things more then he hath done as to Create new Worlds and likewise destroy his own works yet from his infinit power nothing must be affirm'd as done or to be done unles his Will be prov'd XXVII By Gods Will I Conceive that most simple infinit perfect act by which he eternally Will himself all things for himself so that God hath not two nor contrarie Wills but one onelie constant immutable yet to help our weaknes in the imperfect conception of the incomprehensible God we have manie nominall but not reall distinctions of Gods Will chiefely soure the VVill of Good Pleasure of Signe Absolut Conditionall XXVIII By the VVill of Signe I understand those meanes by which God manifests what is pleasant or displeasant to him as his injunctions prohibitions promises threatnings And so I call both Testaments the VVill of Signe or the Revealed VVill because we see in them what is secret and hid in God XXIX By the VVill of Pleasure I Conceive Gods onely VVill by which he most freely for himself eternally decrees what must be done I say eternally for Gods VVill hath no first nor last yet in respect of things decreed God is said to have decreed that they should come to passe in that order and succession we see XXX I Beleeve Gods VVill Absolute because it is grounded on his sole good Pleasure depends in no-wise upon things made or done in time but is the Cause of whats'ever is made or done of beings actions yet not of the malice of the actions XXXI And I call it Conditionall because Gods commandements prohibitions promises threatnings have a condition of obedience or disobedience joyn'd with them XXXII I Beleeve that God is so absolut Lord and Master of the whole world that nothing is nor can be done against his free onelie will of Good-Pleasure For although manie things be done against the VVill of Signe yet they are not nor can be done against the VVill of Good pleasure but all creatures are govern'd all things doe happen by according to the eternall will or Providence of God which consisting not onely in knowledge but also in government those verie things which in respect of second causes we call Contingent or of Chance are most necessarie so necessarily happen in regard of Gods absolute immutable VVill yet not by a necessitie of compulsion chiefly in the rationall creatures but of immutabilitie XXXIII As I Beleeve there is a God such as I have describ'd yea farre above all my apprehension So I Beleeve in him Father Son Holie Ghost in the unitie of Essence putting my whole confidence in his Name for whatsoever concernes me in goods friends reputation bodie soule XXXIV I beleeve that the Name of God is admirable reverent but by this word I understand not onely those Names Jehova God Lord Father Christ Saviour Jesus Comforter c. but the Divine Essence represented me by those Names I therefore tremble not nor bow at the sound or sight of those Names but I feare and adore the Majestie of God his pow'r wisdome justice love and the rest which I conceive in hearing or seeing those Names XXXV I beleeve that God being incomprehensible to us because he 's infinit and we finit there 's no proportion of a finit to an infinit thing he hath yet in some sort reveal'd himself to man in the Creatures Scripture for both in part declare his eternitie wisdom power goodnes and perfection Then concerning the Creatures XXXVI I beleeve Confesse that God to communicate his goodnes for his will and good pleasure made immediatly by himselfe all things invisible visible some of nothing others of a matter alreadie created by him but naturally unapt to produce the thing made thereof first separating that matter then giving it a better forme more perfection greater Ornament XXXVII I Beleeve that God although wanting nothing as being a compleat essence which can receive no perfection by the creature did yet for his glorie praise make all things for himself for the good helpe felicitie of the rationall creature to which all other things yea it selfe manifest the excellence of the maker XXXVIII God being the soverain good I beleeve that all his creatures were good perfect in their kind I make not therefore two principles or beginnings of things good ill for these ill things were not so in themselves but verie good for the use end they were made XXXIX I Beleeve that the Trinitie did concurre in the Creation the Father as the first cause of all things making the World by the Son who is his Word Wisdom by the holie Ghost his power vertue And all these three Persons in one Essence I love serve and adore with equall affection fidelitie respect feare XL I Beleeve that though the Heavens declare the glorie of God the whole world be a faire glasse to behold therein his greatnes wisdom goodnes c. Yet Angels and Men onely were made in Gods Image hereupon XLI I Conceive Beleeve that this Image was not in the shape of mans bodie for Angells are but Spirits God himselfe hath no bodie though the Scripture for our capacitie speakes of Gods eyes eares hands to shew he knowes all can do all Seeking then that Image of God in man I find it chiefly in the Soules invisible immortall substance having a wise understanding this with the will memorie yea with the whole bodie just upright besides that Majestie and pow'r over all these inferiour creatures by which he was Gods lieutenant on earth so represented him in some sort above all the rest XLII I Beleeve that Angels being all made in Gods Image which consisted in their invisibilitie immortalitie uprightnes some fell voluntarily from God others did remaine in their integritie assisted confirmed in it by Gods grace in Christ who is their Head if not by redemption yet by creation and Adoption or gracious union with God for he 's the Image of the invisible God the first borne of everie creature by whom for whom were created all things in Heaven Earth visible invisible therfore without whom Angels nor Men could be neither created in the Image of God nor adopted for Sons XLIII Angels being thus confirm'd in Gods grace eternall felicitie I Beleeve them glorious diligent faithfull Ministers of Gods will for his glorie the good of his Church faire miroirs of the riches of his mercie wheras others who fell being confirm'd hardned in malice doe what they can against that Church being in their most wretched state of everlasting damnation wofull spectacles of Gods justice anger towards sin XLIV I Beleeve that Adam having a will free indifferent both to good evill did willingly reject the first embrace the second
so forsaking God transgressing his law which then he might have kept if he had been willing he lost that integritie wisdome he was created in that absolute yet gentle pow'r he had over these inferiour creatures yea that immortalitie both of bodie soule by which the bodie should never have been forsaken by the soule nor this deprived of Gods grace which is her onelie Life XLV I Beleeve that as we were all in Adam he did then represent us so he lost for us all what he lost for himself Therefore all his children none excepted but Christ are curs'd dead in him being all guiltie of the sins he committed in eating of the fruit prohibited by God subject to his punishment I say sins in plurall for pride incredulitie murther intemperance theft did all concurre with his disobedience XLVI I Beleeve that those sins having infected the first mans person his person corrupted his nature this spreads her killing infection into all the persons which naturally descend from Adam by him that is by naturall generation so that all such persons are shapen in iniquitie conceiv'd in sinne thus defil'd and curs'd both in soule bodie XLVII I call this sin Originall beleeving it a naturall strong aversion from good propension to ill an inbred lust desire concupiscence by which we will act or not act in opposition to Gods Laws the rules of reason and so is the corrupt fountain of all our Actuall transgressions of the Lords Laws in thoughts affections words actions yea of our omissions of all holie duties XLVIII I Beleeve that this sin hath so corrupt our whole nature that of our selves or without the speciall grace of God we can not think desire love fear work or speak any thing which be pleasant to him XLIX This sin being the cause of all our miseries the breeder of our feares cares paines the murderer of our soules and bodies as I know all men die bodily for it so I judge them all damn'd considering them all in Adam guiltie of his dis-obedience for the wages of sin is dead both corporall and spirituall all sins being of such killing nature so mortall in themselves that the lest deserves many deaths L. Yet I Beleeve to the glorie of my Gods Mercie Confesse that both Originall Actuall sins are not imputed to all men but by his most free gift pardoned to manie who by this grace of Remission of sin are delivered from that spirituall perpetuall death by which the rest of mankind is swallow'd LI. Those blessed men who obtain this gratuit pardon I call Elect those wretched persons who misse it Reprobat the first being taken out of the generall sinfull lump of naturall corruption in Adam by Gods eternall Election and the second left in the same by his eternall Reprobation LII Considering with feare and pitie the miserable state of these and seeking earnestly the Cause of their Reprobation I finde it in Gods will I Beleeve then to the glorie of my Gods Justice Confesse that he decreed eternally to Reprobat reject disallow or passe by some of mankind which should voluntarily fall into sin so damne them to declare his Justice LIII Thus I think not that their Infidelitie or sin foreseen be the cause of their Reprobation for thus we should all be Reprobat but I beleeve say again that God was mov'd to decree it by his free just Will being resolv'd of the same lump to make some vessels to honor others unto dishonor so as a great Lord to furnish his great house with vessels of all sorts LIV. Yet I say not that God made some men to be damn'd although he did reprobat them for none is damn'd as he is man created in great puritie but as he is deform'd marr'd by his voluntarie folie guilt neither is dammation the proper end of his Reprobation or an effect of it but is a meane to manifest the glorie of the Lords Justice and his hate towards sin in the severe everlasting punishments he inflicts on sinners LV These punishments being the fit wages of sin this sin most voluntarie in the Reprobat consid'red in themselves who daily wilfully sin in Adam whose fall was free they have no just ground to complaine of God as if he were the cause or author of their sin which I Beleeve he 's not but rather hates forbids it For though they cannot forbeare sin but much delight in it commit it with greedines yet LVI I Beleeve that sin is not prompted to them nor forc't on them by God but by the suggestions of the Devill corruptions of their nature God is not oblig'd to strengthen them against those tentations depravation but may justly denie to them or withdraw his graces from them give them up to their hearts lusts Satans pow'r neither likewise was he oblig'd to hinder Adams fall but might did most justly permit decree it not as a sin but as a meane to manifest his mercie justice mercie to few justice to manie LVII If my blind reason shall dictat that thus the Lord is hard injust partiall I le reprove it by this my firme Beleefe that God owing nothing to man no not the coursest bread he eates must not cannot be accus'd of severitie injustice or partialitie for no man can pleade against God nor the thing form'd say to him who form'd it why hast thou made me thus We were all in Gods pow'r as the clay in the Potters hands fit to be made vessels to such uses services as our Lord maker thought best for the revelation of his wisdome power mercie justice LVIII If then God lov'd Jacob hated Esau before they were borne and had done either good or ill it is enough for me to know 't was his will to doe so and who can resist or alter it being almightie and immutable And who dares censure it being most just yea the rule of justice I dare not will not cannot find fault with the just and hie God who hath mercie on whom he will and hardens whom he will LIX Although this word Harden seemes hard yet I Beleeve that there is no unrighteousnes with God for he hardens but those who have hardned themselves by their wilfull abuse of good motions predications admonitions corrections he hardens them not by infusing anie malice into their hearts but onely by a just deniall or subtraction of the graces he owes them not so by suffring them to follow their lewd inclinations Satans wicked tentations And this they doe so wilfully eagerly constantly that as their Reprobation is sure immutable in respect of Gods will which can admit no change so they make their damnation most certain by their infidelitie and wickednes LX These Reprobat infidell wicked persons being as lims
sins so making to God satisfaction in that nature yea in both parts of that nature which had offended him CXLIX For unto this fearefull apprehension spirituall sense of Gods indignation which I Beleeve he had often were added most grievous torments his pure bodie endur'd from his birth-day to the last moment of his life so that he was both in soule bodie in his life death wounded for our iniquities bruis'd for our transgressions curs'd for our sake and kill'd to give us life as those being the end of his Incarnation CL And thus was the Lambe of God slaine for the sins of all the faithfull from the foundation of the world unto its destruction After manie indignities blows paines he was nail'd to a crosse and hang'd betwixt two theeves as the greatest malefactor and so indeed was he as he did then represent thousands of sinners for whose ransome he truly and willingly dy'd offring to God his paines death his passions actions for redemption salvation of his Elect whom he did sâ—nctifie through the offering of his Bodie once for all so that they neede no other oblation for sin then that which Christ offred cannot be renew'd because he dyes no more nor other satisfaction then that he made for them all other being both impossible needles CLI Christ our life being dead I Beleeve that his Bodie was buried to testifie the realitie of his death how our sins were then buried with him which without his humble passion had cast us downe into hell-fire But as Christ dy'd without the lest offence to God or man so the grave could not hold him long but the third day of his Buriall CLII. I Beleeve that Christs glorious soule was reunited to his Bodie by the power of his Divinitie which never forsook them but kept them still one in heaven the other in earth in that wonderfull and incomprehensible personall union And this reunion being made of the two parts of his humanitie Christ rose out of his grave as well to assure me of my spirituall corporall resurrection from sin death as to receive the reward of his obedience unto the Law of God unto death for me for CLIII I Beleeve that Christ having well perform'd his office in the state of his humiliation in planting teaching governing redeeming his Church for which hee did humble himselfe and become obedient to the death of the crosse it pleased the Father to exalt him manifesting his Deitie through which the whole Humanitie was made most free from naturall infirmities and invested with such agilitie impassibilitie glorie felicitie that it surmounts the excellence of the verie Angels having the full measure of perfection both in soule and bodie of which they are capable without destruction I confesse then they are as glorious as may be yet CLIV. I Beleeve that glorie is finit and much inferior to the essentiall and incommunicable perfection of the most glorious Trinitie Albeit therefore Christs person be as glorious as the Fathers and holie Ghosts yet his Humanitie being not capable of that infinit perfection it can not have that omniscience omnipotence Ubiquitie Majestie and felicitie which are proper to the Divinitie The knowledge then power glorie and joy of Christs soule is finit although most rare excellent and his glorious immortall and agile bodie is likewise must be finit solid visible palpable having his just measure in length bredth depth being contain'd in that place which he is pleas'd to fill for the present CLV Heaven being the proper seat of all blessed soules after death I Beleeve and confesse that Christ Jesus to give me assurance of my future glorification ascension thither first in the soule immediatly after my death then in Soule and Bodie at the Resurrection did fourtie dayes after his rising from the dead ascend triumphantly and visibly into the heaven of heavens that highest Orbe which the great King of Kings hath made as a fit place for the full manifestation of the riches of his glorie the greatnes of his pow'r the excellence of his wisdome and the exces of his bountie CLVI And Jesus being Ascended thither by the Almightie pow'r of his Divinitie I Beleeve he is there sitting at the right hand of God that is having in his Humanitie glorie wisdome pow'r strength next to Gods governing heaven earth and hell but chiefely ruling and teaching his Church by his omnipresent spirit and all-filling Divinitie by which he is with her till the end of the world interceding for her and shewing his Father the wounds he suffred for her sake and so by his merits praires sanctifying and blessing her by his pow'r protecting her from the devill and his members CLVII For whose generall overthrow finall subjection and to manifest Gods mercie and justice towards men I Beleeve that the Lord Jesus whom the heavens containe till the end of the world as he is man although as God he be everie where shall then appeare in Majestie and great glorie that by his Almightie pow'r which at first made things of nothing and Adams bodie of the dust all the dead shall then rise and the living be chang'd all appeare before the glorious throne of Christ there to be judg'd according to their works yea manie for their Works for certainly CLVIII The reprobat shall then perceive that their infidelitie and wickednes are the causes of their everlasting damnation in hell where they shall feele such desperat perpetuall griefes of the mind torments of the flesh as shall make them hate curse God and see although too late how miserable that reasonable Creature is who willingly rebells from God persists in its rebellion CLIX. But those blessed persons who by Gods grace beleev'd in him lov'd fear'd serv'd him shall then be Judg'd according to their Workes yet not Sav'd for or by those workes but by the meere mercie of God in and by Christ their gracious Judge who in his just anger having sentenc'd and sent the wicked into Hell with the approbation and praise of the Elect. CLX Shall I Beleeve in his tender love towards these invite and convey them with him into Heaven there to enjoy an incomprehensible everlasting gratuit and full Felicitie in the vision of Christ and fruition of God who being the beginning end of all things the first last I end this my Beleefe and Confession in him Beseeching that eternall Spirit by whose most speciall assistance I have both began and finisht and unto whom therefore I yeeld most heartie thankes to make me immutable in this Beleefe bold in this confession carefull in the aversion of all sins and diligent in the practice of all Christian vertues and religious duties Doe so I pray thee gracious God Yet if my Beleefe is not right O Lord rectifie it teach me the true faith And if it be not full