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CHAP.
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31. The influence of Antichrist, by the united power of Protestants and Papists went, however, so effectually to exterminate the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century, that there remains no trace of their faith and power under that name. Mosheim remarks, "that since they have opened their eyes, they acxx 20, knowledge that the visible church is promiscuously composed of the righteous and the wicked, &c."*

• See Ezek.

27.

32. Many of those persecuted people who escaped the fire and sword, and retained any measure of the true heretical faith and practice, retired into Poland, and lived there in peace for several years. But as soon as they began to discover their real principles, the reformed churches renewed their persecuting Ecel. His zeal, and "they were again threatened (says Moiv. p. 483. sheim,) with a formidable prospect arising from the 'united efforts of Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists, to crush their infant sect."

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33. However, having completed a translation of the bible, and published a summary of their religious doctrines in the year 1572, they obtained a name of distinction among the divided parties, and are since known in history under the name of Socinians: yet it was long before the rage of persecution was averted from those liberal advocates of the rights of conscience and not till the attention of the Christian world was arrested by the more extraordinary testimony of George Fox, and his friends.

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34. About the middle of the seventeenth century, the testimony of these people (called Quakers) broke forth with increasing light and power, beyond what had ever appeared among any people since the days of the Primitive Church. This was manifested, not only by their powerful testimony against the iniquities of the times, the superstitions and vain ceremonies of the established religions, and the vicious lives of the worldly Christians; but by the inflexible course of virtue which they maintained, in the midst of a crooked, perverse and persecuting generation.

35. The Quakers, so called, besides the charges of heresy common in past ages, such as holding the doctrine of a pure church upon earth, refusing to swear, to persecute, shed blood, pay tithes, &c. were

III.

particularly branded with enthusiasm on account of CHAP. their doctrine of an inward Christ.

36. To such as had any acquaintance with the writings of the apostles, the doctrine, simply considered, could not appear new; but the fact was, the day of Christ's second appearing was near at hand, and these people, by the true spirit of prophecy, had received an inward sense of it, and as Christ is actually formed in the hearts of his people, they neither knew nor could testify of any other than Christ within.

37. And for this very purpose they were raised up, by the special power of God, and qualified by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, not only to bear a full and pointed testimony against all the corrupt and Antichristian establishments of both Papists and Protestants, but also to announce their certain downfall, and the setting up of that everlasting kingdom of Christ which should be established in the latter day.

38. And when we consider the sufferings of these people, both in Europe and America, for the honesty and integrity of their lives, the innocence and simplicity of their manners, the marked distinction between them and the great Christian world must be evident without any other comment.

CHAPTER III.

Remarks on the present State of the Christian World.

A

MONG the various religions adopted by the lost nations of the earth, Christianity doubtless has the most plausible pretence to divine authority, inasmuch as it claims for its original author, Jesus Christ, who was manifestly the Son of God. But if Christianity, with all its superior pretensions, has not delivered its subjects from the deplorable effects of the fall, it is easy to judge in what state the whole world must be.

2. The present popish profession of Catholic faith Grounds says, I acknowledge the holy, catholic, apostolic, Ro- v..

of Cath.

CHAP.
III.

man church for the mother and mistress of all churches. The present Protestant Confession of Faith says, The visible church, which is also catholic or universalConf. F. consists of all those throughout the world, that profess the true religion, together with their children.

Amer.

Ch. xxv.

3. These two great oracles of Christianity have a right to mark the extent of the Christian world, which according to the above, must include the church of Rome, with all her daughters, and all those throughout the world who profess the true religion, (as they call it,) with their children.

4. The foundation and progress of Papists, Protestants, and dissenters of past ages, have been already sufficiently manifested, from their own writings, to have been a very sink of corruption, calamity, and cruelty to mankind: it now remains to examine, after so long a time, and so much reforming, what the present world of Christians possess, that distinguishes them from the past, or from the rest of the

human race.

5. How much soever these Catholic professors differ among themselves, there are certain fundamental principles in which they hold such a visible agreement as to distinguish themselves, and each other, from heathens, infidels, heretics, and incurable fanatics; and these general Christian principles are such as respect their faith, their rules of church government, and their morals.

6. It would be unnecessary to make any further remarks on the established faith, government, and morals of the mother church, and her immediate daughters, as they have so abundantly exposed each other, and are so universally known: the only part of the Christian world which can promise any thing better to mankind, are those denominations which have dissented from both, and have reformed the same christianity more to the taste of the present times.

7. Modern Christians, forced by the progress of civil and religious liberty, will acknowledge that their forefathers were very wrong in many things; but what is their christianity better, while the same faith, the same principles of government, and the same manners, exist in all their churches?

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8. In professing the present true Christian reli- CHAP. gión, so called, it is absolutely necessary to profess a belief of Three persons in the Godhead-of two natures in Christ—Imputed righteousness-the Resurrection of all human bodies, the same in substancethe establishment of a visible kingdom by the imperial power of Christ at the last day—and such fundamen=tal doctrines as were held sacred by SAINT AUGUSTIN, LEO THE GREAT, Doctor MARTIN Luther, Bishop CALVIN, and the true Catholic church in every age.

9. These same doctrines that smothered every principle of reason, and inflamed the passions of mankind to fill the earth with bloodshed and cruelty, are considered as the only sound Christian principles of the present day, as may be seen in all their modern creeds and no more altered are their present means of christianizing, or their principles of church government.*

10. All that were born after the flesh in the mother church, were christened by an outward ceremony ;— by the outward rite of baptism and the sign of the cross on the forehead, they were received as members of the Protestant church; and at present the most reformed institution for christening is, the min- Directaister is to baptize the child with water, by pouring or ry, Chap. sprinkling it on the face of the child. In this way the church is increased, for every baptized person, who has not been formally excommunicated, is a lawful member. In this, present christianity differs nothing from the past.

11. As to government, a majority always ruled in the Christian world, the stronger tyrannized over the weaker, and upon the same principle, the Christian parties of the present day, only want the necessary means in order to christianize and convert the nations over again upon the old fashion.

12. Every sect and denomination claim the ancient ecclesiastical power: Presbyterian bishops have been

Although, in consequence of the progress of civilization, and the preva lence of civil liberty, there is an abatement of ecclesiastical tyranny and rigorous compulsion; yet human power and human authority are the means used, instead of the authority and power of God; and the subjects are required to subscribe human creeds, and observe human ceremonies, as the conditions ot salvation.

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CHAP duly consecrated by the authority of the national kirk of Scotland, whose ministers were duly ordained according to the church laws of Geneva, and her great bishop, CALVIN, received his holy orders from the pope.

13. In the same manner the Episcopalian, or bishop-ruled Methodists are duly ordained by the laying on of the hands of one who was duly consecrated by the laying on of the hands of JOHN WESLEY, whose holy orders were duly transmitted from BISHOP CRANMER, who was consecrated by the pope: And so of the rest. And what is their laying on of hands without the Holy Ghost, but a mock to God and man?

14. Hence those consecrated rulers not only exercise their supposed ecclesiastical powers in their general assemblies, synods, presbyteries, consistories, conferences, associations and congregational assemblies, but by insinuating themselyes, or their admirers into the affairs of civil government on every occasion that offers, they manifestly show their disposition to seize the old despotic reins, and rule the church and world in one, had they only the opportunity.

15. But until these divided and subdivided dissent→ ers can show other distinguishing marks of their true religion, than those doctrines and powers of government which they received from their mother Protestant or popish churches, the infidels and free-thinkers of the present day will very justly hold them in suspicion.

16. Forced by the changes in civil government to conform, they may give their voice in favour of liberty, and show such respect to the spirit of the times as to expunge from the creeds and common prayer books of their fathers, those despotic sentiments, so hateful to every just man; but in all this they only act the harlot, who willingly changes her dress in order to win the affection of her lovers.

17. It is well known that the Augsburg confession, the Form of Concord, the true religion at Geneva, of the church of Scotland, or of QUEEN ELIZABETH, could never be admitted into any republic without a very material change in its outward dress; but reform and change it as they will, it is still the same

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