VI. This is the most simple Creed, and common to all who either are careful to appear, or to be Christians; as being an Abridgment, or as it were an extempore Summary only; omitting, at present the additional Articles which have been controverted, and thinking it ^[5] superfluous to make mention of them. As to our selves, if we could perceive that those who once had received the Words, did necessarily preserve together with those words the true and invariable Sense contain'd under them; or if we perceiv'd that those who accuse us of Impiety would upon this Profession of our Faith presently free us from their Accusations, and let all sinister Suspicions against us go out of their minds, we would take this Creed for the Measure and Standard of our own Discourse: that this Profession of our Faith might procure us Peace and Security. For indeed neither was Sabellius of Libya, nor Marcellus of Galatia, nor Photinus, nor any other of those that proceeded to the like degree of Madness with them, excluded from the Sacred Assemblies, or the Participation of the Mysteries, or the peculiar places appointed for Ecclesiastical Persons. But because neither is this short Profession sufficient for the Settlement of the Truth, nor sutable to our purpose, to silence the Accusations brought against us, but some more accurate Explications will be necessary, in order to the plain and full Declaration of our Mind ; and because, out of an ill Temper, or some other disorder of Disposition, several do endeavour to misrepresent and corrupt the true Sense of the words; We shall make it our business, as well as we are able, to explain distinctly what Notions we have of these matters; by first setting down our Faith, and then explaining its meaning afterwards: or suting the words to the Sense which lies before us; but so that this Change shall no ways be to the prejudice of the Truth, And indeed this method will ^[6] be peculiarly sutable to our purpose, both as we write an Apology for our selves, and a Confutation of our Adversaries.