THE CONFESSION OR DECLARATION OF THE Ministers or Pastors Which in the UNITED PROVINCES are called REMONSTRANTS Concerning the chief Points of Christian Religion LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1676. THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS   Page Chap. 1. OF the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity 59 Chap. 2. Of the Knowledg of the Essence of God or of the Divine Nature 78 Chap. 3. Of the Holy and Sacred Trinity 93 Chap. 4. Of the Knowledg of the Works of God 96 Chap. 5. Of the Creation of the World of Angels and of Men. 98 Chap. 6. Of the Providence of God or his Preservation and Government of things 105   Page Chap. 7. Of the Sin and Misery of Man 117 Chap. 8. Of the Work of Redemption and of the Person and Offices of Jesus Christ. 128 Chap. 9. Of the Knowledg of the Will of God revealed in the New-Covenant 138 Chap. 10. Of the Precepts or Commandments of Jesus Christ in general and of Faith and Repentance or Conversion unto God 141 Chap. 11. Of Faith in Jesus Christ. 145 Chap. 12. Of good Works in particular and of the exposition of the Decalogue 155 Chap. 13. Of directing and denying of our selves and bearing of the Cross of Christ. 170 Chap. 14. Of Prayer and Thanksgiving and in particular of the Lord's Prayer 181 Chap. 15. Of special Callings and of the Precepts and Traditions of Men. 193 Chap. 16. Of the Worship and Veneration    Page  of Jesus Christ the only Mediator and of the Invocation of Saints 196 Chap. 17. Of the Benefits and Promises of God and first of Election unto Grace or Calling unto Faith 200 Chap. 18. Of the Promises of God that are performed in this Life to those that are already converted and are Believers that is of Election unto Glory of Adoption Justification Sanctification and of Obsignation or Sealing 209 Chap. 19. Of the Promises of God pertaining to the Life to come or of the raising again of the Dead and eternal Life 216 Chap. 20. Of the Divine Threatnings and Punishments of the wicked pertaining both unto this Life and unto the Life to come to wit of Reprobation Hardening Blinding and of Eternal Death and Damnation 218   Page Chap. 21. Of the Ministry of the Word of God and of the Orders of Ministers 222 Chap. 22. Of the Church of Jesus Christ and its Marks or Notes 230  Of the Marks or Notes of a visible Church 224 Chap. 23. Of the Sacraments and other Sacred Rites 237  Of Baptism 238  Of the Sacred Supper of the Lord. 240  Of other Sacred Rites but yet such as are indifferent 242 Chap. 24. Of Church Discipline 246 Chap. 25. Of Synods or Councels and of their manner and use 254  The Conclusion 260 ERRATA PAge 29. line 14. read are so tied P. 35. l. 18. r. the very said P. 37. l. 12. r. by God for disturbing P. 38. l. 9. for those r. these P. 39. l. 2. r. use a thing well P. 55. l. 12. r. for such P. 80. l. 25. r. state and relation of each to other Ibid. l. 27. for of r. by P. 88. l. 5 6. r. no ways sworn to any P. 91. l. 19. r. of any other Enemies P. 124. l. 1. r. now long since P. 140. l. 2. for assent â—r assert P. 151. l. 10. r. come to P. 182. l. 18. r. both these parts P. 185. l. 5. r. and in whom P. 186. l. 8. r. to forsake P. 202. l. 14 to 18. r. nor for that thereby the will of him that is called is by an irresistible power or by some omnipotent force which is neither more nor less than Creation or raising from the dead so effectually determined to believe P 223. l. 27. for in r. to P. 242. l. 4. add after themselves as coverts of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. P. 243. l. 10. r. as also P. 250. l. 19 20 21 22. unto the Word Sin to be expunged and to read And also withal there is even in the first place an exact regard to be had of the diversity or difference of Sins P. 256. l. 24 25. add after brought in that they be taken away or removed THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader THERE is no doubt pious Reader but that this Declaration of Faith which is published by us will be liable to the various and different judgements of men For as every one stands perswaded in his own mind touching both the necessity profit form and manner of such-like Declarations so is he like also to pass judgment upon this of ours There are some who think we ought to abstain altogether from all Confessions or Declarations and judg that they are not only not necessary nor profitable for the Christian Weal-publick but that they are also unlawful dangerous and hurtful in the Church There are some who do not indeed think it altogether unadvised to publish Confessions or Declarations much less do they think it unlawful or hurtful but they judge they ought to be conceiv'd and framed onely in meer pure Scripture-words There are some who indeed do not altogether disallow of Confessions though conceiv'd in other than bare Scripture-words but will have them to be so general and brief that they shall contain and comprehend nothing but what is absolutely and precisely necessary to be known and believed unto Salvation There are lastly others far different from these who judge particular Confessions and Declarations even of several most minute and small Controversies not only so far profitable but also necessary that without them a Christian-Society can neither have being nor well-being The so various diverse and differing judgments of all these this our Declaration is doubtless like to undergo and these indeed severally have specious and noâ— altogether improbable grounds for their opinions whereon they build and relie Those who judg that we ought altogether to abstain from Confessions or Declarations or that they ought not to be conceived but in meer and plain Scripture words of which sort of men in this â—ge there are found not a few otherwise pious and good men they as far as we can gather pretend for the most part three things for their opinion 1. For that by reason of them there is done no â—ight prejudice to the Majesty and Authority of the Scriptures 2. For that â—y occasion of them there is mighty dammage and detriment done to the liberty of Churches or Conscience and Propheâ—y 3. For that by the same a wide gap is open'd for Factions and Schisms in the Church And first indeed they think that by â—his very means the Majestie of the Scriptures is not a little derogated and detracted from for that both their sufficiency and perspicuity seem to be suspected and doubted of to wit as if they either did not fully and sufficiently contain all things
because man who is now called and sufficiently prepared doth not resist God that calleth him nor set any Bar against the divine Grace which otherwise he might set against the same There is indeed another that is sufficient but yet withal ineffectual to wit which on man's part is without any saving effect and through the alone voluntary and vincible or avoidable fault of man becomes unfruitful or obtains not its wished and due event and end 4. The former which is accompanied with its saving effect or is already in its exercit act is sometimes called in Scripture Conversion Regeneration a Spiritual raising from the dead and a new Creation to wit because by it we are effectually turned from a corrupt course of living to live soberly justly and piously and are raised of God from a death of sin or a deadly custom of sinning unto a Spiritual life or Holy way of living Lastly being reformed according unto the similitude or likeness both of the doctrine and of the life of Christ we are as it were begotten again and so by repentance and faith are in him made new Creatures 5. Man therefore hath not saving Faith of or from himself nor is he born again or converted by the power of his own free will seeing in the State of sin he cannot so much as think much less will or do any good which is indeed savingly good such is in special manner Conversion and saving Faith of or from himself but it is necessary that he be regenerated and wholly renewed of God in Christ by the word of the Gospel and by the virtue of the Holy Spirit in conjunction therewith to wit in understanding affections will and all his powers and faculties that he may be able rightly to understand meditate on will and perform these things that are savingly good 6. We conclude therefore that the grace of God is the beginning progress and complement of all good so that not so much as a regenerate man himself can without this preceding or preventing exciting following and co-operating Grace think will or perform any thing that is savingly good much less resist any temptations that do draw and entice unto evil Insomuch that Faith Conversion and all good works and all pious saving actions which any one can think of are wholly to be ascribed to the Grace of God in Christ as their principal and primary cause 7. Yet may man despise and reject the Grace of God and resist the operation of it so that when he is called of God unto Faith and Obedience he may render himself unfit to believe and obey the divine Will and that by his own proper fault and that too true and vincible either through secure inadvertency or through blind prejudice or through inconsiderate zeal or through an inordinate love of the World or of himself or other irritating or provoking causes of that kind For such an irresistible Grace or force which as to its efficacy is neither more nor less than Creation not Generation properly so called nor raising from the dead and which doth effect the very act of Faith and Obedience in such manner that it being afforded or granted a Man cannot but believe and obey cannot certainly but altogether ineptly and unwisely be there made use of and applied where free Obedience is seriously commanded and that under the promise of an exceeding great reward in case it be performed and under the threatning of the forest punishment if it be neglected For in vain and without cause doth he command this Obedience and require it of another and promise to reward the Obedience who himself both ought and will work the very act of Obedience by such a force as cannot be resisted and ineptly against reason is he rewarded as one truly and really Obedient in whom this very Obedience is effected by such a kind of force of another's Lastly punishment especially eternal is unjustly and cruelly inflicted on him by whom this Obedience is not performed through the sole and alone defect of that irresistible Grace which is indeed necessary as one disobedient who really and indeed is not disobedient That we may not now say that it is every where in the Scriptures affirmed of some that they have resisted the Holy Ghost that they judged or rather made themselves unworthy of eternal Life that they made void the Counsel of God against themselves that they would not hear come obey that they have closed their ears and hardened their hearts c. And of others that they heard the Word readily and willingly that they obeyed the Truth and the Faith that they shewed themselves attentive and teachable that they attended unto the Truth of the Gospel that they received the Word with chearfulness and that they were therein more generous then those who rejected the same lastly that they obeyed the Truth or the Gospel from the Heart c. All which things certainly to attribute to those who either can no ways believe or obey or cannot but believe and obey when they are called is doubtless too inept or weak and plainly ridiculous 8. And though there be a very great disparity of Grace according indeed to the most free dispensation of the Divine Will yet doth the Holy Spirit bestow and confer so much Grace upon all Men both in general and in particular to whom the Work of Faith is ordinarily preached as is sufficient to beget Faith in them and to carry on their saving conversion gradually unto the end And therefore not only those who do actually believe and are converted but also those who do not actually believe and are not really converted have sufficient grace vouchsafed to them to believe and to be converted For whomsoever God doth call unto Faith and Salvation he calleth them seriously that is to say he doth not call them only in outward shew or only by his vocal Word to wit as therein his serious Precepts and Promises are held forth to those that are called in general but also with a sincere and every way unfeigned intention of saving them will of converting them So that he never intended any decree of absolute Reprobation or immerited or undeserved blinding or hardening to precede or pass before concerning them CHAP. XVIII Of the promises of God that are performed in this life to those that are already converted and are Believers that is of Election unto Glory of Adoption Justification Sanctification and of Obsignanation or Sealing 1. COncerning Men that are sinners but yet are already effectually called and converted by the Grace of God unto the Faith of Jesus Christ and who do by the help of the same Grace by true Faith order their life according to the Commandments of Jesus Christ God is pleased and useth to
exercise towards them and to prosecute them with several saving acts but of two sorts of which indeed some pertain to this Life others to that which is to come 2. The acts which pertain to this Life are five of which the two former are Election unto Glory and Adoption or Divine Filiation or Sonship By the one of which they that are already converted and do truly believe are separated from the profane rabble of those that perish and being exempted out of the number of those that are to be damned as to their present estate are as it were set apart for God's own peculiar Treasure By the other the same are moreover more nearly or throughly taken into the Houshold of God and so unto a Right of the Heavenly inheritance in due time to be entred upon and so are ranked and registred among those that shall be saved or among those whom God will no ways punish but will pardon unto them their Sins freely in or through Christ. Although Adoption elsewhere in Scripture is wont also to denote the very Redemption it self of our bodies or the blessed Resurrection to wit because the complement and consummation thereof will then and there at length appear 3. To these are immediatly joyned other Acts as Justification Sanctification and lastly a certain singular or peculiar Obsignation or Sealing by the Holy Spirit Justification is a merciful and gracious and indeed full absolution or discharge of a Sinner that truly repenteth and believeth from all guilt before God through and for the sake of Jesus Christ apprehended or laid hold on by true Faith or a gratuitous or free remission of all Sins obtained or received by true Faith in Jesus Christ yea further also a liberal and munificent imputation of Faith it self unto or for Righteousness for that indeed in God's judgment and account we attain not unto it but of Gods mere pure grace and by Faith only in Jesus Christ but yet a living one and such as worketh by love without all merit of our own works And this is the meaning of that Article of the Creed when we say I believe the remission or forgiveness of Sins 4. Sanctification in special manner so called for otherwise sometime in the Sacred Scripture it is taken for Regeneration also or Conversion or effectual Calling of which before or finally for any Spiritual cleansing whatever although it be only outward is a certain more perfect and which continually grows and increaseth separation of the Sons or Children of God from this impure or unclean World being partly a more plentiful and fuller enlightening of true Believers and such as out of Faith diligently perform and do their duty in the knowledg of the Will of God which even God oftentimes is wont to effect and work in many and admirable manners partly a more effectual and through-extimulation or engaging of them unto a constant hatred of Sin and study of Holiness true Godliness and a confirmation of them in this zeal or earnest affection so that the Will of a Man that is a true Believer is made more prone and enclined yea more chearful unto vertue every day than other And these obstacles or hindrances which otherwise he is wont to meet with in his study of piety and vertue he either suffereth them not to be lay'd in his way or being laid he diligently and carefully removes them and couragiously and chearfully overcomes them 5. Obsignation or Sealing by the Holy Spirit is a more solid and strong confirmation of us in a true confidence and hope of the Heavenly Glory and certainty or assurance of the Grace and Favour of God whereby it comes to pass that Believers as by an earnest or certain pledg received are more and more assured of their Adoption Justification and finally of their following Glorification and unless themselves hinder it they may be preserved even unto the end in a sence or feeling of the Grace of God and in true Faith against all manner of temptations or may have the gift of a total and final perseverance vested in them and bestowed upon them 6. And these kinds of gracious acts God exerciseth towards all those and only those though unequally and in different measure who truly believe and repent of whom therefore in the Scriptures we find three sorts or orders 1. Of those who are called novices or beginners and who are newly or but lately converted to the Faith who together with a sincere assent do withal bring indeed a serious and deliberate purpose or resolution of obeying the Divine Will but yet such as when Persecution or the Cross and Afflictions or other dangerous Temptations do arise doth immediately again grow weak or sometimes also vanisheth and wholly decayeth 2. Of those who do for some time remain constant in the true Faith and this same holy resolution and purpose and for a while also demonstrate the truth of their Faith by good works but yet notwithstanding at length what through the enticements of the World or of the Flesh or of Satan or by some violent Tyranny they defect and revolt from the Faith as overcome or wholly discouraged and broken 3. Of those who either without any defection or interruption do continually persevere and hold out in the said pious resolution and in holy Works even unto the end or who having once or again lapsed or fallen or somewhat more often revolted do again seriously repent and so being restored again by the Grace of God do at length finally persist and hold out Therefore the two former orders of Believers are indeed truly elected adopted and justified but not altogether absolutely nor but for a time to wit so far and so long as they are and remain such but the third and last sort only even finally and peremptorily to wit according to that which we read in the Gospel He that continueth to the end the same shall be saved 7. For these acts are Divine acts which are sometimes continued and sometimes interrupted to wit which so long continue and take place here as the requisite condition thereof that is Faith and Holiness that are agreed upon by Covenant endureth and abideth in us But they are interrupted when we no longer stand to our Covenants or when we do or commit such acts as can no ways consist with true Faith and a good Conscience according to that of Eizekiel If the just or righteous shall turn away from his righteousness and do iniquity according to all the iniquities which the wicked shall do shall he do it and live all the righteousnesses which he hath done shall not be remembred for his prevarication wherewith he hath prevaricated and for the sin wherewith he hath sinned for them I say he shall die Whereunto are consonant very many other sacred testimonies of like sort together with examples CHAP. XIX Of the Promises
doubtless or Desert because he hath merited eternal Salvation for us by his Obedience or because by the Mediation hereof especially of his violent and bloody Death as by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Price of Redemption and propitiatory Sacrifice God hath thus far reconciled all Sinners unto himself that for the sake of this Price of Redemption and Sacrifice he was pleased to be at one with them again and to open the door of eternal Salvation and way of Immortality to them even as it was prefigured many ages before under divers Types Figures and Shadows of the Old Testament and especially under the Type of that solemn Sacrifice which the High-Priest once every year performed in the Holy of Holies And he is our Saviour indeed by way of Efficacy in as much as he doth effectually apply the Spirituall virtue and fruit of the said Merit of his to his faithful Followers and really affords it to them to enjoy and makes them through Faith really partakers of all those Benefits which he by his Obedience hath purchased for them of which more afterwards 10. But those Men who hold that there was both an absolute Election and an absolute Reprobation of certain Persons whether considered before the Fall or only under or after the Fall without Faith in Christ on the one hand or Disobedience on the other hand was in order first made and past before Jesus Christ was designed of the Father as a Mediator for them they enervate nay do wholly and utterly overthrow the universal force and vertue of this same Merit and the truth and reality of its Efficacy Neither indeed was it necessary that there should be made any true or real Expiation of Sins by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Redemption of Christ for them nay nor indeed was it so much as possible if Truth may be freely spoken who were now long before by name peremptorily and absolutely destinated or appointed part unto Life part unto Death For the Elect as they call them or those who are predestinated unto Life have no need of any such Expiation and Reconciliation because upon the very account of their being precisely or absolutely elected unto Salvation they are likewise upon the same account in actual Favour with God and already necessarily beloved of him with the highest and immutable Love and such as is peculiar to those that are Sons and Heirs of God And as for the Reprobate as they call them they themselves deny that there was or is any Atonement truly made for them and besides the thing is absurd of it self as that which implyes a contradiction For upon their being reprobated according to these Mens Opinion they are thereupon wholly and altogether excluded from the Atonement made by Christ. Because those whom God hath by an immutable Decree once reprobated or excluded from Salvation or devoted to to eternal Destruction he doth not seriously will nor can will that any thing savingly good should really be conferred upon them much less that the said Atonement should be common to them with the Elect. And thus far in general of the chief Works of God hitherto CHAP. IX Of the Knowledg of the Will of God revealed in the New Covenant 1. FUrthermore the Will of God comprehended in the Covenant of Grace which our most high Prophet the only begotten Son of God hath clearly and fully revealed unto us in his Gospel contains two chief heads First those things which God on his part by his Son Jesus Christ hath decreed to do or work in us or about us that we may be made partakers of that eternal Salvation that is offered to us by him Secondly those things which he altogether wills by the mediation or means of his own Grace to be done by us if we will really obtain eternal Salvation 2. Those things which God hath decreed to do on his part in order to our Salvation are chiefly two 1. He hath decreed for the honour of his beloved Son by him to choose unto himself for Sons unto Salvation and Life eternal to adopt justifie seal with his Holy Spirit and at last to glorifie all those and those only who truly believe in his Name or obey his Gospel and persevere in the said Faith and Obedience even unto death and on the contrary to reprobate or reject from Life and Salvation Unbelievers and Impenitent Persons and everlastingly to condemn them 2. He hath decreed through or by his same Son to confer or bestow upon all that are called although wretched Sinners such effectual Grace as by which they may be truly and really enabled to believe on Christ their Saviour obey his Gospel and be delivered from the Dominion and Guilt of Sin yea also by which they may actually believe obey and be delivered unless by a new Contumacy and Rebellion they reject the Grace of God that is offered unto them 3. The first Decree is the Decree of Predestination unto Salvation or of Election unto Glory whereby is established as well the real necessity as profitableness of our Faith and Obedience in reference to our obtaining Salvation and Glory before which dogmatically to assign or assent another Decree first or before it in order whereby some certain particular Persons by name were elected and that indeed peremptorily unto Glory and that all other were reprobated unto eternal Torments is indeed to deny the true nature of this Decree to invert its right order to take away the Merit of Christ to darken the Glory both of the Goodness and Righteousness and Wisdom of God yea utterly to subvert the true Force and Efficacy of the whole Sacred Ministry and so of all Religion 4. The other Decree is the Decree of Vocation unto Faith or of Election unto Grace whereby is established the necessity together with the profit or advantage of Divine Grace or of means necessary for us unto our yeilding Faith and Obedience unto Jesus Christ on our part according to the Will of God revealed in his Gospel But because we ought to be first certain of or clear in that Will of God that he will have to be performed by us before we be certain of the Grace that is necessary for our performance of the said Will and before we be certain of the Glory that is promised to and undoubtedly hereafter to be conferred upon those that do the Will of God hence is it that we shall treat of them all henceforth in the same order wherein they have been propounded or laid down CHAP. X. Of the Precepts or Commandments of Jesus Christ in general and of Faith and Repentance or Conversion unto God 1. THe Will of God which he would have performed or done by us that we might obtain eternal Salvation by Christ is fully contained in the Precepts or Commands of Jesus Christ all which although they be many and divers yet may be comprehended under
should faint or despair Jesus Christ hath willed that all Believers in general and particular should in his alone Name with an unwearied entire Faith and that always without ceasing but especially in great Temptations and Adversities implore and earnestly entreat the continual Help and Grace of God and continually give him thanks for the Benefits and Mercies they have received by this means testifying and declaring that they ow unto God as the chief and prime Author their whole Happiness and that by his alone Aid and free Blessing or Benefit they are able to perform yea and really do perform all things whatsoever are necessary to be done or performed for the obtaining of it Whence arise two principal parts or kinds of Divine Worship Prayer strictly and properly so called or an earnest entreating of the Divine help for good things to be obtained or for the taking or turning away of things evill and giving of Thanks and solemn Praysing of the Name of God for Blessings and Mercies received 2. Both parts or kinds God every where commends unto us in his Word but especially Jesus Christ in the New Testament whilst in all places whether in publick or private as the case or occasion shall serve he commands both to be performed in Spirit and Truth And indeed as touching Prayer or invocation Jesus Christ hath not only commandded it in words but also hath commended it to us by his own example and also hath prescribed the manner and a certain form of performing the same according to which as an infallible and certain rule our petitions whether they be conceived or framed for our selves or others ought always to be conformed adding withal a promise that our Prayers if so be they be according to the Will of God and be accompanied also with a due disposition of us that pray both in respect of our inward and outward Man to wit with true Repentance for sins formerly committed firm Considence concerning the Grace of God purchased by Christ a sincere endeavour after Holiness and especially of brotherly Love also with serious Attention devout Submission and lastly with an unwearied Diligence and Constancy in Prayer shall most certainly be heard of God 3. This form of Prayer is called from the Author of it our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord's Prayer whereof there are three chief parts the Preface Narration and Conclusion although this be wholly wanting in Luke nor doth it necessarily of it self pertain to the substance or essence thereof 4. In the Preface we are taught whom we ought at all times to invocate or pray unto and with what heart and in what manner to wit our Heavenly Father or who is in Heaven that is unto whom we ought to speak both with an humble as also a Son-like Affection as one who is not only by nature most high and powerful or the best and greatest and now not dwelling as of old time in Moses his Tabernacle or in Solomons Temple between the Cherubims but dwelling gloriously only in the highest Heavens themselves the most true Seat and as it were Castle of Eternity and Immortality from whence all good things flow down unto us but as one also who shews himself merciful and kind unto all and is indeed always Fatherly affected towards all his Faithful or Believing ones as those whom he always graciously loves in Christ so that he will write down all them and them only for Sons and Heirs of his Heavenly Glory and Immortallity and therefore as one who both easily can and willingly will largely bestow all things upon us that are of a saving import in whom therefore we again likewise and that indeed as unanimously joyned or knit together in or by the bond of brotherly Love by the same Jesus Christ our only Patron or Advocate and Mediator both safely may and of right ought with greatest reverence and filial Affection to trust 5. The Narration containeth six Petitions of which the three former do immediately and properly respect the Glory of God and the three following do chiefly respect our profit and Salvation Although both the one and the other by mutual relation and certain consequence joyntly aim both at the same mark seeing that neither the Glory of God can be disjoyned from our Salvation and this again likewise ought wholly to be referred to that 6. In the first Petition then we are commanded to pray that the Name of God may be sanctified or hallowed that the Glory of the Divine Goodness Wisdom and Power especially as it is revealed in the Gospel might every where be rightly known and worthily celebrated or extoll'd and therefore that God would assist us and others with his help whereby both they and all other men being even provoked by our example and encouragement forsaking all Idols or profane Deities and Deasters or petty Gods may above all in Words Deeds Hymns Prayers Writings and that as it were with one Mouth praise and extol the only true God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ever and anon singing both with Heart and Voice Holy Holy Holy is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to him be Praise Honour and Blessing for ever and for ever Amen 7. The second Petition is that his Kingdom may come that is that he himself by a true and plentiful knowledg of the Religion of Christ which as yet at that time was small and sparing and as it were advancing or approaching afar off would more and more direct our hearts unto a solid sanctifying of his divine Name and that he would be pleased in a large and plentiful measure to bestow the same Grace upon very many others more besides to the end that they also might give up themselves to be ruled by him or freely submit themselves to his Laws and Commandments and that so both might daily more and more be made fit and meet for the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter to be most fully possest in a blessed immortality 8. The third is that the Will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven that is that God would grant us and others that Grace that we might every one do his Will now heretofore expressed in his Commandments as readily and as chearfully as the holy Angels in Heaven are wont to performe it In the next place that those evils which God either suffereth or willeth and procureth to befall us we may bear them patiently and without any repining improve them unto our spiritual advantage or proficiency in Faith and Obedience And furthermore of our Salvation 9. The fourth is that he would give us this day our daily Bread That is that he would vouchsafe always to give us all things which are necessary for us to pass this life withal
much less of supererogation or of any excellent and singular strain of Religion for that they cannot come under the august or sacred name of true Obedience which is of it self acceptable and of right due unto God and Christ our only Lawgiver and therefore is commanded under the promise of Eternal life yea also which are not seldom a great hindrance to the principal and main part of divine Worship to wit the loving of God and our Neighbour and hurtfull to true Piety especally if as it often falls out they be not only equalled with but also preferred before the Commandments of God CHAP. XVI Of the Worship and Veneration of Jesus Christ the only Mediator and of the Invocation of Saints 1. ANd hitherto indeed we have chiefly treated of the knowledg and Worship of God only Now followeth and succeedeth the Knowledg and Worship which is proper and peculiar to Jesus Christ as he is Mediator For in the said Knowledg and in the Worship which follows from thence even eternal life also is expresly said to consist Joh. 17. 3. For unto Jesus Christ as the only Mediator of the New Testament is given all power in Heaven and Earth and all judgment or an universal Government is delivered unto him of the Father that all men should honour him even as they honour the Father and ¶ Authority is given him to execute Judgment because he is the Son of man Therefore also God hath crowned him with glory and Honour and put all things under his feet and hath made him head of his Church over all c. And furthermore hath given him the Name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in Heaven and things in Earth and of things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father c. Which indeed proper and peculiar Majesty of his was conferr'd on him by God the Father chiefly for our comfort and is to be acknowledged by us with religious and thankfull Hearts and continually to be spoken of and praised unto the glory of God and Christ himself 2. Therefore he that holily and religiously worshipeth Jesus Christ as he is our Mediator with God especially since the time he was advanced to that supreme Right and set in the Throne of his Father at his right hand that is he that adoreth calleth upon placeth his hope and trust in him and humbly giveth him thanks and blesseth him for the Salvation purchased by him for us doth altogether well and according to the most certain Will of God And he that doth not acknowledg the foresaid Majesty and Glory of his and therefore refuseth to yeild unto him this Veneration and Worship he doth both to God and Christ great wrong especially if he accuse or rather defame and disgrace it under the name of Idolatry or false Worship and Superstition 3. But besides and over and above this one Mediator between God and Man religously to worship any others either Angels or Men whether living or dead whether they have been really and truly Holy or only so in our opinion only that is to give them more than civil reverence or to invocate and pray unto them as indeed our Patrons and Advocates with God or to dedicate Temples Altars Feasts unto them to offer Sacrifices to make vows unto them or to trust in their Merits and Power and Grace and Favour with God c. we judg wholly and altogether unlawful and displeasing to God especially when the business is concerning the dead although Saints for that the Holy Scriptures every where affirm of them that they know not our condition or concerns and that they no way mind those things that are done under the Sun Yet that the memory both of the one and the other is holily to be kept and their vertues with worthy praises to be celebrated and to be proposed or commended to us and others for our and their imitation we rightly judg Sofar are we either from condemning or any ways blaming the mutual intercession of Believers who are yet alive with God for one another CHAP. XVII Of the Benefits and Promises of God and first of Election unto Grace or Calling unto Faith 1. BUt that Man might not only be able to do or perform those Commandments of God which have hitherto been expounded but that he might be willing to do them readily freely and heartily it hath pleased God on his part to do all things that are necessary for the effecting of both these in Man that is he hath determined to bestow such Grace upon Man that was and is a sinner whereby he might be apt and sit to perform all that which is required of him in the Gospel and further to promise such good things unto him whose excellency and beauty might far exceed the capacity of all humane understanding and the desire and certain hope whereof might provoke and inflame the Will of Man actually to yield obedience to the same All which indeed benefits God who is most merciful in himself and fatherly affected towards us in Christ is wont by his Holy Spirit whereof we have treated more largely before both to make known unto us and also really to bestow and confer upon us 2. First therefore God bestoweth Grace on sinners not only necessary but also sufficient for their yielding Faith and Obedience when he calleth them by the Gospel unto himself and seriously prescribeth to them Faith and Obedience under the promise of eternal Life on the one hand and the threatning of eternal Death on the other This Vocation or Calling in Scriptures is sometimes called Election or Choosing to wit unto Grace or the means of Salvation differing much from Election unto Glory or Salvation it self of which hereafter Now this Vocation is wrought and completed by the preaching of the Gospel and the Virtue or Power of the Spirit joyned therewith and that indeeed with a gracious and serious intention to save and therefore to bring unto Faith all those that are called whether they really believe and are saved or no and so obstinately refuse to believe and consequently to be saved 3. For there is one Vocation that is effectual so called rather from the event then from the bare or sole intention of God to wit which doth obtain its saving Effect not indeed for that it is out of a precise or absolute intent of saving so administred by some certain and singular Wisdom of God so as effectually or successfully to agree with the Will of him that is called by an irresistable Power or by some Omnipotent force which is neither more nor less than creation or raising from the dead so efficaciously determined to believe that he cannot but believe and obey but