the Church must not admit may expell all those who erre obstinatly in points foundamentall shaking the foundation of necessarie saving truths or who live so lewdly that they might infect the faithfull with their vicious customes be a scandall to the Church by their wicked conversation for the Elect being children of light the Church compar'd to the Moone it becomes them to walke by light XCIV Conceiving Christ a Sunne I call the Church a Moone I beleeve then that she must borrow all her light from him Although therefore the Church hath pow'r in things indifferent as concerning the time place of Gods worship fasts feasts postures other things which in themselves are neither good nor bad but left to each mans discretion yet she must not presume to alter or infringe the lawes of Christ adde to them or detract from them or to impose upon his children members that is upon her self aniething repugnant to the revealed will of her Husband Head but in all her decrees concerning faith discipline good manners anie great controversie the Church whether particular provinciall nationall or universall must in all her consultations decisions receive her light onely from Christ her Sunne XCV This Sunne shining in the holie Scripture as in his glorious firmament I cast my eyes on him there to behold admire his beautie As then I Beleeve that there is a God Beleeve or Trust in that God so I Beleeve to him giving assent unto his Word being fully perswaded of its infallible truth in all things namely XCVI In the declration of Gods nature power wisdom mercie justice will in the manifestation of his Son in the flesh in the gift of his holie Spirit in the Creation Rule of the World description of mans State both in Adam Christ doctrines of faith workes confutation of falshood errors condemnation correction of sinfull affections all vicious actions narration of things past prophesies of future consolations in miseries threatnings of destruction damnation for sin promises of preservation Salvation through Christ whom with the armes of faith love I do embrace XCVII All these excellent things being containd in the Scripture I Beleeve it the chiefe booke of all made by divine inspiration or speciall assistance of God for the studie use of the faithfull who may yea must either reade it or heare it read indeavour to understand beleeve it XCVIII For though it be obscure in respect of its prophesies some deepe mysteries yet in respect of necessarie truths concerning faith works it is most cleare to them who with an humble heart fervent prayers frequent reading serious meditation religious intention seeke the meaning of it making that holie book the sure onlie foundation of their whole faith principles of their religion rule of wisdom justice all vertues so preferring it to all writings books traditions Canons or Constitutions of Church or State that it be the touch stone to trie the truth goodnes of others XCIX By the name of Scripture I Understand onely those Bookes which are call'd Canonique as such receiv'd beleev'd by the Protestant or reformed true Church who knowes them to be the right Word of God by the effectuall persuasion of the holie Ghost by their owne excellence above the light of our nature by their great pow'r to inlighten move comfort terrifie the divers hearts of men by the Satisfaction they give faithfull readers both in faith manners by the accomplishment of what is prophesi'd in them by the conformitie of their writers when they handle the same matters by the consent of the Jewish Christian Churches so being assur'd that they are such doth shew commend command them to all Christians in the name of her Lord Head C. I say she commands them in the name of her Lord for though the Church shew me these Books yet their authoritie is not from the Church but from God whose written Word will they are so sufficient full that they are able to make the man of God wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus perfect in all good workes CI. The Scripture containing Gods Covenant of favor blessings both corporall spirituall temporall and eternall to his faithfull obedient people I Beleeve he was pleas'd to confirme seale his gracious promises least anie man whom they concerne should mistrust or forget them The confirmation was by an Oath God swearing by himselfe to blesse in Christ the seed of Abraham all nations of the earth The Seales were are Sacraments which represented to the Fathers doe still assure us of Salvation through Christ for though their matter did differ from ours yet their signification was the same even Christ the Lambe slaine from the worlds beginning to its consummation CII These Sacraments being holie signes of Christ must have from him institution promise of grace matter forme with the analogie or correspondence betweene the element or signe the thing signifi'd in some proprietie I Beleeve then that Christ ordain'd the Sacraments our holie Church hath now appointing their matter forme by which matter he represents the inward effects of his grace promis'd to those who shall receive the signe in faith love purâ—â—â— CIII Christ being the substance or inward matter of the Sacraments is likewise th' inward Minister giving or doing to the faithful soules what the signes doe to the bodies for unto such the signes are not naked but with the signes they receive Christ with all his benefits the merits of his life death wheras the Reprobat infidell or wicked persons being not of Gods election so wanting the good disposition which is requir'd in all worthie Communicants or partakers of Christs merits receive the signes to their condemnation missing the grace which is not ty'd unto the signes nor shut in them For though the signes be common to all the visible members of the Church yet the grace signify'd is proper to the sole Elect to whom onelie the Sacraments are most true Seales assurance meanes of Gods love towards them in their Election Vocation Justification Sanctification Glorification CIV. Considering them in this respect of Seales assurance meanes not as Causes of Salvation I esteeme them greatly yet never adore them albeit the neglect of them be dangerous yea damnable because ordain'd commanded by Christ yet I beleeve that God being not ty'd to the meanes second causes manie men may be are sav'd without the Sacraments or signes for Christ being th' inward matter Minister of them may supplie the want of outward matter Ministers CV Whom I Beleeve to be onely the Stewards of Gods mysteries those men who are lawfully call'd for the dispensation of their Lords Word Sacraments yet I dive not into their intentions nor consider their worthines for the
so whole in all the Persons that they are all but one and the same substance and so but one indivisible God and the Persons are so distinct in their Order Names and incommunicable Proprieties as these are particular and Personall that the first cannot be the second nor the Son the Father nor the holie Ghost either of these begetting or being begotten and therefore IX I Beleeve that the Father and first Person of the Deitie hath Being of himselfe neither made nor created nor begotten nor proceeding but begetting his Son and with him producing or sending forth the holie Ghost X. I Beleeve that the Son and second Person is neither made nor created nor proceeding but begotten eternally by the Father with whom he sends forth the holie Ghost XI I Beleeve that the holie Ghost and third Person is neither made nor created nor begotten but eternally proceeding from the Father and Son XII I Beleeve that though the three Persons be distinguisht among themselves and knowne to us by the names of Father or first Son or second Holie Ghost or Third yet the names which belong to the Divin Essence as Jehova Lord God the like are common to the three Persons so that I call the Father God the Son God the holie Spirit God and say also that God is the Father God the Son God the holie Ghost yet acknowledge admire adore but one God one in Nature three in Persons who differ really each from other in their particular Personall Proprieties but from the Essence onely formally by divers manners or fashions of subsisting XIII So that in th'Unitie of the God-head I Beleeve a Pluralitie not Essentiall nor Accidentall but onely Personall Not Essentiall because the Deitie is a most simple Essence nor Accidentall for God admits no accidents nor composition being a most pure act neither are the Persons compounded as if they were a thing and another thing or part of the God-head but they are the Divine substance and three subsistences or manners of being XIV I Beleeve that whatsoever is in God is God because there is nothing in God which be not properly the Essence or Persons Therefore all Gods Attributes or Proprieties belong to the Essence without division and to each person with the limitation or distinction of personall proprietie I say therefore that Wisdome is Essentiall to the Deitie yea Deitie it selfe and that it is in the Father Wisdome begetting in the Son Wisdome begotten in the holie Ghost Wisdome proceeding and upon this ground XV I Beleeve that the Essence being most simple and which admits no division the essentiall proprieties of God differ not truly from the Essence nor from themselves but onely in our conception which being weak and our understanding finit borrows the assistance of manie distinct acts thoughts sights to know in part the incomprehensible God XVI To speak then properly I Beleeve and Confesse that there are not in God manie Attributes except the Personall proprieties of begetting c. but one onely which is th' Essence it selfe by which God is Eternall Great Wise Just c. and so Eternitie it self Power Wisdome Justice c. yet so that I conceive not that his Mercy and Justice Love and Hatred c. differ in themselves and from God for they are but one thing in God or rather they are God himselfe for XVII I Beleeve that Gods Essentiall proprieties are in him neither quantities nor qualities of the divine Essence nor accidents in that Essence but his whole and onelie Essence for God admits no quantitie by which he may be said to be so much and so much nor qualitie by which he be said such and such but whatsoever God is he is such onely by Essence great without quantitie good without qualitie XVIII I Beleeve that according to our apprehension and to the truth it selfe wee may call the Father Eternall Infinit Omnipotent Mercifull Just Wise and the like and so likewise the Son and holie Ghost yet we must not and I doe not beleeve three Eternall Infinit Omnipotent Immutable True Wise Gods or Essences but one onely Eternall Infinit Omnipotent Holie God or Essence XIX I Beleeve God hath cōmunicated stil cōmunicates some of his Proprieties both to Angels and Men as justice holines wisdom pow'r the like in a wise proportion to their capacitie regard of his own glorie but there are some so essentiall and proper to the Deitie that he will not and so cannot communicate them to the creature as Eternitie Simplicitie Infinitie Omniscience Omnipotence for thus he should destroy the nature of the creature and make her a God by the communication of the incommunicable divine Essence in which or rather which those Proprieties are XX By Gods Eternitie I conceive in part Beleeve wholly perfectly that Being he hath of himself free from mutation passion without beginning end of time without succession of first and last past future in whom all other Beings doe begin who gives to all life breath all things in whom we live move of whom through whom for whom are all things XXI By Gods Simplicitie I conceive Beleeve likewise his pure Essence void of composition division multiplication for God is not compounded of matter forme nor of gender and difference nor of substance and accidents nor of anie parts or things sensible or intelligible but whatsoever God is he is the same essentially all things being but one in him which in creatures are divers And the Trinitie of Persons hinders not this Simplicitie for God is three by coexistence of Persons not by composition of parts XXII By Gods Infinitie I conceive the immensitie of Gods Essence void of measures limits or bounds being all in himself all in all things all in everie thing all without all things filling containing all things yet being contained by none moving the world and yet being without motion for what is infinit hath no motiō nor mutation And this Infinitie is that we call Omnipresence Ubiquity by which the Deity is every wher XXIII By Gods Omniscience I understand that one eternall infinit simple perfect act or sight by which God comprehends himself as an infinit object and by himself knows all things past present future past and future to us but all ever present to him XXIV By Gods Omnipotence I conceive that most simple and perfect act by which he 's in himself able to doe whatsoever he will so that no Creature can resist his Pow'r which hath no limits but his Will XXV Gods Essence being simple true can admit no contrarietie or falsitie therefore I Beleeve that God will not so cannot doe things contradictorie as to make a man unreasonable or a bodie without its length breadth depth for this should be bodie no bodie the other man no man XXVI I Beleeve Confesse that God can if he will doe manie
or feele th' effects of Gods bountie LXXV I Beleeve that my flesh my verie flesh shall by the pow'r of Christ be then reunited unto my Soule never to be separated but to enjoy both together the fruits of Christs merits a perpetuall fulnes of joy which surpasses all conception expression of man my whole person being made so glorious that neither spirit nor flesh shall want any thing requisit to their full perfection LXXVI This glorious Resurrection being proper to the Elect is a free gift of God to the secret members of Christs bodie which is known by the name of Church I Beleeve then that God hath here a Church or assemblie of men call'd by his Spirit Word unto the State of Grace that this Assemblie is Christs spirituall mysticall Bodie LXXVII I Call it Spirituall for as Adam is the Head of the companie of carnall men who live after the flesh as being his Children engendred in his corruption so those who live after the Spirit are the blessed bodie of Christ who is their Head by Adopotion Redemption Sanctification or Renovation LXXVIII I call it likewise Mysticall or hid because Gods Election our Regeneration are not things subject to the eye so the Church is invisible her members being not seen as they are Elect though they be visible as men professing the true Religion by their holines manifesting their faith an effect of their Election I say their Holines 'cause LXXIX I Beleeve that Gods Church is Holie all faire and without spot yet not properly in her selfe for being compounded of men of whom the best is a Sinner this Holines of the bodie is as his Righteousnes Imputative God imputing unto the Church the holines of Christ which covers her impurities as Gods gifts are without repentance so LXXX I Beleeve this holines so inherent unto the Church that she cannot erre finally in those points of faith manners which work her damnation for though she admits some errors commits grievous sins yet she 's recall'd reformed by her Lover Lord so that her fall is not finall nor her sicknes to death LXXXI Her members then by which I understand onely th' Elect either never loosing or certainly recovering their donative integritie in faith all good workes Christ having promised her a subsistence or being till the end of the World I call her Infallible LXXXII And in this respect of continuation from the Worlds beginning unto its end because she 's not ty'd to places persons but is or may be spred through all nations consists of all sorts or degrees of persons I Beleeve her Catholique or Universall although sometimes she be contain'd in a litle compasse confin'd to a kingdome or Towne there being sometimes but few outward professors of the truth among them but few whose faith life be right for though many be call'd yet few are chos'n those manie who are thus call'd not chosen are often but a small number compard unto the rest who never heare Gods voyce know not his iudgements LXXXIII Which being true so considering the Church as Visible Invisible a Politique mysticall Bodie I allow her two Heads Beleeving her as a Civill Bodie subiect to Kings States under whom she subsists and so oblig'd to all their Lawes if iust that she sins against Christ her Invisible Head to denie them her Obedience LXXXIIII The Church which is likewise a Spirituall bodie the Assemblie of those faithfull persons who live walke after the Spirit must be subject unto Christ in all things for all his Lawes are iust there is no authoritie which on anie pretext may exempt her from her due Obedience to Christ her Husband Head Sunne LXXXV Considering Christ as a Husband the Church as a VVife I Beleeve her subject to him oblig'd to obey all his Lawes acknowledge him for her onelie Husband Lord adhere to him depend on him forsake all false lovers and seeke to please him in all things LXXXVI Considering Christ as a Head the Church as a Bodie I Beleeve there must be an union of the members with the head mongst themselves so that they all receive life from the head live among themselves in a holie union which is call'd Communion of Saints having Being Life Affections Actions Food Faith Hope common for certainly LXXXVII I Conceive Beleeve that all the members of Christs Church make but one mysticall Bodie Quickned by him Aiming as one man unto his glorie the preservation good of the Bodie Agreeing in the performance of the Heads commandements Breaking one bread feeding on his flesh the merits of his life death the graces of his Spirit Yeelding faith to his Word beleeving his promises Expecting his mercifull Rewards LXXXVIII This one Bodie of Christ having manie Members most fitly joyned together to grow up into him he hath for the edification of his Bodie for the collection perfection of all his Saints for the worke of the Ministerie given Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers so sent manie labourers into his field Vineyard I then Beleeve that the Ministers of the Church must have from God their Commission either Extraordinarie or Ordinarie LXXXIX The Apostles Prophets Evanglists being Extraordinarie Ministers had I Beleeve an Extraordinarie Vocation seal'd by Gods spirit both inwardly outwardly inwardly by a great knowledge of his mysteries strong motifs to advance his glorie outwardly by a good life by the gifts of tongues miracles prophesies XC The Leviticall Law being abolisht the Gospel Preacht writ beleev'd by manie nations those holie men did die those gifts ceas'd then succeeded succeede Ministers call'd ordinarily examin'd by the Church concerning faith knowledge good life then elected confirmed for the right administration of the Sacraments predication of Gods Word to give their flockes what they owe them full instructions in faith good manners dissvasions from all sins exhortations to pietie all Christian vertues meanes of reconciliation with God men visits comforts in their miseries captivitie diseases death XCI These Ministers being Shepheards to feede the Church must discharge their dutie both in publick in privat both by examples counsels leading their flocks to greene pastures still waters taking care of a weake sheepe which cannot well follow the rest of that too which goes astray XCII These Ministers being likewise as dogs must watch over the flock least grievous wolves enter the fold yea least some of the Church arise speaking perverse things teaching false doctrines breaking the Communion of Saints For though the members of the Church cannot say one to another I have no need of you sith even the feeble members are necessarie that in love policie those members are adorn'd which are lesse comelie Yet XCIII I Beleeve