APPENDIX.

The pieces here subjoined (with the exception of the first, which was originally prefixed to the "Ethical Essay," and intended to form a part of it,) were found among the unpublished Manuscripts of my venerable friend after his decease. As they contain his mature and settled opinions on some important subjects, after conscientious and thorough inquiries, which were continued through a great part of his long life, I have thought they would form an acceptable accompaniment to the foregoing Essay, at least in the opinion of those, for whom the latter was especially intended.

To these are added a few devotional exercises, written for his own private use, which afford a characteristic illustration of the deep and fervent piety of the Author. ED.

A CREED,

Which whoever believeth, may be truly denominated a Christian in Principle; and is admissible, and entitled to, the Fellowship and Communion of every truly Christian Church, as far as Principles go to give him that Right.

First. I believe in One unoriginated Self-existent God, the Father, Almighty Creator, and moral Governor of the Universe.

Second. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; that he was the true Messiah, sent by God; that he was crucified, that he died, and was

buried; and that he arose again from the Dead on the third Day, and that he ascended into Heaven.

Third. I believe that God, by the Mediation of his Son Jesus Christ, is reconciling, or has reconciled the World to himself; and that without Him, there is no Salvation.

Fourth. I believe in the Necessity of Repentance, of Faith, and Conformity to the divine Will; and that there is Remission of Sins, through Jesus Christ alone, to all who truly repent, firmly believe, and sincerely obey.

Fifth. I believe that all Mankind will be raised from the Dead, to a future Life, and that God [hath appointed a Day, in which He] will judge the World in Righteousness, and will reward every Man according to his Works [by his Son Jesus Christ.]

Sixth. I believe in the Holy Spirit.

Seventh. I believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as set forth in the Scriptures; and that the several Articles foregoing, are clearly revealed therein, which Gospel I believe to be the only sufficient Rule of Faith and Practice for every Christian Man; and that Nothing which is not clearly revealed therein, can be necessary to be believed in Order to Salvation. AMEN.

Every thing which, upon due Examination, appears to be clearly revealed in the holy Scriptures,

of the Old and New Testaments, ought, no doubt, to be believed. But what the fundamental Truths of Christianity are, is a Point upon which the Christian Church is unhappily very much divided.

Now it is a Maxim with Protestants, that the Bible contains all Truths necessary to Salvation, and that every Man must judge for himself, (and at his peril too,) what those Truths are. We might, then, naturally suppose that a Declaration of a Belief in the inspired Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, might be sufficient to entitle a Man to Admission into any Protestant Church. But alas! such is the Infirmity of human Nature, such the Want of Candour and Christian Charity, and so fond an Attachment have we to our own Opinions, that we must impose our own Constructions of particular Passages of Scripture upon Candidates for Admission to our Christian Community. Now, while this narrow, bigoted Temper prevails in the Christian World, the preceding Formulary may perhaps be adopted. But I cannot help thinking, that a summary Creed, somewhat like the following, is all that a Church, professedly Protestant, can consistently, or in Strictness has a Right, to demand of any Person who offers himself to their Communion.

A TRULY PROTESTANT CREED.

I believe in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. That they contain a Revelation

from God. That they, and they only, contain all the Truths necessary to be believed, and all the Precepts necessary to be practised in Order to our eternal Salvation, and that every Christian must judge for himself what these Truths and Precepts are, and that it is the Duty and Interest of every one who hath this Belief, to regulate his Life and Conversation thereby. AMEN.

ON CONFESSIONS OF FAITH.

Requiring particular Confessions of Faith as distinguished from a general, one of a Belief of the Christian Religion, and of the sacred Scriptures, is arbitrary, and what no Synod or Council have a Right to impose; and for the following Reasons.

First. Because every Christian Man hath a Right of private Judgment, and cannot therefore rightfully be deprived of it. This is a fundamental Article of Protestantism.

Second. Such a Confession is of no Use, even for the Purpose of Uniformity, because all Men may, and upon new Evidence will, and ought to alter their Belief.

Third. No such Confession can bind a dishonest Man. Such an one will always declare himself of that Belief which his Examiners would choose. None, therefore, can, by such Confession, be exclu