tion of our own Societies pure from the contagion of other Traffiquers, and the driving from us those who do so disturb us. All the authority we give the Church, is Paternal, and not Tyranni cal; our Church men we hold to be the Paftors, but not the Lords of the Flock, who are obliged to feed them fincerely, both by their Doctrine, Labours, and whole Converfation; but we pretend to no blind obedience due to their directions; and count them noble Chriftians, who fearch and try all they fay by that Teft of the Scriptures: We fend the People to confefs their fins to God, from whom only we teach them to expect their pardon; and pretend to no other keys, but Minifterial ones, over publick and known Scandals. In our Worship, as all do understand it, fo every one may joyn in it. And in the number, ufe, and fimplicity of our Sacraments, we have religiously adhered to the Rules of the Gofpel, we holding them to be folemn federal Rites of our Stipulation with God; in which, if we do worthily partake of them, we are affured of the Prefence of the Divine Spirit and Grace, for amting our Souls more intirely to God, and advancing us in all the ways of the Spirit of Life; and if the Institution of them in the Gospel, be compared with our Administration of them, it will appear how close we have kept to cur Rule.

And thus we fee how exactly conform the Doctrine of our Church is to the whole Branches of the Chriftian Defign; upon which it is not to be doubted, but the Characters of the Chriftian Religion will also fit ours: We found our Faith only on the Scriptures; and though we pay a great deal of venerable esteem to the Churches of God during their purity, which continued above four Centuries, and fo be very willing to be determined in Rituals and Matters that are external and indifferent, by their Opinions and Practices; yet our Faith fettles only on the Word of God, and not on the Traditions of Men. neither do we believe every Spiric that pretends to Rapts and Vifions, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not; and though an Angel should preach to us another Gofpel, we would bold him accurfed. The Miracles we truft to, as the Proots of the Truth of that Revelation which we believe, are only those contained in the scriptures; and though we believe there was a wonder-working power continued for fome time in the Church, yet we make a great difference betwixt what we hiftorically credit, and what we religiously believe; neither will we, for fupporting our Intereft or Authority, have recourfe to that

bafe

bafe trade of forging lying Wonders, but we reft satisfied with the Miracles Chrift and his Apoftles wrought for the proof of the Religion we own; fince what we believe, is no other than what they taught; and therefore we leave the trade of forging new Miracles, to them who have forged a new Religion.

And for the plain genuines of the Gofpel, we have not departed a step from it, fince we call upon our People by all the motives we can devife, and with all the earnestnefs we are Mafters of, to receive full and clear Inftruction in all the Matters of our Religion, which we diftinctly lay open to them. And nothing of Intereft or Design can be charged on us, who pretend to nothing but to be the Stewards of the Mysteries of God; nor have we offered to fophifticate the fimplicity of our Worthip by any additions to it; for the determining about fome particular forms is no addition to Worship, but only the following forth of these Precepts of doing all things to edification, peace, and order: But an addition to Worship is, when any new piece of Divine Service is invented, with a pretence of our being more acceptable to God thereby, or of our receiving Grace by that conveyance; and therefore any Rites we have, as they are not without fome hints from scripture, fo we pretend not to become any way acceptable to God by them.

Further, We teach no irrational nor unconceivable Doctrine: It is true there are Mysteries in our Faith, and even reason it self teacheth, that these must be unconceivable; but for all our other perfuafions, they are fuch as may be well made out to the rational faculties of Man; therefore we do not betake our felves to that Sanctuary, that we must be believed, affert what we pleafe; but we affert nothing but what we offer to evince by the clearest proofs. And in fine, we add nothing to the burdenfomness of the Laws of Chrift, but teach and propofe them as we have them from his Gofpel, without adding, changing, or altering a tittle from the firft Inftitution.

And fo far have I confidered the Doctrine and Worship of our Church; wherein if I could juftify all our Practices, as well as I can do our Principles, there were no grounds to fear hurt from all the Cavils of Mortals. But for bad practices, whatfoever matter of regrate they may furnish us with, they afford none for feparation: Therefore there is no ground that can justify a separation from our Church, much lefs warrant the turning over from

from us to the Communion of Rome: And thus far have I pursued my defigned Enquiry, which was, if with a fafe Conscience any might adjoin themfelves to the Popish Religion, or if Communion with our Church was to be kept and continued in; and have found great grounds to affert the evident hazards of the former, fo that no man to whom his falvation and welfare is dear, can, or ought to joyn himself to that Church; on the other hand, without renting the Body of Chrift, none can, or ought to depart from our Churches: But I leave the perufal and confidering of these things to the ferious Reader, to whom I hope they may give some fatisfaction, if he bring with him to the Enquiry an attentive, serious, and unbyaffed mind. And I leave the fuccefs of this, and every other attempt of this nature, for the clearing of Divine truth, with him who is the only Fountain of Bleffings, who is over all, God blessed for evermore. Amen.

FINIS.

Ure

BOOKS Printed for Joseph Watts.

and Honest and

Wholefome Advice and Expedients for the Reformation of the Church. Writ by one of the Communion of the Church of Rome, with a Preface by a Divine of the Church of England. 4to. Dialogues between Philerene and Fhilaletke, concerning the Popes Supremacy. The firft Part. 4to.

A Treatife of the Corruption of Scripture, Councils and Fathers, by the Prelates, Paftors and Pillars of the Church of Rome, for maintenance of Popery; by Thomas James, Library-keeper of Oxford. In five Parts. 8vo.

The True Nature of the Divine-Law, and of Difobedience thereunto; in Nine Difcourfes, tending to fhew in the one a Lovelinefs, in the other a Deformity: By Samuel Dugard fometime fellow of Trinity College in Oxon, now Rector of Horton in Staffordshire. 8vo.

Reform'd Devotions, in Meditations, Hymns and Petitions for every day in the Week, and every Holiday in the Year, in two parts. Second Edition. 12s.

An Earnest Invitation to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, with Devotions, &c. By Jofeph Glanvil, Chaplain in Ordinary 40 his Late Majefty. The Seventh Edition, with Additions.

A Compleat Difcourfe of the Nature, Ufe, and Right-managing of that Wonderful Inftrument the Barofcope, or Quickfilver Weather-glafs, in Four parts; by John Smyth, C. M. To which is added the true Equation of Natural Days; drawn up for the use of the Gentry, in order to their more true adjusting, and right managing of Pendulum Clocks and Watches.