Satan and of the World the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of the means of their preservation fall into grievous sins and for a time continue therein whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts have their hearts hardned and their consciences wounded hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgements upon themselves CHAP. XVIII Of the assurance of Grace and Salvation ALthough Hypocrites and other unregenerat men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and estate of Salvation which hope of theirs shall perish 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 rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed II. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perswasion grounded upon a fallible hope but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of Salvation the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made the testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption III. 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 the be partaker of it yet being enable by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given of him God he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of ordinary means attain thereunto 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 enlarge in peace and joy in the holy Ghost in love and thankfulness to God and in strength and chearfuless in the duties of obedience the proper fruits of this assurance so far is it from inclining men to loosness IV. True Believers may have the assurance of their Salvation divers ways shaken diminished and intermitted as by negligence in preserving of it by falling into some special sin which woundeth the Conscience and grieveth the Spirit by some sudden or vehement temptation by God's with-drawing the light of his countenance and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God and life of Faith 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 and by the which in the mean time they are supported from utter despair CHAP. XIX Of the Law of God GOD gave to Adam a Law as a Covenant of Works by which he bound him and all his Posterity to personal entire exact and perpetual obedience promised life upon the fulfilling and threatned death upon the breach of it and endued him with power and ability to keep it II. This Law after his fall continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness and as such was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in Ten Commandments and written in two Tables the four first Commandments containing our duty towards God and the other six our duty to man III. Beside this Law commonly called Moral God was pleased to give the people of Israel as a Church under age Ceremonial Laws containing several typical Ordinances partly of Worship prefiguring Christ his graces actions sufferings and benefits and partly holding forth divers instructions of Moral Duties All which Ceremonial Laws are now abrogated under the New Testament IV. To them also as a body politick he gave sundry Judicial Laws which expired together with 〈◊〉 state of that people not obliging any other now further than the general equity thereof may require V. The Moral Law doth for ever bind all as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof 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 Neither doth Christ in the Gospell any way dissolve but much strengthen this obligation VI. Although true Believers be not under the Law as a Covenant of Works to be thereby justified or condemned 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 nature hearts and lives so as examining themselves thereby they may come to further conviction of humiliation for and hatred against sin 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 curruptions in that it forbids sin and the threatnings 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 thereof threatned in the Law The promises of it in like manner shew them God's approbation of obedience and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof although not as due to them by the Law as a Covenant of works So as a mans 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 VII Neither are the fore-mentioned Uses of the Law contrary to the grace of the Gospel but do sweetly comply with it 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 CHAP. XX. Of Christians Liberty and Liberty of Conscience 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 curse of the Moral Law and in their being delivered from this present evil World bondage to Satan and Dominion of sin from the evil of afflictions the sting of death the victory of the grave and everlasting damnation as also in their free access to god and their yielding obedience unto him not our of slavish fear but a child-like love and willing mind All which were common also to Believers under the Law But under the New Testament the Liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the Ceremonial Law to which the Jewish Church was subjected and in greater boldness of access to the Throne of Grace and in fuller communication of the free Spirit of God than Believers under the Law did ordinary partake of II. God
be performed with the like faithfulness VI. It is not to be made to any Creature but to God alone and that it may be accepted it is to be made voluntarly out of Faith and Conscience to Duty in way of thankfulness for mercy received or for the obtaining of what we want whereby we more strictly bind our selves to necessary duties or to other things so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto VII No man may vow to do any thing forbidden in the Word of God or what would hinder any duty therein commanded or which is not in his own power and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God In which respects Popish Monastical Vows of perpetual single life professed Poverty and regular obedience are so far from being degrees of higher perfection that they are superstitious and sinful snares in which no Christian may intangle himself CHAP. XXIII Of the Civil Magistrat GOD the Supream Lord and King of all the World hath ordained Civil Magistrates to be under him over the people for his own Glory and the publick good and to this end hath armed them with the power of the Sword for the Defence and Encouragement of them that are good and for the punishment of evil doers II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the Office of a Magistrate when called thereunto In the managing whereof as they ought specially to maintain Piety Justice and Peace according to the wholsome Laws of each Common-wealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage War upon just and necessary occasions III. The Civil Magistrat may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and Sacraments or the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven yet he hath Authority and it is his duty to take order that Unity and Peace be perserved in the Church that the truth of God be kept pure and intire that all Blasphemies and Heresies be suppressed all corruptions and abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented or reformed and all the Ordinances of God duely settled administred and observed for the better effecting whereof he hath power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God IV. It is the duty of People to pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other Dues to obey their lawful commands and to be subject to their Authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the People from their due obedience to him from which Ecclesiasteal persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their people and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce MArriage is 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 II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of Husband and Wife for the increase of Mankind with a legittimat Issue and of the Church with an holy seed and for preventing of uncleanness III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their consent Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And therefore such as profess the true reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters Neither should such as are godly be unqually yoked by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life or maintain damnable Heresies IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Word 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 The Man may not marry any of his Wifes kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own nor the Woman of her Husbands kindred nearer in Blood than of her own V. Adultery or Fornication committed after a Contract being detected before Marriage giveth just occasion to the innocent Party to dissolve that Contract In the Case of Adultery after Marriage it is lawful for the innocent Party to sue out a Divorce and after the Divorce to marry another as if the offending Party were dead VI. Although the corruption of Man be such as is apt to study Arguments unduely to put asunder those whom God hath joyned together in Marriage yet nothing but Adultery or Civil Magistrat is cause sufficient of dissolving the Bond of Marriage wherein a publick and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed And the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case CHAP. XXV Of the Church THe Catholick or Universal Church which is 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 II. The visible Church which is also Catholick or Universal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all those throughout the World that profess the true Religion together with her Children and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ the House and Family of God out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation III. Unto this Catholick Visible Church Christ hath given the Ministry Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the World and doth by his own presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effectual thereunto IV. This Catholick Church hath been sometimes more sometimes less visible and particular Churches which are Members thereof are more or less pure according as the Doctrine of the Gospel is taught and imbraced Ordinances administred and publick Worship performed more or less purely in them V. The purest Churches under Heaven are subject both to mixture and error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Nevertheless there shall be always a Church on Earth to Worship God according to his will VI. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ Nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be Head thereof but is that Antichrist that Man of Sn and Son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God CHAP. XXVI Of the Communion of Saints ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and by Faith have fellowship with him in his graces sufferings death resurrection and glory
And being united to one another in love they have communion in each others gifts and graces and are obliged to the performance of such duties publick and privat as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward man II. 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 as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities which Communion as God offereth opportunity is to be extended to all those who in every place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus III. This Communion which the Saints have with Christ doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of his God-head or to be equal with Christ in any respect either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous Nor doth their Communion one with another as Saints take away or infringe the Title or Propriety which each man hath in his Goods and Possessions CHAP. XXVII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace immediatly Instituted by God to represent Christ and his Benefits and to confirm our interest in him as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the World and solemnly to engage them to the Service of God in Christ according to his Word II. There is in every Sacrament a Spiritual relation or Sacramental Union between the Sign and the Thing signified whence it comes to pass that the Names and Effects of the one are attributed to the other III. The Grace which is exhibited in or by the Sacraments rightly used is not conferred by any power in them neither doth the efficacy of a Sacrament depend upon the Piety or intention of him that doth Administer it but upon the work of the Spirit and the Word of Institution which contains together with a Precept authorizing the use thereof a promise of benefit to worthy Receivers IV. There be only two Sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully ordained V. The Sacrements of the Old Testament in regard of the Spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited were for substance the same with those of the New CHAP. XXVIII Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament Ordained by Jesus Christ not only for the solemn Admission of the Party Baptized into the Visible Church but also to be unto him a Sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace of his engrafting into Christ or Regenerations of Remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life Which Sacrament is by Christ's own appointment to be continued in his Church until the end of the world II. The outward Element to be used in this Sacrament is Water wherewith the party is to be Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost by a Minister of the Gospel lawfully called thereunto III. Dipping of the person in the Water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administred by pouring or sprinkling Water upon the person IV. Not only those that do actually profess Faith in and Obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both believing Parents are to be Baptized V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this Ordinance yet Grace and Salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it as that no person can be Regenerated or Saved without it or that all that are Baptized are undoubtedly Regenerated VI. The efficacy of Baptism is not tyed to that moment of time wherein it is administred yet notwithstanding by the right use of this Ordinance the Grace promised is not only offered but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost to such whether of age or Infants as that Grace belongeth unto according to the Counsel of God's own Will in his appointed time VII The Sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administred unto any person CHAP. XXIX Of the Lord's Supper OUr Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed Instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood called the Lord's Supper to be observed in his Church unto the end of the World for the perpetual remembrance of the Sacrifice of himself in his death the sealing all benefits thereof unto true Believers their Spiritual nourishment and growth in him their further ingagement in and to all Duties which they owe unto him and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other as Members of his mystical Body II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for Remission of sins of the quick or dead but only a Commemoration of that one Offering up of himself by himself upon the Cross once for all and a spiritual Oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same So that the Popish Sacrifice of the Mass as they call it is most abominably injurious to Christ's one only Sacrifice the alone Propitiation for all the sins of the Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers to declare his word of institution to the people to pray and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine and thereby to set them apart from a Common to an Holy Use and to Take and Break the Bread to Take the Cup and they communicating also themselves to give both to the Communicants but to none who are not then present in the Congregation IV. Privat Masses or receiving this Sacrament by a Priest or any other alone as likewise the denial of the Cup to the people worshipping the Elements the lifting them up or carying them about for adoration and the reserving them for any pretended Religious use are all contrary to the Nature of this Sacrament and to the Institution of Christ V. The outward Elements in this Sacrament duely set a part to the use ordained by Christ have such relation to him crucified as that truly yet Sacramentally only they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent to wit the Body and Blood of Christ albeit in substance and nature they still remain truly and only Bread and Wine as they were before VI. 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 but even to common sense and Reason overthroweth the nature of the Sacrament and hath been and is the cause of manifold Superstitions yea of gross Idolatries VII Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the visible Elements in this Sacrament do then also inwardly by