Lord Jesus Christ and through Christ of all the Faithful did make Heaven and Earth the World and all things in it seen and unseen out of nothing and by his Word only And thus I believe in God II. ARTICLE And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. THE meaning is I do solemnly profess to believe firmly Jesus Christ my Lord to be the Son of God to be both God and Man That he is the Son of God by eternal Generation who did from Eternity derive his Godhead from the Father As Man he is the Son of God being conceived by the Spirit of God alone So that as he was God from all Ages so being born of a Woman he was made Man for me and my Salvation I believe there is no other Name under Heaven by which we must be saved but Jesus Christ Who though he be Lord of all things by right of the First Creation and constant preservation of them yet he is more peculiarly the Lord of us who by Faith are consecrated to his Service That as God by the work of Creation he is the Lord that made me That as God and Man by the work of Redemption he is the Lord that bought me That he came from Heaven to visit us in great Humility and died to satisfie God's Justice for our Sins I do believe this Holy Jesus who is both God and Man to be and do in all humility and thankfulness love and obedience take him for my Saviour my Advocate my Redeemer and my Lord. And thus I believe in Jesus Christ III. ARTICLE Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary THE meaning is I do declare that I stedfastly believe That this holy Jesus my Saviour when he was pleased to become Man for me was not conceived as other Men are but after a miraculous manner by the immediate and only Power of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit of God was conceived in the Womb of a vertuous and holy blessed and pure Virgin known by the name of Mary Who being espoused to Joseph of Nazareth was yet before and after her Espousals a pure and unspotted Virgin Who after the natural Time of other Women brought forth the holy Infant the only begotten Son of God who was still God as well as an Infant His holy Mother still a most pure and immaculate Virgin A Virgin who was of the House and Lineage of David he being therefore called the Son of David And I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who caused him to be born without the least shadow of Original Corruption who was to deliver us from the guilt of Sin I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who caused his Conception and Nativity to be perfectly Immaculate that so being without Sin himself he might be a fit Sacrifice to atone for us Sinners And I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who was pleased to order that he should be both God and Man who was to be the Mediator between God and Man and to reconcile God and Man And thus I believe he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary IV. ARTICLE Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell THE meaning is I do declare that I do assent to this as an undoubted Truth and firmly believe that Jesus Christ my Saviour who was both God and Man having published his Gospel among the Jews he was accused by them out of meer Malice and brought before a Man called Pontius Pilate who was the Roman Governor of the Country where Christ lived which was Judea With Grief and Love I profess to believe that they the Jews tumultuously prevailed with Pilate to sentence him to Death though he declared he found no fault in him The Death which he sentenced him to was that most shameful painful and accursed Death on the Cross Before that Sentence was executed the Jewish Rabble and the Roman Souldiers mocked spit upon buffetted scourged and most vilely abused him I declare with Grief and Love that I believe this my Saviour was Crucified for me that is that his Hands and Feet were nailed to a Cross till he died I believe firmly that he Died as other Men and the reason of it was that he might reconcile the World to his Father and become a Sacrifice for all our Sins or that he might reconcile the Divine Justice and Mercy together that as Man he was to die to suffer in our stead as God he was to merit and make Satisfaction for our Sins and thus he became an infinite Satisfaction to an infinite Justice I entirely believe that when he had given up the Ghost and was dead that his dead Body was by Joseph of Arimathea wrapped in fine Linen and buried in a new Tomb I believe that he being dead and his Soul separated from his Body that he continued in the State of Separation or in the State of the Dead for a time and though between the time that he died and the third Day on which he rose again he did descend into Hell 't was not to suffer any thing there but to triumph over the Devil in his own Kingdom and Quarters and to shew him the Victory he had got over him To break the Iron Bars of these lower Prisons that they might open and shut for ever after only at his Command And thus I believe That he suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell V. ARTICLE The third Day he rose again from the dead THE meaning is I do solemnly profess That I assent to this as an undoubted Truth that Jesus Christ our Saviour though he was crucified and died for our Sins and by his Death had overcome Death did not continue long in the State of Death for his Soul was separated from his Body and his Body lay in the Grave but till the Third Day Upon the Third Day after he was buried reckoning that very Day on which he was buried for the First he by his own infinite Power as he was God did revive and raise himself by uniting the same Soul to the same Body and opened his Grave and came out of it and openly shewed himself alive for he conversed with his Disciples for the space of Forty Days after he arose from the Grave till he went away to Heaven And thus I believe that the Third Day he rose again from the Dead VI. ARTICLE He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty THE meaning is I do firmly believe that our dearest Lord after he rose out of the Grave stayed on Earth for the space of Forty Days In which time he ordered his Disciples how they should preach the Gospel and govern the Church and promised them the Holy Ghost At the End of the Forty Days he walks with them a Mile or Two out of the City of Jerusalem and when he had blessed them there comes down a Cloud and
do thus stedfastly keep up this Communion with each other in all holy things in Faith and Worship Love and Obedience they all have a Communion or Fellowship with the Blessed Trinity with the holy Angels and with the Saints departed So that as I am a member of Christ's Catholick or Universal Church so I ever desire to keep Communion or Fellowship with them in all Holy Things and that as Christ is our Common Head and we his Members and I never withdrawing my self from this Communion so my Faith may be accepted with theirs my Prayers offered up with theirs my profession of the Gospel may appear with theirs my Duty Love and Obedience may be accepted with theirs in the Day of the Lord Jesus And thus I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints X. ARTICLE The forgiveness of Sins THE meaning is I believe that whereas every Sin whether of Thought Word or Action is a transgression of the Law of God and for every transgression the Sinner is liable to Eternal Punishment by the infinite Justice of God Yet that God in his unspeakable Mercy gave his Son Jesus and the Son gave himself to become a Surety for this Debt of ours and did offer up himself a Sacrifice by his Death to God's Justice and a satisfaction for us Thus reconciling God's punishing Justice with his pardoning Mercy Provided that the Sinner who had chosen amiss chosen the ways of Sin and Death would in Faith and with Repentance and new Obedience turn seasonably to God and chuse better I firmly believe the first remission is obtained by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism All original and actual Sin being there washed away to every one that duly partakes of that Sacrament But whereas alas 't is too true we have some way or other stained the white Robes which we had put on when we came from the waters of Baptism and because every disobedience since is a recession or going back from our Baptismal Purity for all such Sins God in much Mercy through the death of Jesus hath given us the Covenant of Repentance Which being but this a turning from Sin to God a lasting durable state of new Life and Reformation he has promised through the Merits and the Death of Jesus that if I have but this to offer up to him from a sincere and contrite Heart it shall be accepted to my Pardon and Forgiveness and he will be reconciled to me And thus I believe the forgiveness of Sins XI ARTICLE The Resurrection of the Body THE meaning is I do profess solemnly that I am fully perswaded of this infallible truth That as 't is appointed for all Men once to die so 't is determined that all Men shall arise from death That the Souls separated or parted from our Bodies are in the Hand of God and live That the Bodies of the Dead although turned to dust mouldered into ashes consum'd in flames or swallowed up of the waters devoured by beasts or fishes or any way scattered shall be gathered together again all the scattered dust pack'd together and in an instant be revived and come alive by the Soul 's being united to it again The same Flesh which died shall live the same Body which fell shall rise the same Soul infallibly be united to the same Body So that the Soul and Body are parted asunder by Death yet at the last day they shall be joined together at the Resurrection and shall no more be parted And this Resurrection I firmly believe shall be Universal of all Mankind no Man shall be left in the Grave or Dead That this shall be at the end of the World when Christ shall come to Judgment when the Trump shall sound or when the Arch-Angel shall lift up his Voice like a Trumpet the just and unjust shall both arise out of their Graves and live The Just shall arise to the Resurrection of Life and the Unjust to the Resurrection of Damnation And thus I believe the Resurrection of the Body XII ARTICLE And the Life Everlasting Amen THE meaning is I do freely declare that I believe this to be an undoubted truth That besides this Life here in this World which is but for a short time there shall be another Life in the other World which shall last for ever I firmly believe that after this finite Life here is over and the Soul departed and the Body dead that the Soul still lives and shall live for ever and after the Resurrection the Body shall live also and both shall live together for Eternity The Soul and Body of the unbelievers disobedient and impenitent shall live for ever and be Partners with the Devil and his accursed Spirits in Hell And that the Souls and Bodies of the Righteous after the Resurrection and after their Sentence shall enter into the fullness of their Master's Joy beyond all possibility of Sin and Sorrow suffering and temptation doubts or scruples fears or dangers where they shall have their Understandings clarified and enriched where the Will shall be satisfied where the Affections shall be all Love and all Joy where they shall securely and peacefully possess all that they breathed after panted sighed and languish'd for here and enjoy it not for Years or Ages but for all Eternity Amen THE meaning of that Word at the end of the Creed is I do declare that I do stedfastly believe all this and desire to live accordingly Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles c. Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father c. THE meaning is I do according to this my confession of Faith firmly and as I hope to see the Face of God believe in God the Father who is the first Person of the adorable Trinity who created me and all Men who made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing Secondly I do likewise firmly believe in God the Son Jesus Christ my Saviour who is the second Person of the Adorable Trinity Perfect God and perfect Man equal to the Father as touching his Godhead but inferiour to the Father as touching his Manhood who redeemed me and all Men by his Death and who has satisfied God's Justice for my Sins upon my Faith and my Repentance my future Love and Obedience Thirdly I do also firmly believe in God the Holy Ghost or holy Spirit who is the third Person of the adorable Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and is co-equal and co-eternal with them It is he who is my Guide my Sanctifier my Comforter who puts into my Mind good desires pious purposes and devout resolutions who offers me his Grace and Assistance to do God's Will so truly that he is said to be grieved when I refuse it And although I cannot fully understand in this Life how these three Persons can be but one God yet I do fully and firmly assent to it as an undoubted truth that it is so without which Belief I cannot
they come Yes Are we not undone for ever if he be not merciful to us and forgive us our Sins Yes Should we therefore forget earnestly to beg forgiveness daily No. Should not our expectation of God's forgiveness make us incline to forgive our Brethren Yes Are we not liable to Dangers ghostly and bodily every Day of our lives Yes Is it not God's Protection and Grace that secures us from any of them Yes And have we not reason to beg him daily to save us from all dangers ghostly and bodily i. e. of Soul and Body Yes Is it not by his restraining Grace that we are kept from all sin and wickedness Yes Is it not by his Power and Providence that we are kept from our ghostly Enemy the Devil Yes Is it not by his Mercy that we are kept one day more from everlasting death Yes Can we desire any thing better than to be kept by his Grace from Sin the Devil and Hell No. Are not Sin Hell the Devil and Everlasting Death the most dreadful things imaginable Yes And have we not reason to beg God daily to deliver us from them Yes Are we not to trust that our loving Father for Christ's sake will do these things for us Yes SECT V. Of the Sacraments Question HOW many Sacraments hath Christ ordained c. Answer Two only as generally necessary to Salvation c. Question What meanest thou by this Word Sacrament Answer I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward c. Question How many Parts are there in a Sacrament Answer Two the outward visible sign and the inward spiritual Grace HATH not God besides Prayer appointed the Word and Sacraments as the ordinary means of Salvation Yes Are there any more than Two which are necessary for all Men to whom Christianity is revealed No. But are not these Two necessary for all men in general Yes Are not these the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Yes Will not the willful neglect of either of these Sacraments highly offend God Yes Can any wilfully neglect them without endangering their Salvation No. Are not the Sacraments Signs or Tokens of God's Favour to us Yes And that we shall partake of all the Benefits of Christ's Death if we are not wanting to our selves Yes Are they not means to convey Grace to the Soul Yes Can there be a more dangerous folly than to refuse the Pledges of our Master's Love and the Conveyances of his Grace No. Is there not in every Sacrament an outward part to be seen by the Eye Yes And is there not in every Sacrament an inward part to be received by Faith Yes Of Baptism Question WHat is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism Answer Water wherein the Person is baptized In the Name of c. Question What is the inward and spiritual Grace Answer A Death unto Sin and a new Birth unto c. Question What is required of Persons to be baptized Answer Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith c. Question Why then are Infants baptized c. Answer Because they promise them both by their Sureties c. IS not Baptism a Sacrament or sacred Rite Yes Are we not admitted into the Covenant of Grace by the Sacrament of Baptism Yes Was not this the Covenant which your Godfathers and Godmothers promised you should stand to Yes Should we cease to be thankful to God for calling us to this Grace and Favour No. Well then in this Covenant of Grace did not God promise Pardon of Sin Grace and Glory to us Yes But must we expect these unless we perform something on our part No. Is it not our part to believe in Jesus Christ to repent of our Sins and to obey him Yes Was not this the happy Covenant we were received into at our Baptism Yes You said but now that in every Sacrament there was an outward part to be seen by the Eye and an inward part to be discerned by Faith did you not Yes Is not Water the outward part of the Sacrament of Baptism Yes And is not this the inward and spiritual part that our Sins are pardoned and we made God's Children Yes Is not this washing by Water in Baptism to be In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Yes Are we not by this Sacrament of Baptism admitted to God's Favour Yes And received into his Church Yes And made his Children by Adoption as we were before by Creation Yes Should this Mercy and Favour ever be forgotten by us No. Suppose any Person be not Baptized till he come to be a Man or Woman must he not declare his belief in Christ and his Repentance before he be baptized Yes Can Infants declare their Faith and Repentance themselves No. Seeing they cannot is it not fit that others should promise them for them Yes But must not they themselves stand to this Covenant of Faith Repentance and Obedience when they grow up if they hope to be saved Yes If they will not stand to these things in sincerity do they not forfeit the Benefits of their Baptism Yes Well then do you your self firmly believe the Christian Religion as was promised for you Yes Do you repent of and renounce all Sin as was promised for you Yes Will you sincerely Love and Obey your God and Saviour as was promised for you Yes Should we ever forget these our Promises in Baptism No. Should we be ever faithful to our baptismal Vow Yes Of the Lord's Supper Question WHY was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained Answer For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice c. Question What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper Answer Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded c. Question What is the inward part or thing signified Answer The Body and Blood of Christ which are verily c. Question What are the Benefits whereof we are made partakers thereby Answer The strengthening and refreshing of our Souls by c. Question What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent c. IS not the Lord's Supper the other Sacrament Yes Was not this ordained for a remembrance of Christ's dying for us Yes And do we not in this Sacrament renew the Covenant of our Baptism Yes Well then are not these two things the meaning and end of this Sacrament that is a remembrance of Christ's Death and a renewing of the Covenant of Baptism Yes And have we not need to renew it often Yes Does it shew our Love of Christ to come to the Sacrament but seldom No. Do we in this Sacrament profess our selves solemnly to be Christians or Christ's Disciples Yes If it be in remembrance of Christ's Death and be a renewing of the Covenant of Baptism can we do it too often if we come prepared No. Can we too frequently commemorate the Sufferings and the Love of the Lord that bought us No. Is not Bread and
28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them Prove it to be necessary to Salvation where it can be had Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Prove the Institution of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. The Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood This do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Prove the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper necessary to Salvation up from the Dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of Life Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Prove that we were by Nature born in sin Psalm 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Prove that we are by nature Children of Wrath. Eph. 2.3 And were by nature Children of wrath even as others Prove that by Baptism we are made the Children of Grace Gal. 3.26 27. For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Question What is required of Persons to be baptized Answer Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the Promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Prove that Repentance is required of persons to be baptized Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Prove that Faith whereby they believe the Promises of God is required of Persons to be baptized Acts 8.36 37. And the Eunuch said See here is Water what doth hinder me to be baptized And Philip said if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Acts 18.8 And many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized Question Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Answer Because they promise them both by by their Sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Prove that children of believing Parents are to be baptized Acts 2.38 39. And Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ For the promise is unto you and to your Children Mark 10.14 Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them Acts 16.15 And she was baptized and her Houshold 1 Cor. 1.16 I baptized the Houshold of Stephanus not only them but their Houshold in which 't is very probable were Children 1 Cor. 7.14 For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unclean but now are they holy Prove that though our Sureties promised Faith and Repentance in our name yet we our selves are to perform them when we come to age Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Question Why was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained Answer For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and of the Benefits which we receive thereby Prove that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was for a continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ 1 Cor. 11.24 This do in remembrance of me Verse 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come Question What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper Answer Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Prove that the outward part of the Lord's Supper is to be Bread and Wine Matth. 26.26 27 28 29. Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it For this is my Blood of the New Testament But I say unto you I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the Vine until the day when I drink it new with you c. Question What is the inward part or thing signified Answer The Body and Blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper Prove that the inward part or thing signified is the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion or Communication of the blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion or Communication of the body of Christ Question What are the Benefits whereof we are made partakers thereby Answer The strengthening and refreshing of our Souls by the Body and Blood of Christ as our Bodies are by the Bread and Wine Prove that our Souls are strengthened and refreshed by the Body and Blood of Christ John 6.54 55 56. Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day For my Flesh is meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Question What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively Faith in God's mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in Charity with all Men. Prove that they who come to the Lord's Supper are to examine themselves whether they truly repent 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Verse 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged Prove that they who come to this Sacrament must stedfastly purpose to lead a new Life 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the Feast not with the old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Prove that we are to come to this Sacrament