The Introduction. C x A P. I. peace in owr own Confcìences ; no life of Comfort here , nor true hope of Salvation for ever here-after ; No change of State , nor laving change of' life & converfation; in a word , no life of Grace here, nor of Glory here- after : And what then mutt follow upon the corrupting of this Truth , & u- pon Erroneous Apprehenfions & practices herein , is aboundantly obvious to all fuch as have not finned away all fenfe & conítderation , in thefe matters. Wherefore it is no wonder that Satan hath , in all ages , laboured by one Inftrument 'or other ,upon one occaliön'or other and under one pretext, . or other to corrupt the pure-ftrear es of this wholefome Fountaine of Truth, in one Meafure or other , in one particular or other; & that by fuch Me- diums & Arguments as he knew would be tuoft taking , & fecal rnoft plau- fible, at there Several times , & upon thefe Several occafions. What way & how far the corruption of this Truth was advanced, in the Antichriflian Church is yet known; & what ground., their errour in this gave unto fuch , as began to be enlightened in the knowledge of the Truth , to feparate from them & to appear againt them , is mantfeftb and what Eflaies the Devil made , about the beginning of Reformation , or shortly after , to dar- ken this Truth , by Queflions & Difputes, even among Inch as hold the Truth faft, as to the maine , and what fince, by Several New Opinions, or new Modes and Methods (as they were called , and given out to be vented , andimproven by Several Artifices, to feeming different Ends , he hath effeétuated , to the hardening of fóme, in" their Mifapprehenfìons ; & to the Corrupting"ofthe Hearts &Mindes of others ; and alto the Stagge- ring and Shaking of not a few , may be called to mindewith grief and for - row ; Not to mention the bold attempt , made by Socinians, to overturne the whole Grounds of Chriflian Religion ; and to take away at once all the pillars of Gofpel- juflifrcation. The devil began early , in the breaking up of the clear day of Chriflianity,, to darken this Sun , that the poor Church might for ever abide ;in darknefs ifthé Church , her Head and Husband had not provided a Remedie, and had not effectually difpelled theft: Cloudes : And he had no (mall advantage of the corrupt jewes, who had a zeal of God, but not according to know- led g , and had a very Specious pretext of crying up the Law, prefcribed by God himfelf , and of Obedience thereunto, and conftant obfervation there- ' of, Ulan points, to the prejudice of the Gofpel- truth in the matter of Ju- 'ffification, And though thefirít rife of this difference and debate was upon occafion of the Ceremonial Law, which was the difpenfation of the Grace of God, which the ancient Church was under, while under Tutors & Go -- vernours, and in her Non -age flare; and was never rightly obeyed , or Unproven ; but when it led them unto the promifed Meffìah, Chrift, the . end of that law, in a peculiar 'manner , the Subftance thereof, and vai- led thereunder; and which they might haveeknown, was to be done away, when Chrift, the Subftance of all thofe shadówes, cause in to the world,, in the due time appointed and foretold; and which contrare to its very Nature & End , to the many prophecies of old,, & to the fignal difpenfa- rions:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=