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to the abdicated, or, in the Stile of our Acts of Parliament, the forfeited King James; and, fince his Death, to the Pretender unto the British Crown; except it can be proved, that we acknowledge that the Pretender hath a just and legal Authority of the fupreme Magiftrate, which, because of his Infidelity, we make void: This were indeed to contradict the alledged Articles of the Westminster Confeffion. But since we are perfwaded that he hath no Right or Title whatsomever, that he is not a Magiftrate, and hath no manner of Authority in these Islands, the People whereof owe him not the leaft Obedience; it may be alledged that we injure him: But there is not the smalleft Colour for charging us with contradicting the Principles of our own Confeffion, when we utterly renounce and disclaim his imaginary Kingship.

It is not fimply because he is a Papist, that we pay no Allegiance to that pretended King; but because he hath now no Right to the British Throne, whatever be his Religion; any Title which otherwife he might have had being vacated and anulled, by those, who, according to outr Principles, had an undoubted Power to limit the Succeffion of the Crown, as appeared neceffary for the publick Good: As all the Plea which the late King James could have made for himself and his Pofterity, was entirely deftroyed by his tyrannical Invasion of the fundamental Laws and Constitutions of Government, whereby he was expofed to a just and necessary Forfei

ture.

;

Wherefore, though, no doubt, his embracing that abominable Idolatry, and being to deeply impreffed with the cruel and impious Maxims of that falfe and bloody Religion, gives us a a higher Relish of the infinite Goodness of a merciful God, in eftablithing upon the Throne our prefent excellent Sovereign KING GEORGE and inspires, with a greater Ardour, our fincere Wishes for the Stability and Glory of his Reign, shows us, in a more shining Light, the Blessings of the Proteftant Succession in his illuftrious Family; and increases our Horror at the dismal Profpect of Things, If ever an avenging God should fend the Pretender to be a Scourge unto thefe Nations: Yet we do not change our Principles, by pretending that his Infidelity makes void his just and legal Authority; for to us there does not appear fo much as the leaft Shadow of any Authority, which that Perfon can lay claim to in Britain, but very plain Demonstrations of the contrary.

We have now given an Account of all the different Uses and Purposes of Confeffions of Faith, which we thought of any Importance; have endeavoured to illuftrate, explain and vindicate them and to confider all the material Objections, which, we could imagine, might be brought against them: And fo we have finished all that was at first proposed in this Effay. What particularly relates to this Edition of our Confeffions, &c. will be accounted for in a feparate Advertisement,

Addenda Page xci. 1. 47.

Yea so extremely abfurd is this Scheme, that according thereto it would be impossible to frame a Confession, or an Acknowledgment of a Minifter's or a private Christian's Faith, which the Church might expect an Affent to, even in the Original Greek and Hebrew Texts of Scripture, supposing that the Persons fully understood thefe Languages. For if a Minister should, for Instance, doubt whether the Text of Scripture, that speaks most plainly of the Divinity of our Saviour, ought to be understood of him; and thinks it rather should be applied otherwise, he cannot possibly fubfcribe the original Words of that Text, so as they may be a Test of his Orthodoxy in this Particular; and the Church which should determine their Application to Jesus Christ, and require a Minifter or ChriFel stian, in order to his Admiffion among them, to give his Assent to these Scriptural Phrases fo understood, would, equally with us, expofe it felf to all the clamorous Objections which are made against bumane Creeds.

This will appear further, if we consider the several various Readings which are to be found in the Sacred Writings, one of which alone is genuine, and must have the fole Claim to the Dignity and Authority of inspired Words. Now it seems according to the Principles of our Adversaries, that no Church could fix upon this genuine Reading, and require an Affent to it from their publick Teachers, since that were indeed to determine what were Scripture, what not, and the demanding an Affent to fuch a Determination, would be exclaimed against as an arbitrary Imposition; as a native Conrequence of which, no publick Confession of Faith, could be compored in the Words of such Texts of Scripture as admit of various Readings, whereby a great many Passages of the Holy Oracles will be neceffarily excluded.

This Difficulty will prove of greater Extent and Importance, with respect to these who deny the divine Authority, of some of these Books of the New Testament, which have been generally received by Christians: As on the other Hand, were this novel Scheme of Confeffions allowed, fuch People as Mr. Whiston, who would obtrude upon the Church a new Set of pretended inspired pired Writings, might alledge, That a Profession of their Faith, in the Phrafes of these Books adopted by them, and embraced as the Word of God, were fufficient to all the Privileges of Christian or ministerial Communion; and that it were a manifest Invasion of their religious Freedom, to require any other Tests of Orthodoxy from them; and furely it seems to argue every way as great an Authority in Matters of Faith, for a Church to determine what Books she thinks divinely inspired, and which must accordingly be owned as such by her Members, as it is for the fame Church, to declare what DoArines the judges to be the fundamental Principles of Chriftianity, unto which all ought to give their Affent, who lay claim to Church Privilezes, or at least pretend to the Office of a publick Teacher.

k

THE

CONTENTS

OF THE

PREFACE.

T

Page

HE Introduction
A Divifion of the Whole into three Parts according to the
different Ufes and Ends of Creeds and Confeffions 6

PART İ.

Containing those Purposes of Confeffions, which were of the most general and extensive Nature, and had a regard not only to the Members of the particular Churches which framed them, but to the whole World

7

First End propofed by Churches in publishing their Confessions, to give a fair and authentick Account of the Doctrine maintained by them, and clear the Mifrepresentations made of them, and the Calumnies wherewith they were blackned

ibid.

The Opinions of Adverfaries generally placed in a very unfair Light, which makes it more neceffary to publish authentick Confeflions of their Faith

ibid.

This End of Creeds illuftrated and applied to the State of the pri

mitive Christians

7,8,9

And of the Proteftant Churches at the Reformation

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This End of peculiar Advantage to the Church of Scotland, the Principles, Worship and Government whereof are, in a particular Manner, loaded with Calumnies and unfair Misreprefentations

Page II The Occafion hereof accounted for, from the Circumstances of Things during the Civil War, when the Westminster Confession was compofed

11, 12, 13

At the Restauration, and till the present Time Whence not only the inore ignorant and angry, but Writers of a better Character, are very partial in their Accounts of what relates to this Church

14

14, 15

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The Injustice of charging the Notions of one or two particular Members upon the whole Body

And the plain Equity of judging concerning their Sentiments ac cording to their publick Confessions, Catechisms, &c. 16 How much the Falshood of these Calumnies would appear by a just Confideration of our Confession, instanced with refpect to our alledged Principles concerning both Civil and Ecclefiaftical Government

16, 17, 18

And the Doctrines of Predestination, Justification, &c. 19, 20 The Injustice of imputing to Perfons fuppofed Confequences of their Opinions, which they deny

20

21

The great Mischiefs of Anger, Imperiousness, and Uncharitableness in managing Controverfies

A palpable Mistake of Sir Richard Steil noted, no Degree of Perfecution in Scotland

22

The Second Design of publishing Creeds, That Christian Societies might in the most folemn Manner make Profession of the true Religion, and glory in it before the World

23

This is the Duty of the Church.

ibid.

The Blessings of pure Religion bestowed on the Church of Scot

land in a diftingui hing Manner, and preferved to her by a Train of extraordinary Providences

24, 25

That it is the Duty of a Church, in the more folema and publick Manner, to own the Truth, when it is ridiculed and despised in the World, and deserted by other Churches

ibid.

This practifed by the Church of Scotland
The uncommon Advances of the Reformation with refpect to the
Worship and Government of the Church of Scotland, with Re-
marks thereupon

26

26, 27, 28

A Conjecture concerning the Causes hereof, and of the different Turn which the Reformation took in England, &c. 28, 29, 30

A Third Design of Confessions, to maintain Union and Fellowship among the several Churches, which professed the true Religion, and to contribute to their mutual Comfort and Edifica

tion

30,31

All the Churches of Christ are but one Body, whence arifeth the great Obligation to Love and Harmony

31, 32 The

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