to both Natures by each Nature doing that which is proper to it self yet by reason of the unity of the Person that which is proper to one Nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the Person denominated by the other Nature VIII To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same making intercession for them and revealing unto them in and by the Word the mysteries of Salvation effectually perswading them by his Spirit to believe and obey and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty Power and Wisdom in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his Wonderful and unsearchable dispensation CHAP. IX Of Free Will GOD hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty that is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of Nature determined to do good or evil II. Man in his state of innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God but yet mutably so that he might fall from it III. Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying Salvation so as a natural man being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin is not able by his own strength to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto IV. When God converts a sinner and translates him into the state of grace he freeth him from his natural Bondage under sin and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good yet so as that by reason of his remaining Corruption he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good but doth also will that which is evil V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of Glory only CHAP. X. Of Effectual Calling ALL those whom God hath predestinated unto life and those only he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to Call by his Word and Spirit out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ inlightning their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God taking away their heart of stone and giving unto them an heart of flesh renewing their wills and by his Almighty power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his grace II. This Effectual Call is of Gods free and special grace alone not from any thing at all foreseen in man who is altogether passive therein until being quickned and renewed by the Holy Spirit he is thereby enabled to answer this Call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it III. Elect Infants dying in infancy are Regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth So also are all other elect persons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the Ministry of the Word IV. Others not elected although they may be called by the Ministry of the Word and may have some common operations of the Spirit yet they never truly come unto Christ and therefore cannot be saved much less can men not professing the Christian Religion be saved in any other way whatsoever be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the Light of Nature and the Law of that Religion they do profess And to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious and to be detasted CHAP. XI Of Justification THose whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing Faith it self the Act of believing or any other Evangelical Obedience to them as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of Justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but it is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead 〈◊〉 but worketh by Love III. Christ by his Obedience and Death did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified and did make a proper real and full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice in their behalf Yet in as much as he was given by the Father for them and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead and both freely not for any thing in them their justification is only of free grace that both the exact Justice and rich Grace of God might be glorified in the Justification of sinners IV. God did from all Eternity Decree to Justifie all the Elect and Christ did in the fulness of time die for their sins and rise again for their Justification nevertheless they are not Justified until the holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified and although they can never fall from the state of justification yet they may by their sins fall under God's Fatherly displeasure and not have the light of his Countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves confess their sins beg pardon and renew their Faith and Repentance VI. The Justification of Believers under the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the Justification of Believers under the New Testament CHAP. XII Of Adoption ALL those that are justified God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of Adoption by which they are taken into the number and enjoy the Liberties and Priviledges of the Children of God have his Name put upon them receive the spirit of Adoption have access to the Throne of Grace with boldness are enabled to cry Abba Father are pitied protected provided for and chastned by him as by a Father yet never cast off but sealed to the day of Redemption and inherit the Promises as heirs of everlasting Salvation CHAP. XIII Of Sanctification THey who are effectually called and regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them are further sanctified really and personally through the vertue of Christ's Death and Resurrection by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed the several lusts thereof are more more weakened mortified and they more and more quickned and strengthned in all saving Graces to the practice of true holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. II. This Sanctification is throughout in the whole man yet
imperfect in this life there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part whence ariseth a continual and irreconciliable War the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh III. In which War although the remaining Corruption for a time may much prevail yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ the Regenerat part doth overcome and so the Saints grow in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of God CHAP. XIV Of Saving Faith THe Grace of Faith whereby the Elect are enable to believe to the saving of their Souls is the Work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts and is ordinarly wrought by the Ministry of the Word by which also and by the Administration of the Sacraments and Prayer it is increased and strengthned II. By this Faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word from the Authority of God himself speaking therein and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth yielding obedience to the Commands trembling at the threatnings and imbracing the Promises of God for this life and that which is to come But the principal acts of Saving Faith are Accepting Receiving and Resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life by vertue of the Covenant of Grace III. This Faith is different in degrees weak or strong may be often and many ways assailed and weakned but gets the victory growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ who is both the Author and Finisher of our Faith CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life REpentance unto Life in an Evangelical Grace the Doctrine whereof is to be Preached by every Minister of the Gospel as well as that of Faith in Christ II. By it a sinner out of the sight and sense not only of the danger but also of the filthiness and odiousness his Sins as contrary to the holy Nature and righteous Law of God and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God purposing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the ways of his Commandments III. Although Repentance be not to be rested on as any satisfaction for sin or any cause of the pardon thereof which is the act of Gods free grace in Christ yet it is of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it IV. As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance but it is every mans duty to endeavour to repent of his particular sins particularly VI. As every man is bound to make privat confession of his sins to God praying for the pardon thereof upon which and the forsaking of them he shall find mercy so he that scandalizeth his Brother or the Church of Christ ought to be willing by a privat or publick confession and sorrow for his sins to declare his Repentance to those that are offended who are thereupon to be reconciled to him and in love to receive him CHAP. XVI Of Good Works GOOD Works are only such as God hath commanded in his Holy Word and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind Zeal or upon any pretence of good intention II. These good works done in obedience to God's Commandments are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith and by them Believers manifest their thankfulness strengthen their assurance edifie their brethren adorn the profession of the Gospel stop the mouths of the adversaries and glorifie God whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus thereunto that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit of Christ And that they may be enabled thereunto besides the graces they have already received there is required an actual influence of the same holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life is so far from being able to supererogate and to do more than God requires as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come and the infinite distance that is between us and God whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfie for the debt of our former sins but when we have done all we can we have done but our duty and are unprofitable servants and because as they are good they proceed from his Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods Judgement VI. Yet notwithstanding the Persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good works also are accepted in him not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight but that he looking upon them in his Son is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections VII Works done by unregenerate men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands and of good use both to themselves and others yet because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith nor are done in a right manner according to the Word nor to a right end the glory of God they are therefore sinful and cannot please God or make a man meet to receive grace from God and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God CHAP. XVII Of the Perseverance of the Saints THey whom God hath accepted in his Beloved effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of Grace but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved II. This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free-will but upon the immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them and the nature of the Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof III. Nevertheless they may through the temptations of
them whatsoever himself pleaseth In his sight all things are open and manifest his Knowledge is infinite infallible and independent upon the Creature so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain He is most holy in all his Counsels in all his Works and in all his Commands To him is due from Angels and men and every other Creature whatsoever Worship Service or Obedience he is pleased to require of them III. In the Unity of the God-head there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is eternally begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son CHAP. III. Of God's Eternal Decree GOD from all eternity did by the most wise and Holy Counsel of his own will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass yet so as thereby neither is God the Author of sin nor is violence offered to the will of the Creatures nor is the Liberty or contingency of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions III. By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others fore-ordained to everlasting death IV. These Angels and Men thus predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished V. Those of Mankind that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret Counsel and good Pleasure of his Will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting Glory out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of Faith or good Works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious Grace VI. As God hath appointed the Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will fore-ordained all the means thereunto Wherefore they who are Elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are Justified Adopted Sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are any other redeemed by Christ effectually Called Justified Adopted Sanctified and Saved but the Elect only VII The rest of mankind God was pleased according to the unsearchable counsel of his own Will whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth for the glory of his Soveraign Power over his Creatures to pass by and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin to the praise of his glorious justice VIII The Doctrine of this high Mystery of Predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual Vocation be assured of their eternal Election So shall this Doctrine afford matter of praise reverence and admiration of God and of humility diligence and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel CHAP. IV. Of Creation IT pleased God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal Power Wisdom and goodness in the beginning to create or make of nothing the World and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six days and all very good II. After God had made all other Creatures he created Man Male and Female with reasonable and immortal souls endowed with knowledge righteousness and true holiness after his own Image having the Law of God written in their hearts and power to fulfill it and yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the Liberty of their own will which was subject unto change Beside this Law written in their hearts they received a command not to eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil which whiles they kept they were happy in their Communion with God and had dominion over the Creatures CHAP. V. Of Providence GOD the great Creator of all things doth uphold direct dispose and govern all Creatures actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy Providence according to his infallible fore-knowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own will to the praise of the glory of his Wisdom Power Justice Goodness and Mercy II. Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God the first cause all things come to pass immutably and infallibly yet by the same Providence he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second Causes either necessarily freely or contingently III. God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of means yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure IV. The Almighty power unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his Providence that it extendeth it self even to the first fall and all other sins of Angels and men and that not by a bare permission but such as hath joyned with it a most wise and powerful bounding and otherwise ordering and governing of them in a manifold dispensation to his own holy ends yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the Creature and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be the Author or Approver of sin V. The most wise righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptation and the corruption of their own hearts to chastise them for their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of Corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more closs and constant dependency for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and for sundry other just and holy ends VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous Judge for former sins doth blind and harden from them he not only withholdeth his grace whereby they might have been inlightned in their understandings and wrought upon in their hearts but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin and withal gives them over to their own Lusts the temptations of the World and the power of Satan whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves even under these means which God useth for the softning of others VII As the providence of God doth in general reach to all Creatures so after a most
special manner it taketh care of his Church and disposeth all things to the good thereof CHAP. VI. Of the Fall of Man of Sin and of the punishment thereof OUr first Parents being seduced by the Subtilty and Temptation of Satan sinned in eating the forbidden fruit This their sin God was pleased according to his wise and holy counsel to permit having purposed to order it to his own glory II. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God and so became dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body III. They being the root of all mankind the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation IV. From this original corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil do proceed all actual transgressions V. This corruption of nature during this life doth remain in those that are regenerated and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified yet both it self and all the motions thereof are truely and properly sin VI. Every sin both Original and Actual being a transgression of the righteous Law of God and contrary thereunto doth in its own nature bring guilt upon the sinner whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God and curse of the Law and so made subject to death with all miseries spiritual temporal and eternal CHAP. VII Of God's Covenant with Man THe distance between God and the creature is so great that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward but by some voluntary condescension on Gods part which he hath been pleased to express by way of Covenant II. The first Covenant made with Man was a Covenant of Works wherein Life was promised to Adam and in him to his posterity upon condition of perfect and personal obedience III. Man by his Fall having made himself uncapable of Life by that Covenant the Lord was pleased to make a second commonly called the Covenant of Grace Wherein he freely offered unto sinners Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ requiring of them Faith in him that they may be saved and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto Life his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe IV. This Covenant of Grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a Testament in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator and to the everlasting inheritance with all things belonging to it therein bequeathed V. This Covenant was differently administred in the time of the Law and in the time of the Gospel Under the Law it was administred by Promises Prophesies Sacrifices Circumcision the Paschal Lamb and other Typs and Ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews all foresignifying Christ to come which were for that time sufficient and efficacious through the operation of the Spirit to instruct and build up the Elect in Faith in the promised Messiah by whom they had full remission of Sins and eternal Salvation and is called the Old Testament VI. Under the Gospel when Christ the substance was exhibited the Ordinances in which this Covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which though fewer in number and administred with more simplicity and less outward glory yet in them it is held forth in more fulness evidence and spiritual efficacy to all nations both Jews and Gentiles and is called the New Testament There are not therefore two Covenants of Grace differing in substance but one and the same under various dispensations CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator IT pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son to be the Mediator between God and Man the Prophet Priest and King the Head and Saviour of his Church the Heir of all things and Judge of the World unto whom he did from all eternity give a People to be his Seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Justified Sanctified and Glorified II. The Son of God the second Person of the Trinity being very and eternal God of one Substance and equal with the Father did when the fulness of time was come take upon him mans nature with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof yet without sin being conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary of her substance So that two whole perfect and distinct natures the God-head and the Man-hood were inseperably joyned together in one person without Conversion Composition or Confusion Which Person is very God and very Man yet one Christ the only Mediator between God and Man III. The Lord Jesus in his humane nature thus united to the divine was sanctified and anointed with the holy Spirit above measure having in him all the treasures of wisdom knowledge in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell to the end that being holy harmless undefiled and full of grace and truth he might be thorowly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety Which office he took not unto himself but was thereunto called by his Father who put all power and Judgement into his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same IV. This Office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake which that he might discharge he was made under the Law and did perfectly fulfill it endured most grievous torments immediatly in his Soul and most painful sufferings in his Body was crucified and died was buried and remained under the power of death yet saw no corruption On the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered with which also he ascended into Heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession and shall return to Judge Men and Angels at the end of the World V. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Justice of his Father and purchased not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him VI. Although the Work of Redemption was not actualy wrought by Christ till after his incarnaton yet the vertue efficacy and benefites thereof were communicated unto the Elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world in and by those promises typs and sacrifices wherein he was revealed and signified to be the Seed of the Woman which should bruise the Serpents head and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world being yesterday and to day the same and for ever VII Christ in the work of Mediation acteth according
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
alone is Lord of the Conscience and hath left it free from the Doctrines and Commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his Word or beside it in matters of Faith or Worship So that to believe such Doctrines or to obey such Commands out of Conscience is to betray true liberty of Conscience and the requiring of an implicite saith and an absolute and blind obedience is to destroy liberty of Conscience and Reason also III. They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty do practise any sin or cherish any lust do thereby destroy the end of Christian Liberty which is that being dilivered out of the hands of our Enemies we might serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of out life IV. And because the Powers which God hath ordained and the Liberty which Christ hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another they who upon pretence of Christian Liberty shall oppose any lawful Power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastical resist the Ordinance of God And for their publishing of such Opinions or maintaining of such Practices as are contrary to the light of Nature or to the known Principles of Christianity whether concerning Faith Worship or Conversation to the Power of Godliness or such erroneous Opinions or Practices as either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external Peace and Order which Christ hath established in the Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the Censures of the Church and by the power of the Civil Magistrat CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-day THe light of Nature sheweth that there is a GOD who hath Lordship and Soveraignty over all is good and doth good unto all and is therefore to be feared loved praised called upon trusted in and served with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the might But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed Will that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men or the suggestions of Satan under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture II. Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to him alone not to Angels Saints or any other creature and since the Fall not without a Mediator nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone III. Prayer with Thanksgiving being one special part of Religious worship is by God required of all men and that it may be accepted it is to be made in the Name of the Son by the help of his Spirit according to his Will with understanding reverence humility fervency faith love and perseverence and if vocal in a known tongue IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful and for all sorts of men living or that shall live hereafter but not for the dead nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word in obedience unto God with Understanding Faith and Reverence singing of Psalms with grace in the heart as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the Sacraments instituted by Christ are all parts of the ordinary Religious Worship of God Beside Religious Oaths Vows Solemn Fastings and Thanksgiving upon special occasions which are in their several times and seasons to be used in an holy and religious manner VI. Neither Prayer nor any other part of Religious Worship is now under the Gospel either tyed unto or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed or towards which it is directed but God is to be worshipped every where in Spirit and in Truth as in private families daily and in secret each one by himself so more solemnly in the publick Assemblies which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken when God by his Word or Providence calleth thereunto VII As it is of the Law of Nature that in general a due proportion of time be set a-part for the Worship of God so in his Word by a positive Moral and perpetual Commandment binding all men in all ages he hath particularly appointed One day in Seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him which from the beginning of the World to the Resurrection of Christ was the last day of the Week and from the Resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the Week which in Scripture is called the LORD'S Day and is to be continued to the end of the World as the Christian Sabbath VIII This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord when men after a due preparation of their hearts and ordering of their common affairs before-hand do not only observe a holy Rest all the day from their own works words and thoughts about their wordly imployments and recreations but also are taken up the whole time in the publick and private Exerses of his Worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy CHAP. XXII Of Lawful Oaths and Vows A Lawful Oath is a part of Religious Worship wherein upon just ocasion the person swearing solemnly calleth God to Witness what he asserteth or promiseth and to judge him according to the truth or falshood of what he sweareth II. The Name of God only is that by which men ought to swear and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence Therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful Name or to swear at all by any other thing is sinful and to be abhorred Yet as in matters of weight and moment an Oath is warranted by the Word of God under the New Testament as well as under the Old so a lawful Oath being imposed by lawful Authority in such matters ought to be taken III. Whosoever taketh an Oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully perswaded is the truth Neither may any man bind himself by Oath to any thing but what is good and just and what he believeth so to be and what he is able and resolved to perform Yet it is a sin to refuse an Oath touching any thing that is good and just being imposed by lawful Authority IV. An Oath is to be taken in the plain and Common sense of the words without Equivocation or Mental Reservation it cannot oblige to sin but in any thing not sinful being taken it binds to performance although to a mans own hurt nor is it to be violated although made to Heriticks or Infidels V. A Vow is of the like nature with a Promissory Oath and ought to be made with the like religious care to
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