Now, as to thofe general Reasons that confirm us in the Proteftant Principles, and make us ftedfaftly refolved against all Sollicitations to Popery, we lay this down for our Foundation; that, fince that which is the truest Religion, is the most certain Way to bring our Souls to eternal Happiness, we will never be enticed by any tallacious Pretences or Practices, to leave that Religion which we are affured is the true, and certain Way to everlasting Life.

It those of the prefent Church of Rome cou'd be perfuaded to reflect a little upon the Circumftances, the Beginnings, and the Progrefs of the reformed Religion, and the mighty Oppofitions it has all along met with from Emperors and Kings, and from the Popes alfo, it might be fufficient to convince them, that God him felf vouchfafes to fight it's Quarrel, and that the Force of Truth is fuch as neither the Power of Man, nor the Gates of Hell is able to root out.

The People of God are otherwise inftructed now, than they were in those melancholy and ignorant Ages, when all the Pope's Sayings were held for Gofpel, and all Religion depended only upon his Authority. Now-a-day's the Holy Scripture is abroad, and the Writings of the Apostles are in Print, whereby all Truth and Catholick Doctrine may be proved, and all Herefies may be difproved and confuted.

Thus Chrift put off the Devil when he was tempted of him. By the Holy Scriptures ought all Prefumption, which doth advance it felt against God, to be overthrown and conquered. Thus did the holy Fathers always fight against Hereticks. We may therefore fay to the Papifts, as St. Auftin laid to Petilian, the Donatian Heretick. (a) "Which of Us are Schifmaticks, We or You? Ask "not me, neither will I ask you: Let Christ be asked, "that he may fhew us his own Church." And again, (b) Whether it be of Chrift or of his Church, or of any Thing elfe whatfoever, pertaining either to our Life,

(a) Aug. contra Literas Petilian. Lib. 2. Cap. 85. (b) Ibidem.

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❝orto our Faith, I will not fay, if I my felf, but if an "Angel from Heaven, fhall teach us otherwife than we have received in the Books of the Law, and in the Gofpels, hold him accurfed."

În thofe Days the Catholick Fathers made no doubt but that the Chriftian Religion might be proved out of theHoly Scriptures, nor were they ever fo hardy to take any one for an Heretick whofe Error they cou'd not evidently and apparently difprove by thofe divine Teftimonies: Wherefore, it we that are of the reform'd Religion are Hereticks, and the Papifts (as they wou'd fain be called) are Catholicks, why do not they do as they see the antient Fathers, which were Catholick Men, have always done? Why do they not convince and mafter us by the divine Scriptures? Why do they not call us again to be tried by them? Why do they not fhew us how we have gone away from Chrift, from the Prophets, from the Apoftles, and from the holy Fathers? Why do they not do it? Why are they afraid of it? It is God's Caufe, why are they doubtful to commit it to the Trial of God's Word? It can be for no other Reason, but because they fear the Judgment of the Holy Scriptures, which is the Judgment of God himself, and prefer before them their own Dreams and Inventions; and to maintain their Traditions, have defeated and corrupted now thefe many hundred Years the Ordinances of Chrift and his Apostles.

The Religion we profefs is no new Device, as has been already fufficiently proved, but the very fame that our Lord Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles have left upon Record, in that Book which our Adverfaries confels to be the Word of God; wherein we are fure, he that is to fave us, hath laid down all Things neceffary to Salvation, as alfo the Scriptures themfelves, and the holy Fathers conftantly teach.

Our Church propofes to her Members thofe three antient Creeds, which whofoever believed of old were not reputed Hereticks. We receive the first four general Councils, and all other Councils and Fathers while the Church remained uncorrupted, and made the Holy Scriptures the Rule of their Decrees, which they profeffed al. ways to do with respect to the Doctrines they required to

be

be believed: And there is not any one Article which we believe as neceffary to Salvation, that was not believed in all Ages, and which is not now believed by all the Chrif tians in the World, even thofe of Rome allo. And all that we reject are Innovations, and most unreasonable and abfurd idolatrous Practices and Opinions of later Ages, or of fome particular Sect of Chriftians, fuperinduced in the Times of Ignorance and Superftition. For the Proof of thefe Doctrines of our Religion, we appeal to Scripture, on which we do not impofe a Senfe of our own, but by confulting the Originals, and Expofitions of primitive Fathers, by firm Arguments, ard fair and clear Confequences, we endeavour to prove to every Man's Reason and Confcience the Senle we give to be the beft. Nor do we deny any Man the Liberty of making use of the best Means he is capable of, to understand our Doctrine, or the Scripture on which it is founded. We do not fly the Light, nor fear the Touch-ftone, for no Man can like a Religion of God's prefcribing the Worfe, for his frequent reading God's Word. Our Caufe needs no forged Evidence, nor do we impofe our Faith upon any by ca pital Punishments, for want of better Arguments. We gain nothing by any one Article of our Religion, but the Salvation of thofe who believe them, and live according to them. And whosoever doth fo, hath God's Word and Promife, as well as ours, that he shall be everlastingly happy, and obtain eternal Life.

We do enjoy all thofe Means that God hath appointed to make us knowing and holy here, and happy hereafter; we have a true and regular Succeffion of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, (which are all the Orders that the Apostles inftituted) folemnly ordained; we have Prayers, Sermons, Sacraments, and not only the effential, but edifying Of fices, to the building us up in our holy Faith, duly adminiftred in a primitive and pious Manner, in our own Mother-Tongue in publick; we neither adore any wooden or breaden God, but worship God only, and that in Spirit and Truth; and we have without any Charge, ghostly Council and Comfort in any of our Needs from our Clergy, who are the most learned, laborious, and pious, (take them generally) of any Minifters in the Christian World.

World. We have great Variety of practical Books, for inftructing us very plainly and fully in our Duty, and affifting us in our Devotion, nor can we want any Helps to make us Wife or Good, if we use that Care and Diligence which is in our Power, and our Profeffion, as Christians, obliges us to.

All which confidered, it ought not to be thought, that we shou'd for fake the Protestant Religion, and chufe that of Rome, wherein there is nothing differing from our Faith, but what is newly invented, evidently false, and urged upon Men by Force, tor the vile Ends of Covetoufnefs and Ambition. And all these Reasons which confirm and fecure us in our well-chofen Faith, may, we hope, in time, prevail upon all thinking, judicious Chriftians of the Church of Rome, to declare themfelves of the fame common Faith, deliver'd to the Saints; for as it is plainly and undeniably the cleareft and best Way to secure their eternal Intereft, fo it is of the utmoft Peril to their Souls, if they refift fuch Means of Conviction, and coming to the Knowledge of the Truth, as it is Chrift Jefus.

FINI S.

ERRATUM, Page 118, Line 17.

FOR, Endeavour three Things, Read,

two Things.