all the Reformed, Lutheran, Waldensean, German, and Dutch Baptist churches of the continent of Europe, and the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational or Independent, Particular Baptists, and Calvinistic Methodist churches, of England, Scotland and Ireland; the Puritan Pilgrims of New England, as expressed in the Cambridge and Saybrook Platforms; the General Assembly, Associate Reformed, Burghers, Anti Burghers, Covenanter Presbyterians; the German and Dutch Reformed; the Lutheran, Episcopalian, the Wesleyan Methodist, (as far as they have adopted the articles of the Episcopal Church;) the Welch Calvinistic Methodist; the Particular Baptist, and the Tunkers, or German Baptist, and Moravian churches in the United States.

Whoever will take the pains carefully to examine these confessions, will find a much greater agreement in sentiment, on the great fundamental articles of Christian faith, among these principle churches, than has generally been supposed to exist. Is not this in itself, a strong argument in favor of the truth of these doctrines? Especially, when we consider that the early Reformers, in Germany, Switzerland, Geneva, France, Holland, England, and Scotland,just emerging from papal darkness, ignorance and superstition, each thrown upon his own resources, without the aid and help of others, with the Bible alone before them, drew from it substantially, the same system of divine truth, called the doctrines of grace.

HARMONY, ETC.

OF THE ETERNAL PROVIDENCE OF GOD, AND THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.

THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA.

OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

We believe that all things, both in heaven, and in earth, and in all creatures, are sustained and governed by the providence of this wise, eternal, and omnipotent God. For David witnesseth and saith, "The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is as our God who dwelleth on high, and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth?" Again he saith, Ps. cxxxix. 3. "Thou hast foreseen all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, which thou knowest not wholly, O Lord," &c. Paul also witnesseth and saith, Acts xvii. 28. "By Him we live, move, and have our being." And, Rom. xi. 36. "Of him, and through him, and from him are all things." Therefore Augustine, both truly and according to the scripture, said in his book, De agone Christi, cap. 8. "The Lord said, 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground, without the will of your Father?' By speaking thus, he would give us to understand that whatsoever men count most vile, that also is governed by the almighty power of God. For the truth which said that all the hairs of our heads are numbered, saith also, that the birds of the air are fed by him, and the lillies of the field are clothed by him."

We therefore condemn the epicures who deny the provi

dence of God, and all those who blasphemously affirm that God is occupied about the poles of heaven, and that he neither seeth or regardeth us nor our affairs. The princely prophet David, also condemned these men, when as he said, Ps. xciv. 4. “O Lord, how long, how long shall the wicked triumph, they say the Lord doth not see, neither doth the God of Jacob regard it. Understand ye unwise among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise. He that hath planted the ear, shall he not hear: and he that hath formed the eye, how should he not see?" Notwithstanding we do not contemn the means whereby the providence of God worketh, as though they were unprofitable, but we teach, that we must apply ourselves unto them, so far as they are commended to us in the word of God. Wherefore we mislike the rash speeches of such as say, that if by the providence of God all things are governed, then all our studies and endeavors are unprofitable. It shall be sufficient, if we leave or permit all things to be governed by the providence of God, and we shall not need hereafter, to be careful, or to be taught in any matter. For though Paul did confess that he did sail by the providence of God, who had said to him, Acts xxiii. 11. "Thou must testify of me also at Rome," who moreover promised and said, "There shall not so much as one soul perish. Neither shall an hair fall from your heads." Yet the mariners devising how they might find a way to escape, the same Paul saith to the Centurion, and to the soldiers, Acts xxvii. 34. "Unless these remain in the ship, ye cannot be safe." For God, who hath appointed every thing his end, he also hath ordained the beginning and the means by which we must attain unto the end. The heathen ascribe things to blind fortune, and uncertain chance, but St. James would not have us say, James iv. "To day, or to morrow we will go into such a city, and there buy and sell:" hut he addeth, "for that which you should say, if the Lord will, and if we live, we will do this or that." And Augustine saith, "All those things which seem to vain men to be done unadvisedly in the world, they do but accomplish his word, because they are not done, but by his commandment." And in his exposition on the 148th Psalm. "It seemed to be done by chance, that Saul, seeking his father's asses, should light on the prophet Samuel; but the Lord had before said to the prophet, 'to-morrow I will send unto thee a man of the tribe of Benjamin,' &c."

OF THE CREATION OF ALL THINGS, OF THE ANGELS, THE DEVIL, AND MAN.

This good and almighty God created all things, both visible, and invisible, by his eternal word, and preserveth the same also, by his eternal spirit: as David witnesseth, saying, Ps. xxxiii. 6. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." And (as the scripture saith) "All things that the Lord created, were very good," and made for the use and profit of man. Now we say, that all those things do proceed from one beginning and therefore we detest the Maniches and Marcionites, who did wickedly imagine two substances and natures, the one of good, the other of evil; and also two beginnings, and two Gods, one contrary to the other, a good, and an evil.

Amongst all the creatures, the angels and men are most excellent. Touching angels, the holy scripture saith, Ps. civ. 4. "Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." Also, Heb. v. 14. "Are they not ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be the heirs of salvation?" And the Lord Jesus himself testifieth of the Devil, saying, "He hath been a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the Father thereof." We teach therefore, that some angels persisted in obedience, and were appointed unto the faithful service of God and men, and that other some fell of their own accord, and ran headlong into destruction, and so became enemies to all good, and to all the faithful, &c.

Now, touching man, the spirit saith, that in the beginning he was created good, according to the image and likeness of God; that God placed him in paradise, and made all things subject unto him: which David doth most nobly set forth in the 8th Psalm. Moreover, God gave unto him a wife, and blessed them. We say, also, that man doth consist of two, and those divers substances in one person, of a soul immortal, (as that which being separated from his body, doth neither sleep nor die,) and a body mortal, which, notwithstanding, at the last judgment shall be raised again from the dead, that from thenceforth the whole man may continue for ever, in life, or in death. We condemn all those which mock at, or by subtle disputations call into doubt the immortality of the soul,