therefore we fhall by fome Confiderations endeavour to fhow that it is reafonable and neceffary, for any Church that is refolved to attain a juft Satisfaction concerning the Orthodoxy of her publick Teachers, and for any Perfon or Society who defign to make an open Declaration of their own Faith, to exprefs the Doctrines of Chriftianity in other Words and Phrafes than thofe of the facred Writings, and that they may juftly expect more of Ecclefiaftical Officers,than an Acknowledgment of their Belief of the Doctrine contain'd in the Holy Scriptures, or any particular Paflage thereof; and that for thefe Ends Creeds and Confeffions of humane Compofure may be lawfully framed and fubfcribed,without the fmallest Affront to the Holy Scriptures, or the leaft Hazard to their Divine Glory and abfolute Perfection and Sufficiency; and that the confining Perfons or Churches in their Articles and Determinations of Faith to the precife Words of Scripture, is an Invafion upon the Liberties of Chriftians, dangerous to the Purity of Chriftianity, and expofed to many Inconveniencies and Abfurdities.

In can't be difputed by any who fubmit to the Apostles Authority, that as there are many avowed Infidels who pay no Regard to the facred Writings; fo there are Perfons of a different Complexion, who tho' they pretend to own them, yet (a) being unlearned and unstable, wreft all the Scriptures unto their own Destruction, of which there are evident Proofs in every Age. Cunning and bold Hereticks have the Confidence to profefs the highest Deference to Divine Revelation, to fubmit to and believe all the Parts of it: And yet they impofe fuch Gloffes upon them as entirely deftroy the Meaning of the infpired Pen-men; they diftinguish away their Senfe, and thus, while they keep to the Words, they don't adhere to one Doctrine of Religion; but clothe their Infidelity with a falfe Skin of Truth, while they have as little Claim thereby to the Christian Name, as the Afs with the Lion's Skin had to the Courage or Generofity of that noble Creature.

Take a particular Text, two Perfons fhall fubfcribe it, and yet contradict one another in their Opinion about that very, Article, and both of them fhall fancy the Paffage applicable to their Purpofe: A Socinian, without Reluctancy, will affent to any Phrafes whereby the Divinity of Chrift is afferted in the Holy Oracles but he perverts the Senfe ofthem, and explains all the high Titles afcribed to him, that of GOD it felf, fo, that in his Mouth it shall fignify a dependent Creature: And in the fame manner, an Arminian and a Calvinift differ widely about innumerable Paffages of Paul's Writings, and when both fhould fubfcribe the Words and Phrafes of the infpired Writer,they would mean different Things, and believe irreconcilable Doctrines. Whence it feems evidently to follow, that a Perfon's owning his Belief of thefe Scriptures, and affenting to thefe Phrafes, does not let me further into his Opinions than I was before, and is not the leaft Proof of the Doctrine which

(4) 2 Peter 3. 16,

ha

he believes; nor can diftinguish to me a Socinian from one who owns the Deity of Christ, an open Enemy to our bleffed Saviour from his faithful Subject, in a Word, a Believer from an Infidel.

Since therefore the Phrafes of the infpired Writers have been fo mightily perverted, and wier-drawn from their true Senfe, at leaft by one of the Parties; fince People afcribe to them different Meanings, and when they use them, exprefs by them very diftinct Notions; and fo, as they are understood by Mankind, have become of an ambiguous and indeterminate Signification: It feems evident, that thefe Words and Phrafes are not at all fufficient and clear Expreffions of a Perfons Faith, that thereby there can be no Security attained as to his Belief of the most eflential Articles of Christianity; nor can a Man publish his own Faith to the World, and bear Witnefs to the Truth by thofe Phrafes, nor diftinguifh himfelf from the most abandoned Heretick, yea a Society which is perfwaded that Socinianifm is inconfiftent with Chriftianity, were it about to judge of the Qualifications of a Perfon to whofe Minitry it were to fubmit it felf, could not by the help of these Tefts difcover whether he were a Heathen or a Chriftian; all which appear to be very glaring Abfurdities, from which it feems to follow, almoft with the Evidence of a Demonftration, that if thefe Things are at all neceffary or allowable, and if they ought on any occafion to be performed, we muft do it by the help of other Words and Phrafes than thofe of the Bible, Phrases that are adjufted to the different Circumftances of Learning and Controverfy, of Men and Places; Phrafes that have a determinate Meaning, and by which it may be in fome Measure known what is profeffed and believed.

To fay therefore, That no Confeffions or Declara ions of Faith fhould be drawn up in other than Scripture Expreffions, is to affirm that we must be indifferent whether a Man with whom we go to the Houfe of God and join in Church-Communion, be a Chriftian or not; that is, whether he believe the fundamental Doarines of our Religion or only ufurp the Name: That we must make fuch a blind and injudicious Choice of Minifters, which is a thing of vaft Moment to a Man that values his Soul, as to be fo ig norant of his Qualifications; that there is a perfect Uncertainty with us, whether he believes that Doctrine himfelt which we defign he fhould teach us, and whether he be a real Enemy to that Faith for the Defence of which he is fet up.

ན་ ཁྐྲ་

Hence alfo it follows, That Chriftians fhould never confefs their Mafter or his Religion before Men who hate and oppofe him ; and fhould never obey the Apoftle's Injunction, 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a Reafon of the Hope that is in you, with Meeknefs and Fear.For I would know how in the World, for Example, I can give a Teftimony to the Faith of the Gofpel in a declining Age, and without being ashamed of it profefs my unalterable Love and fteady Adherence to Truth, and my Difapprobation and Hatred of all thefe Herefies, which at any time prevail over the Purity of Doctrine; by fpeaking and owning only what thefe very Hereticks do, and fubfcribing a Pro

pofition

polition which every Socinian will sign at the fame Moment with ine: If I don't explain what I mean by a Phrafe which is evidently understood in fo different a Manner, if I don't manifelt that I mean fomething that the Socinian does not. What finall Degree of Satisfaction can thereby be given to any Man concerning my Belief? Will he know more than he did before of the Hope that is in me? Or be able to tell what I am and what my Faith is? And therefore by fuch a Subfcription I really do nothing, and can gain no poffible End,but to conceal my real Sentiments under a Difguife of doubtful Words, and impofe upon the Credulity of my thoughtlefs Neighbours.

It will not in the leaft remedy this, to alledge the Perfection of the Scriptures, and the Clearnefs and Perfpicuity of the Phrafes ufed by the Holy Ghoft; and to infer thence that they alone muft be fufficient for all thefe Ends: Becaufe, as 'tis hoped that the grofs Fallacy of this Argument will appear afterwards; fo it feems enough for the prefent that this Reafoning is Proteftatio contraria faotis an airy Speculation concerning Schemes which we alledge fhould obtain, and affirm would be fuffient for fuch Purpoles; when 'tis plain that in Fact the Cafe is quite otherways, and that the Ufe of thefe Phrafes does not at all let me into the Knowledge of a Man's Principles of the higheft Moment in Religion: And therefore, with whatever Ornaments fuch a Scheme for regulating Declarations of Faith, may be busk'd up, and how fpecious and gay foever it may appear; it can only exift in a frong Imagination, but will never fatisfy any Man's Confcience, or enlighten his Understanding; and the Hypothefis must be falfe becaufe, we see it fail in Experience.

So that this Opinion efpoufed by many with fo much Zeal, and fupported with fuch Vehemence; in flead of doing Honour to the Scriptures,and being of Advantage to the Truth; feems indeed admi rably calculated to let in all manner of Errors and Corruptions to the Church, and break down all the Fences whereby they may be kept out: It affords a noble Covert under which the groffeft Hereticks may shelter themfelves, and a Difguife by which they pervert unwary Souls ; nor could a better contrived Form of Truth and Godlinefs have been wifhed for by thofe Deceivers of old, Which crept into Houfes, and led captive filly Women (a): It tends to defile and confound all religious Societies,and deftroy, the very Being of ChirchCommunion, the Foundation of which is laid in one Faith, one Hope, one Baptifm; and to compofe a monftrous Body of Arians, Socinians, Gnofticks, Antinomians, Pelagians, Idolaters, (for fo we may call the Papifts) Adamites, Enthufiajlicks, &c, &c, &c, joined with fuch as are directly oppofite to all thefe; all which blended together are to make up one worshipping Afembly,that fhall eat of the fame Altar, and be edified by the fame Preacher, which is in effect, to jumble together Light and Darkness, and make a Compofition betwixt God and Belial, to overcloud the Glory and ftain the Purity of a Socie

(a) 2 Tim. 3, 6.

ty, that ought to be a chofen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy Na tion, a peculiar People, called out of Darkness unto Light (a): And, in a word, 'tis to imitate the Jews, in turning the Temple of God into a Den of Thieves. Thefe feem to be a few of the native Confequences of the Principle which we oppofe, tho' we are far from infinuating, that they are the Design or Apprehenfion of all those who maintain it.

"Tis true it may be alledged, That Creeds expreffed in other Phrafes of our own Contrivance, after all the Care that can be taken,are liable to the fame Inconveniencies; that others may underftand them in a different Senfe from what we do; and Hereticks may pleafe themfelves with Diftinctions and Subtilties, by the Help whereof they'll fancy they can fubfcribe thefe humane Compofures, in a Confiftency with their own Opinions: All this is readily acknowledged, and that there is no abfolute Security against Error, Trick and Deceit amongftMen; and that after all ourEndeavours we may be impofed upon.. But the Confequence of this fhould be, to engage us to the greater Caution to follow the Methods which feem leaft liable to Miftake, and not to truft to a Declaration which we know is fallacious.

We are already affured, That in the Mouths of different Pere fons the Phrafes of Scripture are ambiguous, and differently underftood: An Unitarian thinks the plaineft Paffage, where the Divinity of our Saviour is afferted, may be explained fo as to mean the quite contrary, and he tells us that he interprets it that way; if after this a Perfon's Ufing thefe Phrafes were received as a fatisfying Declaration of his Faith, we would be guilty of deceiving our felves, and might be charged with the weakeft Credulity. But whatever may poffibly happen, yet I have no fuch Ground to fufpect that the like hath actually obtained with refpect to Confeffions of Faith, or that Perfons in the like Manner misunderstand them, and apply the Words to contradictory Meanings: On the contrary I perceive that Hereticks refufe to fubfcribe them, because they think them contradictory to their Notions, and can't fo eafily please themfelves with an evafive Diftinction; and therefore I fee that in fo far they gain their End, and till there appear Reafon to believe the contrary,what Ground is there to miftruft a Perfon of unblemished Reputation, or to fufpect that he does not understand the Words of a Confeffion in the plain common Senfe, and fo as he knows that Church and Society, where he is, understands them.

In the next place, there feems to be a great Deal of Superftition in the Opinion of thofe Gentlemen, who would be thought freeft from that Temper,and a great Hazard of the People's being poffefs'd thereby, with a very dangerous Turn of fuperftitious Thought. Words are in themfelves Nothing, they have no natural Connection with Things,and are only arbitrary not neceffary Signs of our Thoughts;

() 1 Pet. 2, 90

they

they derive all their Significancy from Ufe and Cuftom, nor are a ny Set of Words and Phrafes, even thofe of the Holy Scriptures themfelves, any way of more Value than others, nor worthy of more Regard, if we abftract from the Senfe of them; and the DoAtrines which are thereby revealed; fo that the whole Being and Defign of Words, depend wholly upon the Meaning which the Speaker or Writer affign them: In fo far therefore as any Language is unknown, or any Words of a known Language are of an indeterminate Signification,they must be in fo far abfolutely ufelefs and the Perfon who ufes them without a clear Explication, had juft as good have faid nothing.

It therefore any Scripture-Phrafe be understood by the World fo as to mean different Things,if the Perfon who fpeaks in thefe Terms refufes to inform me in which Senfe he takes them, he might as well fpeak Chinese; and very plainly mocks me, while he calls that a Declaration of his Faith, and when one pretends to fatisfy me by affenting to a Place where CHRIST is called God, and yet won't inftru&t me what he means by the word GOD, whether what is ufually understood by that Word when applied to the Father, or only a metaphorical Deity, as the Socinians take it, in fuch a Cafe might he not as well in ftead of the Word GOD put down an Indian One, fince he would with equal Clearnefs exprefs his Thoughts in both Cafes. To make then fuch an Ufe of the Phrafes of the Holy Oracles fufficient or at all allowable, is fo far from confulting their Glory, that on the contrary it is turning them into Charms and 4mulets: And it may be as reafonably affirmed, that a few of thefe Words written on a Piece of Paper, fhould cure a Man of Difeafes, as that by the Help of them, when the Meaning of the Perfon is indeterminate, he can be cleared from the Sufpicion of Herefy.

Methinks that then only a Regard is paid to Divine Revelation, when the Truths publifhed by it are believed, and the Words of it are understood the fame Way that they were defigned by the Holy Ghoft; without which an Affent to them is to no Purpose, nor can be called an Affent to the Holy Scriptures. When two Perfons, a Socinian and a Calvinist, fubfcribe a Paffage of the Sacred Oracles, whereby they really defign to teftify their Belief of con tradictory Propofitions, while they agree in the Words; I would fain know if both of them may be faid to believe and receive that Scripture; if one of them who impofes fuch a Senfe upon the Words, as in ftead of a Truth to mean by them the very Error condemned by the Holy Ghoft, does by his Subfcription in the leaft teftify his Belief of Chriftianity, or any of its Doctrines, and if thefe Words when they have no determinate Meaning affixed to them, can to any valuable Purpose be reckoned the Words of the Holy Ghoft, or Scripture-Expreffions, or do not they rather become abfolutely infignificant and Nothing but a dead Letter, thefe Phrafes can then no more be accounted divine Revelation, or claim any Honour and Regard, than a Body without a Spirit can be accounted a Man, or a Skin ftuffed up with Straw can be look'd upon as an Animal: And to look upon the Affenting to thefe Phrafes, as a

Auth