faith pure and inviolable. And by all means we pray you avoid the corrupt doctrines of deism and infidelity, which tend to irreligion and a vicious ungodly liberty; a liberty not from sin, but to sin and wickedness; a liberty to pull down all religion, and to set up none in the stead thereof, for ought that yet appears to the world, to the shame and scandal of all religion, and even of human wisdom and nature itself. Secondly, We put you in mind of our steadfast and constant testimony to the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord in the flesh, above seventeen hundred years ago, according to the christian account, when he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, and after a life in this world as man, during the space of about three and thirty years, in the three last of which years (which was the time of his ministry) he wrought many real mighty miracles, lived a most exemplary life, and taught a most heavenly doctrine, gave himself up unto the shameful death of the cross, under Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor, then in Judea, and became a most satisfactory sacrifice and propitiation for the sins of the whole world, upon condition that men sincerely repent of their sins and truly turn to the Lord, by forsaking them, and amending and reforming their lives, and receive him as their Lord and Master, submitting themselves to the conduct of his Light and Spirit, in their minds and consciences; who was buried and rose again the third day from the dead by the power of the Father, and appeared oftentimes to his disciples after his resurrection, and gave them commission to preach the gospel unto all nations, baptizing them in, or into the name (that is power and virtue) of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as Peter did the first Gentiles which believed, who said, as I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning; then, said he, remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost: He ascended into heaven about forty days after his resurrection, and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, making intercession for men, and giving gifts to them, yea to the rebellious also, that he by the sanctifying virtue of these gifts might prepare their hearts for himself, to dwell among them and in them by his most Holy Spirit: And from heaven he shall come to judge the living and the dead, in the great and general day of judgment, when all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life (eternal) and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. And all these doctrines we profess according to the plain literal sense of the Holy Scriptures, which therefore we earnestly exhort you steadfastly to believe, and zealously to maintain to the very end of your lives, notwithstanding all the opposition and cunning craftiness of deists and infidels who lie in wait to deceive you, men of corrupt minds, and reprobate, or of no judgment, concerning the faith. "Thirdly, We put you in mind, that our friends from the beginning, have constantly held and maintained, that according to the Holy Scriptures, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Eternal Word, and Wisdom of God, is the true Light (called so on account of his divine excellency), who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, John i. 9. with a Light or Gift, of his own Nature, the Life in him being the Light of men, John i. 4. and therefore superior to, and distinct from the more human light of our natural faculties; because it is no constituent part of men, as creatures, but purely the gift of God, superadded to them by Jesus Christ, for their information and assistance, in matters of religion, regarding the favour of God and their eternal salvation. "And therefore believe them not, who tell you, there is no need of the grace or help of Jesus Christ to deliver you from the bondage and corruption of your depraved and sinful, because fallen, nature; but that you are self-sufficient, or able of yourselves, alone to save yourselves, without the assistance of Jesus Christ, or his grace, which doctrine he, of his infinite mercy, preserve us all from, as being inconsistent with, and destructive of true religion; and teach both you and us, and all mep, to abstract our thoughts frequently, but especially in our solemn meetings, from all worldly things, and earthly ideas, to attend devoutly and sincerely, on the teaching and guidance of this heavenly principle, and gift of God, through Jesus Christ, his beloved Son, our Lord, to know and witness his blessed work of regeneration; which none can know and witness without him and his help, mortifying our sensual and sinful appetites and actions, called in the sacred writings, the deeds of the body, that we may live eternally, and raising in us heavenly desires, and bringing forth in us holy actions, since without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. "And therefore we beseech all those who make profession with us, of the excellency and sufficiency of this divine principle and salutary grace, which during the time of God's kind visitations to the souls of men, is always near to them, to help them, by the strength thereof to keep their hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, from wandering from it; in a stayed state on God, especially in our solemn assemblies, for this is worshipping him in spirit and truth, as our Saviour taught, John iv. 23. This is the way to have our hearts washed from wickedness, airiness, and wantonness, and instead thereof, to have Christ formed in us, Gal. iv. 19. and to be blessed with those habits of virtue and piety, which are necessary for rendering us children of God, and qualifying us for heirs of heaven. "Fourthly, We stir you up by way of remembrance, that on our first becoming a separate people, for the service of God from other societies, our primitive Friends were very remarkable for their uprightness and honesty, in commerce and converse; they were very exact in performing their words and promises, without shuffling and evasive excuses, and insincere dealings, to the credit and reputation of the Society; much less did they by wheedling and deceitful pretences, involve themselves in a multitude of things and affairs, which they had not understanding and stock of their own to manage; and contract great debts which they knew they were not able to pay, and thereby impose upon, and cheat their honest neigh bours, under sanctified pretences of religion and holiness; which abominations, we find ourselves obliged to solemnly testify against." It thus concludes, "And now, Brethren, we commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified, through faith, in our Lord Jesus Christ. "Published at our Men's Meeting, in the city of Bristol, the 3d of the 11th month, 1731. And at their appointment, signed on their behalf. ALEX. ARSCOTT." Notwithstanding considerable care has been taken in examining the sheets, we regret to find that some typographical errors have escaped notice. Though none of them materially affect the sense, yet we have thought it best to collect them as an Errata. Page 6, line 13 from the bottom, omit in before writing. 24, 6 insert that, between station and he. 18 from the top, all from read from all. 4 7 for created flesh read created from the earth. for are we all to have read we all have. 12 from the bottom, insert of before it. 28, 16 from the top, for this truth read his truth. 73, 85, 1 from bottom, for of read with. insert two before points. for Vol. II. read Vol. I. 18 from top, read into for unto. 18 33, 42, 26 22 54, 22 58, 23 25 60, 66, 12 4 32 for collected read collated. after himself insert or self condemned. bottom line, for sin read sins. 14 from the bottom, for when read where. 19 from the bottom, for God read God's. for sacrifice read sacrifices. 11 from the top, for man out of read man from out of. 11 from the bottom, for the High Priest read their High Priest. 18 from the top, for delighteth read delighted. omit that. for page 118 read page 121. for when read where. 2 from the bottom, omit the before reading. 11 from the top, for all calumnies read all the calumnies. for Baptists read Baptist. for opinions read opinion. · 5 from the bottom, for the Scriptures read Scriptures. for so confine read so to confine. 6 from the top, for page 147 read page 145. 3 from the top, for the two opponents read two opponents. 9 16 from the top, for this read the. 12 from the bottom, for this Society read the Society. 2 from bottom, for three what, read what three. |