Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A34255
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A Confession of faith put forth by the elders and brethren of many congregations of Christians (baptized upon profession of their faith) in London and the country.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing C5794; ESTC R25352
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47,552
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162
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John 2. 2. 20. 27. 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 6. The whole Councel of God concerning all things i 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Gal. 1. 8 9. necessary for his own Glory Mans Salvation Faith and Life is either expressely set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelation of the Spirit or traditions of men Nevertheless we acknowledge the k John 6. 45. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. 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 l 1 Cor. 11 13 14. ch 14. 26. 40. ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence according to the general rules of the Word which are always to be observed 7. All things in Scripture are not alike m 2 Pet. 3. 16. plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known believed and observed for Salvation are so n Ps 19. 7. and 119. 130. clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only the learned but the unlearned in a due use of ordinary means may attain to a sufficient understanding of them 8. The Old Testament in o Rom. 3. 2. Hebrew which was the Native language of the people of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of the 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 p Isa 8. 20 authentical so as in all controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them q Act. 15. 15. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have a right unto and interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the fear of God to read r John 5. 39. and search them therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every Nation unto which they s 1 Cor. 14 6 9. 11 12. 24 28. come that the Word of God dwelling t Col. 3. 16 plentifully in all they may worship him in an acceptable manner and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the u 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Act. 15. 15 16. 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 by other places that speak more clearly 10. The supream judge by which all controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councels opinions of antient 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 x Mat. 22. 29. 31. Eph. 2. 20 Acts 28. 23. Scripture so delivered our faith is finally resolved CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity 1. THE Lord our God is but a 1 Cor. 8. 4 6. Deut. 6. 4. one only living and true God whose b Jer 10. 10. Isaiah 48. 12. subsistence is in and of himself c Exod 3. 14. infinite in being and perfection whose Essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself d Joh. 4. 24. a most pure spirit e 1 Tim. 1. 17. Deut. 4. 15 16. invisible without body parts or passions who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto who is f Mal. 3. 6. immutable g 1 King 8. 27. Jer. 23. 23. immense h Ps 90. 2. eternal incomprehensible i Gen. 17. Almighty every way infinit k Isa 6. 3. most holy most wise most free most absolute l Ps 115. 3. Isa 45. 10. working all things according to the councel of his own immutable and most righteous will m Pro. 16. 4. Rom. 11 36. for his own glory most loving gracious merciful long suffering abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin n Exod. 34. 6 7. Hebr. 11. 6. the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withall most just o Neh. 9. 32 33. and terrible in his judgements p Ps 5. 5 6. hating all sin and who will by no means clear the q Exod. 34. 7. Nahum 1 2 3. guilty 2. God having all r Joh. 5. 26. life Å¿ Ps 148. 13. glory t Ps 119. 68. goodness blessedness in and of himself is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient not u Job 22. 2 3. standing in need of any Creature which he hath made nor deriving any glory from them but onely manifesting his own glory in by unto and upon them he is the alone fountain of all Being x Rom. 11. 34. 35 36. of whom through whom and to whom are all things and he hath most soveraign y Dan. 4. 25. and v. 34 35. dominion over all creatures to do by them for them or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth in his sight z Heb. 4. 13. all things are open and manifest his knowledge is a Ezek. 11. 5 Act. 15. 18. infinite infallible and independant upon the Creature so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain he is most holy in all his Councels in b Ps 145. 17. all his Works and in all his Commands to him is due c Rev. 5. 12 13 14. from Angels and men whatsoever worship service or obedience as Creatures they owe unto the Creator and whatever he is further pleased to require of them 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences d 1 Joh. 5 7. Mat. 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 14 the Father the Word or Son and Holy Spirit of one substance power and Eternity each having the whole Divine Essence e Exod. 3. 14. Joh. 14. 11. 1 Cor. 8. 6 yet the Essence undivided the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding the Son is f Joh. 1. 14. 18. Eternally begotten of the Father the holy Spirit g Joh. 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6. proceeding from the Father and the Son all infinite without beginning therefore but one God who is not to be divided in nature and Being but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God and comfortable dependance on him CHAP. III. Of Gods Decree 1. GOD hath a Is 46.
12 13. thankfullness strengthen their e 1 Joh. 2 3. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 5-11 assurance edifie their f Mat. 5. 16. brethren adorn the profession of the Gospel stop the mouths of the adversaries and glorifie g 1 Tim. 6. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 15. Phil. 1. 11 God whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus h Eph. 2. 10. thereunto that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end i Rom. 6. 22. eternal life 3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit k Joh. 15. 4. 6. of Christ and that they may be enabled thereunto besides the graces they have already received there is necessary an l 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. 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 m Phil. 2. 12. Heb. 6. 11 12. Isa 64. 7. stirring up the Grace of God that is in them 4. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life are so far from being able to superrogate and to do more then God requires as that n Job 9. 2 3. Gal. 5. 17. Luk. 17. 10. they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do 5. 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 o Rom. 3. 20. Eph. 2. 8 9. Rom. 4. 6. 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 p Gal. 5. 22 23. Spirit and as they are wrought by us they are defiled q Isa 64. 6. Ps 143 2. and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgement 6. Yet notwithstanding the persons of Believers being accepted through Christ their good works also are accepted in r Eph. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. him not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in Gods sight but that he looking upon them in his Son is pleased to accept and reward that which is s Mat. 25. 21. 23. Heb. 6. 10 sincere although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections 7. 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 t 2 King 10. 30. 1 King 21. 27 29 others yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by u Gen. 4. 5. Heb. 11 4. 6. faith nor are done in a right manner according to the w 1 Cor. 13. 1. word nor to a right end the x Mat. 6. 2. 5. glory of God they are therefore sinful and cannot please God nor make a man meet to receive grace from y Amos 5 21 22. Rom. 9. 16 Tit. 3. 5. God and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and z Job 21. 14 15. Mat. 25. 41 42 43 displeasing to God CHAP. XVII Of Perseverance of the Saints 1. THose whom God hath accepted in the beloved effectually called and Sanctified by his Spirit and given the precious faith of his Elect unto can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace a Joh. 10. 28. 29. Phi. 1. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Joh. 2. 19. but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved seeing the gifts and callings of God are without Repentance whence he still begets and nourisheth in them Faith Repentance Love Joy Hope and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastned upon notwithstanding through unbelief and the temptations of Satan the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from b Psal 89. 31 32. 1 Cor. 11. 32. them yet he is still the same c Mal. 3. 6 and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto Salvation where they shall enjoy their purchased possession they being engraven upon the palm of his hands and their names having been written in the book of life from all Eternity 2. This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free will but upon the immutability of the decree of d Rom. 8. 30. ch 9. 11. 16. Election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ e Rom. 5. 9 10. John 14. 19. and Union with him the f Heb. 6. 17 18. oath of God the abiding of his Spirit the g 1 Joh. 3. 9. seed of God within them and the nature of the h Jer. 32. 40. Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof 3. And though they may through the temptation of Satan and of the world the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of means of their preservation fall into grievous i Mat. 26. 70 72. 74. sins and for a time continue therein whereby they incur k Is 64. 5. 9. Eph. 4. 30 Gods displeasure and grieve his holy Spirit come to have their graces and l Psal 51. 10. 12. comforts impaired have their hearts hardened and their Consciences wounded m Psa 32. 3 4. hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgements n 2 Sam. 12 14. upon themselves yet they shall renew their o Luk. 22. 32. v. 61 62. repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end CHAP. XVIII Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 1. ALthough temporary Believers and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation a Job 8. 13. 14. Mat. 7. 22 23. which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truely 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 b 1 Joh. 2. 3. ch 3. 14 18 19. 21. 24. ch 5. 13. 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 c Rom. 5. 2. 5. ashamed 2. This certainty is not abare conjectural and