day of the Lord, the most joyful of all days to my foul.

(I believe in the Holy Ghost,)

AS my faith muft have regard to my Maker and Redeemer, fo to the eternal Spirit of both my Sanctifyer, as the divine intellectual fubfiftence to whom holy fcripture afcribes not only perfonal actions, but the very name, works, and attributes of God, in whofe name, according to our Lord's own order, I was baptized equally as in the name of Father and Son: to him therefore muft I pay equal duty and glory, not cry I believe in him and yet dare to blafpheme him, in deriding the bleffed work wrought by him, but fee my own need of his holy operation for applying to me all my Lord's redemption; because, if I have not the Spirit of Christ I am none of his, and except he regenerate me I cannot enter the kingdom of God. O may I not only own his divinity, but implore his grace to quicken and renew me, to guide and help me,. fanctify and comfort me, and efteem the joy in the Holy Ghoft above all other joys in the world..

(The holy Catholick Church,)

THE church is a felect company called out of

the reft of the world, truly to worship the true God; and the feveral congregations of Christians make up one univerfal church. Though they may have fome different rites and modes, yet have they but one fupreme head, the great Shepherd and Bishop of fouls, and no church is above his word, by which all must be ruled. All found believers, and godly, righteous, and fober livers, are the church's true members. This church is holy both as to its vocation and obligation; our Lord gave himself for it,, to purify a peculiar people to him

felf;:

felf; and it is catholick for teaching all needful truths, and requiring univerfal obedience to all God's revealed will, for all graces given in it to make its members perfect, and for its diffufiveness all over the world, extending to all nations and perfons that name the name of Chrift; as alfo for time, extending itself from the beginning to the world's end, fo that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it.

I believe this church: In giving fuch a deference to it as the Samaritans did to the woman, John iv. firft, for what she told them, but, ultimately, for what they received from the Lord. My care must be to keep in the communion of this church, becaufe fuch as fhall be faved are said to be added to it. Acts ii. 47. Though I cannot believe that all whom Rome excommunicates are under a fentence of damnation: no fuch mother or miftrefs of churches do I own, but only Jerufalem above; no authority of any church above that scripture on which every church is to depend. That church which ufurps and monopolizes now the name of catholick, I own to be a true church as far as an adultrous wife may be a true wife, but neither found nor good; and though the fchifm they throw at our heads be not only a hard word, but in itself a wicked thing, yet no danger here to leave grofs errors, and purge out filthy corruptions; not any worfe fchifmaticks than they who drive others from them by unfcriptural terms and antichristian impositions. I believe the church to be holy, and cannot hope to be faved by being of it, without the holiness required in it. If I am joined to it but as a wooden leg to the body, the privilege will prove then nothing to my advantage, but the means of falvation will rather aggravate my condemnation; nor could I caft a

fouler

fouler fcandal on a Chriftian society than to call myself a fon of the church, when I am a terra filius, child of the world, and my life fathers me on that wicked one who is called the god of this world; to cry aloud for the church, even after I have put myself paft fpeaking fober fenfe, may make me indeed militant, contending to no good purpose, only to mifrepresent my church as a wretched den to harbour any such vile members.

I believe the catholick church, for if I am not of it, I am of none, nor any member under the head, if not united to the body. But I despise all the noife which Rome makes with the name and nonsense, to confine catholick only to their particular fect, and that outward pomp cry'd up for a fign of the church may rather fignify it to be none of the true. The worst things may flourish with the finest titles, as drunkards may call themselves good fellows, a pack of thieves may go under the name of honeft blades, and infamous ftrumpets take a pride to be complimented as fine loving creatures: but according to what I am, and not as I would be called, fhall I be judged; therefore will I not trust to this, that I belong to a found and true church, nor glory that I am a good proteftant when I am a bad man; for, however I may pass in the world, without holiness I shall not fee the Lord. Not to to all that go in fheeps cloathing, but only to fheep indeed, who hear his voice and follow him, will he give eternal life, and from ferving in the militant advances them to rejoice in the church triumphant.

(The communion of faints,)

WHO are the faints but holy perfons, feparate

from the vain and vile conversation of this prefent evil world, and devoted to the ferious fer

vice of our Lord? Their great perfecutors narrow the name to fuch in their kalendar, than fome of which that stand there none more unfit to bear it. Pharafaick ftrictness about the outfide of the platter, and bitter vengeance against the Spirit of holiness, may ferve to dub fome Romifh faint, but no faint in truth, unless renewed by God's fanctifying spirit. And what's this communion but holy men's fellowfhip among themselves, and with their Lord; having fuch a frame of heart and way of life as unites them with Chrift's living members in graces and duties, in love and dearnefs, in worship and conferences about things holy and heavenly, with an earneft defire to promote each other's real and eternal felicity.

My believing this communion is not only the owning of fuch a thing, but making it a point of my practice as well as article of my faith, being of one heart and foul with the multitude of believers, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. But what like this, when I fpight a man even for his holiness, and am all for other kind of leagues, drunken or lewd fellowship, fcoffing companions, the brotherhood in iniquity, or crew of blafphemers, that are for running down the whole generation of God's children as intolerable troublers of the world; fuch as hate nothing more than to be reformed, and inspect their companions left they fhould escape out of the devil's fnare, and are the fpies upon one another that he may lofe never a one. What do they make but the greatest derifion of the faints communion? and whoever will be more pious fhall be to them but ftill more odious.

O may I with more fenfe believe this article, and begin fome of that communion on earth which I hope to find perfected in heaven, so joining with God's faints now in holy living, that hereafter

I may be numbered with them in the glory everJasting.

(The Forgiveness of Sins,)

THE guilt which binds to punishment is upon me, and fin lies at the door; till by pardon 'tis removed confcience loads me, and what can ease me till grace abfolve me? and what's that abfolution but God's merciful act through Chrift's propitiation, without which fhedding of blood there is no remiffion? Prieftly abfolution is but declaration, nor can any pardon be purchased by money; fuch doses of catholick opium may stupify, they never heal any; but God's terms of repentance, confeffion, prayer, faith in his Son, and charity to men, must be performed that I may be pardoned. And O, how rich is this grace of forgiveness with the Lord! God in Chrift reconciling the world to himself can never enough be admired till in that eternity, which will fhew the everlasting mifery from which I was fo mercifully delivered. How should I love and magnify the reliever of my mifery, the forgiver of my iniquity? A pardoning God! a dying Saviour! fuch mercy and plenteous redemption with the Lord eafes my mind, and wins my heart. Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name, who forgiveth all thy fins, and healeth all thy diseases, giving me fuch abundant cause to joy in God, thro' Jefus Christ our Lord.

(The Resurrection of the Body,)

THAT this very, body of flefh, after it is quite demolished by death, fhall be reftored again to life, there is no poffibility in nature, therefore was it derided by the philofopher, Acts xvii. 18. But that he who make it out of nothing should raise it