lieve he made man upright after his own image and likeness, which image consisted ' in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness,' but man, by sin, lost it.

"I believe that we were all in the loins of

our first parents, and that they stood and fell as public persons, and upon that account justly, without any colour of wrong, we bear our share, both in the guilt of their disobedience, and also in the corruption of nature following thereupon, so that we come into the world, children of wrath, and heirs of the curse, one as well as another; enemies to God, hating him, and hated of him; averse to all that is good, and prone to all manner of evil. Though all are born in this condition, there are some that do not die in it.

"I believe, that there is a Mediator, and but one Mediator, between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Those whom the Father hath from everlasting pitched his love upon, and given to Christ; not because of works or faith foreseen, but merely of his free grace; for those I believe, Christ was sent into the world, made of a woman, made under the law. For their sakes he sanctified himself, and became obedient to death, even

the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and having raised him from the dead on the third day, set him at his own right hand, where he ever lives to make intercession for those for whom he shed his blood. All these elect, redeemed ones, I believe are in due time, sooner or later in their lives, effectually called, washed, sanctified, justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

"I believe, the righteousness of Christ alone, apprehended by faith, is the matter of our justification, before God; and that no flesh can stand in his sight, upon any other terms; for he is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, and in him only is the Father well pleased.

"I believe, the work of sanctification, managed by the Spirit who dwelleth in us, though in respect of parts it is complete; for the whole man is renewed; yet in respect of degrees is not fully perfected, till we come to glory; and I believe, that all that are justified, shall be glorified; for we are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.

"I believe, the gathering in and building

up the saints, is the special end why pastors and teachers are appointed in the church; and that Jesus Christ, according to his promise, will be with them, in that work unto the end of the world.

"The two sacraments of the New Testament, baptism and the Lord's supper, I receive and own as signs and seals of the covenant of grace: the former, instituted by our Lord Jesus as a sign and seal of our ingrafting into Christ, due of right, to all the infants of believing parents, and but once to be administered: the other instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night wherein he was betrayed, to show forth his death, and to seal the benefits purchased thereby, to his church and people, and to be often repeated.

"When the body returns to the dust, I believe, the soul returns to God that gave it; `and that immediately, it receives from him the sentence, according to what hath been done in the flesh; either, 'Come, inherit the kingdom;-or, Depart, accursed into everlasting fire.'

"I believe, beside this, a day of general judgment in the end of the world, wherein,

we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ-and that our bodies being raised by an Almighty power from the dust, shall be united to the same souls again, and shall partake with them in the same condition, either of happiness or misery, to all eternity. Those that have done good, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation.

"This," said he, "is the sum and substance of my faith, into which I was baptized, and in which, by the grace of God, I will live and die." Mr. Parsons, in the name and by the appointment of the presbytery, proposed certain questions to him, which with the answers, are here subjoined.

Q. 1. "What are your ends in undertaking the work and calling of a minister?

A. "As far as upon search and inquiry, I can hitherto find, though there be that within me, that would seek great things for myself-if indeed they were to be found in this calling-yet with my mind, I seek them not. But the improvement of the talent which I have received in the service of the gospel, for the glory of God, and the salva

tion of souls, I. hope, is in my eye. If there be any thing else, I own it not. While so many seek their own, it is my desire, and shall be my endeavour, to seek the things of Jesus Christ.

Q. 2. "What are your purposes, as to diligence and industry in this calling?

A. "I do purpose and resolve, by the help of God, to give myself wholly to these things; to prayer, reading, meditation, instant preaching in season and out of season, wherein 'I shall very gladly spend and be spent, if by any means, I may both save myself and them that hear me.' And when at any time I fail herein, I desire God by his Spirit, and my Christian friends, neighbours, and brethren, by seasonable reproof and admonition, to put me in mind of this engagement now made in the presence of this great congregation.

Q. 3. "Do you mean to be zealous and faithful in defence of truth and unity against error and schism?

A. "I believe what the Spirit hath foretold, that in the last days, perilous times shall come, wherein men will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall