is that Antichrist that Man of Sin and Son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his Coming V. As the Lord in his Care and Love towards his Church hath in his infinite Wise Providence exercised it with great variety in all Ages for the good of them that love him and his own Glory so according to his Promise we expect that in the latter Days Antichrist being destroyed the Jews called and the Adversaries of the Kingdom of his dear Son broken the Churches of Christ being inlarged and edified through a free and plentiful Communication of Light and Grace shall enjoy in this World a more quiet peaceable and glorious Condition than they have enjoyed CHAP. XXVII Of the Communion of Saints ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and Faith although they are not made thereby one Person with him have Fellowship 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 private as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward Man. II. All Saints 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 though especially to be exercised by them in the Relations wherein they stand whether in Families or Churches yet as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every Place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XXVIII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace immediately instituted by Christ to represent him and his Benefits and to confirm our Interest in him and solemnly to engage us 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 Sacranents ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Lord's Supper neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully called V. The Sacraments 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. XXIX Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the Party baptized a sign and seal of the Covenant of Grace of his ingraffing into Christ of Regeneration of Remission of Sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of Life which Ordinance 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 Ordinance 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 III. Dipping of the Person into the Water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administred by pouring or sprinkling Water upon the Person IV. Not only those who do actually profess Faith in and Obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both believing Parents are to be baptized and those only 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 Baptism is but once to be administred to any Person CHAP. XXX 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 Churches unto the end of the World for the perpetual Remembrance and shewing forth of the Sacrifice of himself in his Death the sealing of 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 II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for Remission of Sin of the quick or dead but only a Memorial 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 abominable injurious to Christ's own only Sacrifice the alone Propitiation for all the Sins of the Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers 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 Break 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. Private Masses or receiving the 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 carrying 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 apart to the Uses ordained by Christ have such Relation to him Crucified as that truely 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 Faith really and indeed yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually receive and feed upon Christ Crucified and all benefits of his Death the Body and Blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in with or under the Bread or Wine yet as really but spiritually present to the Faith of Believers in that Ordinance as the Elements themselves are to their outward Senses VIII All ignorant and ungodly Persons as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with Christ so are they unworthy of the Lord's Table and cannot without great Sin against him whilst they remain such partake of these holy Mysteries or be admitted thereunto yea whosoever shall Receive unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord eating and drinking Judgment to themselves CHAP. XXXI Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead THE Bodies of Men after Death return to Dust and see Corruption but their Souls which neither dye nor sleep having an immortal Subsistence immediately return to God who gave them the Souls of the Righteous being then made perfect in Holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the Face of God in Light and Glory waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies And the Souls of the Wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in Torment and utter Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day Besides these two Places for Souls separated from their Bodies the Scripture acknowledgeth none II. At the Last Day such as are found alive shall not dye but be changed and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same Bodies and none other although with different Qualities which shall be united again to their Souls for ever III. The Bodies of the Unjust shall by the Power of Christ be raised to dishonour the Bodies of the Just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII Of the Last Judgment GOD hath appointed a Day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Judgment is given of the Father in which Day not only the Apostate Angels shall be judged but likewise all Persons that have lived upon Earth shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ to give an account of their Thoughts Words and Deeds and to receive according to what they have done in the Body whether good or evil II. The end of God's appointing this Day is for the Manifestation of the Glory of his Mercy in the eternal Salvation of the Elect and of his Justice in the Damnation of the Reprobate who are Wicked and Disobedient For then shall the Righteous go into everlasting Life and receive that fulness of Joy and Glory with everlasting Reward in the presence of the Lord but the Wicked who know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall be cast into eternal Torments and be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Judgment both to deterr all Men from Sin and for the greater Consolation of the Godly in their Adversity so will he have that Day unknown to Men that they may shake off all Carnal Security and be always watchful because they know not at what Hour the Lord will come and may be ever prepared to say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen OF THE INSTITUTION OF CHURCHES And the ORDER Appointed in them by JESUS CHRIST I. BY the Appointment of the Father all Power for the Calling Institution Order or Government of the Church is invested in a Supreme and Sovereign manner in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Head thereof II. In the Execution of this Power wherewith he is so intrusted the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto Communion with himself those that are given unto him by his Father that they may walk before him in all the ways of Obedience which he prescribeth to them in his Word III. Those thus called through the Ministry of the Word by his Spirit he commandeth to walk together in particular Societies or Churches for their mutual Edification and the due Performance of that Publick Worship which he requireth of them in this World. IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered according unto his Mind declared in his Word he hath given all that Power and Authority which is any way needful for their carrying on that Order in Worship and Discipline which he hath instituted for them to observe with Commands and Rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that Power V. These particular Churches thus appointed by the Authority of Christ and intrusted with Power from him for the ends before expressed are each of them as unto those ends the seat of that Power which he is pleased to communicate to his Saints or Subjects in this World so that as such they receive it immediately from himself VI. Besides these particular Churches there is not instituted by Christ any Church more extensive or Catholick intrusted with Power for the Administration of his Ordinances or the Execution of any Authority in his Name VII A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the Mind of Christ consists of Officers and Members The Lord Christ having given to his called Ones united according to his Appointment in Church Order Liberty and Power to choose Persons fitted by the Holy Ghost for that purpose to be over them and to Minister to them in the Lord. VIII The Members of these Churches are Saints by Calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their Profession and Walking their Obedience unto that Call of Christ who being further known to each other by their confession of the Faith wrought in them by the Power of God declared by themselves or otherwise manifested do willingly consent to walk together according to the Appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God in professed Subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel IX The Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church so called and gathered for the peculiar Administration of Ordinances and Execution of Power or Duty which he intrusts them with or calls them to to be continued to the end of the World are Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons X. Churches thus gathered and assembling for the Worship of God are thereby visible and publick and their
but sometimes also withdraweth the Gifts which they had and exposeth them to such Objects as their Corruption makes occasions of sin and withall 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 those 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 GOD having made a Covenant of Works and Life thereupon with our first Parents and all their Posterity in them they being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan did wilfully transgress the Law of their Creation and break the Covenant in eating the forbidden Fruit. II. By this Sin they and we in them fell from 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 and by Gods appointment standing in the room and stead of all Mankind the guilt of this Sin was imputed 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 truly 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 Miserie 's spiritual temporal and eternal CHAP. VII Of Gods 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 attained the reward of Life 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 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 offereth 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. Although this Covenant hath been differently and variously administred in respect of Ordinances and Institutions in the time of the Law and since the coming of Christ in the flesh yet for the substance and efficacy of it to all its spiritual and saving ends it is one and the same upon the account of which various Dispensations it is called the Old and New Testament CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator IT pleased God in his eternal Purpose to chuse and ordain the Lord Jesus his onely begotten Son according to a Covenant made between them both 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 in 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 Godhead and the Manhood were inseparably joyned together in one Person without Conversion Composition or Confusion which Person is very God and very Man yet one Christ the onely Mediator between God and Man. III. The Lord Jesus in his Humane Nature thus united to the Divine in the Person of the Son was sanctified and annointed with the holy Spirit above measure having in him all the Treasures of Wisdom and 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 throughly 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 also put all Power and Judgment 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 fulfil it and underwent the Punishment due to us which we should have borne and suffered being made Sin and a Curse for us enduring most grievous Torments immediately from God 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 rose from the Dead with the same Body in which he suffered with which also he ascended into Heaven and there fitteth 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 God and purchased not onely 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 actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation yet the Vertue Efficacy and Benefits thereof were communicated to the Elect in all Ages successively from the beginning of the World in and by those Promises Types and Sacrifices wherein he was revealed and signified to be the Seed of the Woman which should bruise the Serpent's 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 to both