one and the same with the justification of Beleevers under the new Testament CHAP. XII Of Adoption ALl those that are justified God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of Adoption by which they are taken into the number and enjoy the liberties and priviledges of the children of God have his Name put upon them receive the spirit of Adoption have accesse to the Throne of Grace with boldnesse are inabled 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 heyres of everlasting salvation CHAP. XIII Of Sanctification THey who are effectually called and Regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them are further sanctified really and personally through the vertue of Christs death and resurrection by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them the Dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed and the severall lusts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified and they more and more quickned and strengthened in all saving graces to the practise of true holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. II. This Sanctification is throughout in the whole man yet imperfect in this life there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part whence ariseth a continuall and irreconcileable warre the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh III. In which warre although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail yet through the continuall supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ the regenerare part doth overcome and so the Saints grow in grace perfecting holinesse in the fear of God CHAP. XIV Of Saving Faith THe grace of Faith whereby the elect are inabled to beleeve to the saving of their soules 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 Sacraments and prayer it is increased and strengthened II. By this Faith a Christian beleeveth 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 yeelding obedience to the Commands trembling at the threatnings and imbracing the Promises of God for this life and that which is to come But the principall Acts of saving faith are Accepting Receiving and Resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternall life by vertue of the Covenant of Grace III. This Faith is different in degrees weak or strong may be often and many waies assailed and weakned but gets the victory growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ who is both the Author and finisher of our faith CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto life REpentance unto life is an evangelicall grace the Doctrine whereof is to be preached by every Minister of the Gospel as well as that of faith in Christ II. By it a sinner out of the sight and sense not only of the danger but also of the filthinesse and odiousnesse of his sins as contrary to the holy nature and righteous Law of God and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God purposing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the wayes of his Commandements III. Although Repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin or any cause of the pardon thereof which is the act of Gods free grace in Christ yet is it of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it IV. As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent V. Men ought not to content themselves with a generall repentance but it is every mans duty to endeavour to repent of his particular sins particularly VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God praying for the pardon thereof upon which and the forsaking of them he shall finde mercy so he that scandalizeth his Brother or the Church of Christ ought to be willing by a private or publique confession and sorrow for his sin to declare his repentance to those that are offended who are thereupon to be reconciled to him and in love to receive him CHAP. XVI Of Good Works GOod Works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy Word and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blinde zeal or upon any pretence of good intention II. These good works done in obedience to Gods Commandments are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith and by them Beleevers manifest their thankfullnesse strengthen their assurance edifie their Brethren adorn the profession of the Gospel stop the mouthes of the adversaries and glorifie God whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus thereunto that having their fruit unto holinesse they may have the end eternall life III. Their ability to doe good works is not at all of themselves but wholly from the Spirit of Christ And that they may be inabled thereunto besides the graces they have already received there is required an actuall influence of the same holy Spirit to work in them to will and to doe of his good pleasure yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any duty unlesse upon a speciall 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 farre from being able to supererogate and to doe more than God requires as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to doe V. We cannot by our best Works merit pardon of sin or eternall 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 weaknesse and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of Gods judgement VI. Yet notwithstanding the persons of Beleevers being accepted through Christ their good workes also are accepted in him not as though they were in this life wholy 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
men and private spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture CHAP. II. Of God and of the holy Trinity THere is but one only living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without body parts or passions immutable immense eternall incomprehensible almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsell of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory most loving gracious mercifull long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withall most just and terrible in his judgements hating all sin and who will by no means clear the guilty II. God hath all life glory goodnesse blessednesse in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient notstanding in need of any creatures which he hath made nor deriving any Glory from them but only manifesting his own Glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone Fountain of all Being of whom through whom and to whom are all things and hath most Soveraigne Dominion over them to do by them for them or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth In his sight all things are open and manifest his knowledg is infinite infallible independent upon the creature so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain He is most holy in all his counsels in all his works and in all his commands To him is due from Angels and men and every other creature whatsoever worship service or obedience he is pleased to require of them III. In the Unity of the God-head there be Three Persons of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is eternally begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son CHAP. III. Of Gods Eternall Decree GOd from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsell of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordaine whatsoever comes to passe yet so as thereby neither is God the Author of sin nor is violence offered to the will of the Creatures nor is the Liberty or contingencie of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to passe upon all supposed conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to passe upon such conditions III. By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his glory some men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others fore-ordained to everlasting death IV. These Angels and men thus predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished V. Those of man-kinde that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternall and immutable purpose and the secret Counsel and good pleasure of his Will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love without any fore-sight of Faith or Good-works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace VI. As God hath appointed the Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternall and most free purpose of his Will fore-ordained all the means thereunto Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are any other redeemed by Christ effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but the Elect only VII The rest of man-kinde God was pleased according to the unsearchable counsell of his own Will whereby he extendeth or with-holdeth mercy as he pleaseth for the glory of his Soveraigne Power over his creatures to passe by and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin to the praise of his glorious justice VIII The Doctrine of this high Mystery of Predestination is to be handled with speciall prudence and care that men attending the Will of God revealed in his Word and yeelding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectuall Vocation be assured of their eternall Election So shall this Doctrine afford matter of praise reverence and admiration of God and of humility diligence and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel CHAP. IV. Of Creation IT pleased God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the manifestation of the glory of his eternall power wisedome and goodnesse in the beginning to create or make of nothing the World and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six daies and all very good II. After God had made all other creatures he created man male and female with reasonable and immortall souls indued with knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse after his own Image having the Law of God written in their hearts and power to fulfill it And yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the liberty of their own will which was subject unto change Beside this Law written in their hearts they received a command not to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil which whiles they kept they were happy in their Communion with God and had Dominion over the Creatures CHAP. V. Of Providence GOd the great Creator of all things doth uphold direct dispose and governe all creatures actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy Providence according to his infallible fore-knowledge and the free and immutable counsell of his own Will to the praise of the glory of his wisedome power justice goodnesse and mercy II. Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God the first Cause all things come to passe immutably and infallibly yet by the same Providence hee ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes either necessarily freely or contingently III. God in his ordinary Providence maketh use of meanes yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure IV. The almighty power unsearchable wisedome and infinite goodnesse of God so farre manifest themselves in his Providence that it extendeth it selfe even to the first Fall and all other sinnes of Angels and Men and that not by a bare permission but such as hath joyned with it a most wise and powerfull bounding and otherwise ordering and governing of them in a manifold dispensation to his owne holy ends yet so as the sinfulnesse thereof proceedeth onely from the creature and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be
the Author or Approver of sin V. The most wise righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his owne children to manifold temptations and the corruption of their own hearts to chastise them for their former sinnes or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulnesse of their hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependance for their support upon himselfe and to make them more watchfull against all future occasions of sin and for sundry other just and holy ends VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge for former sinnes doth blinde and harden from them he not onely withholdeth his grace whereby they might have been inlightened in their understandings and wrought upon in their hearts but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin and withall gives them over to their own lusts the temptations of the world and the power of Satan where by it comes to passe that they harden themselves even under those meanes which God useth for the softning of others VII As the providence of God doth in generall reach to all Creatures so after a most speciall manner it taketh care of his Church and disposeth all things to the good thereof CHAP. VI. Of the Fall of Man of Sin and of the Punishment thereof OUr first Parents being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan sinned in eating the forbidden fruit This their sin God was pleased according to his wiseand holy counsell to permit having purposed to order it to his own glory II. By this sin they fell from their originall righteousnesse and communion with God and so became dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body III. They being the root of all man-kinde the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation IV. From this originall corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed dis-abled and made opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil do proceed all actuall 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 Originall and Actuall being a transgression of the righteous Law of God and contrary thereunto doth in its own nature bring guilt upon the sinner whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God and curse of the Law and so made subject to death with all miseries spirituall temporall and eternall 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 any fruition of him as their Blessednesse and Reward but by some voluntary condescension on Gods part which he hath been pleased to expresse by way of Covenant II. The first Covenant made with Man was a Covenant of Works wherein Life was promised to Adam and in him to his Posterity upon condition of perfect and personall 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 beleeve IV. This Covenant of Grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator and to the everlasting inheritance with all things belonging to it therein bequeathed V. This Covenant was differently administred in the time of the Law and in the time of the Gospel Under the Law it was administred by Promises Prophecies Sacrifices Circumcision the Paschal Lamb and other Types and Ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews all fore-signifying Christ to come which were for that time sufficient and efficacious through the operation of the Spirit to instruct and build up the Elect in Faith in the Promised Messiah by whom they had full remission of sins and eternall Salvation and is called the Old Testament VI. Under the Gospel when Christ the substance was exhibited the Ordinances in which this Covenant is dispensed are the Preaching of the Word and the Administration of the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Which though fewer in number and administred with more simplicity and lesse outward glory yet in them it is held forth in more fullnesse evidence and spirituall efficacy to all Nations both Jews and Gentiles and is called the New Testament There are not therefore Two Covenants of Grace differing in substance but one and the same under various dispensations CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator IT pleased God in His eternall purpose to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus His only begotten Son to be the Mediator between God and Man the Prophet Priest and King the Head and Saviour of His Church the Heir of all things and Judge of the World Unto whom He did from all eternity give a People to be his Seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Justified Sanctified and Glorified II. The Son of God the second Person in the Trinity being very and eternall God of one Substance and equall with the Father did when the fullnesse of time was come take upon Him mans nature with all the Essentiall 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 only Mediator between God and Man III. The Lord Jesus in his humane nature thus united to the divine was sanctified and anointed with the holy Spirit above measure having in him all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge in whom it pleased the Father that all fullnesse should dwell to the end that being holy harmlesse undefiled and full of grace and truth he might be thorowly furnished to execute the Office of a Mediator and Surety Which Office he took not unto himself but was thereunto called by his Father who put all power and judgement into his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same IV. This Office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake which that he might discharge he was made under the Law and did perfectly fullfill it endured most grievous torments immediatly in his Soul and most
many weaknesses and imperfections VII Works done by unregenerate men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands and of good use both to themselves and others yet because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith nor are done in a right manner according to the Word nor to a right end the glory of God they are therefore sinfull and cannot please God or make a man meet to receive grace from God And yet their neglect of them is more sinfull and displeasing unto God CHAP. XVII Of the Perseverance of the Saints THey whom God hath accepted in his Beloved effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of Grace but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved II. This Perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free-will but upon the immutability of the Decree of Election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them and the nature of the Covenant of Grace from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof III. Neverthelesse they may through the temptations of Satan and of the World the prevalency of corruption remaining in them and the neglect of the means of their preservation fall into grievous sins and for a time continue therein whereby they incurre Gods displeasure and grieve his holy Spirit come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts have their hearts hardned and their consciences wounded hurt and scandalize others and bring temporall judgements upon themselves CHAP. XVIII Of the assurance of Grace and Salvation ALthough hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnall presumptions of being in the favour of God and estate of salvation which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truly beleeve in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed II. This certainty is not a bare conjecturall and probable perswasion grounded upon a fallible hope but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made the testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption III. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith but that a true beleever may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it yet being inabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of ordinary meanes attain thereunto And therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure that thereby his heart may be inlarged in peace and joy in the holy Ghost in love and thankfullnesse to God and in strength and chearfullnesse in the duties of obedience the proper fruits of this assurance so farre is it from inclining men to loosenesse IV. True beleevers may have the assurance of their salvation divers wayes shaken diminished and intermitted as by negligence in preserving of it by falling into some speciall sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the spirit by some sudden or vehement temptation by Gods withdrawing the light of his countenance and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darknesse and to have no light yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God and life of faith that love of Christ and the brethren that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which by the operation of the Spirit this Assurance may in due time be revived and by the which in the mean time they are supported from utter despair CHAP. XIX Of the Law of God GOD gave to Adam a Law as a Covenant of Works by which he bound him and all his posterity to personall entire exact and perpetuall obedience promised life upon the fullfilling and threatned death upon the breach of it and indued him with power and ability to keep it II. This Law after his fall continued to be a perfect rule of righteousnesse and as such was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in ten Commandments and written in two Tables the four first Commandments containing our duty towards God and the other six our duty to man III. Beside this Law commonly called Moral God was pleased to give to the people of Israel as a Church under age Ceremoniall Laws containing severall typical Ordinances partly of worship prefiguring Christ his graces actions sufferings and benefits and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties All which Ceremonial Laws are now abrogated under the new Testament IV. To them also as a Body Politique he gave sundry Judicial Laws which expired together with the State of that People not obliging any other now further than the general equity thereof may require V. The Moral Law doth for ever binde all as well justified persons as others to the obedience thereof and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it but also in respect of the authority of God the Creatour who gave it Neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this obligation VI. Although true Beleevers be not under the Law as a Covenant of Works to be thereby justified or condemned yet is it of great use to them as well as to others in that as a Rule of life informing them of the will of God and their duty it directs and bindes them to walke accordingly discovering also the sinfull pollutions of their nature hearts and lives so as examining themselves thereby they may come to further conviction of humiliation for and hatred against sin together with a cleerer fight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience It is likewise of use to the Regenerate to restrain their corruptions in that it forbids sin and the threatnings of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them although freed from the curse thereof threatned in the Law The Promises of it in like manner shew them Gods approbation of obedience and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof although not as due to them by the Law as a Covenant of Works So as a mans doing good and refraining from evil because the Law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other is no evidence of his being under the Law and
Die Lune 7. Decembr 1646. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT that sixe hundred Copies and no more of the Advice of the Assembly of Divines presented to this House Concerning a Confession of Faith be forthwith Printed for the service of both Houses and the Assembly of Divines and that the care of the printing thereof be referred to the Assembly of Divines And the Printer is injoyned at his perill not to print more then sixe hundred Copies of them or to divulge or publish any of them It is further Ordered that no person presume to Reprint Divulge or publish the said ADVICE or any part of it till further order be taken herein by both or either of the Houses of Parliament H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. Dom. Com. The humble ADVICE OF THE ASSEMBLY OF Divines Now by Authority of PARLIAMENT sitting at Westminster Concerning a Confession of Faith Presented by them lately to both Houses of PARLIAMENT A certain number of Copies are Ordered to be Printed only for the use of the Members of both Houses and of the Assembly of Divines to the end that they may advise thereupon LONDON Printed for the Company of STATIONERS TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT The humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines now by Authority of PARLIAMENT sitting at WESTMINSTER Concerning a Confession of Faith CHAP. I. Of the Holy Scripture ALthough the light of Nature and the works of Creation and Providence do so farre manifest the Goodnesse Wisdome 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 maners to reveale 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 wayes of Gods 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 Deuteronomie Joshuah Judges Ruth I. Samuel II. Samuel I. Kings II. Kings I. Chronicles II. Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hoseah Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Of the New Testament The Gospels according to MAtthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Pauls Epistles to the Romans Corinthians I. Corinthians II. Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians I. Thessalonians II. To Timothy I. To Timothy II. 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 of John All which are given by 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 beleeved and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it selfe 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 esteeme of the holy Scripture And the heavenlinesse 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 only way of mans salvation the many other incomparable Excellencies and the intire perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and Divine authority thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witnesse by and with the Word in our hearts VI. The whole Councel of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory mans salvation Faith and Life is either expressely setdown 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 Neverthelesse 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 human actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian Prudence according to the generall Rules of the Word which are alwayes to be observed VII All things in Scripture are not alike plaine in themselves nor alike cleare unto all yet those things which are necessary to be known beleeved and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other that not only 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 the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediatly inspired by God and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authenticall so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to Appeale unto them But because these Originall Tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures and are commanded in the feare 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 selfe 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 Councels Opinions of Ancient Writers Doctrines of
painfull sufferings in his Body was crucified and died was buried and remained under the power of death yet saw no corruption On the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered with which also he ascended into Heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession and shall return to Judge men and Angels at the end of the World V. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternall spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Justice of his Father and purchased not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him VI. Although the work of Redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation yet the vertue efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated unto 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 serpents head and the Lambe 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 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 beleeve and obey and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty Power and Wisdome in such manner and wayes as are most consonant to his wonderfull and unsearchable dispensation CHAP. IX Of Free-Will GOD hath indued the Will of man with that naturall liberty that it is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil II. Man in his state of Innocency had freedom and power to will and to doe 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 spirituall good accompanying salvation so as a naturall 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 naturall 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 only CHAP. X. Of Effectuall 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 mindes 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 effectuall Call is of Gods free and speciall 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 inabled to answer this Call and to imbrace the grace offered and conveyed in it III. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth So also are all other elect persons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the Ministry of the Word IV. Others not elected although they may be called by the Ministry of the Word and may have some common operations of the Spirit yet they never truly come unto Christ and therefore cannot be saved much lesse 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 doe professe And to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious and to be detested CHAP. XI Of Iustification THose whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousnesse 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 beleeving or any other evangelicall obedience to them as their righteousnesse but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousnesse by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the guift of God II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousnesse is the alone instrument of Justification yet is it 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 thus justified and did make a proper reall and full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice in their behalf Yet in as much as he was given by the Father for them and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead and both freely not for any thing in them their Justification is only of free grace that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners IV. God did from all eternity decree to justifie all the elect and Christ did in the fullnesse of time die for their sins and rise again for their justification neverthelesse they are not justified untill 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 not have the light of his countenance restored unto them untill they humble themselves confesse their sins beg pardon and renew their faith and repentance VI. The Justification of Beleevers under the old Testament was in all these respects