A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

The first Principle of the Protestants disposing them to moderation and indispensably exacting it of them as their Duty, is, that amongst all the Professors of the Name of Christ who are known by their Relation unto any Church or Way of Note or Mark in the world, not actually condemned in the Primitive or Apostolical times, there is so much saving Truth owned and taught, as being received with faith, and submitted unto with sincere obedience, is sufficient to give them that profess it an Interest in Christ, and in the Covenant of Grace, and Love of God, and to secure their salvation, This Principle hath been openly defended by them, and I profess it to be mine. It is true, there are ways whereby the Truth mentioned may be rendered ineffectual; but that hinders not, but that the Principle is true, and that the Truth so received is sufficient for the producing of those effects in its kind and place. And let men pretend what they please, the last day will discover, that that Faith which purifieth the heart, and renders the person in whom it is, accepted to God by Jesus Christ, may have its objective Truths confined in a very narrow compass; yet it must embrace all that is indispensably necessary to salvation. And it is an unsufferable Tyranny over the Souls and Consciences of men, to introduce and assert a necessity of believing, whatever this or that Church, any or indeed all Churches shall please to propose. For, the proposal of all the Churches in the world cannot ⟨p. 111⟩make any thing to be necessary to be believed, that was not so antecedently unto that proposal. Churches may help the faith of Believers, they cannot burden it, or exercise any dominion over it. He that believeth that whatever God reveals is true, and that the holy Scripture is a perfect Revelation of his mind and will, (wherein almost all Christians agree,) need not fear that he shall be burdened with multitudes of particular Articles of Faith? provided he do his Duty in sincerity, to come to an acquaintance with what God hath so revealed.

The first Principle of the Protestants disposing them to moderation and indispensably exacting it of them as their Duty, is, that amongst all the Professours of the Name of Christ who are known by their Relation unto any Church or Way of Note or Mark in the world, not actually condemned in the Primitive or Apostolicall times, there is so much saving Truth owned and taught, as being received with faith, and submitted unto with sincere obedience, is sufficient to give them that profess it an Interest in Christ, and in the Covenant of Grace, and Love of God, and to secure their salvation, This Principle hath been openly defended by them, and I profess it to be mine. It is true, there are wayes whereby the Truth mentioned may be rendred ineffectuall; but that hinders not, but that the Principle is true, and that the Truth so received is sufficient for the producing of those effects in its kind and place. And let men ptetend what they please, the last day will discover, that that Faith which purifieth the heart, and renders the person in whom it is, accepted to God by Jesus Christ, may have its objective Truths confined in a very narrow compass; yet it must embrace all that is indispensably necessary to salvation. And it is an unsufferable Tyranny over the Souls and Consciences of men, to introduce and assert a necessity of believing, whatever this or that Church, any or indeed all Churches shall please to propose. For, the proposall of all the Churches in the world cannot