know not how we could believe more cruelly and abominably of Christ, teach, feel, think or speak of, than to say: It was not the Son of God who died for us, but it was the result of a vitiated catemenial fluid,-a man that had to die for sin, &c.

And though they would gainsay and deny this, and say that I wrote this gratuitously concerning them, it is true, this happened repeatedly and before many pious hearts; they may deny it, but it will be found true in the day of the righteous judgment, before the eyes of the Eternal and great majesty, as I have written it. O abominable sect!!

OF TRUE CHRISTIAN BELIEF.

We teach and believe, and this by virtue and power of the whole scriptures: That the whole Christ Jesus from above and below, inwardly and outwardly, visibly and invisibly, is God's first and only begotten Son, the incomprehensible, eternal Word, by which all things are created. (John 1.) The first born of every creature. (Col. 1.) Became a true man in Mary, the immaculate virgin, through the almighty, eternal Father, eternal spirit and power, beyond the comprehension and knowledge of all men. (John 1.) Sent and given unto us out of pure mercy and grace, from the Father. (John 3.) The express image of the invisible God. (Col. 1.) And the brightness of his glory. (Heb. 1.) We teach and believe that the first and only begotten son of God, Jesus Christ, is our only and eternal Messiah, prophet, teacher and high priest. (Deut. 18; Heb. 5, 10.) Who has fulfilled the required and commanded law for for all his believers, (in as much as they could not fulfil it on account of the weakness of their flesh.) Who taught us his Father's good will and pleasure, and went before us as an unblamable pattern, and freely offered himself upon the cross for our sins, as a sweet smelling sacrifice to the Father. (Rom. 8; Col. 2; Eph. 2; Matt. 12; John 13; Eph. 5.) Through whom we all, (who believe this cordially,)

have received the forgiveness of our sins, grace, favor, mercy, liberty, joy, life eternal, a reconciled Father and free access to God, in the spirit. (Eph. 2.) And this all through his merits, righteousness, intercession and blood, and not through our own works. Behold this is the true summary of our belief concerning Christ, our Savior, the son of God.

All who believe this, in their hearts, as certain and true, and are assured, through the word of God in their hearts and spirit, are inwardly charged, receive the fear and love of God, and bring forth out of their faith, righteousness, fruit, power, an unblamable life and a new principle, as Paul says: With the heart we believe unto righteousness. (Rom. 10.) Through faith, says Peter, God purifies our hearts. (Acts 15.) And thus follow the fruits of righteousnes out of an upright, unfeigned, pious, christian faith. Observe this well.

For all those, who believe the righteous judgment of God and his eternal wrath over all sin and wickedness, and do not doubt at all, look at the fallen angels, (2 Pet. 2; Jude 1,) they look at the first, depraved world, (Gen. 6, 7, 8,) at Sodom and Gomorrah, (Gen. 19,) and upon disobedient, refractory Israel, (Heb. 3,) they take particular notice, how God humbled his innocent Son, who knew of no sin, and in whose mouth guile was not found, how he was humbled, made the most miserable among men for the sake of our sins. (Isa. 53.) Yea, that he was so beaten and tortured, that while extended on the cross, he innocently complained to his Father: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. (Matt. 27.) ·

All, we say, who truly believe this in their hearts, certainly will flee from all unrighteousness, as they would from the fangs of a serpent; they turn away from all sins, and dread them more than a burning fire or a piercing sword, for their whole mind and conscience testify to them, that if they premeditately sin against God's law and word, and do not receive Christ in a pure and good conscience, live according to the flesh, despise the inviting voice of God, that they will fall under the dreadful, eternal sentence and wrath of God. (Heb. 10.)

This the pious and aged Eleazar believed, (2 Macc. 6,) and the godfearing, virtuous mother with her seven sons, (2 Mace. 7). The three faithful young men in the fiery furnace, and beloved Daniel, (Dan. 3, 6.) and the fair virtuous Susan, the honorable pattern of all pious women. (Dan. 13.) And would, therefore, rather endure for a season the ire and fury of ty

rants, than sin, and thus bring upon themselves the eternal anger and wrath of God. The righteous, say the scriptures, live by faith, (Heb. 2: Rom 1; Gal. 3; Heb. 10.) For the the true evangelical faith, which makes the heart sincere and pious before God, moves,'changes, urges and constrains a man so, that he will always hate the evil, and willingly do the things which are right and just. Yea, even as it is not necessary to admonish or warn a man of understanding not to cut his own throat, or to drink poison, or to thrust himself from a high tower, or to run into deep water; for he knows well, if he did so, that he would not escape death. So it is also unnecessary, that we should admonish, or warn those, who cordially believe that the wages of sin is death, that drunkards, liars, fornicators, adulterers, the avaricious, idolators, blasphemers of God, envious bloodshedders, perjurers, thieves, and the like sinners, shall not inherit the kingdom of Christ-that they shall not get drunk, shall not commit fornication, &c. (Rom. 6.) For the divine fear, which is of such a faith, warns, reproves, urges and deters them so, that they will never more consent to such sensual ungodly works, much less do them. For their faith I say is sealed of the spirit through the word, teaches them that the end thereof is death. (Rom. 1, 6; 1 Cor. 6; Gal. 5; Eph. 5; Rev. 21, 22.)

We must thus believe with the heart, as Paul says, (Rom. 10,) that is we must so adhere to the word to receive and impress it upon our hearts, that we never turn or be diverted from it, but that faith be more and more rooted in our hearts, so that through the virtue thereof, we may fear God, with all our powers and do sincere penance. For cordial, unfeigned fear drives out sin, and it is impossible to he justified without the fear of God. (Prov, 2.)

Here observe, what an excellent, pleasing fruit of faith, the fear of the Lord is, for it is the only power, which expels the sins of believers, buries, slays, destroys and makes sin nought, this is the first part of true repentance, as we are taught and admonished by the baptism of believers, (Rom. 6; Čol. 2.) The fear of the LORD (says David,) is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments his praise endureth for ever. (Ps. 111.)

Further, "All who comprehend and understand with a sincere, unwavering believing heart, God's great solicitude, and ardent care for us (here I speak of him occording to the man

ner of man) and his unbounded great kindness, merey and love, as paternally manifested toward us through Christ Jesus, how that he did not spare his only Son (by whom he created the heavens and the earth, the seas and the fulness thereof,) his incomprehensible, eternal Word, power and wisdom but that he, for our sakes, gave him over, humbled him, let him endure hunger, thirst, was derided, taken, mocked, spit upon his holy face, was scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns, condemned, crucified and slain, that we through his sickness and stripes might be healed, through his poverty might become rich, (1 Pet. 2; 2 Cor. 8,) that we might through his being despised, obtain glory; through his cursing, obtain blessing, through his punishment, receive grace, through his blood, the remission of sins, through his offering be reconciled, and through his death might obtain eternal life. He also created every living creature for our use, and made them subject to us. He serves and provides us with winter and summer, heat and cold, with night and day, with rain and dearth; he sent to us his holy apostles with his holy word, endowed us with his spirit, enlightens, governs, admonishes, reproves and comforts us; he has given us shelter, and food to supply our wants, and in the midst of a perverted lion like generation, he kept and preserved us by his grace, &c. I say again, he that believes this with all his heart, apprehends and lays hold of, he can never be prevented neither by angel nor devil, neither by life nor death; but he must love this gracious Father, from his inmost heart, who has manifested so great love and mercy towards us, grievous sinners (a); yea, praise, honor, and be grateful to him- serve and be obedient to him, all the days of his life.

For this is the greatest delight and joy of believers that they in their weakness, may walk and live according to the will and word of the Lord and where unfeigned the love of God obtains, there without fail, must also be the voluntary, ready service of that love, namely the keeping of his commands, (John 14; 1 John 5; 2 John 1.) Solomon says: They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth and such as will be faithful in love, shall abide in him. (Wis. 3.) And this is what Paul says: That in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth, but faith which worketh by love,(Gal. 5.) That love is of an effective power and nature, can be very

(a) To rightly believe God's favors produces love.

plainly seen in natural love; for we need not admonish rational parents, to provide their children with the necessary food and clothing, bat natural love will admonish them thereto. And thus with man and wife, who cordially love each other with conjugal love, they think it no displeasure kindly to love each other and be fellow helpers, as it becomes them, being one flesh. (Eph. 5.) And so, are also the nature and property of holy, divine love, for all those who by faith are one with the Father and his son Christ Jesus, in love and spirit, through the true and genuine knowledge of the aforementioned favor, need not to be admonished that they should serve the Lord, seek the kingdom of God, use baptism and the Lord's supper according to the ordinance of the scriptures, should constrain heart and tongue, to reflect upon the law and will of God with all earnestness, hear Christ and follow him, and that they should not love gold and silver, money and possessions, wife and children, life and death more than Christ and his word. For the effectual nature of the ardent love of God, which is of a pure heart, good conscience, unfeigned faith urges and constrains, moves and operates so much in their hearts that they stand prepared with body and soul, possession and blood to do what he commanded them, and not do that which he prohibited; as we may see (God be praised) in great plainness and power, and hear daily of many pious hearts.

And it is hereby evident, if we would love God and walk in obedience to his commands, we should then believe, have a special regard to his favors, and with the heart adhere closely to the word of his promise, as said; for that love which is sincere, is a very precious fruit, it is a branch and plant of faith from which the other part of true repentance flows, namely, the unblamable new life, represented to us by baptism, as related above, of the fear of the Lord: "Without which love, all eloquence, all tongues, all knowledge and understanding, all boast ings of faith, learning, miracles, prophecying, alms, persecution, cross and suffering, are vain before God; yea, dead and without fruit, (1 Cor. 13.")

Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God: and God is love, (1 John 4,) and such a one does all things honestly to the word of the Lord, for love is the fulfilling of the law, (Rom. 13,) the obedience to his commands (John 14'; 1 John 5,) the bond of perfection and peace, (Col. 3; Eph. 4.) prefigured by the splendid girdle of Aaron and his sons, (Exod. 18.)