fures. But as on other Accounts, fuch a Summary of the Chris stian Religion framed and published by the Authority of the Church, may be very ufeful to preserve the Minds of the People from the Contagion of Error; so it should at least have this Effect, to make them cautious of receiving an Opinion contrary to the publick Standard of a Church whereof they are Members, and which they think in general so agreeable to the Word of God: This may create in them a Sufpicion, that the Persons who would draw them over to those Opinions, are cunning Seducers who creep into Peoples Houses; and thereby make them justly jealous of what they say and do, and put them upon examining, with the greater Diligence, the Pretentions of fuch Perfons, by by the Holy Scriptures and a careful Ufe of all the Means for understanding them: And were our Confeffion duly improved for this Purpose, we, who are perfwaded of its Purity an nd Excellency, cannot car but think would be a k that it wou a very fuccefsful Instrument, of maintaining the Sincerity and Uncorruptedness of the Truth as it is in Jesus. The People are exposed to a great many Snares, which ought to engage them to a diligent Ufe of all Means whereby they may avoid them. The Papifts and other Enemies of our holy Religion are skilful in all the Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness, and employ very mischievous, and frequently imperceptible Methods of corrupting the Faith of the Reformation: They can put on Sheeps Clothing, and even under the Mask of higher Pretenfions than their Neighbours to a Zeal for Truth, and of elevating the Do ftrine they teach to a greater Degree of Purity, impofe upon the Credulous, and pervert weak Minds. The natural Levity and Fickleness of Men, especially the more ignorant Sort, expose them a ready Prey to Seducers: The Fondness that People have to diftinguish themselves from others adds to the Temptation; Pride, Self-Conceit and a Love of popular Applaufe are fruitful of Errors, and put many upon forming Parties and leading the People aftray, the Lufts of our Hearts, and the extreme Inclination we have to reconcile our Interests and Pleasures with our Dut Duty, and a Difesteem of the Law of God with a pretended Regard to his Grace, make all loose Schemes, and particularly Antinamian Doctrines very infectious, and procure too favourable a Reception to Opinions, Books and Pamphlets which have

and the fuperior Influence which a Tendency that Way; of Godliness hath with the Generality beyond the Power of it, will with fuch Persons render Notions which have that Form more popular, than the substantial Truths hs of the Doctrine which is in Reality according to Godlinefs. And all these Snares have become much that stupid Neglect more dangerous by of Christian Knowledge, and shameful Ignorance which are to be found with a great Number. Were the Means of Knowledge, which God affords with fo distingui hing Advantages to this Church, duly improved, and particularly by a diligent Ufe of our Confeffion and Catechisms, the Minds of People would be fortified and established; those ignorant Schif maticks, who rove about the Country, would not find fo many blind enough

enough to follow them, nor would new and unfcriptural Notions of any Kind meet with so favourable a Reception; and the lurking Poifon, and dangerous Tendency of any Books spread through the Country, would be fooner difcovered, and easier shunned.

We are forry that there should be Occasion to mention one Performance of this Kind, which hath been lately reprinted and propagated with so much Industry: Tho' one would have thought, that the many valuable and approved practical Pieces which the Church njoys, might have rendred it needless; as fome Things contained therein seemed to make it noways expedient. The Reader will

eafily perceive that VINITY which is hinted at.

that it is THE MARROW

OW OF

MODERN DI

It would be wandring away from the Design of this Compofure, to enter upon an Examination of any particular Book: And therefore we shall only observe in general, That beside the Inaccuracies in reasoning, and the Obscurities and Ambiguities which render that Book very unfit for the common People, and are apt to perplex and confound them, there are in it, at least, several Expreffions extremely indecent, and which are enough to strike with Horror those who retain that Veneration and Honour for the Holy Law of God, which its own incomparable Excellency, and the Authority and Awe of the great Legislator give it a Claim to, and one would think should be enough to guard it against the rude, I had almost faid profane, Treatment which it sometimes meets with. There are in that Book many Passages, which if they don't diffolve the Obligation to Obedience, and openly allow to Chriftians a licentious Liberty; yet mightily weaken its Force and Efficacy, tend to cool the Zealand Vigour of Christians in the Study of Holinefs, and to give them mean and languishing Thoughts of it, as of no great Importance or Neceffity in Chriftianity. There are several Parts of it which the Corruptions of Mankind will make an Engine of, to stifle the Voice of the divine Law, and of the too teaching us to deny all Ungodliness: And to filence the Conviction of their Confciences, they will thence take Оссаfion to flatter themselves with the fond Hopes that they may be juftified, while they continue to produce little of the Fruits of Righteousiness, and in their Practice neglect or vilifie the Works of the Law. The very Definition of Faith given by it, feems to fubtilize that great Instrument of our Justification, and that noble Principle of a purified Heart and Life, into an airy and ineffectual Speculation, which a presumptuous Sinner may perswade himself he hath attained to, and fo lull his Soul into a fatal Security: It feems to lead People into a Way of measuring their State with respect to God and Religion, by different Tests from those which the Scriptures afford us; and to divert them from trying the Sincerity of their Faith by the genuine Marks of it, and the Characters we are leaft liable to be deceived by, the producing much Fruit, the sanctifying our Hearts, and purifying our Lives, and governing our Passions.

Grace of God
God

When Holiness is the most glorious and amiable Excellency of the Divine Nature, that is chiefly proposed to our Delight and

.....

our Imitation; when the Neceffity, Beauty, and Perfection of it ate fo warmly urged home upon us in the Word of God, and it is the great Subject Subject of of all the Sermons pronounced by the unerring Prophet of the Church Church'; when it is the diftinguishing Character of the Meffiah's Subjects that they are a hely Nation, and it is the noble Design of all the mighty Acts of a Saviour's Love and the Powers of his Death, to fave us from our Sins and from a vain Conversation, he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works (a); when it is the Apoftolical Definition of Religion, That pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To visit the Fatherless and the Widows in their Affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World (b); and that Holiness is the great End of all the Gofpel-Ordinances and Graces even of Faith it felf, the Mystery whereof we must hold in a pure Conscience (c), and which God makes use of to purifie our Hearts (d); when for this Purpose the Hope of the glorious Appearance of our Saviour is given us, that we may purifie our selves even as he is pure (e); when, as might be proved, it is the Tendency of all the Doctrines of Grace and Salvation, of the Righteousiness and Satisfaction of the Son of God, and of our Justification and Redemption by his Blood, to exalt and enforce Holiness; and when the Work and Influences of the Spirit of Chrift are to advance it to Perfection, He loved his Church, and gave himself for it: That he might Sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water, by the Word'; That he might present it to himfelf a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such Thing, but that it should be holy and without Blemish (f); and it is the Honour of our exalted Redeemer, that he is able to keep his People fron Fallin ing, and to to present them faultless fa before Prefence of his Glory with exceeding Foy (2), that they may ever inhabite that Place where

in

the

dwelleth everlasting Righteousness; in a word, when it is the Excellenc "and the Glory of the Grace of God and of juftifying Faith, that they are so admirably calculated to promote Holiness; when it is the highest Injury and Affront to turn them into Licenfioufhefs, the greateft Service to the Enemies of the Grace of God, and the most plausible Handle that can be afforded to Pelagians, to improve them that way; 'tis a surprising and an affecting Confideration, that any Schemes and Pamphlets which have at leaft fome Appearances of these Evils, should be fondly entertained by fincere Chriftians, and that the very first Beginnings of them do not meet with a jufter Reception.

Nor will fome Diftinctions that are made, which might perhaps be cafier refuted if their Meaning were understood, juftify the Paffages hinted at, or remedy their mischievous Confequences; they may please the Men that make them, but will these Subtilties imprefs the Minds of the People? will they fecure their Corruptions from taking fo plaufible Occafion of gratifying them? will they

2

(a) Tit. 2. 14. (b) Fam. 1. 27. (c) I Tim. 3. 9. (d) AFts 15. 9 (e) 1 John 3. 3. 26, 27. (g) Jude v. 24.

(f)Eph.

5.25,

they prevent Self-love, and Self-conceit, the natural Inclination we have to flatter our selves, and that woful Averfion to true Holi nefs which poffeffes the Minds of Men, from making use of thefo Doctrines to lull their Souls into a fecure Dependence upon a fpeculative Religion, and a dead Faith that is without Works? No, practical Errors are of all others the most contagious, they have a steady Friend in every Man's Breast, his Heart is upon their Side; and the Wounds given by any Notions that may have a Tendency that way, are too deep and poisonous to be cured by Metaphyficks.

The good things that may be found in that or other such Writings, the Piety of their Authors, or the Worth of the Persons who recommend them, only render fuch Composures more dangerous; and whatever Value or Esteem we may still preserve for these learned and worthy Minifters, their Judgment is not to be a Rule to Chriftians, nor will their Authority make a Thing good that is in it felf hurtful; It is a great Advantage to all Errors when Mens Persons are held in Admiration; it has often been the Practice of fuch as promote them, to pretend an extraordinary Zeal for fome Truths, and particularly the Grace of God, as the groffeft mians do, and as no doubt those did mentioned by Jude, who turned it into Lasciviousness (a); I beseech you, Brethren, mark them which cause Divifions and Offences, contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. For they that are fuch, ferve not our Lord Jesus Chrift, but their oron Belly, and BY GOOD WORDS AND FAIR SPEECHES deceive the Hearts of the Simple (b). Tho' we are more charitable to the Authors of fuch Writings as we are now speaking of, han to design an Application of these Scriptures to them.

Antino

To conclude, We are forry that the Contents of the Book should give occafion to make an Observation on the Title of it, which would not otherwise have been worth noticing, That it is indeed MODERN DIVINITY, more modern than the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apostles, and than that Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, and hath appeared to all Men; teaching us that denying Ungodliness and wordly Lufts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World (c).

In stead of fome Books of this Sort, were our Confeffion of Faith and Catechisms, particularly the Larger Catechism, recommended to the People, and diligently perused by them, and compared with the Holy Scriptures, it would be an excellent Mean of preferving them stedfaft in the Truth, that they might hold the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience, and go afide neither to the right Hand nor to the left: And we might be helped to conform our felves to that remarkable Instruction of Paul to Titus, and to avoid fuch Questions as are there fpoken of, This is a faithful Saying, and - these Things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they t they which have be lieved on God, might be careful to maintain good Wars: These things are good and profitable unto Men. But avoid bid foolish Questions,

(a) Jude 4. (b) Rom. 16. 17, 18. (4) Tit. 2. 11, 12.

and Genealo

Genealogies, and Contentions, and ftrivings about the LAW for they are unprofitable and vain (a).

A

Third Design of Confessions belonging to this Class, was, That the Churches might tranfimit their Testimony to the Truth unto their latest Posterity; and furnish their Children with an Argument to perfevere in the fame Doctrine, and an Encouragement to animate them amidst the greatest Dangers and Difficulties. To this purpose the Elector Palatine expresseth himself in a very pious and affecting Strain. For this End, he says, he left behind him that Confeffion of his Faith, "Ut chariffimi mei liberi tanto " redderentur alacriores & animofior ad conftanter quoque perseve" randum in hac mea Christiana Fide; nec se ullis insultibus, & turbu" lentis periculorum procellis ac tempeftatibus, quarum ego, DEO

fit

abduci

"gratia, hactenus plurimas gravissimasque, toto mes gubernationis curriculo, auxiliante DEO fuftinui ac Superavi, ab has * paterentur, aut in fua vocationis officio, & vera hujus, Chriftia"naque Religionis propagatione, remiffiores, timidiores, aut negligen"tiores efficerentur: quemadmodum ipse quoque, quod ad me priva*" tim attinet, nihilo fecius nec segnius quam hactenus feci, in hac " ipsa, quam agnosco & profiteor veritate, fretus gratia & auxilio « DEI omnipotentis, ad extremum usque vita mea halitum perfiftere

ac perdurare certo decrevi.

Our Confeffions of Faith are in a peculiar manner useful for this end; and may be in an uncommon Degree improved by the Members of the Church of Scotland, for engaging them to a vigorous Zeal for those Blessings tranfmitted to us by our Fathers, and a stedfast Adherence to the Purity of the Christian Doctrine. Let us call to Mind, that what we now profess is the Faith of the Reformation, which our Fathers embraced when their Hearts were warmest with the Love of God and of Truth, and the Spirit of that bleffed Change exerted it felf with the most unconstrained and disinterefsed Efficacy: May that Light which then broke out from amidst the Clouds and Darkness of Popery, still irradiate our Souls, and be received with the fame Impartiality and Cheerfulness which it then met with: Let us remember their Labours for the Truth, their unwearied Constancy and unshaken Fortitude in maintaining and propagating it; let us follow so noble an Example, and blush at the Thoughts of ever deferting these Truths, looking upon their Ruins or their Hazards with Indifferency or an inglorious Neuto be loft to Potrality, and fuffering them through our Faults

sterity.

What mighty Things hath God done to preserve our Reformation to us in its primitive Extent and Vigour! and what a delightful Mixture of Love and Power hath adorned the Working of bis uncontrouled Providence in our Behalf! how many Schemes of Politicians hath he blown up! what Contrivances of ambitious

and

(4) Tit. 3. 8,9