Transcribed from the [1808] J. Cheney edition , Many thanks to the Bodleian forallowing their copy to be consulted.
A
CONFESSION
OF
Evangelical Principles,
IN A
LETTER TO A FRIEND;
BY
J. CHURCH,
Minister of thegospel,
BANBURY,
OXON.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to writeunto you, of the common Salvation; it was needful for me to writeunto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend forthe Faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints.” Jude 3.
Banbury;
PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. CHENEY,
Printer to His Royal Highness the Dukeof Clarence.
PRICE SIXPENCE.
p.3Letter.
Banbury; February 1st,1808.
Sir,
As you have solicited me tovindicate myself from the things laid to my charge, I take thisopportunity of making public the sentiments I hold; and I willanswer the rest of the charges at the close of my confession offaith. The charges brought against me, are these four;First, That I hold and propogate Antinomiansentiments. Secondly, That I create divisionswherever I preach. Thirdly, That after People cometo hear me preach, they cannot with pleasure hear their ownMinisters again. And, Fourthly, That I do not preachto Sinners. These are heavy charges indeed! Withrespect to the first, as my sentiments are deemedAntinomian, I think it my duty to make them public: the rest ofthe charges are not worth an answer. But, I can assure you,Sir, that the leading doctrines I preach, are in harmony with theWord of God, which is the only rule of faith and practice: Iembrace and propogate no other doctrines than these, set forth inthe doctrinal Articles of the Church of England; the WestminsterConfession of Faith; and what your own Ministers, who belong tothe Associations, generally hold, as appears upon their circularletters; namely, receiving the Scriptures of the Old and NewTestament, as their only guide in faith and practice; and thencederiving their belief, in the important doctrines of three equalPersons, in one divine essence; Eternal and personal Election;Original Sin; Justification, by the imputed righteousness p. 4of Christ;Efficacious Grace in Regeneration; the final perseverance ofBelievers to eternal Glory; the resurrection of the Dead; thelast Judgment; the everlasting happiness of the Righteous; andthe punishment of the Impenitent. These, Sir, are theleading doctrines I preach, and they stand in no need of anapology: but, as I am set for the defence of that gospel I havefelt and enjoyed, I am not ashamed of one of its gloriousdoctrines; nor did I ever intentiona