and mission or sending forth of some certain men for the discharge of the said office and the same indeed accompanied and backt with an infallible instruction and a certain irrefragable authority or spiritual power Wherefore the Lord Jesus pitched upon or designed him certain Ambassadors extraordinary as eminent and singular Ministers of his and furnished them with all gifts and virtues of the Holy Ghost necessary for the discharge of this their Embassage and continually so ruled governed strengthned and confirmed them that they did not only once alone openly publickly declare this Will of God and solidly by all kinds of signs and miracles establish and confirm the same but also every where gathered them Assemblies or Congregations of pious men among whom the preaching of this his Will as far as might be might always flourish and be preserv'd whole and entire to wit for the continual edification or building up of all that were called in the true and saving Faith of Jesus Christ. 3. And indeed these first and chief Preachers were the Apostles who as in teaching and gathering Churches so in the governing and keeping them together used such Authority as they had immediately received from the Lord Jesus to wit such as was uncontrollable and unquestionable and to which all Believers were bound to yield and obey And to these indeed were joyned both Prophets and Evangelists and Teachers and Pastors and other such like who also themselves used and bestowed their utmost diligence and pains either for the gathering of new Churches or Assemblies or afterward for the nourishing and feeding and further instructing of these that were already gathered by the Apostles 4. But when such Foundations and first beginnings had now been laid by these lest when they were either absent or dead those Congregations should be scattered and decay again or come to nought and so by this means this divine and saving Doctrine by little and little should vanish away and be lost they every-where in those places where Churches were already gathered appointed them their successors to wit Bishops Elders and Deacons by whose help endeavour and care those Churches might continually be preserved and as much as might be also encreased in number and gave express advice and command that the same afterwards at all times and in all places should be done in all Congregations giving withal an exact description what manner of persons they ought to be who were thenceforth to be set over the Congregations for this end 5. And they indeed therefore appointed Bishops and Elders that both of them by preaching the Gospel by teaching wholesome or saving Truth by confuting errors contrary thereunto also by exhorting comforting reproving correcting ruling and lastly by going before others by their example c. might preserve or keep together the Churches already planted and by a continual succession to their utmost power might propagate the same And they ordained Deacons that after they had been first proved or tryed they might diligently employ themselves in gathering and distributing alms and in pious and tender care-taking of the poor in the said Congregations From whence ariseth the perpetual necessity and manifold use of the whole Ministry of the Church 6. But because after the Apostles days and those first Preachers of the Gospel or Founders of the Church when the doctrine of the Gospel had now already been fully enough proposed and in the judgment of God himself abundantly confirmed and lastly clearly committed to writing that immediate sending of Ministers ceased together with infallible instruction and the undoubted assistance of the Holy Spirit therefore an irrefragable Power or infallible Authority in teaching and ruling hath no more place also Which also even the Apostles themselves were minded to restify when they gave and left unto the Bishops and Elders a certain and perpetual rule of Doctrine and form of Discipline according unto which these were to teach and rule the Churches for the future by and expresly commanded them and seriously charged them that they should diligently keep the pattern or form of sound words which they had heard of them and that they should remember and hold fast that faithful doctrine which they had learned and therefore bade an Anathema to those who brought any doctrine contrary to or differing from that which they themselves had delivered and withal injoyned the Churches that they should receive or admit of no other doctrine besides that which they had received from the Apostles no although even an Angel from Heaven brought it 7. But since it is the Duty and Office of all Bishops and Elders to teach and govern the Churches according to that form that is laid down by the Apostles it appears manifest enough that they have not by any divine right any Command Power or Authority properly so called one over another And yet do we not therefore notwithstanding altogether disallow of much less proudly reject those degrees of Teachers and Rulers which have now long since been appointed and every where hitherto taken place in diverse Churches of Christ for order and decorum's sake or for preserving good order For indeed God is not the Author of Confusion but of Order if so be they do not at length degenerate into Tyranny and make shew of some worldly Dignity and Power rather than of a spiritual Ministry and of that modesty and moderation which becometh the Disciples of Christ. 8. But if any one shall abuse the pretence of this order unto pride haughtiness and in particular if any by these degrees shall not stick to climb so high as arrogantly to assume unto himself not only a supreme Right to determine in matters of Religion and to decide all Controversies of Faith but also to usurp Lordship over the Lords Heritage and over his fellow-servants yea over Kings and Princes yea further whether directly or indirectly to usurp a coactive power that is armed with outward force or upheld by the secular arm to punish others yea to punish them with the Sword and with Death who cannot out of Conscience attribute this Authority unto him or who refuse to subscribe to his Determinations Decrees and Statutes though in all other respects they be good and loyal subjects to the Common-wealth if any we say shall under this pretence usurp such a power in the Church of Christ or any other whatsoever like it or at least attribute to himself the same in words or suffer it to be attributed to him by others truly he seemeth unto us to recede very far from the Office of a true Bishop CHAP. XXII Of the Church of Jesus Christ and its marks or notes 1. FUrthermore those Congregations or Assemblies which either by the publick pains or labour of these Ministers or otherwise by the word of the Gospel any ways whatsoever preached read or
will not think them by some necessity constrained hereunto by a publick and solemn Declaration to obviate so atrocious and enormous slanders and by an ingenuous Confession of their judgment to testifie to the Christian World what and what manner of Persons they are in Religion and what in very â—eed they think touching the chief heads of belief and by this unblamable means â—s by a bolt bar firmly set against those â—nfamous revilings and slanders to vindicate and approve or commend to all good men the integrity of their good â—ame and esteem and the innocency of their lives Especially if they see that unless they do it all good men even the best will be estranged from them the weak will be turned aside from the love of the Truth or else that no light scruples will be cast into their minds that an occasion will be given to many in other respects in no wise bad men to continue in their errours or to return as it were to their vomit to their former filthiness which they had left that their Friends will be withdrawn from all affection of good-will towards them and violently deparated from their fraternity that more â—lenteous matter will be ministred to their Enemies and Foes to calumniatc and consequently that through the side of their wronged reputation the Truth of God will be wounded and all their labour â—are industry and pains hitherto spent or further to be spent in the promoting of the same will be rendred unprofitable and fruitless Certainly he that iâ— toucht with any desire of the publick good any care of the glory of God anâ— desire of the truth and peace of thâ— Church he cannot but believe and certainly conclude that in such a case theâ— is some kind of necessity laid upon those men if they can with a good conscience and men of highest degree and lowest degree require it even in conceived Form of Declarations to purge themseves from those false reports and calumnies and to testifie to the whole Christian World their innocency Nor indeed can it seeâ— sufficient for the washing away of thâ— said Calumnies if they contain themselves within the meer and bare expressions of the Scripture and deliver their Opinions or Judgments in so man Scripture-Words and Phrases For seeing that this very thing is charged up on them as a crime that under Scripture-words they in their Bosom cherish their worst meanings and most prejudicial to the Glory of God and the Salvation 〈◊〉 Men that they do upon occasion either readily sought after or offered by others disseminate or spread the same â—hen they perceive it is for their advantage verily they are reduced to that necessity whether they will or no as for the Glory of the Truth of God the edifying of the weak and the detection of Calumnies by that means which seems â—est and most profitable that is by some publick Declaration of their Judgment â—o purge themselves and to maintain and defend the sincerity of their belief Which things being so so far is it that Confessions or Declarations of Faith ought to seem hurtful or unprofitable of themselves that they are sometimes to be accounted of in the Church of Jesus Christ for useful vindications of the Truth and â—n a manner necessary remedies of the greatest evils Howbeit because such is either the â—nconsiderateness or sloth or malice of the most of Men that those things which of themselves might be useful and pious documents of our duty or most present remedies of great evils they suffer them by reason of their additional corruption and abuse by degrees to become superstitious bands of Consciences and insensibly to degenerate into idols and hurtful Poysons yea often they themselves turn them to the dammage and detriment of the best things we ought diligently to beware and endeavour with the greatest care that may be to vindicate such forms from all manner of abuse and corruption and to inculcate and assert at all times their right and true use which we indeed believe may be commodiously done if we have always these three things before our eyes and carefully observe them First if in the Church there be no Authority that is unquestionable that is irrefragable and beyond all exception under any title pretence or show whatsoever either directly or indirectly in things pertaining to Religion given to these Forms nor suffered to be given them to wit in such sort as that the Consciences of any should be tied or obliged to the same as Rules of Faith either primary or secondary Which indeed that it may be easily provided against is beyond all doubt if they be only had in that esteem and place as indeed they ought to be had to wit for bare expositions of our belief or for such Forms which do not define or determine what is to be held for true or false what is to be believed or not to be believed after what manner any thing is to be expressed or uttered but which only may make known and testifie what they hold for true and false what they believe or do not believe how they express the meanings of their Mind whose own those Forms and Declarations are For if they be had in no other account or greater esteem there is no danger that their Authority we say not should be equalled much less be preferred before the Scriptures but that they find not indeed any place though the lowest in the Church For doubeless as we have already said before they will not then be held for Squares and Rules of Faith whereby Truth or Falshood Heresie or Errour may and ought to be known and which are published for that end that by them what is true or false may be known and discovered or sound but only for bare Signals and Symbols or Tokens which only show and declare what the Authors believed and judged of those and the other Articles and Meanings of Christian Religion And truly if we consult the ancient Annals of the Church they who first put forth such Symbols Ecclesiastical Canons Confessions and Declarations had no other design aim or end but thereby to testifie not what was to be believed but what they themselves believed and that these Symbols c. should be even instead of Watch-Towers to declare shew to the unwary and imprudent the Shelves and Quicks of Errours that were hurtful to Piety and Salvation or also to serve against Calumniators for Apologies whereby every one might understand how far they were from those Errours Blasphemies and Crimes which through Calumny were by men ill-imployed fastened upon them And certainly if all Declarations and Confessions had at all times kept within these bounds they had not indeed at any time obtained any Dictator-like Dignity or Authority much less greater than or equal to the Scriptures in the Church Wherefore that the Church may in the first place alway hold this firm unalterable we are to endeavour again and again and
THE CONFESSION OR DECLARATION OF THE Ministers or Pastors Which in the UNITED PROVINCES are called REMONSTRANTS Concerning the chief Points of Christian Religion LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1676. THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS   Page Chap. 1. OF the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity 59 Chap. 2. Of the Knowledg of the Essence of God or of the Divine Nature 78 Chap. 3. Of the Holy and Sacred Trinity 93 Chap. 4. Of the Knowledg of the Works of God 96 Chap. 5. Of the Creation of the World of Angels and of Men. 98 Chap. 6. Of the Providence of God or his Preservation and Government of things 105   Page Chap. 7. Of the Sin and Misery of Man 117 Chap. 8. Of the Work of Redemption and of the Person and Offices of Jesus Christ. 128 Chap. 9. Of the Knowledg of the Will of God revealed in the New-Covenant 138 Chap. 10. Of the Precepts or Commandments of Jesus Christ in general and of Faith and Repentance or Conversion unto God 141 Chap. 11. Of Faith in Jesus Christ. 145 Chap. 12. Of good Works in particular and of the exposition of the Decalogue 155 Chap. 13. Of directing and denying of our selves and bearing of the Cross of Christ. 170 Chap. 14. Of Prayer and Thanksgiving and in particular of the Lord's Prayer 181 Chap. 15. Of special Callings and of the Precepts and Traditions of Men. 193 Chap. 16. Of the Worship and Veneration    Page  of Jesus Christ the only Mediator and of the Invocation of Saints 196 Chap. 17. Of the Benefits and Promises of God and first of Election unto Grace or Calling unto Faith 200 Chap. 18. Of the Promises of God that are performed in this Life to those that are already converted and are Believers that is of Election unto Glory of Adoption Justification Sanctification and of Obsignation or Sealing 209 Chap. 19. Of the Promises of God pertaining to the Life to come or of the raising again of the Dead and eternal Life 216 Chap. 20. Of the Divine Threatnings and Punishments of the wicked pertaining both unto this Life and unto the Life to come to wit of Reprobation Hardening Blinding and of Eternal Death and Damnation 218   Page Chap. 21. Of the Ministry of the Word of God and of the Orders of Ministers 222 Chap. 22. Of the Church of Jesus Christ and its Marks or Notes 230  Of the Marks or Notes of a visible Church 224 Chap. 23. Of the Sacraments and other Sacred Rites 237  Of Baptism 238  Of the Sacred Supper of the Lord. 240  Of other Sacred Rites but yet such as are indifferent 242 Chap. 24. Of Church Discipline 246 Chap. 25. Of Synods or Councels and of their manner and use 254  The Conclusion 260 ERRATA PAge 29. line 14. read are so tied P. 35. l. 18. r. the very said P. 37. l. 12. r. by God for disturbing P. 38. l. 9. for those r. these P. 39. l. 2. r. use a thing well P. 55. l. 12. r. for such P. 80. l. 25. r. state and relation of each to other Ibid. l. 27. for of r. by P. 88. l. 5 6. r. no ways sworn to any P. 91. l. 19. r. of any other Enemies P. 124. l. 1. r. now long since P. 140. l. 2. for assent â—r assert P. 151. l. 10. r. come to P. 182. l. 18. r. both these parts P. 185. l. 5. r. and in whom P. 186. l. 8. r. to forsake P. 202. l. 14 to 18. r. nor for that thereby the will of him that is called is by an irresistible power or by some omnipotent force which is neither more nor less than Creation or raising from the dead so effectually determined to believe P 223. l. 27. for in r. to P. 242. l. 4. add after themselves as coverts of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. P. 243. l. 10. r. as also P. 250. l. 19 20 21 22. unto the Word Sin to be expunged and to read And also withal there is even in the first place an exact regard to be had of the diversity or difference of Sins P. 256. l. 24 25. add after brought in that they be taken away or removed THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader THERE is no doubt pious Reader but that this Declaration of Faith which is published by us will be liable to the various and different judgements of men For as every one stands perswaded in his own mind touching both the necessity profit form and manner of such-like Declarations so is he like also to pass judgment upon this of ours There are some who think we ought to abstain altogether from all Confessions or Declarations and judg that they are not only not necessary nor profitable for the Christian Weal-publick but that they are also unlawful dangerous and hurtful in the Church There are some who do not indeed think it altogether unadvised to publish Confessions or Declarations much less do they think it unlawful or hurtful but they judge they ought to be conceiv'd and framed onely in meer pure Scripture-words There are some who indeed do not altogether disallow of Confessions though conceiv'd in other than bare Scripture-words but will have them to be so general and brief that they shall contain and comprehend nothing but what is absolutely and precisely necessary to be known and believed unto Salvation There are lastly others far different from these who judge particular Confessions and Declarations even of several most minute and small Controversies not only so far profitable but also necessary that without them a Christian-Society can neither have being nor well-being The so various diverse and differing judgments of all these this our Declaration is doubtless like to undergo and these indeed severally have specious and noâ— altogether improbable grounds for their opinions whereon they build and relie Those who judg that we ought altogether to abstain from Confessions or Declarations or that they ought not to be conceived but in meer and plain Scripture words of which sort of men in this â—ge there are found not a few otherwise pious and good men they as far as we can gather pretend for the most part three things for their opinion 1. For that by reason of them there is done no â—ight prejudice to the Majesty and Authority of the Scriptures 2. For that â—y occasion of them there is mighty dammage and detriment done to the liberty of Churches or Conscience and Propheâ—y 3. For that by the same a wide gap is open'd for Factions and Schisms in the Church And first indeed they think that by â—his very means the Majestie of the Scriptures is not a little derogated and detracted from for that both their sufficiency and perspicuity seem to be suspected and doubted of to wit as if they either did not fully and sufficiently contain all things
But where we have not the Spirit of God going before us there we upon good right demuâ—â— and with-hold our assent and do both beg and grant pardon by course remembring that which our Saviour adviseth us Judg not that ye be not judged and which the Apostle Judg not any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Councils of Mens Hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God Hence we do not easily denounce an Anathema to him who we believe is held with a pure meer errour if he be otherwise pious fearing God and studious of a good Conscience and Divine Truth that is if he seem to us to love the Lord Jesus and highly to prize his Gospel by which alone he is willing to maintain his errour through which he ignorantly errs For we know how ready a matter it is in so great a multitude of Opinions so great a company of those that err so great a variety of wits or dispositions so great a plenty of hinderances and scruples so great weakness of judgments in such to slip and err and how easy it is by arguments true in appearance to be deceived and mistaken how harmless also it is in it self to err and to mistake in many things how great also clemency and kindness God is like to use towards such as simply err who pardoneth and remitteth even willful sins themselves to those that repent and how aliene or far from the gentle and meek disposition of our Lord Jesus it is not to pittie those that stray Lastly how sad and tragical disturbances that both rash and proud confidence of condemning hath at all times occasioned and made For Anathema's are wont to provoke Anathema's and where this chance is once cast all 's past and there is an end of all hope of remedy For the direful hatreds of parties suceed and the reins of hatreds being let loose they commonly at length with deadly and spiteful minds rush upon the slaughtering and Butchering of one another and the last fruit of these Condemnings and Anathematizings is an everlasting despair of cure That we might therefore avoid these mischiefs we have carefully and purposely forborn Anathema's deeming it sufficient ingenuously to have spoken the Truth and to have shewed the errour leaving in the mean time unto others a free judgment touching every errour and the greatness of the errour but chiefly to him who alone judgeth righteously and searcheth the Hearts and Reins of Men. We have already sufficiently sacrificed to unseasonable Anathema's and to those direful forms of sentencing to punishment each other we condemn we execrate and curse c. It is now time that we sacrifice to Christian Concord Meekness and Charity After so many sad and dismal cursings whereby on every side the fiercenâ—is of hatreds and mortal fallings out hath been irritated and exasperated let us lay aside such Enemy-like and exulcerated Minds and by gentleness by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Spirit of Christ by love unfeigned by the word of Truth by the power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Apostles let us fight against Errours that to our utmost power we may save those that err and deliver them out of the danger of Eternal Perdition Let us not be many masters for one is our Master Let us assent to or approve of the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and that doctrine which is according to Godliness Let us shun vain questions and strifes of words from which arise envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness Let not us condemn or shut out of the Communion of the Church those that Christ doth not condemn nor shut out of his Kingdom Again let us not become the Servants of Men but withal neither let us be Lords over the Faith of others Let our moderation appear unto all and in modesty and mutual charity bear with one another being certainly perswaded that none is lightly to be condemned or blotted out of the register of Christians that holds fast his Faith in Christ and in hope of the good things promised by him doth seek from the heart to obey his Commands though in the mean time he err in many things that in some sort or other concern Religion the which holy and worthily to be praised moderation or equanimity when the best and greatest God shall have inspired the hearts either of all or at least of the most of those who bear rule in Churches and Commonwealths with then at length the Truth of the Gospel will every where flourish and an holy peace in the Lord and Concord will set up a settled place of abode among all that are truly Godly The which that it may shortly come to pass in the whole World especially in the Christian but most of all in the Reformed we humbly beseech of God through Jesus Christ in Spirit and Truth These things thus premised we shall now come directly to the heads of our Declaration as those which we would have alwayes joyned by an indissoluble tye with this very Preface The Confession or Declaration of the Ministers or Pastours which in the United Provinces are called Remonstrants concerning the chief points of Christian Religion CHAP. I. Of the Sacred Scripture and its Authority Perfection and Perspicuity I. WHosoever desireth to worship God aright and certainly and undoubtedly to be everlastingly saved he must of necessity first of all believe that God is and that he is a bounteous rewarder of those that seek him and therefore must conform himself according to that Rule and Square which it is undoubtedly manifest was delivered and prescribed by the true God himself the supream Law-giver and established upon the promise of Eternal Life 2. That God is and that he hath at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and that he hath at length in the last times most fully declared and manifested his last Will by his only-begotten Son hath been a thing confirmed by so many and great Proofs Signs Wonders mighty Deeds or Works Gifts or Distributions of the Holy Ghost and other wonderful Effects and certain Events of several Prophesies and Testimonies of Men worthy of belief that any more certain more substantial and more compleat cannot be given or justly desired 3. The whole Declaration of the Divine Will which pertaineth unto Religion is contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments and indeed authentically only in those which are called Canonical or which it can upon no just ground be doubted but that they were written or approved of by those Men who were inspired with and
instructed and guided by Gods Holy Spirit such as in the Old Testament are the five Books of Moses the Book of Joshua Judges Ruth the two Books of Samuel two of the Kings two of the Chronicles or Paralipomena i. c. things omitted or past by Esdras Nehemiah Ehster also Job the Psalmes of David the Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs the four greater Prophets to wit Esaias Jeremiah with his Lamentations Ezekiel and Daniel the twelve lesser Prophets to wit Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah and Malachi 4. In the New Testament there are the four Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John the Acts of the Apostles the Epistles of Paul to wit to the Romans the former and latter to the Corinthians to the Galatians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians to the Thessalonians two two to Timothy to Titus to Philemon also the Epistle to the Hebrews one Epistle of James two of Peter of John three of Jude one lastly the Revelation 5. That all the said Books were written or approved of by Men Divine and not to be excepted against hath in former times been clearly found and proved by so many and so certain and evident Testimonies and Proofs that there can nothing further justly or reasonably be desired For though at sometimes there hath been made some doubt of some few of them towit whether they were penn'd or approved of by those very Authours whose names they bear yet at length the matter being more narrowly examined and the truth searcht into it hath been abundantly evicted that they were in deed and in truth penn'd or approved of by Divine Men and those whose Authority was infallible and credit undoubted of with all Believers 6. Besides the said Books of the Old-Testament there are others also which have been now long since had in great esteem with many commonly called Apochryphal the which although they are not of â—orce to confirm Doctrines of Faith yet may they though some more some less profitably be and are usually read for the proficiency of Faith and Life such as are Tobie Judith Baruch Wisdom Ecclesiasticus the third and fourth of Esdras three Books of the Maccabees and certain additions unto Esther and Daniel which are commonly known 7. That the Doctrine contained in the Books of the New-Testament by which also the Truth and Dignity of the Old Testament is abundantly establshed and confirmed is altogether True and Divine is not only clear and evident from its being written or allowed of by the said Divine Men we named before and its being delivered by them unto the Churches nor from its being confirm'd and establisht or ratified by divers and innumerable miracles and mighty deeds Signs and Prodigies exceeding all humane and Angelical Wisdom and Power and furthermore by the glorious Resurrection from the dead of the first Author of it even our Lord Jesus Christ and his Exaltation asserted by many irrefragable Testimonies and Proofs but also even chiefly from its containing precepts so transcendently perfect righteous just and holy that any more perfect just equal and holy cannot be devised or thought of and promises so exceeding Great Rich and Precious that neither the mind of Men nor Angels can conceive of any more Excellent more Divine and Worthy of God To which the admirable force and efficacy of the Doctrine it self addeth no small weight towit that it although such an enemy and so ungrateful to the slesh was by a very few Apostles and they plain simple weak Men Men most aliene or free from not only the crime but also the very suspicion of all simulation and forgery Men advantaged by no helps of Worldly Eloquence of no renown upon any accounts of humane Authority without force without arms only by the perswasion of Reasons and Arguments and demonstration of the Spirit withal by men armed meerly with Innocency Sanctity of Life and Patience in a very short time in all places though the whole Kingdom of Satan and all the World almost made resistance and head against it was wonderfully disseminated and so spread it self far and wide on every side into all quarters that innumerablemy riads of men of all ranks Orders and Conditions not only of ignorant or private men but of the most learned and wise not a few leaving their ancient and countrey-rites and Religions in which they were born and bred without any hope of any Earthly advantage nay but rather with a certain expectation of afflictions ignominy and all manner of dangers and miseries did most constantly adhere and cleave thereunto yea so far did the force hereof prevail that all other Religions else although every where establisht by humane power and force the Jewish only excepted because that was of God did almost wholly vanish and became extinct at the rising brightness of the same 8. And although indeed the primitive Church which was in the Apostles days might most certainly know and undoubtedly also did know that these Books were written or at least approved of by the Apostles and delivered as it were from hand to hand the knowledg hereof unto us and deposited or left the same with us as a certain pledg in trust yet do we not therefore hold these Books for True and Divine because the primitive Church hath by its uncontrollable Judgment judged them true or that they contain in them Divine Sences or Meanings and hath by its infallible Authority decreed that they be held or accounted for such For first it was not necessary that the Church by its Judgment should define and by its Authority determine that those Books which were written or approved of by the Apostles were true and Divine or of God or no for that both before and without all such manner of Judgment was altogether certain and undoubted of by all Christians both in general and particular insomuch that assoon as any one of them knew that any thing was written or approved of by the Apostles he might even thereby and of right ought to know that the same was true and of God or Divine and needed not any other Judgment in the case In the next place neither indeed could such a judgment of the Church suffice seeing no Man can be certain no not so much as probably of the being of any Church unto which such an Authority is said to belong except he be first assured that those books wherein the said Authority is said to be given or assigned to the Church are true Divine and seeing he cannot know and determine for certain that any Church is the true Church of Christ if he be not already undoubtedly sure and certain before that whatsoever is contained in the said Books the same is true and from God for by vertue of that very Faith or Belief whereby the Church embraceth or receiveth that as true she her self finally
touching the essential Attributes of God pertaining indeed to this Head all which generally and particularly we believe to be most profitable yea hitherto necessary to be known insomuch that without the knowledg of these we cannot worship God aright but by it we may For because God is One it is altogether just and necessary for us that we with Soul and Body depend wholly upon him only as the first or chief Author of our Salvation and again likewise that our whole Worship terminate and end in him alone 15. Because he is of Irresragable Power and Supreme Authority it is altogether meet and necessary that we do whosoever we be and wheresoever at least we are in all things most humbly submit our selves unto him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords any where sworn to none nor obnoxious to any that we do pray continually unto him for his Benefits and other things necessary or at least useful for us that we give him thanks for things received Also that all Adversity whatsoever he sendeth we should bear it patiently and quietly and contentedly and that we should never abuse our Prosperity or grow proud thereby 16. Because he is Eternal and Immutable it is requisite that we be very believingly confident to expect and firmly to hope for the reward of Eternal Life graciously promised unto us by him in Christ and certainly believe that he will never at any time either alter or change it himself nor suffer it to be violently taken away from us by others 17. Because he is Immense and Omnipresent it is meet that we every-where walk circumspectly reverently and carefully as in his sight that we also always pour out unto him our Prayers and Supplications with all humisity and submission and a firm confidence of being heard and that we think speak or do nothing at any time but what is serious grave or weighty and worthy the presence of so great a Deity 18. Because he is of infallible Knowledg it is expected that we walk and live uprightly and sincerely and circumspectly that we always study to approve our Thoughts Words and Actions unto him that we continually commend our Cause when good and just unto him that we with boldness offer unto him our Prayers Sighs and Groans And lastly That we be thorowly perswaded that he taketh care of us and all our Concerns 19. Because he is of most free Power and Will it behoveth us that whatsoever good things we have either in common with others or peculiar before and above others whether bodily or spiritual we attribute it to his alone spontaneous liberality and most free munificency that we always diligently and seriously seek his grace and favour and carefully endeavour to retain the same that we humbly deprecate or pray against his Punishments and Threatnings and whatsoever he either doth himself or suffereth to be done by others or willeth to be done by us we do not measure the same by our own proper sense and apprehensions but that we always religiously adore it as proceeding from his most good and free pleasure and disposal 20. Because he is most good and bountiful it is â—it and meet that we love and delight in him with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Might that we resolutely trust or relie on his Promises confidently implore his Grace and Mercy do willingly and chearfully conform our selves to his most bountiful Will and that even under the Cross and always and every-where obey him 21. Because he is of inflexible Equity and Justice and also Truth we are to see that we never murmur against him when he commandeth tempteth visiteth punisheth permitteth evils c. and that we never at any time doubt of his Promises and Threatnings and other his Sayings And because he is in the highest degree holy that we also imitate him in a serious study and exercise of Holiness 22. Because he is of insuperable Power it concerns us that we fear him who is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell and that we dread â—is terrible Anger and the Evils indeed which he threatneth that we seriously fear them and the good Things which he promiseth that we do with a firm and undoubted Faith expect them Lastly That we do not so long as we serve Christ too much fear the force and power either of the Devil or Death or Hell or Tyrants or any of other Enemies or for their sakes ever commit or do any thing unworthy of the Name of Christ. 23. Because he is most blessed and indeed of perfect Blessedness and glorious Majesty it is our Duty that we earnestly aspire unto or breath after a participation of his Glory and Joy according to our measure and therefore desire to be perfectly united with him after Death to see him face to face and to be blessed and satisfied with the fulness of his House and being supported with this desire and hope unshaken that we sincerely do all things that he commandeth carefully avoid those things which he forbiddeth Lastly That we bear with courage whatsoever he will have us to bear although the Punishments of the most bitter and most ignominions Death were to be undergone by us for his Name And thus far concerning the Nature of God in common or absolutely considered CHAP. III. Of the Holy and Sacred Trinity 1. BUt God is considered by way of distinction and relatively under a three-fold Hypostasis or three Persons under which indeed he himself in his Word hath manifested his own Godhead to be considered of us oeconomically i. e. by way of dispensation and with respect to it self And this Trinity is Father Son and Holy Ghost As one Hypostasis or Person of the Godhead is without cause that is unproduced and unbegotten another is produced of the Father by Generation or the only begotten of the Father Lastly Another in peculiar manner proceedeth from the Father and the Son or floweth from the Father by the Son 2. For it is the Father only that is void of all Original or altogether unbegotten and proceeding from none other but who yet hath from Eternity communicated his own Deity both to his only begotten Son not indeed by Creation in which respect the Angels are called the Sons of God nor by gracious Adoption by which we that are Believers are also the Sons of God nor only by the gracious communication of Divine Power or Authority and Supreme Glory as he is Mediator but also by a true but yet secret and ineffable Generation and also to the Holy Spirit proceeding from both by likewise a secret emanation or spiration and therefore the Father is most justly counted the Fountain and Original of the whole Duty 3. The Son therefore and Holy Spirit although as to both their hypostasis
therefore efâ—-soon upon all occasions to inculate upon Churches and in the very Forms of our Confessions and Declarations accurately to express That they indeed ought not to be received for certain Jndices or Discoverers much less for Judges of the true Sences or Meanings viz. of Scripture but only for the Indices of those Sences or Meanings which the Authors thereof have held for true and that they were published to that end If that be done these three abuses will sufficiently and easily be avoided 1. None will flee to the said Forms to draw and take from them as from Fountains with a Faith void of doubting those things that are to be believed and further he will not run unto them in doubtful Sences of Scripture as the Indices of what is streight and â—rooked nor try and examine dark and controverted sences by them as by a touch-stone 2. None will be tyed or suffer himself to be tyed to their Meanings upon any other terms than so far and so long as he himself doth certainly find and is convinced in his Conscience that they accord with the Meanings of the Scriptures 3. In Disputations Conferences Examinations or Tryals men will never appeal to them neither will controversies of Faith be brought to the Anvil thereof but they will all wholly without fear or danger be brought to and examined by the Word of God alone as the only Rule beyond all exception and the true form of sound words which our alone Master Jesus Christ and his Apostles have left unto us And thus indeed there will be nothing that can justly be desired to detract Divine Authority from them and to give it wholly to the Sacred Scriptures Neither shall we then need to fear lest idols be made of them to be set up in the Church of Jesus Christ and placed in equal degree with the Scriptures or honoured with any like honour with them or lest bands should be knit of them whereby the Consciences of men should be bound or lastly lest poysons should be prepared of them whereby the sincerity of Faith might be infected or the Truth of Doctrine adulterated This Foundation therefore once rightly laid and this Principle firmly supposed there will alwaies remain in the Church of Jesus Christ whole and entire a liberty whereby any one may preserving safe the Laws of Christian Modesty Charity and Prudence without danger inquire into those Forms and without scruple contradict them that by this means there may be always a manifest difference between them and the Word of God to which alone that priviledg ought to remain sacred and inviolate that it alone is above and beyond all Controversie and Contradiction and that the Consciences of Believers are to be tyed to it only And yet is not this liberty to be extended so far as to turn into a dissolute and irregular licentiousness whereby every Man may unadvisedly speak what he please For he as much abuseth liberty who too much at pleasure loosenth the button thereof as he who fastneth it too strait All extreams are to be avoided and we to sacrifice to moderation which consisteth in the midst between Tyranny and a Wild and Unbridled Licentiousness Therefore Prudence and Charity are always to be taken into Council which will easily dictate when and how this liberty may profitably and without the Scandal of the Godly be made use of It is the part of Prudence to weigh things and to consider fit times and places wherein this or that Opinion either by word or writing may commodiously be proposed It is the part of Charity to have a regard of persons that they be not offended or troubled who ought to be edified It is not the duty of a Prudent and Pious Man and one truly Charitable to use promiscously upon every occasion with all Persons or in all Places when he so thinks fit the liberty of contradicting nay nor alwaies everywhere patiently to bear with all the Contradictions of others There is often a regard to be had both of the Things or Opinions which are contradicted and of the Persons with whom such Contradictions are propounded For there are some things of so great Weight and Moment that they cannot be gain-said without the extream hazard of our Salvation Freely to contradict these or quietly to suffer them to be contradicted by others would be the farthest from Prudence and Charity possible There are some things of that nature that they may without the danâ—er of any Mans Salvation suffer indeed contradiction but which yet to contradict is not necessary for the sake of the publick good and to be contradicted every where and at all times is not expedient For not every thing that is lawful is presently also expedient and edifying Very often the weakness of others ought to give law to our liberty and not seldom also the importuneness of others who have an itch after or unto variances â—rablings and contradictions and are pleased with the opportunity of strife contention upon every occasion To the one we must not give occasion of offence lest they fall From the other we must withhold all encouragements lest they hurt themselves and others For in this manner we ought alwaies to shun all endangerings of the Faithful especially of the weak lest we abuse our liberty to the destruction of any one but use it aright and to the edification of all But in things not altogether necessary and amongst those whom the Scripture calleth perfect and who have their sences exercised in the Scriptures to discern between what is true and false or who are more then ordinarily desirous of Truth that is more abstruse this liberty may alwaies have or take place without offence or danger For their industry indeed iâ— sharpned by moderate contradictions which are as it were the Whetstones of Truth and from which as from the striking or beating offlints against each other this Fruit is drawn or produced that either they see clearly that errour that formerly lay hid or are more solidly confirmed in the truth they hold Which fruit cannot but afterward redound unto the whole Church and that to the eminent promoting of truth and the glory of Gods name But to digladiate or strive with gain-sayings before the people out of the Pulpit and to desire or endeavour by the vellications or twitchings of publick Forms and Obâ—rectations or Back-bitings out of the Desk or Pue to make a Tumult among the rude common people or by publick Writings to traduce and contumeliously to provoke and inveigh against others would be next unto madness and most scandalous and dangerous Nor indeed can the knowledge of an unnecessary truth ever do so much good as the importune and immmodest inculcating or â—rging thereof may do harm and prejudice both publickly and privately And thus far concerning the first caution diligently to be observed in Confessions The second thing that is to be observed as to the right use of