unto God for those good works which we do do and not he unto us since it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Let us therefore take notice of this saying which is left upon record When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say wee are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duty to do Yet wee do not deny that God rewards the good works but it is through his grace that he crownes his Gifts Moreover though wee act good works yet wee do not build our salvation thereon for wee can do nothing which is not defiled by our flesh and worthy of punishment and though it were otherwise yet the remembrance of one sin is sufficient to make God reject it So wee should always be doubtfull and floating to and fro without any certainty and our poor consciences be vexed continually if they did not rely on the merits of the sufferings and dying of our Saviour XXV Wee believe that the Ceremonies and Figures of the Law are ceased at the coming of Christ and that all shadows are finished wherefore the use and practise of them ought to be abrogated among the Christians yet the truth and substance of the same remaines with us in Christ Jesus in whom they are fulfilled in the mean while wee make use of the Testimonies of the Law and the Prophets to confirm us in the Gospel and to order our life and conversation in all honesty to the Glory of God according to his will. XXVI Wee believe that wee have no acces unto God but by the onely Mediator and Advocate Christ Jesus the righteous who for this cause is become man uniting together the divine and humane nature that so wee might have acces unto the divine Majesty for otherwise our acces would be barred up But this Mediator whom the Father hath given us to interceed between him and us must not deter us through his goodness and cause us to seek for another according to our fancy For there is none in heaven nor in earth among the Creatures who loveth us more then Jesus Christ who thô he was in the form of God yet made him self of no reputation and took upon him the form of a man and a servant for our sakes and is made like unto his Brethren in all things Now if wee were to seek for another Mediator that might be favourable unto us whom could wee find that would love us more then he who laid down his life for us even whilst wee were his Enemies And if wee look for one that is mighty and majestious who is more conspicuous then he that sits at the right hand of his Father having all power in heaven and earth Who shall bee sooner heard then the welbeloved Son of God Therefore it is onely by a mistrusting that this practice was introduced of dishonouring the Saints instead of honouring them doing that which they never have done nor required but constantly and according to their duty rejected as appeares from their writings And it ought not to be objected here that wee are not worthy for it is not intended that wee should offer up our prayers on the account of our worthiness but onely because of the Excellency and worthiness of our Lord Jesus Christ whose righteousness is become ours by Faith. The Apostle therefore to take away from us this foolish fear or rather mistrust tells us that Jesus Christ is made like unto his Bretheren in all things that he might be a Mercifull and faithfull High Priest to purify the sins of the people For in that he him self hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted And to give us more encouragement to go to him he tells us Seeing then that wee have a great High-priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession For wee have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like wee are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace that wee may obtaine Mercy and find grace to help in time of need The same Apostle saith that wee have liberty to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus Let us draw near saith he in full assurance of saith c. Item Christ hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them What do wee then want more since Christ him self sayes I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me Why should wee look for another Advocate seeing it hath pleased God to give us his Son for an Advocate Let us not leave him for to take another or rather to seek for another without ever sinding him for when God did give him unto us he knew very well that wee were Sinners Therefore according to Christs commandment wee call upon our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our onely Mediator as wee are taught in the Lords prayer being assured that what ever wee pray for to the Father in his name it shall be given us XXVII Wee believe and profess one onely Catholick or universal Church which is a holy Congregation of true Christian believers who expect their salvation altogether in Christ Jesus being washed by his blood and Sanctifyed and sealed by the holy Ghost This Church hath been from the beginning of the World and will continue to the end of it as doth appear by Christ his being an everlasting King who cannot be without subjects And this holy Church is kept and preserved by God against the rage of the whole World although somtimes she may become very small and almost vanished in the eyes of men as when the Lord during the dangerous Reign of Achab had kept seven thousand men who had not bowed their knees before Baal Moreover this Holy Church is not situated in or bound or limited to a certain place or to certain persons but she is spread and seattered through the whole World being neve theless joined together and united with heart will and the same Spirit by the power of Faith. XXVIII Wee believe seeing this holy Congregation is an Assembly of those that are saved and that without it there is no salvation that none of what condition or quality soever ought to keep him self separate or to rely upon his own person but that it is the duty of all men to join and comply with it preserving the unity of the Church submitting them selves to the Instruction and Censure thereof bowing their neeks under the yoke of Christ Jesus and serving to the edification of the Brethren according to the gift which God hath assorded them as mutual members of the same body and to the better compassing of these ends it is a duty
incumbent on all believers according to the Word of God to separate them selves from those that are not of the Church and to join to this Congregation in what place socever God hath constituted the same although it were contrary to the decrees of Magistrates and Princes even on pain of corporal punishment or death Wherefore all those who separate them selves from this Church or do not join with it act against the ordinance of God. XXIX Wee believe that it is requisite to search diligently and with a circumspect care to discerne from the Word of God which is the true Church since all Sects that are in the World now adayes do cover them selves with the name of the Church Wee do not speak of the company of Hypocrites who are mixed in the Church amongst the good ones without belonging to the Church thô outwardly they are in it but wee say that the body and Communion of the true Church ought to be distinguished from all Sects who call them selves the Church The marks to know the true Church by are these If in the Church there is a pure preaching of the Gospel If the pure administration of the Sacraments so as it is instituted by Christ him self is made use of If the Ecclesiastical censure is exercised for the punishment of sins In a word if the conversation is according to the pure Word of God rejecting all things contrary thereunto and holding Jesus Christ as the onely head By these tokens one may certainly know the true Church and none ought to separate themselves from the same And as for those that are of the Church they may be known by the marks of the Christians viz. by their Faith and when they have received the onely Saviour Jesus Christ avoiding sin and pursuing righteousness loving the true God and their neighbour not declining neither to the right nor to the left hand and crucifying their flesh with its deeds Nevertheless they may be attended with great weakness but they sight against it through the Spirit all the dayes of their life having continually recours to the blood death susterings and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ in which they have remission of sins through Faith in him As for the false Church she ascribes unto her self and her ordinances more power and Authority then to the Word of God and will not submit unto the yoke of Christ she administers the Sacraments not after such a Manner as Christ hath instituted in his word but she adds and takes away according to her pleasure She relyeth more upon men then upon Christ she persecutes those who live a holy life according to the Word of God and who rebuke her faults coveteousness and Idolatry These two Churches may easily be known and distinguished XXX Wee believe that this true Church must be governed according to the Spirituall policy which our Lord hath taught us in his word viz. That there must be Ministers or Pastors for to preach the Word of God and to administer the Sacraments as also Overseers and Deacons to make up together with the Pastors an Ecclesiastical Councel and by this means to maintain the true Religion and to procure a free course for the true Doctrine likewise that the Transgressors be punished and restrained by Spirituall means that the poor and distressed be also relieved and comforted according to what they stand in need of Through these means all things will proceed well and orderly in the Church when such persons are chosen who are faithfull and according to the rule which St. Paul preseribes in his Epistle to Timothy XXXI Wee believe that the Ministers of the Word of God and the Elders and Deacons ought to be chosen to their respective offices by a lawfull Election with invocation of the Name of the Lord and in good order as the Word of God teacheth Every one therefore must take care of intruding him self by undecent means but ought to stay untill he be call'd by God that so he may have a testimony of his calling and be certain and assured that it is of the Lord And as for the Ministers of the Word where ever they-are they have an equal power and Authority being all Ministers of Jesus Christ the one general Bishop and onely head of the Church Moreoever least the holy ordinance of God be violated or despised wee say that every one ought te have a speciall respect unto the Ministers of the Word and the Elders of the Church for their works sake and to live in peace with them without murmuring strife or dissention as much as possibly can be XXXII In the mean while wee believe although it may be serviceable and good that those who govern the Church do institute among them selves certain ordinances for the maintenance and supporting the body of the Church yet that they ought to take heed of departing from any thing which Christ our onely master hath ordered And therefore wee reject all manner of humane inventions and Laws which any might introduce in the Worship of God thereby to bind and compell the consciences Admitting of nothing but what may serve to the nourishing and preservation of Concord and Unity and to keep all in the obedience of God unto which the Excommunication is required according to the Word of God and the circumstances belonging thereunto XXXIII Wee believe that our gracious God having regard on our meanness and infirmity hath assorded us the Sacraments for to be seales of his promises and pledges of the kindness and grace of God unto us and thereby to nourish and sustain our faith having joyned them with the Word of the Gospel that so he might propound to our outward senses both that which he signifies unto us by his Word and that which he workes inwardly in our hearts assuring us of the salvation which he doth impart us For they are visible signs and Seals of an inward and invisible thing by which means God worketh in us through the power of the holy Ghost Therefore the signs are not invain or empty to be deceived thereby for Christ Jesus is the truth thereof without whom they would signify nothing at all Moreover wee are content with the number of the Sacraments which Christ our Master hath instituted being but two to wit the Sacrament of Baptism and that of the holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ XXXIV Wee believe and confess that Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law hath made an end by the shedding of his blood of all other sheddings of blood that might be made for the propitiation and satisfaction of sin and that having abrogated the circumcision which was done with blood hath instituted instead thereof the Sacrament of Baptisme by which wee are received in the Church of God and become separated from all other people and strange Religions that so wee may be fully addicted to him and bear his Mark and Ensign And it serves us for a testimony that hee will be our God and
heartily sorry for the same worke in us a greater measure of sorrow that wee fearing thy judgements which thou executest against stubborne and impenitent sinners may labour so much the more to please thee Graunt that wee may keepe our selves from all pollutions and defilements of the world and of all those who are cut off from the communion of the Church that wee may not make our selves partakers of their sinnes and that those who are cut off may bee brought to shame for their sinnes And seeing thou takest no pleasure in the death of sinners but that they returne and live and settest alwayes open the bosome of thy Church to receive penitent sinners bee pleased to kindle in us a right zeale that both by our admonitions and examples wee may labour to reduce againe this excommunicated person and all such who through infidelity and wickednesse of life are going astray blesse our admonitions that wee may have cause to rejoyce over him for whose sake wee are now in heavinesse that thy holy name may bee glorified through the Lord Jesus Christ who hath taught us to pray Our Father c. FORME For the receiving and admitting againe of excommunicated persons BEloved in the Lord it is knowne unto you that sometimes past our fellow member N. hath beene Excommunicated and cut off from the Church of Christ Now wee can not conceale from you how that hee through the forenamed remedy as also through good admonishions and your prayers is come so farre that hee is ashamed of his sinnes and desireth to bee received againe into the fellowship of the Church Therefore wee being bound to receive such with joy and yet to keepe also good orders therefore wee give you heere to understand that wee are resolved to loose againe the forenamed excommunicated person from the bond of excommunication at the next time when by the grace of God wee shall celebrate the Supper of the Lord and to receive him againe into fellowship with the Church except there bee some who meane while shall shew any lawfull cause wherefore this ought not to bee done which you are to signify to us betime In the meane time every one of you is to praise the Lord for his mercy manifested to this poor sinner and to intreat him to perfect his worke in him to his everlasting salvation If no impediment bee brought the Minister is to proceed to the receiving of the excommunicated person againe after this following manner Beloved in the Lord wee have the last time acquainted you with the repentance of our fellowe member N. that he with your consent may bee received againe into the Church of Christ seeing therefore no body hath brought any thing whereby his admission againe should bee differred therefore wee intend at this time to proceed to the same The Lord Jesus Christ having confirmed the sentence of the Church in the excommunication of an impenitent sinner declareth thereupon presently that whatsoever the Minister shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven whereby hee gives to understand that when any body is cut off from the Church that thereby hee is not bereaved of all hope of salvation but that hee can bee loosed againe from the bond of his condemnation Therefore seeing God doth declare in his Word that hee hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that hee bee converted and live the Church in like maner hath hope of the conversion of the excommunicated sinner and keepes her bosome open to receive againe the penitent therefore doth the Apostle exhort 1 Cor. 5. that the Corinthian whom hee had declared should have beene cut off from the Church bee received comforted againe seeing that after hee had beene reprooved by many hee was come to the knowledge of his sinne least hee bee swallowed up by overmuch heavinesse 2 Cor. 2. Secondly Christ in the forenamed place doth teach that the sentence of absolution which is pronounced to such a penitent sinner according to the Word of God is accounted stedfast and firme with the Lord therefore ought no body who doth uprightly repent make any question but that hee is received of God as Christ sayth Joh. 2. Whose sinnes yee remit to those they are remitted To come therfore to the businesse in hand I afke you N. whether you declare heere before God and his Church from your heart that you are truely sorry for your sinnes and obstinacy for which you have most justly beene cut off from the Church and whether you doe unfeignedly beleeve that God hath forgiven and doth forgive your sinnes for Christ his sake and therefore are desirous to bee received againe into the Church to carry your selfe from henceforth in all piety according to the Word of God Answer Yea. Heereupon shall the Minister say further Wee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ being met heere declare you N. to bee loosed from the bonds of Excommunication and pronounce you to stand againe in the fellowship of the Church the holy Sacraments and all other spirituall blessings and benesits which God hath promised and makes good to his Church in which the eternall God preserve you through his onely begotten Sonne Jesus Christ Amen Rest therefore assured beloved Brother that the Lord hath received you againe in mercy bee carefull to take heed of the subtile temptations of Sathan and the wickednesse of the world that you fall not againe into sinne Love the Lord Jesus Christ for many sinnes are forgiven you And yee beloved Christians receive this Brother with hearthy affection rejoyce that hee who was dead is made alive againe who was lost is found againe rejoyce with the Angels in Heaven over this sinner who repenteth holde him no longer as one who is a stranger but a fellow Citizen of the Saints and of the houshoulde of God. And whereas we can have no good thing from our selves letus blesse the Lord for this his mercy and further call upon his name GRacious God and Father wee blesse thee through Jesus Christ that thou hast given to this our fellow brother repentance to life and us cause to rejoyce in his conversion wee pray thee assure him more and more of the forgivenesse of his sinnes that hee may receive fulnesse of joy and greater willingnesse to serve thee And whereas hee hath offended many hy his sinne graunt that hee may edify many by his conversion and that hee may walke in thy wayes stedfastly to the end and let us learne by his example that there is mercy with thee that thou mayest bee feared and esteeming him our fellow brother and coheyre of eternall life may serve thee togetherwith a child ike seare and obedience all the dayes of our life through our Lord Jesus Christ in whose name wee conclude our Prayers saying Our Father c. FORME For the Confirmation of the Ministers of the Word After Sermon and Prayers ended the Minister shall say thus to the people BEloved Brethren It is knowen to you