f Coloss 2.18.23 shew of much pietie and divine worship yet they are g Matt. 15.8 9. not to be reckoned in any wise amongst good works and such as are pleasing and acceptable unto God DOCT. III. That good works are not done of us as of our selves but by the virtue and power of Christ's spirit AS vine-branches or olive-branches bring not forth fruits of themselves but by virtue of the vine or olive-tree whereinto they are ingrafted So we likewise do not of our selves do good works but by virtue of Christs Spirit into whom we are incorporated and from whom we draw even that life by which we live Christ himself working in us by his Spirit a Phil. 2.13 both to will and to do of his good pleasure b Ioh. 15.5 For without me saith he ye can do nothing DOCT. IV. That good works are not the cause but the effects of our union with Christ and our justification and our life ANd further as vine-branches or olive-branches do not therefore bring forth good fruit that so they may be ingrafted into the vine or olive-tree or themselves receive life but therefore fructifie because they are already ingrafted into the vine or olive-tree and live therein from whence it followes that their good fruits are not the cause of their ingrafting or life but the effects and manifest signes thereof Iust after the same manner do we believe that the case stands between Christ and us as St. Augustine sufficiently teacheth August where he saith That good works do not precede or go before a man that is yet to be justified but follow after a man is justified And therefore we constantly believe and confesse that by works to speak properly and concerning justification of life a man is not justified but declared to be justified DOCT. V. That although we by our good works are not justified yet others thereby oftentimes are edified unto salvation BUt yet this we adde that as trees themselves are not nourished nor receive life from their own fruits and yet others are nourished and live thereby as men and other living creatures So notwithstanding we by our works are not our selves justified yet others thereby are very much edified and by our example excited and a Matt. 5.16 stirred up to glorifie God and to seek the true righteousnesse and life in Christ and are thereby saved For the Apostle himself b Rom. 11.13 saith that he did therefore magnifie or illustrate his office among the gentiles viz. by his diligence and sanctitie of life that he might provoke to emulation those which were his flesh and so save some of them and in another place he c 1 Cor 7.16 saith that it may so come to passe that the unbelieving husband or wife may be saved by the wife or husband which believeth that is which performeth a Christians duty in leading a godly and holy life and again writing to Timothie he saith that if he look diligently unto his office that is the office of a Bishop he shall both save himself and others DOCT. VI. That we do not condemne good works although we deny that a man is justified thereby WHerefore although we deny that good works are to be done of us to this end that we may be justified thereby forasmuch as this would overthrow the righteousnesse which is the free gift of God and the whole benefit of Christ we do not therefore condemne the study of holy life and good works yea we commend the same and exhort thereunto with all vehemencie upon all occasions DOCT. VII That there are many and those very weighty reasons why we ought to be exercised in the study and practise of good works FOr there are declared unto us in holy Scripture many and those very weighty reasons why we ought diligently to exercise our selves in the study and practise of good works although we are not justified thereby Of which reasons some have reserence immediately to the glorie of God others belong to the salvation of our neighbour and the good of the Church and others tend to our thankfullnesse towards God as likewise to our own salvation 1. a Matt. 15.16 They are commanded by God And him we must absolutely obey 2. a God is thereby glorified And we must by all means promote this glorie 3. God hath therefore elected created and redeemed us b Tit. 2.12 that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And we must not disappoint him of his end 4. They please God Act. 10.35 Col. 1.10 for he c loveth righteousnesse and hateth iniquitie And whatsoever pleaseth God we ought to do although there should come no profit thereby either to our neighbour or our selves But unto our neighbour and the Church especially cometh much profit thereby not onely as concerning the body externall things but the soul also and eternall salvation whilst by our example to let passe other things the elect are a Heb. 10.24 provoked to the like studie of pietie and practise of good works And as concerning our selves they are profitable unto us many wayes I. b 2 Pet. 1.10 Because by our good works as the effects of our election and vocation we make them both sure both to our selves and others 2. c Tim. 1.6 Because faith doth not onely demonstrate and shew forth it self by good works as the fruits thereof but also is exercised stirred up strengthened and increased thereby as also all Morall virtues receive strength and increase by dayly exercise 3. Because as we d Eph. 4.30 grieve the holy Spirit by our sins So by our good works we make him glad and are our selves filled with spirituall joy and gladnesse in our hearts and consciences and resist the devills temptations 4. e Deut. 28.1 c. Because as by eschewing sin we escape many punishments So also following the study and practise of good works we obtain of God manifold blessings both in this life and in that especially which is to come 5. and lastly f Eph. 2.10 because they are the way by which God ordinarily leadeth this elect unto eternall life and a Ioh. 15.6 unlesse the vine-branch bring forth fruit it shall be cut off and cast into the fire DOCT. VIII That unto our good works a reward is promised and given but yet of grace and for the merits of Christ FRom whence we understand that although by our good works we b Luke 17.10 cannot to speak properly merit unto our selves the possession of a celestiall inheritance for c Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life Yet we may d Matth. 5.7 obtain it as reward but yet of the mere mercy of God and for the merits of Christ DOCT. IX Errours condemned WE therefore condemn all those who standing upon the condignitie of their works do teach either that remission of sinnes or eternall life or any other
Christ by vertue of the glory it received after his resurrection received the power of being every where then ours also will by reason of the same glory be every where which seeing it shall not be neither do we believe that the body of Christ however full of glory and majesty is now every where with its substance since it is finite and the glory thereof also finite especially for that he hath said that b Ioâ— 17.24 he will that where he is there we should be also but we shall not be every where with our bodies DOCT. VII Errours FIrst we condemn the wicked dotage both of those Philosophers who taught the humane soul is mortall and 2. of those hereticks who imagin'd that the souls of men separated from their bodies did either sleep in certain secret places that is are deprived of all sense and operations of the mind or that they are awake indeed but rest untill they resume their bodies and then are either to be admitted into heaven or thrust into hell 3. Moreover we condemn those who dream that the souls of many of the godly are purged in a certain purgatory fire from the reliques of their sins and undergoe temporall pains 4. We disapprove their opinion who do not distinguish heaven where the godly shall be from hell where we read the wicked shall be but make the difference to consist only in this that some are made happy and others miserable although all be in the same place 5. But neither can we assent to them who say that the certain time month or year if not the the certain day and hour may be determin'd and known Act. 1.7 in which the Lord will come and put an end to to this world seeing Christ hath said It is not for you to know the times 2 Pet. 3 3. 6. We detest those Scoffers whom St. Peter mentions who think the world shall endure thus for ever and deny deride all life to come 7. We also condemn all those who reject the resurrection of the dead and also those who fancied we shall not have the same but other new bodies 8. We likewise condemn them who taught that bodies after the resurrection shall be so spiritual that like a spirit or ayre they can neither be seen nor felt such as some have attributed to Christ after his resurrection and others also impudently feign to have been changed into the divine nature so that it cannot be any longer termed a Creature CHAP. XXIX Of the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus to judge the living and the dead DOCTRINE I. That the dead being rais'd and the living chang'd at the coming of the Lord Iesus from Heaven Christ will immediately shew himself in the Clouds to be seen by all and all the faithfull shall goe meet him in the aire WE believe that at the coming of the Lord Jesus the resurrection of the dead being performed by the ministry of Angels they that are then alive shall not die but shall be instantly changed into the same condition with them that are raised and then Christ being returned from heaven to the Clouds to judge and passe sentence upon all will exhibit himself to be seen by all men and being attended with his Angels and appearing in his majestie and glory all the godly shall be translated from earth even to the heaven of the Clouds to meet him Mat 24.3 25.31 1 Thes 5.1 c. according as Christ himself and the Apostles have taught and left a recorded DOCT. II. That Christ will visibly move from place to place and so with a visible locall and finite body THerefore we believe that Christ will so return visibly as before he ascended from earth to heaven in the sight of his Apostles and that he will return from that heaven wherein he now is and which is consequently distant from the Clouds to which he shall descend and from the earth and so we believe he will descend with his natural body that it is necessary the same should be local and finite and therefore not ubiquitary seeing such a descending is by the holy Ghost described to the simple people as is not possible to be made without mutation of place DOCT. III. That the reprobate unbelievers shall not go unto Christ sitting in the clouds but remaining upon the earth shall heare the sentence of the Iudge BUt whereas the Scripture pronunces only of the godly that they shall be snatched up into the Clouds and goe meet Christ in the aire we believe that the wicked shall not go unto Christ but remaining under his feet heare the sentence of the Judge 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Goe ye Cursed into eternall fire all the Saints which shall be in the aire with Christ approving the sentence according to the opinion of the Apostle a that the Saints shall judge the world the Angels DOCT. IV. For what Causes that universall judgement is appointed WE believe that that judgement wherein Christ shall judge all being made visible to all is appointed chiefly for two reasons first to the end that those things which are now hid unto men aswell innocence faith and good conscience of the godly as the hypocrisie and crimes of the wicked may be layd open to the whole world and thereby it may most evidently appeare at the last how just the judgements of God have alwaies been whence that day is called by the Apostle a Rom. 2.5 the day of revelation Secondly that the recompense of good works promised to the good and of bad to the bad may be rendred fully to every one according to that of the Apostle We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad whence it is called by the same Apostle c Rom. 2.5 The day of the righteous judgement of God DOCT. V. That eternall life which is given to the elect is called and is a reward but al together fully bestowed in no manner due to us saving through Christ FOr although what the elect shall then receive is the meer gift of God obtained by the merits of Christ alone yet we are not ignorant that it is and is truly called a reward seeing the Lord Iesus hath daigned to give it that term namely a free reward seeing even the good works of the godly all the causes from whence they proceed are the free gifts of God free election free redemption free calling faith justification regeneration forgivness of sins lastly the pardoning of the defects and weaknesses wherewith our good works themselves are attended on the other side the free imputation of the perfect obedience of Christ by which our imperfect is cloathed and rendred most acceptable to God so that it followes that if we will speak properly the reward is not due to us for our own works
called CHAP. VI. Concerning Gods Providence and his governing the world DOCTRINE I. That the world and all the things which are therein are governed by Gods Providence WE believe that God after that he had created all things so rested from his work that nevertheless he never ceased neither yet doth cease to guide a Wisd 14.3 govern and look after the world and all the things that are therein as well small as great but especially mankind in generall and every man in particular So that b Matt. 10 29 30 not any thing happens or is done in the world which is not guided and c governed by his Providence DOCT. II. That God governeth his Church after a more peculiar manner ALthough all and every thing is subject to Gods Providence yet we believe that he hath a more especiall Wisd 14.3 care of his Church and that he guideth governeth it after a more especiall manner as likewise the wills and actions of all and every one of his elect For as much as he after an especiall manner d Rom. 8.30 calleth justifieth and sanctifieth them but not all and further e Philp. 2.13 worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure and further saith f 2 Cor. 2.16 I will dwell in them but g Acts 14.16 not in all and at length bringeth them unto everlasting life but suffers others in his just judgement to walke in their own wayes and run on headlong to destruction Whereupon we are commanded to h 1 Pet. 5.7 cast all our care upon God for he after a peculiar manner careth for us DOCT. III. That God ordinarily governeth the world by second causes ANd this we learn also out of holy Scripture That although God by himself without any coadjutor yea sometimes contrary to ordinarie meanes bringeth to passe many decrees of his divine Providence yet there are farre more which he ordinarely useth to bring to passe by the ministerie of second causes both in the government of whole world in generall and the Church in speciall For a Hos 2.21.22 I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Iezreel DOCT. IV. That the meanes unto the end are not to be neglected and that God in his Providence willeth the one as well as the other FRom hence we gather That although we are certain God careth for us yet the meanes which God hath appointed for the salvation of the soul and body are not to be despised neither must we tempt God but follow the Apostle who although he was fully perswaded of the saving of all that were in the ship with him when the saylers began to think how to shift for themselves said to the Centurion and to the souldiers except these abide in the ship Act. 27.31 ye cannot be saved For God which hath appointed to every thing it 's own end he also hath appointed the beginning and the meanes by which to come unto that end DOCT. V. That in respect of God all things come to passe necessarily and in respect of us many things contingently WHereas God in his Providence doth conserve and also move the second causes which he is wont to use in the government of the world every one in it's own nature and some of these are destinated by their own nature to the producing of certain effects and again some are not We understand and confesse that although in respect of God a Matt. 10.29.30 Exod. 21.13 without whose foreknowledge and will nothing in the world comes to passe all things are necessarie yet in respect of us and the second causes they are not all necessarie but most of them are contingent For what can be more casuall contingent then this That b Deut. 19.5 when a man is hewingwood the head of his axe should fly out of his hand and kill the traveller that passeth by And yet the Lord saith that it is he which killed him And again our Lord Iesus Christ died for us voluntatily and yet it is said It was necessarie or c Luke 24.46 Thus it behoved Christ to suffer In like manner Herod and Pilate condemned Iesus with full and free consent of will And yet the Apostles say that d Act. 4.28 they did no more then what the hand and counsel of God had determined before to be done DOCT. VI. That God is not the authour of sin which is committed in the World ANd from hence also we understand and confesse That although many wickednesses are committed in the world whilst God moveth all things yet they cannot be imputed to him and his Providence For e Acts 17.28 God moveth indeed all things and giveth power unto every thing to work but he instilleth no sinfull qualitie unto any man whereby he worketh after an evil and sinfull manner As therefore the earth which affordeth sap to the bad trees as well as to the good is not to be blamed if a bad tree bring forth bad fruit So much lesse can God justly be said to be the authour and cause of our sins although he a Heb. 1. â— by the hand of his providence sustain support move and govern all things yea the very ungodly themselves b Acts 17.28 In him saith the Apostle we live and move and have our being To wit such as we are such are we moved by him unless he of his grace do alter and change us DOCT. VII That the secret counsels of God in the governing of the world are by us to be adored with reverence and not with curiositie to be inquired into BUt as concerning the secret and wonderfull counsels of God whereby we see innumerable things to be done whereof we can neither give nor know any reason Let us admire and adore them with what reverence we ought being assured of this That c Matth. 10 29 30 nothing in the world is done without the will of God And that the will of God is a Rom. 9.14 so just that it is the most certain rule of all justice And therefore we must alwayes keep in mind that saying of the Apostle uttered with great admiration b Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out And again c Rom. 9.14 Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid And yet d Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things To whom be glory for ever Amen DOCT. VIII Errours condemned THerefore we condemne all impostors and deceivers and all those Philosophers which either quite take away Gods Providence out of the world or else deny that he looketh after humane affaires and small matters And those also we condemne which abusing Gods Providence contemne and neglect the
ungodly actions some more grievous then other so farre forth that there is not any one godly man living which carries not about with him this sink of sinne and feels not from thence filthy vapours and exhalations alwayes ascending and is not contaminated and defiled with the pollutions thereof a Iam. 1.14 Every man saith St. Iames is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed b 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death DOCT. X. That God is not the Authour of sinne BY all which we are confirmed in this faith that we believe that God is in no wise the Authour of sin seeing that he neither created Adam evil nor with an inclination to evil but just and upright so that he sinned of his own free-will and accord not moved much lesse forced by God a 1 Iohn 2.16 Neither was this pravitie any corruption of his nature as he was created by God but by Gods just permission followed as a punishment upon his disobedience having willfully lost his Originall righteousness DOCT. XI Errours condemned THerefore with Ireneus and all the Church we condemne all those which make God the Authour of sinne and likewise all Pelagians both old and new which either deny that all men sinned in Adam and so are guilty of Originall sin or else dispute that this imbred lust or concupiscence is onely the punishment of sin but not truely sin indeed or else in the regenerate at least will not have it to be called by the name of sinne We condemne also those which have taught or do teach that Originall sinne is a substance because this opinion either makes God to be the Authour of sin or else denyes him to be the maker of every substance and because it serves also to confirm the Doctrine of the Manichees concerning two causes or Originalls of all things to wit one chief and prime good and another chief and prime evil so that all things which are good have proceeded from the beginning unto this present and still do proceed from the good and all evil from the evil one We condemne also all stoicks and those that are like unto them which teach that all sinnes are equall and not one greater then another And last of all those which contend that there may be some one found in this world which is altogether void of sinne CHAP. VIII What free-will was left unto Man after his Fall DOCTRINE I. What we understand by the name of free will SEeing that all men since the Fall and by reason of the Fall of Adam are a Psalm â—1 5 conceived insinne and are b Eph. 2. â— by nature the children of wrath having no inclination at all to that which is good but c Gen. 6. â— â— 21 altogether prone to that which is evil This is our belief and confession concerning the free-will of a man not regenerate By the name of free-will we understand the will of man so to be free that from it we do not separate the facultie of understanding by which we judge what is good and what bad what to be chosen and what to be refused DOCT. II. That the question concerning free-will is two-fold either concerning the nature or else concerning the power thereof IN the question concerning free-will we distinguish between the power and strength of free-will and the nature of mans will The nature we call the naturall and essentiall propertie thereof created in it by God that whatsoever it willeth whether it be good or bad it willeth freely voluntarily willingly and free-from all manner of coaction By the name of power we understand a power or facultie either innate that is by nature or else conferred that is of grace by which we are enabled by our understanding to know what is good and what evil and by our will to choose the good and refuse the evil DOCT. III. That free-will is alwayes free from coaction AS therefore the substance of free-will perished not by reason of sinne for the understanding and will and the whole substance of the soul remained so neither do we believe that the nature thereof perished that whatsoever it willeth as well evil as good it willeth it freely and without all manner of coaction That it is true which Augustine saith That free-will is alwayes free that is from coaction but yet that it is not alwayes good DOCT. IV. That there are three ranks or sorts of things and actions about which the power of free-will is exercised COncerning our power in choosing of good and refusing evil we are of this opinion We distinguish good and evil into three kinds those which pertain to the Animall or naturall life the rationall or humane life the divine or Christian life Of the first kind are those which are common to us almost with beasts and belong to the soul by which we live and increase and have sense and motion Of the second kind are those which are proper to man and belong to mans understanding as Arts as well Mechanicall as liberall virtues morall and politicall and last of all sciences of all sorts and all Philosophie The third kind contains onely those things which are good and good actions which are ordained for the kingdome of God and a Christian life As the true knowledge of God faith and the effects thereof regeneration obedience charitie and others of the like kind DOCT. V. That the power and strength of a man unregenerate is very weak even in things belonging to this life TO say nothing then of the power strength of man since the Fall in knowing and desiring such things as make for the preservation of this present life and living here happily as also in making choise of them and pursuing after them if they be offered unto him and in eschewing and avoiding the contrary To say nothing I say of this because it nothing belongs to religion and manners although as concerning even this dayly experience teacheth us how great a depravation of judgement and appetite is in man following as a punishment upon the Fall We believe that although by the mercy of God there is yet left some light in mans understanding partly in discerning between right wrong good and bad in humane affaires and partly in acquiring the knowledge of many things arts sciences and divers other virtues Yet the light that is in the understanding is so little and the will so depraved that unlesse the one be enlightened from above and the other be inclined by Gods speciall grace to choose the good propounded and to refuse the bad he cannot acquire the knowledge of Arts and sciences and other virtues which may be in men even unregenerate And not without cause saith St. Augustine a August Tom. 7. cont Iul. Pel. lib. 4. cap. 3. That all the Arts sciences and other virtues or rather shadowes and resemblances of virtues which were in
performance of those things whereunto they are called a Matt. 28.19 to preach the Gospel b 1 Cor. 12.10 to expound the holy writ according to the analogy of faith c Heb. 6.1 to catechise d Gal. 6.6 to teach the people what is the will of God e 2 Tim. 4.1 to reprove and admonish both great and small f Iohn 20.21 to remit and retain sins ministerially g Matt. 18.18 to bind the impenitent and to loose those that repent also to administer the Sacraments which Christ ordained and according to the manner h Matt. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.23 c. deliver'd by him and exercise discipline as it is commanded by Christ and likewise k 1 Cor. 5.4 explained by the Apostle lastly to all those things which though not expressed in the holy word do notwithstanding appertain to order and decency and tend to edification not to destruction according to the generall rule deliver'd by the Apostle That a 1 Cor. 14.40 all things should be done in the Church in order decently and to edification For we do not believe that any authority is given to ministers to any other end then for the edification of the Church or that is of greater extent then the word of God And therefore we deny that any Bishop or even altogether have authority to constitute any thing against the Scriptures to adde to them or detract from them or make any alteration in them to dispense with the commands of God to make new articles of faith to institute new Sacraments to induce new kinds of worship into the Church to make laws which may binde the conscience or be of equall authority with the divine Law to domineer in the Church and over the consciences of the faithfull to forbid what God hath licensed and left free or lastly to command any thing as necessary to salvation not contained in the word of God seeing not even the whole Church can with truth be said to have this authority DOCT. XXI That we do not deny the civill authority of such Bishops as are also Princes NEverthelesse we do not gain-say but that Bishops who are also Princes beside their Ecclesiasticall authority have their politicall rights and secular powers aswell as other Princes have authority in ruling over temporalls the power of the sword some a right of electing and confirming Kings and Emperours and of constituting and administring other civil affaires to compell the people that are their subjects to performe their obedience to them And therefore we confesse that their politicall commands which can be observed without transgressing the divine law are to be obeyed by their subjects not onely out of fear but for conscience sake For we know a Rom. 15.1 2. that all power is from God and whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God also that a 1 Pet. 2 17 18. Kings are to be honoured and that we ought to be subject to Princes and Lords with all fear not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward and perverse DOCT. XXII That matrimony ought to be as free for ministers of the Church for for as for others BUt we believe that this is necessary to the good deportment and salvation of ministers and to the honour of the ministry and so to the right governing of the Church to wit that marriage be as freely permitted to them as it is to all Lay-persons seeing Christ hath not forbidden it to any sort of men yea speaking of single life he saith b Mat. 19.11 All men cannot receive this saying namely that commends singlenesse of life intimating that which the Apostle hath in plaine termes expounded namely c 1 Cor. 7.9 If a man cannot contain he ought to marry d Heb. 13.4 For we confesse with the Apostle that marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled DOCT. XXIII That it is good and commendable for any one that is indued with the gift of continencie to abstain from Marriage NOtwithstanding we deny not but such as have received the gift of continencie from God have greater advantage to exercise the holy function and to serve the Church then such as are joyn'd in matrimony by reason of the many weighty cares and troubles which marriage is attended with whereby they are oftentimes even unwillingly drawn away from their divine contemplations to domestick affaires and the incombrances of the present life according to the saying of the Apostle a 1 Cor. 7.32 33. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord But he that is married careth for the things that are of the World how he may please his Wife and is divided Wherefore as they are not unworthy of praise who therefore take a Wife that they may live unto God with a clean and pure conscience so they are highly to be commended who the better to imploy their endeavours in the Church choose a chast single life and continue therein so long as is possible for them DOCT. XXIV That marriages are to be contracted in the Lord and religiously observed MOreover we know and confesse that all marriages are to be contracted a 1 Cor. 7.39 in the Lord according to the divine law and that of nature and that they are also holily to be observed according to the honest and good customes of places and that it is unlawfull for any man to put away his Wife b Matth. 19.9 saving for the cause of fornication but if an unbelieving woman refuse to cohabit with her believing Husband out of hatred to religion she is not to be retained by force c 1 Cor. 7.15 for the faithfull Husband is not under bondage in such cases but God hath called him to peace DOCT. XXV That it is no lesse lawfull for him that hath divorced an adultresse or is forsaken by an unbelieving Wife to contract new matrimonie then for him whose Wife is deceased WE believe also that it is not lesse lawfull for him who hath either lawfully repudiated an adulteresse or is deserted by an unbelieving Wife to enter into marriage anew then for a person whose former Wife is dead For that saying of the Apostle concerning all unmarried persons and Widowes is perpetually true and wholesome a 1 Cor. 7.8 9. It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry then c. DOCT. XXVI That some ought to be appointed in the Church to judge of controversies touching Marriage BUt we do not approve that any of these things be done in the Church without the lawfull cognisance judgement opinion of the Church and the Christian Magistrate where there is any and therefore we conceive that there ought to be constituted some pious knowing and prudent persons for the cognisance and judgement of masters touching matrimony so that nothing
sake consider'd in themselves but only for the imputed merits of Christ DOCT. VI. That judgement being ended the godly shall immediately be in heaven with Christ and the wicked in hell with the Devil and his Angels MOreover we believe that immediately after that judgement the godly shall follow Christ into heaven and the wicked with the Devils shall be thrust into hell Christ saying unto those Come ye blessed of my Father but to these Goe ye cursed into fire everlasting DOCT. VII That that day shall be most joyfull to the godly and therefore to be desir'd but to the wicked most sad and so intolerable to them even to hear of it SO we believe that last day will be to them who are grafted into Christ most happy and joyfull and that therefore it is beloved wished for by them and so ought to be desired and loved by us but the most unhappy and sad of all to the wicked whence it is no wonder that they hate that day 2 Tim. 4.8 and cannot endure the mention of it DOCT. VIII Errours 1. WE condemn those who deny that Christ is truly and really in his humane body to descend from heaven to the clouds and from thence to return into heaven with the elect but maintain that all this shall be without any mutation of place only by a sort of appearance as they call it and disappearance who are contradicted by sayings of Angels to the Apostles a Acts 1.11 As ye have seen him ascending into heaven so shall he come 2. We dissent from those who teach that works of godlinesse consider'd in themselves are the true cause for which eternall life is given and are the true deserts of the same the Apostle being of the contrary opinion and saying b Rom. 6 2â— The gift of God is life eternall Neither do we approve the opinion of the Câ—iliasts concerning a thousand years wherein after judgement Christ shall converse with his elect in this world who shall live in the delights of the flesh but such as are seemly and shall beget issue but holy and at length be translated into heaven 4. We condemn and abominate their errour who hold that the fire into which the wicked are sent shall be in time extinct so that even all the devils that live happily in the kingdome of God contrary to the expresse words of Christ a Matt. 25.41 Go into eternall fire CHAP XXX Of life Eternall DOCTRINE I. That all shall receive eternall life who by their good works shall have testified that they were truly ingrafted into Christ and believed in Christ THerefore we believe that at last eternall life that is a full and perfect possession of life eternall shall be given in that last day to all who by the evident works of true faith and piety shall be openly declared before all Angels and men most clearly demonstrated and by the sentence of Christ the Iudge be pronounced to have been truly ingrafted into Christ by the holy spirit and so to have believed in God the Father in his Son Iesus Christ and in the holy Ghost to have been living members of the holy Church and to have had communion with all the Saints and to have obained remission of their sins the Lord himself teaching this who saith a Mat. 25 34 c. that he will say unto those that are on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father enter into the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gave me to eat c. DOCT. II. The foregoing doctrine confirmed and that life eternall is given not in consideration of our works but through Christ in whom we are freely elected blessed and made the sons of God FOr in these words the Lord seemeth to have declared unto us that our good works are the evidences of our election blessing adoption and so of right an inheritance but that the cause for which we shall obtain life eternall and the possession of the kingdome of heaven is partly for that even before the foundation of the world that is before we had done any good that kingdome was freely prepared for us through Christ Eph. 1.3 partly for that we a have been blessed by the Father with all spirituall blessing in Christ and so called by grace justified obtained forgivenesse of our sins sanctified and adopted to be the sons of God through the same Christ and regenerated by his spirit whereby we are made coheirs of that kingdome Therefore forasmuch as the Lord will remember works of piety we do not question but he doth the same that it may be manifest to the whole world that we have truly been blessed elected just children of God to whom the inheritance was due according to that of the Apostle If children then heirs but that we are the children of God is declared by regeneration and regeneration by the effects of regeneration which are the works of faith and piety DOCT. III. That as the life of the godly shall be eternall so also the pains and fire of the wicked shall be eternall BUt as we believe that the children of God shall obtain life eternall so also we confesse that hypocrites and all the wicked shall goe into eternall fire never to be extinguish'd Mat. 25.48 and there be tormented for ever when Christ shall openly say Go ye into eternall fire DOCT. IV. That it can neither be express'd nor conceiv'd how happy that eternall life shall be BUt what that life is and after what manner and how great the felicity which is signify'd by the name of the kingdome of heaven we confesse ingenuously with the Apostle that neither eye hath seen it 1 Coâ— 2.9 nor ear heard it nor hath it entred into the heart of man being a thing greater and of more excellency then that it can be comprehended by human understanding and of such happinesse that greater cannot fall within our desires Therefore we simply believe we who are of Christ we are ruled by his Spirit who depend on his word and who place all our confidence of salvation in him that all shall be most happy and all shine like the Sun in the sight of God Mat. 13.43 1 Cor 11 12. Phil. 1.23 that we shall see God as he is and all live a heavenly and divine life with Christ and his Angels freed from all sin all misery all evil without any more sorrow without fear with out want or desire of any thing because God will be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Apoc. 22.3 4 c. and we shall see his face and in that city there shall be no night nor shall there be need of any candle or light of the Sun because the Lord God shall give us light and we shall reign for ever and ever with Christ Iesus our head Spouse Saviour Lord to whom praise honour and glory for evermore Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS CHAPTER I. Concerning the Holy Scriptures which are the foundation of all Christian Religion Pag. 1. Chap. II. Concerning God the divine Persons and Properties Pag. 13 Chap. III. Concerning Gods foreknowledge and Pradestination Pag. 19 Chap. IV. Concerning Gods Omnipotency and will Pag. 26 Chap. V. Concerning the Creation of the world the Angels and the first estate of man Pag. 29 Chap. VI. Concerning Gods Providence and his governing the world Pag. 37 Chap. VII Concerning the Fall of man and originall sin and the fruits of it Pag. 44 Chap. VIII What free-will was left unto Man after his Fall Pag. 53 Chap. IX Concerning the Promise of Redemption and Salvation through Christ Pag. 61 Chap. X. Concerning the Law Pag. 65 Chap. XI Concerning Christ our Redeemer Pag. 77 Chap. XII Concerning the true dispensation of redemption salvation and life and therefore the necessitie of our union and communion with Christ Pag. 108 Chap. XIII Concerning the Gospel and the abrogation of the Law by the Gospel Pag. 131 Chap. XIV Concerning the Sacraments of the New Testament Pag. 143 Chap. XV. Concerning Baptisme Pag. 169 Chap. XVI Concerning the Lords Supper Pag. 178 Chap. XVII Concerning Faith Hope and Charitie Pag. 201 Chap. XVIII Concerning Repentance Pag. 209 Chap. XIX Concerning Iustification Pag. â—16 Chap. XX. Concerning the Free-will of a man regenerate and his power unto that which is good Pag. 232 Chap. XXI Concerning good works Pag. 242 Chap. XXII Concerning Invocation and swearing Pag. 252 Chap. XXIII Concerning the Church of Christ in general Pag. 258 Chap. XXIV Concerning the Church Militant Pag. 259 Chap. XXV Of the Government of the Church Militant and of the Ecclesiasticall Ministry Pag. 307 Chap. XXVI Concerning Magistrates Pag. 361 Chap. XXVII Of the perpetuall remission of sins in the Church of Christ Pag. 372 Chap. XXVIII Of the state of souls after death and of the resurrection of the dead Pag. 383 Chap. XXIX Of the glorious coming of the Lord Iesus to judge the living and the dead Pag. 392 Chap. XXX Of life Eternall Pag. 400