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
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