Conclusion, by way of Caution.

Thus, reader, have I led thee through those three so generally applauded doctrines, whose confutation I hope, though thou hast run, thou hast read; and now I call the righteous God of heaven to bear me record, that I have herein sought nothing below the defence of his unity, mercy, and purity, against the rude and impetuous assaults of tradition, press, and pulpit, from whence I daily hear, what rationally induceth me to believe, a conspiracy is held by counterplots to obstruct the exaltation of truth, and to betray evangelical doctrines to idle traditions; but God will rebuke the winds, and destruction shall attend the enemies of his anointed. Mistake me not, we never have disowned a Father, Word, and Spirit, which are One, but men's inventions; for, 1. Their trinity has not so much as a foundation in the Scriptures. 2. Its original was three hundred years after Christianity was in the world. 3. It having cost much blood; in the council of Sirmium, anno 355, it was decreed, "that thenceforth the controversy should not be remembered, because the Scriptures of God made no mention thereof."* Why, then, should it be mentioned now, with a maranatha on all that will not bow to this abstruse opinion? 4. And it doubtless hath occasioned idolatry; witness the Popish images of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 5. It scandalizeth Turks, Jews, and Infidels, and pal

* Socrat. Schol. An. 355. Conc. Sirm. Cap. xxv. p. 275.

pably obstructs their reception of the Christian doctrine. Nor is there more to be said on the behalf of the other two; for I can boldly challenge any person to give me one scripture phrase, which does approach the doctrine of satisfaction, much less the name, considering to what degree it is stretched; not that we do deny, but really confess, that Jesus Christ, in life, doctrine, and death, fulfilled his Father's will, and offered up a most satisfactory sacrifice, but not to pay God, or help him, as otherwise being unable, to save men. And for a justification by an imputative righteousness, whilst not real, it is merely an imagination, not a reality, and therefore rejected; otherwise confessed and known to be justifying before God, because "there is no abiding in Christ's love without keeping his commandments." I therefore caution thee in love, of whatsoever tribe or family in religion thou mayest be, not longer to deceive thyself by the over fond embraces of human apprehensions for divine mysteries; but rather be informed that God hath bestowed " a measure of his grace on thee and me, to shew us what is good, that we may obey and do it ;" which if thou diligently wilt observe, thou shalt be led out of all unrighteousness, and in thy obedience shalt thou "receive power to become a son of God;" in which happy estate God only can be known by men, and they know themselves to be justified before him, whom experimentally to know, by Jesus Christ, is life eternal.

CREEDS

SHOULD BE EXPRESSED IN THE

LANGUAGE OF SCRIPTURE.

FROM WILLIAM PENN'S ADDRESS TO PROTESTANTS.

OPINIONS pass for faith, and are made articles of faith, and are enjoined to be embraced as the bond of communion.

That this is so, let us take the most impartial view we can, and we shall find it to be true, both of the national and many other select societies. That I may be understood in the signification of the word opinions, I explain it thus; Opinions are all those propositions, or conclusions, made by men doctrines of faith and articles of communion, which either are not expressly laid down in Scripture, or not so evidently deducible from Scripture, as to leave no occasion of doubt of the truth of them in their minds who sincerely and reverently believe the text; or, lastly, such as have no new or credible revelation to vouch them.

That this is our case, let the several confessions of faith, published by almost every party in England, be

perused, and you will find such propositions translated into doctrines of faith and articles of communion, as are, first, not only not expressed in Scripture, but, perhaps not well deducible from Scripture; and if one party may be but believed against another, we can want no evidence to prove what we say. And, in the next place, such as are, though not expressed, yet, it may be, deducible as to the matter of them, are either carried so high, spun so fine, or so disguised by barbarous school terms, that they are rather a bone of contention, than a bond of concord to religious societies. Yet this has been the unhappiness even of this kingdom, after all the light of reformation, which God hath graciously sent amongst us, "Men are to be received or rejected for denying or owning of such propositions." Wilt thou be a Presbyterian? Embrace and keep the covenant, subscribe the Westminster confession and directory; and so on to the end of every society that grounds communion upon conformity to such propositions and articles of faith.

What a stir have we had in England about the word Erionoлos. He that says it signifies an higher office than IIQεobrepos, shall have no part or fellowship with us; on the other hand, they that will debase Episcopos to Presbuteros, and turn levellers or degraders of episcopal dignity, shall be excommunicated, silenced, punished. Is not this plain fact? Can any deny it, that love truth more than a party? The fire kindled by this contention hath warmed the hands

of violence; it had been well if men had entertained equal zeal against impiety, and been but half as much enemies to sin, as they have been against one another on such accounts.

If we look a little back, we shall find, that the debate of freewill and unconditional reprobation filled this kingdom with uncharitableness and division. In the archepiscopacy of Abbot, reputed in himself a good man, whosoever held, "that Christ so died for all men, that all men might be saved, if they would accept the means, and that none were absolutely decreed to eternal reprobation," was reputed a heretic, and excommunicated, as an enemy to the free grace of God; which, it seems, at that time of day, lay in being narrow.

In the reign of archbishop Laud the tide turned; and those that held an absolute election and reprobation, without regard had to the good or evil actions of men and asserted that Christ only died for the elect, and not for all, must be discountenanced, displaced, and pointed at as men out of fashion, though at the same time conscientious, sober, and, at worst, mistaken; and to be pitied, rather than persecuted; and informed, not destroyed.

This controversy begat the Synod of Dort; he that reads the epistles of that judicious man J. Hales, of Eton College, upon the matter and conduct of that assembly, will find cause of being sad at heart; too many of them talking of religion without the spirit of