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Statement of Faith Our beliefs point to the
heart of the historic Christian faith, and also
point to some of our distinctives as a particular organization of
believers. As such, our "statement of faith" does not necessarily
define the boundaries of our fellowship.
Some Christians will certainly differ with some of what is set forth in
our statement, nevertheless, they are welcome to investigate our
ministry and decide if they could join us in our efforts to serve
Christ.
Our basis for unity and communion is a biblical confession of the lordship of
Jesus Christ, and the absence of a scandalous lifestyle. As an organization of
reformational evangelicals, we seek to display our unity in truth with
other faithful churches and organizations, not only in the present, but
also with the historic Christian church throughout the centuries.
Although not included here, we are also in essential agreement with the
historic confessions of the Reformation, including the Synod of Dordt,
the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism (together known as the
Three Forms of Unity), the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646, and
the London Baptist Confession of 1689.
Paragraph 1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and
infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience,1 although the light of nature, and
the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom,
and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to
give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation.2 Therefore it pleased the
Lord at sundry times and in diversified manners to reveal Himself, and to
declare (that) His will unto His church;3
and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for
the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of
the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly
unto writing; which makes the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those
former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now completed.4
1 2 Tim. 3:15-17;
Isa. 8:20; Luke 16:29,31; Eph. 2:20
2 Rom. 1:19-21,
2:14,15; Psalm 19:1-3
3 Heb. 1:1
4 Prov. 22:19-21;
Rom. 15:4; 2 Pet. 1:19,20
Paragraph 2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written,
are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT:
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Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
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1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Ester
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
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Ecclesiastes
The Song of
Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
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Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
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OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:
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Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
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Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
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Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
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All of which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith
and life.5
5 2 Tim. 3:16
Paragraph 3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine
inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and, therefore,
are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or
made use of than other human writings.6
6 Luke 24:27,44; Rom.
3:2
Paragraph 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be
believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon
God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received
because it is the Word of God.7
7 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2
Tim. 3:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 5:9
Paragraph 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of
God to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness
of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the
consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to
God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many
other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments
whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet
notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and
divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing
witness by and with the Word in our hearts.8
8 John 16:13,14; 1
Cor. 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20,27
Paragraph 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for
His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or
necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is
to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.9 Nevertheless, we
acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for
the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word,10 and that there are some
circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church,
common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of
nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word,
which are always to be observed.11
9 2 Tim. 3:15-17;
Gal. 1:8,9
10 John 6:45; 1 Cor.
2:9-12
11 1 Cor. 11:13,14; 1
Cor. 14:26,40
Paragraph 7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor
alike clear unto all;12
yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for
salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or
other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary
means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.13
12 2 Pet. 3:16
13 Ps. 19:7; Psalm
119:130
Paragraph 8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of
the people of God of old),14
and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most
generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His
singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so
as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them.15 But because these original
tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and
interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read,16 and search them,17 therefore they are to be
translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,18 that the Word of God dwelling
plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.19
14 Rom. 3:2
15 Isa. 8:20
16 Acts 15:15
17 John 5:39
18 1 Cor.
14:6,9,11,12,24,28
19 Col. 3:16
Paragraph 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the
Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and
full sense of any Scripture (which are not many, but one), it must be searched
by other places that speak more clearly.20
20 2 Pet. 1:20, 21;
Acts 15:15, 16
Paragraph 10. The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are
to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers,
doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose
sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by
the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved.21
21 Matt. 22:29, 31,
32; Eph. 2:20; Acts 28:23
Paragraph 1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;1 whose subsistence is in and of
Himself,2 infinite in
being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;3 a most pure spirit,4 invisible, without body, parts,
or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can
approach unto;5 who
is immutable,6
immense,7 eternal,8 incomprehensible, almighty,9 every way infinite, most holy,10 most wise, most free, most
absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and
most righteous will,11
for His own glory;12
most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and
truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him,13
and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,14 hating all sin,15 and who will by no means clear
the guilty.16
1 1 Cor. 8:4,6; Deut.
6:4
2 Jer. 10:10; Isa.
48:12
3 Exod. 3:14
4 John 4:24
5 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut.
4:15,16
6 Mal. 3:6
7 1 Kings 8:27; Jer.
23:23
8 Ps. 90:2
9 Gen. 17:1
10 Isa. 6:3
11 Ps. 115:3; Isa.
46:10
12 Prov. 16:4; Rom.
11:36
13 Exod. 34:6,7; Heb.
11:6
14 Neh. 9:32,33
15 Ps. 5:5,6
16 Exod. 34:7; Nahum
1:2,3
Paragraph 2. God, having all life,17
glory,18 goodness,19 blessedness, in and of Himself,
is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any
creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 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,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all
creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;22 in His sight all things are open
and manifest,23 His
knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as
nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His
works,25 and in all
His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,26 service, or obedience, as
creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to
require of them.
17 John 5:26
18 Ps. 148:13
19 Ps. 119:68
20 Job 22:2,3
21 Rom. 11:34-36
22 Dan. 4:25,34,35
23 Heb. 4:13
24 Ezek. 11:5; Acts
15:18
25 Ps. 145:17
26 Rev. 5:12-14
Paragraph 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three
subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit,27 of one substance, power, and
eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided:28 the Father is of none, neither
begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;29 the Holy Spirit proceeding from
the Father and the Son;30
all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be
divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative
properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the
foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.
27 1 John 5:7; Matt.
28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
28 Exod. 3:14; John
14:11; I Cor. 8:6
29 John 1:14,18
30 John 15:26; Gal.
4:6
Paragraph 1. God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most
wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things,
whatsoever comes to pass;1
yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any
therein;2 nor is
violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or
contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established;3 in which appears His wisdom in
disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.4
1 Isa. 46:10; Eph.
1:11; Heb. 6:17; Rom. 9:15,18
2 James 1:13; 1 John
1:5
3 Acts 4:27,28; John
19:11
4 Num. 23:19; Eph.
1:3-5
Paragraph 2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon
all supposed conditions,5
yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that
which would come to pass upon such conditions.6
5 Acts 15:18
6 Rom. 9:11,13,16,18
Paragraph 3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some
men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus
Christ,7 to the
praise of His glorious grace;8
others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise
of His glorious justice.9
7 I Tim. 5:21; Matt.
25:34
8 Eph. 1:5,6
9 Rom. 9:22,23; Jude
4
Paragraph 4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are
particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and
definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.10
10 2 Tim. 2:19; John
13:18
Paragraph 5. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before
the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable
purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in
Christ unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love,11 without any other thing in the
creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.12
11 Eph. 1:4, 9, 11;
Rom. 8:30; 2 Tim. 1:9; I Thess. 5:9
12 Rom. 9:13,16; Eph.
2:5,12
Paragraph 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so He hath, by the
eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means
thereunto;13
wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,14 are effectually called unto
faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted,
sanctified,15 and
kept by His power through faith unto salvation;16 neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or
effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect
only.17
13 1 Pet. 1:2; 2;
Thess. 2:13
14 1 Thess. 5:9, 10
15 Rom. 8:30; 2
Thess. 2:13
16 1 Pet. 1:5
17 John 10:26, 17:9,
6:64
Paragraph 7. The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be
handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God
revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty
of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election;18 so shall this doctrine afford
matter of praise,19
reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,20 diligence, and abundant
consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.21
18 1 Thess. 1:4,5; 2
Pet. 1:10
19 Eph. 1:6; Rom.
11:33
20 Rom. 11:5,6,20
21 Luke 10:20
Paragraph 1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit,1 for the
manifestation of the glory of His eternal power,2 wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world,
and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days,
and all very good.3
1 John 1:2,3; Heb.
1:2; Job 26:13
2 Rom. 1:20
3 Col. 1:16; Gen.
1:31
Paragraph 2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male
and female,4 with
reasonable and immortal souls,5
rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being
made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;6 having the law of God written in
their hearts,7 and
power to fulfill it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left
to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.8
4 Gen. 1:27
5 Gen. 2:7
6 Eccles. 7:29; Gen.
1;26
7 Rom. 2:14,15
8 Gen. 3:6
Paragraph 3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a
command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,9 which while they kept, they were
happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.10
9 Gen. 2:17
10 Gen. 1:26,28
Paragraph 1. God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and
wisdom does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things,1 from the greatest even to the
least,2 by His most
wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according
unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His
own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite
goodness, and mercy.3
1 Heb. 1:3; Job
38:11; Isa. 46:10,11; Ps. 135:6
2 Matt. 10:29-31
3 Eph. 1;11
Paragraph 2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God,
the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly;4 so that there is not anything
befalls any by chance, or without His providence;5 yet by the same providence He ordered
them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily,
freely, or contingently.6
4 Acts 2:23
5 Prov. 16:33
6 Gen. 8:22
Paragraph 3. God, in his ordinary providence makes use of means,7 yet is free to work without,8 above,9 and against them10 at His pleasure.
7 Acts 27:31, 44;
Isa. 55:10, 11
8 Hosea 1:7
9 Rom. 4:19-21
10 Dan. 3:27
Paragraph 4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness
of God, so far manifest themselves in His providence, that His determinate
counsel extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions
both of angels and men;11
and that not by a bare permission, which also He most wisely and powerfully
binds, and otherwise orders and governs,12
in a manifold dispensation to His most holy ends;13 yet so, as the sinfulness of
their acts proceeds only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most
holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.14
11 Rom. 11:32-34; 2
Sam. 24:1; 1 Chron. 21:1
12 2 Kings 19:28; Ps.
76:10
13 Gen. 1:20; Isa.
10:6,7,12
14 Ps. 1;21; 1 John
2:16
Paragraph 5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does often times
leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions
of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover
unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts,
that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant
dependence for their support upon Himself; and to make them more watchful
against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holy ends.15 So that whatsoever befalls
any of His elect is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good.16
15 2 Chron.
32:25,26,31; 2 Cor. 12:7-9
16 Rom. 8:28
Paragraph 6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as the righteous
judge, for former sin does blind and harden;17 from them He not only withholds His grace, whereby
they might have been enlightened in their understanding, and wrought upon their
hearts;18 but sometimes
also withdraws the gifts which they had,19
and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin;20 and withal, gives them over to
their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,21 whereby it comes to pass that
they harden themselves, under those means which God uses for the softening of
others.22
17 Rom. 1;24-26,28,
11:7,8
18 Deut. 29:4
19 Matt. 13:12
20 Deut. 2:30; 2
Kings 8:12,13
21 Ps. 81:11,12; 2
Thess. 2:10-12
22 Exod. 8:15,32;
Isa. 6:9,10; 1 Pet. 2:7,8
Paragraph 7. As the providence of God does in general reach to all
creatures, so after a more special manner it takes care of His church, and
disposes of all things to the good thereof.23
23 1 Tim. 4:10; Amos
9:8,9; Isa. 43:3-5
Paragraph 1. Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a
righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death
upon the breach thereof,1
yet he did not long abide in this honor; Satan using the subtlety of the
serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion,
did willfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given to
them, in eating the forbidden fruit,2
which God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel to permit, having
purposed to order it to His own glory.
1 Gen. 2:16,17
2 Gen. 3:12,13; 2
Cor. 11:3
Paragraph 2. Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original
righteousness and communion with God, and we in them whereby death came upon
all:3 all becoming
dead in sin,4 and
wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.5
3 Rom. 3:23
4 Rom 5:12, etc.
5 Titus 1:15; Gen.
6:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-19
Paragraph 3. They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the
room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted
nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary
generation,6 being
now conceived in sin,7
and by nature children of wrath,8
the servants of sin, the subjects of death,9 and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and
eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.10
6 Rom. 5:12-19; 1
Cor. 15:21,22,45,49
7 Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4
8 Eph. 2:3
9 Rom. 6:20, 5:12
10 Heb. 2:14,15; 1 Thess.
1:10
Paragraph 4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly
indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all
evil,11 do proceed
all actual transgressions.12
11 Rom. 8:7; Col.
1:21
12 James 1:14,15;
Matt. 15:19
Paragraph 5. The corruption of nature, during this life, does remain in
those that are regenerated;13
and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and
the first motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.14
13 Rom. 7:18,23;
Eccles. 7:20; 1 John 1:8
14 Rom. 7:23-25; Gal.
5:17
Paragraph 1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that
although reasonable creatures do owe obedience to Him as their creator, yet
they could never have attained the reward of life but by some voluntary
condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of
covenant.1
1 Luke 17:10; Job
35:7,8
Paragraph 2. Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the
law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace,2 wherein He freely offers unto
sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him,
that they may be saved;3
and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, His
Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.4
2 Gen. 2:17; Gal.
3:10; Rom. 3:20,21
3 Rom. 8:3; Mark
16:15,16; John 3:16;
4 Ezek. 36:26,27;
John 6:44,45; Ps. 110:3
Paragraph 3. This covenant is revealed in the gospel; first of all to Adam
in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman,5 and afterwards by farther steps,
until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament;6 and it is founded in that eternal
covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption
of the elect;7 and it
is alone by the grace of this covenant that all the posterity of fallen Adam
that ever were saved did obtain life and blessed immortality, man being now
utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood
in his state of innocency.8
5 Gen. 3:15
6 Heb. 1:1
7 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus
1:2
8 Heb. 11;6,13; Rom.
4:1,2, &c.; Acts 4:12; John 8:56
Paragraph 1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain
the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between
them both, to be the mediator between God and man;1 the prophet,2 priest,3 and
king;4 head and savior of the church,5 the heir of all things,6 and judge of
the world;7 unto whom He did from all eternity give a people to be His seed and
to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.8
1 Isa. 42:1; 1 Pet. 1:19,20
2 Acts 3:22
3 Heb. 5:5,6
4 Ps. 2:6; Luke 1:33
5 Eph. 1:22,23
6 Heb. 1:2
7 Acts 17:31
8 Isa. 53:10; John 17:6; Rom. 8:30
Paragraph 2. The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being
very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance
and equal with Him who made the world, who upholds and governs all things He
has made, did, when the fullness of time was complete, take upon Him man's
nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities of it,9 yet without sin;10 being conceived by the Holy
Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her:
and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of
the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the
Scriptures;11 so that
two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in
one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very
God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.12
9 John 1:14; Gal. 4;4
10 Rom. 8:3; Heb.
2:14,16,17, 4:15
11 Matt. 1:22, 23
12 Luke 1:27,31,35;
Rom. 9:5; 1 Tim. 2:5
Paragraph 3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine,
in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit
above measure,13
having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;14 in whom it pleased the Father
that all fullness should dwell,15
to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace and truth,17 He might be thoroughly furnished
to execute the office of mediator and surety;18 which office He took not upon himself, but was
thereunto called by His Father;19
who also put all power and judgment in His hand, and gave Him commandment to
execute the same.20
13 Ps. 45:7; Acts
10:38; John 3:34
14 Col. 2:3
15 Col. 1:19
16 Heb. 7:26
17 John 1:14
18 Heb. 7:22
19 Heb. 5:5
20 John 5:22,27;
Matt. 28:18; Acts 2;36
Paragraph 4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,21 which that He might discharge He
was made under the law,22
and did perfectly fulfill it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we
should have born and suffered,23
being made sin and a curse for us;24
enduring most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His
body;25 was
crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead, yet saw no
corruption:26 on the
third day He arose from the dead27
with the same body in which He suffered,28
with which He also ascended into heaven,29
and there sits at the right hand of His Father making intercession,30 and shall return to judge men
and angels at the end of the world.31
21 Ps. 40:7,8; Heb.
10:5-10; John 10:18
22 Gal 4:4; Matt.
3:15
23 Gal. 3:13; Isa.
53:6; 1 Pet. 3:18
24 2 Cor. 5:21
25 Matt. 26:37,38;
Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46
26 Acts 13:37
27 1 Cor. 15:3,4
28 John 20:25,27
29 Mark 16:19; Acts
1:9-11
30 Rom. 8:34; Heb.
9:24
31 Acts 10:42; Rom.
14:9,10; Acts 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:4
Paragraph 5. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of
Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully
satisfied the justice of God,32
procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the
kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.33
32 Heb. 9:14, 10:14;
Rom. 3:25,26
33 John 17:2; Heb.
9:15
Paragraph 6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by
Christ until after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit
thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the
beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein
He was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's
head;34 and the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world,35
being the same yesterday, and today and for ever.36
34 1 Cor. 4:10; Heb.
4:2; 1 Pet. 1:10, 11
35 Rev. 13:8
36 Heb. 13:8
Paragraph 7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both
natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; 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.37
37 John 3:13; Acts
20:28
Paragraph 8. To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption,
He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making
intercession for them;38
uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by His Word,
the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey,39 governing their hearts by His
Word and Spirit,40
and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom,41 in such manner and ways as are
most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free
and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.42
38 John 6:37,
10:15,16, 17:9; Rom. 5:10
39 John 17:6; Eph.
1:9; 1 John 5:20
40 Rom. 8:9,14
41 Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor.
15:25,26
42 John 3:8; Eph. 1:8
Paragraph 9. This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to
Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not
be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.43
43 Tim. 2:5
Paragraph 10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect
of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office;44 and in respect of our alienation
from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need His priestly
office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God;45 and in respect to our averseness
and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our
spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw,
uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.46
44 John 1:18
45 Col. 1:21; Gal.
5:17
46 John 16:8; Ps.
110:3; Luke 1:74,75
Paragraph 1. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty and
power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of
nature determined to do good or evil.1
1 Matt. 17:12; James
1:14; Deut. 30:19
Paragraph 2. Man, in his state of innocence, had freedom and power to will
and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God,2 but yet was unstable, so that he
might fall from it.3
2 Eccles. 7:29
3 Gen. 3:6
Paragraph 3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all
ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation;4 so as a natural man, being altogether
averse from that good, and dead in sin,5
is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself
thereunto.6
4 Rom. 5:6, 8:7
5 Eph. 2:1,5
6 Titus 3:3-5; John
6:44
Paragraph 4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state
of grace, He frees him from his natural bondage under sin,7 and by His grace alone enables
him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;8 yet so as that by reason of his
remaining corruptions, he does not perfectly, nor only will, that which is
good, but does also will that which is evil.9
7 Col. 1:13; John
8:36
8 Phil. 2:13
9 Rom.
7:15,18,19,21,23
Paragraph 5. This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good
alone in
the state of glory only.10
10 Eph. 4:13
Paragraph 1. Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, He is pleased in
His appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call,1 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;2
enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of
God;3 taking away
their heart of stone, and giving to them a heart of flesh;4 renewing their wills, and by His
almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing
them to Jesus Christ;5
yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.6
1 Rom. 8:30, 11:7;
Eph. 1:10,11; 2 Thess. 2:13,14
2 Eph. 2:1-6
3 Acts 26:18; Eph.
1:17,18
4 Ezek. 36:26
5 Deut. 30:6; Ezek.
36:27; Eph. 1:19
6 Ps. 110:3; Cant.
1:4
Paragraph 2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone,
not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the
creature,7 being
wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being
quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit;8
he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and
conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from
the dead.9
7 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph.
2:8
8 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph.
2:5; John 5:25
9 Eph. 1:19, 20
Paragraph 3. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by
Christ through the Spirit;10
who works when, and where, and how He pleases;11 so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of
being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
10 John 3:3, 5, 6
11 John 3:8
Paragraph 4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the
ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit,12 yet not being effectually drawn
by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore
cannot be saved:13
much less can men that do not receive the Christian religion be saved; be they
never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the
law of that religion they do profess.14
12 Matt. 22:14,
13:20,21; Heb 6:4,5
13 John 6:44,45,65; 1
John 2:24,25
14 Acts 4:12; John
4:22, 17:3
Paragraph 1. Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies,1 not by infusing righteousness
into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their
persons as righteous;2
not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;3 not by imputing faith itself, the
act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their
righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law,
and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by
faith,4 which faith
they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.5
1 Rom. 3:24, 8:30
2 Rom. 4:5-8, Eph.
1:7
3 1 Cor. 1:30,31,
Rom. 5:17-19
4 Phil. 3:8,9; Eph.
2:8-10
5 John 1:12, Rom.
5:17
Paragraph 2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his
righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;6 yet is not alone in the person
justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead
faith, but works by love.7
6 Rom. 3:28
7 Gal.5:6, James
2:17,22,26
Paragraph 3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the
debt of all those who are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in
the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make
a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf;8 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 anything in them,9 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.10
8 Heb. 10:14; 1 Pet.
1:18,19; Isa. 53:5,6
9 Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor.
5:21
10 Rom. 3:26; Eph.
1:6,7, 2:7
Paragraph 4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in the fullness
of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12 nevertheless, they are not
justified personally, until the Holy Spirit in time does actually apply Christ
to them.13
11 Gal. 3:8, 1 Pet.
1:2, 1 Tim. 2:6
12 Rom. 4:25
13 Col. 1:21,22,
Titus 3:4-7
Paragraph 5. God continues to forgive the sins of those that are justified,14 and although they can never fall
from the state of justification,15
yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure;16 and in that condition they
usually do not have the light of his countenance restored to them, until
they humble themselves, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.17
14 Matt. 6:12, 1 John
1:7,9
15 John 10:28
16 Ps. 89:31-33
17 Ps. 32:5, Ps. 51,
Matt. 26:75
Paragraph 6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in
all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under
the New Testament.18
18 Gal. 3:9; Rom.
4:22-24
Paragraph 1. All those that are justified, God conferred, in and for the
sake of his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption,1 by which they are taken into the
number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God,2 have his name put on them,3 receive the spirit of adoption,4 have access to the throne of
grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father,5 are pitied,6 protected,7 provided for,8 and chastened by him as by a
Father,9 yet never
cast off,10 but
sealed to the day of redemption,11
and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.12
1 Eph. 1:5; Gal.
4:4,5
2 John 1:12; Rom.
8:17
3 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev.
3:12
4 Rom. 8:15
5 Gal. 4:6; Eph. 2:18
6 Ps. 103:13
7 Prov. 14:26; 1 Pet.
5:7
8 Heb. 12:6
9 Isa. 54:8, 9
10 Lam. 3:31
11 Eph. 4:30
12 Heb. 1:14, 6:12
Paragraph 1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and
regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the
virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really
and personally,1
through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them;2 the dominion of the whole body of
sin is destroyed,3
and the several lusts of it are more and more weakened and mortified,4 and they more and more quickened
and strengthened in all saving graces,5
to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.6
1 Acts 20:32; Rom.
6:5,6
2 John 17:17; Eph.
3:16-19; 1 Thess. 5:21-23
3 Rom. 6:14
4 Gal. 5:24
5 Col. 1:11
6 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb.
12:14
Paragraph 2. This sanctification is throughout the whole man,7 yet imperfect in this life; there
abides still some remnants of corruption in every part,8 wherefrom arises a continual and
irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh.9
7 1 Thess. 5:23
8 Rom. 7:18, 23
9 Gal. 5:17; 1 Pet.
2:11
Paragraph 3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may
much prevail,10 yet,
through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ,
the regenerate part does overcome;11
and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,
pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands
which Christ as Head and King, in his Word has prescribed to them.12
10 Rom. 7:23
11 Rom. 6:14
12 Eph. 4:15,16; 2
Cor. 3:18, 7:1
Paragraph 1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe
to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their
hearts,1 and is
ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;2 by which also, and by the administration of baptism
and the Lord's supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is
increased and strengthened.3
1 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph.
2:8
2 Rom. 10:14,17
3 Luke 17:5; 1 Pet.
2:2; Acts 20:32
Paragraph 2. By this faith a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is
revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself,4 and also apprehends an excellency
therein above all other writings and all things in the world,5 as it bears forth the glory of
God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and
the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations: and
so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth consequently believed;6 and also acts differently upon
that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the
commands,7 trembling
at the threatenings,8
and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come;9 but the principle acts of saving
faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon
him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the
covenant of grace.10
4 Acts 24:14
5 Ps. 19:7-10, 69:72
6 2 Tim. 1:12
7 John 15:14
8 Isa. 116:2
9 Heb. 11:13
10 John 1:12; Acts 16:31;
Gal 2:20; Acts 15:11
Paragraph 3. This faith, although it be in different stages, and may be
weak or strong,11 yet
it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is
all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers;12 and therefore, though it may be
many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,13 growing up in many to the
attainment of a full assurance through Christ,14 who is both the author and finisher of our faith.15
11 Heb. 5:13,14;
Matt. 6:30; Rom. 4:19,20
12 2 Pet. 1:1
13 Eph. 6:16; 1 John
5:4,5
14 Heb. 6:11,12; Col.
2:2
15 Heb. 12:2
Paragraph 1. Such of the elect that are converted at riper years, having
sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers pleasures, God
in their effectual calling gives them repentance to life.1
1 Titus 3:2-5
Paragraph 2. Whereas there is none that does good and does not sin,2 and the best of men may, through
the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the
prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God has, in
the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and
falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.3
2 Eccles. 7:20
3 Luke 22:31,32
Paragraph 3. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the
Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, does, by faith in
Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and
self-abhorrancy,5
praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavor, by
supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all
things.6
4 Zech. 12:10; Acts
11:18
5 Ezek. 36:31; 2 Cor.
7:11
6 Ps. 119:6,128
Paragraph 4. As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of
our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so
it is every man’s duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.7
7 Luke 19:8; 1 Tim.
1:13,15
Paragraph 5. Such is the provision which God has made through Christ in the
covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that
although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,8 yet there is no sin so great that
it shall bring damnation to them that repent,9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance
necessary.
8 Rom. 6:23
9 Isa. 1:16-18, 55:7
Paragraph 1. Good works are only such as God has commanded in his Holy
Word,1 and not such
as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon
any pretense of good intentions.2
1 Mic. 6:8; Heb.
13:21
2 Matt. 15:9; Isa.
29:13
Paragraph 2. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are
the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest
their thankfulness,4
strengthen their assurance,5
edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel,6 stop the mouths of the
adversaries, and glory God,7
whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,8 that having their fruit unto
holiness they may have the end eternal life.9
3 James 2:18,22
4 Ps. 116:12,13
5 1 John 2:3,5; 2
Pet. 1:5-11
6 Matt. 5:16
7 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Pet.
2:15; Phil. 1:11
8 Eph. 2:10
9 Rom 6:22
Paragraph 3. Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but
wholly from the Spirit of Christ;10
and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already
received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to
work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure;11 yet they are not bound to
perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to
be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.12
10 John 15:4,5
11 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil.
2:13
12 Phil. 2:12; Heb.
6:11,12; Isa. 64:7
Paragraph 4. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height
which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and
to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty
they are bound to do.13
13 Job 9:2, 3; Gal.
5:17; Luke 17:10
Paragraph 5. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal
life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between
them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and
God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former
sins;14 but when we
have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants;
and because they are good they proceed from his Spirit,15 and as they are wrought by us
they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they
cannot endure the severity of God’s punishment.16
14 Rom. 3:20; Eph.
2:8,9; Rom. 4:6
15 Gal. 5:22,23
16 Isa. 64:6; Ps.
43:2
Paragraph 6. Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted
through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him;17 not as thought they were in this
life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight, but that he, looking
upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere,
although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfection.18
17 Eph. 1:5; 1 Pet.
1:5
18 Matt. 25:21,23;
Heb. 6:10
Paragraph 7. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of
them they may things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and
to others;19 yet
because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith,20 nor are done in a right manner
according to the Word,21
nor to a right end, the glory of God,22
they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man meet to
receive the grace from God,23
and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing to God.24
19 2 Kings 10:30; 1
Kings 21:27,29
20 Gen. 4:5; Heb.
11:4,6
21 1 Cor. 13:1
22 Matt. 6:2,5
23 Amos 5:21,22; Rom.
9:16; Titus 3:5
24 Job 21:14,15;
Matt. 25:41-43
Paragraph 1. Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called
and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto,
can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall
certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the
gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from which source he still
begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the
graces of the Spirit unto immortality;1
and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall
never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are
fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan,
the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and
obscured from them,2
yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God
unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being
engraved upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the
book of life from all eternity.3
1 John 10:28,29;
Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 John 2:19
2 Ps. 89:31,32; 1
Cor. 11:32
3 Mal. 3:6
Paragraph 2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own
free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election,4 flowing from the free and
unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and
intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him,5 the oath of God,6 the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God
within them,7 and the
nature of the covenant of grace;8
from all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
4 Rom. 8:30, 9:11,16
5 Rom. 5:9, 10; John
14:19
6 Heb. 6:17,18
7 1 John 3:9
8 Jer. 32:40
Paragraph 3. And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of
the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of
means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue
therein,9 whereby
they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit,10 come to have their graces and
comforts impaired,11
have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded,12 hurt and scandalize others, and
bring temporal judgments upon themselves,13
yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ
Jesus to the end.14
9 Matt. 26:70,72,74
10 Isa. 64:5,9; Eph.
4:30
11 Ps. 51:10,12
12 Ps. 32:3,4
13 2 Sam. 12:14
14 Luke 22:32,61,62
Paragraph 1. Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men, may
vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in
the favor of God and in a state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall
perish;1 yet such as
truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk
in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that
they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God,2 which hope
shall never make them ashamed.3
1 Job 8:13,14; Matt.
7:22,23
2 1 John 2:3,
3:14,18,19,21,24, 5:13
3 Rom. 5:2,5
Paragraph 2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable
persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith,4 founded on the blood and
righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel;5 and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of
the Spirit unto which promises are made,6
and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits
that we are the children of God;7
and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy.8
4 Heb. 6:11,19
5 Heb. 6:17,18
6 2 Pet. 1:4,5,10,11
7 Rom. 8:15,16
8 1 John 3:1-3
Paragraph 3. This infallible assurance does not so belong to the essence of
faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and struggle with many
difficulties before he be partaker of it;9
yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him
of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of means,
attain thereunto:10
and therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his
calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and
joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and
cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance;11 -so far is it from inclining men
to looseness.12
9 Isa. 50:10; Ps. 88;
Ps. 77:1-12
10 1 John 4:13; Heb.
6:11,12
11 Rom. 5:1,2,5,
14:17; Ps. 119:32
12 Rom. 6:1,2; Titus
2:11,12,14
Paragraph 4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation
divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving
of it,13 by falling
into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit;14 by some sudden or vehement
temptation,15 by
God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear
him to walk in darkness and to have no light,16 yet are they never destitute of the seed of God17 and life of faith,18 that love of Christ and the
brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the
operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived,19 and by the which, in the
meantime, they are preserved from utter despair.20
13 Cant. 5:2,3,6
14 Ps. 51:8,12,14
15 Ps. 116:11;
77:7,8, 31:22
16 Ps. 30:7
17 1 John 3:9
18 Luke 22:32
19 Ps. 42:5,11
20 Lam. 3:26-31
Paragraph 1. God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his
heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil;1
by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and
perpetual obedience;2
promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it,
and endued him with power and ability to keep it.3
1 Gen. 1:27; Eccles.
7:29
2 Rom. 10:5
3 Gal. 3:10,12
Paragraph 2. The same law that was first written in the heart of man
continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall,4 and was delivered by God upon
Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the four first
containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our duty to man.5
4 Rom. 2:14,15
5 Deut. 10:4
Paragraph 3. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to
give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical
ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions,
sufferings, and benefits;6
and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties,7 all which ceremonial laws being
appointed only to the time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true
Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished with power from the Father for
that end abrogated and taken away.8
6 Heb. 10:1; Col.
2:17
7 1 Cor. 5:7
8 Col. 2:14,16,17;
Eph. 2:14,16
Paragraph 4. To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired
together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that
institution; their general equity only being of modern use.9
9 1 Cor. 9:8-10
Paragraph 5. The moral law does for ever bind all, as well justified
persons as others, to the obedience thereof,10 and that not only in regard of the matter contained
in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it;11 neither does Christ in the
Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.12
10 Rom. 13:8-10;
James 2:8,10-12
11 James 2:10,11
12 Matt. 5:17-19;
Rom. 3:31
Paragraph 6. Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of
works, to be thereby justified or condemned,13 yet it is of great use to them as well as to
others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their
duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the
sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining
themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for,
and hatred against, sin;14
together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the
perfection of his obedience; it is likewise of use to the regenerate to
restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it
serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life
they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallaeyed rigor
thereof. The promises of it likewise show them God's approbation of
obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof,
though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing
good and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters
from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.15
13 Rom. 6:14; Gal.
2:16; Rom. 8:1, 10:4
14 Rom. 3:20, 7:7,
etc.
15 Rom. 6:12-14; 1
Pet. 3:8-13
Paragraph 7. Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the
grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it,16 the Spirit of Christ subduing
and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of
God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.17
16 Gal. 3:21
17 Ezek. 36:27
Paragraph 1. The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made
unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ,
the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them
faith and repentance;1
in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and [is]
therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners.2
1 Gen. 3:15
2 Rev. 13:8
Paragraph 2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only
by the Word of God;3
neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make
discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure
way;4 much less that
men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be
enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance.5
3 Rom. 1;17
4 Rom. 10:14,15,17
5 Prov. 29:18; Isa.
25:7; 60:2,3
Paragraph 3. The revelation of the gospel to sinners, made in divers times
and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the
obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is
granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God;6 not being annexed by virtue of
any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of
common light received without it, which none ever made, or can do so;7 and therefore in all ages, the
preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the
extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the
will of God.
6 Ps. 147:20; Acts
16:7
7 Rom. 1:18-32
Paragraph 4. Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing
Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet
that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or
regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the
Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual
life;8 without which
no other means will effect their conversion unto God.9
8 Ps. 110:3; 1 Cor.
2:14; Eph. 1:19,20
9 John 6:44; 2 Cor.
4:4,6
Paragraph 1. The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the
gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath
of God, the severity and curse of the law,1 and in their being delivered from this present evil
world,2 bondage to
Satan,3 and dominion
of sin,4 from the
evil of afflictions,5
the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave,6 and everlasting damnation:7 as also in their free access to
God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear,8 but a child-like love and willing
mind.9 All which were
common also to believers under the law for the substance of them;10 but under the New Testament the
liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of a
ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater
boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the
free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.11
1 Gal. 3:13
2 Gal. 1:4
3 Acts 26:18
4 Rom. 8:3
5 Rom. 8:28
6 1 Cor. 15:54-57
7 2 Thess. 1:10
8 Rom. 8:15;
9 Luke 1:73-75; 1
John 4:18
10 Gal. 3;9,14
11 John 7:38,39; Heb.
10:19-21
Paragraph 2. God alone is Lord of the conscience,12 and has left it free from the
doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word,
or not contained in it.13
So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, is
to betray true liberty of conscience;14
and the requiring of an implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to
destroy liberty of conscience and reason also.15
12 James 4:12; Rom.
14:4
13 Acts 4:19,29; 1
Cor. 7:23; Matt. 15:9
14 Col. 2:20,22,23
15 1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor.
1:24
Paragraph 3. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practice any
sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of
the grace of the gospel to their own destruction,16 so they wholly destroy the end
of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all
our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before Him, all the days of our lives.17
16 Rom. 6:1,2
17 Gal. 5:13; 2 Pet.
2:18,21
Paragraph 1. The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has
lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good to all; and is
therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served,
with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.1 But the acceptable way of
worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself,2 and so limited by his own
revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and
devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible
representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.3
1 Jer. 10:7; Mark
12:33
2 Deut. 12:32
3 Exod. 20:4-6
Paragraph 2. Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, and to him alone;4
not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;5 and since the fall, not without a mediator,6 nor in the mediation of any other
but Christ alone.7
4 Matt. 4:9,10; John
6:23; Matt. 28:19
5 Rom. 1:25; Col.
2:18; Rev. 19:10
6 John 14:6
7 1 Tim. 2:5
Paragraph 3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one part of natural worship,
is by God required of all men.8
But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son,9 by the
help of the Spirit,10
according to his will;11
with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance;
and when with others, in a known tongue.12
8 Ps. 95:1-7, 65:2
9 John 14:13,14
10 Rom. 8:26
11 1 John 5:14
12 1 Cor. 14:16,17
Paragraph 4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of
men living, or that shall live hereafter;13
but not for the dead,14
nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.15
13 1 Tim. 2:1,2; 2
Sam. 7:29
14 2 Sam. 12:21-23
15 1 John 5:16
Paragraph 5. The reading of the Scriptures,16 preaching, and hearing the Word of God,17 teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts
to the Lord;18 as
also the administration of baptism,19
and the Lord's supper,20
are all parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to him,
with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover, solemn
humiliation, with fastings,21
and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and
religious manner.22
16 1 Tim. 4:13
17 2 Tim. 4:2; Luke
8:18
18 Col. 3:16; Eph.
5:19
19 Matt. 28:19,20
20 1 Cor. 11:26
21 Esther 4:16; Joel
2:12
22 Exod. 15:1-19, Ps.
107
Paragraph 6. Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now
under the gospel, tied 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
everywhere in spirit and in truth;23
as in private families24
daily,25 and in
secret each one by himself;26
so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor willfully
to be neglected or forsaken, when God by his word or providence calls
thereunto.27
23 John 4:21; Mal.
1:11; 1 Tim. 2:8
24 Acts 10:2
25 Matt. 6:11; Ps.
55:17
26 Matt. 6:6
27 Heb. 10:25; Acts
2:42
Paragraph 7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of
time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his
Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all
ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept
holy unto him,28
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 is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end
of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the
week being abolished.
28 Exod. 20:8
29 1 Cor. 16:1,2;
Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10
Paragraph 8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a
due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs a forehand, do
not only observe a holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts,
about their worldly employment and recreations,30 but are also taken up the whole time in the public
and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.31
30 Isa. 58:13; Neh.
13:15-22
31 Matt. 12:1-13
Paragraph 1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the
person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgment, solemnly calls God to
witness what he swears,1
and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof.2
1 Exod. 20:7; Deut.
10:20; Jer. 4:2
2 2 Chron. 6:22, 23
Paragraph 2. 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; therefore to swear
vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any
other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred;3 yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation
of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the word of God;4 so a lawful oath being imposed by
lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.5
3 Matt. 5:34,37;
James 5:12
4 Heb. 6:16; 2 Cor.
1:23
5 Neh. 13:25
Paragraph 3. Whosoever takes an oath warranted by the word of God, ought
duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch
nothing but what he knows to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths,
the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns.6
6 Lev. 19:12; Jer.
23:10
Paragraph 4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the
words, without equivocation or mental reservation.7
7 Ps. 24:4
Paragraph 5. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God
alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness;8 but popish monastical vows of
perpetual single life,9
professed poverty,10
and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that
they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle
himself.11
8 Ps. 76:11; Gen.
28:20-22
9 1 Cor. 7:2,9
10 Eph. 4:28
11 Matt. 19:1
Paragraph 1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained
civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory and the
public good; and to this end has armed them with the power of the sword, for defense
and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment of evil doers.1
1 Rom. 13:1-4
Paragraph 2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office
of a magistrate when called thereunto; in the management whereof, as they ought
especially to maintain justice and peace,2
according to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth, so for that
end they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war upon just and
necessary occasions.3
2 2 Sam. 23:3; Ps.
82:3,4
3 Luke 3:14
Paragraph 3. Civil magistrates being set up by God for the ends aforesaid;
subjection, in all lawful things commanded by them, ought to be yielded by us
in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscience’ sake;4 and we ought to make
supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, that under
them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.5
4 Rom. 13:5-7; 1 Pet.
2:17
5 1 Tim. 2:1,2
Paragraph 1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it
lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more
than one husband at the same time.1
1 Gen. 2:24; Mal.
2:15; Matt. 19:5,6
Paragraph 2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,2 for the increase of mankind with
a legitimate issue,3
and the preventing of uncleanness.4
2 Gen. 2:18
3 Gen. 1:28
4 1 Cor. 7:2,9
Paragraph 3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able
with judgment to give their consent;5
yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;6 and therefore such as profess the
true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolaters; neither should
such as are godly, be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in
their life, or maintain damnable heresy.7
5 Heb. 13:4; 1 Tim.
4:3
6 1 Cor. 7:39
7 Neh. 13:25-27
Paragraph 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity
or affinity, forbidden in the Word;8
nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful, by any law of man or
consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.9
8 Lev. 18
9 Mark 6:18; 1 Cor.
5:1
Paragraph 1. The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the
internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible,
consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be
gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body,
the fulness of him that fills all in all.1
1 Heb. 12:23; Col.
1:18; Eph. 1:10,22,23, 5:23,27,32
Paragraph 2. All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the
gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying
their own profession by any errors averting the foundation, or unholiness of
conversation, are and may be called visible saints;2 and of such ought all particular
congregations to be constituted.3
2 1 Cor. 1:2; Acts
11:26
3 Rom. 1:7; Eph.
1:20-22
Paragraph 3. The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and
error;4 and some have
so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan;5 nevertheless Christ always has
had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such
as believe in him, and make profession of his name.6
4 1 Cor. 5; Rev. 2,3
5 Rev. 18:2; 2 Thess.
2:11,12
6 Matt. 16:18; Ps.
72:17, 102:28; Rev. 12:17
Paragraph 4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by
the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or
government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner;7 neither can the Pope of Rome in
any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of
perdition, that exalts himself in the church against Christ, and all that is
called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.8
7 Col. 1:18; Matt.
28:18-20; Eph. 4:11,12
8 2 Thess. 2:2-9
Paragraph 5. In the execution of this power wherewith he is so entrusted,
the Lord Jesus calls out of the world unto himself, through the ministry of his
word, by his Spirit, those that are given unto him by his Father,9 that they may walk before him in
all the ways of obedience, which he prescribes to them in his word.10 Those thus called, he
commands to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their
mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which he requires
of them in the world.11
9 John 10:16; John
12:32
10 Matt. 28:20
11 Matt. 18:15-20
Paragraph 6. The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly
manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their
obedience unto that call of Christ;12
and do willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of
Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of
God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.13
12 Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2
13 Acts 2:41,42,
5:13,14; 2 Cor. 9:13
Paragraph 7. To each of these churches therefore gathered, according to his
mind declared in his word, he has given all that power and authority, which is
in any way needful for their carrying on that order in worship and discipline,
which he has instituted for them to observe; with commands and rules for the
due and right exerting, and executing of that power.14
14 Matt. 18:17, 18; 1
Cor. 5:4, 5, 5:13, 2 Cor. 2:6-8
Paragraph 8. A particular church, gathered and completely organized
according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members; and the
officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church (so
called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and
execution of power or duty, which he entrusts them with, or calls them to, to
be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.15
15 Acts 20:17, 28;
Phil. 1:1
Paragraph 9. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person,
fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a
church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church
itself;16 and
solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the
eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein;17 and of a deacon that he be
chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition
of hands.18
16 Acts 14:23
17 1 Tim. 4:14
18 Acts 6:3,5,6
Paragraph 10. The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of
Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching
for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him;19 it is incumbent on the churches
to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to
communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability,20 so as they may have a
comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs;21 and may also be capable of
exercising hospitality towards others;22
and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord
Jesus, who has ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the
Gospel.23
19 Acts 6:4; Heb.
13:17
20 1 Tim. 5:17,18;
Gal. 6:6,7
21 2 Tim. 2:4
22 1 Tim. 3:2
23 1 Cor. 9:6-14
Paragraph 11. Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the
churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office, yet the work
of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others
also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by
the church, may and ought to perform it.24
24 Acts 11:19-21; 1
Pet. 4:10,11
Paragraph 12. As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular
churches, when and where they have opportunity so to do; so all that are
admitted unto the privileges of a church, are also under the censures and
government thereof, according to the rule of Christ.25
25 1 Thess. 5:14; 2
Thess. 3:6,14,15
Paragraph 13. No church members, upon any offence taken by them, having
performed their duty required of them towards the person they are offended at,
ought to disturb any church-order, or absent themselves from the assemblies of
the church, or administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such
offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ, in the further
proceeding of the church.26
26 Matt. 18:15-17;
Eph. 4:2,3
Paragraph 14. As each church, and all the members of it, are bound to pray
continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ,27 in all places, and upon all
occasions to further every one within the bounds of their places and callings,
in the exercise of their gifts and graces, so the churches, when planted by the
providence of God, so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it, ought
to hold communion among themselves, for their peace, increase of love, and
mutual edification.28
27 Eph. 6:18; Ps.
122:6
28 Rom. 16:1,2; 3
John 8-10
Paragraph 15. In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of
doctrine or administration, wherein either the churches in general are
concerned, or any one church, in their peace, union, and edification; or any
member or members of any church are injured, in or by any proceedings in
censures not agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of
Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do, by their messengers,
meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in difference,
to be reported to all the churches concerned;29 howbeit these messengers assembled, are not entrusted
with any church-power properly so called; or with any jurisdiction over the
churches themselves, to exercise any censures either over any churches or
persons; or to impose their determination on the churches or officers.30
29 Acts
15:2,4,6,22,23,25
30 2 Cor. 1:24; 1
John 4:1
Paragraph 1. All saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by his
Spirit, and faith, although they are not made thereby one person with him, have
fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory;1 and, being united to one
another in love, they have communion in each others gifts and graces,2 and are obliged to the
performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way, as do
conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.3
1 1 John 1:3; John
1:16; Phil. 3:10; Rom. 6:5,6
2 Eph. 4:15,16; 1
Cor. 12:7; 3:21-23
3 1 Thess. 5:11,14;
Rom. 1:12; 1 John 3:17,18; Gal. 6:10
Paragraph 2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain a holy fellowship
and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual
services as tend to their mutual edification;4 as also in relieving each other in outward things
according to their several abilities, and necessities;5 which communion, according to the
rule of the gospel, though especially to be exercised by them, in the relation
wherein they stand, whether in families,6
or churches,7 yet, as
God offers opportunity, is to be extended to all the household of faith, even
all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus; nevertheless
their communion one with another as saints, does not take away or infringe the
title or propriety which each man has in his goods and possessions.8
4 Heb. 10:24,25,
3:12,13
5 Acts 11:29,30
6 Eph. 6:4
7 1 Cor. 12:14-27
8 Acts 5:4; Eph. 4:28
Paragraph 1. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and
sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be
continued in his church to the end of the world.1
1 Matt. 28:19,20; 1
Cor. 11:26
Paragraph 2. These holy appointments are to be administered by those only
who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ.2
2 Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor.
4:1
Paragraph 1. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by
Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him,
in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him;3 of remission of sins;4 and of giving up into God,
through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.5
3 Rom. 6:3-5; Col.
2:12; Gal. 3:27
4 Mark 1:4; Acts
22:16
5 Rom. 6:4
Paragraph 2. Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith
in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of
this ordinance.6
6 Mark 16:16; Acts
8:36,37, 2:41, 8:12, 18:8
Paragraph 3. The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water,
wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.7
7 Matt. 28:19, 20;
Acts 8:38
Paragraph 4. Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is necessary to
the due administration of this ordinance.8
8 Matt. 3:16; John
3:23
Paragraph 1. The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same
night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches, unto the end of
the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and showing to all the world the
sacrifice of himself in his death,1
confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their
spiritual nourishment, and growth in him, their further engagement in, and to
all duties which they owe to him; and to be a bond and pledge of their
communion with him, and with each other.2
1 1 Cor. 11:23-26
2 1 Cor. 10:16,17,21
Paragraph 2. In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor
any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick or dead, but
only a memorial of that one offering up of himself by himself upon the cross,
once for all;3 and a
spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same.4 So that the popish
sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most abominable, injurious to
Christ's own sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect.
3 Heb. 9:25,26,28
4 1 Cor. 11:24; Matt.
26:26,27
Paragraph 3. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed his
ministers to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set
them apart from a common to a holy use, and to take and break the bread; to
take the cup, and, they communicating also themselves, to give both to the
communicants.5
5 1 Cor. 11:23-26,
etc.
Paragraph 4. The denial of the cup to the people, worshipping the elements,
the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and reserving them
for any pretended religious use, are all contrary to the nature of this
ordinance, and to the institution of Christ.6
6 Matt. 26:26-28,
15:9, Exod. 20:4,5
Paragraph 5. The outward elements in this ordinance, duly set apart to the
use ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as that truly,
although in terms used figuratively, they are sometimes called by the names of
the things they represent, in other words, the body and blood of Christ,7 albeit, in substance and nature,
they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.8
7 1 Cor. 11:27
8 1 Cor. 11:26-28
Paragraph 6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of
bread and wine, into the substance of Christ's body and blood, commonly called
transubstantiation, by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is
repugnant not to Scripture alone,9
but even to common sense and reason, overthrows the nature of the ordinance, and
has been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross
idolatries.10
9 Acts 3:21; Luke
14:6,39
10 1 Cor. 11:24,25
Paragraph 7. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements
in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not
carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ
crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood of Christ
being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of
believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward
senses.11
11 1 Cor. 10:16,
11:23-26
Paragraph 8. All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy
communion with Christ, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table, and cannot,
without great sin against him, while they remain such, partake of these holy
mysteries, or be admitted thereunto;12
yea, whosoever shall receive unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of
the Lord, eating and drinking judgment to themselves.13
12 2 Cor. 6:14,15
13 1 Cor. 11:29;
Matt. 7:6
Paragraph 1. The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see
corruption;1 but
their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence,
immediately return to God who gave them.2
The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received
into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light
and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies;3 and the souls of the wicked are
cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to
the judgment of the great day;4
besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledges
none.
1 Gen. 3:19; Acts
13:36
2 Eccles. 12:7
3 Luke 23:43; 2 Cor.
5:1,6,8; Phil. 1:23; Heb. 12:23
4 Jude 6, 7; 1 Peter
3:19; Luke 16:23,24
Paragraph 2. At the last day, such of the saints as are found alive, shall
not sleep, but be changed;5
and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other;6 although with different
qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.7
5 1 Cor. 15:51,52; 1
Thess. 4:17
6 Job 19:26,27
7 1 Cor. 15:42,43
Paragraph 3. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be
raised to dishonor; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honour, and be
made conformable to his own glorious body.8
8 Acts 24:15; John
5:28,29; Phil. 3:21
Paragraph 1. God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in
righteousness, by Jesus Christ;1
to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only
the apostate angels shall be judged,2
but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the
tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and
to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.3
1 Acts 17:31; John
5:22,27
2 1 Cor. 6:3; Jude 6
3 2 Cor. 5:10;
Eccles. 12:14; Matt. 12:36; Rom. 14:10,12; Matt. 25:32-46
Paragraph 2. The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation
of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his
justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and
disobedient;4 for
then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of
joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the
wicked, who do not know God, and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall
be cast aside into everlasting torments,5
and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power.6
4 Rom. 9:22,23
5 Matt. 25:21,34; 2
Tim. 4:8
6 Matt. 25:46; Mark
9:48; 2 Thess. 1:7-10
Paragraph 3. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there
shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin,7 and for the greater consolation
of the godly in their adversity,8
so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal
security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord
will come,9 and may
ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly.10 Amen.
7 2 Cor. 5:10,11
8 2 Thess. 1:5-7
9 Mark 13:35-37; Luke
12:35-40
10 Rev. 22:20
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