There were never but two Covenants, for Matter and Form, that of Works, and that of Grace, directly oppoſite one to the other. The Covenant of Works was never by Divine Inſtitution eſtabliſhed to men ſince Adam's fall; but immediately taken up by Chriſt, the Elects Surety, and laid on his Shoulders, Iſay 9. Being freely wrought in and by him for them, is a Covenant of Grace to them, but of Works to Chriſt; who obtained all by his Works for them. This Covenant of Grace hath two Adminiſtrations; one under the Old Teſtament, before the Law at Horeb, and after the Law to Chriſt's time in the Fleſh: Then began the New Teſtament and Adminiſtration of Grace to the Elect; more glorious by far than the other for Adminiſtration; though in reſpect of the very Subſtance of the Covenants, the Stipulator and Mediator Chriſt, who undertook it for them, the Father gave him from Eternity, Titus 1.1, 2. 2 Tim. 1.9, 10. Rom. 8.29, 30, 31. Pſ. 89. Iſay 53.6. Zac. 9.11. and 6.14. In that of Works in Paradiſe, there was Faith and perfect Obedience, but no Repentance, Confeſſion, or Sorrow of Sin, or new Obedience was admitted in that; but in that of Grace, there is Faith, but different from that Faith in the Covenant of Works, and new Obedience and Repentance, Confeſſion and Sorrow for ſin admitted of none of theſe, but to formally juſtifie, only Faith in Chriſt receives juſtification, and Repentance, and New Obedience follows as fruits of Faith, and of the pardon of ſin, which ſundamentally hangs on Chriſt's bearing ſin away, and ſatisfying for it once for all. Neither doth our Faith, or Repentance, or new Obedience, make us Righteous, but Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, fulfilling the Covenant of Works in his own perſon, and imputed to us, and received by Faith, as given of God for that purpoſe, Epheſ. 2.5, 6, 7. Neither is our Repentance, or Confeſſion, or New Obedience, or ſorrow for ſins committed any part of our Righteouſneſs before God, (but as to man) being wrought by the Spirit of Chriſt in us; follow the pardon of our ſins, and our being made Righteous; and follow Faith alſo in this adminiſtration of Grace publickly, Gal. 3. and are not the Grounds or Cauſes of pardon or Receivers, but the abſolute Fruits and Effects in the Elect believing. Beſides: The Law at Horeb was to the Jews a conditional Covenant for Temporal Bleſſings, and being broke, incurred Temporal Curſings; which, as ſuch a Covenant, expired when Chriſt came, and the Paedagogy of the Jews ceaſed; only the Law, as in the Spiritual Power, of it, as a demonſtrative Law in the hand of Chriſt and the Spirit, to humble the Elect, and make them ſenſible of their condition and miſery, by the fall from the Covenant of Works in innocency, as in Adam, the only Hole at which all Curſe, Wrath and Miſery, Spiritual and Temporal entred, Rom. 5. That they may fall on Chriſt, and at his Feet for all Redemption and Help, out of themſelves; thus the Law continues ſtill, and for want of this Spiritual Ax, Mal. 4. to cut down and humble you, that you may appear as nothing but Firebrands for Hell, it is that you and all your proud Generations have perverted Chriſt's Goſpel, and eſtabliſhed a new one, Gal. 1.8, 9. the which makes your caſe worſe, you are inſenſible of it, but glory and triumph in your curſed Bondage, Gal. 4. Your juſtification is full of ſin, and you make Chriſt to purchaſe a ſinful juſtification, Gal. 2. and ſo the Miniſter of ſin you make him, while you prate that he removed the Covenant of Works, and ſatisfyed that, and procured a Lex remediens, a milder Law; that is, that by Faith, Repentance, and Obedience, we may be juſtified; and ſo you make ſin to juſtifie; for all our Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience is but filthy Rags, Iſay 64.6. Phil. 3. and full of ſin: And Chriſt faith, That when they have done all that's their duty, that is to believe, to repent, and obey, Luke 17. then are they unprofitable Servants. Ergo you make ſin to juſtifie when you make Faith actually to juſtifie. 2ly you make Chriſt the upholder of ſin, when you, with the Papiſts your Brethren, make Chriſts Blood to purchaſe a ſinfull juſtification; that is, that our Faith, and Repentance ſhall juſtifie. Do you ſee the Pelagian, Arminian, Papiſtical Crew! upon what Rocks and ſholes you ſplit your ſelves, and all to bring in a new and another Goſpel to damn you, and to exclude Chriſt's everlaſting Righteouſneſs, or the Law of works perfectly fulſilled in his perſon, to be imputed to poor, ſinful, undone, ruined Worms, for their free and real juſtification.

Now all theſe Imperfections are covered to true Believers with the ſame Righteouſneſs that covers their perſons, Tit. 1.15. And ſo both they and all their Performances and Righteouſneſs, though in it ſelf faulty, is accepted and ſanctified, and all the ſinfulneſs of it and them covered, Pſ. 32. Rom. 4.5, 6, 7. This is a benefit peculiar to the Elect, who truly believe and receive the imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and not to you that cannot cry 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whoſe Ruine, Damnation lingers not, except in infinite Mercy he give you humility and poverty of Spirit; Faith in that truth of the true Jeſus, and everlaſting Covenant, and Repentance for your Blaſphemies and Errours, as a Fruit of the pardon of your ſins by their tranſaction on him, and the Evidence of your Faith in receiving his Righteouſneſs, &c. So unleſs you are freed by Jeſus from all ſin and miſery in eſſe or poſſe coming on you in Gods ſight from Adam's fall, or by your own actual and daily Tranſgreſſions, and from all the ſin and ſpottedneſs of all your moſt holy Duties, your Faith, Prayers, Repentance, and new Obedience, though wrought puerly in you by Chriſt's Spirit as true Believers, and freed from allſin, paſt, preſent, and to come, by the tranſaction of them on Chriſt by the Father, Iſa. 53.6. and the imputation of his pure Righteouſneſs to your perſons, received by Faith alone, you are not free indeed by the Son, Jo. 8.31, 32. but in Bondage under the Law and Curſe thereof, Deut. 27. ult. with your Children.

Your twelfth Article is ſwollen big with an abſolute Errour drawn from the practice of the Apoſtles, laying on of hands, not miniſterially, as a ſign of the approbation of Elders, but as an Apoſtolical practice, which did with them ceaſe, as being fruitleſs and uneffectual, beyond their time, and unpractiſed in the ordinary Churches, nor at all upon any Record of Command — more than James anointing with Oyl, which Papiſts make a Sacrament; or Chriſt's waſhing his Diſciples Feet: But becauſe it is ſufficiently confuted by Colonel Danvers, a Brother of yours in the water, but I hope in the Spirit built on better Principles, I deſiſt to proſecute further; only I obſerve this by the way, That your Tribe and Fraternity, having ſinned moſt againſt the Covenant of God's Grace in Chriſt, in founding your ſelves upon Popiſh, Pelagian, and Arminian Principles, he hath hardened your hearts, and left you to more Horrible Errours than others.

Your thirteenth Article is double tongued—runs with the Hare and holds with the Hound; for Communion, Prayers, and uſe of Sacraments, are the duty of Believers —but not the immediate duty of damnable Hereticks. For firſt repent, and believe the Goſpel, if you can, according to its primitive Inſtitution, then thoſe follow in order.

To your fourteenth Article I anſwer that you have neither the true Form or Power; and if you had the Form and not the Power, it's enough for us to depart your Tents, becauſe they are Tents of Darkneſs. You have not the true Faith, ergo not the true Spirit; ergo not the true Love, ergo not the true Power. And for your Form it is not Apoſtolical or truly Scriptural. Antichriſt's Foundation, ever ſince the falſe Apoſtles ſeduced the Galatians, is that you are built on.

Your fifteenth Article is a Beggar too, and preſuppoſes that which we cannot grant you, That you are the true Church and Miniſters of Chriſt; 'Tis true, the true Miniſters of Chriſt are to be free, and Hoſpitable, not like your ltnierants, who trade it in the World, and prate of what you know not, and have not obſerved the Apoſtles Rule, 2 Tim. 2.4. and 15.16. verſ. for you do not Orthotomounta rightly cut down in twain the Law and the Goſpel; preaching one to the proud, ſelfconceited Hypocrites, and the other the humbled Sinners; and as for Hoſpitality, when God ſhall give us Goſel-wages, 1 Cor. 9.12, 13, 14. 2 Cor. 11.7, 8. I truſt we ſhall by his help do our duty in that. You preach not the true Jeſus, nor the true Goſpel, as Paul did, 1 Cor. 15.3.17. 2 Cor. 11.4.

The ſixteenth Article oppoſes his Fellow afore-going, and gives him the Lye to his face, where Miniſters are to be hoſpitable—But here you take the means of hoſpitality from them, and tell them, they muſt preach freely. You forbid Tythes, that ſticks in your throats— though Chriſts Covenant daſhed in pieces you can ſwallow down like the Phariſees Camel, ex ungue Leonem: But pray, where are Tythes forbid (jure Humano) as a Goſpel Maintenance, if not jure Divina. I would Goſpel Miniſters had the Tythes by the godly Magiſtrates Anthority, it would be no ſin againſt Chriſt.

I ask you a Queſtion, Did Conſtantine ſin, or not ſin, in giving the Tythes to the Clergy; which thing was done by him: 1. Before the Roman Antichriſt aroſe. 2. In love to Chriſt, notwithſtanding that Voice that is ſaid to tell him, that he had by ſo doing ruined the Church. If you ſay it was a ſin, then prove againſt what Law he ſinned? for where there is no Law, there is no Tranſgreſſion. Is it not lawful for Goſpel Magiſtrates to provide for Goſpel Miniſters? if they may not, by what Law may they not? if they may, by what Law may they not give them the Tenths? 1. You'l ſay, perhaps, becauſe the Tenths are the Huſbandmans own; it may be when Chriſt hath taken the Kingdoms in his own Power, he will give it up to them; but till then 'tis in the power of Kings to diſpoſe it as they will, and your duty to be ſubject to them, Rom. 13. And it is a cuſtom, è memoria hominum, and therefore not ours, but the Princes; and may not he give it to whom he will? 2. You'l ſay, 'twas an Antichriſtian Maintenance, brought in by the Pope: This Reaſon is of moſt prevalency, could you prove it. For firſt, 'tis apparent that Tythes were given to the Paſtors of Churches, before the Roman Antichriſt roſe up.—So, you make Baptiſm of Infants Antichriſtian, as brought in by the Pope, which was practiſed from the Apoſtles days, and never queſtioned till about the fifth Cent. and then by the Inſurrection of Catabaptiſts. See Calv. Inſtit. 4. lib. 15, 16. Chapters. But to cloſe all, pray why do you bring in, and eſtabliſh the capital Errours of Antichriſt and Papiſts; as Free Will, General Redemption, falling from Grace, &c. which were eſtabliſhed by Huberus, Phygius, Hemingius, Bellarmine, and many other Papiſts: Yet wipe your mouths, like the Whore in the Proverbs; Come, let's take our fill of love, I have offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings to day: So you, Come, let's build on their Foundation, for we are baptized with Believers Baptiſm, and have gathered Churches, and ſeparated from the Church of England. Don't you know that Separation is not a mark of the Spirit ſufficient to carry you out, Jude Ep. 19. No, nor giving your goods or bodies to the fire neither, 1 Cor. 13, no, nor the multitude of your Party, 1 Kings 18.22. and Chap. 23.20.21, 23, 24. For your pretended holineſs, prayers, and zeal, Mat. 6.5, 7, 8. Phil. 3.6.— Now ſeeing you build upon the Foundation of Antichriſt, the very Doctrines of the Whore, and cloath your ſelves with his Scarlet Coverings, hating all that are not of your Sect, eſpecially of the Element of Water, and with her Whores Righteouſneſs, viz. that of Works, for Faith and Repentance are our Works for Juſtification; and yet rail ſo egregiouſly againſt others for holding ſome of her Ceremonies and Figures,—which at worſt can't be ſo bad as her Doctrine is; therefore ſweep your own doors, and pluck the Beam out of your own eyes, ye Hypocrites, Luke 6.42.

The ſeventeenth Article cuts its own Throat, for none are more notorious Hereticks than you Pelagians, Arminians, that have drunk down the Poyſon of Antichriſt in theſe damnable Principles, which never no true Proteſtant held, ſince the Reformation, till Arminius and Grotius in Germany, and the Socinians in Muſcovia, till King James his days, who gave a breathing time to the Promulgators of it, and permitted it liberty, to the rooting it ſelf in the Brittiſh Soyls. All the Martyrs died profeſſed Enemies againſt it, and charged it upon the Papiſts, who ever owned it as the Foundation of all their Doctrine. See Foxes Martyrol.

Auguſtine oppoſed it in the fifth Cent. wherein Pelagius firſt broached it in the Weſtern World; and being baniſhed from Rome, brought it into Britain. Not a word of it in the firſt four hundred years after Chriſt, though the Arrians, Neſtorians, Eutychians, and Manechees ſwarmed with damnable Hereſies, yet not a word of this new Goſpel; though I believe the Baſis of it was laid by Cerinthus and Cerbion, in Primitive times, and by the falſe Apoſtles before the Apoſtles death, as the Apoſtle demonſtrates in his Epiſtles to the Galatians, Romans, and Hebrews. Therefore we muſt leave to do with you after the firſt and ſecond Admonition, and reject you, as the poyſon of the Church, and the greateſt Enemies to Chriſt, his imputed Righteouſneſs, and our precious Souls.

The eighteenth Article proclaims loudly falling away from Grace, and ſo ſpeakes perfectly the Language of Rome. See Dr. Willet againſt Papiſts, in his Fifth Abſurdity of General Redemption and Univerſal Grace, pag. 912 of his Sinopſis. This Errour was deteſted by the Fathers of the Primitive Times; as firſt Dionyſius the Areopagita, in his Eleventh Epiſtle to Apollophanus, who as he ſays of himſelf, was 25 years of Age at Chriſt's death. Next Juſtin Martyr, 163 years after Chriſt, in his Explic. Queſt. a Gentibus Chriſt. poſitaram, Queſt. 23. and Queſt. 98. he declares againſt it, That the Saints cannot fall away, being once in Chriſt. Then Ireneus, about 182 years poſt Chriſt lib. 5. Cont. Hereſ. pag. 550. to 558. and pag. 564. accordingto the Edition at Baſil, 571. — And Clemens Alexandrinus, a learned man, Anno Chriſti 200— Then Tertullian, about the ſame time, in his Book Adverſus Hereticos. cap. 2. Editio Beati Rhenati Pariſus, 1566. Tom. 1. par. 161.162. — Nemo ſapiens, nemo fidelis, nemo major eſt, niſi Chriſtianus. Nemo autem Chriſtianus, niſi qui ad finem uſ que perſeveraverit. And Origen— And Cyprian, Anno 270. poſt Chriſtum. Arnobius, Hilarie, and Baſil, 370. Ambroſe 400 Epiphanius and Chryſoſtom, Anno Chriſti 230. and Anguſtine in cent. 5. Cyril, proſper, and Gregory the Great, 600. and Bede 700. Anſelme, 1093. ſince the Conqueſt; and Bernard, Anno 1140. As in a Sermon on Can. 7.9. and Can. 3.4. I held him, and would not let him go, untill I had brought him into my Mothers houſe. He deſcants thus. Venerunt flumina flaverunt venti & impegerunt in eam & non cccidit, co quod fundata eſſet ſupra petram, petra autem eſt Chriſtus, Anno Chriſti, 1616. And Luther, and Calvin, Melancthon, Zuinglius, and Zanchy, and all the Councils, as Milivitan. Can. 3.4. Jo. Huſ. and all the Proteſtants beyond the Seas, have wrote againſt the Papiſts, and defended the impoſſibility of a Believers falling finally. And to ſhut up all, take Chriſts own words, Joh. 10.26, 27, 28, 29. And laſtly, take Auguſt. once more, lib. de cor. rep. & grat. Chap. 7. Eorum qui Electi ſunt, ſi quiſpiam perit fallitur Deus, ſed nemo eorum perit quia non fallitur Deus, 2 Tim. 2.19. Rev. 3.3. Heb. 6.4.5. are, with other ſuch places, ſpoken of Hypocrites; as Mat. 13.5, 6, 7. which were never elected, or truly converted and called. Where are you now? can you ſubvert Chriſts words, Joh. 10.26. Ye believe not, becauſe ye are not my Sheep; And Rom. 8. latter end; My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and they ſhall never periſh, and none ſhall pluck them out of my hand. And then for that Text, Joh. 15. you pervert it, as you do other Texts, to your own deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3. For every Plant or Branch in Chriſt the Vine, by external profeſſion, that brings not forth the fruit of true Faith, for Faith is the fruit of the Spirit, ſhall be taken away from that profeſſion, to ſome damnable Hereſie or Atheiſme: And that Scripture is verified in you, and hundreds more of you Baptiſts, who ſince you have forſaken your Baptiſm, and the Covenant of the Grace of God, are given up to damnable Hereſies, to Arminianiſm, Pelagianiſm, a Popiſh Principle, and ſome to Quakeriſm, and flat Atheiſm: And therefore this day is that Doctrine of Chriſt fulfilled upon you. O! that God would grant you repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. it is God that gives repentance; and it is to be feared, becauſe you have ſtoln that Prerogative from God, and placed it in your ſelves, that God will harden your hearts, as he did Pharaoh's, Rom. 9. and give you up to believe a lye, that you may be damned, 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11, 12. and Joh. 12.40. blind your eyes, and harden your hearts, leſt you ſhould be converted: For to him is all Power, and Glory, and Freedom, to do what he will in Heaven and Earth, for ever and ever, Rom. 11. laſt.

The nineteenth Article makes proviſion for the poor, and belongs to the Church-wardens and Overſeers of the Poor, and to the Kings Juſtices of the Peace at the Quarter Seſſions, and Monthly Meetings: Nevertheleſs, I deſire to give of my Morſel to every one that wants, and a Cup of Water to a Diſciple in the name of a Diſciple.

This is the Mode of all Sects and Hereſies, this day in the World, to call all their own Brood Saints: ſo do the Papiſts, Arrians, Arminians, Socinians, Quakers, and Baptiſts. This is that Chriſt propheſied of, Mat. 2.11. Loe here is Chriſt, loe there is Chriſt; but you are all deceived, for Chriſt is not confined to your ſecret Chambers, to your Societies, or to your Wilderneſs: he is whereever the Faith of Chriſt is, which you deny, having brought another Goſpel, Gal. 1. and are therefore accurſed.

The twentieth Article profeſſes the Reſurrection from the Dead, which the Quakers do ſeem to deny; that is, that the Bodies of the Saints that died, ſhall riſe again, and together with Chriſt their Head be glorified; and the Bodies of the Unbelievers be raiſed, and their Spirits and Souls be re-conjoyned, and ſuffer together with the Devils to all Eternity. But ſome of you Baptiſtical Arminians do hold, that the Soul is mortal, and dies with the Body, till the Reſurrection,— contrary to the true Churches confeſſion in all Ages, and to the Scriptures, Phil. 1.21, 22, 23. ver. If Paul's Soul had died with his Body till the Reſurrection, it had been no gain to him to die; for then there had been more gain to have lived, though in a wicked World, becauſe here he by Faith enjoyed Chriſt, and his Soul lived with his Body; but when dead, his Soul alſo ſlept at leaſt, and then he could enjoy no Communion of Chriſt, till the time of the Reſurrection: But to die is gain; Ergo, his Soul did live and enjoy Chriſt immediately after his diſſolution, as verſ. 23. Again, Heb. 9. after Death comes Judgment, yea a particular Judgment of the particular Soul: but if the Soul die with the body, though but for a time, then no particular Judgment, which the Scripture allows: if the Soul dies with the Body till the Reſurrection, what need then is there that Chriſt ſhould intercede, Heb. 9.24. and appear there before God for the Saints, Heb. 6.20. What does he appear for the dead? then he need not intercede till they live, that is, till the Reſurrection: Beſide, Chriſts Argument to the Sadduces, your half Brethren, may ſerve to confute you, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; Ergo, the Souls of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and all do live, though their Bodies be dead, and Chriſt, in reſpect of his Body, is the Fore-runner, becauſe the Bodies of the Saints ſhall alſo (their Souls being reconjoyned) enter with him, Joh. 17.24. 1 Joh. 3.2. Phil. 3.21. and the Souls of the damned are now in Hell, Jude Epiſt. verſ. 7.2 Pet. 2.7. Ergo, the Souls of Saints are now in glory with Chriſt the Lord. And laſtly, the old Whores Purgatory is better than your mortality, for a live Dog is better than a dead Lyon, Eccleſ. 9.4.

The one and twentieth Article acknowledgeth a general Judgment, but tacitly denieth the particular Judgment, becauſe the Authors of the Article deny the Immortality of the Soul, from the time of the death of the Body, to the general Reſurrection, as I ſaid before: It is, ſaith Paul, appointed once for every man to die, and after that death, to Judgment; that is, every particular man; for the Premiſes is particular, therefore the Aſſumption muſt be particular: the death he ſpeaks of is a particular death; Ergo, the Judgment that follows is a particular Judgment; which, I ſay, theſe good Gentlemen tacitly deny: It is abſurd, that the Soul ſhould not live a moment; for if the Soul be immortal, à parte poſt, that is, from the inſtant of its infuſion into the Body, it may not deſiſt from life a moment, for then it would loſe its Immortality. If we grant you Mortality of the Soul for a time, they may as well beg its Mortality for ever; for to unreaſonable perſons that have not the true Faith of Chriſt, grant an Inch, and they will crave an Ell.

But I paſs to the two and twentieth Article, which is like a Jewel in a Swines Snout: What, the Kingdom of Chriſt ſet upon the Foundation of the Whore of Babylon, and Antichriſt? it loaths my Soul to ſee it. The Reign of Chriſt in the Kingdoms of the World in his Saints, in a reſtorative Apoſtolical manner, before the final diſſolution of the World, is and ever was the Judgment and Faith of Saints; and not only ſo, but at the general Judgment, when Chriſt ſhall again the ſecond time appear, Acts 1. in that glorified body of his, and deſcend from the Throne, in that fleſh he did aſcend with, the innumerable Societies of Saints and Angels, the then living Saints being changed, 1 Theſ. 4. ult. Phil. 3. ult. to meet the Lord in the Clouds of Heaven, and together with him, to return to take the Kingdoms of the World into his poſſeſſion, Dan. 7. Rev. 11. and ſo to judge the Earth, and give his beheaded and ſuffering Sons, Rev. 20. quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the new Heavens, and new Earth, Iſai. 63. and 2 Pet. 3. till the ſecond and laſt Trumpet, 1 Cor. 15. whether numerically for a thouſand years, or leſs, or more, may be diſputable by ſome; but for the ſum and ſubſtance, hath been owned from the very Apoſtles days by the Fathers; as Papias, Juſtin Martyr, and Irenaeus, and almoſt, if not all, except Auguſt. and Jerom, who yet ſpake very favourably fo the Chyleaſts, or fifth Monarchical Judgment. Licet non ſequamur, tamen damnare non poſſumus, quia mult • Eccleſiaſticorum virorum iſta dixerunt, Jer. 23. Ep. de regnand. ſecundo Chriſti. But to ſet up this glorious Truth and Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt upon a rotten Papiſtical, Pelagian, Arminian, Heretical, Antichriſtian Foundation, you will receive the reward of the Phariſees, Mat. 7. Lord, we have propheſied in thy Name, and caſt out Devils: but, ſaith Chriſt, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for unbelievers.

The three and twentieth Article pleads for the holy Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Life; it is one thing to take the Letter of the Scripture, with the Doctrine and ſenſe of the Holy Ghoſt included, and another thing to accept for our Rule the humane gloſſes of mens natural or deluded ſpirits, the latter of which is equal with their Errour that deny the regular Authority of the Scriptures: The Letter of the Scriptures, and the Spirit of Jeſus, are both in Commiſſion from Chriſt our Prophet to teach his people: they that exclude the Spirit, and pretend the Letter, are as unfortunate as Arminians, Socinians, Pelagians, and other Carnal Hereticks: but they that reject the Letter, and pretend the Spirit, are ſwallowed up of Enthuſiaſtical Deluſions, as Quakers and ſuch like: For whom God hath joyned together, we muſt not dare to ſeparate aſunder, without incurring the Curſe of adding or diminiſhing.

The twenty fourth Article pleads for Liberty of Conſcience in ſpiritual matters: It is not to be doubtted but that the Saints of God ought to have their liberty to worſhip God; and to hinder them, is the greateſt ſin, next to the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: but the queſtion is, who are the Saints? 2. Whether falſe worſhippers may have liberty from godly Magiſtrates? 1. Saints are either called to the Faith of Chriſt, and ſo to the profeſſion of it; and ſuch are viſible, though they may differ among themſelves in ſome circumſtances: 2. Saints that are Elect, but uncalled, may be among them that are falſe worſhippers, till called: the firſt only worſhip God truly; becauſe none can worſhip God truly, but ſuch as truly believe in the Son of God, according to the Declaration of God, and that Record he hath given in the Word of his Son; viz. that Chriſt was made Sin, and a Curſe; that he laid their ſins on Chriſt, and ſo freed them, and their Curſe; and ſo that Righteouſneſs of the Law fulfilled in his Perſon as God-man, is imputed to them for their whole Righteouſneſs, which they by Faith alone receiving, are viſible Saints, and do worſhip God truly: they that have not this Faith, though Angels in appearance, are but falſe worſhippers, becauſe the Law of Faith in Chriſt, is the fulfilling of the whole Law directly, the firſt Table towards God, Exod. 20. containing firſt four Commandments, that is fulfilled compleatly in a true Believer: and foraſmuch as Love flows from Faith, ſo is the ſecond Table fulfilled in a true believer; but this fulfilling the Law by Faith in a Believer, is not his Juſtification or Righteouſneſs before God, for that is Chriſts fulfilling it in his Perſon, Rom. 8.2, 3, 4. and Gods imputing it to the ſinner, Rom. 4.5, 6, 7. and Faith as an Inſtrument receives it, and applies it to its ſelf: So then the Act of Faith in us doth not juſtifie, for then our Works and the Law would juſtifie, but it is ſtill Chriſt alone that juſtifies, Rom. 8. To the ſecond queſtion; the Magiſtrate may reſtrain falſe worſhippers: See Rev. 2.20. and 2 Cor. 10.5. the Inſtruments of the Church for this purpoſe are ſpiritual, 1 Cor. 5. delivering the proud and contemptible to Satan; and the godly Magiſtrate is but a Ruling Elder, whether in a Congregation or Nation. Let the Tares grow with the Wheat—ſome ſay is meant of ſecret Hypocrites: but I ſuppoſe that blood-ſhed, conſiſcation, or any corporal perſecution in this day, is not to be in any wiſe inflicted on deluded Conſciences.

The twenty fifth and laſt Article, ſeems to contradict his Predeceſſor; for he allows the Magiſtrate to puniſh evil doers, and incourage the good, but his Predeceſſor flatly denies the Magiſtrate to have any thing to do with matters of Divine Worſhip. Now among the Pretenders to Spiritual Worſhip, three parts for one may be ſuppoſed to be erronious: Now, what is more cruel than falſe worſhip? Ergo, the Magiſtrate is to puniſh falſe Worſhippers, or elſe he muſt not puniſh all evil doers, foraſmuch as ſuch are the greateſt evil doers in quality, if not in quantity, or number. But here lies a Falacy occult to moſt mens judgments; falſe worſhip, ſay they, conſiſts in mode, or manner of worſhip, not conſidering that the greateſt evil in worſhip lies in the ſubſtance, not in the mode: For falſe worſhip conſiſts either in the ſubſtance, as in a falſe Faith, and falſe Principle, or elſe in falſe mode, or manner of worſhip: the laſt is bad, but the former worſt of all, becauſe it is the ground of the latter; the latter, though true, is but a form of godlineſs, if the former be wanting. Hence all Arrians, Socinians, and the greateſt part of Rattabaptiſts, Arminians, Free-willers, General Redemptioniſts, Conditional Decretiſts, and Quakers err in the former, though ſome of them may not in the latter; therefore, at beſt, have but a form of godlineſs, and from ſuch we are commanded to turn away; for the Power conſiſts in true Faith, and true Principles, and true love to God and Man, both ariſing from the diphthongued Union between the Soul, and the Man Chriſt Jeſus, by the Spirit of the Lord; and then mode, order, and diſciplinal method will be ſoon rectified, if the Premiſes be truly grounded, or elſe not.