knows the things of God but the spirit of God, and he to whom the spirit will reveal them.

Now I will give you an account of the main principles of the reformed religion; what it doth maintain, allow, defend and practise and lay it out in eight particulars.

1. The reformed religion doth allow and maintain the worship of God, and all the offices in religion, to be performed in the vulgar tongue: fo that knowledge and devotion may be had and promoted.

2. The reformed religion doth own the free ufe of fcripture, both in publick and private; and call upon men to do as our Saviour adviseth, viz. to Search the fcriptures, for by them we hope to find eternal life; for thefe are they which make the man of God perfect, and richly furnish him for every good work; and by these we are able to render a reason of the hope that is in us.

3. The reformed church doth hold that the scripture is the only rule of faith: and therefore traditions councils and fathers, and the writings of learned men, are only to be ufed as helps, better to underftand the fcripture: but they are not to be looked upon as any rule of faith; but in this case we say as the apostle, if I, or an angel from heaven preach aother doctrine than that which we have delivered unto you, let him be accurfed. It is well refolved by St. Austin, who faith if any one of us offer that which is not in fcripture, any man that hears, hath more authority to refufe, than the other hath to declare. But in popery we find twelve new articles at once impofed upon us.

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4. We of the protestant religion do affert, that every one hath the right of his private judgment. But we do advife, that to the end men may be able to diftinguish between good and evil, truth and falfhood; they make themselves capable of this right by prayer and meditation, and diligent fearch, and conference, and other helps of knowledge. Advifing men to be modeft, humble, fober and temperate and to lay afide all fondness and partiality of serving ends, when they come to read the fcripture: faying as Austin once did, when you take up the bible to read, you muft not feek there for an argument to confirm your opinion, but refolve to entertain that opinion which the text doth direct and warrant. Now the Romanifts tell us of what great acquifition they have made, how many they have brought to their church, by their way of force and violence: and particularly they brag of what they have done in the Indies. For which I fhall quote you the testimony of a great abbot, that was then a bishop among them his words are these, "Who after a

brutish manner drive people to baptifm, as men "drive beasts to watering, and butcher far more than they baptize."

5. We do declare, that the teachers of the church ought not to be dictators, or masters of mens faith; but helpers of mens faith; for they are not to make religion, but to fhew it. They do not take away the key of knowledge from the people, as our Saviour chargeth the Pharifees, Luke xi. 52. Or as St. Aufin faith, they do not command faith in men, upon peril of damnation, to fhew their fuperiority, or to practise

practise as governors: but they do appear in the good office of direction, and giving men counfel. 'Tis not pride of ruling and fhewing power, but out of compaffion to lead people into the way of truth, and to recover them out of error and mistake.

6. We tell people that the scripture is clear, and full, and perfpicuous in all things neceffary, as to all matters of life and practice. So that if people be well minded, and ufe diligence, they may easily understand, and be fatisfied. We never teach them to refign up themselves to others, nor to believe as others do blindfold, to believe as the church believes. 'Tis true, to give you a little account of this, there are in the bible, things of a very different nature.

I. There are matters of ancient records, the hif tory of former times; and these things were far better known then, than they are now, at this diftance of time.

2. There are in the fcripture things that are wholly expired, and out of date, and fo of less use to us, as the whole mofaical difpenfation.

3. There are in fcripture matters of prophecy, fitted for those times; which they did far better understand, than we do now and wherein they were far more concerned than we are. For they are tranfactions partly of things performed, which when fulfilled were beft understood.

4. And there are matters of deep philofophy, as alfo matters of philology; and these do not belong to the business of religion.

5. And lastly, there is the moral part of religion, and our Saviour's doctrine; and in these two our

religion confifts: and these are easily learnt and understood. I fay, the moral part of religion, and the doctrine of our Saviour, which are easy to be underftood. And for the other parts of fcripture, they are not of such concern to the community of mankind. And if we do not fully understand them, we are fafe enough; if fo be we are brought to real goodness and virtue, and to believe in God through Jefus Chrift.

7. The reformed church doth not deceive men by any ways of fraud and falfhood. Those of the Romish church, that hold the doctrine of implicit faith and the doctrine of merit, and teach that maffes ought to be faid to relieve fouls in purgatory: these impostures and cheats we put upon none. Indeed we do allow implicit faith in God, where we cannot certainly understand what his meaning is, in any particular text. That is, we do believe that what the divine spirit meant by these words is true; and when it doth appear unto us, we will receive and admit it. And this faith we allow.

But an implicit faith in men, or in the church, this is popery. We deal honestly with men; for we plainly declare to men, that without perfonal holiness, they cannot fee the face of God: according as the apostle faith, Heb. xii. 14. and Eph. iv. 24. That we must be renewed in the fpirit of our minds. This we declare and inculcate, and admonish men about the effects of regeneration, and the motion of true godly repentance and turning from fin to God. As alfo put men in mind, upon all occafions, that this is a probation state, and that men are here to

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be fitted and qualified for the state of glory and im mortality. And that men ought to lead chriftian lives, and not refer themselves to a death-bed repentance, which is very hazardous and uncertain: for how can men get knowledge all in a moment? Is the time of fickness a time for men to learn? when men should come to practise, is that a time to bę taught? when men are put upon the very laft nick of acting. Or to get themselves released from long and naughty habits all on a fudden; and the faculties released from fuch inclinations; when as the prophet tells us, that it is next to washing the blackmoor white, for men that have been accustomed to do evil, to do well. So that we deal honeftly and uprightly with men, telling them, as they expect to be happy hereafter, in this state to acquaint themfelves with neceffary knowledge, and to get themfelves discharged from all naughty habits, which will not be eafy to do upon a fick-bed; especially if men have long abused themselves, through ill ufe, custom, and practice.

8. We do refolve, that all they who do agree in the main points of religion, may look upon themfelves as members of the fame church, notwithstanding any different apprehenfions in other matters. And this is a principle of peace and charity; and this knowledge tends to the reconciliation of men, and to make them live together like chriftians, in love and good will. And for this I will quote you the faying of the apostle, Phil. iii. 15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwife minded, God shall reveal even M 3

this unto you.

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