what he asserteth or promiseth and to judge him according to the truth or falshood of what he sweareth II. The name of God onely is that by which men ought to swear and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence Therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious or dreadful name or to swear at all by any other thing is sinful and to be abhorred yet as in matters of weight and moment an Oath is warranted by the Word of God under the New Testament as well as under the Old so a lawful Oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters ought to be taken III. Whosoever taketh an Oath warranted by the Word of God ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully perswaded is the truth neither may any man binde himself by Oath to any thing but what is good and just and what he believeth so to be and what he is able and resolved to perform Yet it is a sin to refuse an Oath touching any thing that is good and just being lawfully imposed by Authority IV. An Oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words without equivocation or mental reservation It cannot oblige to sin but in any thing not sinful being taken it bindes to performance although to a mans own hurt nor is it to be violated although made to Hereticks or infidels V. A Vow which is not to be made to any Creature but God alone is of the like nature with a promissory Oath and ought to be made with the like religious care and to be performed with the like faithfulness VI Popish monasticall Vows of perpetual single life professed poverty and regular obedience are so far from being degrees of higher perfection that they are superstitious and sinful snares in which no Christian may intangle himself CHAP. XXIV Of the civil Magistrate GOd the supreme Lord and King of all the world hath ordained civil Magistrates to be under him over the people for his own glory and the publique good and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword for the defence and incouragement of them that do good and for the punishment of evil doers II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a Magistrate when called thereunto in the management whereof as they ought especially to maintain Justice and Peace according to the wholsome Laws of each Commonwealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the new Testament wage war upon just and necessary occasion III. Although the Magistrate is bound to incourage promote and protect the professors and profession of the Gospel and to manage and order civil administrations in a due subserviency to the interest of Christ in the world and to that end to take care that men of corrupt mindes and conversations do not licentiously publish and divulge Blasphemies and Errors in their own nature subverting the faith and inevitably destroying the souls of them that receive them Yet in such differences about the Doctrines of the Gospel or ways of the worship of God as may befal men exercising a good conscience manifesting it in their conversation and holding the foundation not disturbing others in their ways or worship that differ from them there is no warrant for the Magistrate under the Gospel to abridge them of their liberty IV. It is the duty of people to pray for Magistrates to honor their persons to pay them Tribute and other dues to obey their lawful commands and to be subject to their Authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in religion doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the people from their obedience to him from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or Jurisdiction over them in their dominions or over any of their people and least of all to deprive them of their Dominions or lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever CHAP. XXV Of Marriage MArriage is to be between one man and one woman neither is it lawful for any man to have more then one wife nor for any woman to have more then one husband at the same time II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife for the increase of mankinde with a legitimate issue and of the Church with an holy seed and for preventing of uncleanness III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their consent Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord and therefore such as profess the true Reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters neither should such as are godly be unequally yoaked by marrying with such as are wicked in their life or maintain damnable Heresie IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word nor can such incestuous Marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife CHAP. XXVI Of the Church THe Catholique or Universal Church which is invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the Head thereof and is the Spouse the Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all II. The whole body of men throughout the world professing the faith of the Gospel and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it not destroying their own profession by any Errors everting the foundation or unholiness of conversation are and may be called the visible Catholique Church of Christ although as such it is not intrusted with the administration of any Ordinances or have any officers to rule or govern in or over the whole Body III. The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Nevertheless Christ always hath had and ever shall have a visible Kingdom in this world to the end thereof of such as believe in him and make profession of his name IV. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be Head thereof but is that Antichrist that man of sin and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming V. As the Lord in his care and love towards his Church hath in his infinite wise providence exercised it with great variety in all ages for the good of them that love him and his own Glory so according to his promise we expect that in the latter days Antichrist being destroyed the Jews called and the adversaries of the Kingdom of
become servants of corruption and be brought in bondage to all sorts of fancies and imaginations yet the whole world may now see after the experience of many years ran through and it is manifest by this Confession that the great and gracious God hath not onely kept us in that common unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God which the whole Community of Saints have and shall in their generations come unto but also in the same Truths both small and great that are built thereupon that any other of the best and more pure Reformed Churches in their best times which were their first times have arrived unto This Confession withall holding forth a professed opposition unto the common errors and heresies of these times These two considerations have been taken from the seasons we have gone through Thirdly let the space of time it self or days wherein from first to last the whole of this Confession was framed and consented to by the whole of us be duly considered by sober and ingenuous spirits the whole of days in which we had meetings about it set aside the two Lords days and the first days meeting in which we considered and debated what to pitch upon were but eleven days part of which also was spent by some of us in prayer others in consulting and in the end all agreeing We mention this small circumstance but to this end which still adds unto the former That it gives demonstration not of our freeness and willingness onely but of our readiness and preparedness unto so great a work which otherwise and in other Assemblies hath ordinarily taken up long and great debates as in such a variety of matters of such concernment may well be supposed to fall out And this is no other then what the Apostle Peter exhorts unto Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason or account of the hope that is in you The Apostle Paul saith of the spiritual Truths of the Gospel That God hath prepared them for those that love him The inward and innate constitution of the new creature being in it self such as is suted to all those Truths as congenial thereunto But although there be this mutual adaptness between these two yet such is the mixture of ignorance darkness and unbelief carnal reason preoccupation of judgement interest of parties wantonness in opinion proud adhering to our own perswasions and perverse oppositions and aversness to agree with others and a multitude of such like distempers common to believing man All which are not onely mixed with but at times especially in such times as have passed over our heads are ready to overcloud our judgements and do cause our eyes to be double and sometimes prevail as well as lusts and do byass our wills and affections And such is their mixture that although there may be existent an habitual preparedness in mens spirits yet not always a present readiness to be found specially not in such a various multitude of men to make a solemn and deliberate profession of all truths it being as great a work to finde the spirits of the just perhaps the best of Saints ready for every truth as to be prepared to every good work It is therefore to be looked at as a great and special work of the holy Ghost that so numerous a company of Ministers and other principal brethren should so readily speedily and joyntly give up themselves unto such a whole Body of Truths that are after godliness This argues they had not their faith to seek but as is said of Ezra that they were ready Scribes and as Christ instructed unto the kingdom of heaven being as the good housholders of so many families of Christ bringing forth of their store and treasury New and Old It shews these truths had been familiar to them and they acquainted with them as with their daily food and provision as Christs allusion there insinuates in a word that so they had preached and that so their people had believed as the Apostle speaks upon one like particular occasion And the Apostle Paul considers in cases of this nature the suddenness or length of the time either one way or the other whether it were in mens forsaking or learning of the truth Thus the suddenness in the Galatians case in leaving the truth he makes a wonder of it I marvel that you are SO SOON that is in so short a time removed from the true Gospel unto another Again on the contrary in the Hebrews he aggravates their backwardness That when for the time you ought to be Teachers you had need that one teach you the very first principles of the Oracles of God The Parable contrary to both these having fallen out in this transaction may have some ingredient and weight with ingenuous spirits in its kinde according to the proportion is put upon either of these forementioned in their adverse kinde and obtain the like special observation This accord of ours hath fallen out without having held any correspondency together or prepared consultation by which we might come to be advised of one anothers mindes We alledge not this as a matter of commendation in us no we acknowledge it to have been a great neglect And accordingly one of the first proposals for union amongst us was That there might be a constant correspondence held among the Churches for counsel and mutual edification so for time to come to prevent the like omission We confess that from the first every or at least the generality of our Churches have been in a maner like so many Ships though holding forth the same general colours lancht singly and sailing apart and alone in the vast Ocean of these tumultuating times and they exposed to every wind of Doctrine under no other conduct then the Word and Spirit and their particular Elders and principal Brethren without Associations among our selves or so much as holding out common lights to others whereby to know where we were But yet whilest we thus confess to our own shame this neglect let all acknowledge that God hath ordered it for his high and greater glory in that his singular care and power should have so watcht over each of these as that all should be found to have steered their course by the same Chart and to have been bound for one and the same Port and that upon this general search now made that the same holy and blessed Truths of all sorts which are currant and warrantable amongst all the other Churches of Christ in the world should be found to be our Lading The whole and every of these things when put together do cause us whatever men of prejudiced and opposite spirits may finde out to slight them with a holy admiration to say That this is no other then the Lords doing and which we with thanksgiving do take from his hand as a special token upon us for good and doth show that God is faithful
and upright towards those that are planted in his house And that as the Faith was but once for all and intentionally first delivered unto the Saints so the Saints when not abiding scattered but gathered under their respective Pastors according to Gods heart into an house and Churches unto the living God such together are as Paul forespake it the most steady and firm pillar and seat of Truth that God hath anywhere appointed to himself on earth where his truth is best conserved and publiquely held forth there being in such Assemblies weekly a rich dwelling of the Word amongst them that is a daily open house kept by the means of those good Housholders their Teachers and other Instructers respectively appropriated to them whom Christ in the vertue of his Ascension continues to give as gifts to his people himself dwelling amongst them to the end that by this as the most sure standing permanent means the Saints might be perfected till we all even all the Saints in present and future ages do come by this constant and daily Ordinance of his unto the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which though growing on by parts and piecemeal will yet appear compleat when that great and general Assembly shall be gathered then when this world is ended and these dispensations have had their fulness and period and so that from henceforth such a provision being made for us we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And finally this doth give a fresh and recent demonstration that the great Apostle and High-priest of our profession is indeed ascended into heaven and continues there with power and care faithful as a son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end and shews that he will as he hath promised be with his own Institutions to the end of the world It is true that many sad miscarriages divisions breaches fallings off from holy Ordinances of God have along this time of tentation especially in the beginning of it been found in some of our Churches and no wonder if what hath been said be fully considered Many reasons might further be given hereof that would be a sufficient Apology without the help of a retortion upon other Churches that promised themselves peace how that more destroying ruptures have befallen them and that in a wider sphere and compass which though it should not justifie us yet may serve to stop others mouthes Let Rome glory of the peace in and obedience of her children against the Reformed Churches for their divisions that occurred especially in the first rearing of them whilest we all know the causes of their dull and stupid peace to have been carnal interests worldly correspondencies and coalitions strengthened by gratifications of all sorts of men by that Religion the principles of blinde Devotion Traditional Faith Ecclesiastical Tyranny by which she keeps her children in bondage to this day We are also certain that the very same prejudice that from hence they would cast upon the Reformed if they were just do lye as fully against those pure Churches raised up by the Apostles themselves in those first times for as we have heard of their patience sufferings consolations and the transcending gifts poured out and graces shining in them so we have heard complaints of their divisions too of the forsakings of their Assemblies as the custom or maner of SOME was which later were in that respect felones de se and needed no other delivering up to Satan as their punishment then what they executed upon themselves We read of the shipwrack also of Faith and a good Conscience and overthrowings of the faith of SOME and still but of some not all nor the most which is one piece of an Apologie the Apostle again and again inserts to future ages and through mercy we have the same to make And truly we take the confidence professedly to say that these tentations common to the purest Churches of Saints separated from the mixture of the world though they grieve us for who is offended and we burn not yet they do not at all stumble us as to the truth of our way had they been many more We say it again these stumble us no more as to that point then it doth offend us against the power of Religion it self to have seen and to see daily in particular persons called out and separated from the world by an effectual work of conversion that they for a while do suffer under disquietments vexations turmoils unsettlements of spirit that they are tossed with tempests and horrid tentations such as they had not in their former estate whilst they walked according to the course of this world For Peter hath sufficiently instructed us whose business it is to raise such storms even the Devil's and also whose designe it is that after they have suffered a while thereby they shall be setled perfected stablished that have so suffered even the God of all Grace And look what course of dispensation God holds to Saints personally he doth the like to bodies of Saints in Churches and the Devil the same for his part too And that consolatory Maxim of the Apostle God shall tread down Satan under your feet shortly which Paul uttereth concerning the Church of Rome shews how both God and Satan have this very hand therein for he speaks that very thing in reference unto their divisions as the coherence clearly manifests and so you have both designs exprest at once Yea we are not a little induced to think that the divisions breaches c. of those primitive Churches would not have been so frequent among the people themselves and not the Elders onely had not the freedom liberties and rights of the Members the Brethren we mean been stated and exercised in those Churches the same which we maintain and contend for to be in ours Yea which perhaps may seem more strange to many had not those Churches been constituted of Members inlightned further then with notional and traditional knowledge by a new and more powerful light of the Holy Ghost wherein they had been made partakers of the holy Ghost and the heavenly gift and their hearts had tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the world to come and of such Members at lowest there had not fallen out those kindes of divisions among them For experience hath shewn that the common sort of meer Doctrinal Professors such as the most are now a days whose highest elevation is but freedom from moral scandal joyned with devotion to Christ through meer education such as in many Turks is found towards Mahomet that these finding and feeling themselves not much concerned in the active part of Religion so they may have the honor especially upon a Reformation
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 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 Gods revealing his Will unto his people being now ceased II. Under the name of the 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 Pauls 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 then 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 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 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 mans 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 maner 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 Councels 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 withal 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 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 made nor deriving any glory from them but onely manifesting his own glory in by unto and upon them He is the alone Fountain of all Being of whom through whom and to whom are all things and hath most Soveraign 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 Knowledge is infinite infallible and 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 as Creatures they owe unto the Creator and whatever he is further 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 Which Doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God and comfortable Dependence upon him CHAP. III. Of Gods Eternal Decree GOd from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsel of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass 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 contingency of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed Conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to pass 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 mankinde that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternal 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 eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore-ordained all the means thereunto Wherefore they who are elected being faln 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 or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but the Elect onely VII The rest of mankinde God was pleased according to the unsearchable Counsel of his own Will whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth for the glory of his soveraign power over his Creatures to pass by and to ordain them to dishonor 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 special prudence and care that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual Vocation be assured of their eternal 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 eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness in the beginning to create or make of nothing the world and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six days and all very good II. After God had made all other creatures he created Man male and female with reasonable and immortal Souls endued with knowledge righteousness and true holiness after his own Image having the Law of God written in their heart and power to fulfil it and yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the liberty of their own Will which was subject unto change Besides 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 govern all creatures actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy Providence according unto his infallible fore-knowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own Will to the praise of the glory of his Wisdom Power Justice Goodness and Mercy II. Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God the first Caufe all things come to pass immutably and infallibly yet by the same Providence he 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 means yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure IV. The almighty Power unsearchable Wisdom and infinite Goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his Providence in that his determinate Counsel extendeth it self even to the first Fall and all other sins of Angels and Men and that not by a bare permission which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold Dispensation to his own most holy ends yet so as the sinfulness 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 own children to manifold temptations and the corruption of their own hearts to chastise them for their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful 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 sins doth blinde and harden from them he not onely withholdeth his grace whereby they might have been inlightned 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 withal gives them over to their own lusts the temptations of the world and the power of Satan whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves even under those means which God useth for the softning of others VII As the providence of God doth in general reach to all Creatures so after a most special maner 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 GOd having made a Covenant of Works and Life thereupon with our first Parents and all their posterity in them they being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan did wilfully transgress the Law of their Creation and break the Covenant in eating the forbidden fruit II. By this sin they and we in them fell from original righteousness 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 and by Gods appointment standing in the room and stead of all mankinde the guilt of this sin was imputed and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation IV. From this Original corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all good and wholly inclined to all evil do proceed all Actual transgression 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 truely and properly sin VI Every sin both original and actual 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 spiritual temporal and eternal 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 attained the reward of life but by some voluntary condescension on Gods part which he hath been pleased to express 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 personal 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 believe IV. This Covenant of Grace is frequently set forth in the 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. Although this Covenant hath been differently and variously administred in respect of Ordinances and Institutions in the time of the Law and since the coming of Christ in the flesh yet for the substance and efficacy of it to all its spiritual and saving ends it is one and the same upon the account of which various dispensations it is called the Old and New Testament CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator IT pleased God in his eternal purpose to chuse and ordain the Lord Jesus his onely begotten Son according to a Covenant made between them both to be the Mediator between God and Man the Prophet Priest and King the Head and Savior 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 feed 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 eternal God of one substance and equal with the Father did when the fulness of time was come take upon him Mans nature with all the essential 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 onely Mediator between God and Man III. The Lord Jesus in his Humane nature thus united to the Divine in the Person of the Son was sanctified and anointed with the holy Spirit above measure having in him all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell to the end that being holy harmless undefiled and full of grace and truth he might be throughly 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 also 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 fulfil it and underwent the punishment due to us which we should have born and suffered being made sin and a curse for us enduring most grievous torments immediately from God in his soul and most painful 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 eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Justice of God and purchased not onely reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him VI Athough the work of Redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation yet the vertue efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated to 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 Lamb 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 believe and obey and governing their hearts by his Word
his dear Son broken the Churches of Christ being inlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace shall enjoy in this world a more quiet peaceable and glorious condition then they have enjoyed CHAP. XXVII Of the Communion of Saints ALl Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and Faith although they are not made thereby one person with him have fellowship in his Graces Sufferings Death Resurrection and Glory and being united to one another in love they have communion in each others gifts and graces and are obliged to the performance of such duties publique and private as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward Man II. All Saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the Worship of God and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities which communion though especially to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand whether in Families or Churches yet as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XXVIII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace immediately instituted by Christ to represent him and his benefits and to confirm our interest in him and solemnly to engage us to the service of God in Christ according to his Word II. There is in every Sacrament a spiritual relation or sacramental union between the sign and the thing signified whence it comes to pass that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the Sacraments rightly used is not conferred by any power in them neither doth the efficacy of a Sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of Institution which contains together with a Precept authorizing the use thereof a Promise of benefit to worthy receivers IV. There be onely two Sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Lords Supper neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully called V. The Sacraments of the Old Testament in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited were for substance the same with those of the New CHAP. XXIX Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized a sign and seal of the Covenant of Grace of his ingraffing into Christ of regeneration of remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life which Ordinance is by Christs own appointment to be continued in his Church until the end of the world II. The outward Element to be used in this Ordinance is Water wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost by a Minister of the Gospel lawfully called III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person IV. Not onely those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized and those onely V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this Ordinance yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated VI The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered yet notwithstanding by the right use of this Ordinance the grace promised is not onely offered but really exhibited and conferred by the holy Ghost to such whether of age or infants as that grace belongeth unto according to the counsel of Gods own Will in his appointed time VII Baptism is but once to be administered to any person CHAP. XXX Of the Lords Supper OUr Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood called the Lords Supper to be observed in his Churches unto the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance and shewing forth of the Sacrifice of himself in his death the sealing of all benefits thereof unto true believers their spiritual nourishment and growth in him their further ingagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick or dead but onely a memorial of that one offering up of himself by himself upon the Cross once for all and a spiritual Oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same so that the Popish Sacrifice of the Mass as they call it is most abominable injurious to Christs own onely Sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers to pray and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use and to take and break the Bread to take the Cup and they communicating also themselves to give both to the Communicants but to none who are not then present in the Congregation IV. Private Masses or receiving the Sacrament by a Priest or any other alone as likewise the denial of the Cup to the people worshiping the Elements the lifting them up or carrying them about for adoration and the reserving them for any pretended religious use are all contrary to the nature of this Sacrament and to the Institution of Christ V. The outward Elements in this Sacrament duely set apart to the uses ordained by Christ have such relation to him Crucified as that truly yet Sacramentally onely they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent to wit the Body and Blood of Christ albeit in substance and nature they still remain truly and onely Bread and Wine as they were before VI That Doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of Bread and Wine into the substance of Christs 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 Lords Table and cannot without great sin against him whilest 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 Judgement 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 die 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 Judgement 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 die 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 dishonor the bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honor and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII Of the last Judgement GOd hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in righteousness by Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Judgement is given of the Father in which day not onely 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 Gods 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 Judgement both to deter 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 Books sold by John Allen at the Sun Rising in Pauls Church-yard viz. Mr. Caryl's fifth Volume on the Book of Job in quarto Mr. Caryl's seventh Volume on the Book of Job in quarto Beza Novum Testamentum in folio Mr. Allens Scripture Chronology in quarto Dr. Preston's Riches of Mercy in quarto Buxtorfius's Lexicon the best sort in large octavo Mr. Baxter's Call to the Unconverted Mr. Cotton on the Covenant intended suddenly for the Press Mr. Lukin's Practice of Godliness Mr. Burgess of Original sin Pareus on the Revelation in folio Mr. Gataker against Judicial Astrology wherein he proves it to be the way and practice of Heathens and ought not to be so much as named by them that profess the Name of Christ Esay 47.12 13. Jer. 10.2 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 Soveraign maner in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Head thereof II. In the execution of this Power wherewith he is so entrusted 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 publique Worship which he requireth of them in this world IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered according unto his minde declared in his Word he hath given all that Power and Authority which is any way needfull 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 Catholique entrusted 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 minde 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 VII 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 publique and their Assemblies in what place soever they are according as they have liberty or opportunity are therefore Church or Publique Assemblies XI The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the holy Ghost unto the Office of Pastor Teacher or Elder in a Church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church it self and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer with Imposition of Hands of the Eldership of that Church if there be any before constituted therein And of a Deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage and set apart by Prayer and the like Imposition of Hands XII The Essence of this Call of a Pastor Teacher or Elder unto Office consists in the Election of the Church together with his acceptation of it and separation by Fasting and Prayer And those who are so chosen though not set apart by Imposition of Hands are rightly constituted Ministers of Jesus Christ in whose Name and Authority they exercise the Ministery to them so committed The Calling of Deacons consisteth in the like Election and acceptation with separation by Prayer XIII Although it be incumbent on the Pastors and Teachers of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word by way of Office yet the work of Preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the holy Ghost for it and approved being by lawful ways and means in the Providence of God called thereunto may publiquely ordinarily and constantly perform it so that they give themselves up thereunto XIV However they who are ingaged in the work of Publique Preaching and enjoy the Publique Maintenance upon that account are not thereby obliged to dispense the Seals to any other then such as being Saints by Calling and gathered according to the Order of the Gospel they stand related to as Pastors or Teachers yet ought they not to neglect others living within their Parochial Bounds but besides their constant publique Preaching to them they ought to enquire after their profiting by the Word instructing them in and pressing upon them whether young or old the great Doctrines of the Gospel even personally and particularly so far as their strength and time will admit XV Ordination alone without the Election or precedent consent of the Church by those who formerly have been Ordained by vertue of that Power they have received by their Ordination doth not constitute any person a Church Officer or communicate Office power unto him XVI A Church furnished with Officers according to the minde of Christ hath full power to administer all his Ordinances and where there is want of any one or more Officers required that Officer or those which are in the Church may administer all the Ordinances proper to their particular Duty and Offices but where there are no teaching Officers none may administer the Seals nor can the Church authorize any so to do XVII In the carrying on of Church-administrations no person ought to be added to the Church but by the consent of the Church it self that so love without dissimulation may be preserved between all the Members thereof XVIII Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and instituted as a means of Edification that those who walk not according to the Rules and Laws appointed by him in respect of Faith and Life so that just offence doth arise to the Church thereby be censured in his Name and Authority Every Church hath Power in it self to exercise and execute all those Censures appointed by him in the way and Order prescribed in the Gospel XIX The Censures so appointed by Christ are Admonition and Excommunication and whereas some offences are or may be known onely to some it is appointed by Christ that those to whom they are so known do first admonish the offender in private in publique offences where any sin before all or in case of non-amendment upon private admonition the offence being related to the Church and the offender not manifesting his repentance he is to be duely admonished in the Name of Christ by the whole Church by the Ministery of the Elders of the Church and if this Censure prevail not for his repentance then he is to be cast out by Excommunication with the consent of the Church XX As all Belâ—evers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churchâ— when and where they have opportunity so to do so nonâ— are to be admitted unto the Priviledges of the Churches who do not submit themselves to the Rule of Christ in the Censures of the Government of them XXI This being the way prescribed by Christ in case of offence no Church-members upon any offences taken by them having performed their duty required of them in this matter ought to disturb any Church-order or absent themselvâ—s from the publique Assemblies or the Administration of any Ordinances upon that pretence but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the Church XXII The Power of Censures being seated by Christ in a particular Church is to be exercised onely towards particular Members of each Church respectively as such and there is no power given by him unto any Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies to Excommunicate or by their publique Edicts to threaten Excommunication or other Church-censures against Churches Magistrates or their people upon any account no man being obnoxious to that Censure but upon his personal miscarriage as a Member of a particular Church XXIII Although the Church is a Society of men assembling for the celebration of the Ordinances according to the appointment of Christ yet every Society assembling for that end or purpose upon the account of cohabâ—â—ation within any civil Precincts and Bounds is not thereby constituted a Church seeing there may be wanting among â—hem what is essentially required thereunto and therefore a Believer living with others in such a Precinct may joyn hâ—mself with any Church for his edification XXIV For the avoiding of differences that may otherwise arise for the greater Solemnity in the Celebration of the Ordinances of Christ and the opening a way for the large usefulness of the Gifts and Graces of the holy Ghost Saints living in one City or Town or within such distances as that they may conveniently assemble for divine Worship ought rather to joyn in one Church for their mutual strengthning and edification then to set up many distinct Societies XXV As all Churches and all the Members of them are bound to pray continually for the good or prosperity of all the Churches of Christ in all places and upon all occasions to further it Every one within the bounds of their Places and Callings in the exercise of their Gifts and Graces So the Churches themselves when planâ—ed by the providence of God so as they may have opportunity and advantage for it ought to hold communion amongst themselves for their peace increase of love and mutual edification XXVI In cases oâ— difficulties or differences either in point of Doctrine oâ—â—n Administrations wherein either the Churches in general â—â—e concerned or any one Church in their Peace Union anâ— Edification or any Member or Members of any Church 〈◊〉 injured in or by any proceeding in Censâ—â—es not agreâ—able to Truth and Order it is according to the minde oâ— Christ that many Churches holding communion togethâ—r do by their Messengers meet in a Synod or Councel to consider and give their advice in or about that matter in â—ifference to be reported to all the Churches concerned Howbeit these Synods so assembled are not entrusted with any Church-Power properly so called or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves to exercise any Censures either over any Churches or Persons or to impose their determinations on the Churches or Officers XXVII Besides these occasional Synods or Councels there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or their Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ in a way of Subordination to one another XXVIII Persons that are joyned in Church-fellowship ought not lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the communion of the Church whereunto they are so joyned Nevertheless where any person cannot continue in any Church without his sin either for want of the Administration of any Ordinances instituted by Christ or by his being 1 Cor. 1.10 Acts 15. Rom. 15.6 8 9. v. 9. This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5.8 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Pet. 3.15 8 Cor. 2. Gal. 1.6 Heb. 5.12 Eph. 4.12 14. Heb. 3.6 Heb. 10.22 June 20. 1648. Aug. 1647 Session â—86 Ordinance of March 14. 1645. Considerations and Cautions from Sion Coll. June 19. 1646. Jus divinum Minist. pub by the Provost of London in the Preface Puritanis Ang. by Dr. Aims near 50 years since as the opinions of Whitehead Gilbe Fox Dearing Greenham Cartwright Venner Fulk Whitaker Rainold Perkins c.
more perillous then the hottest seasons of Persecution We have sailed through an Aestuation Fluxes and Refluxes of great varieties of Spirits Doctrines Opinions and Occurrences and especially in the matter of Opinions which have been accompanied in their several seasons with powerful perswasions and temptations to seduce those of our way It is known men have taken the freedom notwithstanding what Authority hath interposed to the contrary to vent and vend their own vain and accursed imaginations contrary to the great and fixed Truths of the Gospel insomuch as take the whole round and circle of delusions the Devil hath in this small time ran it will be found that every truth of greater or lesser weight hath by one or other hand at one time or another been questioned and called to the Bar amongst Us yea and impleaded under the pretext which hath some degree of Justice in it that all should not be bound up to the Traditions of former times nor take Religion upon trust Whence it hath come to pass that many of the soundest Professors were put upon a new search and disquisition of such truths as they had taken for granted and yet had lived upon the comfort of to the end they might be able to convince others and establish their own hearts against that darkness and unbelief that is ready to close with error or at least to doubt of the truth when error is speciously presented And hereupon we do professedly account it one of the greatest advantages gained out of the temptations of these times yea the honor of the Saints and Ministers of these Nations That after they had sweetly been exercised in and had improved practical and experimental Truths this should be their further lot to examine and discuss and indeed anew to learn over every Doctrinal Truth both out of the Scriptures and also with a fresh taste thereof in their own hearts which is no other then what the Apostle exhorts to Try all things hold fast that which is good Conversion unto God at first what is it else then a savory and affectionate application and the bringing home to the heart with spiritual light and life all truths that are necessary to salvation together with other lesser truths all which we had afore conversion taken in but notionally from common education and tradition Now that after this first gust those who have bin thus converted should be put upon a new probation and search out of the Scriptures not onely of all principles explicitely ingredients to Conversion unto which the Apostle referreth the Galatians when they had diverted from them but of all other superstructures as well as fundamentals and together therewith anew to experiment the power and sweetness of all these in their own souls What is this but tryed Faith indeed and equivalent to a new conversion unto the truth An Anchor that is proved to be sure and stedfast that will certainly hold in all contrary storms This was the eminent seal and commendation which those holy Apostles that lived and wrote last Peter John and Jude in their Epistles did set and give to the Christians of the latter part of those primitive times And besides it is clear and evident by all the other Epistles from first to last that it cost the Apostles as much and far more care and pains to preserve them they had converted in the truth then they had taken to turn them thereunto at first And it is in it self as great a work and instance of the power of God that keeps yea guards us through faith unto salvation Secondly let this be added or superadded rather to give full weight and measure even to running over that we have all along this season held forth though quarreled with for it by our brethren this great principle of these times That amongst all Christian States and Churches there ought to be vouchsafed a forbearance and mutual indulgence unto Saints of all perswasions that keep unto and hold fast the necessary foundations of faith and holiness in all other matters extrafundamental whether of Faith or Order This to have been our constant principle we are not ashamed to confess to the whole Christian world Wherein yet we desire we may be understood not as if in the abstract we stood indifferent to falshood or truth or were careless whether faith or error in any Truths but fundamental did obtain or not so we had our liberty in our petty and smaller differences or as if to make sure of that we had cut out this wide cloak for it No we profess that the whole and every particle of that Faith delivered to the Saints the substance of which we have according to our light here professed is as to the propagation and furtherance of it by all Gospel-means as precious to us as our lives or what can be supposed dear to us and in our sphere we have endeavored to promote them accordingly But yet withall we have and do contend and if we had all the power which any or all of our brethren of differing opinions have desired to have over us or others we should freely grant it unto them all we have and do contend for this That in the concrete the persons of all such gracious Saints they and their errors as they are in them when they are but such errors as do and may stand with communion with Christ though they should not repent of them as not being convinced of them to the end of their days that those with their errors that are purely spiritual and intrench and overthrow not civil societies as concrete with their persons should for Christs sake be born withall by all Christians in the world and they notwithstanding be permitted to enjoy all Ordinances and spiritual Priviledges according to their light as freely as any other of their brethren that pretend to the greatest Orthodoxity as having as equal and as fair a right in and unto Christ and all the holy things of Christ that any other can challenge to themselves And this doth afford a full and invincible testimony on our behalf in that whiles we have so earnestly contended for this just liberty of Saints in all the Churches of Christ we our selves have had no need of it that is as to the matter of the profession of Faith which we have maintained together with others and of this this subsequent Confession of Faith gives sufficient evidence So as we have the confidence in Christ to utter in the words of those two great Apostles That we have stood fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free in the behalf of others rather then our selves and having been free have not made use of out liberty for a cloak of error or maliciousness in our selves And yet loe whereas from the beginning of the rearing of these Churches that of the Apostle hath been by some prophecyed of us and applyed to us That whiles we promised unto others liberty we our selves would