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A34255 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. 1677 (1677) Wing C5794; ESTC R25352 47,552 162

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to quicken all that we may have influence upon to the same 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 redresse 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 grosse ignorance and instability of many with the prophaneness 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 catechize 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 in their families together with the ill example of their loose conversation have inured them first to a neglect and then contempt of all Piety and Religion we know this will not excuse the blindness or wickedness of any but certainly it will fall heavy upon those that have thus been the occasion thereof they indeed dye 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 accompanyed with the sound belief and diligent practise of it by us that his name may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen THE CONTENTS CHAP. 1. Of the Holy Scriptures page 1 2. Of God and of the Holy Trinity 9 3. Of Gods decrees 13 4. Of Creation 5. Of Divine Providence 19 6. Of the Fall of Man of Sin and of the Punishment thereof 23 7. Of Gods Covenant 26 8. Of Christ the Mediator 28 9. Of Free-will 35 10. Of Effectual Calling 37 11. Of Justification 40 12. Of Adoptions 43 13. Of Sanctification 44 14. Of Saving Faith 46 15. Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation 49 16. Of Good works 51 17. Of Perseverance of the Saints 56 18. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 59 19. Of the Law of God 62 20. Of the Gospel and of the extent of the Grace thereof 67 21. Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience 70 22. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath day 73 23. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 78 24. Of the Civil Magistrate 81 25. Of Marriage 83 26. Of the Church 85 27. Of The Communion of Saints 94 28. Of Baptism and the Lords Supper 96 29. Of Baptism 97 30. Of The Lords Supper 98 31. Of The state of Man after death and of the Resurrection of the dead 103 32. Of The Last Judgment 105 An Appendix concerning Baptism 109 A Confession of FAITH CHAP. I. Of the Holy Scriptures 1. THe Holy Scripture is the only sufficient certain and infallible a 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. Isa 8. 20. Luk. 16. 29 31. Eph. 2. 20 rule of all saving Knowledge Faith and Obedience Although the b Rom. 1. 19 20 21. c. ch 2. 14 15. Psal 19. 1 2 3. 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 c Heb. 1. 1. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself and to declare that His will unto his Church and afterward 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 d Pro. 22. 19 20 21. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. writing which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary those former ways of Gods revealing his will unto his people being now ceased 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 The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zachariah Malachi Of the new Testament Matthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Pauls Epistle to the Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Phillippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy to Titus to Philemon the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of James The first and second Epistles of Peter The first second and third Epistles of John the Epistle of Jude the Revelation All which are given by the e 2 Tim. 3. 16. inspiration of God to be the rule of Faith and Life 3. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of f Luk. 24. 27. 44. Rom. 3. 2. 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 then other humane writings 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 g 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Thes 2. 13. 1 Joh. 5. 9. God who is truth it self the Author thereof therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God 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 stile 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 mans salvation and many other incomparable Excellencies and intire perfections thereof are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our h Joh. 16. 13 14. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. 1
to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace may be called invisible consists of the whole a Heb. 12. 23. Col. 1. 18. Eph. 1. 10 22. 23. ch 5. 23 27 32. 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 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 Errors everting the foundation or unholyness of conversation b 1 Cor. 1 2. Act. 11. 26. are and may be called visible Saints c Rom. 1. 7. Eph. 1. 20 21 22. and of such ought all particular Congregations to be constituted 3. The purest Churches under heaven are subject d 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 2. ch 3. to mixture and error and som have so degenerated as to become e Rev. 18. 2. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan nevertheless Christ always hath had and ever shall have a f Mat. 16. 18. Ps 72. 17. Ps 102. 28. Rev. 12. 17. Kingdome in this world to the end thereof of such as believe in him and make profession of his Name 4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church in whom by the appointment of the Father g Col. 1. 18. Mat. 28. 18 19. 20. Eph. 4. 11 12. all power for the calling institution order or Government of the Church is invested in a supream soveraigne manner neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof but is h 2 Thes 2. 3-9 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 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 i Joh 10. 16. chap. 12 32. those that are given unto him by his Father that they may walk before him in all the k Mat. 28. 20. ways of obedience which he prescribeth to them in his Word Those thus called he commandeth to walk together in particular societies or l Mat. 18. 15-20 Churches for their mutual edification and the due performance of that publick worship which he requireth of them in the World 6. The Members of these Churches are m Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Saints by calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their profession and walking their obedience unto that call of Christ and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord one to another by the will of God n Act. 2. 41 42. ch 5. 13. 14. 2 Cor. 9. 13. in professed subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel 7. To each of these Churches thus gathered according to his mind declared in his word he hath given all that o Mat. 18. 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. with v. 13. 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 8. power and authority which is any way needfull 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 8. A particular Church gathered and compleatly 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 intrusts them with or calls them to to be continued to the end of the World are p Bishops or Elders r Act. 20 17 with v. 28. Phil. 1. 1. and Deacons 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 q Act. 14 23. See the original suffrage of the Church it self and Solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer with imposition of hands of the r 1 Tim. 4. 14. Eldership of the Church if there be any before Constituted therein And of a Deacon s Act. 6. 3. 5. 6. that he be chosen by the like suffrage and set apart by Prayer and the like Imposition of hands 10. The work of Pastors being constantly to attend the Service of Christ in his Churches in the Ministry of the Word and Prayer t Act. 6. 4. Heb. 13. 17. with watching for their Souls as they that must give an account to him it is incumbent on the Churches to whom they Minister not only to give them all due respect u 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. Gal. 6. 6 7. but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability so as they may have a comfortable supply without being themselves x 2 Tim. 2. 4. entangled in Secular Affairs and may also be capable of exercising y 1 Tim. 3. 2. Hospitality toward others and this is required by the z 1 Cor. 9. 6 -14 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 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 a Act. 11. 19 20 21. 1 Pet. 4. 10. 11. gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it and approved and called by the Church may and ought to perform it 12. As all Believers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churches when and where they have opportunity so to do So all that are admitted unto the priviledges of a Church are also b 1 Thes 5. 14. 2 Thes 3. 6. 14 15. under the Censures and Government thereof according to the Rule of Christ 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 c Mat. 18. 15. 16 17. Eph. 4. 2 3. in the further proceeding of the Church 14. As each Church and all the Members of it are bound to d Eph. 6. 18. Ps 122. 6. pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the Churches of Christ in all places and upon all occasions to further it every one within the bounds of their places