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THE

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH,

IN THE

UNITED STATES

O F

AMERICA.

STOR LIBRAR

NEW YORK

NEW-TORK:

Printed and Sold by WILLIAM DURELL, at his
Book-Store and Printing Office, No. 19,
Queen-Street, 1793.

[WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF COPY RIGHT.]

ANOTHER COPY

IN RESERVE

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PREFAC E.

IN confequence of that liberty wherewith Chrift hath made his people free, it becomes their duty as well as privilege, openly to confefs and worship him according to the dictates of their own confciences. To perform this aright, and bear a proper teftimony against the herefies and falfe opinions which have always difturbed the peace and corrupted the purity of the Church, it has been found necessary to explain with candour and boldness, the articles of faith and difcipline, and accurately to diflinguish between truth and error.

Where

ever fuch explanations conftitute a bond of union wholly voluntary, and unattended with civil emoluments or penalties, they cannot be confidered as an infringement upon the equal liberties of others, or as fixing boundaries and terms of communion, inimical to Chriftian Charity. The unerring word of God remaining the only fandard of the Faith and Worship of his people, they can never incur thecharge of prefumption, in openly declaring, what to them appears to be the mind and will of their divine Lord and Mafter.

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