Herbert's belief and Confession OF FAITH: MADE In CLX Articles.  
FOR Th' Instruction of His Wife & Children.  
LONDON, Printed by JO. DEVER & ROBERT IBBITSON, MDCXLVI.   

Premonition.  
THe proverb is true & common: That, which is meat for one, may be poison for another: for without doubt, all things are not fit for all men; & therefore it concerns them much, to know their particular inclination, & follow it, if just & orderly, in their attire, diet, exercices & worldly Vocations. But in matters of salvation, & in respect of that knowledge, faith, love & works, which are required of a Christian in years of discretion: then certainly, what is meat for one must be meat for all; sith the same things are necessary to all men, by which one must be saved. Let then every man look on this Confession, as on a thing as fit for him, as for my Wife & two Children. If this hath a fair & public regard, my catechism & other books shall (by God's help) shortly follow. This as the lest & nimblest, goes out first, to see, whether the way be clear & smooth.   

I Have perused this belief & Confession of Faith, written by a private Christian, which I judge according to truth, and that he may be a Pattern to others, to lay aside the study of vain janglings, by which they are perverted to Fables, and attend with greater diligence to fundamentals. I approve it to be Printed,  
Ja. Cranford. Aug. 24, 1646.   

To my most dear AND newborn Babe Benjamin Herbert.  
Sweet Child,  
THou hast (by the Lord's Grace) this day received the first visible sign and seal of his Covenant with us: thou hast e'en now been baptised with Water, and (as I may comfortably conceive) with the Spirit of God, who (if thou canst attain the years of discretion) will (I hope and pray) assist thee with his effectual grace, to cast off the old man, Adam, with his sinful affections and actions; and put on the new, Christ Jesus, with his whole righteousness: renewing thy heart by degrees, and sanctifying thy person; thus begetting thee to himself, by the outward seed of his Word, and his inward lights and motives. This is my hope and prayer for thee. But because this converting Word is not often preached so fully & diligently, as I wish; our old men being commonly in many places of this Land, babes in knowledge, and Children in Christian wisdom: lest thou shouldst want that necessary food, for thy souls everlasting life; here is, my Love, here is a help, to know that God, to whom this day, thou hast vowed Faith and Obedience. Here is a Confession, made for thee in the womb, and now presented thee, for thy future instruction, consolation and salvation. Receive it courteously, dear Babe; cast on it thy mild looks; take it with thy little fingers; kiss it with thy soft, sweet, sucking lips; and hereafter esteem it above all riches, & keep it as thy life. 'Tis thine, & made for thee, although I say, it is likewise made for others, thy virtuous and beauteous Mother, thy witty and pretty Sister. Thou Mayst hereafter understand, Knowledge is like the sun, which casts his beams abroad, and yet loses no light: Or like a Torch, at which millions may be lighted, without prejudice to any, or to itself: for, light and heat are common unto all bodies, and given all to all. In giving Instructions, that, which I give, remains with me; and although all the world divide my gift, yet each man may receive it whole. Think not therefore this book less thine; because composed for others: but rather endeavour, to make it truly thine, by diligently learning it, and heartily believing, boldly professing, faithfully practising that sound Faith, and those pious Works, I have taught thee in it and in my catechism, dedicated to thy fair and loving Sister, which I give thee likewise. And when thus thou hast made them thine, hide not thy light, my dear; bury not thy talon: but as a sun, impart thy light and heat to thy friends, neighbours, yea all men, with whom thou shalt converse. Let it be thy daily study & holy ambition, to do well to all men; so behaving thyself, that by thy virtuous examples, Christian instructions, and friendly admonitions, no man go from thee without gain. Convert sinners from their ill ways: comfort the penitent and afflicted, in their sorrow & griefs: relieve the poor, in their hunger, nakedness, miseries: instruct the ignorant, in honesty and religion: and as Peter, confirm thy brethren the faithful, in Christian verities and religious duties. Do this, my sweet Infant, do this diligently, having no other intention, then to please, serve, obey that God, who shall (I hope) give thee both the will & the deed, both the desire and power to do such noble things. And as that gracious God hath made me a good help, for thy greater and speedier ability, to advance his glory; study my Love, study by thy dutiful observance, to answer (if I live) the great affection, care and pains of me.  
Thy then happy Father W. HERBERT. Pointington. 2. of March, and the 13. day of thy Life. 1644.   

The Preface.  
SIth the Just shall live by his Faith, I hope, no man can justly condemn me, for the present Declaration of mine. He may rather greatly praise me, who knows, that the just man must wisely examine his Heart, to see, what Faith he hath, what he believes to righteousness; and then boldly open his Mouth, to confess it to Salvation, if it be such, as may work both, a true, lively, strong Faith; by which he wholly relies on God's free mercy, through the only merits of Christ, for his Justification and Glorification. Fearing therefore no condemnation of the wise, yet not challenging their commendation, my pen hath writ in this paper what God's finger hath graven in my Heart, and shall (I hope) bring thence into my Mouth, when his glory shall require it, to the loss of my goods, reputation, liberty, life. How soon this may be, I know not: but I see, this is a fit time, to try each man's Faith and courage: for now Divisions reign 'mongst us, yea over us, and are so strong, sharp, hot; that they like mighty Rocks, suppress all rights; like two-edged Swords, cut asunder those bonds, God and nature have made to unite men; and like a raging Fire, burn and consume this once rich and glorious country. lest then by the fury of these unhappy Divisions, and most incivill civil wars, that Faith be changed, that Religion exiled, which (by the Lord's grace) I profess: I have thought expedient, to leave my belief in writing, for help to my posterity; that so my Wife and Children may find here what a Kingdom may lose, and is worth more than all the World. If it be said, that there are other Confessions, to direct my Children in the right paths of Faith: I will answer, that such indeed lead into paths of Faith; but that these paths being in my conceit too straight, I have made them here a high Way, and a broad Road, which being well followed, shall doubtless lead them to Heaven. For although perhaps I differ from other Protestant beliefs: yet my Confession being built on a sure foundation, the written Word of God, it may be a safe guide. But that diversity of opinions should breed no doubts in Religion, it is my hearty wish and prayer, that we be all of one mind in the Lord. Yet because this is difficult, I will here add, that my difference from other Protestants consisting in omissions, oppositions, or additions; my Children must well examine these three points in particular. And to help them in their judicious discussion, I tell them now generally; that if they find, I omit or oppose what in other men's Confessions wants good authority, being not grounded on God's Word, they shall do well, both to approve my omissions, and stand with me, in such oppositions. Concerning additions, these consisting either of matters or Articles; if the first are godly, yea necessary to be known, let my wise Issue esteem them, above all increase of treasure: and if (as 'tis likewise) in the second; concerning their number, which exceeds all other beliefs; then let them think, I have made so many, that for their brevity, they be learned with facility: for being short, they may like fine morsels, easily be chewed, eat, digested; the shortest containing some point, and many of them more. And as eating a bit, provokes often the appetite for more: So that who hath learned one Article of my belief, may have a desire to learn more, I have linked them all together, often grounding the following, on the body or matter of the preceding. And if this, with their great number of hundred and three score, shall notwithstanding the brevity of each, make them seem long and tedious, yet hard to be learned without book, by my Children, who shall perhaps have but ordinary wits: my answer is; that if we had in writing all the Songs, Tales, riddles, countrey-wenches can sing and tell, although they cannot read, and abound not in wit; it might appear, this Confession is not too long, for the memory of all those, who instead of such vanities, apply their minds to Religious studies, and to whom it is freely given, to know the mysteries, or secret things of God's Kingdom. One thing more I suspect, may be objected against me; that being but a private man, 'tis presumption in me, to make a public Confession: and to such I answer, that though I have no office in the Church or State; yet as I am a Husband and Father, I am a public man, and so have just authority, to publish and declare my will to those, who are subject to it, and to them manifest my Faith, to whom I owe economic, politic and Religious instructions. Besides, this objection might be as good, against the first framers of those beliefs and Confessions of Faith, the French, Germans and English have: for, I suppose, they were contrived by some particular persons, who though Bishops or Ministers, had yet no more authority, than I, to impose them upon the Church of God. But as those were received by general consent, so mine may be, and from private become public, and from proper, common, at least to my Wife & posterity, who in it and my catechism shall (I hope) find all knowledges necessary to their eternal Salvation. Intending to leave them both catechism and Confession, and this being made last, I have either omitted, or lightly handled many points, which are full in my catechism. Let then one book help the other, & both show my Wife & Children all necessary truths, for their perfection & felicity. Yet lest my books should not be sufficient, to make them perfect in the Lord; let them frequently read, diligently study, and seriously meditate the Scriptures, which are able, to make them wise to Salvation.   

Herbert's belief and Confession of FAITH.  Lord, I believe: 
But that my Heart believe always to righteousness, and that my verbal Confession be made to Salvation:  help thou my unbelief. 
I. I believe & confess one only God, who is an eternal, infinite, omniscient & omnipotent Spirit: a Nature most holy, just and gracious: an Essence most perfect, simple, incorporal, jndivisible and incomprehensible; and this God I adore.  
II. I believe, that in this Essence, substance, or Nature, there are three distinct Persons, complete and rational, each subsisting and living of itself, having indivisibly the whole divine substance: all equal in eternity, infinity, wisdom, power, justice, will, &c. Yet distinguished among themselves, by their order, names, internal actions, and manner of working externally.  
III. I believe, that God the Father is the first Person of the three, not in time, dignity, power, or the like: for in the three Persons, there's no priority of time, no distinction of power, no difference of will, no diversity of wisdom, justice, mercy, goodness, &c. but because his being and beginning are of himself; and that the Father is in order before the Son, to whom he communicates his whole divine Essence, by an eternal and incomprehensible Generation; and with him to the holy Ghost, by a Spiration or Breathing, which is likewise eternal & incomprehensible: so that the Father is the eternal beginning & fountain of the trinity, & likewise of all external actions, as Election, Reprobation and Creation; working in these, which regard the Creatures, by the Son and the holy Ghost.  
IV. I believe, that the Word is the second Person, the only natural Son of the Father, the brightness of his glory, and the express Image of his Person, eternally engendered by him, and so having the whole divine Essence of the Father, with whom eternally he produces the holy Spirit, by whom he works externally from the Father.  
V. I believe, that the holy Ghost is the third Person of the deity, eternally and equally proceeding from the Father and Son, yet not as from two beginnings, but as from one only, being in two Persons: and so having the whole divine Essence, by an eternal spiration from both, from whom he works externally.  
VI. I confess, that when I speak of beginning in the Persons of the godhead I speak after the manner of men, and according to our capacity: for, I believe, that being eternal, they can have no beginning, as we conceive a beginning, in respect of time, days hours, minutes, moments.  
VII. And although this eternity & many other things in God, as the trinity of Persons in the unity of Essence, the Generation of the Word, Spiration of the holy Ghost, and divine Proprieties or Attributes, as infinity, Omniscience, Omnipotence, mercy, Justice; be much above reason and all human apprehension: yet I Doubt not of the truth thereof; but with an humble and strong Faith, say to that eternal, infinite, All knowing, almighty and Incomprehensible Spirit: thou art my God, because I cannot conceive thee.  
VIII. I believe, that there is no Division of the Essence, nor confusion of the Persons: for the Essence or Being, Nature, Substance is so whole in all the Persons; that they are all but one and the same substance, and so but one indivisible God: and the Persons are so distinct in their Order, Names and incommunicable Proprieties, as these are particular and personal: that the first cannot be the second; nor the Son, the Father; nor the holy Ghost, either of these, begetting or being begotten: and therefore.  
Ix.. I believe, that the Father and first Person of the deity hath Being of himself: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, nor proceeding; but begetting his Son, and with him producing or sending forth the holy Ghost.  
X. I believe, that the Son and second Person is neither made, nor created, nor proceeding: but begotten eternally by the Father, with whom he sends forth the holy Ghost  
XI. I believe, that the holy Ghost and third Person is neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but eternally proceeding from the Father and Son.  
XII. I believe, that though the three Persons be distinguished among themselves and known to us, by the names of Father or first, Son or second, holy Ghost or Third: yet the names, which belong to the divine Essence, as Jehova, Lord, God & the like, are common to the three Persons: so that I call the Father, God; the Son, God, & the holy Spirit, God: and say also, that God is the Father; & God, the Son; & God the holy Ghost: yet acknowledge, admire & adore but one God, one in Nature, three in Persons, who differ really each from other, in their particular & personal Proprieties but from the Essence, only formally, by divers manners or fashions of subsisting.  
XIII. So that in th'unity of the godhead, I believe a plurality, not essential, nor accidental; but only personal. Not essential, because the deity is a most simple Essence: nor accidental, for, God admits no accidents nor composition, being a most pure act: neither are the Persons compounded, as if they were a thing and another thing, or part of the godhead: but they are the Divine substance, and three subsistences or manners of being.  
XIV. I believe, that whatsoever is in God, is God, because there is nothing in God, which be not properly the Essence or Persons. Therefore, all God's Attributes or Proprieties belong to the Essence, without division; and to each person, with the limitation or distinction of personal propriety. I say therefore, that wisdom is essential to the deity, yea deity itself; and that it is in the Father, wisdom begetting; in the Son, wisdom begotten; in the holy Ghost, wisdom proceeding: and upon this ground.  
XV. I believe, that the Essence being most simple, and which admits no division; the essential proprieties of God differ not truly from the Essence, nor from themselves, but only in our conception, which being weak, and our understanding finit, borrows the assistance of many distinct acts, thoughts, sights, to know in part the incomprehensible God.  
XVI. To speak then properly, I believe and confess, that there are not in God many Attributes (except the personal proprieties of begetting, &c.) but one only, which is th'Essence itself; by which God is eternal, Great, Wise, Just, &c. and so eternity itself, Power, wisdom, Justice, &c. yet so that I conceive not, that his Mercy and Justice, Love and Hatred, &c. differ in themselves, and from God: for, they are but one thing in God, or rather they are God himself: for,  
XVII. I believe, that God's essential proprieties are in him, neither quantities, nor qualities of the divine Essence, nor accidents in that Essence, but his whole and only Essence: for, God admits no quantity, by which he may be said to be so much and so much; nor quality, by which he be said such and such: but whatsoever God is, he is such only by Essence; great, without quantity; good, without quality.  
XVIII. I believe, that according to our apprehension and to the truth itself, we may call the Father eternal, infinite, Omnipotent, merciful, Just, Wise, and the like; and so likewise the Son and holy Ghost: yet we must not, and I do not believe three eternal, infinite, Omnipotent, Immutable, True, Wise Gods or Essences: but one only eternal, infinite, Omnipotent, holy God or Essence.  
XIX. I believe, God hath composed & still communicates some of his Proprieties, both to Angels and Men, as justice, holiness, wisdom, power, & the like, in a wise proportion to their capacity, & regard of his own glory: but there are some so essential and proper to the deity; that he will not, and so cannot communicate them to the creature: as eternity, simplicity, infinity, Omniscience, Omnipotence: for thus he should destroy the nature of the creature, and make her a God, by the communication of the incommunicable divine Essence, in which, or rather which those Proprieties are.  
XX. By God's eternity, I conceive in part, & believe wholly & perfectly that Being, he hath of himself, free from mutation & passion, without beginning & end of time, & without succession of first and last, past & future: in whom all other Beings do begin: who gives to all life & breath & all things: in whom we live & move: of whom, through whom, & for whom are all things.  
XXI. By God's simplicity, I conceive & believe likewise his pure Essence, void of composition, division, multiplication: for, God is not compounded of matter & form, nor of gender and difference, nor of substance and accidents, nor of any parts or things, sensible, or intelligible: but whatsoever God is, he is the same essentially, all things being but one in him, which in creatures are divers. And the trinity of Persons hinders not this simplicity: for, God is three, by coexistence of Persons, not by composition of parts.  
XXII. By God's infinity, I conceive the immensity of God's Essence, void of measures, limits or bounds, being all in himself, all in all things, all in every thing, & all without all things: filling & containing all things, yet being contained by none: moving the world, and yet being without motion: for, what is infinite hath no motion nor mutation. And this infinity is that, we call Omnipresence & Ubiquity, by which the Deity is every where.  
XXIII. By God's Omniscience, I understand that one eternal, infinite, simple & perfect act or sight, by which God comprehends himself, as an infinite object, and by himself knows all things, past, present, future; past and future to us, but all ever present to him.  
XXIV. By God's Omnipotence, I conceive that most simple and perfect act, by which he's in himself able to do whatsoever he will; so that no Creature can resist his power, which hath no limits but his Will.  
XXV. God's Essence being simple & true, can admit no contrariety, or falsity: & therefore I believe, that God will not, & so cannot do things contradictory, as to make a man unreasonable, or a body without its length, breadth, depth: for, this should be body & nobody; & the other, man & no man.  
XXVI. I believe & confess, that God can (if he will) do many things more, than he hath done: as, to Create new Worlds, and likewise destroy his own works: yet from his infinite power, nothing must be affirmed, as done, or to be done, unless his Will be proved.  
XXVII. By God's Will, I Conceive that most simple, infinite, perfect act, by which he eternally Will himself, & all things for himself: so that God hath not two, nor contrary Wills; but one only, constant & immutable: yet to help our weakness, in the imperfect conception of the incomprehensible God, we have many nominal, but not real distinctions of God's Will, & chiefly sour: the will of Good Pleasure & of sign, absolute & conditional.  
XXVIII. By the will of sign, I understand those means, by which God manifests what is pleasant or displeasant to him, as his injunctions & prohibitions, promises & threatenings. And so I call both Testaments, the will of sign, or the Revealed will: because we see in them what is secret and hid in God.  
XXIX. By the will of Pleasure, I Conceive God's only will, by which he most freely & for himself, eternally decrees what must be done. I say eternally: for, God's will hath no first nor last: yet in respect of things decreed, God is said, to have decreed, that they should come to pass, in that order and succession, we see.  
XXX. I believe God's will Absolute, because it is grounded on his sole good Pleasure, & depends in no-wise upon things made or done in time: but is the Cause of whats'ever is made or done, of beings & actions, yet not of the malice of the actions.  
XXXI. And I call it conditional, because God's commandments & prohibitions, promises & threatenings have a condition of obedience or disobedience joined with them.  
XXXII. I believe, that God is so absolute Lord and Master of the whole world, that nothing is, nor can be done against his free & only will of Good-Pleasure. For although many things be done against the will of sign; yet they are not, nor can be done, against the will of Good pleasure: but all creatures are governed, & all things do happen, by & according to the eternal will or Providence of God, which consisting not only in knowledge, but also in government, those very things, which in respect of second causes, we call Contingent, or of Chance, are most necessary, & so necessarily happen, in regard of God's absolute & immutable will: yet not by a necessity of compulsion, chiefly in the rational creatures, but of immutability.  
XXXIII. As I believe, there is a God, such as I have described, yea, far above all my apprehension: So, I believe in him, Father, Son, holy Ghost, in the unity of Essence, putting my whole confidence in his Name, for whatsoever concerns me, in goods, friends, reputation, body & soul.  
XXXIV. I believe, that the Name of God is admirable & reverent: but by this word, I understand not only those Names, Jehova, God, Lord, Father, Christ, Saviour, Jesus, Comforter, &c. but the Divine Essence represented me by those Names. I therefore tremble not, nor bow at the sound, or sight of those Names: but I fear and adore the majesty of God, his power, wisdom, justice, love and the rest, which I conceive, in hearing or seeing those Names.  
XXXV. I believe, that God being incomprehensible to us, because he's infinite, and we finit; & there's no proportion of a finit to an infinite thing: he hath yet in some sort revealed himself to man, in the Creatures & Scripture: for, both in part declare his eternity, wisdom, power, goodness and perfection. Then concerning the Creatures.  
XXXVI. I believe & confess, that God, to communicate his goodness, & for his will and good pleasure, made immediately by himself, all things invisible & visible: some of nothing, & others of a matter already created by him, but naturally unapt to produce the thing made thereof, first separating that matter, then giving it a better form, more perfection, & greater Ornament.  
XXXVII. I believe, that God, although wanting nothing, as being a complete essence; which can receive no perfection by the creature, did yet for his glory & praise, make all things for himself, & for the good, help & felicity of the rational creature, to which all other things, yea itself manifest the excellence of the maker.  
XXXVIII. God being the sovereign good I believe, that all his creatures were good & perfect in their kind. I make not therefore two principles or beginnings of things good & ill: for, these ill things were not so in themselves, but very good, for the use & end, they were made.  
XXXIX. I believe, that the trinity did concur in the Creation; the Father as the first cause of all things, making the World by the Son, who is his Word & Wisdom, & by the holy Ghost, his power & virtue. And all these three Persons in one Essence, I love, serve and adore, with equal affection, fidelity, respect & fear.  
XL. I believe, that though the Heavens declare the glory of God, & the whole world be a fair glass, to behold therein his greatness, wisdom, goodness, &c. Yet Angels and Men only were made in God's Image; & hereupon.  
XLI. I Conceive & believe, that this Image was not in the shape of man's body: for, angels are but Spirits, & God himself hath nobody: though the Scripture for our capacity speaks of God's eyes, ears, hands, to show, he knows all, can do all. Seeking then that Image of God in man, I find it chiefly in the souls invisible & immortal substance, having a wise understanding, & this with the will & memory, yea with the whole body, just & upright; besides that majesty and power over all these inferior creatures, by which he was God's lieutenant on earth, & so represented him in some sort, above all the rest.  
XLII. I believe, that Angels being all made in God's Image, which consisted in their invisibility, immortality & uprightness, some fell voluntarily from God, & others did remain in their integrity, assisted, & confirmed in it by God's grace in Christ, who is their Head, if not by redemption, yet by creation and Adoption, or gracious union with God: for, he's the Image of the invisible God, & the first borne of every creature, by whom & for whom were created all things, in Heaven & Earth, visible & invisible; & therefore without whom Angels nor Men, could be neither created in the Image of God, nor adopted for Sons.  
XLIII. Angels being thus confirmed in God's grace & eternal felicity, I believe them glorious, diligent, faithful Ministers of God's will, for his glory & the good of his Church, & fair miroirs of the riches of his mercy: whereas others, who fell, being confirmed & hardened in malice, do what they can against that Church, being in their most wretched state of everlasting damnation, woeful spectacles of God's justice & anger towards sin.  
XLIV. I believe, that Adam having a will free & indifferent both to good & evil, did willingly reject the first, & embrace the second: & so forsaking God, & transgressing his law, which then he might have kept, if he had been willing; he lost that integrity & wisdom, he was created in, & that absolute yet gentle power, he had over these inferior creatures; yea that immortality both of body & soul, by which the body should never have been forsaken by the soul, nor this deprived of God's grace, which is her only Life.  
XLV. I believe, that as we were all in Adam, & he did then represent us; so he lost for us all what he lost for himself. Therefore all his children (none excepted but Christ) are cursed & dead in him, being all guilty of the sins, he committed, in eating of the fruit prohibited by God, & subject to his punishment. I say sins in plural: for, pride, incredulity, murder, intemperance & theft, did all concur with his disobedience.  
XLVI. I believe, that those sins having infected the first man's person, & his person corrupted his nature; this spreads her killing infection into all the persons, which naturally descend from Adam & by him, that is, by natural generation: so that all such persons are shapen in iniquity, conceived in sin, & thus defiled and cursed, both in soul & body.  
XLVII. I call this sin original, believing it, a natural & strong aversion from good, & propension to ill, an inbred lust, desire, concupiscence, by which we will, act, or not act, in opposition to God's Laws, & the rules of reason: and so is the corrupt fountain of all our actual transgressions of the Lord's Laws, in thoughts, affections, words, actions; yea, of our omissions of all holy duties.  
XLVIII. I believe that this sin hath so corrupt our whole nature, that of ourselves, or without the special grace of God, we can not think, desire, love, fear, work, or speak any thing, which be pleasant to him.  
XLIX. This sin being the cause of all our miseries; the breeder of our fears, cares, pains; the murderer of our souls and bodies: as I know, all men die bodily for it; so I judge them all damned, considering them all in Adam, guilty of his disobedience: for, the wages of sin is dead, both corporal and spiritual: all sins being of such killing nature, so mortal in themselves, that the lest deserves many deaths.  
L. Yet I believe, & to the glory of my God's mercy confess, that both original & actual sins are not imputed to all men, but by his most free gift pardoned to many, who by this grace of Remission of sin, are delivered from that spiritual & perpetual death, by which the rest of mankind is swallowed.  
LI. Those blessed men, who obtain this gratuity pardon, I call Elect, & those wretched persons, who miss it, Reprobat: the first being taken out of the general & sinful lump of natural corruption in Adam, by God's eternal Election; and the second left in the same, by his eternal Reprobation,  
LII. Considering with fear and pity, the miserable state of these, and seeking earnestly the Cause of their Reprobation, I find it in God's will. I believe then, & to the glory of my God's Justice, confess, that he decreed eternally, to Reprobat, reject, disallow, or pass by some of mankind, which should voluntarily fall into sin, & so damn them, to declare his Justice.  
LIII. Thus I think not, that their infidelity or sin foreseen be the cause of their Reprobation: for thus we should all be Reprobat: but I believe & say again, that God was moved, to decree it, by his free & just Will, being resolved of the same lump, to make some vessels to honour, & others unto dishonour; & so as a great Lord, to furnish his great house, with vessels of all sorts.  
LIV. Yet I say not, that God made some men to be damned, although he did reprobat them: for, none is damned, as he is man, created in great purity; but as he is deformed & marred by his voluntary folly & guilt: neither is dammation the proper end of his Reprobation, or an effect of it; but is a mean, to manifest the glory of the Lord's Justice and his hate towards sin, in the severe & everlasting punishments, he inflicts on sinners.  
LV. These punishments being the fit wages of sin, & this sin most voluntary in the Reprobat, considered in themselves, who daily & wilfully sin, & in Adam, whose fall was free: they have no just ground to complain of God, as if he were the cause or author of their sin, which I believe, he's not, but rather hates & forbids it. For though they cannot forbear sin, but much delight in it, & commit it with greediness: yet  
LVI. I believe, that sin is not prompted to them, nor forced on them by God, but by the suggestions of the devil, & corruptions of their nature: & God is not obliged to strengthen them against those tentations & depravation; but may justly deny to them, or withdraw his graces from, them, & give them up to their hearts lusts, & Satan's power: neither likewise was he obliged, to hinder Adam's fall; but might, & did most justly permit & decree it; not as a sin, but as a mean to manifest his mercy & justice: mercy to few, & justice to many.  
LVII. If my blind reason shall dictat, that thus the Lord is hard, injust, partial; I'll reprove it by this my firm belief: that God owing nothing to man, no not the coursest bread, he eats, must not, cannot be accused of severity, injustice or partiality: for, no man can plead against God, nor the thing formed, say to him, who formed it; why hast thou made me thus? We were all in God's power, as the clay in the potter's hands, fit to be made vessels to such uses & services, as our Lord & maker thought best, for the revelation of his wisdom, power, mercy, justice.  
LVIII. If then God loved Jacob, & hated Esau, before they were borne, and had done either good or ill; it is enough for me to know, 'twas his will, to do so; and who can resist or alter it, being almighty and immutable. And who dares censure it, being most just, yea the rule of justice? I dare not, will not, cannot find fault with the just and high God, who hath mercy on whom he will, and hardens whom he will.  
LIX. Although this word Harden seems hard, yet I believe, that there is no unrighteousness with God: for, he hardens but those, who have hardened themselves, by their wilful abuse of good motions, predications, admonitions & corrections: & he hardens them not, by infusing any malice into their hearts; but only by a just denial, or subtraction of the graces, he owes them not, & so by suffering them to follow their lewd inclinations, & Satan's wicked tentations. And this they do so wilfully, eagerly, constantly; that as their Reprobation is sure & immutable, in respect of God's will, which can admit no change: so they make their damnation most certain, by their infidelity and wickedness.  
LX. These Reprobat, infidel & wicked persons being as limbs & children of Satan, are called the world, of which the devil is the Prince, being indeed their King & God, not by creation (for, he can create nothing) but by their free subjection to his laws, those wicked thoughts, lewd affections, injust actions, blasphemous words, wherewith they are clothed & sealed, as by the infamous livery & mark of the Prince of darkness; under whose black colours, they fight against the Church of God, the blessed company of his Elect.  
LXI. Yet I believe, & much rejoice, that their endeavours are in vain, unless it be to try the patience, & purge the virtue of God's Saints, as gold is tried & refined in a furnace: for as the Reprobate can never do good works, as they are pleasant unto God, and may have his gracious regard & eternal reward; 'cause they want Faith, the root of all good works, & do not aim at God's glory, which should be their chief end: So  
LXII. I believe, that the Elect cannot commit such sins, as make them lose finally the infinite & immutable love of God: for though thy sin often, yea grievously, & are not sometimes called, till the last hour of the day of their life; yet many waters cannot extinguish that love: but God's foundation remaining sure, & his choice of them being eternal, he loves them to the end, and so gives them remission of their sins; & freely & throughly Justifies, Sanctifies, Glorifies those, he hath in mercy called and Predestinated.  
LXIII. This Predestination being eternal, & (as the Word itself doth show) a fore appointment of men to life everlasting, before they had any being, is (I believe) gratuity, grounded on the free grace & mere good will of God, & not on our faith or good works foreseen: for, these are not properly ours, but proceed from the Lord, who doth therefore give them to us, because he hath Elected us: So that they are effects or fruits of his eternal Election; & not causes or roots thereof.  
LXIV. I therefore believe & confess, that it is not in him, who will; nor in him, who runs; but in God, who showeth mercy. Not our good affections, nor our holy actions, but God's mercy is the cause of our Election. And as God in mercy elects us unto Salvation, so by the same he Predestinates us to the means thereof, a right belief & holy Life.  
LXV. The life of a Christian consisting in these two, & Faith coming by hearing of God's Word, those men only are called, whom he hath Predestinated: & their Calling is outward & inward, both effectual. I mean not then that Vocation, which is, or may be common to all men; that general invitation to grace and Salvation, which many hear, & few regard; that outward Preaching of God's Word, which few truly beeleve, & faithfully Obey, but sounding in the ears of Reprobate persons, either inlightens & moves not their hardened hearts, or inlightens & moves them so lightly, that it neither begets true Faith, nor works real alteration or conversion in them: but by this Vocation only proper to the Elect,  
LXVI. I Understand a clear manifestation of God's truth, to which th'Elect are both outwardly & inwardly drawn effectually, from the general corruption of infidelity & sin, to serve him in Faith & good works, in a sure hope of Salvation, their minds being enlightened by God, & their hearts mollified.  
LXVII. The outward Preaching of God's Word, & inward persuasions & motions of his Spirit being necessary to this effectual Vocation, I believe it a grace of God, who Calls us in mercy, & draws us powerfully; yet by such gentle means, & such fair lights, that we willingly follow him: & upon the same ground, I conceive it above the strength of our nature, whose corruption being well known to me.  
LXVIII. I believe and confess, that we have no preparation nor inclination to this merciful & effectual Vocation; & that our moral honesty, or natural goodness, strength, wisdom or Knowledge contribut nothing to our Vocation, nor cannot work our Conversion, which properly is either Vocation itself, or an effect of it: for when the Lord doth powerfully call us, we must without opposition or resistance turn back, from our ill ways, & willingly follow those paths, through which he leads us to Heaven.  
LXIX. These paths being hard & stony, most unpleasant to our corrupt nature, as mortifying it, and subduing it to the Spirit, which is revived, are made easy, by the assistance of God's Spirit, who freely doth in part deliver his Elect from their natural corruption, & renewing in them God's Image, doth strengthen them to do good works, to the glory of their Maker, who thus Sanctifies those, whom he hath justified.  
LXX. I believe, that God Justifies, both by pardoning sin, & imputing righteousness; & acknowledge this Remission & Jmputation an eternal & free action of God, who for Christ's full satisfaction is pleas●d to remit sin, & impute unto the Sinner his perfect righteousness, thus to make him just before him, and give him everlasting life, for certainly, God glorifies all those, whom he hath justified: & as he Justifies freely, without respect of works; so in mercy he Glorifies.  
LXXI. I believe then, that being justified freely by the mercy of God, through the merits of Christ, which our faith as a hand seizes, thus making his righteousness ours; we are by the same mercy & merits glorified, yea so freely, that God in his eternal will hath Predestinated us to glory, to manif●st the riches of his mercy, in our perpetual happiness.  
LXXII. I confess then, that by grace we are saved, through faith apprehending that grace, God offers us in Christ: & not by works, lest any man should glory in himself, if his good deeds could purchase him that excellent felicity, God hath prepared for the faithful.  
LXXIII. I therefore Expect the glory of the children of God, from his mercy & love to me in Christ, in whom we are his Adopted children, & so Coheires of his Kingdom: & not by virtue of my wor●es, be they never so good: for though they be commanded me, to testify my obedience, love, gratitude to God, to advance his glory, & make my Vocation & Election certain, by showing, that my faith is not dead in my heart, but is a fruitful tree: and though again I be created in Jesus Christ unto good works, & so resolve fully to walk in them, by the assistance of God's Spirit, as being the known way to everlast●ng happiness: yet  
LXXIV. I believe, they cannot be a me●●●rious cause of those infinite joys, which neither our wisest hearts can conceive, nor our best works equal; as there being no proportion of a finit & temporary action to that infinite & everlasting Life, which again I expect from the grace & mercy of God, both in soul and body: for though this shall die & corrupt; yet remembering Christ's promises, to raise all men at the last day, and considering, that 'tis fit, the whole man receive for ever the reward of his wickedness, or feel th'effects of God's bounty,  
LXXV I believe, that my flesh, my very flesh shall by the power of Christ be then reunited unto my soul, never to be separated, but to enjoy both together the fruits of Christ's merits, a perpetual fullness of joy, which surpasses all conception & expression of man; my whole person being made so glorious, that neither spirit nor flesh shall want any thing requisite to their full perfection.  
LXXVI. This glorious Resurrection being proper to the Elect, is a free gift of God to the secret members of Christ's body, which is known by the name of Church. I believe then, that God hath here a Church, or assembly of men, called by his Spirit & Word unto the State of Grace; & that this assembly is Christ's spiritual & mystical body.  
LXXVII. I Call it spiritual: for as Adam is the Head of the company of carnal men, who, live after the flesh, as being his Children, engendered in his corruption: so those, who live after the Spirit, are the blessed body of Christ, who is their Head by Adopotion, Redemption, Sanctification or Renovation.  
LXXVIII. I call it likewise mystical or hid; because God's Election & our Regeneration are not things subject to the eye: & so the Church is invisible, her members being not seen, as they are Elect, though they be visible, as men professing the true Religion, & by their holiness manifesting their faith, an effect of their Election. I say their holiness; 'cause.  
LXXIX. I believe, that God's Church is holy, all fair and without spot, yet not properly in herself: for, being compounded of men, of whom the best is a Sinner, this holiness of the body is as his righteousness, Imputative, God imputing unto the Church the holiness of Christ, which covers her impurities: & as God's gifts are without repentance; so  
LXXX. I believe this holiness so inherent unto the Church, that she cannot err finally in those points of faith & manners, which work her damnation: for though she admits some errors, & commits grievous sins; yet she's recalled & reformed by her Lover & Lord, so that her fall is not final, nor her sickness to death.  
LXXXI. Her members then (by which I understand only th'Elect) either never losing, or certainly recovering their donative integrity in faith & all good works, & Christ having promised her a subsistence or being, till the end of the World, I call her Infallible.  
LXXXII. And in this respect of continuation from the world's beginning, unto its end, & because she's not tied to places & persons, but is, or may be spread through all nations, & consists of all sorts or degrees of persons; I believe her Catholic or universal; although sometimes she be contained in a little compass, confined to a kingdom or town, there being sometimes but few outward professors of the truth, & among them but few, whose faith & life be right: for though many be called, yet few are chosen, & those many, who are thus called & not chosen, are often but a small number, compared unto the rest, who never hear God's voice, & know not his judgements.  
LXXXIII. Which being true, & so considering the Church as Visible & Invisible, a politic & mystical body; I allow her two Heads, believing her, as a civil body, subject to Kings & States, under whom she subsists, and so obliged to all their laws if just, that she sins against Christ her Invisible Head, to deny them her Obedience.  
LXXXIIII. The Church, which is likewise a spiritual body, the assembly of those faithful persons, who live & walk after the Spirit, must be subject unto Christ in all things: for, all his laws are just, & there is no authority, which on any pretext may exempt her, from her due Obedience to Christ her Husband, Head & sun.  
LXXXV. Considering Christ as a Husband, & the Church as a wife, I believe her subject to him, obliged to obey all his laws, acknowledge him for her only Husband & Lord, adhere to him, depend on him, forsake all false lovers, and seek to please him in all things.  
LXXXVI. Considering Christ as a Head, & the Church as a body, I believe, there must be an union of the members with the head, & 'mongst themselves: so that they all receive life from the head, & live among themselves in a holy union, which is called Communion of Saints, having Being, Life, Affections, Actions, Food, Faith, & Hope common, for certainly,  
LXXXVII. I Conceive & believe, that all the members of Christ's Church make but one mystical body; quickened by him; Aiming as one man unto his glory & the preservation & good of the body; Agreeing in the performance of the Heads commandments; Breaking one bread, & feeding on his flesh, the merits of his life & death, & the graces of his Spirit; yielding faith to his Word, believing his promises; & Expecting his merciful Rewards.  
LXXXVIII. This one body of Christ having many Members most fitly joined together, to grow up into him, he hath for the edification of his body, for the collection & perfection of all his Saints, & for the work of the ministry, given Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, & so sent many labourers into his field & Vineyard. I then believe, that the Ministers of the Church must have from God their Commission, either extraordinary, or ordinary.  
LXXXIX. The Apostles, Prophets, evangelists, being extraordinary Ministers, had (I believe) an extraordinary Vocation, sealed by God's spirit, both inwardly & outwardly: inwardly, by a great knowledge of his mysteries, & strong motifs to advance his glory: & outwardly, by a good life, & by the gifts of tongues, miracles, prophecies.  
XC. The levitical Law being abolished, the Gospel, preached & writ, & believed by many nations, those holy men did die, & those gifts ceased: & then succeeded & succeed Ministers called ordinarily, examined by the Church, concerning faith, knowledge, good life; then elected & confirmed, for the right administration of the Sacraments, & predication of God's Word, to give their flocks what they owe them, full instructions in faith & good manners, dissvasions from all sins, exhortations to piety & all Christian virtues, means of reconciliation with God & men, visits & comforts in their miseries, captivity, diseases, death.  
XCI. These Ministers being shepherds to feed the Church, must discharge their duty, both in public & in private, both by examples & counsels, leading their flocks to green pastures & still waters, & taking care of a weak sheep, which cannot well follow the rest; & of that too, which goes astray.  
XCII. These Ministers being likewise as dogs, must watch over the flock, least grievous wolves enter the fold; yea lest some of the Church arise, speaking perverse things, teaching false doctrines, breaking the Communion of Saints. For though the members of the Church cannot say one to another, I have no need of you: sith even the feeble members are necessary, & that in love & policy those members are adorned, which are less comely: Yet  
XCIII. I believe, the Church must not admit, & may expel all those, who err obstinately in points fundamental, shaking the foundation of necessary saving truths; or who live so lewdly, that they might infect the faithful, with their vicious customs; & be a scandal to the Church, by their wicked conversation: for, the Elect being children of light, & the Church compared to the moon, it becomes them to walk by light.  
XCIV. Conceiving Christ a sun, I call the Church a moon. I believe then, that she must borrow all her light from him. Although therefore the Church hath power in things indifferent, as concerning the time & place of God's worship, fasts, feasts, postures & other things, which in themselves are neither good nor bad, but left to each man's discretion: yet she must not presume to alter or infringe the laws of Christ, add to them, or detract from them; or to impose upon his children & members, that is, upon herself, aniething repugnant to the revealed will of her Husband & Head: but in all her decrees, concerning faith, discipline, good manners, & any great controversy, the Church, whether particular, provincial, national or universal, must in all her consultations, & decisions receive her light only from Christ her sun.  
XCV. This sun shining in the holy Scripture, as in his glorious firmament, I cast my eyes on him, there to behold & admire his beauty. As than I believe, that there is a God, & believe or Trust in that God: so I believe to him, giving assent unto his Word, & being fully persuaded of its infallible truth in all things; & namely,  
XCVI. In the declration of God's nature, power, wisdom, mercy, justice & will: in the manifestation of his Son in the flesh: in the gift of his holy Spirit: in the Creation & Rule of the World: description of man's State, both in Adam & Christ: doctrines of faith & works: confutation of falsehood & errors: condemnation & correction of sinful affections & all vicious actions: narration of things past: prophecies of future: consolations in miseries: threatenings of destruction & damnation for sin: promises of preservation & Salvation through Christ, whom with the arms of faith & love I do embrace.  
XCVII. All these excellent things being contained in the Scripture, I believe it the chief book of all, made by divine inspiration, or special assistance of God, for the study & use of the faithful, who may, yea must either read it, or hear it read & endeavour to understand & believe it.  
XCVIII. For though it be obscure, in respect of its prophecies & some deep mysteries: yet in respect of necessary truths concerning faith, & works, it is most clear to them, who with an humble heart, fervent prayers, frequent reading, serious meditation, religious intention seek the meaning of it, making that holy book the sure & only foundation of their whole faith, principles of their religion, rule of wisdom, justice & all virtues; & so preferring it to all writings, books, traditions, Canons or Constitutions, of Church or State, that it be the touch stone, to try the truth & goodness of others.  
XCIX. By the name of Scripture, I Understand only those books which are called canonic, & as such, received & believed by the Protestant or reformed true Church, who knows them to be the right Word of God, by the effectual persuasion of the holy Ghost: by their own excellence above the light of our nature: by their great power, to enlighten, move, comfort, terrify the divers hearts of men: by the Satisfaction, they give faithful readers, both in faith & manners: by the accomplishment of what is prophesied in them: by the conformity of their writers, when they handle the same matters: by the consent of the Jewish & Christian Churches: & so being assured, that they are such, doth show, commend & command them to all Christians, in the name of her Lord & Head.  
C. I say, she commands them in the name of her Lord: for though the Church show me these Books, yet their authority is not from the Church, but from God, whose written Word & will they are, so sufficient & full, that they are able, to make the man of God wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus, perfect in all good works.  
CI. The Scripture containing God's Covenant of favour & blessings, both corporal & spiritual, temporal and eternal, to his faithful & obedient people: I believe, he was pleased, to confirm & seal his gracious promises; lest any man, whom they concern, should mistrust or forget them. The confirmation was by an Oath, God swearing by himself, to bless in Christ (the seed of Abraham) all nations of the earth. The seals were & are Sacraments, which represented to the Fathers & do still assure us of Salvation through Christ: for though their matter did differ from ours, yet their signification was the same, even Christ the lamb slain, from the world's beginning to its consummation.  
CII. These Sacraments being holy signs of Christ, must have from him institution, promise of grace, matter & form, with the analogy or correspondence between the element or sign, & the thing signified in some propriety. I believe then, that Christ ordained the Sacraments, our holy Church hath now, appointing their matter & form, by which matter he represents the inward effects of his grace, promised to those, who shall receive the sign, in faith, love, pur●●●.  
CIII. Christ being the substance, or inward matter of the Sacraments, is likewise th'inward Minister, giving or doing to the faithful souls what the signs do to the bodies: for unto such the signs are not naked; but with the signs they receive Christ, with all his benefits, the merits of his life & death: whereas the Reprobat, infidel, or wicked persons being not of God's election, & so wanting the good disposition, which is required in all worthy Communicants, or partakers of Christ's merits, receive the signs to their condemnation, missing the grace, which is not tied unto the signs, nor shut in them. For though the signs be common to all the visible members of the Church: yet the grace signified is proper to the sole Elect; to whom only the Sacraments are most true seals, assurance, means of God's love towards them, in their Election, Vocation, Justification, Sanctification & Glorification.  
CIV. Considering them in this respect of seals, assurance, means, not as Causes of Salvation, I esteem them greatly, yet never adore them: & albeit the neglect of them be dangerous, yea damnable, because ordained & commanded by Christ: yet I believe, that God being not tied to the means & second causes, many men may be, & are saved, without the Sacraments or signs; for Christ being th'inward matter & Minister of them, may supply the want of outward matter & Ministers.  
CV. Whom I believe to be only the Stewards of God's mysteries, those men, who are lawfully called, for the dispensation of their Lord's Word & Sacraments: yet I dive not into their intentions, nor consider their worthiness, for the efficacy of the Sacraments: but observing Christ's institution, in their words & actions, I rely on his promises, for my present consolation, & future Salvation.  
Cvi The outward matter of the Sacraments being water, & Bread and wine are sanctified by prayers & the word of God, chiefly such words as contain the Institution of the Sacraments: & this Sanctification doth not consist in an alteration of the substance or qualities of the elements, but in a change of their common use into a holy signification: for being thus sanctified, or set a part, the water sprinkled, the bread broken, & the wine poured, both given, taken, eat, & drunk, (which actions with the words of Christ's Ordinance & promises, are the forms of the Sacraments) they represent spiritual things under corporal shapes: the Water in baptism signifying the washing of my soul, from all her filth & sins, by the blood of Jesus; & the mollifying of my hard heart, by the powerful graces of his spirit: & the Bread & Wine in the Lord's Supper representing my spiritual nourishment, by the flesh & blood of Jesus, the merits of his life & death.  
CVII. And as this nourishment could not be represented by the signs, if their substance should not remain; I believe & profess, that the bread & wine in the Lord's Supper retain their whole substance, as well as the water in baptism: & that it is against Scripture, reason & the nature of Sacraments, to imagine any substantial alteration or annihilation of the signs, in either of the Sacraments. Then to fancy in them a corporal presence of Christ, as is believed by many men, is likewise 'gainst Scripture, reason and the nature of all bodies, although glorious: for notwithstanding their agility, impassibility & glory, they are and must be finit, & have their natural length, breadth and depth.  
CVIII. These two, baptism & the Lord's Supper, already named twice, are the only Sacraments, which I believe, Christ left unto his Church, to represent her spiritual generation and refection: for, the faithful find truly in their reception what the signs signify, their new birth unto Christ, & nourishment by him. Besides these two, I Acknowledge & receive no other.  
CIX. Baptism being the first, not by its dignity: (for, they are both alike holy and excellent:) but by reason of its institution & signification, I Define it to be, a Sacrament, which by its matter applied with the form represents & seals unto us the remission of sins, mortification of the flesh, renovation of the Spirit, and adoption in Christ: who infusing his grace into our hearts, changes our carnal affections into spiritual, softens our stony hearts, purifies our corrupt nature.  
CX. Yet I say not, that these things be always done in baptism: for considering, that Abraham was justified & in God's covenant, before he had received the sign of Circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised: I believe, that our Regeneration may be, & is, wrought sometimes before baptism, in men of discretion, who have the right knowledge of God, and faith in him, & love to him; and sometimes long after baptism: for, God begets us when he will, by the outward seed of his Word, & the inward notions & motions of his Spirit, and by degrees Sanctifies us.  
CXI. As this Sacrament is the first visible seal of God's covenant it must not be denied them, who desire it, if their knowledge, faith, repentance, and good life declare them fit, to be received into Christ's flock. And since it is certain, that God's promises made to us, belong likewise to our children, whose God he promises to be, whom Christ embraced and blessed, testifying, that they have right in the kingdom of heaven: and since again, the Circumcision of the Jews (which our baptism succeeds) was ordained by God, even for babes of eight days old.  
CXII. I believe, all the children of them, who are probably thought to be in th' alliance of God, may well receive the sign and seal of that covenant, in which likewise they are; and the earnest of that kingdom, which by the grace of God, and by virtue of his free promises, doth belong unto them.  
CXIII. In the reception of this Sacrament, we give our names to Christ, & become his soldiers, to fight under his white Banners of love, humility, sincerity, truth, chastity & all virtues; against malice, hatred, pride, falsehood, lust and the foul troop of all vices, which war 'gainst us, under the black Standards of the devil, the World and Flesh. Albeit then I confess, we deserve death, to forsake Christ's colours, and turn to his & our enemies: yet being graciously recalled by him, if we return to him, & by faith accept the pardon, he offers to sinners,  
CXIV. I believe, that after baptism, we may Repent often, and be received into favour by him, who knows what is in man, and how the wisest errs, the strongest falls, the holiest sins: and therefore assists his Elect, with such effectual grace, that they cannot have mortal falls, not commit the sin unto death, that impudent, wilful and constant opposition or denial of the Lord's truth, known by the testimony of the holy Ghost, convincing man's rebellious heart.  
CXV. Allowing Repentance, and knowing it necessary, before the reception of either Sacrament, in men of discretion; I conceive it to be, a true sorrow for all our sins, begot in our hearts by God's Spirit & the filial consideration of the infinite majesty of our gracious God and loving Father offended by our sins, which we truly detest, resolving seriously never to displease our God willingly, but to serve him faithfully in all things, vowing to keep his holy laws, & make to our neighbours all possible and due satisfaction or restitution of name, goods, losses, and to give them an information of the truth, if we have misled them; and withal begging God's pardon, which we believe, he will grant for Christ's sake, & for him freely granting ours to those, who have offended us, although they do not desire it.  
CXVI. Who by God's special grace hath this true Repentance, with a solid Knowledge of him, & a right Faith of him, to him, in him; believing what he is, hath revealed and promised, yea applying unto himself his gracious promises, & wholly relying on them, may most comfortably receive both Sacraments▪ or having once received the first, be often admitted unto the participation of the second; concerning which this is my Faith, that 'tis  
CXVII. A Sacrament, in which by Bread & Wine God represents to us our spiritual & perfect nourishment & preservation to eternal life, by Christ's body and blood; & seals unto our souls his free & frequent promises of remission of sin, of everlasting life, & of his love & protection, by the merits of his son's obedience: for certainly, this Sacrament is a noble Token of God's constant love towards us, a sure Earnest of his glory, a known seal of his promises, & a fair Remembrance of the disgraces, pains, torments, Christ endured in his life and death.  
CXVIII. I say disgraces, pains, torments: for, I believe, that this Sacrament is a memorial of the humiliation, not of the glorification of Christ, whom then we consider enduring, not reigning; in pains, not in pleasures, in infamy, not in glory: So that the breaking of the bread, and pouring of the wine represent us the torments of Christ's flesh, & the effusion of his blood; the first tortured, the second shed, for the food of our souls.  
CXIX. And thus are they made our souls food. As we take bread and wine, & our outward senses see, feel, smell & taste but the signs, our souls behold the thing signified by them, the very flesh & blood of Christ, which then we eat and drink, believing sincerely, that by his pains, ignominies and righteousness, both in his life & death; yea in his Sepulture, he made satisfaction to God's justice for us, delivering us from everlasting death, & purchasing eternal life for us: & in that faith, our souls live here, fat (as it were) by Christ's merits, & strong with hope, to enjoy, his glory.  
CXX. 'Tis then only by Faith, not by the mouth of the body, that the Elect eat and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus: for, his glorious body being in the highest Heaven, is not fit meat for our stomach: neither can it be present in, with, or under the signs, but by a sacramental signification. I believe then, that Christ's body is present but Sacramentally, by signification or representation of Christ's effects, and of the merits of his whole humanity, which then I see, take, eat by faith, the eye, hand and mouth of the Christian soul, applying that to me, which Christ acted and endured for me. For though Christ be not in the bread and wine, else Reprobat and Dogs might then eat him: yet  
CXXI. I believe, he's present in the Sacrament by his divinity, and there I adore him. He's there, by communication and a free grant of his merits; and by faith I do embrace them. He is there, giving grace, and promising glory; and I receive him believing. And since this Sacrament was ordained by him, under both kinds of bread and wine;  
CXXII. I believe, it must be administered & received in both kinds, as well to signify our perfect nourishment; as to refresh in our memories the torments of Christ's flesh, and the effusion of his blood. I Esteem then the denial of the Cup, a Sacrilegious mutilation of the Sacrament, and a dangerous diminution of its signification. And since the matter of the Sacraments is appointed by Christ, and that they are intended to signify our spiritual generation and Refection, and to be likewise Remembrances of Christ's life and passion;  
CXXIII. I esteem them greatly abused, if mixed with any other matter, or administered & received, to any other ends. The mixture then, or addition of oil and salt, with, or to the water in baptism: the baptism of Bells: the celebration & reception of the Lord's Supper, in the honour of Saints, and upon their relics; or for confirmation of leagues, treaties, bargains; for the proof of denied rights, or of suspected innocence; cure of diseases; happy success, or the like ends: and the keeping or carrying of the consecrated bread, for devotion or adoration, are most superstitious and idolatrous profanations of the Sacraments, and so heinous sins against God;  
CXXIV. Who being the Lord of all things, & having vouchsafed to manifest to men, in what fashion he will be served by them; 'tis (I believe) an intolerable presumption, to alter or break willingly the lest of all his Laws: and 'tis also a great blindness, to think to please him in that way, which he doth not approve.  
CXXV. To receive then his Sacraments otherwise, than he doth appoint, and to serve him in Images, statues, superstitious ceremonies, idolatrous and will-worship, pilgrimages, vows, prayers and confessions made unto Angels and dead Saints, feasts and fasts kept for them, and oaths taken by them, cannot have his gracious regard, as things pleasant to him; but justly draw his curse, as abominable follies. Yea,  
CXXVI. I believe, that vows & prayers made unto God alone, and oaths taken by him, if they be such, as he doth not require, nor in that fashion, he approves; such as prayers in unknown tongues, & concluded by the name, merits, mediation of any other, then of Christ, are abominations before him.  
CXXVII. And such I do esteem all light, false, injust vows, prayers and oaths: & amongst them, those foolish, rash and impossible vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, which are held by many persons, such high actions of religion, that those have got the special name of religious, who make such vows to God, the Virgin Marie, and some chief friar.  
CXXVIII. And as the making of such vows, and taking of such oaths do doubtless greatly offend God: so I believe; he is highly displeased, at the breach of all vows, promises, oaths, which in themselves are just and rightly made, either to him or any man: for, he hates both the commission of ill, & the omission of holy duties, and all just promises: yea any thing whatsoever against his holy Law, whether it be in thoughts or affections, wo●ds or actions, great or little, is odious to that pure and righteous Spirit, whose Law being spiritual & general, the whole man is subject to it, and judged by it.  
CXXIX. By God's Law, I conceive the declaration of his Will, in the holy Scripture, wherein he hath been pleased to manifest fully what he loves and abhors; and so to command us the first, and forbid the second.  
CXXX. I believe then, that all Injunctions & Prohibitions, which concern men in general, about faith & good works, must be diligently both believed and observed. Yet since the Lord himself hath for our ease made a compendium of his moral Law in ten precepts, and Christ hath reduced faith or knowledge to two heads, of God and of himself; having declared my faith, concerning God, Father, Son, holy Ghost and many other things, and intending to set it down fully concerning Christ, I will now speak only of those ten commandments, & briefly thus.  
CXXXI. I believe them the just and perfect rule of moral honesty, finely and fully, although succinctly, expressing our duties to God and man, and forbidding what may offend either. I say fully for in their brevity, we must wisely understand the whole, by a part; the general, by the special; prohibitions, by injounctions; inward duties, by the outward: and on the contrary, outward duties, by the inward; injounctions, by prohibitions; the special, by the general; and a part, by the whole.  
CXXXII. All these ten commandments containing each special matters, may be yet reduced to two Heads, the Love of God, and Love of the neighbour.  
CXXXIII. Who then Loves God, with all his heart, soul, strength; as a good child loves his Father; regarding him above all things; rejoicing in his perfections; magnifying his name & works; inviting all men to his love, all creatures to his praise; fearing to displease him, and seeking to please and serve him, in that way, he prescribes; adoring him alone; having no faith, no hope, but in his wisdom, power, goodness, for what concerns the soul; seeking health, ease, honours, riches, but from him & by lawful means; enduring patiently his corrections; being thankful for his blessings, & in all things submitting his will unto his, doth (I believe) fulfil the commandments of the first Table, which concern God and his service.  
CXXXIV. And who in and for God loveth his Neighbour as himself, doing what he can lawfully, to instruct him, in the right & full knowledge of the Lord, to divert him from sin, exhort him to virtue, help him to lead a holy & sweet life, wishing, praying for him what is necessary for his present & future happiness; and freely, heartily and fully pardoning him all faults, doth likewise fulfil the commandments of the second Table, concerning his Neighbour.  
CXXXV. But because this love towards God & man cannot be so pure & perfect, in the state of our corruption, but that we sin daily 'gainst both, & so transgress the law of God; and by our transgression lose the blessing of everlasting life promised unto its observers, & do daily incur the curse threatened unto its transgressors, I believe & confess, that though the Law be just & perfect in itself: yet by reason of our weakness, since the fall of Adam, it is not sufficient to Salvation.  
CXXXVI. Sith than my works are imperfect, I believe, my faith must supply their want. And since the Law cannot save me, but rather condemns me; I borrow the help of my faith, believing God, for my righteousness or justification. And because it is not enough, to believe in God without Christ, this is my hearty Faith in him, & verbal confession of him, besides those points, I have already touched concerning him  
CXXXVII. That God, Father, Son, holy Ghost having in mercy Elected some men, it pleased that only wise & gracious Spirit, to give them Christ, as the effectual mean of their Election, & sole cause of their Salvation. 'Twas then decreed, that the second Person of the incomprehensible trinity should assume man's nature, thus to be made to God's Elect, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification & redemption.  
CXXXVIII. And lest our Nature should be corrupt, sinful in Christ, if as man he had descended from Adam, by natural generation; it was likewise decreed, that a pure and perfect body should be formed by the power of God, of the purified substance of a faithful Virgin, without the help or seed of man.  
CXXXIX. And as this was eternally decreed, so I believe, it was performed in the appointed time: for, the blessed Virgin Marie believing God's message, & consenting to be made a Mother, without any carnal knowledge of man, did by the power of the holy Ghost conceive that wondrous Child, who by an eternal Generation is the Son of God, without Mother; and by temporal conception, the Son of Man, without Father.  
CXL. Man's nature in Christ ●ubsisting not in itself, but in the Person of the Wo●d, I believe, that in one instant, Christ's whole humanity body & soul was formed, created & assumed, or taken up by the second Person of the divinity, in such a strait & perpetual union, that it did never subsist without the Word, who assumed the nature, not the person of man: so that in Christ there is but one divine, eternal & indivisible person, in, to, by which, our whole nature soul & body hath its subsistence, abiding or standing; yet adds nothing unto the deity: for, God being perfect, simple & eternal, he can receive no addition, composition, alteration, passion.  
CXLI. The Union being personal, of two natures in one Person; I believe, that as the Person of Christ can not be divided, so his Natures are not, can not be confounded, but still retain their essential proprieties; the divine being eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omniscient; and the human, temporal, finit & once passable, having a beginning of time, & limits for knowledge, power & place. For though Christ's human power, knowledge, wisdom were great & excellent: yet  
CXLII. I believe, they were finit, so that all things were not possible & known unto him, as man, although as God, he knew, could do all things, which are not contradictory. I say therefore, that although Christ's Person, (to whom the proprieties of both natures are common) knew all things in the womb; yet it was not by his human nature, by which he being born, increased in wisdom, learning new things by daily experience. And thus I believe, he was born.  
CXLIII. Although his body was by the power of God formed in an instant to the requisite growth, for the reception of the soul, yet he was in the virgin's womb, & grew in it to greater strength, till the days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.  
CXLIV. And then the blessed Maid brought forth in bedlam, & in a stable, the Maker of heaven & earth, who then appeared to the world, in the shape of a poor Servant, in the form of a weak Infant, whom beholding with the strong eyes of faith, I most humbly adore: for,  
CXLV. I believe, that that Infant is God and Man: Man, to do & endure for me, that is, in my steed & for my good, what I could not, yet ought both to do & suffer: and God, to give infinite price, efficacy or force unto the actions & passions of the humanity, & apply them to me.  
CXLVI. I Rely then wholly on the merits of Christ's obedience to God's Law, & of his sufferings for my sins; believing, he exactly observed the Law for me, & fully satisfied his offended justice; and so by his pains & righteousness both original & actual, redeemed me from sin, death, hell; and purchased me grace, life, Heaven.  
CXLVII. Christ then is all my hope, my only Mediator of redemption & intercession, through whom I live on earth in grace, & shall in heaven in glory. To procure me both these, & also to show me examples of humility, meekness, patience & all virtues, my Saviour was borne amongst beasts; subject to my passions & infirmities, yet without sin or disorder; circumcised the eighth day; carried into Egypt; Persecuted through all his Life, which having led most holily, humbly, painfully, patiently & miraculously, chiefly the three last years; in which by his mighty wonders & divine instructions he manifested his deity, he ended it, by an ignominious and cruel death, drinking at last the full & bitter cup of God's indignation against sin and sinners, treading alone the winepress of God's wrath, & shedding all that precious blood, which is our bath & only purgation.  
CXLVIII. I believe then, that as he did represent us, he was in his human nature exposed unto the wrath of God, which his innocent soul so lively apprehended, that she was heavy unto death, then enduring for his Elect (by the help of the deity supporting the humanity) th' eternal pains due to their sins, & so making to God satisfaction in that nature, yea in both parts of that nature, which had offended him.  
CXLIX. For, unto this fearful apprehension & spiritual sense of God's indignation, which (I believe) he had often, were added most grievous torments, his pure body endured, from his birthday, to the last moment of his life: so that he was both in soul & body, & in his life & death, wounded for our iniquities, bruised for our transgressions, cursed for our sake, and killed to give us life; as those being the end of his Incarnation.  
CL. And thus was the lamb of God slain, for the sins of all the faithful, from the foundation of the world unto its destruction. After many indignities, blows, pains, he was nailed to a cross, and hanged betwixt two thieves, as the greatest malefactor: and so indeed was he, as he did then represent thousands of sinners, for whose ransom he truly and willingly dy'd, offering to God his pains & death, his passions & actions, for redemption & salvation of his Elect, whom he did s●nctifie through the offering of his body, once for all; so that they need no other oblation for sin, then that, which Christ offered, & cannot be renewed, because he dies no more: nor other satisfaction, then that he made for them, all other being both impossible & needles.  
CLI. Christ our life being dead, I believe, that his body was buried, to testify the reality of his death, & how our sins were then buried with him, which without his humble passion had cast us down into hellfire. But as Christ died without the least offence to God or man; so the grave could not hold him long, but the third day of his burial  
Clii I believe, that Christ's glorious soul was reunited to his body, by the power of his divinity, which never forsook them, but kept them still, one in heaven, & the other in earth, in that wonderful and incomprehensible personal union. And this reunion being made of the two parts of his humanity, Christ rose out of his grave, as well to assure me of my spiritual & corporal resurrection, from sin & death; as to receive the reward of his obedience unto the Law of God, & unto death for me: for,  
CLIII. I believe, that Christ having well performed his office, in the state of his humiliation, in planting, teaching, governing & redeeming his Church, for which he did humble himself, and become obedient to the death of the cross; it pleased the Father, to exalt him, manifesting his deity, through which the whole humanity was made most free from natural infirmities, and invested with such agility, impassibility, glory & felicity; that it surmounts the excellence of the very Angels, having the full measure of perfection both in soul and body, of which they are capable without destruction. I confess then, they are as glorious as may be: yet  
Cliu I believe, that glory is finit, and much inferior to the essential and incommunicable perfection of the most glorious trinity. Albeit therefore Christ's person be as glorious, as the Fathers and holy Ghosts: yet his humanity being not capable of that infinite perfection, it can not have that omniscience, omnipotence, ubiquity, majesty and felicity, which are proper to the divinity. The knowledge then, power, glory and joy of Christ's soul is finit, although most rare & excellent: and his glorious, immortal and agile body is likewise & must be finit, solid, visible & palpable, having his just measure in length, breadth, depth, & being contained in that place, which he is pleased to fill for the present.  
CLV. Heaven being the proper seat of all blessed souls after death, I believe and confess, that Christ Jesus, to give me assurance of my future glorification & ascension thither, first in the soul, immediately after my death; then in soul and body, at the Resurrection; did forty days, after his rising from the dead, ascend triumphantly and visibly into the heaven of heavens, that highest orb, which the great King of Kings hath made, as a fit place, for the full manifestation of the riches of his glory, the greatness of his power, the excellence of his wisdom, and the excess of his bounty.  
CLVI. And Jesus being Ascended thither, by the almighty power of his divinity, I believe, he is there, sitting at the right hand of God, that is, having in his humanity, glory, wisdom, power & strength next to Gods; governing heaven, earth and hell, but chiefly ruling and teaching his Church, by his omnipresent spirit and all-filling divinity, by which he is with her, till the end of the world; interceding for her and showing his Father the wounds, he suffered for her sake: and so by his merits & prayers sanctifying and blessing her, & by his power protecting her, from the devil and his members;  
CLVII. For whose general overthrow & final subjection, and to manifest God's mercy and justice towards men: I believe, that the Lord Jesus (whom the heavens contain till the end of the world, as he is man, although as God he be every where) shall then appear in majesty and great glory, & that by his almighty power, which at first made things of nothing, and Adam's body of the dust; all the dead shall then rise, and the living be changed, & all appear before the glorious throne of Christ, there to be judged according to their works, yea many for their Works: for certainly  
CLVIII. The reprobat shall then perceive, that their infidelity and wickedness are the causes of their everlasting damnation in hell, where they shall feel such desperate & perpetual griefs of the mind, & torments of the flesh, as shall make them hate & curse God, and see (although too late) how miserable that reasonable Creature is, who willingly rebels from God, & persists in its rebellion.  
Clix But those blessed persons, who by God's grace believed in him, loved, feared, served him, shall then be judged, according to their works, yet not saved for, or by those works, but by the mere mercy, of God, in and by Christ their gracious Judge: who in his just anger having sentenced and sent the wicked into Hell, with the approbation and praise of the Elect.  
CLX. Shall (I believe) in his tender love towards these, invite and convey them with him into Heaven there to enjoy an incomprehensible, everlasting, gratuity and full felicity, in the vision of Christ, and fruition of God, who being the beginning & end of all things, the first & last, I end this my belief and Confession in him:  
Beseeching that eternal Spirit, by whose most special assistance I have both began and finished, and unto whom therefore I yield most hearty thanks; to make me immutable in this belief, bold in this confession, careful in the aversion of all sins, and diligent in the practice of all Christian virtues, and religious duties.  
Do so I pray thee, gracious God; Yet, if my belief is not right; O Lord, rectify it, & teach me the true faith And if it be not full enough, not sufficient to Salvation; Lord, increase it. But if 'tis such, as it must be; pray O Christ, that my faith fail not but confirm it, & make me steadfast in good works, to the glory of thy mercy, in the Salvation of thy poor servant, & of all those, who by my good counsels & virtuous examples, shall find the true knowledge of thee, & the right means, to love, serve, please & enjoy thee. AMEN.   

A brief. INDEX OF THE chief POINTS.  


A.  
ADams creation, 35. to 42.  
Free will & fall, 44. to 47.  
Sins, 45. & 46.  
Angels, 40. to 44.    


B.  
Baptism. See Sacraments.    


C.  
Christ the head of Angels and men, 42.  
Husband, head & Sun of the Church, 84. 85. 94.  
Inward matter & minister of Sacraments, 103.  
What we ought to believe of him, 136. to 160.  
Christians life, 65.  
Hope, 145, & 146.  
Church, 76. to 95.  
Creation, 35. to 40.    


E.  
Elect and Election, 50. 51. 62. to 65. & 160.  
How judged and saved, 159. & 160.    


F.  
Faith triple, 116.    


G.  
Glorification, 74. & 75.  
God, and what we must believe of him, concerning the essence, persons, proprieties, will & works, 1. to 40.  
Hath no eyes, ears, &c. 41.  
Must be served, as he doth require, 124. 125. & 126.    


H.  
Humanity of Christ, 141. 142. 154.    


I.  
Image of God in Angels and in Man, 40. to 43.  
Judgement general, 157. to 160.  
Justification, 70. & 71.    


L.  
Law of God, 128. to 137.    


M.  
Man's creation. See Adam.  
Fall, Ibid.  
Rising, 50. & 51.  
Insufficiency, 48. 64. 68  
Men, all damned in Adam, 40.  
Some saved by Christ, 72.  
Ministers of the Church, 88 to 93.    


P.  
Predestination, 63. & 64.  
Preparations to the Sacraments. See Sacraments.    


R.  
Repentance, 114. & 115.  
Reprobat & reprobation, 51. to 62.  
Why damned, 54. & 158.  
Resurrection general, 157.  
To life everlasting, 74. 75. & 76.    


S  
Sacraments, 101. to 109 & 125.  
Of baptism, 109 to 114.  
The Lord's Supper, 117. to 116.  
Preparations to them, 102. 111. & 116.  
Abuses of them, 123.  
Salvation by grace & through faith, 72. & 136.  
Sanctification, 69.  
Satan, how the prince of the world, 60.  
Scripture, 95. to 102.  
Sin original, 47. to 50.  
Actual, 47.  
Against the holy Ghost, 114.  
Is not the cause of reprobation. 53●  
But of damnation, 54. & 158.  
Son of God, how assumed our nature, 137. to 145.  
Supper of the Lord. See Sacraments.    


V.  
Vocation, 65. to 69.  
Vows, prayers and oaths. 126. 127. & 128.    


W.  
Works, good, why commanded, 73.  
Are not the cause of election, 63. 64. 72 to 75. 159 & 160.   
Many matters are included in these, a full Index of which might be bigger than the whole Book.    

Interpretation of hard words.  


A.  ability, 
Ableness.  Assume, 
to take.  Aversion, 
loathing, shunning.    


B.  brevity, 
Shortness.    


C.  capacity, 
Ableness.  carnal, 
fleshly.  Collection, 
gathering.  communicate, 
to give, impart.  Compendium, 
abridgement.  Compulsion, 
force.  Conception, 
conceit.  Corporall, 
Bodily.    


D.  Decisions, 
determinations.  Describe, 
to set forth.  Dictat, 
to tell, suggest.  Difficult, 
hard.  Discussion, 
Inquiry.  Donative, 
given,    


E.  Effusion, 
shedding.  engendered, 
begot.  external, 
outward.    


F.  facility, 
Easiness.    


G.  gratuity, 
freely given, done or made.    


I.  Immutable, 
unchangeable.  Inbred, 
Natural.  Infallible, 
which cannot err, nor fail,  Inherent, 
cleaving.  incorporal, 
without body.  Indivisible, 
which cannot be divided.  Injounctions, 
Commandments.  internal, 
inward.  Invested, 
clothed, endued.  Judicious, 
grave, wise.    


L.  Limits, 
bounds.    


M.  mollify, 
to soften.  Morsel, 
a bit.  mortal, 
Deadly.  Mutation, 
change.    


O.  economic, 
belonging to household affairs.  Omnipotent, 
Almighty.  Omnipresent, 
present in all places.  Omniscient, 
knowing all things.    


P.  Palpable, 
which can be felt.  plurality, 
a being of more than one.  Politic, 
belonging to public affairs.  Preceding, 
fore going  Prejudice, 
hurt, loss.  priority, 
a being first.  Produce, 
to send forth.  Prohibit, 
to forbid.  Proportion, 
measure or equality.  purify, 
to make pure.    


R.  reduced, 
brought to.  Refection, 
repast, nourishment.  Reunited, 
joined again.    


S.  Subtraction, 
withdrawing.  Succinctly, 
Briefly.  Suggest, 
to put in mind.  suppress, 
to put down.    


T.  testify, 
to bear witness.    


V.  verity, 
truth.  unapt, 
unfit.     

In the end of the Epistle read 1645. for 1644.