(Reproduced from Jone's Church History)
1. We believe and firmly maintain all that is contained in the twelve articles of the symbol, commonly called the apostles' creed, and we regard as heretical whatever is inconsistent with the said twelve articles.
2. We believe that there is one God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We acknowledge for sacred canonical scriptures the books of the Holy Bible. (Here follows the title of each, exactly conformable to our received canon, but which it is deemed, on that account, quite unnecessary to particularize.)
4. The books above-mentioned teach us: That there is one GOD, almighty, unbounded in wisdom, and infinite in goodness, and who, in His goodness, has made all things. For He created Adam after His own image and likeness. But through the enmity of the Devil, and his own disobedience, Adam fell, sin entered into the world, and we became transgressors in and by Adam.
5. That Christ had been promised to the fathers who received the law, to the end that, knowing their sin by the law, and their unrighteousness and insufficiency, they might desire the coming of Christ to make satisfaction for their sins, and to accomplish the law by Himself.
6. That at the time appointed of the Father, Christ was born - a time when iniquity everywhere abounded, to make it manifest that it was not for the sake of any good in ourselves, for all were sinners, but that He, who is true, might display His grace and mercy towards us.
7. That Christ is our life, and truth, and peace, and righteousness - our shepherd and advocate, our sacrifice and priest, who died for the salvation of all who should believe, and rose again for their justification.
8. And we also firmly believe, that there is no other mediator, or advocate with God the Father, but Jesus Christ. And as to the Virgin Mary, she was holy, humble, and full of grace; and this we also believe concerning all other saints, namely, that they are waiting in heaven for the resurrection of their bodies at the day of judgment.
9. We also believe, that, after this life, there are but two places - one for those that are saved, the other for the damned, which [two] we call paradise and hell, wholly denying that imaginary purgatory of Antichrist, invented in opposition to the truth.
10. Moreover, we have ever regarded all the inventions of men [in the affairs of religion] as an unspeakable abomination before God; such as the festival days and vigils of saints, and what is called holy-water, the abstaining from flesh on certain days, and such like things, but above all, the masses.
11. We hold in abhorrence all human inventions, as proceeding from Antichrist, which produce distress (Alluding probably to the voluntary penances and mortification imposed by the Catholics on themselves), and are prejudicial to the liberty of the mind.
12 We consider the Sacraments as signs of holy things, or as the visible emblems of invisible blessings. We regard it as proper and even necessary that believers use these symbols or visible forms when it can be done. Notwithstanding which, we maintain that believers may be saved without these signs, when they have neither place nor opportunity of observing them.
13. We acknowledge no sacraments [as of divine appointment] but baptism and the Lord's supper.
14. We honour the secular powers, with subjection, obedience, promptitude, and payment.
1. We believe that there is but one God, who is a Spirit - the Creator of all things - the Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all; who is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth - upon whom we are continually dependent, and to whom we ascribe praise for our life, food, raiment, health, sickness, prosperity, and adversity. We love him as the source of all goodness; and reverence him as that sublime being, who searches the reins and trieth the hearts of the children of men.
2. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son and image of the Father - that in Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells, and that by Him alone we know the Father. He is our Mediator and advocate; nor is there any other name given under heaven by which we can be saved. In His name alone we call upon the Father, using no other prayers than those contained in the Holy Scriptures, or such as are in substance agreeable thereunto.
3. We believe in the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, proceeding from the Father, and from the Son; by whose inspiration we are taught to pray; being by Him renewed in the spirit of our minds; who creates us anew unto good works, and from whom we receive the knowledge of the truth.
4. We believe that there is one holy church, comprising the whole assembly of the elect and faithful, that have existed from the beginning of the world, or that shall be to the end thereof. Of this church the Lord Jesus Christ is the head - it is governed by His word and guided by the Holy Spirit. In the church it behooves all Christians to have fellowship. For her He [Christ] prays incessantly, and His prayer for it is most acceptable to God, without which indeed their could be no salvation.
5. We hold that the ministers of the church ought to be unblameable both in life and doctrine; and if found otherwise, that they ought to be deposed from their office, and others substituted in their stead; and that no person ought to presume to take that honour unto himself but he who is called of God as was Aaron - that the duties of such are to feed the flock of God, not for filthy lucre's sake, or as having dominion over God's heritage, but as being examples to the flock, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, and in chastity.
6. We acknowledge, that kings, princes, and governors, are the appointed and established ministers of God, whom we are bound to obey [in all lawful and civil concerns]. For they bear the sword for the defence of the innocent, and the punishment of evil doers; for which reason we are bound to honour and pay them tribute. From this power and authority, no man can exempt himself as is manifest from the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who voluntarily paid tribute, not taking upon himself any jurisdiction of temporal power.
7. We believe that in the ordinance of baptism the water is the visible and external sign, which represents to as that which, by virtue of God's invisible operation, is within us - namely, the renovation of our minds, and the mortification of our members through [the faith of] Jesus Christ. And by this ordinance we are received into the holy congregation of God's people, previously professing and declaring our faith and change of life.
8. We hold that the Lord's supper is a commemoration of, and thanksgiving for, the benefits which we have received by His sufferings and death - and that it is to be received in faith and love - examining ourselves, that so we may eat of that bread and drink of that cup, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures.
9. We maintain that marriage was instituted of God. That it is holy and honourable, and ought to be forbidded to none, provided there be no obstacle from the divine word.
10. We contend, that all those in whom the fear of God dwells, will thereby be led to please him, and to abound in the good works [of the gospel] which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them - which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, sobriety, and the other good works enforced in the Holy Scriptures.
11. On the other hand, we confess that we consider it to be our duty to beware of false teachers, whose object is to divert the minds of men from the true worship of God, and to lead them to place their confidence in the creature, as well as to depart from the good works of the gospel, and to regard the inventions of men.
12. We take the Old and the New Testament for the rule of our life, and we agree with the general confession of faith contained in [what is usually termed] the apostles' creed.
A CONFESSION OF FAITH of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London, which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in
But this I confesse unto thee, that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers, beleeving all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets, and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust. - Acts xxiv. 14, 15.
For we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. - Acts iv. 20.
If I have spoken evill, bear witnesse of the evill; but if well, why smitest thou me? - John xviii. 23.
Blessed are yee when men revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake. Rejoice, etc. - Matth. v.11, 12. & xix. 29.
Article I.
That God as He is in Himself, cannot be comprehended of any but himself, 1 dwelling in that inaccessible light, that no eye can attain unto, whom never man saw, nor can see; that there is but 2 one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one Faith, one Baptism; 3 one rule of holiness and obedience for all Saints, at all times, in all places to be observed. 1) 1 Tim. 6:16 2) 1 Tim. 2:5; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Cor. 12: 4-6,13; John 14 3) 1 Tim. 6:3,13,14; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:15
Article II.
That God is 1 of Himself, that is, neither from another, nor of another, nor by another, nor for another: 2 But is a Spirit, who as his being is of Himself, so He gives 3 being, moving, and preservation to all other things, being in Himself eternal, most holy, every way infinite in 4 greatness, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, truth, etc. In this Godhead, there is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; being every on of them one and the same God; and therefore not divided, but distinguished one from another by their several properties; the 5 Father being from Himself, the 6 Son of the Father from everlasting, the 7 Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son.
1) Isa. 43:11; 46:9 2) John 4:24 3) Exod. 3:14 4) Rom. 11:36; Acts 17:28 5) 1 Cor. 8:6
6) Prov. 8:22-23 7) John 15:16; Gal. 4:6
Article III.
That God has 1 decreed in Himself from everlasting touching all things, effectually to work and dispose them 2 according to the counsel of His own will, to the glory of His name; in which decree appears His wisdom, constancy, truth, and faithfulness; 3 Wisdom is that whereby He contrives all things; 4 Constancy is that whereby the decree of God remains always immutable; 5 Truth is that whereby He declares that alone which He has decreed, and though His sayings may seem to sound sometimes another thing, yet the sense of them does always agree with the decree; 6 Faithfulness is that whereby He effects that He has decreed, as He has decreed. And touching His creature man, 7 God had in Christ before the foundation of the world, according to the good pleasure of His will, foreordained some men to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace, 8 leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.
1) Isa. 46:10 2) Eph. 1:11 3) Col. 2:3 4) Num. 23:19-20 5) Jer. 10:10;
6) Isa. 44:10 7) Eph. 1:3-7; 2 Tim. 1:9; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:29-30 8) Jude 4,6; Rom. 9:11-13; Prov. 16:4
Article IV.
1 In the beginning God made all things very good, created man after His own 2 image and likeness, filling him with all perfection of all natural excellency and uprightness, free from all sin. 3 But long he abode not in this honor, but by the 4 subtlety of the Serpent, which Satan used as his instrument, himself with his angels having sinned before and not 5 kept their first estate, but left their own habitation; first 6 Eve, then Adam being seduced did wittingly and willingly fall into disobedience and transgression of the Commandment of their great Creator, for the which death came upon all, and reigned over all, so that all since the Fall are conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity, and so by nature children of wrath, and servants of sin, subjects of 7 death, and all other calamities due to sin in this world and for ever, being considered in the state of nature, without relation to Christ.
1) Gen. 1; Col. 1:16; Heb. 11:3; Isa. 45:12 2) Gen. 1:26; 1 Cor. 15:45-46; Ecc. 7:31 3) Psa. 49:20
4) Gen. 3:1, 4, 5; 2 Cor. 11:3 5) 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; John 8:44 6) Gen. 3:1, 2, 6; 1 Tim. 2:14; Ecc. 7:31; Gal. 3:32 7) Rom. 5:12, 18, 19; 6:23; Eph. 2:3
Article V.
All mankind being thus fallen, and become altogether dead in sins and trespasses, and subject to the eternal wrath of the great God by transgression; yet the elect, which God has 1 loved with an everlasting love, are 2 redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, neither by their own works, lest any man should boast himself, but wholly and only by God of 3 His free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that as it is written he that rejoices, let him rejoice in the Lord.
1) Jer. 31:2 2) Gen 3:15; Eph. 1:3, 7; 2:4, 9; 1 Thes. 5:9; Acts 13:38 3) 1 Cor.5:21; Jer. 9:23, 24
Article VI.
1 This therefore is life eternal, to know the only true God, and whom He has sent Jesus Christ. 2 And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1) John 17:3; Heb. 5:9; Jer. 23:5, 6 2) 2 Thes. 1:8; John 3:36
Article VII.
The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, concerning the worship and service of God, and all other Christian duties, is not mans inventions, opinions, devices, laws, constitutions, or traditions unwritten whatsoever, but only the word of God contained in the Canonical Scriptures.
John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Col. 21:18, 23; Mat. 15:9
Article VIII.
In this written Word God has plainly revealed whatsoever He has thought needful for us to know, believe, and acknowledge, touching the nature and office of Christ, in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen to the praise of God. Acts 3:22, 23; Heb. 1:1, 2; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Cor. 1:20
Article IX.
Touching the Lord Jesus, of whom 1 Moses and the Prophets wrote, and whom the Apostles preached, is the 2 Son of God the Father, the brightness of His glory, the ingrave form of His being, God with Him and with His Holy Spirit, by whom He made the world, by whom He upholds and governs all the works He has made, who also 3 when the fullness of time was come was, was made man of a 4 woman, of the Tribe of 5 Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David, to wit, of Mary that blessed Virgin, by the Holy Spirit coming upon her, and the power of the most High overshadowing her, and was also in 6 all things like unto us, sin only excepted. 1) Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 49:10; Dan. 7:13; 9:24-26 2) Prov. 8:23; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:1, 15-17 3) Gal. 4:4 4) Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5 with Gen. 49:9-10 5) Rom. 1:3; 9:5; Mat. 1:16; Luke 3:23, 26; Heb. 2:16 6) Isa.53:3-5; Phil. 2:8
Article X.
Touching His office, 1 Jesus Christ only is made the Mediator of the New Covenant, even the everlasting covenant of grace between God and man, to 2 be perfectly and fully the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church of God for evermore.
1) 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 9:15; John 14:6 2) Heb. 1:2; 3:1, 2; 7:24; Acts 5:31
Article XI.
Unto this office He was fore-ordained from everlasting, by the 1 authority of the Father, and in respect of His manhood, from the womb called and separated, and 2 anointed also most fully and abundantly with all gifts necessary, God having without measure poured the Spirit upon Him.
1) Prov. 8:23; Isa. 42:6; 49:1,5 2) Isa. 11:2-5; 61:1-3 with Luke 4:17, 22; John1:14,16; 3:34
Article XII.
In this call the Scripture hold forth two special things considerable; first, the call to the office; secondly the office its self. First, that 1 none takes this honor but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, so also Christ, it being an action especially of God the Father, whereby a special covenant being made, He ordains His Son to this office: which Covenant is, that 2 Christ should be made a sacrifice for sin, that He shall see His seed, and prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; which calling therefore contains in it self 3 choosing, 4 for-ordaining, 5 sending. choosing respects the end, foreordaining the means, sending the execution it self, 6 all of mere grace, without any condition fore-seen wither in men, on in Christ Himself. 1) Heb. 5:4-6 2) Isa. 53:10
3) Isa. 42:13 4)1 Peter 1:20 5) John 3:17; 9:27; 10:36 6) John 8:32
Article XIII.
So that this office to be Mediator, that is, to be Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, as neither in the whole, not in any part thereof, it can be transferred from Him to any other. 1 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 7:24; Dan. 5:14; Acts 4:12; Luke 1:23; John 14:6
Article XIV.
This office it self to which Christ was called, is three fold, of 1 a Prophet, of 2 Priest, and of 3 King: this number and order of offices is showed; first by mens necessities grievously laboring 4 under ignorance, by reason whereof they stand in infinite necessity of the Prophetical office of Christ to relieve them. Secondly, 5 alienation from God, wherein they stand in need of the Priestly office to reconcile them. Thirdly, our 6 utter disability to return to Him, by which they stand in need of the power of Christ in His Kingly office to assist and govern them. 1) Deut. 18:15 with Acts 3:22-23
2) Psal. 110:3; Heb. 3:1; 4:14-15; 5:6 3) Psal. 2:6 4) Acts 26:18; Col. 1:3 5) Col. 1:21; Eph. 2:12
6) Song of Sol. 1:3; John 6:44
Article XV.
Touching the Prophesy of Christ, it is that whereby He has 1 perfectly revealed the whole will of God out of the bosom of the Father, that is needful for His servants to know, believe, and obey; and therefore is called not only a Prophet and a 2 Doctor, and the 3 Apostle of our profession, and the 4 Angel of the Covenant; but also the very 5 wisdom of God, and the 6 treasures of wisdom and understanding. 1) John 1:18; 12:49-50; 15; 17:8; Deut. 18:15 2) Mat. 23:10 3) Heb. 3:1
4) Mal. 3:1 5) 1 Cor. 1:24 6) Col. 2:3
Article XVI.
That He might be such a Prophet as thereby to every way complete, it was necessary that He should be 1 God, and withall also that He should be man; for unless He had been God, He could have never perfectly understood the will of God, 2 neither had He have been able to reveal it throughout all ages; and unless He had been man, He could not fitly have unfolded it in His 3 own person to man.
1) John 1:18; 3:13 2) 1 Cor. 2:11, 16 3) Acts 3:22 with Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1
Article XVII.
Touching His Priesthood, Christ 1 being consecrated, has appeared once to put away sin by the offering and sacrifice of Himself, and to this end has fully performed and suffered all those things by which God, through the blood of that His Cross in an acceptable sacrifice, might reconcile His elect only; 2 and having broken down the partition wall, and therewith finished and removed all the rites, shadows, and ceremonies, is now entered within the vail, into the Holy of Holiest, that is, to the very Heavens, and presence of God, where He for ever lives and sits at the right hand of Majesty, appearing before the face of His Father to make intercession for such as come to the Throne of Grace by that new and living way; and not that only, but 3 makes His people a spiritual House, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Him; neither does the Father accept, or Christ offer to the Father any other worship or worshipers.
1) John 17:19; Heb. 5:7-9; 9:26; Rom. 5:19; Eph. 5:12; Col. 1:20 2) Eph. 2:14-16; Rom. 8:34
3) 1 Peter 2:5; John 4:23, 24
Article XVIII.
This Priesthood was not legal, or temporary, but according to the order 1 of Melchisecdec; 2 not by a carnal commandment, but by the power of endless life; 3 not by an order that is weak and lame, but stable and perfect, not for a 4 time, but for ever, admitting no successor, but perpetual and proper to Christ, and of Him that ever lives. Christ Himself was the Priest, Sacrifice and Alter: He was 5 Priest, according to both natures, He was a sacrifice most properly according to His human nature: 6 where in Scripture it is wont to be attributed to His body, to His blood; yet the chief force whereby this sacrifice was made effectual, did depend upon His 7 divine nature, namely, that the Son of God did offer Himself for us: He was the alter properly according to His divine nature, it belonging to the 8 Alter to sacrifice that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity then the Sacrifice itself. 1) Heb. 7:17 2) Heb. 7:16 3) Heb. 7:18-21 4) Heb. 7:24-25 5) Heb. 5:6
6) Heb. 10:10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Col. 1:20-21; Isa. 53: 10; Mat. 20:28 7) Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:3
8) Heb. 9:14; 13:10, 12, 15; Mat. 23:17; John 17:19
Article XIX.
Touching His Kingdom, 1 Christ being risen from the dead, ascended into Heaven, sat on the right hand of God the Father, having all power in Heaven and earth, given unto Him, He does spiritually govern His Church, exercising His power 2 over all angels and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, to the over-ruling and destruction of His enemies, which are reprobates, 3 communicating and applying the benefits, virtue, and fruit of His Prophecy and Priesthood to His elect, namely, to the subduing and taking away of their sins, to their justification and adoption of Sons, regeneration, sanctification, preservation and strengthening in all their conflicts against Satan, the World, the Flesh, and the temptations of them, continually dwelling in, governing and keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by His Spirit, which having 4 given it, He never takes it away from them, but by it still begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all heavenly light in the soul unto immortality, notwithstanding through our own unbelief, and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love be clouded and overwhelmed for the time. 5 And on the contrary, ruling in the world over His enemies, Satan, and all the vessels of wrath, limiting, using, restraining them by His mighty power, as seems good in His divine wisdom and justice to the execution of His determinate counsel, delivering them up to a reprobate mind, to be kept through their own deserts, in darkness and sensuality unto judgment.
1) 1 Cor. 15:4; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Mat. 28:18-20; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:11; 5:30-31; John 19:36; Rom. 14:17 2) Mark 1:27; Heb. 1:14; John 16:7,15 3) John 5:26-27; Rom. 5:5-7; 14:17; Gal. 5:22,23; John 1:4,13 4) John 13:1; 10:28-29; 14:16-17; Rom. 11:29; Psal. 51:10-11; Job 33:29-30; 2 Cor. 12:7, 9 5) Job 1, 2; Rom. 1:21; 2:4-6; 9:17-18; 2 Peter 2
Article XX.
This Kingdom shall be then fully perfected when He shall the second time come in glory to reign among His saints, and to be admired of all them which do believe, when He shall put down all rule and authority under His feet, that the glory of the Father my be full and perfectly manifested in His Son, and the glory of the Father and the Son in all His members.
1 Cor. 15:24,28; Heb. 9:28; 2 Thes. 1:9, 10; 1 Thes. 4:15-17; John 17:21,26
Article XXI.
That Christ Jesus by His death did bring fourth salvation and reconciliation only for the 1 elect, which were those which 2 God the Father gave Him; and that the Gospel which is to be preached to all men as the ground of faith, is, that 3 Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the ever blessed God, filled with the perfection of all heavenly and spiritual excellencies, and that salvation is only and alone to be had through the believing in His name. 1) John 15:13; Rom. 8:32-34; 5:11; 3:25
2) Job 17:2 with 6:37 3) Mat. 16:16; Luke 2:26; John 6:9; 7:3; 20:31; 1 John 5:11
Article XXII.
That faith is the 1 gift of God wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God, whereby they come to see, know, and believe the truth of the 2 Scriptures, and not only so, but the excellency of them above all other writing and things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power of the fullness of the Spirit in His workings and operations; and thereupon are enabled to cast the weight of their souls upon this truth thus believed. 1) Eph. 2:8; John 6:29; 4:10; Phil. 1:29; Gal. 5:22
2) John 17:17; Heb. 4:11-12; John 6:63
Article XXIII.
Those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can never finally nor totally fall away; and though many storms and floods do arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon, but shall be kept by the power of God to salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being formerly engraven upon the palms of God's hands. Mat. 7:24, 25; John 13:1; 1 Peter 1:4-6; Isa. 49:13-16
Article XXIV.
That faith is ordinarily 1 begot by the preaching of the Gospel, or word of Christ, without respect to 2 any power or capacity in the creature, but it is wholly 3 passive, being dead in sins and trespasses, does believe, and is converted by no less power, 4 then that which raised Christ from the dead.
1) Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:21 2) Rom. 9:16 3) Rom. 2:1, 2; Ezek. 16:6; Rom 3:12
4) Rom. 1:16; Eph. 1:19; Col 2:12
Article XXV.
That the tenders of the Gospel to the conversion of sinners, 1 is absolutely free, no way requiring, as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, terrors of the Law, or preceding ministry of the Law, but only and alone the naked soul, as a 2 sinner and ungodly to receive Christ, as Christ, as crucified, dead, and buried, and risen again, being made 3 a Prince and a Savior for such sinners.
1) John 3:14, 15; 1:12; Isa. 55:1; John 7:37 2) 1 Tim. 1:15; Rom. 4:5; 5:8
3) Acts 5:30-31; 2:36; 1 Cor. 1:22-24
Article XXVI.
That the same power that converts to faith in Christ, the same power carries on the 1 soul still through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings, and continually what ever a Christian is, he is by 2 grace, and by a constant renewed 3 operation from God, without which he cannot perform any duty to God, or undergo any temptations from Satan, the world, or men.
1) 1 Peter 1:5; 2 Cor. 12:9 2) 1 Cor. 15:10 3) Phil. 2:12, 13; John 15:5; Gal. 2:19-20
Article XXVII.
That God the Father, and Son, and Spirit, is one with 1 all believers, in their 2 fullness, in 3 relations, 4 as head and members, 5 as house and inhabitants, as 6 husband and wife, one with Him, as 7 light and love, and one with Him in His inheritance, and in all His 8 glory; and that all believers by virtue of this union and oneness with God, are the adopted sons of God, and heirs of Christ, co-heirs and joint heirs with Him of the inheritance of all the promises of this life, and that which is to come.
1) 1 Thes. 1:1; John 14:10, 20; 17:21 2) Col. 2:9, 10; 1:19; John 1:17 3) John 20:17; Heb. 2:11
4) Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:30 5) Eph. 2:22; 1Cor. 3:16-17 6) Isa. 16:5; 2 Cor. 11:3 7) Gal. 3:26
8) John 17:24
Article XXVIII.
That those which have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins, past, 1 present, and to come, by the blood of Christ; which justification we conceive to be a gracious and free 2 acquittance of a guilty, sinful creature, from all sin by God, through the satisfaction that Christ has made by His death; and this applied in the manifestation of it through faith.
1) John 1:7; Heb 10:14; 9:26; 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 3:23 2) Acts 13:38, 39; Rom. 5:1; 3:25, 30
Article XXIX.
That all believers are a holy and 1 sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the 2 New Covenant, and effect of the 3 love of God, manifested to the soul, whereby the believer is in 4 truth and reality separated, both in soul and body, from all sin and dead works, through the 5 blood of the everlasting Covenant, whereby he also presents after a heavenly and evangelical perfection, in obedience to all the commands, 6 which Christ as Head and King in this New Covenant has prescribed to him. 1) 1 Cor. 1:1; 1 Peter 2:9 2) Eph. 1:4 3) 1 John 4:16 4) Eph. 4:24
5) Phil. 3:15 6) Mat. 28:20
Article XXX.
All believers through the knowledge of 1 that justification of life given by the Father, and brought forth by the blood of Christ, have this as their great privilege of that New 2 Covenant, peace with God, and reconciliation, whereby they that were afar off, were brought nigh by 3 that blood, and have (as the Scripture speaks) peace 4 passing all understanding, yes, joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by 5 whom we have received the Atonement.
1) 2 Cor. 5:19 2) Isa. 54:10; 26:12 3) Eph. 2:13-14 4) Phil. 4:7 5) Rom. 5:10-11
Article XXXI.
That all believers in the time of this life, are in a continual warfare, combat, and opposition against sin, self, the world, and the Devil, and liable to all manner of afflictions, tribulations, and persecutions, and so shall continue until Christ comes in His Kingdom, being predestined and appointed there unto; and whatsoever the saints, any of them do possess or enjoy of God in this life, is only by faith. Eph. 6:10-13; 2 Cor. 10:3; Rev. 2:9, 10
Article XXXII.
That the only strength by which the saints are enabled to encounter with all opposition, and to overcome all afflictions, temptations, persecutions, and trails, is only by Jesus Christ, who is the Captain of their salvation, being made perfect through sufferings, who has engaged His strength to assist them in all their afflictions, and to uphold them under all their temptations, and to preserve them by His power to His everlasting Kingdom. John 16:33; Heb. 2:9, 10; John 15:5
Article XXXIII.
That Christ has here on earth a spiritual Kingdom, which is the Church, which He has purchased and redeemed to Himself, as a particular inheritance: which Church, as it is visible to us, is a company of visible 1 saints, 2 called and separated from the world, by the Word and the 3 Spirit of God, to the visible profession of the faith of the Gospel, being baptized into the faith, and joined to the Lord, and each other, by mutual agreement, in the practical enjoyment of the 4 ordinances, commanded by Christ their head and King. 1) 1 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1 2) Rom. 1:1; Acts 26:18; 1 Thes. 1:9; 2 Cor. 6:17; Rev. 18:18 3) Acts 2:37 with Acts 10:37 4) Rom. 10:10; Acts 2:42; 20:21; Mat. 18:19, 20; 1 Peter 2:5
Article XXXIV.
To this Church He has 1 made His promises, and given the signs of His Covenant, presence, love, blessing, and protection: here are the fountains and springs of His heavenly grace continually flowing forth; 2 thither ought all men to come, of all estates, that acknowledge Him to be their Prophet, Priest, and King, to be enrolled amongst His household servants, to under His heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in His walled sheepfold, and watered garden, to have communion here with the saints, that they may be made to be partakers of their inheritance in the Kingdom of God.
1) Mat. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 6:18 2) Isa. 8:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:16; 6:3, 5; Acts 2:41,47; Song of Sol. 4:12; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19
Article XXXV.
And all His servants are called thither, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their gifts God has given them; so being come, they are here by Himself bestowed in their several order, peculiar place, due use, being fitly compact and knit together, according to the effectual working of every part, to the edification of itself in love.
1 Cor. 12:6, 7, 12, 18; Rom. 12:4-6; 1 Peter 4:10;Eph. 4:16; Col. 2:5, 6, 19; 1 Cor. 12:12ff
Article XXXVI.
That being thus joined, every Church has 1 power given them from Christ for their better well-being, to choose to themselves fitting persons into the office of 2 Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ has appointed in His Testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His Church, and that none other have to power to impose them, either these or any other. 1) Acts 1:2; 6:3; 15:22, 25; 1 Cor. 16:3
2) Rom. 12:7, 8; 16:1; 1 Cor. 12:8, 28; 1 Tim. 3 chapt.; Heb. 13:7; 1 Peter 5:1-3
Article XXXVII.
That the Ministers aforesaid, lawfully called by the Church, where they are to administer, ought to continue is their calling, according to God's ordinance, and carefully to feed the flock of Christ committed to them, nor for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
Heb. 5:4; Acts 4:23; 1 Tim. 4:14; John 10:3, 4; Acts 20:28; Rom. 12:7, 8; Heb. 13:7, 17
Article XXXVIII.
That the due maintenance of the officers aforesaid, should be the free and voluntary communication of the Church, that according to Christ's ordinance, they that preach the Gospel, should live on the Gospel and not by constraint to be compelled from the people by a forced law.
1 Cor. 9:7,14; Gal. 6:6; 1 Thes. 5:13; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; Phil. 4:15-16
Article XXXIX.
That Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed only upon persons professing faith, or that are Disciples, or taught, who upon a profession of faith, ought to be baptized (Added later: "...and after to partake of the Lord's Supper.") Acts 2:37, 38; 8:36-38; 18:8
Article XL.
The way and manner of the 1 dispensing of this ordinance the Scripture holds out to be dipping or plunging the whole body under water: it being a sign, must answer the thing signified, which are these: first, the 2 washing the whole soul in the blood of Christ; secondly, that interest the saints have in 3 death, burial, and resurrection (of Christ) ; thirdly, together with a 4 confirmation of out faith, that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and rises again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints by raised by the power of Christ, in the day of the resurrection, to reign with Christ.
1) Mat. 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:38 2) Rev. 1:5; 7:14; Heb. 10:22 3) Rom. 6:3-5 4) 1 Cor. 15:28, 29
Article XLI.
The persons designed by Christ, to dispense this ordinance, the Scriptures hold forth to a preaching Disciple, it being no where tied to a particular church, officer, or person extraordinarily sent, the commission enjoining the administration, being given to them under no other consideration, but as considered Disciples. Isa. 8:16; Mat. 28:16-19; John 4:1-2; Acts 20:7; Mat. 26:26
Article XLII.
Christ has likewise given power to His whole church to receive in and cast out, by way of Excommunication, any member; and this power is given to every particular congregation, and not one particular person, either member or officer, but the whole. Acts 2:47; Rom. 16:2; Mat. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:4; 2 Cor. 2:6-8
Article XLIII.
And every particular member of each Church how excellent, great, or learned soever, ought to be subject to this censor and judgment of Christ; and the church ought with great care and tenderness, with due advise to proceed against her members. Mat. 18:16-18; Acts 11:2. 3; 1 Tim. 5:19-21
Article XLIV.
And as Christ for the 1 keeping of this church in holy and orderly communion, places some special men over the church, who by their office are to govern, oversee, visit, watch; so likewise for the better keeping thereof in all places, by the members, He has given 2 authority, and laid duty upon all, to watch over one another. 1) Acts. 20:27, 28; Heb. 13:17, 24; Mat. 24:25; 1 Thes. 5:14
2) Mark 13:34, 37; Gal. 6:1; 1 Thes. 5:11; Jude 3, 20; Heb. 10:34-35; 12:15.
Article XLV.
That also such to whom God has given gifts, being tried in the church, may and ought by the appointment of the congregation, to prophesy, according to the proportion of faith, and so teach publicly the Word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church.
1 Cor. 14 chapter; Rom. 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:7; 1 Thes. 5:17-19
Article XLVI.
Thus being rightly gathered, established, and still proceeding in Christian communion, and obedience of the Gospel of Christ, none ought to separate for faults and corruptions, which may, and as long as the church consists of men subject to failings, will fall out and arise amongst them, even in true constituted churches, until they have in due order sought redress thereof. Rev. 2, 3 chapters; Acts 15:12; 1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 2:16; 3:15-16; Heb. 10:25; Jude 15; Mat. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:4, 5
Article XLVII.
And although the particular congregation be distinct and several bodies, every one a compact and knit city in itself; yet are they all to walk by one and the same Rule, and by all means convenient to have the counsel and help one of another in all needful affairs of the church, as members of one body in the common faith under Christ their only Head.
1 Cor. 4:17; 14:33, 36; 16:1; Mat. 28:20; 1 Tim.3:15; 6:13-14; Rev. 22:18-19; Col. 2:6, 19; 4:16
Article XLVIII.
That a civil magistrate is an ordinance of God set up by God for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; and that all lawful things commanded by them, subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord: and that we are to make supplication and prayer for Kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty.
Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13, 14; 1 Tim. 2:2
Article XLIX.
The supreme Magistrate of this Kingdom we believe to be the King and Parliament freely chosen by the Kingdom, and that in all those civil laws which have been acted by them, or for the present is or shall by ordained, we are bound to yield subjection and obedience unto in the Lord, as conceiving our selves bound to defend both the persons of those chosen, and all civil laws made by them, with our persons, liberties, and estates, with all that is called ours, although we should suffer never so much from them in not actively submitting to some ecclesiastical laws, which might be conceived by them to be their duties to establish which we for the present could not see, nor our consciences could submit unto; yet are we bound to yield our persons to their pleasures.
Article L.
And if God should provide such a mercy for us, as to incline the magistrates hearts so far to tender our consciences, as that we might be protected by them from wrong, injury, oppression and molestation, which long we formerly have groaned under by the tyranny and oppression of the Prelatical Hierarchy, which God through mercy has made this present King and Parliament wonderful honorable; as an instrument is His hand, to throw down; and we thereby have had some breathing time, we shall, we hope, look at it as a mercy beyond our expectation, and conceive ourselves further engaged for ever to bless God for it. 1 Tim. 1:2-4; Psal. 126:1; Acts 9:31
Article LI.
But if God with hold the magistrates allowance and furtherance herein; 1 yet we must not withstanding proceed together in Christian communion, not daring to give place to suspend our practice, but to walk in obedience to Christ in the profession and holding forth this faith before mentioned, even in the midst of all trails and afflictions, not accounting out goods, lands, wives, husbands, children, fathers, mothers, brethren, sisters, yea, and our own lives dear unto us, so we may finish our course with joy: remembering always we ought to 2 obey God rather then men, and grounding upon the commandment, commission, and promise of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, who as He has power in heaven and earth, so also has promised, if we keep His commandments which He has given us, to be with us to the end of the world: and when we have finished our course, and kept the faith, to give us the crown of righteousness, which is laid up for all that love His appearing, and to whom we must give an account of all our actions, no man being able to discharge us of the same.
1) Acts 2:40,41; 4:19; 5:28,29,41; 20:23; 1 Thes. 3:3; Phil. 1:27-29; Dan. 3:16,17; 6:7, 10, 22, 23.
2) Matth. 28:18-20; 1 Tim. 6:13-15; Rom. 12:1.8; 1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Tim. 4:7,8; Rev. 2:10; Gal 2:4,5
Article LII.
And likewise unto all men is to be given whatsoever is their due; tributes, customs, and all such lawful duties, ought willingly to be by us paid and performed, our lands, goods, and bodies, to submit to the magistrate in the Lord, and the magistrate every way to be acknowledged, reverenced, and obeyed, according to godliness; not because of wrath only but for conscience sake. And finally, all men so to be esteemed and regarded, as is due and appropriate for their place, age, estate, and condition. Rom. 13:5-7; Mat. 22:21; Titus 3; 1 Peter 3:13; 5:5; Eph. 5:21, 22; 6:1, 9
Article LII [sic].
And thus we desire to give God that which is God's, and unto Ceasor that which is Ceasor's, and unto all men that which belongs unto them, endeavoring ourselves to have always a clear conscience void of offense towards God, and towards man. And if they take this that we have said, to be heresy, then do we with the Apostle freely confess, that after the way which they call heresy, worship we the God of our Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets and Apostles, desiring from our souls to disclaim all heresies and opinions which are not after Christ, and to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, as knowing our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. Mat. 22:21; Acts 24:14-16; John 5:28; 2 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 15:58, 59
Conclusion
Thus we desire to give unto Christ that which is His, and unto all lawful Authority that which is their due, and to owe nothing to any many but love, to live quietly and peaceably, at is becometh saints, endeavoring in all things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every man (of what judgment soever) as we would they should do unto us, that as our practice is, so it may prove us to a conscionable, quiet, and harmless people, (no ways dangerous or troublesome to human Society) and to labor and work with our hands, that we may not be chargeable to any, but to give to him that needeth both friends and enemies, accounting it more excellent to give than to receive. Also we confess that we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many things which we desire and seek to know: and if any do show us that friendly part to show us from the Word of God that we see not, we shall have cause to be thankful to God and them. But if any man shall impose upon us anything that we see not to be commanded by out Lord Jesus Christ, we should in His strength, rather embrace all reproaches and tortures of men, to be stript of all outward comforts, and if it were possible, to die a thousand deaths, rather than to do anything against the least tittle of the truth of God, or against the light of our own consciences. And if any shall call what we have said heresy, then do we with the Apostle acknowledge, that after the way they call heresy, worship we the God of our Fathers, disclaiming all heresy (rightly so called) because they are against Christ, and to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in obedience to Christ, as knowing our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:24
Not that we have dominion over your faith,but
are helpers of your joy: for by faith we stand.
Psalm 74:21, 22
Arise, O God, plead mine own cause. Remember how the foolish man blasphemeth Thee daily. O let not the oppressed return ashamed, but let the poor and needy praise Thy name.
Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
FINIS
A CONFESSION OF FAITH OF SEVEN CONGREGATIONS OR CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN LONDON, WHICH ARE COMMONLY (BUT UNJUSTLY) CALLED ANABAPTISTS. PUBLISHED FOR THE VINDICATION OF THE TRUTH, AND INFORMATION OF THE IGNORANT; LIKE WISE FOR THE TAKING OFF OF THOSE ASPERSIONS WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY BOTH IN PULPIT AND PRINT UNJUSTLY CAST UPON THEM.
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets, and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of (the) dead both of the just and the unjust. Acts 24: 14,15. For we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. Acts 4: 20.
If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? John 18: 23.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS, KNIGHTS, CITIZENS AND BURGESSES IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
Right Honorable and most Noble Patriots,
In as much as there hath been a Book (Doctor Featley's Book dedicated to the Parliament.) lately presented unto you, in whose Dedicatory Epistle there are many heinous accusations unjustly and falsely laid against us, we conceived it necessary to make some declaration of our innocency, and (to that end) humbly to present unto your view this our Confession of Faith. Here we unfainedly declare, what in our hearts we judge, and what we teach, and according to this Rule we desire and endeavour, through the grace of God, to lead our lives. This Confession of our Faith we send forth to speak the truth for us, and so to make our innocency to appeare; desiring that the same light may guide others also to the same way of truth and of obedience both to God and to the Magistrate, who is the Minister of God to us for good. We hope your Honours will permit us to speak with modesty in our just defence. And when any shall provoke you to lift up a hand against us, we desire you may seriously consider Gamaliel's counsel in Acts 5. We take no thought for ourselves, for the Lord our God is all-sufficient; but we desire and pray that you may do no thing against Christ, neither in His members, nor in His ordinances, that there may be no wrath upon you from the Lord, but that you knowing the innocent, and protecting them according to the will of God, may for the same be famous unto all generations, and the memorial of your names may be precious among the Saints till the coming of King Jesus.
(PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION)
To the judicious and impartial Reader. COURTEOUS READER:
It is no wonder if it seem strange to thee, that we should publish a confession of our faith, who are frequently termed to be heretics and schismatics, and what not, though unjustly; neither is it any discouragement unto us, though this sect (as they call the Anabaptists) is everywhere spoken against, Acts xxviii. 22; and in that we are charged (for Christ's name sake) with the same things our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles were accused of. It is a mercy, an honor, and a comfort unto us, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. Matt. v. 11,12. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord; it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Matt. x. 24,25. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you: if ye were of the world, the world would love her own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore, the world hateth you. The servant is not greater than the Lord: if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you, & c. All these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me; yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. John xv. 18, 19, 20, 21; see Acts xxi. 28, 30, 31; and xiv. 22; 2 Tim. iii. 12; I Pet. iv. 13.
Our Lord Jesus was accused to be a seditious and mutinous fellow; Luke xxiii. 25. Paul was called a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition, and a ringleader of the sect of Nazarenes, Acts xxiv. 1,5,6,8; xviii. 13; saying, Away with such a fellow, for it is not fit he should live; saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. And our Lord Jesus Christ was accused of perverting the people, and forbidding to give tribute to Ceaser; and that He and His disciples did teach novelties, and brake the traditions of the elders. Luke xxiii. 2,14; Matt. xv. 1-9. Christ was accused to have a devil, and to be mad; saying to the people, Why do ye hear him? John x. 20. Paul was esteemed to be mad: also they said, What will this babler say and that he taught a new doctrine, Acts xxvi. 24, 25; xvii.18,19. And Christ was accused to speak blasphemy, and they all condemned him to be guilty of death, Mark xiv. 64. So some are offended at us for meeting in houses to preach, and would have us punished for it; notwithstanding, it was Christ's and His apostles' practice to do so, whose example we are to follow. Christ taught upon a mountain, and in a ship. Paul preached from house to house. Also the church met together in an upper room, where Peter preached; and Paul preached, and converted Lydia by the river side; the disciples met together in the night in an upper room; Paul preached two years in an hired house, and received all that came unto him. Matt. v. 1,2; and xiii. 2; Acts xx.20; i.13,15,16; ii.2; xvi. 13, 14; xx. 7,8,9; xxviii. 30,31. If he had lived in these days and done so, it is to be feared some would have petitioned against him. So some accuse us to be disturbers of the peace of the commonwealth; yet all that know us can testify for us, that we meet together and depart in a peaceable manner. And from Acts xvii. 5,6,7, it will appear, what person they were that disturbed the public peace; it is fit such persons should be taken notice of and accordingly punished.
So we are blamed, because we frequent not their temples. We dare not trust in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are these. We know the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; and that we are the temple of the living God; and that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost; and that Christ's church is not built with dead stones. Acts vii. 48; xvii.24,25; I Cor. iii. 16; vi. 3, 19; I Pet. ii. 4,5; John iv.20, &c. And because there are but a few of us, some conceive we are in an error, and that the least number should yield to the greater; then it seems, if the number of the papists or atheists exceed the number of the protestants, they must forsake their religion. God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways; and there was but one true prophet to four hundred false. Acts xiv. 16; Exod. xxiii.2; King xxii. 6,7, &c. After three years' preaching and working miracles by Christ, there was but a small number. Christ calls His, a little flock: the scripture declares the greatest number followed after the beast. Acts i. 14, 15; Luke xii. 32; Matt. vii. 13, 14; Rev. xiii. 7, 16, 17. Also those that preach amongst us are esteemed, as the apostles were, to be unlearned and ignorant men. Apollos was instructed more perfectly in the way of God by Aquila, a tradesman, and Priscilla his wife; Acts iv. 13; xviii. 1 ,2, 3, 26. But the scripture saith; As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. I Pet. iv.10, 11; see I Cor. xiv. 3, 26, 31. Also some say of us, that we be of several sects, and that we cannot agree among ourselves. Pilate and Herod agreed together to crucify Christ; we dare not agree as the Jews did, that if any did confess that Jesus was the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Luke xxiii. 12; John ix. 22; see I Cor. i.10,11. The union Christ prayed for, we desire: for such an agreement as agreeth not with the truth, we may not agree unto; therefore we desire it not. John xvii. 21; Eph. iv.3-17. Yet the paedobaptists differ more among themselves than we do, and if this their reason have any strength in it, it is against themselves: the several sects of paedobaptists be papists, Arians, Nestorians, Pelagians, Donatists, Eutychians, Grecians, Lutherans, Arminians, Episcopalians, Nicolaites, Calvinists, Zuinglians, Hussites, and above twenty other several sects, which are all baptizers of infants: and notwithstanding, for other points, are all asunder, and have all rent one from another; therefore we send them to follow the counsel of Christ. Matt. vii. 3, 4, 5.
As the watchman dealt with the spouse of Christ, in her seeking her beloved, so they deal with us. Song iii. 2, 5; v.7. They finding us out of that common and broad way themselves walk in, they smite us, and take away our veil, and veil us with reproaches and odious names: to incense all, both good and bad, against us, that we may appear vile in the eyes and ears of all that behold us, or shall hear of us, Acts xvi. 19. Which they endeavor to do, both in pulpit and print, not fearing to charge us with holding free-will, falling from grace, denying election, original sin, children's salvation, the Old Testament, and men's property in their estates, and censuring all to be damned that are not of our judgment and practice; all which we disclaim, because they are untrue. And as for the other things where of we areaccused, we refer those who desire further satisfaction to the answers of them. (In a small treatise, entitled, Briefe Considerations on Dr. Featley's Book, entitled, The Dipper Dipt, by Samuel Richardson. ( 4 to. London, 1645.) Yet by reason of the many accusations that are cast upon us, although they cannot prove the things where of we are accused, yet the generality of the people are incensed against us, and are encouraged, and set on by such, to seek out the peace of our meetings, which are the more private, not because they are private, but because we have not any more public places; but if any shall please to procure us more larger places to meet in, we are willing to embrace them with thankfulness and joy, although no man should speak for us to those in authority, from whom one word were enough to protect us from the violence we should be subject unto. But as it was then, Acts xvii. 5,6.7, so it is now; yet must we bear all the blame. But our God will in His time clear our innocency, although now many stand looking upon us as a people (holding such things) not worthy to live, and are in danger by the rude multitude gathering together to stone us. And had it been against our persons only, we would have held our peace, and committed our cause to God; but considering it is the truth that we profess that suffers, we may not, nor dare not be neuters in matters of so high a nature, but come in and speak to the help of the Lord against the mighty.
Therefore, to free ourselves and the truth we profess from such unjust aspersions, that it may be at liberty, though we be in bonds, we have published a brief confession of our faith (which we conceive most void of contention in these sad and troublesome times). The thoughts of our hearts as in the presence of God we here declare, that it may appear to the consciences of them that fear God, what wrong we suffer from some who have ability to cast mists, and dark clouds, which overshadow the glory of the truth, and them that profess it. Jude, 14, 15. And although they acknowledge with us that the truth is not fully discovered, yet they will tie all future discovery to a former light, and conceive they do well in so doing. But God will by His truth show their error, and exalt Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, which the builders so much reject. And lest this should be thought to be the judgment of some particular persons, this is done by the consent and appointment of seven congregations or churches in London, with the names of some of each of them subscribed in the behalf of the whole. And although we be distinct in our meetings, for convenience; yet are we one in faith, fellowship, and communion, holding Jesus Christ for our head and lawgiver, under whose rule and government we desire to walk, and to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, that when our Lord and King shall call us to account, we may be found ready and worthy to be received into our Master's joy. Until which time we desire to spend these few days we have here to remain, to the glory of God, the honor of the gospel, the saints' comfort, and our country's good, to our own account at the great day when Christ shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. i. 8.
Subscribed by us in the behalf of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London. And also by a French congregation of the same judgment.
THOMAS GUNNE, THOMAS MUNDEN, BENJAMIN COCKES, DENIS LE BARBIER,
JOHN MABBIT, GEORGE TIPPING, THOMAS KILIKOP, CHRISTOPH LE DURET.
JOHN SPILSBERY, WILLIAM KIFFEN, PAUL HOBSON, HANSERD KNOLLYS,
SAMUEL RICHARDSON, THOMAS PATIENT, THOMAS GOARE, THOMAS HOLMS,
Article 1.
The Lord our God is but one God, whose subsistence is in Himself; Whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself; Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; Who is in Himself most holy, every way infinite, in greatness, wisdom, power, love; merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, Who giveth being, moving, and preservation to all creatures. I Cor. 12:6; Isa. 44:6, chap. 46:9.Exod. 3:14. I Tim. 6:16. Isa. 43:15. Psal. 147:5. Deut.32: 3. Job 36:5. Jer. 10: 12. Exod. 34: 6,7.Acts 17: 28. Rom. 11:36.
Article 2.
In this divine and infinite Being, there is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided; all infinite, without any beginning, therefore but one God, Who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties. I Cor. 1:3. John 1:1. Chap. 15:26. Exod. 3:14. I Cor. 8:6.
Article 3.
God hath decreed in Himself before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental, or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory: (yet without being the author of sin, or having fellowship with any therein) in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, unchangeableness, power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree: and God hath before the foundation of the world foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace; leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice. Isa. 46.10; Ephes. 1:11; Rom. 11.33. Psa.115:3; and 135:6. Psa. 33:15; I Sam. 10: 9,26; Prov.21:1; Exod. 21:13; Pro. 16:33. Psa. 144; Isa. 45:7; Jer.14:22; Matt. 6:28-30; Col. 1:16,17; Num. 23:19, 10; Rom. 3:4; Jer. 10:10; Eph. 1:4,5; Jude 4,6; Pro. 16:4.
Article 4.
In the beginning God made all things very good; created man after His own image, filled with all meet perfection of nature, and free from all sin; but long he abode not in this honor, Satan using the subtilty of the serpent to seduce first Eve, then by her seducing Adam; who without any compulsion, in eating the forbidden fruit transgressed the command of God, and fell, whereby death came upon all his posterity, who now are conceived in sin, and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and other miseries in this world, and for ever, unless the Lord Jesus Christ set them free. Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16; Isa. 45:12. I Cor. 15:45,46. (d) Eccles. 7: 29; Gen. 3:1,4,5. 2 Cor. 11:3. ITim. 2:14; Gal. 3:22. Rom. 5:12,18,19; chap. 6:2; Eph. 2:3.
Article 5.
God in His infinite power, and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the end for which they were created, that neither good nor evil befalls any by chance, or without His providence; and that whatsoever befalls the elect, is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good. Job 37:10-13. Isa. 56:10,11; Eccles. 3:14. Matt. 10:29-32; Exod. 21:13; Prov. 16:33. Rom. 8:28.
Article 6.
All the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any man should boast, but only and wholly by God, of His free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and all in all, that he that rejoices might rejoice in the Lord. Jer. 31:3. Ephes. 1:3-7; Ephes. 2:8,9; I Thess. 5:9. Acts 13:38; 2 Cor. 5:21; Jer. 9:23,24. I Cor. 1:30,31; Jer. 23:6.
Article 7.
And this is life eternal, that we might know Him the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire, to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John 17:3; Heb. 5:9. 2 Thess. 1:8; John 3:36.
Article 8.
The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, concerning the worship of God, in which is contained the whole duty of man, is (not men's laws, or unwritten traditions, but) only the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures, in which is plainly recorded whatsoever is needful for us to know, believe, and practice, which are the only rule of holiness and obedience for all saints, at all times, in all places to be observed. Col. 2:23; Matt. 15:9,6. John 5:39; 2 Tim.3:15,16,17; Isa. 8:20; Gal. 1:8,9; Acts 3:22,23.
Article 9.
The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, the apostles preached, He is the Son of God, the brightness of His glory, &c., by whom He made the world, Who upholdeth and governeth all things that He hath made; who also when the fulness of time was come, was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David; to wit, of the virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and He was also tempted as we are, yet without sin. Gen. 3:15; chap. 22:18, and 49:10; Dan. 7:13, and 9:24,25,26. Pro. 8:23, John 1:1,2,3; Heb. 1:8. Gal.4:4.Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5, with Gen. 49:9,10; Rom. 1:3,and 9:5; Matt. 1:16, with Luke 3:23-26; Heb. 2:16; Isa.53:3,4,5; Heb. 4:15
Article 10.
Jesus Christ is made the Mediator of the new and everlasting covenant of grace between God and man, ever to be perfectly and fully the Prophet, Priest, and King of the church of God for evermore. I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:15; John 14:6. Isa. 9:6,7.
Article 11.
Unto this office He was appointed by God from everlasting, and in respect of His manhood from the womb called, separated, and anointed most fully and abundantly with all gifts necessary, God having without measure poured out His Spirit upon Him. Prov. 8:23; Isa. 42:6, and 49:1, 6. Isa. ll:2, 3, 4, 5, and 61:1, 2, with Luke 4:17, 22; John 1:14, 16, and 3:34.
Article 12.
Concerning His Mediatorship, the Scripture holds forth Christ's call to His office: for none takes this honour upon him, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, it being an action of God, whereby a special promise being made, He ordains His Son to this office; which promise is, that Christ should be made a sacrifice for sin, that He should see His seed, and prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand, all of mere free and absolute grace towards God's elect, and without any condition foreseen in them to procure it. Heb. 5:4,5,6. Isa. 53:10, 11. John 3:16; Rom. 8:32.
Article 13.
This office to be Mediator, that is, to be Prophet, Priest, and King, of the church of God, is so proper to Christ, that neither in whole, nor any part thereof, can it be transferred from Him to any other. I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:24; Dan. 7:14; Acts 4:12; Luke 1:33; John 14:6.
Article 14.
This office to which Christ is called, is threefold, as a Prophet, Priest, and King: this number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office. And in respect of our great alienation from God, we need His priestly office to reconcile us: and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, we need His kingly office, to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, and preserve us to His heavenly Kingdom. Deut. 18:15, with Acts 3:22,23. Heb. 3:1, and 4:14,15. Psal. 2:6. 2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 26:18. Col. 1:21. John 16:8. Psal. 110:3. Cant. 1:4; John 6:44. Phil. 4:13.
2 Tim. 4:18.
Article 15.
Concerning the prophecy of Christ, it is that where by He hath revealed the will of God, whatsoever is needful for His servants to know and obey; and therefore He is called not only a Prophet and Doctor, and the Apostle of our profession, and the Angel of the covenant, but also the very Wisdom of God, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Who for ever continueth revealing the same truth of the gospel to His people. John 1:18, and 12:49,50, and 17:8; Deut. 18:15. (b) Matt. 23:10. Heb. 3:1. Mal. 3:1. I Cor. 1:24; Col. 2:3.
Article 16.
That He might be a Prophet every way complete, it was necessary He should be God, and also that He should be man: for unless He had been God, He could never have perfectly understood the will of God; and unless He had been man, He could not suitably have unfolded it in His own person to men. John 1:18; Acts 3:22, with Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1,2.
Article 17.
Concerning His Priesthood, Christ having sanctified Himself, hath appeared once to put away sin by that one offering of Himself, a sacrifice for sin, by which He hath fully finished and suffered all things God required for the salvation of His elect, and removed all rites and shadows. &c. And is now entered within the veil into the Holy of Holies, which is the presence of God. Also He makes His people a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Him. Neither doth the Father accept, or Christ offer to the Father, any other worship or worshippers. John 17:19; Heb. 5: 7,8,9; 10:12; Rom. 5:19; Eph.5:2; Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14, 15, 16; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24, and 8:1; I Pet. 2:5; John 4:23,24.
Article 18.
This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchisedec, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but for ever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to Him that ever liveth; Christ was the Priest, sacrifice, and altar; He was a Priest according to both natures; He was a sacrifice according to His human nature; whence in Scripture it is attributed to His body, to His blood: yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did depend upon His divine nature, therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to His divine nature, it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.
Heb. 5:6; 7:17. Heb. 7:16, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25. Heb. 10:10. I Pet. 1:18, 19; Col. 1:20,22. Heb. 9:13; Acts 20:28. Heb. 9: 14, and 13:10, 12,15; Matt. 23: 19; John 17:19.
John 1:18; Acts 3:22 with Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1; That Jesus Christ is God is wonderful clearly expressed in the Scriptures: He is called, The mighty God; Isa. 9:6; That Word was God, John 1:1; Christ Who is God over all, Rom. 9:5; God manifested in the flesh, I Tim. 3:16; The same is very God, I John 5:20; He is the first, Rev. 1:8; He gives being to all things, and without Him was nothing made, John 1:3; He forgives sins, Matt. 9:6; He is before Abraham, John 8:58; He was, and is, and ever will be the same, Heb. 13:8; He is always with His to the end of the world, Matt. 28:20; which could not be said of Jesus Christ if He were not God. And to the Son He saith, Thy Throne, O God is for ever and ever, Heb. 1:8; John 1:18; Acts 20:28; Also, Christ is not only perfectly God, but perfect Man, made of a woman, Gal. 4:4; made of the seed of David, Rom. 1:3; Coming out of the loins of David, Acts 2:30, of Jesse and Judah, Acts 13:23; in that the Children were partakers of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise took part with them, Heb.2:14; He took not on Him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham, verse 16. So that we are bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh, Eph. 5:30; So that He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one, Heb. 2:11; See Acts 3:22; Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1.
Article 19.
Concerning His kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, He doth spiritually govern His church, and doth exercise His power over all angels, and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, and to the over-ruling and destruction of His enemies. By this kingly power, He applies the benefits, virtues, and fruits of His prophecy and priesthood to His elect, subduing their sins, preserving and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by His Spirit: by this His mighty power He ruleth the vessels of wrath, using, limiting, and restraining them as it seems good to His infinite wisdom. I Cor. 15:4; I Pet. 3:21,22; Matt. 28:18,19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, and 5:30,31; John 20:17; Rom. 14:9; John 5:26, 27; Rom. 5:6, 7, 8, 14, 17; Gal. 5:22,23; Mark 1:27; Heb. 1:14; John 16:15; Job. 1:8; 2:6; Rom. 9:21,17,18; Eph. 4:7,8; 2 Pet. 2:9.
Article 20.
This His kingly power shall be more fully manifest when He shall come in glory to reign among His saints, when He shall put down all rule and authority under His feet, that the glory of the Father may be perfectly manifested in His Son, and the glory of the Father and the Son in all His members. I Cor. 15:24,28; Heb. 9:28: 2 Thess. 1:9,10; I Thess. 4:15,16,17; John 17:21, 26.
Article 21.
Jesus Christ by his death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto him: these only have interest in him, and fellowship with him, for whom He makes intercession to His father in the behalf of, and unto them alone doth God by his Spirit apply this redemption, as also the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.
Eph. 1:14; Heb. 5:9; Matt. 1:21; John 17:6; Heb. 7:25; I Cor. 2:12; Rom. 8:29,30; I John 5:12; John 15:13; John 3:16.
Article 22.
Faith is the gift of God wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God: by which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and the excellence of them above all other writings, and all things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in all His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and of the power and fulness of the Spirit in its workings and operations, and so are enabled to cast their souls upon this truth thus believed. Eph. 2:8; John 6:29; and 4:10; Phil.1:29; Gal. 5:22; John 17:17; Heb. 4:11,12; John 6:63.
Article 23.
All those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can never finally nor totaly fall away, seeing the gifts of God are without repentance; so that he still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit into immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock, which by faith they are fastened upon; not withstanding, though unbelief, and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love be clouded and overwhelmed for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palms of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity. Matt. 7:24, 25; John 13:10; John 10:28, 29; I Pet. 1:4,5, 6; Isa. 49:13-16.
Article 24.
Faith is ordinarily begotten by the preaching of the gospel, or word of Christ; without respect to any power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly passive, and dead in trespasses and sins, doth believe, and is converted by no less power than that which raised Christ from the dead.
Rom 10:17; I Cor. 1:21; Rom. 9:16; Ezek. 16:6; Rom. 3:12; Rom. 1: 16; Eph. 1:19,20; Col. 2:12.
Article 25.
The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free; no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law; but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead, and buried, and risen again, who is made a Prince and a Saviour for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe on Him. John 3:14, 15; and 1:12; Isa. 55:1; John 7: 37; I Tim. 1: 15; Rom. 4:5, and 5:8; Acts 5:30, 31, and 2:36; I Cor. 1:22, 24.
Article 26.
The same power that converts to faith in Christ, carrieth on the soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings; and whatsoever a believer is, he is by grace, and is carried on in all obedience and temptations by the same. I Pet. 1:5; 2 Cor. 12:9; I Cor. 15:10; Phil. 2:12,13; John 15:5; Gal. 2:19,20.
Article 27.
All believers are by Christ united to God, by which union God is one with them, and they are one with him; and that all believers are the sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ, to whom belong all the promises of this life, and that which is to come. 1 Thess. 1:1; John 17:21; and 20:17; Heb. 2:11; I John 4:16; Gal. 2:19,20.
Article 28.
Those that have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins by the blood of Christ; which justification is a gracious and full acquittance of a guilty sinner from all sin, by God, through the satisfaction that Christ hath made by His death for all their sins. And this applied through faith. I John 1:7; Heb. 10:14; and 9:26; 2 Cor. 5:19: Rom.3:24; Acts 13:38, 39; Rom. 5:1, and 3:25,30.
Article 29.
All believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new covenant, and an effect of the love of God manifested in the soul, where by the believer presseth after a heavenly and evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as Head and King in His new covenant, hath prescribed to them.
1 Cor. 1:2; I Pet. 2:9; Eph. 1:4; I John 4:16; Matt. 28:20.
Article 30.
All believers, through the knowledge of that justification of life given by the Father, and brought forth by the blood of Christ, have as their great privilege of the new covenant, peace with God and reconciliation, whereby they that were afar off are made nigh by that blood, and have peace passing all understanding; yea, joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement. 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 5:1,9,10; Isa. 54:10, and 26:12; Eph. 2:12,13; Phil. 4:7; Rom. 5:10,11.
Article 31.
All believers in the time of this life are in a continual warfare and combat against sin, self, the world, and the devil; and are liable to all manner of afflictions, tribulations, and persecutions, being predestinated and appointed thereunto, and whatsoever the saints possess or enjoy of God spiritually, is by faith; and outward and temporal things are lawfuly enjoyed by a civil right by them who have no faith. Rom. 7:23,24; Eph. 6:10,11,12,13; Heb. 2: 9,10; 2 Tim. 3:12; Rom. 8:29; I Thess. 3:3; Gal. 2:19,20; 2 Cor. 5:7; Deut. 2:5.
Article 32.
The only strength by which the saints are enabled to encounter with all oppositions and trials, is only by Jesus Christ, Who is the Captain of their salvation, being made perfect through sufferings, Who hath engaged His faithfulness and strength to assist them in all their afflictions, and to uphold them in all their temptations, and to preserve them by His power to His everlasting kingdom. John 16:33; John 15:5; Phil. 4:11; Heb. 2:9,10; 2 Tim. 4:18.
Article 33.
Jesus Christ hath here on earth a spiritual kingdom, which is His church, whom He hath purchased and redeemed to Himself as a peculiar inheritance; which church is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world by the Word and Spirit of God, to the visible profession of the faith of the gospel, being baptized into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and each to other, by mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by Christ their Head and King. Matt. 11:11; 2 Thess. 1:1, and I Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:1; Rom. 1:7; Acts 19:8,9; and 26:18; 2 Cor. 6:17; Rev. 18:4; Acts 2:37, with 10:37; Rom. 10:10; Matt. 28: 19, 20; Acts 2:42; Acts 9:26; I Pet. 2:5.
Article 34.
To this church He hath made His promises, and given the signs of His covenant, presence, acceptation, love, blessings, and protection. Here are the fountains and springs of his heavenly graces flowing forth to refresh and strengthen them. Matt. 28:18,19,20; I Cor. 11:24, and 3:21; 2 Cor. 6:18; Rom. 9:4-8; Gal. 3:8,9; Rom. 8:35-39; Ezek. 47:2.
Article 35.
And all His servants of all estates, are to acknowledge Him to be their Prophet, Priest, and King; and called thither, to be enrolled among His household servants, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their gifts God hath given them, to be under His heavenly conduct and government; to lead their lives in this walled sheepfold, and watered garden; to have communion here with His saints, that they may be assured that they are made meet to be partakers of their inheritance in the kingdom of God; and to supply each other's wants, inward and outward; (and although each person hath a property in his own estate, yet they are to supply each other's wants, according as their necessities shall require, that the name of Jesus Christ may not be blasphemed through the necessity of any of the church); and also being come, they are here, by Himself, to be bestowed in their several order, due place, peculiar use, being fitly compacted and knit together according to the effectual working of every part, to the edifying of itself in love.
Acts 2:41,47; Isa. 4:3; Isa. 40:9; Rom. 12:1; I Cor. 12:6,7,12,18; Ezek. 20:40,37; Can. 4:12; Eph. 2:19: Rom. 12:4, 4, 6; Col. 1:12, and 2:5,6,19; Acts 20:32; Acts 4:4; Acts 2:44, 45, and 4:34, 35. (Rom. 12:13; I John 3:17); Eph. 4:16.
Article 36.
Being thus joined, every church hath power given them from Christ, for their well-being, to choose among themselves meet persons for Elders and Deacons, being qualified according to the word, as those which Christ hath appointed in his Testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His church, and that none have any power to impose on them either these or any other. Acts 6:3, with 15:22, 25; Rom. 12:7, 8; I Tim. 3:2, 6, 7, 8; I Cor. 12:8, 28; Heb. 13:7, 17; I Pet. 5:1, 2, 3; I Pet. 4:15.
Article 37.
That the ministers lawfully called, as aforesaid, ought to continue in their calling and place, according to God's ordinance, and carefully to feed the flock of God committed to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
Heb. 5:4; John 10:3,4; Acts 20:28, 29; Rom. 12:7, 8; Heb. 13:7, 17; I Pet. 5:1, 2, 3.
Article 38.
The ministers of Christ ought to have whatsoever they shall need supplied freely by the church; according to Christ's ordinance, that they that preach the gospel, should live of the gospel, by the law of Christ. I Cor. 9:7,14; Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:15,16.
Article 39.
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that are made disciples: who, upon profession of faith, ought to be baptized, and after to partake of the Lord's Supper. Matt. 28:18,19; John 4:1; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:37,38; and 8:36,37,38, and 16.
Article 40.
That the way and manner of dispensing this ordinance, is dipping or plunging the body under water; it, being a sign, must answer the thing signified, which is, that interest the saints have in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. And that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and risen again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints be raised by the power of Christ, in the day of resurrection, to reign with Christ. Matt. 3:6,16; Mark 1:9, reads (into Jordan) in Greek; John 3:23; Acts 8:38; Rev. 1:5; and 7:14, with Heb. 10:22; Rom. 6:3, 4 ,5, 6; I Cor. 15:28, 29.
The word Baptizo signifies to dip or plunge (yet so as convenient garments be both upon the administrator and subject with all modesty).
Article 41.
The person designed by Christ to dispense baptism, the scripture holds forth to be a disciple; it being nowhere tied to a particular church officer, or person extraordinarily sent; the commission enjoying the administration, being given to them considered as disciples, being men able to preach the gospel. Matt. 28:19; (Mark 16:15,16); John 4:2; (Acts 8:4, 5, 12, 38; Acts 10:48; 16:3, 15,29,33, and 18:1, 5, 8, compared with I Cor. 1:16,17).
Article 42.
Christ hath likewise given power to his church to receive in and cast out any member that deserves it; and this power is given to every congregation, and not to one particular person, neither member or officer, but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and fellowship. (Acts 9:26; 18:27); Rom. 16:2; (Rom. 14:1; 2 Cor. 7:2; 3 John 9,10); Matt. 18:17; I Cor. 5:4, 11, 12, 13, with 6:2, 3; 2 Cor. 2:6,7; (2 Thess. 3:6; I Pet. 5:3; 2 John 10).
Article 43.
And every particular member of each church, how excellent, great, or learned soever, is subject to this censure and judgment; and that the church ought not without great care and tenderness, and due advice, but by the rule of faith, to proceed against her members. Matt. 18:16,17,18; Acts 11:2,3; I Tim. 5:19; Col. 4:17; Acts 15:1,2,3.
Article 44.
Christ for the keeping of this church in holy and orderly communion, placeth some special men over the church, who by their office, are to govern, oversee, visit, watch; so likewise for the better keeping thereof, in all places, by the members, he hath given authority, and laid duty upon all to watch over one another. Acts 20:17, 28; Heb. 13:17, 24; Matt. 24:45; I Thess. 5:12-14; Jude 3, 20; Heb. 10:34, 35, and 12:15.
Article 45.
Also such to whom God hath given gifts in the church, may and ought to prophesy, according to the proportion of faith, and so to teach publicly the word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church.
I Cor. 14:3, &c.; Rom. 12:6; I Pet. 4:10,11; I Cor. 12:7; I Thess. 5:19,20.
Article 46.
Thus being rightly gathered, and continuing in the obedience of the gospel of Christ, none are to separate for faults and corruptions, (for as long as the church consists of men subject to failings, there will be difference in the true constituted church) until they have in due order, and tendernes, sought redress thereof. Rev. 2 and 3 chap.; Acts 15:1, 2; I Cor. 1:10; Heb. 10:25; Jude 19; Rev. 2:20, 21, 27; Rom. 14:1, and 15:1, 2, 3.
Article 47.
And although the particular congregations be distinct and several bodies, every one as a compact and knit city within itself; yet are they all to walk by one rule of truth so also they (by all means convenient) are to have the counsel and help one of another, if necessity require it, as members of one body, in the common faith, under Christ their head.
I Cor. 4:17; 14:33, 36; 16:1. Psa. 122:3; Eph. 2:12, 19, with Rev. 21; I Tim. 3:15; I Cor. 4:17. Acts 15:2, 3; Song of Sol. 8:8,9; 2 Cor. 8:1, 4, 13, 14.
Article 48.
A Civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set up by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; and that, in all lawful things, commanded by them, subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscience's sake; and that we are to make supplications and prayers for kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. Rom. 13: 1-7; I Pet. 2:13,14; I Tim. 2:1, 2, 3.
Article 49.
But in case we find not the magistrate to favour us herein; yet we dare not suspend our practice, because we believe we ought to go on in obedience to Christ, in professing the faith which was once delivered to the saints, which faith is declared in the Holy Scriptures, and this our Confession of Faith a part of them, and that we are to witness to the truth of the Old and New Testament unto the death, if necessity require, in the midst of all trials and afflictions, as His saints of old have done; not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brethren, sisters, yea, and our own lives, dear unto us, so we may finish our course with joy, remembering always that we ought to obey God rather than men, who will, when we have finished our course, and kept the faith, give us the crown of righteousness; to whom we must give an account of all our actions, and no man being able to discharge us of the same. Acts 2:23, 40, and 4:19; 5:28, 29, and 20:23; I Thess. 3:3; Phil. 1:28, 29; Dan. 3:16, 17, and 6: 7, 10, 22, 23. I Tim. 6:13, 14, 15. Rev. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:6, 7, 8. Rom. 14: 10, 12; 2 Cor. 5: 10; Psa. 49:7; Psa. 50:22.
Article 50.
It is lawful for a Christian to be a magistrate, or civil officer; and also it is lawful to take an oath, so it be in truth, and in judgment, and in righteousness, for confirmation of truth, and ending of all strife; and that by rash and vain oaths the Lord is provoked, and this land mourns. Acts 8:27-38, and 10:1, 2, 35, 44; Rom. 16:23; ) Deut. 6:13; Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:23; 11:31; Jer. 4:2; Heb. 6:16; Matt. 5:34-37; Jam. 5:12.
Article 51.
We are to give unto all men whatsoever is their due, as their place, age, estate, requires; and that we defraud no man of anything, but to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us.
I Thess. 4:6; Rom. 13:5, 6, 7; Matt. 22: 21; I Pet. 2:15, 17, and 5:5; Eph. 5: 21, 23, and 6: 1-9;
Tit. 3: 1, 2, 3.
Article 52.
There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, and every one shall give an account of himself to God, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Acts 24: 15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:12.
THE CONCLUSION.
Thus we desire to give unto Christ that which is His, and unto all lawful authority that which is their due, and to owe nothing to any man but love; to live quietly and peaceably, as it becometh saints, endeavouring in all things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every man (of what judgment soever) as we would they should do unto us, that as our practice is, so it may prove us to be a conscionable, quiet, and harmless people (no ways dangerous or troublesome to human society), and to labour and work with our hands, that we may not be chargeable to any, but to give to him that needeth, both friends and enemies, accounting it more excellent to give than to receive. Also we confess that we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many things which we desire and seek to know: and if any shall do us that friendly part to show us from the word of God that we see not, we shall have cause to be thankful to God and them. But if any man shall impose upon us anything that we see not to be commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, we should, in his strength, rather embrace all reproaches and tortures of men, to be stript of all outward comforts, and if it were possible, to die a thousand deaths, rather than to do anything against the least tittle of the truth of God, or against the light of our own consciences. And if any shall call what we have said heresy, then do we with the apostle acknowledge, that after the way they call heresy, worship we the God of our fathers, disclaiming all heresies (rightly so called) because they are against Christ, and to be stedfast and immoveable, always abounding in obedience to Christ, as knowing our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
Arise, O God, plead thine own cause. Remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
O let not the oppressed return, but let the poor and needy praise thy name. Psalm 74:21, 22.
Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
AN APPENDIX TO A CONFESSION OF FAITH
OR A more full Declaration of the Faith and Judgment of Baptized Believers.
Occasioned by the inquiry of some woe-affected and godly persons in the Country.
Written by BENJAMIN COX, a Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
LONDON Printed in the year 1646.
Published for the further clearing of Truth, and discovery of their mistake who have imagined a dissent in fundamentals where there is none.
MATH. 10: 27, 28. What I tell you in Darkness, that speak you in light: and what you hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. And fear not & c.
A more full DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and JUDGEMENT of Baptized Believers
Be ready always, saith the Apostle Peter, to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; I Pet. 3:15. It is therefore our duty in meekness and love to give an answer to those godly persons, which desire to be fully informed of our judgment concerning Religion and the ways of our God: To those therefore that have expressed a desire to be so informed, I thus answer.
In a book lately reprinted, entitled, A Confession of Faith of Seven Congregations or Churches of Christ in London, &c. is a plain and sincere expression of our judgment in the things therein spoken of, in 52 Articles. And if our udgment touching some particulars, wherein we seem, or are supposed, to dissent from some others, do not appear clearly enough in that confession, I hope the same shall somewhat more clearly appear in this ensuing Appendix.
Addendum I.
We belive that the punishment due to Adam for his first rebellion, and due to all men for their sin in Adam, and for all their sins against the Law, was not a lying of the whole person of man in the dust, or grave, eternally without life or sense; for then the punishment of man that sinned, should not have differed from the punishment of the brute beast that sinned not. But the punishment due to man, as foresaid, was indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; and that eternal: And consequently the Redemption which we have by Christ from the curse of the Law, is a Redemption from eternal misery and torment: this we learn from these places of Scripture compared together; Rom. 2:8,9; Jude 7; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12.
Addendum 2.
We believe that the eternity of the punishment of the vessels of wrath, is an absolute eternity, knowing no end; as well as the eternity of the life of the Saints: Mat. 25.46. This we maintain against those that affirm that all men shall be saved at the last.
Addendum 3.
Although all the power of the creature to act be from the Creator, and there is a providence of God always extended to every creature, and to every action of the creature; yet we judge that the sinful corruption of the creature, and the sinfulness of the creature's action, is from the creature, and not from God: and that it is a greatsin to say that God is the author if sin: Eccles. 7:29; Habak. 1:13; James 1:13,14,15; I Cor. 14:33; I Jn. 2:16. As touching that place which is here objected against us, viz., Amos 3:6. Shall there be evil in a City, &c. We conceive that it is either to be rendered according to the last Translation in the margin, Shall there be evil in a City, and shall not the Lord do something? or else that it is to be understood only of the evil of punishment, and not of the evil of sin.
Addendum 4.
We teach that they only do, or can believe in Jesus Christ, to whom it is given to believe in him by a special, gracious, and powerful work of his Spirit: and that this is(and shall be) given to the Elect in the time appointed of God for their effectual calling; and to none but the Elect: John. 6:64,65; Phil. 1:29; Jer.. 31:33,34; Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 8:29,30; John. 10:26.
Addendum 5.
We affirm, that as Jesus Christ never intended to give remission of sins and eternal life unto any but his sheep; (John. 10:15. John. 17:2; Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 5:9.) so these sheep only have their sins washed away in the blood of Christ. The vessels of wrath, as they are none of Christ's sheep, never do believe in Him, so they have not the blood of Christ sprinkled upon them, neither are partakers of Him: and therefore have all their sins remaining upon them, and are not saved by Christ from any of them under any consideration whatsoever; but must lie under the intolerable burden of them eternally. The truth of this appears unto us by the light of these Scriptures compared together; Heb.. 12:24; I Pet. 1:2; Heb. 3:14; Math. 7:23; Eph. 5:6; I Tim. 1:9; John. 8:24.
Addendum 6.
Though some of our opposers do affirm, that by this doctrine we leave no Gospel to be preached to sinners for their conversion; yet through the goodness of God we know and preach to sinners this precious Gospel; God so loved the World, (that is, hath been so loving to mankind) that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life; John. 3:16; and this faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation, That Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners, I Tim. 1:15; viz., all those sinners (how vile and grievous soever) not only which already do, but also which hereafter shall believe on him to life everlasting, I Tim. 1:16; and that to Christ all the Prophets give witness, that through His name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins, Acts 15:7. This is the Gospel which Christ and his Apostles preached, which we have received, and by which we have been converted unto Christ. And we desire to mind what Paul saith in Gal. 1:9: "If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be anathema."
Addendum 7.
Though we confess that no man doth attain unto faith by his own good will, John. 1:13, yet we judge and know that the Spirit of God doth not compel a man to believe against his will, but doth powerfully and sweetly create in a man a new heart, and so make him to believe and obey willingly; Ezek. 36:26; Psalm. 110:3; God thus working in us both to will and to do, of his good pleasure; Phil.. 2:13.
Addendum 8.
Though all our workings for life be in vain, irregular, and not accepted of God, (Jesus Christ being our life, Who is freely given to us of God,) yet we believe and know that being made partakers of Jesus Christ, we do, and shall, and must, through Him, and walking in Him, bring forth the fruit of good works, serving God (in true obedience, and love, and thankfulness unto Him) in holiness and righteousness, being His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which He hath before ordained that we should walk in them; Eph. 2:10; Luke 1:74,75.
Addendum 9.
Though we that believe in Christ, be not under the law, but under grace; Rom. 6:14; yet we know that we are not lawless, or left to live without a rule; not without law to God, but under law to Christ, I Cor. 9:21. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a law, or commanding rule unto us; whereby, and in obedience where unto, we are taught to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Titus 2: 11, 12; the directions of Christ in his Evangelical word guiding us unto, and in this sober, righteous, and godly walking, I Tim. 1:10,11.
Addendum 10.
Though we be not now sent to the Law as it was in the hand of Moses, to be commanded thereby, yet Christ in His Gospel teacheth and commandeth us to walk in the same way of righteousness and holiness that God by Moses did command the Israelites to walk in, all the Commandments of the second Table being still delivered unto us by Christ, and all the Commandments of the first Table also (as touching the life and spirit of them) in this epitome or brief sum, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, &c. Matt. 22: 37, 38, 39, 40.. Rom. 13:8, 9, 10.
Addendum 11.
Though no sin be imputed to those that believe in Christ, nor any sin do totally or fully reign over them, or in them; yet in them the flesh lusteth against the spirit; Gal. 5:17; and in many things they all offend; James 3:2; where the Apostle speaks of offences that one believe may take notice of in another. Thus there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not, Eccles. 7:20; and if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, I John. 1:8.
Addendum 12.
Though there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, yet are they taught, and that effectually, to be ashamed of their sins Rom. 6:21; and to be sorry for them after a godly sort, 2 Cor. 7:9, 10, 11; yea to loath themselves for them; Ezek. 36:31. Because that sin is an evil and a filthy thing, and in its own nature tends to the provoking and dishonoring of God, being disobedience against God, and a thing which the most holy GOD declares Himself to loath and abhor; so that nothing but the blood of Christ could purge us from our sins, and reconcile us to God, Whom by sin we had offended. Therefore, the Saints both are, and must be grieved, and must judge themselves, because they have sinned against their holy and glorious God, and merciful and loving Father, I Cor. 11:31.
Addendum 13.
Though nothing be hid from God, and God imputeth not iniquity to any believer, yet ought we to confess our sins unto God, and to beseech Him to deal with us according to His own promise; viz., to be still gracious and merciful unto us though we have sinned against Him, not being wroth with us, nor rebuking us, nor ceasing to do good unto us because we have sinned, Isa. 54:9; Heb.. 8:12; Dan. 9:18,19,20; Psalm. 32:5; Psalm. 25:7; Ezek.36:37; James 5:10. Thus according to Christ's directions, we pray unto God to forgive us our sins; Luke 11:4; yet still we are to look upon God as our Father; Luke 11:2; and consequently upon ourselves as His children; and so not short of justification, or under wrath, but washed in Christ's blood from all our sins. In such confession and petitions we show obedience to God, and do also exercise faith towards God, and repentance or godly sorrow for sin by which we see and confess that we for our parts have deserved wrath.
Addendum 14.
Though they which are once really engrafted into Christ, shall certainly be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation; I Pet. 1:5; yet ought they to beware, lest being led away with the error of the wicked, they fall from their own steadfastness; 2 Pet. 3:17. They ought therefore to seek continual support from God. Yea they ought to seek at God's hand (in prayer, and in the right use and study of His Word, and in the right use of His Ordinances) not only continuance, but also growth in grace; 2 Pet. 3:18; First, because this is God's Command. Secondly, because God Who will establish them, will do it in this way; viz: giving them grace to be obedient to this His Command, and blessing them in this obedience.
Addendum 15.
As we mind that our whole salvation is given unto us of the Father by Jesus Christ, and for His sake; so we likewise mind, that the Father's giving Jesus Christ for us, and to us, and so saving us in Him, and for His sake, is the acting and manifesting of that free love of His towards us, which was in Himself from all eternity, John 17:23; Eph. 1:4,5.
Addendum 16.
Although a true believer, whether baptized, or unbaptized, be in the state of salvation, and shall certainly be saved: yet in obedience to the Command of Christ every believer ought to desire Baptism, and to yield himself to be baptized according to the rule of Christ in His Word: And where this obedience is in faith performed, there Christ makes this His Ordinance a means of unspeakable benefit to the believing soul, Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; I Pet. 3:21. And a true believer that here sees the command of Christ lying upon him, cannot allow himself in disobedience thereunto, Acts 24:16.
Addendum 17.
Believers baptized ought to agree and join together in a constant profession of the same doctrine of the Gospel, and in professed obedience thereunto, and also in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, Acts 2:42. And a company of baptized believers so agreeing and joining together, are a Church or Congregation of Christ, Acts 2:47.
Addendum 18.
As the preaching of the Gospel, both for the conversion of sinners, and the edifying of those that are converted; so also the right use of baptism, and the Lord's Supper, ought to be till the end of the world, Matt. 28:19,20; I Cor. 11:26.
Addendum 19.
A disciple gifted and enabled by the spirit of Christ to preach the Gospel, and stirred up to this service by the same spirit, bringing home to his soul the command of Christ in his word for the doing of this work, is a man authorized and sent by Christ to preach the Gospel, see Luke 19:12, &c. Mark 16:15, and Matt. 28:19, compared with Acts 8:4, Phil. 1:14; 3 John 7. And those gifted disciples which thus preach Jesus Christ Who came in the flesh, are to be looked upon as men sent and given of the Lord, I John 4:2; Romans 10:15; Eph. 4:11,12,13. And they which are converted from unbelief and false-worship, and so brought into Church-fellowship by which Preachers according to the will of Christ, are a seal of their ministry, I Cor. 9:2. And such preachers of the Gospel may not only lawfully administer Baptism unto believers, and guide the action of the Church in the use of the Supper, (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:5-12; I Cor. 10:16.) but may also call upon the Churches, and advise them to choose fit men for officers, and may settle such officers so chosen by a Church, in the places or offices to which they are chosen, by imposition of hands and prayer, Acts 6:3-6; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5
Addendum 20.
Though a believer's right to the use of the Lord's Supper do immediately flow from Jesus Christ apprehended and received by faith; yet in as much as all things ought to be done not only decently, but also in order; I Cor. 14:40, and the word holds forth this order, that disciples should be baptized, Matt. 28:19, Acts 2:38, and then be taught to observe all things (that is to say, all other things) that Christ commanded the Apostles, Matt. 28:20, and accordingly the Apostles first baptized disciples, and then admitted them to the use of the Supper; Acts 2:41,42, we therefore do not admit any to the use of the Supper, nor communicate with any in the use of this ordinance, but disciples baptized, lest we should have fellowship with them in their doing contrary to order.
Addendum 21.
Although we know that in some things we are yet very dark, and in all things as yet we know but in part, and do therefore wait upon God for further light; yet we believe that we ought in our practice to obey, and serve, and glorify God in the use of that light which he hath given us; and not neglect the good using of that light which God hath already given us, under pretence of waiting for more, I Cor. 13:9, Acts 18:25.
Addendum 22.
As Christ doth not teach, nor allow that we should be without natural affection, or unsociable; (see Rom. 1:31.) so our being made partakers of Christ, doth not discharge us from the duties of our relations. Believing servants must perform the duties of servants towards their masters though unbelieving; I Tim. 6:1. So believing children must perform the duties of children towards their parents; Col. 3:20, believing wives, the duties of wives towards their husbands; I Pet.3:1, and believing subjects must be subject to principalities and powers, and obey Magistrates, Rom 13:1, & c. Titus 3:1. I Pet. 2:13, 14, 15. But still they must remember that their fear toward God must not be taught by the perception of men; Isaiah 29:13, that they ought to obey God rather then men; Acts 5:29, and that the submission that must be given to men, must be given to them for the Lord's sake, I Pet. 2:14.
Thus I conclude with the Apostle's words (in 2 Tim. 2:7) a little varied, but not misapplied; Consider what we teach: and the Lord give you understanding in all things.
FINISH
We, the ministers and messengers of, and concerned for, upwards of one hundred baptized congregations in England and Wales (denying Arminianism), being met together in London, from the third of the seventh month to the eleventh of the same, 1689, to consider of some things that might be for the glory of God and the good of these congregations, have thought meet (for the satisfaction of all other Christians that differ from us in the point of baptism) to recommend to their perusal Confession of Our Faith, granted for and sold by John Marshall, at the Bible in Grace-church-street, which Confession we own as containing the doctrine of our faith and practice; and do desire that the members of our churches respectively do furnish themselves therewith.
Hanserd Knollys, Daniel Finch, James Hitt, William Hankins, William Kiffin, John Ball, Richard Tidmarsh, Samuel Ewer, John Harris, Edmond White, William Facey, Edward Man, William Collins, William Pritchard, Thomas Winnel, William Phipps, Hercules Collins, Paul Fruin, Thomas Vaux, Edward Price, Robert Steed, Richard Ring, Samuel Buttel, Charles Archer, Leonard Harrison, John Tompkins, Christopher Price, George Barret, Toby Willes, Isaac Lamb, John Carter, Richard Adams, James Webb, Benjamin Keath, Richard Sutton, Andrew Gifford, Robert Knight,
In the name and behalf of the whole assembly.
To The Judicial and Impartial Reader
Courteous Reader: It is now many years since divers of us (with other sober Christians then living, and walking in the way of the Lord, that we profess) did conceive ourselves to be under a necessity of publishing a Confession, of our Faith, for the information and satisfaction of those that did not thoroughly understand what our principles were, or had entertained prejudices against our profession, by reason of the strange representation of them by some men of note who had taken very wrong measures, and accordingly led others into misapprehension of us and them. And this was first put forth about the year 1643, in the name of seven congregations then gathered in London; since which time divers impressions thereof have been dispersed abroad, and our end proposed in good measure answered, inasmuch as many (and some of those men eminent both for piety and learning) were thereby satisfied that we were no way guilty of those heterodoxies and fundamental errors which had too frequently been charged upon us without ground or occasion given on our part.
And forasmuch as that Confession is not now commonly to be had, and also that many others have since embraced the same truth which is owned therein, it was judged necessary by us to join together in giving a testimony to the world of our firm adhering to those wholesome principles by the publication of this which is now in your hand. And forasmuch as our method and manner of expressing our sentiments in this doth vary from the former (although the substance of this matter is the same), we shall freely impart to you the reason and occasion thereof. One thing that greatly prevailed with us to undertake this work was (not only to give a full account of ourselves to those Christians that differ from us about the subject of baptism, but also) the profit that might from thence arise unto those that have any account of our labors in their instruction and establishment in the great truths of the Gospel, in the clear understanding and steady belief of which our comfortable walking with God, and fruitfulness before him in all our ways, is most nearly concerned; and therefore we did conclude it necessary to express ourselves the more fully and distinctly; and also to fix on such a method as might be most comprehensive of those things we designed to explain our sense and belief of; and finding no defect in this regard in that fixed on by the Assembly, and, after them by those of the congregational way, we did readily conclude it best to retain the same order in our present Confession; and also when we observed that those last mentioned did in their Confessions (for reasons which seemed of weight both to themselves and others) choose not only to express their mind in words concurrent with the former in sense concerning all those articles wherein they were agreed, but also for the most part without any variation of the terms, we did in like manner conclude it best to follow their example in making use of the very same words with them both in these articles (which are very many) wherein our faith and doctrine are the same with theirs; and this we did the more abundantly to manifest our consent with both in all the fundamental articles of the Christian religion, as also with many others whose orthodox Confessions have been published to the world on the behalf of the Protestant in diverse nations and cities. And also to convince all that we have no itch to clog religion with new words, but do readily acquiesce in that form of sound words which hath been, in consent with the Holy Scriptures, used by others before us; hereby declaring, before God, angels, and men, our hearty agreement with them in that wholesome Protestant doctrine which, with so clear evidence of Scriptures, they have asserted. Some things, indeed, are in some places added, some terms omitted, and some few changed; but these alterations are of that nature as that we need not doubt any charge or suspicion of unsoundness in the faith from any of our brethren upon the account of them.
In those things wherein we differ from others we have expressed ourselves with all candor and plainness, that none might entertain jealousy of aught secretly lodged in our breasts that we would not the world should be acquainted with; yet we hope we have also observed those rules of modesty and humility as will render our freedom in this respect inoffensive, even to those whose sentiments are different from ours.
We have also taken care to affix texts of Scripture at the bottom, for the confirmation of each article in our Confession; in which work we have studiously endeavored to select such as are most clear and pertinent for the proof of what is asserted by us; and our earnest desire is that all into whose hands this may come would follow that (never enough commended) example of the noble Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily that they might find out whether the things preached to them were so or not.
There is one thing more which we sincerely profess and earnestly desire credence in - viz., that contention is most remote from our design in all that we have done in this matter; and we hope that the liberty of an ingenuous unfolding our principles and opening our hearts unto our brethren, with the Scripture grounds of our faith and practice will by none of them be either denied to us, or taken ill from us. Our whole design is accomplished if we may have attained that justice as to be measured in our principles and practice, and the judgment of both by others, according to what we have now published, which the Lord (whose eyes are as a flame of fire) knoweth to be the doctrine which with our hearts we most firmly believe and sincerely endeavor to conform our lives to. And O that, other contentions being laid asleep, the only care and contention of all upon whom the name of our blessed Redeemer is called might for the future be to walk humbly with their God in the exercise of all love and meekness toward each other, to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, each one endeavoring to have his conversation such as becometh the gospel; and also, suitable to his place and capacity, vigorously to promote in others the practice of true religion and undefiled in the sight of God our Father! And that in this backsliding day we might not spend our breath in fruitless complaints of the evils of others, but may every one begin at home, to reform in the first place our own hearts and ways, and then to quicken all that we may have influence upon to the some work, that if the will of God were so, none might deceive themselves by resting in and trusting to a form of godliness without the power of it, and inward experience of the efficacy of those truths that are professed by them.
And verily there is one spring and cause of the decay of religion in our day which we cannot but touch upon and earnestly urge a redress of, and that is the neglect of the worship of God in families by those to whom the charge and conduct of them is committed. May not the gross ignorance and instability of many, with the profaneness of others, be justly charged upon their parents and masters, who have not trained them up in the way wherein they ought to walk when they were young, but have neglected those frequent and solemn commands which the Lord hath laid upon them, so to catechise and instruct them that their tender years might be seasoned with the knowledge of the truth of God as revealed in the Scriptures; and also by their own omission of prayer and other duties of religion of their families, together with the ill example of their loose conversation, having, inured them first to a neglect and the contempt of all piety and religion? We know this will not excuse the blindness and wickedness of any, but certainly it will fall heavy upon those that have been thus the occasion thereof; they indeed die in their sins, but will not their blood be required of those under whose care they were, who yet permitted them to go on without warning - yea, led them into the paths of destruction? And will not the diligence of Christians with respect to the discharge of these duties in ages past rise up in judgment against and condemn many of those who would be esteemed such now?
We shall conclude with our earnest prayer that the God of all grace will pour out those measures of his Holy Spirit upon us, that the profession of truth may be accompanied with the sound belief and diligent practice of it by us, that his name may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Chapter 1- Of the Holy Scriptures
1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience, (1) although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation.(2) Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His church; (3) and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.(4)
1. 2Ti 3:15-17; Isa 8:20; Lk 16:29,31; Eph 2:20. 2. Ro 1:19-21; 2:14-15; Ps 19:1-3. 3. Heb 1:1. 4. Pr 22:19-21; Ro 15:4; 2Pe 1:19-20.
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
Of the Old Testament
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Of the New Testament
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation
All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. 2Ti 3:16.
3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and, therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings. Lk 24:27,44; Ro 3:2.
4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God(who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God. 2Pe 1:19-21; 2Ti 3:16; 2Th 2:13; 1Jn 5:9.
5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole(which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. Jn 16:13-14; 1Co 2:10-12, 1Jn 2:20,27.
6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.(9) Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word,(10) and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.(11)
9. 2Ti 3:15-17; Gal 1:8-9. 10. Jn 6:45; 1Co 2:9-12. 11. 1Co 11:13-14; 14:26,40.
7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;(12) yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.(13) 12. 2Pe 3:16. 13. Ps 19:7; 119:130.
8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old),(14) and the New Testament in Greek(which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them.(15) But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read(16) and search them,(17) therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar[ie. common] language of every nation unto which they come,(18) that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship of Him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.(19) 14. Ro 3:2. 15. Isa 8:20. 16. Ac 15:15. 17. Jn 5:39. 18. 1Co 14:6,9,11-2,24,28.
19. Col 3:16.
9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly. 2Pe 1:20-21; Ac 15:15-16.
10. The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved. Mt 22:29,31-32; Eph 2:20; Ac 28:23.
Chapter 2 - Of God and of the Holy Trinity
1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;(1) whose subsistence is in and of Himself,(2) infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;(3) a most pure spirit,(4) invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;(5) who is immutable,(6) immense,(7) eternal,(8) incomprehensible, almighty,(9) every way infinite, most holy,(10) most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will(11) for His own glory; (12) most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,(13) and withal most just and terrible in His judgements,(14) hating all sin,(15) and who will by no means clear the guilty.(16) 1. 1Co 8:4,6; Dt 6:4. 2. Jer 10:10; Isa 48:12. 3. Ex 3:14. 4. Jn 4:24. 5. 1Ti 1:17; Dt 4:15-16. 6. Mal 3:6. 7. 1Ki 8:27; Jer 23:23. 8. Ps 90:2. 9. Ge 17:1. 10. Isa 6:3. 11. Ps 115:3; Isa 46:10. 12. Pr 16:4; Ro 11:36. 13. Ex 34:6-7; Heb 11:6. 14. Ne 9:32-33. 15. Ps 5:5-6. 16 Ex 34:7; Na 1:2-3.
2. God, having all life,(17) glory,(18) goodness,(19) blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,(20) but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,(21) and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth;(22) in His sight all things are open and manifest,(23) His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain:(24) He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,(25) and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,(26) service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them. 17. Jn 5:26. 18. Ps 148:13. 19. Ps 119:68. 20. Job 22:2-3. 21. Ro 11:34-36. 22. Da 4:25,34-35. 23. Heb 4:13. 24. Eze 11:5; Ac 15:18. 25. Ps 145:17. 26. Rev 5:12-14.
3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, (27) of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided,(28) the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;(29) the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;(30) all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence upon Him. 27. 1Jn 5:7; Mt 28:19; 2Co 13:14. 28. Ex 3:14; Jn 14:11; 1Co 8:6. 29. Jn 1:14,18. 30. Jn 15:26; Gal 4:6.
Chapter 3 - Of God's Decree
1. God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever come to pass;(1) yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;(2) nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established;(3) in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.(4) 1. Isa 46:10; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:17; Ro 9:15,18. 2. Jas 1:13; 1Jn 1:5. 3. Ac 4:27-28; Jn 19:11. 4. Nu. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5.
2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,(5) yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.(6)
5. Ac 15:18. 6. Ro 9:11,13,16,18.
3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ,(7) to the praise of His glorious grace;(8) others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.(9) 7. 1Ti 5:21; Mt 25:34. 8. Eph 1:5-6. 9. Ro 9:22-23; Jude 4.
4. These angels and men thus predestined and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. 2Ti 2:19; Jn 13:18.
5. Those of mankind that are predestined to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love,(11) without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.(12) 11. Eph 1:4,9,11; Ro 8:30; 2Ti 1:9; 1Th 5:9. 12. Ro 9:13,16; Eph 2:5,12.
6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto;(13) wherefore they who are elect, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,(14) are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,(15) and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;(16) neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.(17) 13. 1Pe 1:2; 2Th 2:13. 14. 1Th 5:9-10. 15. Ro 8:30; 2Th 2:13. 16. 1Pe 1:5. 17. Jn 10:26; 17:9; 6:64.
7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yeilding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; (18) so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,(19) reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,(20) diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.(21) 18. 1Th 1:4-5; 2Pe 1:10. 19. Eph 1:6; Ro 11:33. 20. Ro. 11:5-6,20. 21. Lk 10:20.
Chapter 4 - Of Creation
1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,(1) for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power,(2) wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.(3) 1. Jn 1:2-3; Heb 1:2; Job 26:13. 2. Ro 1:20. 3. Col 1:16; Ge 1:31.
2. After God hath made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,(4) with reasonable and immortal souls,(5) rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;(6) having the law of God written in their hearts,(7) and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.(8) 4. Ge 1:27. 5. Ge 2:7. 6. Ecc 7:29; Ge 1:26. 7. Ro 2:14-15. 8. Ge 3:6.
3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,(9) which whilst they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures. (10) 9. Ge 2:17. 10. Ge 1:26,28.
Chapter 5 - Of Divine Providence
1. God the good creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all His creatures and things,(1) from the greatest even to the least,(2) by His most wise and holy providence, to the end for which they were created, according unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.(3) 1. Heb 1:3; Job 38:11; Isa 46:10-11; Ps 135:6. 2. Mt 10:29-31. 3. Eph 1:11.
2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly;(4) so that there is not anything befalls any by chance, or without His providence;(5) yet by the same providence He ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.(6) 4. Ac 2:23. 5. Pr 16:33. 6. Ge 8:22.
3. God, in His ordinary providence maketh use of means,(7) yet is free to work without,(8) above,(9) and against them (10) at His pleasure. 7. Ac 27:31,44; Isa 55:10-11. 8. Hos 1:7. 9. Ro 4:19-21. 10. Da 3:27.
4. The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in His providence, that His determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men;(11) and that not by a bare permission, which also He most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth,(12) in a manifold dispensation to His most holy ends;(13) yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.(14) 11. Ro 11:32-34; 2Sa 24:1; 1Ch 21:1. 12. 2Ki 19:28; Ps 76:10. 13. Ge 1:20; Isa 10:6-7,12. 14. Ps 50:21; 1Jn 2:16.
5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself; and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holyends.(15) So that whatsoever befalls any of His elect is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good.(16) 15. 2Ch 32:25-26,31; 2Co 12:7-9. 16. Ro 8:28.
6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous judge, for former sin doth blind and harden;(17) from them He not only withholdeth His grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding,and wrought upon their hearts;(18) but sometimes also withdraweth the giftswhich they had,(19) and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin;(20) and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,(21) whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, under those means which God useth forthe softening of others.(22) 17. Ro 1:24-26,28; 11:7-8. 18. Dt 29:4. 19. Mt 13:12. 20. Dt 2:30; 2Kn 8:12-13. 21. Ps 81:11-12; 2Th 2:10-12. 22. Ex 8:15,32; Isa 6:9-10; 1Pe 2:7-8.
7. As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a more special manner it taketh care of His church, and disposethof all things to the good thereof. 1Ti 4:10; Am 9:8-9; Isa 43:3-5.
Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
1. Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death upon the breach thereof,(1) yet he did not long abide in this honour; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion, did willlfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit,(2) which God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.
1. Ge 2:16-17. 2. Ge 3:12-13; 2Co 11:3.
2. Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them whereby death came upon all;(3) all becoming dead in sin, (4) and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.(5) 3. Ro 3:23. 4. Ro 5:12-21. 5. Tit 1:15; Ge 6:5; Jer 17:9; Ro 3:10-19.
3. They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation,(6) being now conceived in sin,(7) and by nature children of wrath,(8) the servants of sin, the subjects of death,(9) and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, an eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.(10)
6. Ro 5:12-19; 1Co 15:21-22,45,49. 7. Ps 51:5; Job 14:4. 8. Eph 2:3. 9. Ro 6:20; 5:12. 10. Heb 2:14-15; 1Th 1:10.
4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil;(11) do proceed all actual transgressions.(12) 11. Ro 8:7; Col 1:21. 12. Jas 1:14-15; Mt 15:19.
5. The corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated;(13) and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.(14) 13. Ro 7:18,23; Ecc 7:20; 1Jn 1:8. 14. Ro 7:23-25; Gal 5:17.
Chapter 7 - Of God's Covenant
1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of covenant. Lk 17:10; Job 35:7-8.
2. Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace,(2) wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved;(3) and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, His Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.(4) 2. Ge 2:17; Gal.3:10; Ro 3:20-21. 3. Ro 8:3; Mk 16:15-16; Jn 3:16. 4. Eze 36:26-27; Jn 6:44-45; Ps 110:3.
3. This covenant is revealed in the gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman, (5) and afterwards by farther steps, until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament;(6) and it is founded in that eternal covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect;(7) and it is alone by the grace of this covenant that all of the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were saved did obtain life and blessed immortality, man being now utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.(8) 5. Ge 3:15. 6. Heb 1:1. 7. 2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2. 8. Heb 11:6,13; Ro 4:1-2; Ac 4:12; Jn 8:56.
Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator
1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose an ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man;(1) the Prophet,(2) Priest(3) and King;(4) head and Saviour of His church,(5) the heir of all things,(6) and judge of the world;(7) unto whom He did from all eternity give a people to be His seed and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.(8) 1. Isa 42:1; 1Pe 1:19-20. 2. Ac 3:22. 3. Heb 5:5-6. 4. Ps 2:6; Lk 1:33. 5. Eph 1:22-23. 6. Heb 1:2. 7. Ac 17:31. 8. Isa 53:10; Jn 17:6; Ro 8:30.
2. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with Him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things He hath made, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof,(9) yet without sin;(10) being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures;(11) so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.(12) 9. Jn 1:14; Gal 4:4. 10. Ro 8:3; Heb 2:14,16-17; 4:15. 11. Mt 1:22-23; Lk 1:27,31,35. 12. Ro 9:5; 1Ti 2:5.
3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure,(13) having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;(14) in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,(15) to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled,(16) and full of grace and truth,(17) He might be throughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety;(18) which office He took not upon Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father;(19) who also put all power and judgement in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.(20)
13. Ps 45:7; Ac 10:38; Jn 3:34. 14. Col 2:3. 15. Col 1:19. 16. Heb 7:26. 17. Jn 1:14. 18. Heb 7:22. 19. Heb 5:5. 20. Jn 5:22,27; Mt 28:18; Ac 2:36.
4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, (21) which that He might discharge He was made under the law,(22) and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered,(23) being made sin and a curse for us;(24) enduring most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body;(25) was crucified, and died, and remaining in the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption:(26) and on the third day He arose from the dead (27) with the same body in which he suffered,(28) with which He also ascended into heaven,(29) and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father making intercession,(30) and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world. (31) 21. Ps 40:7-8; Heb 10:5-10; Jn 10:18. 22. Gal 4:4; Mt 3:15. 23. Gal 3:13; Isa 53:6; 1Pe 3:18. 24. 2Co 5:21. 25. Mt 26:37-38; Lk 22:44; Mt 27:46. 26. Ac 13:37. 27. 1Co 15:3-4. 28. Jn 20:25,27. 29. Mk 16:19; Ac 1:9-11. 30. Ro 8:34; Heb 9:24. 31. Ac 10:42; Ro 14:9-10; Ac 1:11; 2Pe 2:4.
5. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God,(32) procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.(33)
32. Heb 9:14; 10:14; Ro 3:25-26. 33. Jn 17:2; Heb 9:15.
6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head;(34) and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,(35) being the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.(36) 34. 1Co 4:10; Heb 4:2; 1Pe 1:10-11. 35. Rev 13:8. 36. Heb 13:8.
7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature. Jn 3:13; Ac 20:28.
8. To all those for whom Christ hat obtained eternal redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them;(38) uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey,(39) governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit,(40) and overcoming all their enemies by His mighty power and wisdom,(41) in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition forseen in them to procure it. (42) 38. Jn 6:37; 10:15-16; 17:9; Ro 5:10. 39. Jn 17:6; Eph 1:9; 1Jn 5:20. 40. Ro 8:9,14. 41. Ps 110:1; 1Co 15:25-26. 42. Jn 3:8; Eph 1:8.
9. This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.
1Ti 2:5.
10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office;(44) and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need His priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God;(45) and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.(46)
44. Jn 1:18. 45. Col 1:21; Gal 5:17. 46. Jn 16:8; Ps 110:3; Lk 1:74-75.
Chapter 9 - Of Free Will
1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil. Mt 17:12; Jas 1:14; Dt 30:19.
2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God,(2) but yet was unstable, so that he might fall from it. (3) 2. Ecc 7:29. 3. Ge 3:6.
3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; (4) so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin,(5) is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.(6) 4. Ro 5:6; 8:7. 5. Eph 2:1,5. 6. Tit 3:3-5; Jn 6:44.
4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He freeth him from his natural bondage under sin,(7) and by His grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;(8) yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.(9) 7. Col 1:13; Jn 8:36. 8. Php 2:13. 9. Ro 7:15,18-19,21,23.
5. This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only. Eph 4:13.
Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Calling
1. Those whom God hath predestined unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,(1) by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ;(2) enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God;(3) taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh:(4) renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;(5) yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.(6) 1. Ro 8:30; 11:7; Eph 1:10-11, 2Th 2:13-14. 2. Eph 2:1-6. 3. Ac 26:18; Eph 1:17-18. 4. Eze 36:26. 5. Dt 30:6; Eze 36:27; Eph 1:19. 6. Ps 110:3; SS 1:4.
2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all forseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature,(7) being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit;(8) he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.(9)
7. 2Ti 1:9; Eph 2:8. 8. 1Co 2:14; Eph 2:5; Jn 5:25. 9. Eph 1:19-20.
3. Infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit;(10) who worketh when, and where, and how He pleaseth;(11) so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. 10. Jn 3:3,5-6. 11. Jn 3:8.
4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit,(12) yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:(13) much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess.(14) 12. Mt 22:14; 13:20-21; Heb 6:4-5. 13. Jn 6:44-45,65; 1Jn 2:24-25. 14. Ac 4:12; Jn 4:22; 17:3.
Chapter 11 - Of Justification
1. Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth,(1) not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;(2) not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;(3) not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in His death for their whole and sole righteousness,(4) they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.(5)
1. Ro 3:24; 8:30. 2. Ro 4:5-8; Eph 1:7. 3. 1Co 1:30-31; Ro 5:17-19. 4. Php 3:8-9; Eph 2:8-10. 5. Jn 1:12; Ro 5:17.
2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;(6) yet it is not alone in the person justified, but ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.(7) 6. Ro 3:28. 7. Gal 5:6; Jas 2:17,22,26.
3. Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf,(8); yet inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them,(9) their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.(10) 8. Heb 10:14; 1Pe 1:18-19; Isa 53:5-6. 9. Ro 8:32; 2Co 5:21. 10. Ro 3:26; Eph 1:6-7; 2:7.
4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, (11) and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;(12) nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.(13) 11. Gal 3:8; 1Pe 1:2; 1Ti 2:6. 12. Ro 4:25. 13. Col 1:21-22; Tit 3:4-7.
5. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified,(14) and although they can never fall from the state of justification,(15) yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure;(16) and in that condition they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.(17) 14. Mt 6:12; 1Jn 1:7,9. 15. Jn 10:28. 16. Ps 89:31-33. 17. Ps 32:5; Ps 51:1-19; Mt 26:75.
6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament. Gal 3:9; Ro 4:22-24.
Chapter 12 - Of Adoption
1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafed, in and for the sake of His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption,(1) by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of children of God,(2) have His name put on them,(3) receive the spirit of adoption,(4) have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father,(5) are pitied,(6) protected,(7) provided for,(8) and chastened by Him as by a Father,(9) yet never cast off,(10) but sealed to the day of redemption,(11) and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.(12) 1. Eph 1:5; Gal 4:4-5. 2. Jn 1:12; Ro 8:17. 3. 2Co 6:18; Rev 3:12. 4. Ro 8:15. 5. Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18. 6. Ps 103:13. 7. Pr 14:26. 8. 1Pe 5:7. 9. Heb 12:6. 10. Isa 54:8-9; La 3:31. 11. Eph 4:30. 12. Heb 1:14; 6:12.
Chapter 13 - Of Sanctification
1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally(1) through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them;(2) the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,(3) and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified,(4) and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,(5) to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.(6) 1. Ac 20:32; Ro 6:5-6. 2. Jn 17:17; Eph 3:16-19; 1Th 5:21-23. 3. Ro 6:14. 4. Gal 5:24. 5. Col 1:11. 6. 2Co 7:1; Heb 12:14.
2. This sanctification is throughout the whole man,(7) yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part,(8) when ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.(9) 7. 1Th 5:23. 8. Ro 7:18,23. 9. Gal 5:17; 1Pe 2:11.
3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail,(10) yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome;(11) and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them.(12) 10. Ro 7:23.
11. Ro 6:14. 12. Eph 4:15-16; 2Co 3:18; 7:1.
Chapter 14 - Of Saving Faith
1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,(1) and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;(2) by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened.(3) 1. 2Co 4:13; Eph 2:8. 2. Ro 10:14,17. 3. Lk 17:5; 1Pe 2:2; Ac 20:32.
2. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself,(4) and also apprehendeth an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world,(5) as it bears forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in His workings and operations: and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed;(6) and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,(7) trembling at the threatenings,(8) and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come;(9) but the principle acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.(10) 4. Ac 24:14. 5. Ps 19:7-10; 119:72. 6. 2Ti 1:12. 7. Jn 15:14. 8. Isa 66:2. 9. Heb 11:13. 10. Jn 1:12; Ac 16:31; Gal 2:20; Ac 15:11.
3. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong,(11) yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers;(12) and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,(13) growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ,(14) who is both the author and finisher of our faith. (15) 11. Heb 5:13-14; Mt 6:30; Ro 4:19-20. 12. 2Pe 1:1. 13. Eph 6:16; 1Jn 5:4-5. 14. Heb 6:11-12; Col 2:2. 15. Heb 12:2.
Chapter 15 - Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
1. Such of the elect as are converted in riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life. Tit 3:2-5.
2. Whereas there is none that doth good and sinneth not,(2) and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God hath, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.(3) 2. Ecc 7:20. 3. Lk 22:31-32.
3. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,(4) whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency,(5) praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things. (6) 4. Zec 12:10; Ac 11:18. 5. Eze 36:31; 2Co 7:11. 6. Ps 119:6,128.
4. As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.
Lk 19:8; 1Ti 1:13,15.
5. Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,(8) yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them that repent,(9) which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary. 8. Ro 6:23. 9. Isa 1:16-18; 55:7.
Chapter 16 - Of Good Works
1. Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word,(1) and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions.(2) 1. Mic 6:8; Heb 13:21.
2. Mt 15:9; Isa 29:13.
2. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;(3) and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,(4) strengthen their assurance,(5) edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel,(6) stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,(7) whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,(8) that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.(9) 3. Jas 2:18,22. 4. Ps 116:12-13. 5. 1Jn 2:3,5; 2Pe 1:5-11. 6. Mt 5:16. 7. 1Ti 6:1; 1Pe 2:15; Php 1:11. 8. Eph 2:10. 9. Ro 6:22.
3. Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ;(10) and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure;(11) yet they are not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.(12) 10. Jn 15:4-5. 11. 2Co 3:5; Php 2:13. 12. Php 2:12; Heb 6:11-12; Isa 64:7.
4. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do. Job 9:2-3; Gal 5:17; Lk 17:10.
5. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins;(14) but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because as they are good they proceed from His Spirit,(15) and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's punishment.(16) 14. Ro 3:20; Eph 2:8-9; Ro 4:6.
15. Gal 5:22-23. 16. Isa 64:6; Ps 143:2.
6. Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him;(17) not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight, but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.(18) 17. Eph 1:6; 1Pe 2:5. 18. Mt 25:21,23; Heb 6:10.
7. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and others;(19) yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith,(20) nor are done in a right manner according to the Word,(21) nor to a right end, the glory of God,(22) they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man meet to receive grace from God,(23) and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing to God.(24) 19. 2Ki 10:30; 1Ki 21:27,29. 20. Ge 4:5; Heb 11:4,6. 21. 1Co 13:1. 22. Mt 6:2,5. 23. Am 5:21-22; Ro 9:16; Tit 3:5. 24. Job 21:14-15; Mt 25:41-43.
Chapter 17 - Of The Perseverance Of The Saints
1. Those whom God hath accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, whence He still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality;(1) and tough many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them,(2) yet He is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.(3)
1. Jn 10:28-29; Php 1:6; 2Ti 2:19; 1Jn 2:19. 2. Ps 89:31-32; 1Co 11:32. 3. Mal 3:6.
2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election,(4) flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him,(5) the oath of God,(6) the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God wthin them,(7) and the nature of the covenant of grace;(8) from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. 4. Ro 8:30; 9:11,16. 5. Ro 5:9-10; Jn 14:19. 6. Heb 6:17-18. 7. 1Jn 3:9. 8. Jer 32:40.
3. And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein,(9) whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit,(10) come to have their graces and comforts impaired,(11) have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded,(12) hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgements upon themselves,(13) yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.(14) 9. Mt 26:70,72,74. 10. Isa 64:5,9; Eph 4:30. 11. Ps 51:10,12. 12. Ps 32:3-4. 13. 2Sa 12:14. 14. Lk 22:32,61-62.
Chapter 18 - Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
1. Although temporary believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish;(1) yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, (2) which hope shall never make them ashamed.(3) 1. Job 8:13-14; Mt 7:22-23. 2. 1Jn 2:3; 3:14,18-19,21,24; 5:13. 3. Ro 5:2,5.
2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith(4) founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel;(5) and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made,(6) and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God;(7) and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy.(8) 4. Heb 6:11,19. 5. Heb 6:17-18. 6. 2Pe 1:4-5,10-11. 7. Ro 8:15-16. 8. 1Jn 3:1-3.
3. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be a partaker of it; (9) yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of means, attain thereunto:(10) and therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; (11)- so far is it from inclining men to looseness.(12) 9. Isa 50:10; Ps 88:1-18; Ps 77:1-12. 10. 1Jn 4:13; Heb 6:11-12. 11. Ro 5:1-2,5; 14:17; Ps 119:32. 12. Ro 6:1-2; Tit 2:11-12,14.
4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving of it,(13) by falling into some special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit;(14) by some sudden or vehement temptation,(15) by God's withdrawing the light of His countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light,(16) yet are they never destitute of the seed of God(17) and life of faith,(18) that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived,(19) and by the which, in the meantime, they are preserved from utter despair.(20) 13. SS 5:2-3,6. 14. Ps 51:8,12,14. 15. Ps 116:11; 77:7-8; 31:22. 16. Ps 30:7. 17. 1Jn 3:9. 18. Lk 22:32. 19. Ps 42:5,11. 20. La 3:26-31.
Chapter 19 - Of the Law of God
1. God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;(1) by which He bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience;(2) promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.(3) 1. Ge 1:27; Ecc 7:29. 2. Ro 10:5. 3. Gal 3:10,12.
2. The same law that was first written in the heart of man continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall, (4) and was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the four first containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our duty to man.(5) 4. Ro 2:14-15. 5. Dt 10:4.
3. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits;(6) and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties,(7) all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished with power from the Father for that end abrogated and taken away.(8) 6. Heb 10:1; Col 2:17. 7. 1Co 5:7. 8. Col 2:14,16-17; Eph 2:14,16.
4. To them also He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being for modern use.
1Co 9:8-10.
5. The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof,(10) and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; (11) neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.(12)
10. Ro 13:8-10; Jas 2:8,10-12. 11. Jas 2:10-11. 12. Mt 5:17-19; Ro 3:31.
6. Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, (13) yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin;(14) together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of His obedience: it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatening of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. These promises of it likewise shew them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.(15) 13. Ro 6:14; Gal 2:16; Ro 8:1; 10:4. 14. Ro 3:20; 7:7-25. 15. Ro 6:12-14; 1Pe 3:8-13.
7. Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it, (16) the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.(17) 16. Gal 3:21. 17. Eze 36:27.
Chapter 20 - Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof
1. The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them faith and repentance; (1) in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and [is] therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners.(2) 1. Ge 3:15. 2. Rev 13:8.
2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by Him, is revealed only by the Word of God;(3) neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by Him, so much as in a general or obscure way;(4) much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance.(5) 3. Ro 1:17.
4. Ro 10:14-15,17. 5. Pr 29:18; Isa 25:7; 60:2-3.
3. The revelation of the gospel unto sinners, made in divers times and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God;(6) not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever did make, or can do so;(7) and therefore in all ages, the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God. 6. Ps 147:20; Ac 16:7. 7. Ro 1:18-32.
4. Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life;(8) without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God.(9) 8. Ps 110:3; 1Co 2:14; Eph 1:19-20. 9. Jn 6:44; 2Co. 4:4,6.
Chapter 21 - Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigour and curse of the law,(1) and in their being delivered from this present evil world,(2) bondage to Satan,(3) and dominion of sin,(4) from the evil of afflictions,(5) the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave,(6) and everlasting damnation:(7) as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear,(8) but a child-like love and willing mind.(9)
All which were common also to believers under the law for the substance of them,(10) but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of a ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.(11) 1. Gal 3:13. 2. Gal 1:4. 3. Ac 26:18. 4. Ro 8:3. 5. Ro 8:28.
6. 1Co 15:54-57. 7. 2Th 1:10. 8. Ro 8:15. 9. Lk 1:73-75; 1Jn 4:18. 10. Gal 3:9,14. 11. Jn 7:38-39; Heb 10:19-21.
2. God alone is Lord of the conscience,(12) and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to His Word, or not contained in it. (13) So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, it so betray true liberty of conscience,(14) and the requiring of an implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also.(15) 12. Jas 4:12; Ro 14:4. 13. Ac 4:19,29; 1Co 7:23; Mt 15:9. 14. Col 2:20,22-23. 15. 1Co 3:5; 2Co 1:24.
3. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction,(16) so they wholly destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives.(17) 16. Ro 6:1-2. 17. Gal 5:13; 2Pe 2:18,21.
Chapter 22 - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
1. The light of nature shews that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.(1) But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by Himself,(2) and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.(3)
1. Jer 10:7; Mk 12:33. 2. Dt 12:32. 3. Ex 20:4-6.
2. Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone;(4) not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;(5) and since the fall, not without a mediator,(6) nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone.(7) 4. Mt 4:9-10; Jn 6:23; Mt 28:19. 5. Ro 1:25; Col 2:18; Rev 19:10. 6. Jn 14:6. 7. 1Ti 2:5.
3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one part of natural worship, is by God required of all men.(8) But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son,(9) by the help of the Spirit,(10) according to His will;(11) with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and when with others , in a known tongue. (12) 8. Ps 95:1-7; 65:2. 9. Jn 14:13-14. 10. Ro 8:26. 11. 1Jn 5:14. 12. 1Co 14:16-17.
4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter;(13) but not for the dead,(14) not for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.(15) 13. 1Ti 2:1-2; 2Sa 7:29. 14. 2Sa 12:21-23. 15. 1Jn 5:16.
5. The reading of the Scriptures,(16) preaching, and hearing the Word of God,(17) teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord;(18) as also the administration of baptism,(19) and the Lord's supper,(20) are all parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to Him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover, solemn humiliation, with fastings,(21) and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.(22) 16. 1Ti 4:13. 17. 2Ti 4:2; Lk 8:18.
18. Col 3:16; Eph 5:19. 19. Mt 28:19-20. 20. 1Co. 11:26. 21. Est 4:16; Joel 2:12.
22. Ex 15:1-19; Ps 107:1-43.
6. Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth;(23) as in private families(24) daily,(25) and in secret each one by himself;(26) so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by His word or providence calleth thereto.(27) 23. Jn 4:21; Mal 1:11; 1Ti 2:8. 24. Ac 10:2. 25. Mt 6:11; Ps 55:17. 26. Mt 6:6. 27. Heb 10:25; Ac 2:42.
7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by His Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto Him,(28) which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: (29) and is to be continued to the end of the world as a Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.
28. Ex 20:8. 29. 1Co 16:1-2; Ac 20:7; Rev 1:10.
8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations,(30) but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. (31) 30. Isa 58:13; Ne 13:15-22. 31. Mt 12:1-13.
Chapter 23 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgment, solemnly calleth God to witness what he sweareth,(1) and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof(2) 1. Ex 20:7; Dt 10:20; Jer 4:2. 2. 2Ch 6:22-23.
2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred;(3) yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the Word of God;(4) so a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.(5) 3. Mt 5:34,37; Jas 5:12. 4. Heb 6:16; 2Co 1:23. 5. Ne 13:25.
3. Whosoever taketh an oath warranted by the Word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he knoweth to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths, the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns. Lev 19:12; Jer 23:10.
4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.(7) Ps 24:4.
5. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness;(8) but popish monastical vows of perpetual single life,(9) professed poverty,(10) and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.(11) 8. Ps 76:11; Ge 28:20-22. 9. 1Co 7:2,9. 10. Eph 4:28. 11. Mt 19:11.
Chapter 24 - Of the Civil Magistrate
1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under Him, over the people, for His own glory and the public good; and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for defence and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment of evil doers.(1) Ro 13:1-4.
2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto; in the management whereof, as they ought especially to maintain justice and peace,(2) according to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth, so for that end they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions.(3) 2. 2Sa 23:3; Ps 82:3-4.
3. Lk 3:14.
3. Civil magistrates being set up by God for the ends aforesaid; subjection, in all lawful things commanded by them, ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake;(4) and we ought to make supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.(5)
4. Ro 13:5-7; 1Pe 2:17. 5. 1Ti 2:1-2.
Chapter 25 - Of Marriage
1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.(1)
1. Ge 2:24; Mal 2:15; Mt 19:5-6.
2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,(2) for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue,(3) and for preventing uncleanness.(4) 2. Ge 2:18. 3. Ge 1:28. 4. 1Co 7:2,9.
3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent;(5) yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;(6) and therefore such as profess the true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolators; neither should such as are godly, be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy.(7) 5. Heb 13:4; 1Ti 4:3. 6. 1Co 7:39. 7. Ne 13:25-27.
4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the Word;(8) nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.(9) 8. Lev 18:1-30. 9. Mk 6:18; 1Co 5:1.
Chapter 26 - Of the Church
{This is one of the major areas of protestant influence. Historic Landmark Baptists do not follow some of these ideas.}
1. The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.(1) 1. Heb 12:23; Col 1:18; Eph 1:10,22-23; 5:23,27,32.
2. All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any error everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints;(2) and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.(3) 2. 1Co 1:2; Ac 11:26. 3. Ro 1:7; Eph 1:20-22.
3. The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error;(4) and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan;(5) nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in Him, and make profession of His name.(6) 4. 1Co 5:1-13; Rev 2:1-29; 3:1-22. 5. Rev 18:2; 2Th 2:11-12.
6. Mt 16:18; Ps 72:17; 102:28; Rev 12:17.
4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father all power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner;(7) neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.(8)
7. Col 1:18; Mt 28:18-20; Eph 4:11-12. 8. 2Th 2:2-9.
5. In the execution of this power wherewith He is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto Himself, through the ministry of His Word, by His Spirit, those that are given unto Him by His Father,(9) that they may walk before Him in all the ways of obedience, which He prescribeth to them in His Word.(10) Those thus called, He commandeth to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which He requireth of them in the world.(11) 9. Jn 10:16; 12:32. 10. Mt 28:20. 11. Mt 18:15-20.
6. The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ;(12) and do willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.(13)
12. Ro 1:7; 1Co 1:2. 13. Ac 2:41-42; 5:13-14; 2Co 9:13.
7. To each of these churches thus gathered, according to His mind declared in His Word, He hath given all that power and authority, which is in any way needful for their carrying on that order in worship and discipline, which He hath instituted for them to observe; with commands and rules for the due and right exerting, and executing of that power.(14) Mt 18:17-18; 1Co 5:4-5; 5:13; 2Co 2:6-8.
8. A particular church, gathered and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which He entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.(15) 15. Ac 20:17,28; Php 1:1.
9. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself;(16) and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein;(17) and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.(18)
16. Ac 14:23. 17. 1Ti 4:14. 18. Ac 6:3,5-6.
10. The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in His churches, in the ministry of the Word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him;(19) it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things, according to their ability,(20) so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs;(21) and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others;(22) and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.(23) 19. Ac 6:4; Heb 13:17. 20. 1Ti 5:17-18; Gal 6:6-7. 21. 2Ti 2:4. 22. 1Ti 3:2.
23. 1Co 9:6-14.
11. Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the Word, by way of office, yet the work of preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.(24) Ac 11:19-21; 1Pe 4:10-11.
12. As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular churches, when and where they have opportunity so to do; so all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church, are also under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule of Christ.(25) 1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:6,14-15.
13. No church members, upon any offence taken by them, having performed their duty required of them towards the person they are offended at, ought to disturb any church-order, or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church, or administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ, in the further proceedings of the church. (26) Mt 18:15-17; Eph 4:2-3.
14. As each church, and all the members of it, are bound to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ,(27) in all places, and upon all occasions to further every one within the bounds of their places and callings, in the exercise of their gifts and graces, so the churches, when planted by the providence of God, so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it, ought to hold communion among themselves, for their peace, increase of love, and mutual edification.(28) 27. Eph 6:18; Ps 122:6. 28. Ro 16:1-2; 3Jn 8-10.
15. In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, wherein either the churches in general are concerned, or any one church, in their peace, union, and edification; or any member or members of any church are injured, in or by any proceedings in censures not agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do, by their messengers, meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned;(29) howbeit these messengers assembled, are not intrusted with any church-power properly so called; or with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves, to exercise any censures either over any churches or persons; or to impose their determination on the churches or officers.(30) 29. Ac 15:2,4,6,22-23,25. 30. 2Co 1:24; 1Jn 4:1.
Chapter 27 - Of the Communion of Saints
1. All saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by His Spirit, and faith, although they are not made thereby one person with Him, have fellowship in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory;(1) and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each others gifts and graces,(2) and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.(3) 1. 1Jn 1:3; Jn 1:16; Php 3:10; Ro 6:5-6. 2. Eph 4:15-16; 1Co 12:7; 3:21-23. 3. 1Th 5:11,14; Ro 1:12; 1Jn 3:17-18; Gal 6:10.
2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification;(4) as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities, and necessities;(5) which communion, according to the rule of the gospel, though especially to be exercised by them, in the relation wherein they stand, whether in families,(6) or churches,(7) yet, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended to all the household of faith, even all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus; nevertheless their communion one with another as saints, doth not take away or infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions.(8)
4. Heb 10:24-25; 3:12-13. 5. Ac 11:29-30. 6. Eph 6:4. 7. 1Co 12:14-27. 8. Ac 5:4; Eph 4:28.
Chapter 28 - Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
1. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be continued in His church to the end of the world.(1)
1. Mt 28:19-20; 1Co 11:26.
2. These holy appointments are to be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ.(2) Mt 28:19; 1Co 4:1.
Chapter 29 - Of Baptism
1. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with Him, in His death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into Him;(1) of remission of sins;(2) and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.(3) 1. Ro 6:3-5; Col 2:12; Gal 3:27. 2. Mk 1:4; Ac 22:16. 3. Ro 6:4.
2. Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.(4) Mk 16:16; Ac 8:36-37; 2:41; 8:12; 18:8.
3. The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.(5) Mt 28:19-20; Ac 8:38.
4. Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance.(6) 6. Mt 3:16, Jn 3:23.
Chapter 30 - Of the Lord's Supper
1. The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by Him the same night wherein He was betrayed, to be observed in His churches, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and shewing forth the sacrifice of Himself in His death,(1) confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment, and growth in Him, their further engagement in, and to all duties which they owe to Him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with Him, and with each other.(2) 1. 1Co 11:23-26. 2. 1Co 10:16-17,21.
2. In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to His Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick or dead, but only a memorial of that one offering up of Himself by Himself upon the cross, once for all;(3) and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same.(4) So that the popish sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most abominable, injurious to Christ's own sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect. 3. Heb 9:25-26,28.
4. 1Co 11:24; Mt 26:26-27.
3. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to a holy use, and to take and break the bread; to take the cup, and, they communicating also themselves, to give both to the communicants.(5) 1Co 11:23-26.
4. The denial of the cup to the people, worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and reserving them for any pretended religious use, are all contrary to the nature of this ordinance, and to the institution of Christ.(6) Mt 26:26-28; 15:9; Ex 20:4-5.
5. The outward elements in this ordinance, duly set apart to the use ordained by Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that truly, although in terms used figuratively, they are sometimes called by the names of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ,(7) albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.(8) 7. 1Co 11:27.
8. 1Co 11:26-28.
6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ's body and blood, commonly called transubstantiation, by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant not to Scripture alone,(9) but even to common sense and reason, overthroweth the nature of the ordinance, and hath been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.(10) 9. Ac 3:21; Lk 24:6,39.
10. 1Co 11:24-25.
7. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do them also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of His death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.(11) 1Co 10:16; 11:23-26.
8. All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Christ, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table, and cannot, without great sin against Him, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto;(12) yea, whosoever shall receive unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and drinking judgment to themselves.(13)
12. 2Co 6:14-15. 13. 1Co 11:29; Mt 7:6.
Chapter 31 - Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
1. The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption(1) but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them.(2) The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies;(3) and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day;(4) besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none. 1. Ge 3:19; Ac 13:36. 2. Ecc 12:7.
3. Lk 23:43; 2Co 5:1,6,8; Php 1:23, Heb 12:23. 4. Jude 6-7; 1Pe 3:19; Lk 16:23-24.
2. At the last day, such of the saints as are found alive, shall not sleep, but be changed;(5) and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other;(6) although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.(7) 5. 1Co 15:51-52; 1Th 4:17. 6. Job 19:26-27. 7. 1Co 15:42-43.
3. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, unto honour, and be made conformable to His own glorious body.
8. Ac 24:15; Jn 5:28-29; Php 3:21.
Chapter 32 Of the Last Judgment
1. God hath appointed a day wherein He will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ;(1) to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,(2) but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.(3) 1. Ac 17:31; Jn 5:22, 27. 2. 1Co 6:3; Jude 6.
3. 2Co 5:10; Ecc 12:14; Mt 12:36; Ro 14:10,12; Mt 25:32-46.
2. The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient:(4) for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, (5) and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.(6) 4. Ro 9:22-23. 5. Mt 25:21,34; 2Ti 4:8. 6. Mt 25:46; Mk 9:48; 2Th 1:7-10.
3. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin,(7) and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity,(8) so will He have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come,(9) and may ever be prepared to say, "Come Lord Jesus; come quickly".(10) Amen.
7. 2Co 5:10-11. 8. 2Th 1:5-7. 9. Mk 13:35-37; Lk 12:35-40. 10. Rev 22:20.
A Confession of Faith Put Forth by the Elders and Brethren Of Many Congregations of Christians
(Baptized upon Profession of their Faith) In London and the Country Adopted by the Baptist Association Met at Philadelphia September 25, 1742
To which are added Two Chapters, viz.
Of Laying on of Hands, and Of Singing of Psalms in Public Worship
It is apparent to me in reading the history of the Associational churches that they were using the 1689 London Confession of Faith here in North America. We can find this from the Philadelphia Associational minutes. This note, taken from 1724, states: "We refer to the Confession of faith, set forth by the elders and brethren met in London, 1689, and owned by us...."
On September 25, 1742 "the elders and messengers of the baptized congregations in Pennsylvannia and the Jerseys, met in Association at Philadelphia..." In that meeting "a motion was made in the Association for reprinting the Confession faith, set forth by the elders of baptized congregations, met in London, A.D. 1689, with a short treatise of church disipline, to be annexed to the Confession of faith" These notes are taken from the "Minutes of The Philadelphia Assoication from 1707 to 1807," edited by A.D. Gillette. The following is a copy of each article then printed by Benjamin Franklin in 1743.
Pastor John F. Daniel's, of the Free Baptist Church of Limerick, in Maine, provided a digital copy of the these articles.
Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scriptures
1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience;1 although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary unto salvation.2 Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times, and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His church;3 and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment, and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.4
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these:
Of the Old Testament:
Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Of the New Testament:
Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation
3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of than other human writings.5
4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church, but wholly upon God, (who is truth itself) the author thereof; therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.6
5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God, to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole, (which is to give all glory to God) the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet, notwithstanding our full persuasion, and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.7
6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down, or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.8 Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word,9 and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies; which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.10
7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;11 yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.12
8. The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the native language of the people of God of old),13 and the New Testament in Greek, which (at the time of the writing of it) was most generally known to the nations, being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them.14 But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto; and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read15 and search them,16 therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar [ie. common] language of every nation, unto which they come,17 that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may hope.18
9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture, (which is not manifold but one) it must be searched by other places, that speak more clearly.19
10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved.20 1. 2Ti 3:15-17; Isa 8:20; Lk 16:29,31; Eph 2:20.
2. Ro 1:19-21; 2:14-15; Ps 19:1-3. 3. Heb 1:1. 4. Pr 22:19-21; Ro 15:4; 2Pe 1:19-20. 5. Lk 24:27,44; Ro 3:2. 6. 2Pe 1:19-21; 2Ti 3:16; 2Th 2:13; 1Jn 5:9. 7. Jn 16:13-14; 1Co 2:10-12, 1Jn 2:20,27.
8. 2Ti 3:15-17; Gal 1:8-9. 9. Jn 6:45; 1Co 2:9-12. 10. 1Co 11:13-14; 14:26,40. 11. 2Pe 3:16.
12. Ps 19:7; 119:130. 13. Ro 3:2. 14. Isa 8:20. 15. Ac 15:15. 16. Jn 5:39. 17. 1Co 14:6,9,11-12,24,28. 18. Col 3:16. 19. 2Pe 1:20-21; Ac 15:15-16. 20. Mt 22:29,31-32; Eph 2:20; Ac 28:23.
Chapter 2 - Of God and of the Holy Trinity
11. THE LORD OUR GOD is but one only living, and true God;1 whose subsistence is in and of Himself,2 infinite in being and perfections, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;3 a most pure spirit,4 invisible, without body, parts or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto,5 who is immutable, immense,7 eternal,8 incomprehensible, almighty,9 every way infinite, most holy,10 most wise, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,11 for His own glory,12 most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,13 and withal most just, and terrible in His judgements,14 hating all sin,15 and will by no means clear the guilty.16
12. God, having all life,17 glory,18 goodness,19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in, and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them, He is the alone fountain of all being of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth;22 in His sight all things are open and manifest,23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain,24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,26 service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.
13. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word (or Son), and Holy Spirit,27 of one substance, power and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided;28 the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father,29 the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son,30 all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties, and personal relations which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
1. 1Co 8:4,6; Dt 6:4. 2. Jer 10:10; Isa 48:12. 3. Ex 3:14. 4. Jn 4:24. 5. 1Ti 1:17; Dt 4:15-16.
6. Mal 3:6. 7. 1Ki 8:27; Jer 23:23. 8. Ps 90:2. 9. Ge 17:1. 10. Isa 6:3. 11. Ps 115:3; Isa 46:10.
12. Pr 16:4; Ro 11:36. 13. Ex 34:6-7; Heb 11:6. 14. Ne 9:32-33. 15. Ps 5:5-6. 16. Ex 34:7; Na 1:2-3. 17. Jn 5:26. 18. Ps 148:13. 19. Ps 119:68. 20. Job 22:2-3. 21. Ro 11:34-36. 22. Da 4:25,34-35. 23. Heb 4:13. 24. Eze 11:5; Ac 15:18. 25. Ps 145:17. 26. Rev 5:12-14. 27. 1Jn 5:7; Mt 28:19; 2Co 13:14. 28. Ex 3:14; Jn 14:11; 1Co 8:6. 29. Jn 1:14,18. 30. Jn 15:26; Gal 4:6.
Chapter 3 - Of God's Decree
14. God hath decreed in Himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever come to pass;1 yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin, nor hath fellowship with any therein,2 nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty, or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established,3 in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.4
15. Although God knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions;5 yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.6
16. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life, through Jesus Christ,7 to the praise of His glorious grace;8 others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.9
17. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain, and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.10
18. Those of mankind that are predestined to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love;11 without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.12
19. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto,13 wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,14 are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,15 and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;16 neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.17
20. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination, is to be handled with special prudence and care; that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election;18 so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,19 reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,20 diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.21
1. Isa 46:10; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:17; Ro 9:15,18. 2. Jas 1:13; 1Jn 1:5. 3. Ac 4:27-28; Jn 19:11.
4. Nu. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5. 5. Ac 15:18. 6. Ro 9:11,13,16,18. 7. 1Ti 5:21; Mt 25:34.
8. Eph 1:5-6. 9. Ro 9:22-23; Jude 4. 10. 2Ti 2:19; Jn 13:18. 11. Eph 1:4,9,11; Ro 8:30; 2Ti 1:9; 1Th 5:9. 12. Ro 9:13,16; Eph 2:5,12. 13. 1Pe 1:2; 2Th 2:13. 14. 1Th 5:9-10. 15. Ro 8:30; 2Th 2:13. 16. 1Pe 1:5. 17. Jn 10:26; 17:9; 6:64. 18. 1Th 1:4-5; 2Pe 1:10. 19. Eph 1:6; Ro 11:33. 20. Ro. 11:5-6,20.
21. Lk 10:20.
Chapter 4 - Of Creation
21. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,1 for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power,2 wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible, or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.3
22. After God hath made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,4 with reasonable and immortal souls,5 rendering them fit unto that life to God, for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;6 having the law of God written in their hearts,7 and power to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.8
23. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;9 which whilst they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.10 1. Jn 1:2-3; Heb 1:2; Job 26:13. 2. Ro 1:20. 3. Col 1:16; Ge 1:31. 3. Col 1:16; Ge 1:31. 4. Ge 1:27. 5. Ge 2:7. 6. Ecc 7:29; Ge 1:26. 7. Ro 2:14-15. 8. Ge 3:6. 9. Ge 2:17.
10. Ge 1:26,28.
Chapter 5 - Of Divine Providence
24. God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things,1 from the greatest even to the least,2 by His most wise and holy Providence, to the end for which they were created, according unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.3
25. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly;4 so that there is not anything befalls any by chance, or without His Providence;5 yet by the same Providence He ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.6
26. God, in His ordinary Providence maketh use of means;7 yet is free to work without,8 above,9 and against them10 at His pleasure.
27. The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in His Providence, that His determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men;11 (and that not by a bare permission) which also He most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth, and governeth,12 in a manifold dispensation to His most holy ends;13 yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.14
28. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holy ends,15 so that whatsoever befalls any of His elect is by His appointment, for His glory and their good.16
29. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God, as the righteous judge, for former sin doth blind and harden;17 from them He not only withholdeth His grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding, and wrought upon in their hearts;18 but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had,19 and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin;20 and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, and the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,21 whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.22
30. As the Providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a more special manner it taketh care of His Church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof.23 1. Heb 1:3; Job 38:11; Isa 46:10-11; Ps 135:6. 2. Mt 10:29-31. 3. Eph 1:11. 4. Ac 2:23. 5. Pr 16:33. 6. Ge 8:22. 7. Ac 27:31,44; Isa 55:10-11. 8. Hos 1:7. 9. Ro 4:19-21. 10. Da 3:27. 11. Ro 11:32-34; 2Sa 24:1; 1Ch 21:1. 12. 2Ki 19:28; Ps 76:10. 13. Ge 1:20; Isa 10:6-7,12. 14. Ps 50:21; 1Jn 2:16. 15. 2Ch 32:25-26,31; 2Co 12:7-9. 16. Ro 8:28. 17. Ro 1:24-26,28; 11:7-8. 18. Dt 29:4. 19. Mt 13:12. 20. Dt 2:30; 2Kn 8:12-13.
21. Ps 81:11-12; 2Th 2:10-12. 22. Ex 8:15,32; Isa 6:9-10; 1Pe 2:7-8. 23. 1Ti 4:10; Am 9:8-9; Isa 43:3-5.
Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
31. Although God created man upright, and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death upon the breach thereof;1 yet he did not long abide in this honour; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion, did willlfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit;2 which God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it, to His own glory.
32. Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby death came upon all;3 all becoming dead in sin,4 and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of the soul and
body.5
33. They being the root, and, by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation,6 being now conceived in sin,7 and by nature children of wrath,8 the servants of sin, the subjects of death,9 and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.10
34. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil,11 do proceed all actual transgressions.12
35. The corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated;13 and although it be through Christ pardoned, and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.14 1. Ge 2:16-17. 2. Ge 3:12-13; 2Co 11:3. 3. Ro 3:23. 4. Ro 5:12-21.
5. Tit 1:15; Ge 6:5; Jer 17:9; Ro 3:10-19. 6. Ro 5:12-19; 1Co 15:21-22,45,49. 7. Ps 51:5; Job 14:4.
8. Eph 2:3. 9. Ro 6:20; 5:12. 10. Heb 2:14-15; 1Th 1:10. 11. Ro 8:7; Col 1:21.
12. Jas 1:14-15; Mt 15:19. 13. Ro 7:18,23; Ecc 7:20; 1Jn 1:8. 14. Ro 7:23-25; Gal 5:17.
Chapter 7 - Of God's Covenant
36. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express, by way of covenant.1
37. Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace,2 wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they might be saved;3 and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.4
38. This covenant is revealed in the gospel first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman,5 and afterwards by farther steps, until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament;6 and it is founded in that eternal covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect;7 and it is alone by the grace of this covenant that all of the posterity of fallen Adam, that ever were saved did obtain life and blessed immortality; man being now utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.8
1. Lk 17:10; Job 35:7-8. 2. Ge 2:17; Gal.3:10; Ro 3:20-21. 3. Ro 8:3; Mk 16:15-16; Jn 3:16. 4. Eze 36:26-27; Jn 6:44-45; Ps 110:3. 5. Ge 3:15. 6. Heb 1:1. 7. 2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2. 8. Heb 11:6,13; Ro 4:1-2; Ac 4:12; Jn 8:56.
Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator
39. It pleased God in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the Mediator between God and man;1 the Prophet,2 Priest3 and King;4 head and Saviour of His church,5 the heir of all things,6 and judge of the world;7 unto whom He did from all eternity give a people to be His seed, and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.8
40. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance, and equal with Him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things He hath made; did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof,9 yet without sin;10 being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures:11 so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.12
41. The Lord Jesus in His human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure;13 having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;14 in whom it pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell15 to the end, that being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace, and truth,17 He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator, and surety;18 which office He took not upon Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father;19 who also put all power and judgement in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.20
42. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,21 which that He might discharge He was made under the law,22 and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered,23 being made sin and a curse for us;24 enduring most grievous sorrows in His soul; and most painful sufferings in His body;25 was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead; yet saw no corruption:26 on the third day He arose from the dead,27 with the same body in which he suffered;28 with which He also ascended into heaven;29 and there sitteth on the right hand of His Father, making intercession;30 and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.31
43. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God,32 procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.33
44. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ, till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof was communicated to the elect in all ages successively, from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent's head;34 and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world:35 being the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.36
45. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature, is sometimes in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.37
46. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply, and communicate the same; making intercession for them;38 uniting them to Himself by His Spirit; revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mystery of salvation; persuading them to believe, and obey;39 governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit,40 and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom;41 in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful, and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition forseen in them, to procure it.42
47. This office of Mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be, either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.43
48. 10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance we stand in need of His prophetical office;44 and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need His priestly office, to reconcile us, and present us acceptable unto God;45 and in respect of our averseness, and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue, and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office, to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.46 1. Isa 42:1; 1Pe 1:19-20. 2. Ac 3:22. 3. Heb 5:5-6. 4. Ps 2:6; Lk 1:33.
5. Eph 1:22-23. 6. Heb 1:2. 7. Ac 17:31. 8. Isa 53:10; Jn 17:6; Ro 8:30. 9. Jn 1:14; Gal 4:4.
10. Ro 8:3; Heb 2:14,16-17; 4:15. 11. Mt 1:22-23; Lk 1:27,31,35. 12. Ro 9:5; 1Ti 2:5. 13. Ps 45:7; Ac 10:38; Jn 3:34. 14. Col 2:3. 15. Col 1:19. 16. Heb 7:26. 17. Jn 1:14. 18. Heb 7:22. 19. Heb 5:5. 20. Jn 5:22,27; Mt 28:18; Ac 2:36. 21. Ps 40:7-8; Heb 10:5-10; Jn 10:18. 22. Gal 4:4; Mt 3:15.
23. Gal 3:13; Isa 53:6; 1Pe 3:18. 24. 2Co 5:21. 25. Mt 26:37-38; Lk 22:44; Mt 27:46. 26. Ac 13:37. 27. 1Co 15:3-4. 28. Jn 20:25,27. 29. Mk 16:19; Ac 1:9-11. 30. Ro 8:34; Heb 9:24. 31. Ac 10:42; Ro 14:9-10; Ac 1:11; 2Pe 2:4. 32. Heb 9:14; 10:14; Ro 3:25-26. 33. Jn 17:2; Heb 9:15. 34. 1Co 4:10; Heb 4:2; 1Pe 1:10-11. 35. Rev 13:8. 36. Heb 13:8. 37. Jn 3:13; Ac 20:28. 38. Jn 6:37; 10:15-16; 17:9; Ro 5:10. 39. Jn 17:6; Eph 1:9; 1Jn 5:20. 40. Ro 8:9,14. 41. Ps 110:1; 1Co 15:25-26. 42. Jn 3:8; Eph 1:8. 43. 1Ti 2:5. 44. Jn 1:18. 45. Col 1:21; Gal 5:17. 46. Jn 16:8; Ps 110:3; Lk 1:74-75.
Chapter 9 - Of Free Will
49. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.1
50. Man, in his state of innocency had freedom, and power, to will, and to do, that which was good, and well-pleasing to God;2 but yet was mutable, so that he might fall from it.3
51. Man, by his fall unto a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation;4 so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin,5 is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto.6
52. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He freeth him from his natural bondage under sin,7 and by His grace alone, enables him freely to will, and do that which is spiritually good;8 yet so that, by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.9
53. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.10
1. Mt 17:12; Jas 1:14; Dt 30:19. 2. Ecc 7:29. 3. Ge 3:6. 4. Ro 5:6; 8:7. 5. Eph 2:1,5. 6. Tit 3:3-5; Jn 6:44. 7. Col 1:13; Jn 8:36. 8. Php 2:13. 9. Ro 7:15,18-19,21,23. 10. Eph 4:13.
Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Calling
54. Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time effectually to call1 by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ;2 enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God3 taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh;4 renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;5 yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.6
55. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all forseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature,7 co-working with His special grace; the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit,8 he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.9
56. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit,10 who worketh when and where, and how He pleaseth;11 so also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
57. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit;12 yet, not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will, nor can truly come to Christ; and therefore cannot be saved:13 much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess.14 1. Ro 8:30; 11:7; Eph 1:10-11, 2Th 2:13-14. 2. Eph 2:1-6.
3. Ac 26:18; Eph 1:17-18. 4. Eze 36:26. 5. Dt 30:6; Eze 36:27; Eph 1:19. 6. Ps 110:3; SS 1:4.
7. 2Ti 1:9; Eph 2:8. 8. 1Co 2:14; Eph 2:5; Jn 5:25. 9. Eph 1:19-20. 10. Jn 3:3,5-6. 11. Jn 3:8.
12. Mt 22:14; 13:20-21; Heb 6:4-5. 13. Jn 6:44-45,65; 1Jn 2:24-25. 14. Ac 4:12; Jn 4:22; 17:3.
Chapter 11 - Of Justification
58. Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth,1 not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons, as righteous;2 not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;3 not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in His death, for their whole and sole righteousness;4 they receiving, and resting on Him, and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves: it is the gift of God.5
59. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:6 yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.7
60. Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did by the sacrifice of Himself, in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf;8 yet, inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them,9 their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.10
61. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12 nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them.13
62. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;14 and although they can never fall from the state of justification,15 yet they may by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure;16 and in that condition, they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.17
63. The justification of believers under the Old Testament, was in all these respects one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.18 1. Ro 3:24; 8:30. 2. Ro 4:5-8; Eph 1:7.
3. 1Co 1:30-31; Ro 5:17-19. 4. Php 3:8-9; Eph 2:8-10. 5. Jn 1:12; Ro 5:17. 6. Ro 3:28.
7. Gal 5:6; Jas 2:17,22,26. 8. Heb 10:14; 1Pe 1:18-19; Isa 53:5-6. 9. Ro 8:32; 2Co 5:21.
10. Ro 3:26; Eph 1:6-7; 2:7. 11. Gal 3:8; 1Pe 1:2; 1Ti 2:6. 12. Ro 4:25. 12. Ro 4:25. 13. Col 1:21-22; Tit 3:4-7. 14. Mt 6:12; 1Jn 1:7,9. 15. Jn 10:28. 16. Ps 89:31-33. 17. Ps 32:5; Ps 51:1-19; Mt 26:75.
18. Gal 3:9; Ro 4:22-24.
Chapter 12 - Of Adoption
64. 1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafed in and for the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption;1 by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of children of God;2 have His name put on them,3 receive the spirit of adoption,4 have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father;5 are pitied,6 protected,7 provided for,8 and chastened by Him as by a Father;9 yet never cast off,10 but sealed, to the day of redemption,11 and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.12 1. Eph 1:5; Gal 4:4-5. 2. Jn 1:12; Ro 8:17.
3. 2Co 6:18; Rev 3:12. 4. Ro 8:15. 5. Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18. 6. Ps 103:13. 7. Pr 14:26. 8. 1Pe 5:7.
9. Heb 12:6. 10. Isa 54:8-9; La 3:31. 11. Eph 4:30. 12. Heb 1:14; 6:12.
Chapter 13 - Of Sanctification
65. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection; are also further sanctified, really and personally,1 through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them;2 the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,3 and the several lusts thereof, are more and more weakened and mortified;4 and they more and more quickened, and strengthened in all saving graces,5 to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.6
66. This sanctification is throughout in the whole man,7 yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part,8 whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.9
67. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail10 yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome;11 and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them.12 1. Ac 20:32; Ro 6:5-6. 2. Jn 17:17; Eph 3:16-19; 1Th 5:21-23. 3. Ro 6:14. 4. Gal 5:24.
5. Col 1:11. 6. 2Co 7:1; Heb 12:14. 7. 1Th 5:23. 8. Ro 7:18,23. 9. Gal 5:17; 1Pe 2:11. 10. Ro 7:23. 11. Ro 6:14. 12. Eph 4:15-16; 2Co 3:18; 7:1.
Chapter 14 - Of Saving Faith
68. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,1 and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;2 by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, prayer and other means appointed of God, it is increased, and strengthened.3
69. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself;4 and also apprehendeth an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world:5 as it bears forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in His workings and operations; and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed,6 and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,7 trembling at the threatenings,8 and embracing the promises of God, for this life, and that which is to come;9 but the principle acts of saving faith, hath immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.10
70. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak, or strong,11 yet it is in the least degree of it, different in the kind, or nature of it, (as is all other saving grace) from the faith and common grace of temporary believers;12 and therefore, although it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,13 growing up in many, to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ14 who is both the author and finisher of our faith.15 1. 2Co 4:13; Eph 2:8. 2. Ro 10:14,17. 3. Lk 17:5; 1Pe 2:2; Ac 20:32. 4. Ac 24:14. 5. Ps 19:7-10; 119:72. 6. 2Ti 1:12. 7. Jn 15:14. 8. Isa 66:2. 9. Heb 11:13. 10. Jn 1:12; Ac 16:31; Gal 2:20; Ac 15:11 11. Heb 5:13-14; Mt 6:30; Ro 4:19-20. 12. 2Pe 1:1. 13. Eph 6:16; 1Jn 5:4-5. 14. Heb 6:11-12; Col 2:2. 15. Heb 12:2.
Chapter 15 - Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
71. Such of the elect as are converted at riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life.1
72. Whereas there is none that doth good, and sinneth not2 and the best of men may through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to greater sins and provocations, God hath in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling, be renewed through repentance unto salvation.3
73. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth by faith in Christ, humble himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency;5 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour by supplies of the Spirit to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things.6
74. As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof; so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins, particularly.7
75. Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace, for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;8 yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them that repent;9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary. 1. Tit 3:2-5. 2. Ecc 7:20. 3. Lk 22:31-32. 4. Zec 12:10; Ac 11:18. 5. Eze 36:31; 2Co 7:11. 6. Ps 119:6,128. 7. Lk 19:8; 1Ti 1:13,15. 8. Ro 6:23.
9. Isa 1:16-18; 55:7.
Chapter 16 - Of Good Works
76. Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word,1 and not such as without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions.2
77. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,4 strengthen their assurance,5 edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the Gospel,6 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,7 whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,8 that having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end eternal life.9
78. Their ability to do good works, is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ;10 and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure:11 yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.12
79. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.13
80. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can never profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins,14 but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because as they are good, they proceed from His Spirit,15 and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment.16
81. Yet notwithstanding the pers