A solemn subscription, and as unequivocal as solemn, to these doctrines, is required of every man that commences a minister in the establishment. As long as we preach these doctrines, we act consistently with the sincere attachment which we promised to her interests. And will any person be bold enough to assert that these doctrines are _new_? when they manifestly claim, at least, the æra of the reformation as a sanction for their antiquity? Whether they be true or false, is not the question immediately under consideration. _That_ has been discussed already. But are they _new_? Or, are they not the discriminating doctrines of the Church of England? If they are not, how came a number of the clergy a few years ago to associate at a tavern, and there to project a petition to parliament for easing their consciences from the burden of subscribing them? And why do their brethren among Arians and Socinians at this time so bitterly regret the existence of these doctrines amongst us? I grant that to two sorts of people they may appear new; either to those, who never heard them before, or to such as “are lost” to all the light and power of truth, “in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Cor. iv. 4. Or they may be reputed so, by those who never took the trouble to read the articles of their own church. And it is not a little remarkable, that they are most forward to bring this charge, who are the most incompetent judges of the matter. In order to do the work of Satan, and prejudice people’s minds against the truth, it has been the industrious contrivance of some to call certain systems by some obnoxious epithet of novelty, enthusiasm, or fanaticism. Whether these words have some meaning, or none at all, is never inquired by the vulgar. Nor does it appear to be ever the wish of those who use them, to give any explanation of them. If they can only frighten men from the truth, and the preachers of it, by the bugbear of some obnoxious appellation; _they_ are satisfied, and so is the _devil_ too. But the application of hackneyed epithets, we esteem the effect of ignorance, want of politeness and candor, and often the refuge of enmity against the gospel; which, when disarmed of arguments, and stript of every plea for its unreasonable opposition, at last flies to the scorner’s chair to call names, and vent the poison of asps in calumniating and traducing, when it can do nothing more. But “none of these things move us; neither count we our lives dear unto us, so that we might finish our course with joy; and the ministry, which we have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts, xx. 24.