haft given us Thy Holy Word to be in this dark world" a lamp unto our feet, and a light "unto our path '," give me that Holy Spirit which is promifed in Thy Word, faying, "If ye, being evil, know how to give good

gifts unto your children, how much more "shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that afk Him

2 ""

I am fenfible that I lack wifdom; but I now afk the fame of Thee in faith, and rely on Thy promise, that thou wilt give it unto me. Efpecially I pray for knowledge in Thy most

• Pfal. cxix. 105.

2 Luke xi. 13.

3 James i. 5.

C

Holy

give me this faith; grant me this inward and fpiritual regeneration, as well as the outward and vifible fign of baptifm; that I that I may "flee from the wrath to come

Thy Word declareth, that "Whosoever "cometh unto God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that

4

diligently feek him *.” Give me, therefore, O my God, juft and true ideas of Thy perfections, and a firm faith in all Thy declarations; particularly, may I never depart from a full and unbounded belief in Thy declaration, that the firft and great commandment is, Hear, O Ifrael; the Lord our "God is one Lord "." Keep me ever from wavering with refpect to this first and great commandment, and may I receive the whole of Thy Word as a good, and wife,

Mark xvi. 16.

? Heb. xi, 6.

2 Joha iii. 5. 5 Mark xii. 29.

3 Matt. iii. 7.

and

and confiftent word; and whenever men or devils would endeavour to shake my faith in any part thereof, give me, in the same spirit with my bleffed Master, to reply, "It is "written '.'

2

I believe alfo, for Thy Word declares, that "In the beginning was the word, and the "word was with God, and the word was "God. The fame was in the beginning "with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing "made that was made ";" I believe in the "Son of God, in whom we have redemp"tion through his blood, even the forgive"nefs of fins. Who is the image of the "invifible God, the firft-born of every crea"ture. For by him were all things created "that are in heaven and that are in earth, "vifible and invifible, whether they be "thrones or dominions, principalities or 66 powers. All things were created by him, "and for him; and he is before all things, " and by him all things confift"." I believe also that Thomas, our Lord's once unbeliev3 Col. i. 13, 17.

Matt. iv. 4.

2 John i. 1, 3.