A brief declaration and vindication of the doctrine of the Trinity as also of…

The Relation of the Professing Church unto this Rock, consists in the faith of this Confession, that he is Christ the Son of the living God. This our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised to secure against all attempts; yet so as plainly to declare, that there should be great and severe opposition made thereunto. For whereas the Prevalency of the Gates of Hell in an enmity unto this confession is denied, a great and vigorous attempt to prevail therein is no less certainly foretold; neither hath it otherwise fallen out. In all Ages from the first solemn foundation of the Church of ⟨p. 3⟩the New Testament, it hath one way or other been fiercely attempted by the Gates of Hell. For some time after the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, the principal endeavours of Satan, and Men acting under him, or acted by him, were pointed against the very foundation of the Church, as laid in the expression before mentioned. Almost all the Errors and Heresies wherewith for three or four Centuries of years it was perplexed, were principally against the Person of Christ himself, and consequently the Nature and Being of the holy and blessed Trinity. But being disappointed in his design herein, through the watchful care of the Lord Christ over his Promise; in the following Ages, Satan turned his craft and violence against sundry parts of the superstructure; and by the assistance of the Papacy cast them into confusion, nothing as it were remaining firm, stable, and in order, but only this one confession, which in a particular manner ⟨p. 4⟩the Lord Christ hath taken upon himself to secure.

The Relation of the Professing Church unto this Rock, consists in the faith of this Confession, that he is Christ the Son of the living God. This our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised to secure against all attempts; yet so as plainly to declare, that there should be great and severe opposition made thereunto. For whereas the Prevalency of the Gates of Hell in an enmity unto this confession is denyed, a great and vigorous attempt to prevail therein is no less certainly foretold; neither hath it otherwise fallen out. In all Ages from the first solemn foundation of the Church of ⟨p. 3⟩the New Testament, it hath one way or other been fiercely attempted by the Gates of Hell. For some time after the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, the principal endeavours of Satan, and Men acting under him, or acted by him, were pointed against the very foundation of the Church, as laid in the expression before mentioned. Almost all the Errours and Heresies wherewith for three or four Centuries of years it was perplexed, were principally against the Person of Christ himself, and consequently the Nature and Being of the holy and blessed Trinity. But being disappointed in his design herein, through the watchful care of the Lord Christ over his Promise; in the following Ages, Satan turned his craft and violence against sundry parts of the superstructure; and by the assistance of the Papacy cast them into confusion, nothing as it were remaining firm, stable, and in order, but only this one confession, which in a particular manner