Family of God out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation III. Unto this Catholique Visible Church Christ hath given the Ministry Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the World and doth by his own presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effectual thereunto IV. This Catholique Church hath been somtimes more somtimes less visible And particular Churches which are Members thereof are more or less pure according as the Doctrine of the Gospel is taught and imbraced Ordinances administred and Publique Worship performed more or less purely in them V. 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 there shall be always a Church on Earth to worship God according to his will VI. 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 CHAP. XXVI Of the Communion of Saints ALl Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and by faith have fellowship with him 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. Saints by profession 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 as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus III. This Communion which the Saints have with Christ doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of his Godhead or to be equal with Christ in any respect either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous Nor doth their Communion one with another as Saints take away or infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions CHAP. XXVII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signes and Seales of the Covenant of Grace immediately Instituted by God to represent Christ and his benefits and to confirm our interest in him as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the World and solemnly to engage them 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 only two Sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully Ordained 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 XXVIII Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament Ordained by Jesus Christ not only for the solemn Admission of the Party Baptized into the Visible Church but also to be unto him a signe and seal of the Covenant of Grace of his ingrafting 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 Sacrament 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 Sacrament 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 thereunto III. Dipping of the person into the Water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administred by powring or Sprinkling water upon the Person IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both beleeving Parents are to be Baptized 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 tyed to that moment of time wherein it is administred yet notwithstanding by the right use of this Ordinance the grace promised is not only 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 Councel of Gods own Will in his appointed time VII The Sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administred unto any person CHAP XXIX 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 Super to be observed in his Church unto the end of the World for the perpetual Remembrance of the sacrifice of Himself in his Death the sealing all benefits thereof unto true Beleevers 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 as members of his mystical Body II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead but only a Commemoration 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 abominably injurious to Christs one only Sacrifice the alone Propitiation for all the sins of his Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers to declare his word of Institution to the people 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
men and private spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture CHAP. II. Of God and of the holy Trinity THere is but one only living and true God who is infinite in Being and Perfection a most pure Spirit invisible without body parts or passions immutable immense eternall incomprehensible almighty most wise most holy most free most absolute working all things according to the Counsell of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory most loving gracious mercifull long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and withall 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 goodnesse blessednesse in and of himself and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient notstanding in need of any creatures which he hath made nor deriving any Glory from them but only 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 Soveraigne 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 knowledg is infinite infallible 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 he is 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 CHAP. III. Of Gods Eternall Decree GOd from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsell of his own Will freely and unchangeably ordaine whatsoever comes to passe 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 contingencie of second Causes taken away but rather established II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to passe upon all supposed conditions yet hath he not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to passe 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 man-kinde that are predestinated unto Life God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternall 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 eternall and most free purpose of his Will fore-ordained all the means thereunto Wherefore they who are elected being fallen 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 effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but the Elect only VII The rest of man-kinde God was pleased according to the unsearchable counsell of his own Will whereby he extendeth or with-holdeth mercy as he pleaseth for the glory of his Soveraigne Power over his creatures to passe by and to ordain them to dishonour 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 speciall prudence and care that men attending the Will of God revealed in his Word and yeelding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectuall Vocation be assured of their eternall 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 eternall power wisedome and goodnesse in the beginning to create or make of nothing the World and all things therein whether visible or invisible in the space of six daies and all very good II. After God had made all other creatures he created man male and female with reasonable and immortall souls indued with knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse after his own Image having the Law of God written in their hearts and power to fulfill it And yet under a possibility of transgressing being left to the liberty of their own will which was subject unto change Beside 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 governe all creatures actions and things from the greatest even to the least by his most wise and holy Providence according to his infallible fore-knowledge and the free and immutable counsell of his own Will to the praise of the glory of his wisedome power justice goodnesse and mercy II. Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God the first Cause all things come to passe immutably and infallibly yet by the same Providence hee 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 meanes yet is free to work without above and against them at his pleasure IV. The almighty power unsearchable wisedome and infinite goodnesse of God so farre manifest themselves in his Providence that it extendeth it selfe even to the first Fall and all other sinnes of Angels and Men and that not by a bare permission but such as hath joyned with it a most wise and powerfull bounding and otherwise ordering and governing of them in a manifold dispensation to his owne holy ends yet so as the sinfulnesse thereof proceedeth onely from the creature and not from God who being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be
not under grace VII Neither are the forementioned Uses of the Law contrary to the grace of the Gospel but do sweetly comply with it the Spirit of Christ subduing and inabling the will of man to do that freely and chearfully which the will of God revealed in the Law requireth to be done CHAP. XX. Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience THe Liberty which Christ hath purchased for Beleevers under the Gospel consists in their freedome from the guilt of sin the condemning Wrath of God the Curse of the Moral Law and in their being delivered from this present evil World bondage to Satan and Dominion of sin from the evil of afflictions the sting of death the victory of the grave and everlasting damnation as also in their free accesse to God and their yeelding obedience unto him not out of slavish fear but a Childe-like love and willing minde All which were common also to Beleevers under the Law But under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further inlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the Ceremonial Law to which the Jewish Church was subjected and in greater boldnesse of accesse to the Throne of Grace and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God than Beleevers under the Law did ordinarily partake of II. God alone is Lord of the Conscience and hath left it free from the Doctrines and Commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his Word or beside it if matters of Faith or Worship So that to beleeve such Doctrines or to obey such Commands out of Conscience is to betray true Liberty of Conscience and the requiring of an implicite Faith and an absolute and blinde obedience is to destroy Liberty of Conscience and Reason also III. They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty do practise any sin or cherish any lust do thereby destroy the end of Christian Liberty which is that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life IV. And because the Powers which God hath ordained and the liberty which Christ hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty shall oppose any lawful Power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastical resist the Ordinance of God And for their publishing of such Opinions or maintaining of such Practises as are contrary to the light of Nature or to the known Principles of Christianity whether concerning Faith Worship or Conversation or to the Power of Godliness or such erroneous Opinions or Practises as either in their own nature or in the maner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external Peace and Order which Christ hath established in the Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the Censures of the Church and by the Power of the Civil Magistrate CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day THe light of Nature sheweth that there is a God who hath Lordship and Soveraignty over all is good and doth good unto all and is therefore to be feared loved praised called upon trusted in and served with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the might But the acceptable way of Worshipping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed Will that he may not be Worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men or the suggestions of Satan under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture II. Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to him alone not to Angels Saints or any other Creature and since the Fall not without a Mediator nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone III. Prayer with Thanksgiving being one special part of Religious Worship is by God required of all men and that it may be accepted it is to be made in the Name of the Son by the help of his Spirit according to his Will with understanding reverence humility fervency faith love and perseverence and if vocal in a known tongue IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful and for all sorts of men living or that shall live hereafter but not for the Dead nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear the sound Preaching and Conscionable Hearing of the Word in obedience unto God with understanding faith and reverence singing of Psalms with grace in the heart as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the Sacraments instituted by Christ are all parts of the ordinary Religious Worship of God Beside Religious Oathes Vows Solemn Fastings and Thanksgivings upon special occasions which are in their several times and seasons to be used in an holy and religious maner VI. Neither Prayer nor any other part of Religious Worship is now under the Gospel either tyed unto or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed or towards which it is directed but God is to be Worshipped every where in Spirit and Truth as in private Families daily and in secret each one by himself so more solemnly in the publique Assemblies which are not carelesly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken when God by his Word or Providence calleth thereunto VII As it is of the Law of Nature that in general a due proportion of time be set apart for the Worship of God so in his Word by a positive Moral and perpetual Commandment binding all men in all Ages he hath particularly appointed One Day in Seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him which from the beginning of the World to the Resurrection of Christ was the last Day of the week and from the Resurrection of Christ was changed into the First Day of the week which in Scripture is called the Lords Day and is to be continued to the end of the World as the Christian Sabbath VIII This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord when men after a due preparing of their hearts and ordering of their common affairs before hand do not only observe an holy Rest all the Day from their own works words and thoughts about their worldly imployments and recreations but also are taken up the whole time in the publique and private Exercises of his Worship and in the Duties of necessity and mercy CHAP. XXII Of lawful Oathes and Vows A Lawful Oath is a part of Religious Worship wherein upon just occasion the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth and to Judge him according to the truth or falshood of what he sweareth II. The Name of God only is that by which men ought to swear and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence
painfull 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 eternall spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the Justice of his Father and purchased not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him VI. Although the work of Redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation yet the vertue efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated unto 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 Lambe 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 beleeve and obey and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty Power and Wisdome in such manner and wayes as are most consonant to his wonderfull and unsearchable dispensation CHAP. IX Of Free-Will GOD hath indued the Will of man with that naturall liberty that it is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil II. Man in his state of Innocency had freedom and power to will and to doe that which was good and well pleasing to God but yet mutably so that he might fall from it III. Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost all ability of Will to any spirituall good accompanying salvation so as a naturall man being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin is not able by his own strength to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto IV. When God converts a sinner and translates him into the state of grace he freeth him from his naturall bondage under sin and by his grace alone inables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruption he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good but doth also will that which is evil V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of Glory only CHAP. X. Of Effectuall Calling ALl those whom God hath predestinated unto life and those only he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call by his Word and Spirit out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ inlightning their mindes spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God taking away their heart of stone and giving unto them an heart of flesh renewing their wills and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his grace II. This effectuall Call is of Gods free and speciall grace alone not from any thing at all foreseen in man who is altogether passive therein untill being quickned and renewed by the holy Spirit he is thereby inabled to answer this Call and to imbrace the grace offered and conveyed in it III. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth So also are all other elect persons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the Ministry of the Word IV. Others not elected although they may be called by the Ministry of the Word and may have some common operations of the Spirit yet they never truly come unto Christ and therefore cannot be saved much lesse can men not professing the Christian Religion be saved in any other way whatsoever be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of Nature and the Law of that Religion they doe professe And to assert and maintain that they may is very pernicious and to be detested CHAP. XI Of Iustification THose whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousnesse into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone nor by imputing faith it self the act of beleeving or any other evangelicall obedience to them as their righteousnesse but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousnesse by faith which faith they have not of themselves it is the guift of God II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousnesse is the alone instrument of Justification yet is it not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by Love III. Christ by his obedience and death did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified and did make a proper reall and full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice in their behalf Yet in as much as he was given by the Father for them and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead and both freely not for any thing in them their Justification is only of free grace that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners IV. God did from all eternity decree to justifie all the elect and Christ did in the fullnesse of time die for their sins and rise again for their justification neverthelesse they are not justified untill the holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified and although they can never fall from the state of Justification yet they may by their sins fall under Gods fatherly displeasure and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them untill they humble themselves confesse their sins beg pardon and renew their faith and repentance VI. The Justification of Beleevers under the old Testament was in all these respects