Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Ministry of the Spirits or allegorical Interpretations of the Law and the Prophets will be the Conversion of Jews and Gentiles.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Ministry of the Letter, and an Hireling-Priesthood have been the Cause of the Infidelity and Apostacy of these latter Times.
Item, I believe upon the Authority of the Fathers, that the Spirit and Power of Jesus will soon enter the Church and expel Hireling-Priests, who make Merchandise of the Gospel, out of her, after the manner he is suppos'd to have driven the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple.
These are a few Articles of that Faith, once deliver'd to the Saints of the primitive Church, which I firmly believe, and will earnestly contend for. Now I appeal to the Christian World, whether a Man of such a Faith, like Heart of Oak, can be an Infidel or Blasphemer. Upon this ingenuous Confession of my Faith, which I make by way of Atonement for my past supposed Errors and Offences, I hope the Bishops and all good Christian People will be reconciled to me.
St. James says, that Faith without Works is dead, and how a Man ought to show his Faith by his Works, without which Faith is an empty and airy Nothing. Accordingly I am making what haste I can to show the Sincerity of my Faith by these my Works and Discourses of this Kind. And by the Grace of God, I hope our Bishops will find me as unmoveable as a Rock in the said Faith.
According to the foresaid Articles of this my Faith, I am so fully convinced, not only of the Error of the Ministry of the Letter, but of the Mischiefs and Inconveniences of an Hireling-Priesthood, that, having set my Shoulders to the Work, I am resolv'd, by the Help of God, to endeavour to give both a Lift out of this World. This is fair and generous Warning to our Clergy to sit fast, and look to their own Safety, or they may find me a stronger Man than they may be aware of. And tho' I don't expect long to survive the Accomplishment of so great and glorious a Work; yet I am delightfully ravish'd and transported with the Forethought and Contemplation of the Happiness of Mankind, upon the Extinction of Ecclesiastical Vermin, out of God's House; when the World will return to its Primogenial and Paradisaical State of Nature, Religion and Liberty; in which we shall be all taught of God, and have no need of a foolish and contentious Priest, hired to harangue us with his Noise and Nonsense. Which blessed State of the World God of his infinite Mercy hasten, for the sake of our Spiritual Messiah, Mediator and Redeemer Jesus Christ. To whom be Glory for ever, Amen.
FINIS.
