I beleeve with all my heart, and confesse with my mouth.
1▪ Concerning the Scriptures.
THat all Scripture is by divine inspiration, or inbreathing of God (by Scripture I mean the books of the old Testament as Moses and the Prophets, and of the new Testament) and is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteousnesse, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 1 Tim. 3.16, 17. and that in all things which concern faith, and obedience, whether in Gods worship, or in the whole conversation of men, it holdeth forth a most perfect rule, whereunto nothing may be added, not from it may ought be diminished. Deut. 4.2. Revel. 22.18, 19. Which also is so clear in all truths necessary to salvation, that the entrance into it giveth light, yea, understanding to the simple. Psal. 19 7.
2. Concerning the Godhead in the • Vnity of Essence, and , and • Trinity of Persons.
That God is a Spirit most holy, immutable, eternall, every way infinite, in greatnesse, goodnesse, power, wisedome, justice, truth, and in all divine perfections, 1 Tim. 6.15, 16. Joh. 4.24. Isa. 6.6. Exod. 34.6, 7. And that in this Godhead are three distinct Persons, coeternall, coequall, and coessentiall, being every one of them one and the same God, not three Gods, and therefore not divided in essence, nature, or being, Deut. 4.3. but distinguished one from another by their severall, and peculiar relative property, the Father is of none but of himself, the Son is begotten of the Father before all worlds; the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son▪ from all eternity, and together are to be worshipped and glorified.
3. Concerning the Decrees of God.
That God hath unchangeably decreed in himself from everlasting, touching all things, great and small, necessary, contingent, and voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, and dispose them according to the counsell of his own will (yet without being Author of, or having fellowship with the sins of any) to the praise and glory of his great Name. And touching the eternall estate of men that God hath according to his most wise, free, and unchangeable purpose in himself, before the foundation of the world chosen some in Jesus Christ to eternall life, to the praise and glory of his grace, and rejected or reprobated others to the praise of his justice.
4. Concerning Creation, and Providence.
That in the beginning God made by his Word all things of nothing very good, and made man male and female after his own Image righteous; and as a faithfull Creator doth still uphold, dispose, and govern all things to the ends for which they were created, having care especially for man, and amongst men chiefly for the righteous and beleevers; so that neither good nor evil befalls any man without Gods providence.
5. Concerning the fall of man and originall sin.
That inasmuch as Adam was the root of all mankinde, the law and covenant of works was given to him, as to a publike person, and to an head from whence all good or evil was to be derived to his posteritie: seeing therefore that by the subtilty of the Serpent, which Satan used as his instrument, first Eve, then Adam being seduced, did wittingly and willingly fall into the disobedience of the Commandment of God; Death came upon all justly, and reigned over all, yea, over Infants also which have not sinned after the like manner of the transgression of Adam: hence also it is, that all since the fall of Adam are begotten in his own likenesse, after his Image, being conceived and born in iniquitie, and so by nature children of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins, altogether filthie and polluted throughout in soul and body; utterly averse from any spirituall good, strongly bent to all evill, and subject to all calamities due to sin in this world, and forever.
6. Concerning mans Restitution.
That all Mankind being thus fallen, yet the elect, and only they, are redeemed, reconciled to God, and saved not of themselves, neither by their own works, but onely by the mighty power of God, of his unsearchable, rich, free grace and mercy through faith, in Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisedom, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption; in the relation both of a surety to satisfie Gods justice for us, and of an head to restore the Image of God that was lost, and repaire the nature that was corrupted in us.
7. Concerning the Person and natures in Christ.
That the Lord Jesus of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote, and whom the Apostles preached, is, as touching his Person, the everlasting Son of God the Father by eternall generation, coessentiall, coequall, and coeternall, God with him, and with the holy Ghost: by whom he made the world, and by whom he upholdeth and governs all the works he hath made: who also when [Page 4]the fulnesse of time was come, was made of a woman, of the Tribe of Judah, of the seed of David and Abraham, viz. of Mary that blessed Virgin, by the holy Ghost coming upon her, and the power of the most high over-shadowing her; and was in all things like unto us, sin onely excepted: so that in the person of Christ the two natures, the divine, and humane, are truly, perfectly, indivisibly, and distinctly united.
8. Concerning the Offices of Christ.
That Jesus Christ is the onely Mediatour of the new Testament, even of the Covenant of grace between God and man; the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church of God for evermore; and this office is so proper to Christ, as, neither in the whole, not any part thereof, it can be transferred from him to any other. And to this office he was from everlasting, and in respect of his Manhood, from the wombe, called, separated, and anointed most fully with all necessary gifts, as it is written, God hath not measured out of the Spirit unto him.
9. Concerning Christs propheticall Office.
That Christ hath perfectly revealed the whole will of God, so far as it is needfull for his people either joyntly, or severally to know, beleeve, or obey, and that he hath spoken, and doth speak to his Church, in his own ordinances by those instruments whom he sendeth, and by his Spirit.
10. Concerning the Priesthood of Christ.
That Christ being consecrated hath appeared once to put away sin▪ by the offering and sacrificing of himself, and hath fully performed and suffered all those things, by which, God through the blood of his crosse, in a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour, might be reconciled to his elect; and having broken down the partition wall, and finished and removed those ceremoniall rites, and shadows, is now entred into the most holy place, (not made with hands) to the very heavens and presence of God, where he for ever liveth, and sitteth at the right hand of Majestie, to make intercession for such as come unto the throne of grace by that new and living way: and he maketh his people a spirituall house, and an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through him.
11. Concerning Christs Kingly Office. 1. In generall.
That Christ being risen from the dead ascended up to heaven, set at the right hand of God the Father, hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, and doth exercise his power in his government of this world over all Angels and men, good, and bad, [Page 5]to the preservation and salvation of his elect, and to the ruling and destruction of the reprobate: communicating and applying to his elect, the benefits, vertue, and fruit of his prophecie, and priesthood to their regeneration, justification, sanctification, preservation, and strengthening in all their spirituall conflicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, continually dwelling in them by his holy Spirit, begetting and nourishing in them faith, hope, love, repentance, obedience, with peace and joy unto immortalitie: but on the contrary, limiting, using, restraining the reprobates his enemies by his mighty power, as seemeth good in his divine wisdome and justice, to their seduction, hardning, and condemnation, till his appearing in glory with his mighty Angels to judge both quick and dead; where he will be and separate all his elect from them for ever, punishing the wicked with everlasting perdition from his presence; and joyning together the godly with himself in endlesse glory.
12. Concerning his Kingdom. 2. In speciall.
That in the mean time besides his absolute rule in the world, Christ hath here on earth a spirituall Kingdom in his Church, which he hath purchased and redeemed to himself as a peculiar inheritance; into the body whereof he doth by the power of his Word and Spirit, gather his people, talling them through the ministery of the Gospel out of the world, and from idolatrie, superstition, and from all works of darknesse to fellowship with Jesus Christ, and by him with the Father, and the holy Ghost, and with his people, making them a royall Priesthood, an holy nation, a people set at libertie to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his marvellous light, and uniteth them together as members of one body in his faith, love, and holy order unto all generall and mutuall duties: and instructs and governs them by those instruments and ordinances which he himself hath prescribed in his Word for the edification of his bodie the Church.
13. Concerning the Application of Redemption.
That the holy Ghost is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of Redemption onely to those whom the Father hath by his eternall Decree given to Christ, and for whom Christ maketh intercession to his Father, and whom the Father accepts in Christ unto fellowship of the everlasting covenant of his free grace, having called them out of the world to fellowship with Jesus Christ by the Gospel made effectuall to that end, by the mightie power and operation of the holy Ghost. Which grace of effectuall [Page 6]calling is thus dispensed to a poore lost sinner awakened and humbled by the Law through the effectuall working of the spirit of bondage, judging himself worthy to be destroyed for his sins, and seeing himself utterly destitute of all help or hope of himself; The Lord in the preaching of the Gospel by the powerfull work of the holy Ghost, revealeth the fulnesse and all-sufficiencie of that grace, and salvation which is laid up in Jesus Christ, as the onely sutable good to him, that he also enableth him spiritually and savingly to apprehend Jesus Christ as given him of the Father. And the same Spirit having thus inlightned him, doth leav a supernaturall vertue, and impression of Gods love upon the som, whereby the soul is drawn to close with Christ, and with that grace of God in him, so entirely that there is now nothing between Christ and the soul but it willingly parts with all things that hinder his injoying of Christ; and by this effectuall calling all that are brought to Christ, are, 1. justified, that is absolved from sin and death, and accounted righteous unto life, for, and through Christ apprehended, received, and relied upon by faith. 2. They are adopted, that is, accepted for Christs sake to the dignitie of Gods children; they are also, 3. sanctified, that is, really changed by degrees from the impurity of sin, to the puritie of Gods Image; and lastly, they are glorified, that is, changed from the miserie or punishment of sin, unto everlasting happinesse, which begins in the inward sense of Gods love to them in Christ, whence they have hope of glory, boldnesse in accesse to God certainty of salvation, peace, joy unspeakable; and it endeth in their full perfection in soul and body.
14. Concerning a particular instituted Church, and the Priviledges thereof.
That it is a company of faithfull and holy people, or persons, called out of the world to fellowship with Jesus Christ, and united in one congregation to him as members to their head, and one with another, by a holy covenant for mutuall fellowship in all such wayes of holy worship of God, and of edification one towards another, as God himself hath required in his Word of everie Church of Christ, and the members thereof.
15. Concerning the manner of gathering a Church.
That it is the dutie of all Christians, having renounced all false wayes of idolatrous, Antichristian, and superstitious worship, and of sin, and the world (as to instruct and govern their own families according to God, so) to joyn willingly together in Christian communion and orderly covenant, and by free confession of the [Page 7]faith, and profession of their subjection to the Gospel of Christ, to unite themselves unto peculiar and visible Congregations, wherin as members of one body, whereof Christ is the head, they are to worship God according to his Word: To this Church he hath given royall priviledges, as the holy Oracles, the Promises, the seals of the Covenant, his presence, love, protection, and blessing in a speciall manner, here all that acknowledge him to be their Prophet, Priest, and King, are to be inrolled amongst his houshold servants and to present their bodies, and souls, and gifts, and solemne services for a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Being thus united, they to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures, being approved by the Church, and appointed thereunto, may, and ought to teach publikely the Word of God, by prophecying according to the proportion of faith for edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church, till such time as men may be had fit to such office or offices as Christ hath appointed to the publike Ministery of his Church; and then they are upon due triall to proceed to the choice, and ordination of those officers according to God: and then the officers are to dispense the seals of the covenant, viz. Baptisme to the seed of the faithfull in their infancy, and to others not yet baptized, when by profession of their faith they are added to the Church: And all of the Church that are of yeers, and are able to examine themselves, must communicate also in the Lords Supper in both kinds, viz. bread and wine.
16. Concerning the Sacraments.
That they are in the ordinance of God signs and seals of Gods everlasting covenant with us, representing and offering to all receivers, but exhibiting onely to true beleevers the Lord Jesus Christ and all his benefits unto righteousnesse, sanctification, and eternall life, through faith in his name to the glory and praise of God.
17. Concerning the power of every Church.
That Christ hath given the power of chusing Officers, and of receiving in, or calling of any member, to the whole body together of every Church, and not to any one member apart, or to more members sequestred from the whole, or to any other Congregation to do it for them: yet so as every Church ought to use the best help they can hereunto, and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their publike Assemblie, if they want Officers. And to this censure and judgement of Christ, duely and orderly dispensed, every member of the Congregation, yea, [Page 8]and officer also how excellent or learned soever he be, is subject. Yet ought not the Church without great care and advice to proceed against such publike persons.
18. Concerning the Communion of Churches.
That although particular Churches be distinct and severall independant bodies, every one as a city compact within its self, without subordination under or dependance upon any other but Jesus Christ, yet are all Churches to walk by one and the same rule, and by all means convenient to have the counsell and help one of another when need requireth, as members of one body in the common faith under Christ their onely head.
19. Concerning Church Officers.
That Christ when he ascended up on high gave gifts unto men, and disposed of them in severall functions, and for publike ordinary ministery, he gave Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, helpers, for the instruction, government, and service of his Church to the worlds end; and that none may usurpe or execute a Ministery in the Church, but such as are rightly called by the Church, wherof they stand Ministers, and being so called they ought to give all diligence to fulfill their ministery, and to be found faithfull, and unblameable in all things: And that this ministery is alike given to every Church of Christ, with like and equall power, and commission to have and enjoy the same as God offereth fit men, and means, and the same rules are given to all for the election and execution thereof in all places: which rules and laws it is not lawfull for those Ministers, or for the Church, wittingly to neglect, or transgresse in any part. And those Ministers thus chosen, and executing their office faithfully; every Church is bound to have them in singular love for their works sake, to reverence them according to the dignity of their office which they execute, and to provide for them that they be not entangled with the cares of this life, according to the law of Christ: And this to do not as in way of courtesie or mercie, but out of duty to them in the Lord; and having hope in God that the resurrection shall be of the just and of the unjust; of the just, to the resurrection of life, and of the unjust to the resurrection of condemnation.
20. Concerning giving every man his due.
That unto all men is to be given whatsoever is due to them, in regard of their office, place, gifts, wages, estate, and condition; endeavouring our selves to have alwayes a conscience void offence towards God, and towards men.