whole body of Sin is destroyed and the several Lusts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified and they more and more quickned and strengthned in all Saving Graces to the practice of all 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 irreconcileable 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 Regenerate 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 inabled to believe to the Saving of their Souls is the Work of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts and is ordinarily wrought by the Ministry of the Word by which also and by the Administration of the Seals Prayer and other means it is increased and strengthned II. By this Faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for 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 embracing 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 virtue of the Covenant of Grace III. This Faith although it be different in degrees and may be weak or strong yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it as is all other Saving Grace from the Faith and common Grace of temporary Believers and therefore though it may be many times assailed and weakened yet it 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 and Salvation SUch of the Elect as are Converted at riper Years having sometime lived in the state of Nature and therein served divers Lusts and Pleasures God in their Effectual Calling giveth them Repentance unto Life II. Whereas there is none that doth good and sinneth not and the best of Men may through the power and deceitfulness of their Corruptions dwelling in them with the prevalency of Temptation fall into great Sins and Provocations God hath in the Covenant of Grace mercifully provided that Believers so sinning and falling be renewed through Repentance unto Salvation III. This Saving Repentance is an Evangelical Grace whereby a Person being by the Holy Ghost made sensible of the manifold evils of his Sin doth by Faith in Christ humble himself for it with godly Sorrow Detestation of it and self-abhorrency praying for Pardon and strength of Grace with a purpose and endeavour by supplies of the Spirit to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things IV. As Repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our Lives upon the account of the body of Death and the motions thereof so it is every Mans Duty to repent of his particular known Sins particularly V. Such is the Provision which God hath made through Christ in the Covenant of Grace for the Preservation of Believers unto Salvation that although there is no sin so small but it deserves Damnation yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring Damnation on them who truly Repent which makes the constant Preaching of Repentance necessary 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 Intentions II. These Good Works done in Obedience to Gods 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 are 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 Judgment 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 unreproveable in Gods 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 to others yet because they proceed not from a 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 nor 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 Son 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
A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and ORDER Owned and practised in the Congregational Churches IN ENGLAND Agreed upon and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry 1688. A DECLARATION OF THE FAITH and ORDER Owned and Practised in the Congregational Churches IN ENGLAND CHAP. I Of the Holy Scripture ALthough the Light of Nature and the Works of Creation and Providence do so far manifest the Goodness Wisdom and Power of God as to leave Men unexcusable yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his Will which is necessary unto Salvation Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself and to declare that his Will unto his Church and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the Truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the Flesh and the malice of Satan and of the World to commit the same wholly unto writing which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary those former ways of God's revealing his Will unto his People being now ceased II. Under the Name of Holy Scripture or the Word of God written are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these Of the Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Paul's Epistle to the Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 To Timothy 2 To Timothy To Titus To Philemon The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of James The first and second Epistles of Peter The first second and third Epistles of John The Epistle of Jude The Revelation All which are given by the Inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life III. The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other humane writings IV. The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any Man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God. V. We may be moved and induced by the Testimony of the Church to an high and reverent Esteem of the Holy Scripture And the heavenliness of the Matter the efficacy of the Doctrine the majesty of the Style the consent of all the parts the scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God the full discovery it makes of the onely way of Man's Salvation the many other incomparable Excellencies and the entire Perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God Yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth and Divine Authority thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts VI. The whole Counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory Man's Salvation Faith and Life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary Consequence may be deduced from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of Men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward Illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving Understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word And that there are some Circumstances concerning the Worship of God and Government of the Church common to humane Actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are always to be observed VII All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known believed and observed for Salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not onely the learned but the unlearned in a due Use of the ordinary means may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them VIII The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately inspired by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them But because these Original Tongues are not known to all the People of God who have right unto and Interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar Language of every Nation unto which they come that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may Worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope IX The infallible Rule of Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self And therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture which is not manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly X. The Supreme Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Counsels Opinions of ancient Writers Doctrines of Men and private Spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit into which Scripture so delivered our Faith is finally resolved CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity THere is but one onely living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without Body Parts or Passions immutable immense eternal incomprehensible almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsel of his own immutable and most righteous Will for his own Glory most loving gracious merciful long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withall most just and terrible in his Judgments hating all sin and who will by no means clear the guilty II. God hath all Life Glory Goodness Blessedness in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself All-sufficient not standing in need of any Creatures which he hath
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 and Power of acting upon Choice that it 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 inables 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 onely 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 untill 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 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 not being effectually drawn by the Father they neither do nor can 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 detested 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 Christs active obedience unto the whole law and passive Obedience in his death for their whole and sole Righteousness 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 is ever accompanied with all other saving Graces and is no dead Faith but worketh by Love. III. Christ by his Obedience and Death did fully discharge the Debt of all those that are justified and did by the Sacrifice of himself in the Blood of his Cross undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them make a proper real and full Satisfaction to Gods 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 Dye for their Sins and rise again for their Justification Nevertheless they are not justified personally 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 Gods fatherly displeasure and in that Condition they have not usually 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 onely 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 chastened 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 that are united to Christ effectually called and regenerated having a new Heart and a new Spirit created in them through the vertue of Christ's Death and Resurrection are also further Sanctified really and personally through the same Vertue by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them the dominion of the