86 General Confiderations previouf y nece fury as by the Light of Truth which therein brake forth, the Con - fciences of even the vulgar fort are in force meafüre freed from thofe Childifh Afrightments which they were before in Bondage unto ; fo thofè who are Learned have been enabled to reduce the Opinions and Pra &ices of their Church, into a more defenfible pofture, and make their Oppofition unto the Truths of the Gofpel more plaufible than they formerly were. Yea that Doe-trine which in the way of its Teaching and Pra &ice among them, as alto in its effe &s ón the Confciences of men, was fo horrid as to drive innumerable perfons from their Communion in that and other things alto, is now in the new Reprefentation of it, with the artificial covering pro- vided for its former effe&s in pra &ice, thought an Argument meet to be pleaded for a return unto its entire Com- munion. But to root out the Superftitions mentioned out of the minds of men, to communicate unto them the knowledge of the Righteoufnefs of God which is revealed from Faith to Faith, and thereby to deliver them from their bondage, fears and dif}refs, dire&ing convinced finners unto the only way of lolid peace with God, did the firft Reformers labour fo di- ligently in the Declaration and Vindication of the Evangeli- cal DoCtrine of Juflification ; and God was with them.- And it is worth our confederation, whether we fhould on every cavil and fophi fin of men not fo taught, not fo employed, not íò tryed, not fo owned of God as they were, and in whole Writings there are not appearing fuch Charatters of Wifdom, found judgment, and deep Experience as in theirs, eafily part with that Do &rive of Truth, wherein alone they found peace unto their own Souls, and whereby they were infi'ru- mental to give liberty and peace with God unto the Souls and Confciences of others innumerable, accompanied with the vi- fible effe &s of Moline§ of Life, and fruitfulnefs in the works of Righteoufnefs, unto the praife of God by Jefus Chrift. In
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