{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_58492/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_58492","id":"gutenberg_58492","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58492","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825","Theology, Doctrinal"],"text":"Transcribed from the [1808] J. Cheney edition by David Price, email\nccx074@pglaf.org  Many thanks to the Bodleian for allowing their copy to\nbe consulted.\n\n                        [Picture: Pamphlet cover]\n\n\n\n\n\n                                    A\n                                CONFESSION\n                                    OF\n                         Evangelical Principles,\n                                   IN A\n                           LETTER TO A FRIEND;\n\n\n                                    BY\n\n                               _J. CHURCH_,\n\n                         MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL,\n\n                                _BANBURY_,\n\n                                  OXON.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n    \u201cBeloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you, of the common\n    Salvation; it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you,\n    that ye should earnestly contend for the Faith, which was once\n    delivered unto the Saints.\u201d  _Jude_ 3.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                 Banbury;\n\n                      PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. CHENEY,\n          _Printer to His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence_.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                             PRICE SIXPENCE.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nLetter.\n\n\n                                          _Banbury_; _February_ 1st, 1808.\n\nSIR,\n\nAS you have solicited me to vindicate myself from the things laid to my\ncharge, I take this opportunity of making public the sentiments I hold;\nand I will answer the rest of the charges at the close of my confession\nof faith.  The charges brought against me, are these four; _First_, That\nI hold and propogate Antinomian sentiments.  _Secondly_, That I create\ndivisions wherever I preach.  _Thirdly_, That after People come to hear\nme preach, they cannot with pleasure hear their own Ministers again.\nAnd, _Fourthly_, That I do not preach to Sinners.  These are heavy\ncharges indeed!  With respect to the _first_, as my sentiments are deemed\nAntinomian, I think it my duty to make them public: the rest of the\ncharges are not worth an answer.  But, I can assure you, Sir, that the\nleading doctrines I preach, are in harmony with the Word of God, which is\nthe only rule of faith and practice: I embrace and propogate no other\ndoctrines than these, set forth in the doctrinal Articles of the Church\nof England; the Westminster Confession of Faith; and what your own\nMinisters, who belong to the Associations, generally hold, as appears\nupon their circular letters; namely, receiving the Scriptures of the Old\nand New Testament, as their only guide in faith and practice; and thence\nderiving their belief, in the important doctrines of three equal Persons,\nin one divine essence; Eternal and personal Election; Original Sin;\nJustification, by the imputed righteousness of Christ; Efficacious Grace\nin Regeneration; the final perseverance of Believers to eternal Glory;\nthe resurrection of the Dead; the last Judgment; the everlasting\nhappiness of the Righteous; and the punishment of the Impenitent.  These,\nSir, are the leading doctrines I preach, and they stand in no need of an\napology: but, as I am set for the defence of that gospel I have felt and\nenjoyed, I am not ashamed of one of its glorious doctrines; nor did I\never intentionally deviate from them in one sentence I ever pronounced,\nsince I have felt their power, seen their beauty, and have been enabled\nto declare them; and that good hand that instructed me in them, and has\nowned and blest them, by me, as an instrument, I trust, will enable me to\nmaintain them to the close of life; then, I hope to feel them supporting\nmy soul, comforting my heart, and giving me a sweet assurance of an\nentrance into that kingdom, that cannot be moved.\n\nThe following doctrines I have been enabled to declare amidst great\nopposition, and, as they are a part of the revealed will of God, those\nwho oppose them, are fighting against God himself.  As to the loss of the\nfavor and friendship of those Ministers who are strangers to the power of\nGodliness, and averse to the humiliating doctrines of the Cross of\nChrist, this, I hope, will not break my heart; and while they are loading\nme with reproach, I shall not render railing for railing; for while they\ncurse, I will bless; while they condemn, I hope God will justify; while\nthey oppose, I know he will lead on; and, I hope, I shall be enabled to\nput up that charitable prayer for my enemies, which the Redeemer did for\nhis; \u201cFather, forgive them:\u201d in the language of dying Stephen, \u201cLord, lay\nnot this to their charge:\u201d and in the pious breathings of the Church of\nEngland Litany, I would pray, \u201cThat it may please thee, to forgive our\nenemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts.\u201d  And\nwhile many in our day are shy of the doctrines of the gospel, (which is\nan awful proof they never felt their power, and never tasted their\nsweetness, so that they are but little consequence to them;) I hope, I\nshall be enabled to stand fast in the faith, and hold the beginning of my\nconfidence firm, unto the end; not at all terrified by any of my\nadversaries, however popular they may be.  If I could palliate and comply\nwith their dead barren dry system of legality, I believe that they would\ncease to reproach me.  But, because I maintain and declare the whole\ncounsel of God, I am deemed an Antinomian; a Troubler of Churches; a\nSower of Dissentions; a Creator of Divisions; One that Disaffects Hearers\nwith their own Ministers; One that does not preach to Sinners; and, in\nfact, every thing that is disrespectful in the estimation of proud\nLegalists, and self-righteous Pharisees.\n\nThe following Confession, I read at my Ordination, with a few additions;\nand as many of my friends have so repeatedly intreated me to make it\npublic, I take this opportunity of doing it, praying that the best of\nblessings may accompany the same, as they are sentiments calculated to\ndisplay the glory of God, and bring joy and peace to that Sinner who is\nmade sensible of his lost condition.\n\n\n\n\nA Confession of Faith.\n\n\nI.  I believe, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the\nword of God, and the only rule of faith and practice.\n\nII.  I believe, that there is but One only, living, and true God; that\nthere are Three Persons in the Godhead, who are equal in nature, power,\nand glory; and, that the Son and Holy Ghost, are as truly and properly\nGod, as the Father.  These Three divine Persons are distinguished from\neach other by peculiar relative properties.  These Three divine distinct\nPersons, I profess to reverence, serve, and worship, as the One true God.\n\nIII.  I believe, that before the World began, God did elect a certain\nnumber of Mankind unto everlasting life, whom he did predestinate to the\nadoption of Children, by Jesus Christ, of his own free grace, and\naccording to the good pleasure of his will; that he appointed holiness as\nthe means; and that no one has a right to consider himself as a chosen\nvessel, till he is effectually called by the grace of God. {6}\n\nIV.  I believe, that God made all things in Creation, out of nothing, to\ndisplay his goodness, wisdom, power, and glory; and, that by the same\npower, he upholds and governs, rules and directs all things in Heaven and\nEarth; and, that he displays his sovereignty according to the counsel of\nhis own will, or his eternal plan, formed before all Worlds.\n\nV.  I believe, that there is one Mediator between God and Man; the Man,\nChrist Jesus; that he stood in his mediatorial capacity as our\nrepresentative and head, in the covenant of eternal redemption and grace;\nengaged to be all that to his people, they could possibly need in time,\nand their bliss through eternity.\n\nVI.  I believe, that God made Man upright; but mutable and liable to\nfall: and, being left to the freedom of his own will, through the\ninfluence of Satan, he broke the covenant of works, and fell from the\nImage of God; that all Mankind sinned in him and fell with him, as their\nhead and representative; and both him and his posterity became liable to\nthe curse and penalty of a violated law.\n\nVII.  I believe, that all Mankind are conceived and born in sin, Children\nof disobedience, enemies to God, violaters of his commands, averse to\ngood, prone to evil, Children of wrath, obnoxious to the justice of God,\nand the condemnation of his law: and I believe, that no Creature can help\nor deliver himself, out of that wretched state into which he has fallen.\nI solemnly believe, that this is the state of all Men by nature.\n\nVIII.  I believe, that according to the eternal appointment of God the\nFather, and the Covenant engagements of the dear Redeemer, that, in the\nfulness of time, God sent his Son into the world to redeem fallen Men;\nthat part of the human race, that was given him in eternity; that their\nredemption was obtained by the shedding of his blood; that this\nredemption is special and particular, designed only for the elect of God,\nthe Sheep of Christ, who only share the special and peculiar blessings of\nit.  And, in order to accomplish our redemption, I believe, it was\nnecessary that the Redeemer should take upon him our nature, a human body\nand soul, created and formed by God the Spirit, conceived in the womb of\nthe Virgin Mary, born of a Woman, made under the law, that he might\nredeem his people from it; work out a righteousness adequate to its\ndemands, make an atonement by suffering the death of the Cross, satisfy\ndivine Justice, glorify all the attributes of Deity, and open a way, for\nthe communication of all those blessings, which are needful for the\nSaints of God, both for time and eternity.\n\nIX.  I believe, that the matter of the Sinners\u2019 justification before a\nholy God, is the righteousness of Christ imputed to them; which is, his\nperfect, spotless obedience to the law, in their room and stead, without\nthe consideration of any works done by them; and, that the full and free\npardon of all their sins, past, present, and to come, is only through the\nblood of Christ, according to the riches of his grace; and, that none can\nbe justified in any other way.  This righteousness being seen by the eye\nof faith, and embraced by the hand of faith, we are manifestly justified\nand freed from the law; that, being dead wherein we were held, we live to\nGod, and by love serve the Lord, having our fruit unto holiness, and the\nend, eternal life. {9}\n\nX.  I believe, that all the objects of eternal love, the subjects of his\nchoice, and the purchase of the Redeemer\u2019s blood, are effectually called\nin one way or another, by the efficacious and irresistible grace of God\nthe divine Spirit; and not by an act of Man\u2019s free will and power.  I\nbelieve they are washed, justified, and sanctified, in the name and by\nGod the Spirit, in some part of their lives.\n\nXI.  I believe, that all Saints are kept by the mighty power of God,\nthrough faith, to eternal Salvation; and, that as sure as they are\ncalled, justified, and sanctified, they will infallibly persevere:\nbecause of the perpetuity of God\u2019s love, the liability of his covenant,\nand his faithfulness to his absolute promises.\n\nXII.  I believe, that the Church of Christ consists of true believers in\nhis name; that these are his mystical body, of which, he is the only\nhead, and there is no other: and, that all the Children of God derive\nspiritual life from him, by virtue of union to him; that he is our life;\nand in consequence of that, we are now quickened by his life-giving power\nin conversion; our bodies shall be quickened in the last day, and all\nBelievers shall enjoy eternal life, in glory for ever.\n\nXIII.  I believe, that in the new testament Church of Christ, there are\nbut two Sacraments; Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.  I believe,\nBaptism to be an outward and visible sign; first, of the sufferings,\ndeath, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; secondly, of an\ninward and spiritual operation of the Holy Ghost, upon the hearts of\nbelievers; and is a grand emblem of a death unto sin, and a new birth\nunto righteousness; for being by nature the children of wrath, we are by\nregeneration, manifested to be children of grace.  I believe, that only\nthose who profess the name of Jesus, have any right thereto.  That it\nshould be administered to Adults alone, in the name of the adorable\nTrinity; and, that it is to be performed by immersion.  I believe, that\nthe Lord\u2019s Supper was instituted the night on which he was betrayed, to\nrepresent his sufferings and death; and is to be attended too by all\nBelievers, until his second coming.\n\nXIV.  I believe, that it is the duty of every Christian to obey the laws\nof their Country; not to speak evil of Dignities; but, to pray for the\nKing, his Family, and the Government under which we live; to study to be\nquiet, peaceable, and submissive, according to the laws of Jesus Christ,\nwhich is our rule of conduct: and, who has said, \u201cRender unto C\u00e6sar, the\nthings which are his;\u201d and, by his holy Apostles, has commanded \u201cThat\nevery Soul should be subject to the higher powers; that we should honor\nall Men, love the Brotherhood, fear God, honor the King.\u201d\n\nXV.  I believe, that it is the duty of all Believers, to take the\ncommands of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as their rule of conduct;\nthat, while they are relying on his Righteousness, for justification; on\nhis Blood, for pardon; and, on the Spirit, for internal sanctification;\nthey, from a principle of love shed abroad in their hearts, are made\nwilling to obey his laws, as King in Mount Zion: and, that his\ncommandments are the Believer\u2019s rule of life: that it is their duty to\nstand fast in one Spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith\nof the gospel: that it is their duty to walk in wisdom, to them that are\nwithout; to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and Man, by\nliving soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: that it is\ntheir duty to walk with each other in all humility and brotherly love; to\nwatch over each other\u2019s conversation; to stir up one another to love and\nto good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as we\nhave opportunity; to worship God, according to his revealed will; and,\nwhen the case requires, to warn, rebuke, and admonish one another,\naccording to the rules of the gospel: and, that it is our duty to\nsympathize with each other, to bear with one another\u2019s weaknesses,\nfailings, and infirmities; and, particularly to pray for one another.\nAll these duties we are bound to perform, and every other law of Christ\u2019s\nspiritual house, through the gracious influence of a Spirit of love, of\npower, and of a sound mind; ever remembering, that we are to obey the\nlaws of our Sovereign, as King, on his holy hill of Zion. {12}\n\nXVI.  I believe, that all the Ordinances of divine appointment ought to\nbe attended unto, by all that profess their faith in, and love to our\nLord Jesus Christ, as the head of his Church; hearing the Word, public\nPrayer, Baptism, and the Lord\u2019s Supper: singing of Psalms, Hymns, and\nSpiritual Songs, vocally; this is an ordinance of the gospel, to be\nperformed by Believers; but, as to time, place, and manner, every one\nought to be left to their liberty in using it.\n\nXVII.  I believe, that there will be a Resurrection, both of the just and\nunjust; and, that Christ will come a second time, to judge both quick and\ndead; when he will take vengeance on the wicked, and introduce his own\nPeople into his kingdom and glory, where they shall be for ever with him;\nand, then shall the mediatorial kingdom be delivered up to the Father, by\nthe Redeemer; the mystery of God be finished: Heaven will be the Saints\nfinal home; and, God, Father, Son, and Spirit, be all in all, for ever\nand ever.\n\nXVIII.  I believe, that the felicity of the Saints will be eternal; and I\nas firmly believe, such will be the eternity of misery; unless, the never\ndying worm dies, and the unquenchable fire goes out; which will not,\ncannot be; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nThe above Articles are the doctrines I preach, which I did not learn of\nMan; but, by the teachings of the Spirit, by the Word.  The rest of the\nCharges are not worthy my notice, as they arise from pride and envy; and,\nI shall only remark, that all faithful preaching ever did create\ndivisions.  God having put an enmity between the seed of the Woman, and\nthe seed of the Serpent; this enmity is stirred up wherever these two\nseeds meet.  The history of Truth, in all ages, prove that this is no new\nthing.  The dear Redeemer, asks an important question, \u201cSuppose ye, that\nI am come to give peace on the earth?  I tell you, nay; but rather\ndivisions;\u201d see the 12th chapter of Luke, from the 40th to the 54th\nverse.  As to the disaffection of the People to their own Ministers,\nafter hearing me preach, as Ministers inform you; how can I help that?  I\ndo not speak against them; but, advise my hearers to follow after truth,\nin its beauty, simplicity, and power.  But I am not accountable for the\nimprudencies of my hearers.  None ever heard me in public or in private,\ndrop a disrespectful hint of any Ministers around me; although, I am\ninformed, they have said many cruel things of me: for which, I trust, the\ngood Lord will pardon them, for I do; as I know, God, for Christ\u2019s sake,\nhath forgiven me.  As to the last Charge you intimate, that I do not\npreach to Sinners.  This is an absurd accusation indeed!  For who do I,\nor who can I preach to, but fallen Sinners, by nature and practice; as\nfaith the voice of wisdom, \u201cUnto you, O Men, I call, and my voice is to\nthe Sons of Men.\u201d  But, I suppose the meaning of this Charge is, that I\ndo not command dead Sinners to quicken their own souls; and suppose I\ndid, would they obey me?  That I do not tell blind Sinners to open their\nown eyes?  If I thought they could do it, I would tell them to do it,\nfrom the pulpit.  That I do not tell all Men it is their duty to believe?\nWhereas, God says of many, they never shall believe.  That I do not\ncommand carnal Persons to perform spiritual acts? and how should they?\nseeing they are enemies to God, and the slaves of sin and error.  That I\ndo not tell all Mankind, that Christ is offered to them, if they will but\naccept of him?  No.  Sir.  I leave all this Baxterian stubble, and\ndeclare the whole counsel of God.  Whereas, the above Calls to Sinners,\nform no part of that counsel.  God does not condemn Men because he has\nbeen pleased to withold that precious gift of faith from them: there is\nsin enough in all Men, to render them obnoxious to the curse of the law:\nand the Saviour himself says, \u201cThink not, that I will accuse you to the\nFather; there is one that accuseth you already, even, Moses, in whom ye\ntrust.\u201d  To command all Men, where the gospel comes, to obey the internal\ncall of it, is not my work: but, to tell People, it is their duty to be\nfound in the means, is another thing.  The former, I shall not do; the\nlatter, is in harmony with many parts of God\u2019s Word.  But I know it is\nfashionable, to tell Sinners to believe, and to receive an offered\nChrist; to open the door of their hearts to him; and, in fact, the Sinner\nis set to do that, which the Holy Ghost only can do for him.  This is the\nmodern doctrine so much admired in our day; which is calculated to\ncherish the pride of Man, and make Sinners contented with a form of\ngodliness without the power.  But, \u201cFrom all false doctrine, heresy, and\nschism, good Lord deliver us.\u201d\n\n                       I am yours, in gospel bonds,\n\n                                                                J. CHURCH.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                        Cheney, Printer, Banbury.\n\n\n\n\nFootnotes.\n\n\n{6}  This doctrine is clearly revealed in the Scriptures, embraced by our\nReformers, as set forth in the 17th Article of the Church of England, and\nin the Westminster Confession of Faith.  The Seventeenth Article of the\nChurch, thus expresseth this doctrine:\u2014\u201cPredestination to Life, is the\neverlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world\nwere laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to\ndeliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out\nof mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as\nvessels made to honour.  Wherefore, they which be endued with so\nexcellent a benefit of God, be called according to God\u2019s purpose by his\nSpirit working in due season; they through grace obey the calling; they\nbe justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made\nlike the image of his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ: they walk\nreligiously in good works, and at length, by God\u2019s mercy, they attain to\neverlasting felicity.\u201d\u2014This is the noble testimony of our Reformers, as\nagreed and subscribed to by every conscientious Churchman; to this agree,\nthe Westminster Confession of Faith, as exprest in the 20th Article of\nthe shorter Catechism.  God having out of his mere good pleasure, from\nall eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a Covenant\nof grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to\nbring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.  A vast many\npassages of scripture can easily be brought to prove this important\nArticle; and, happy for those, who have got the sweet evidence of God\u2019s\nSpirit, witnessing their adoption into his family.  If this is\nAntinomianism, I am willing to bear the name, and enjoy the blessings of\nan everlasting Covenant of Election and Sovereign Grace.\n\n{9}  This doctrine of a Sinner\u2019s justification before God, as exprest in\nthis Article, is held forth in almost every part of God\u2019s Word that\nrelates to our Salvation.  This doctrine, however despised in our day by\nmodern Pharisees, is a glorious and a precious truth: it was received by\nour Reformers, as noted in the Eleventh Article of the Church of England,\non the justification of Man.  \u201cWe are accounted righteous before God,\nonly for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and\nnot for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by\nfaith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as\nmore largely is expressed in the Homily of justification.\u201d  See also, the\nThirty-third Article in the Assembly\u2019s Catechism: \u201cJustification is an\nact of God\u2019s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth\nus as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ\nimputed to us, and received by faith alone.\u201d  Happy Believer, that can\nsay in sweet assurance,\n\n    \u201cJesus, thy blood and righteousness,\n    My beauty are, my glorious dress;\n    \u2019Midst flaming Worlds, in these array\u2019d,\n    With joy shall I lift up my head.\u201d\n\nAnd this honor have all the Saints.\n\n{12}  If it can be proved, that this Article has a grain of Antinomianism\nin it, I ask, are not these the practical truths of the gospel, which we,\nas Believers, are to obey, as a proof we are passed from death unto life,\nand are brought to serve the Lord, in newness of Spirit, and not in the\noldness of the letter; not working for life, but from a principle of life\nreceived, as being not without law to God, but under the laws of our\npresent Husband, Christ.  The moral law being fulfilled in our stead, we\nare by faith enabled to serve him, who has done so great things for us.\nIt is the Believer\u2019s desire, that the moral law should be fulfilled; and,\nto use the language of a good and great Man, it is evident this law is\nfulfilled in a fourfold sense; First, \u201cIn precept and penalty, by the\nRedeemer himself.\u201d  Secondly, \u201cIn the Believed, when the love of God is\nshed abroad in his heart.\u201d  Thirdly, \u201cIn the exercise of a conscience\nvoid of offence, by the internal operations of the Spirit, enabling us to\nwalk in our degree, as he walked.\u201d  Fourthly, \u201cIn the execution of its\nawful sentence upon the wicked; and Heaven and Earth shall pass away,\nbefore a tittle of this law can fail, till it be fulfilled.\u201d  It is\nstrange, that those Ministers, who maintain the holiness, goodness,\ntruth, and justice of the moral law, should be traduced as Antinomians;\nwhereas, they are the only characters that handle the law, lawfully; by\nrepresenting it to Believers as fulfilled in their stead, by their\ncovenant Head and Husband; laying them under eternal obligations to love\nand serve him in newness of the Spirit.  The term Antinomian, cannot\nbelong to the above characters, but to all Men in a state of nature,\nwhether professors or prophane, they are in a state of enmity against the\nlaw, and its adorable giver; and, although they may plead for it, they\nare enemies to it, ignorant of it, and condemned by it.  It is evident,\nthis was the case of Paul, before his conversion, \u201cI was alive without\nthe law once;\u201d he was ignorant of its nature, its author, its demands,\nand its curse: but, when God led him to see himself in that glass, he\nexclaimed, \u201cThe law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.\u201d  When\nDavid was taught the same lesson, he crys out, \u201cI have seen an end of all\nperfection, but thy commandments are exceeding broad.\u201d  All that are\ncleaving to this law, as a covenant of works, are enemies to the Lord\nJesus Christ; and, all that die under it, must be judged by it.  Now,\nbecause I hold forth the grand doctrines of the gospel, and enforce a\nknowledge of this law, by the teachings of the Spirit of God, that\nSinners may be brought to see their need of a Mediator, and a Surety\nrighteousness; for this, I am condemned as an Antinomian!  But, if this\nArticle of my Confession, teaches anything like it, I must say it is the\nAntinomianism of the gospel, which I shall consider as my duty to\nenforce, as ornamental to the Religion of the Son of God.  I shall only\nadd, that I was much pleased to see this subject ably handled, in that\nbest of monthly publications, the Gospel Magazine: one paragraph I shall\ninsert, see vol. 9, page 372.  \u201cThe doctrine of the total abolition of\nthe covenant of works, and the perfect deliverance of all true Believers\nfrom its power and authority, by the substitution, obedience, and\natonement of Christ, breaks the arms of ungodliness, demolishes the whole\nempire of sin, and makes the church of the first born fruitful to God.\nFruitful in heart, fruitful in life, fruitful in every good work.  The\nproof which the Scriptures afford of the truth of these assertions, mocks\nall contradiction, and bids defiance to all assault.\u201d","title":"A Confession of Evangelical Principles: in a letter to a friend","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":4623}