A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches…

For experience hath shown, that the common sort of mere Doctrinal Professors (such as the most are now a days) whose highest elevation is but freedom from moral scandal joined with devotion to Christ through mere education, such as in many Turks is found towards Mahomet, that these finding and feeling themselves not much concerned in the active part of Religion, so they may have the honour (especially upon a Reformation of a new Refinement) that themselves are approved Members, admitted to the Lords Supper, and their children to the Ordinance of Baptism; they regard not other matters (as Gallio did not) but do easily and readily give up themselves unto their Guides, being like dead fishes carried with the common stream; whereas those that have a further renewed light by a work of the holy Ghost, whether saving or temporary, are upon the quite contrary grounds apt to be busy about, and inquisitive into, what they are to receive and practise, or wherein their consciences are professedly concerned and involved: And thereupon they take the freedom to examine and try the spirits, whether of God or no: And from hence are more apt to dissatisfaction, and from thence to run into division, and many of such proving to be enlightened but with a temporary, not saving Faith (who have such a work of the Spirit upon them, and profession in them, as will and doth approve it self to the judgement of Saints, and ought to be so judged, until they be otherwise discovered) who at long run, prove hypocrites through indulgence unto lusts, and then out of their lusts persist ⟨image 10⟩to hold up these divisions unto breach of, or departings▪ from Churches, and the Ordinances of God, and God is even with them for it, they waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; and even many of those that are sincere, through a mixture of darkness and erroneousness in their judgements, are for a season apt out of conscience to be led away with the error of others, which lie in wait to deceive.

For experience hath shewn, that the common sort of meer Doctrinal Professors (such as the most are now a days) whose highest elevation is but freedom from moral scandal joyned with devotion to Christ through meer education, such as in many Turks is found towards Mahomet, that these finding and feeling themselves not much concerned in the active part of Religion, so they may have the honor (especially upon a Reformation of a new Refinement) that themselves are approved Members, admitted to the Lords Supper, and their children to the Ordinance of Baptism; they regard not other matters (as Gallio did not) but do easily and readily give up themselves unto their Guides, being like dead fishes carried with the common stream; whereas those that have a further renewed light by a work of the holy Ghost, whether saving or temporary, are upon the quite contrary grounds apt to be busie about, and inquisitive into, what they are to receive and practise, or wherein their consciences are professedly concerned and involved: And thereupon they take the freedom to examine and try the spirits, whether of God or no: And from hence are more apt to dissatisfaction, and from thence to run into division, and many of such proving to be inlightned but with a temporary, not saving Faith (who have such a work of the Spirit upon them, and profession in them, as will and doth approve it self to the judgement of Saints, and ought to be so judged, until they be otherwise discovered) who at long run, prove hypocrites through indulgence unto lusts, and then out of their lusts persist