BEE ’ . I ,1’ x . , . _. . .- " '3 . , . x A’ X: ,, . \ b I x L » A - ' _ _ ‘u.. / ,_. t I ‘ H . -In‘ -4, A. _—v..‘.' « . .2 g. ‘f .‘r(’1_:; ‘«__ ; _ I . ~ ~ — :~ :t—' ‘f A _ __ d _ ‘ ’ . .>;V_:a( ; . I - =1‘.,M‘-«JR ~_«,)-u ‘ > A. ,_ ‘ V ,'_ _-; .',. H‘. , “ 9? me «E 6 1' . 3 t »‘ -.. A-A ' * 0 _ ' 1;” K‘, __c .7 . ‘« “,3, " ‘ I V V _- . 2 ‘ . , c ‘ . x’ ’ .4 I ~ A? y. .‘ .-, "{‘.1_:.1 3;-~21 %j'“ " . - ‘ ~ ’..gj, -"' ._ ..; ,. 6. ,».\ < .« __ ._ .‘ . . _ _. , . - . 3’ ‘ ~‘ ‘ fs‘ : -. '4 . .. V I HE 1!‘. _ .7‘-‘I :‘ ' _ ' V 3" '. .. ». ‘ ,- -1 .; . V; \“‘ a ' _ ‘ 2 4 ‘ .\ o-.1 .. . I i‘ :>raéti$Ted‘ %in uh e % . J E ) I : _;.', I V . ‘‘IV' 2 ‘.1 fl‘-_ 1"" . _ . . #5 ‘,_'. ‘.L H I ' V . - i" ,1» , .. 1 I". _ “ ‘ ‘ A - ‘j ' I» » \ .' . . .' =;~ J’. — ‘ , ‘ .. . ‘ ._ -A _ . ’ x_' — V‘ .1. -_ «'« .2’ 1- .. \ . . - . ,‘ -,,W Z". .. . ~ ‘ " :“ "' '- ._ . ' . . L : _ _ ,_' . . ' , ' ' :- \ -. - . . ‘_ ,. a . a- < - \ ; ’ " . _ ‘ ~ px ‘ 6/: . ' .' .« _ 1 , . . ‘ .‘ T» ' ', . '-‘ ‘l _ ' . 'I‘_’ 4 C ‘ “J (‘ . ~ ~ ' u -’ , _‘_I _V . . , , . ._ . 4 r\ . ,- T so 5§ 9’u\ Ia '.~. - ., f - A 9» « ,5{b' + ~ I “ V. “#1:” I ."~_ I‘ ', ‘l _|. ., _ -r .' ‘ .. V‘ ~ M . ) % ~ 3-, Agreed aPovn%a EL 9,3‘ . J A I ,f 3‘ -V- Mgetingat %tIi_e: S Ag‘: » I 5 " "~‘-[;~f~ R 3 -. , _\, .. . ’*- -.5 ' 1'2 _ __ _ .- r ‘ ..‘ .,‘, -.‘_.-.4- , _ ‘ _ . . ,. cf» %% % as" I :«aS?f.s$£c§‘?§a2e$sa%;a“§sa 3; %::.;».~; , \; 4» C35,. 9 ) _: ' ,> - ~'. '. ‘;. I Vi‘ ‘ V ' ’1_ ‘-4: . ‘V . A ‘ k ‘ . *7‘ F, ‘A3 25-“; § ,- 5 b . 43!. . ‘ _*_ _ ‘gt, \ \ . _ |-::. fl__‘ Fzeld, and: are to_be fold rby ggfig, 559/yg; Allenat the Sun.R1fing% In Paul:-~ A ‘ .C!iur_ch-y~ard,;1-6 5-9.. V % ” L A _ I 1‘ t I )‘ ‘\ 3" !,.__ .., 5 '. . _ F. ; 71. ‘#4- 3 .-4, «$4, é‘ it ‘-1._‘. 1., r ya? \ _ ,.. 4'. ' {f ‘ x v ‘ '.n ' J5.‘ ‘ ‘ v. . V » r . ~' " “. . . ‘ , r . " ,l, g, - A . - v . .. . .. -- r» ' , ' ) “"\.:~' . ". ' -""“5|!§"."." . I ’ y - ~ . f ‘ ' '3 63.; . , r _, \ _ , .v, 1;- ‘ . ' . . .~ ' . .3.“ . _ V .- , .‘ A — r -r, . 1. _ ’ ,,=‘;g ' . .. 4 ‘ -, 5'-"1! - ' ~ ‘ ’ - , ,. . ~ . —»m:.. '6 -40 . - u - !—--:— A « ohfef/ion of the Faith that is in us, when juflly called for, is fo indifpenfable a due all owe to the Glory of the Soveraign G O D , that it is rank- ed among the Duties of the firft Command- ment, fuch as Prayer is; and therefore by Paul yoaked with Faith it felf , as neceffary to falvation : With the heart hélierveth tmto righteottfmff, and with the mouth cozg‘éf— flan is made ithto falwtiott. Our Lord Chrifi himfelf, when ‘he was accufed of his Doétrine, confidered fimply as a mat- ter of fact by preaching, refufed to anfwer; hecaufe, as p fuck, i.t lay upon evidence , and matter of teftimony of *others;;; unto whom therefore he refers himfelf : But when. -High Prieft and Pilate expofiulate his Faith; and f_f:h;e,;iheldhimfelf to be-, he without any demur at all, makes declaration, That he am: the S on of GOD ; 'foito‘the High Prieji : And that he wasa King, and horn W @274 I<’i;tg 5 thus to Pilate -, thouoh upon the uttering ’ alife lay at the {take : a Whichiioly profeflion of his is celébiéated for our example, I Tim. 6.. I 3. _ alplconjftf/iM55 when made hy a company of profelfors of Chri- fi~i;anity='ijoyntly meeting to that end , the moft genuinc afidyfnatéural ufe offuch Confeffiom is, T hat under the fame F--form-yf'of words , they exprefs the fubftance of the fame ~”§0_htrt20tz.a:{zilt2ation, or ztnityof their faith; whereby j]7eak- things, they /hew themlélves perfeffly mrted ‘ - A t 6 (‘t2 .e~; V,‘ =3 ' I I COI'.Io I0. 139 A Wag FACE- the awe minds , and in the fame mlgement, And accordingly fuch a tranfaétion is to be looked upon but as a meet or fit medium or means whereby to exprefs that their common faith andfalwtion, and no way to be made ufe of as an impofitiozrupon any: Whatever S of force. or conftraint in matters or this nature, caufeth them t\o=dege- _._-3 t s nerate from the zmme and mm-re of Confeffions, and turns them from being Confe/Eons of Fzzit/2, into exaéfiam and impo/itiom afFa2‘t/y, .1 . And fuch common Confeffhms of the 0f£l1OGlO‘X-.Faitl], made in fimplicity of heart by any fuch Body of Chrifiians, with concord among themfelves, ought to be entertained by all others that law ,1/'96 tmtla M it is in }’°efm,. with an an; fwerable rej oycing: For if the unanimous opinions and af- fertions but in fome few points of Religion, and A by two Churches, namely,,st«hat, of fife;-ufalerrgfgand the ' Me/fengers of Antioch met, aflifted by fomeof the /;rg¢y2ge.c,, were by theBelievers of thofe times receivedwith joy, it is faid, They rejoycedfor the cenfolatim) mué rairbré ‘ this is to be done, when the whale fubfiance of Fait form of xv/yolfome wards {hall be declared by the Mam VT; ‘Hr ‘.'.2.,. - “st. " E . had.‘ i , f 3 .. . Wh’ h acceptation is then more fpecially, due; thodox, have done before them :.For upon ‘fuch all veg f ondency, all may fee that actually accompli{hed;_ the Apoflle did but exhort utyp, and pray for, in A more eminent Churches of the Corinthian: and th, C of a multitude of Churches, though wanting thofeaadyctian-» t tages of cotmfel and authority of the Apojlles, which: Mfllatt . i.,ifci,na thefe {hall (to choofe) utter and declare their Faith, in fame fubjlance for matter, yea, words, for the i that other Churches and Aflemblies, reputed the may} 7 , 1,3 I A J C E. _ (and {O in them for all tihesgCl1'rifl.ians of his time) that both ROIIMS. few and1’Gehtz'le, that is, men of different perfwafions, (as 639' theygwere) might glortfie COD with orte miroole and with one month. And truly, the very turning of the Gentiles to ‘the owning“ of the fame Faith, in the fubftance of it, with ” the Chriilian Jew (though differing in greater points then We do from our brethren)‘ is prefently after dignified‘ by the Apofile With this Itile, That it is the Cortfeffioo of 513e,’m Chrifl himfelf; not as the ohjefi‘ onely, but as the Aothbr and.” Ma/eer thereof : I will ooofefs’ to thee (faith Chrifl to God) among the Gentiles. So that in all fuch accords, Chri/Z is the greotrzml Cohfeflbr; and We, and all our Faithutteredfby us, are but the Epijlles, (as Paul) and Con- fcfliozo.v(as I faiah there)ofthez'r Lord and our:-,He,b11t expref- fing"what is written in his heart, through their hearts and mouthes, to the glory of Cool the Father: And {hall not we all rejoyce «herein, when as Chrifl himfelf is {aid to do it upon this occafion: as it there alfo‘ follows , I willfing unto: thy Name. l i V‘ “ ‘ E.l'1‘t"ll€1‘, as the otmelnefi and niholforzmcff of the matter gives the rvigor and ife to fuch Corogeffions; fo the inward V0 94 freehgjf, millingnefl and readihefl of t e {pints of the Carafe]- fort’ do Cont1‘ibute_the'heooty and lorueliroefithereunto : as it is iI1’Prayer toGod, foin Confeéfiohs made to men. If two or three met,do 4gr’ee,it rendersbot ,to either themore accepta- ble. T=he'i:Spirit afclm is in himfelf too free,great and ge— a nerous a Spirit,‘ to fu eriesfhimfelftoebe ufed by any humane arm, to Whip men into belief; a he drives not, but gently lezt_tz’s into all truth, and perfnmdes men to dwell in the tents of hire precious‘ Faith -5 which would lofe of its gtecioufnefs and value, if that fparkle of frjeenefs {hone not in it: The cha-_- raéfitof his people, is to be a willing pt ople in the day of his a .s l. o A 2 power, A ri3QEFAcE. power, (not Mans) in the beauties, of holinefl, which are the Aflembiings of the Saints : one glory of which Affemblings in that firfi Church, is {aid to have been, They. met 2192.1’/J one ezce'orel; which is there in that Pfairn prophefied of, in the infiance of that firft Church ,, for all other that fhouid fucceed. ' , i And as this great Spirit is in himfelf free, when, andhow far, and inwhom to work , fo Where and when hedoth work, he carrieth it with the fame freedom, and is {aid to be a fiee Spirit, as he both is, andworks in us: And where this S pirit of the Lora.’ £5, ii/were}: iL2'éer_ty. Now, as to this can eLfz'o;z of ours, befides, thata con- fpicuous conjunction oft e particulars mentioned, hath ap- peared therein: There are alfo few remarkable Attendant: thereon, which added, might perhaps; in the eyes of fober and indifferent fpirits, give the whole of this Tranfa‘é’cion;:, a room and rank amongfi other many good and memorable things of this age -, at leaft all fet together, do cafl as clear a gleam and manifeftation of Gods Power and Prefence, as hath appeared in any fuch kinde of Confesfiom, made by fo numerous a company thefe later years.- i r - i _ The firfl, is the Temper, (or- diftemper rather) of the times, during which, thefe Churc/765 have been gathering, and which they have run throuoh. All do (out of a general fenfe)comp1ain that the times have been perillam, or def- fimlt times , (as the~Apofl1e foretold) and that in srefpeéi; to danger from feduciug /]7z'r2'ts, more perillous then the hot- teft feafons of Perfecution. We have failed through an J_E{tuation, Fluxesand Refluxes of great varieties of Spi- _r1ts, Doctrines, Opinions and Occurrences, and efpecially in the matter of Opinions, which have been accompanied 1n »,-—v.7v.— ~—.-—— v-V97-.r~;xx-wv *';°.'!P,“ - A‘ @q{E1-3263. invtheir feveral feafons, ‘with powerful_ perfwafions and temptations, to ‘feduce -tl1.0lit?-Of onmvay. It-his known ” menhave taken the freedom (notwithftanding what Au- thority hath interpofed to the contrary) to vent and vend their own vain and accurfed imaginations, contrary to the great and fixed Truths of the Gofpel, infomuch, as take the whole -round and circle of delufions, the Devil hath in this {mall time, ran, it will be found, that every truth, of greater Qr leffer weight, -hath by one or other hand, at one time or another, been queflioned and called to the Bar amongfc us, yea, and impleaded, tinder the pre,tex»t~(v~{l1iCl1 ihétll fomedeweof Jufiicédn it) rthat all fhould «noti be b$;>Ufld up to tie Traditions of former; times, nor take-Reeli- Whenceit hath come to pafs, that manywof the found- efi Profeflbifs were put upon a_ new fearch , and. fdifquifiytion of fuch truths, as they ‘taken {Org granted,- -and yet had lived upon the comfort of :. to -the endthey might :l),€r3.bl€ to convince others, j andefiablifh their own hearts againfi that darkneifs and unbelief, thatis ready to clofe with error, Q¥;3t'1€a,fl; todoubt of the t1;u,t;h,, }’Yh¢I1 €rrQrtiS,e,fP€C.iOUflY pre,fente.d.e . s And ,,hégeiupon we dado iprotefladl iaccounr it one of the gréatefl »adx&antages gained out of t 16: te1nptati— ons of thefe times 5 ‘ yea the honor of the; Saints and Mi-_ Iiifiers 9; thele Nations, That after they had fweetly been exértifed in, and had im oved praéfihqeé; experimental T mtlzs, this fhonld be t eir further lot, ‘ to’ examine and’ difcufs, ’ and indeed, anew to ‘ learn “over. every Dofiriml fZ_,‘mtb, both out of the Scriptures, and. alfo with ,a frelh tafte thereof «in their own hearts; which is no other then What the Apofile exhorts to, 77m! things: W fafl: it/141* which god, a Conrverfiozz unto Godatfirfl, what is it elfe, {then A I13 QEFA c B’. then a fdltibry and afefiioizate application ,. and the bringing home tothe heart \Vlt,l17l.pl1‘lt|1Zll[zgM and life, all tmtb: that are neceflary to falvation, together with other leflcr I7‘!!!/9.9‘ .? all which we had aiore converfion taken in but notionally from common education and tradition. Now‘ that after this~firft—gull thofe who have bin thus con- veir ted fhould-be putupon a new probation and fearch out of This Pm the Scriptures, not onely of all principles explicite1yingredi— {wanon ents to Converfion-, (unto which the Apofile referreth the Comfifh Galiztiarz5' when they had diverted from them) but of all at other fuperiiruétures as well as~fundar_ne'nta1s-, and together cairem therewith;-anexv»to experiment the power and-fweetnefs of you.Gal. all thefe iii their owif fouls i:’sVVh"atis this but fijed Fair}; in- 5~ 3‘ deed cf and equivalent to a new converfion unto the truth? Aiz_‘/Iiic/Mr that isproved to be fare and /Zleizfafl, that will certainly hold in; all-cftfmtfilriyl {forms :2 This was the eminent feal a”‘nd’conj1mendation which thofe holy Apofiles that li-* ved and wrote Pe-t*er;35I)lm and ?iia’e; in their Epifilesc did fet «and give to the Clrrijlizms of the latter part of fthofe priiizizirve time:s.’- And befides, it is clear and evident "by all the’o'ther Epifllese, from firfiéto lafi, -that it the Apo- filels asmuch," and'farfm'ofepcareand wins to preferve them they‘ had-converted,-mike tri¢5:Ii,' ‘then they had‘ taken ’ t6 , Pemf. turnythehp t_he1'-eunto at ‘firft : And it " is in_.it" felt” as great a work and naflance-of the power of God, that keeps, yea, O V guards fb70Wg'Wf2if,{ fdh/idtliilfl. _ . 1 Secondly» let? thi§”b'e-padded, (oriluperaddedtrather) to give full weight, and Fmeafure, even to running over) that we‘ have all along this feafon, held forth (though quarrel- ed with for it by out‘br"ie‘thren) this greatprinciple of A thefe times, That amrmgfi 2:11 C/irz'fZi471Staté:“ima' C/iiirclies,’ i/me ‘ - ~ orig/2-.t A e QEFZCE. ii fight to he tvouchftfédet forheezranee Mei’ mhtzml iiizdzelgehee mete Saint: of all perfweflom, that /cheep mete; emdhela’ the necefflzry foundations faith and holmeff, in all other ' matters extrdffiflddmefltdl, whether of Faith or Order; This to have beenour conftant principle, we are not afharned to confefs to the whole Chriflian world. Wherein yet we defire we may be underfiood, not as if in the ah/frat‘? we flood indiflerent to lfalfhood or truth, or were carelefs. whether faith or-error, in any Truths but fundamental,‘ did obtainornot, fol wehad-our liberty in our petty and finallerfdifferences :or as ifto make fure of that, we had cut out this wide cloak for it: No, we rofefs that the whole, and,everIy particle -of that Faith ' elivered to the Saints,’ (the ifubfiance ofwhich We have according to our light here ‘ profell ed) is ,as to the propagation. and furtherance of it by 4/[Go/]2el-meezm, as precious to us as our lives-, or what can be fuppofed dear to us-, and in our fphere we have endea- vored to promote them accordingly : But yet withall, we have and do. contend, r (and if «we had all the power which =lny5 orVfa-ll= of our brethren of differing opinions have defired to have'over*us', ’-or others, I we fhould -£reely~ grant it unto them all) we have and do contend forthis, That in the con- crete, the perfons of all fuch gracious Saints, they and their errors, as they are inthem, when they are but fuch errors as do and may {land with cgommunion with Chrift, though they fhould not repent of them; as not being convinced of them to the end of their days ; that thofe, with their er- , rors (that are pprely fpiritual, and intrench and overthrow notcivil foc1et1es,) as concrete with their perfons, fhould for Chrifls fake be born withall by all Chrifiians in the world; and they notwithfianding be permittedto enjoy all 0rd1- Rances and fpiritual Priviledges according to their light, as i . . ree y ii/1 q5"o1E1~‘~A CE. freely asany other of . their brethren that pretend to the greatefie Orthodoxity-, as having as equal, and as fair a rioht in and unto Chrifi, and all the holy things of Chrifi, t at any other can challenge to themfelves. 0 And this doth afford a full. and hvincible tefiiniony on our behalf,in that whiles we have fo earneftly contended for this — jult liberty ofSaints in all the Churches ofChrifl,w‘e our feljz/e5 breve load no need of z't:that is as to‘ the matter of the profeflion ofmitlnvliich we have maintained together with others:and of this, this fubfequent Confeifion of Faith-gives fufli;Cient,. evidence. So as we have the confidence 1nChrrfl,to\.utt_er in the words of thofe tWO great Apofiles, That we éroveflood frzjlin the liberty wloerewitk Cbrlfl hath made or/.vflee(in the be-_ half of others, rather then our {elves} and having been flee, have not made ufe of out lioerty for 4 olozz/e of error or malici- ozrfneff in our felves:Andyregloeawhereas from thebeginning ofthe rearing of thefe Churches, that of the Apofile hath been (by fome) prophecyed of us, and applyed to us, ‘I beat w/oz'le.v mepronrqed (unt_o,_oth.ers) [Z1/zerty,e we ororfelfves; woold = beeomeferrwmtsiof eorrrrptiom?’ med be brought -in bondage to all forts of fanciesand imaginations», yet,the=whole world‘ may now fee after the experience of many years ran through (and it is manifefi by this Confeflion) that the great and gracious God hath not onely kept us in that com—. mon unity of the Faithzind Knowledge: oft‘hCiS‘or1 of,God-5 i which the whole-3C.'0mm11nity 0'5 S»aints'have 1 and {halls in their generations come unto, but alfo in thewfarne Truths, both {mall and great, that are built 'th€f€l1POn;,e that an other of the bell and more pure ,Reforme.d;:Qhurohes; in their belt times (which were their§firf’c;tiua=es)' -have arrived unto: This gC;onfe£Ii<'>n.twitl1all holdinoforthre ‘a iprofefl” ed op. pofition unto the common errors and erefies of thefe times, i 'Thefe A MLEFACEQ j: T « Thefe tnraaottfideratiotzs have been taken horn the fez:-» am we have gone through; Thirdly, let the flmce of-timeit , or days, wherein fiorn firfi to laft the whole of this Confefiion was framed and confented to by the whole ofus, be duly confidered by fober and ingenuous fpirits: the whole of days in which we had meetings about-it, (fer afide the two Lords days, and the firft days meeting, in which we confidered and debated what to pitch upon) were but eleven days, part of which alfo wasfpentby fome of us in prayer, others in confulte ing -, and in the end all agreeing. We mention thisfmall circumltance but to this end, ( which {till adds unto the for- mer) That it gives demonflration, not of our fieenefl and i .1111/]l22g'I2t;:KOI!Cly, but of .our reading? and preparedneff unto fo great a work —, which otherwife, and in other 'Afl'em- blies, hath ordinarily taken up long and great debates,‘ as in fuch a variety of matters of fuch concernment, may well befuppofed to fallout. And this is no other then what the Apollle Peter exhorts unto, Barcady always to give an artfwer totrvcry man that asketlt yo» :1 mt on or account of tire hope t/mt z3'»*ita§mz'. The Apoftle Pam! fai oi the fpiritual Truths of the Gofpel, 51'/mt Goa’/mt}: prepared T them for theft that lave /Jim. The inwatdandt innate confiitution of the new crea- ture being in it {elf fuch as is futed to all thofe Truths, as congenial thereunto: But although there be this mutual adaptttef5'b.etween thefe two, yet fuch is the mixture of ig- norance, darknefs and unbelief, carnal realon, preoccupa- tion of judgement, intereft of parties, wantonnefs in opini- on, proud adhering to our own perfwafions, and perverlt’ oppofitions and aV€r.fnefs to agree with others, and a mul- l titude of fuch like difiempers common to éelieving mm: : All I which are not onely mixed with, but at times, (efpeciallfy in; uc .l .21 i.__’ .___——-—n X Pet.3, 1 5.. 8 C0170 2'0 Irv“ A re REFA C E. -. arr times as have ipalfed over our. heads) are ready, to over- Gal, I 96 _ cloud our judgements, and do caule our: eyesto, be doubl-e,’ and fometimes prevail as wellas lufis, and do byafs ourwills and affeétionsz And luch is their mixture, that although there may be exifient an habitual preparednefs in mens {pi- rits, yet not always a prefent readineifs to be found, ?fpecial~ ly not in fuch a various multitude of men, to makezafolemn and deliberate profeflion of all truths, it being as great a a work to findethe fpirits of the juflrperhaps the bePc)ofSaints, ready for every truth, as to he prepared to every good work, It is therefore tobe lookedat as a great and: fpecialf work of the holy Ghofi, t that lfo numerous a company of“Mir1l- fiers, and other principal brethren, {hould to readily,’/peed}- ly and j oyntly give up themfelves unto fuch a whole Body ofTmth5,th,at are aftergodlznef . " t. e I _ g , t ;_,_ r t This’: 'gues they h d not—’.their faithito.fee~k:-, but,» ' is {aid of Ezra, that theywere ready Serihes, and ( as Chrifl ) ‘inflrufied unto the /ringdono of heaven, being; as the good hon/bolder: of fo many families of Chrifl, hringing forth of their jloreand treafnry.Nen7 and. Old.‘ It fhews theft: truths had been Familiar to them, arid they acquairited with them, ‘as with their daily food and provifion, ( as Chrifls allufion there infinuates) ina word, that [0 they had preached, and that fo their people had helietued‘, as the Apoflle fpeaks.up—.. on one like particular occafion; And the A ‘ ofile Paid cons- -fiders (in cal'es.ofthiS’nature)‘ the fnddennefii or length of the time, either oiie way or the other -, whether it were intmens forfaleing or learning of the truth. Thus. the fnddenneffin the Galatians cafe in leavingthe truth, he makes a wonder of it : I marvel that you are S 0 S 0 0 N ( that is, in lo fhort a time) }‘€7fl0’ZJ£’(l from the true Go/[rel onto another, . Again on the contrary, in the Hebrew: he aggravates their back- , « wardnefs,: wardnelisg 527/241 you ought to be Tendzcrs, Heb.§. ' you /mdneed t/mt oyzeteazob you the ruery fir/l principles of tlze 12'' Oracle: of God, The Paraole contrary to both thefe having fallenout in this trarrliacfizlont may have {omen ingredient and weigh.twn;h;ing‘enuousg,£pirits in its kinde, according to the proportion” is put upon either of thefe foremention- ed «in their adverfe kinde, and obtain the like fpecial obfer- vation. it ‘ c , .. This acc_;_ord of ours hathfallen out without having bald gzny pcorrc]]2o7z_d,mcy, together , or prepared confultation by which we might come to be advifed of one anothers mindes. alledge not this as a matter of commendation in us-, no, We aeknowledge, it to‘ have beena great neglect: And ac- C9}%'d1£ig1}{;one of the firjl propofals for union amongfli pus wag That--there might bea -confiant correfpondence held among the Churches for lcounfel and mutual edification , fQ_‘for timer tocome to prevent the like omiffion. g We confefsthat from the firft, every, or at leafi the gee firralin hf our Churches, have been ina mane,r:1i1se f0 ma- 9rY55rhi1»s;E(Ih9ughvh01€ling ;f(..)..rr(h’th‘;€'I {amt ge,n§ralc919u:s)— t‘?9Eh£.'fing1rxendi failizxig apart: andj;a1r<;>.ne tin. 'vth€»Ya¥§0C€a“ Of ztliefe ;tirmx;ltrjagting times-,-;and they expofed to every wind of Doéizrlncaiikfnder no other conduct» then the Word 3"?‘ f5Pirita J.a~‘1dv‘xh§l‘§sreIyaf>p¥opr=inted’;to. them; Whom?Chrifi-§n.t‘hevertue‘oflhisAfrenfiog5:imntj;te. 111165 to give Mgzfts to his people, himfelf dwelling zmsrongfi them -, to the end that by; this, as the mops rage &and.._ [permanent means , the --Saint: might fmfeazeg; 12/!“ we all (even-"all the S‘ain'ts* in ‘ jpfiid tenure ages )' do come by tl*1is"co'nfiar£t antlii dailyilerdgnznce 5.012.. _ A :.J3~._®%;E.»lf?‘A Sm-of God unto d pcrfeéfmn , ' mm the meafzm: t/Jefhztmre aft/ye fvlmjs’ of Chri/l -(wh:ich_thoug;h gowing on by parts and piecemeal,% vvill yet appear eomplcat, When that great and general ‘A mz1H}.»fhaflfber ’athjer.ed, then when this worldis ende ', anéthefc di Aesnfaationr, have had their fillnefs and period )" and [0 that '3¢o722Im2ccfo‘rtl7 (fuchapr0- Vifion being made fqr. us) we be no; more children tojfird 2:; and fio ,. and carried about mi:/a — _m/ery~ wind 0f Do-T .. rme, 4 ' ~ A -«And Em v A ' y, this. d0th..giv’e%.n frdh and recent’ dc-» maonflratidn, tzhatthe great; Ape/tle and:.Hz'gb—prz'efl of our profqffibn isiindeed zzwmlcd into heaven, and continues there with ower an T,care, % 41'!/vfzl. 44 4 fan over his (mm 50.1465: who E boa: %a§m¢ we-, we hold fggtam cnzgfidcrxfi and EPh.4. I2, Heb. 3 . 66: the rejoycin of zibzqm firm :mta‘tbe>e;¢d : ‘ and mews that::h‘e_ % will, as-he .ath»pro‘mirfcd, be withhis own Inftitutions t'o~ thg end of the xvorld. bi ismte, thatm'any!fad mifcarrizgtsfiivjfionsg Bmeach-' ES); »£a11irrgs , off holy7 Ordiimnaesr efl §hz_wc 310%. Msanimc-elf‘ uemzamion, (dfpmciall ‘ingthe begmmng Of 13)” been found in fame‘ of‘ om’ tubes 5 and no, W0I1dt’r , if What hadtbeen: faid be ‘ful . confidered: Mfihy; :1 reafonswmighm ¢4fmh'er: be vg‘1'~\z*enI . creof , fhatt W.w1d::~>bTe‘ w;fuflicm1t 'Apt»i?ogy;~;wb¢1io1Ic the help A 1qnon‘»%‘ache:%A*Churches .(them::>p'r"omifcd'".themé- £€1W5 P6313?) -how‘ : more defiroying. ruptuaes: have 1i4_Efa1i€tI»th€1’Il5 11nd}cha1:Ain a wider fphere and contpaf9*s which thmugh ??it5f9ou1a: not iuftifie» vi; wt %%may;f¢rVe t0 8619 *~{?iI;ict:-1'2oc‘rn‘e' 1oqm£¥u11e~peacein, and oMlé:ii'?.t?’ dfhercha1‘= occurred magum ; Q eamfennea camba f‘oMi19i$“divi‘fionsthan~%% Heb.Io.‘ 229 _ £‘\., ' ~—~ ’..’ A C;-E, ejfpeciaxllyflml the reatingl"o£a*them) all know the caufes :of, their “dull and , peace to have been carnal intereitsfe, worldly ..correlpo_ndenc1es ,”_ and coalitions’ 1trengthened.f‘1by Ig_ra’tificat1ons.\,0l ‘all: former of ‘men by that’Religion‘; ‘the prmcitiles of blihde De=(.7dLt’iorr," t ‘ -Traditional Faith, Ecclefiafiical‘l:_Tyranny;-; by which zflie keeps her ‘childrenmbondage to this day, We are alto’ certain, thatrthe very fame prejudice that from hence th would caft upon the Reformed (if they were juft ) do lye as fully aga1’nPc.thofe' "pureflhurchés mifed up by ‘the Apo- tliemfelves ‘in th0feT?».‘fi'r’fl times :; for asgwe banter ‘heard of their patience, fufferings; I confolations, and 1 the tran- fcending gifts poured out, and graces fhining them; fa 'we:.lnwe beard ‘ compldints. of ’thei1:;~di'.wfiim5'e to0',«.of the fdrfnkingste of 2- their -.}%4flmib1ie:,-.fas_ .the::Qlflwfl/:. or. mwer o‘0ME%='zwu (whichslatertivere in ,th=;it -elrefpeéftr firlahe: dé re, and needed no other delivering up to Sarah. as ‘their punifhd-‘ mcnt, then what they executed upon themfelves.) We read _/bifiizrgcigalfmtQ£-fhitlisafldsgzt gévd elm aieiice, andriorvgrtbxmiugaofil :t/2?. fztit/7. ZSQME §§%ancl:1~’til butofi jome,':}not‘ zz/Agnort efm.0jl= :‘ »vhiCh.is‘one7:piece1‘of2an Apex: logiesthe Apofile féicain and again infertsjto future ages,:;m.~dt thrQugh.:mercy;t7w.€ : ..:‘_}L.‘.f;. i; JAH ':im:uly :WC7.f-M36..th€1COflfid€flL§QlP1'0f£“Ed¥y tO;:lfa*)?7£i that eke ;té11tatxi0fIs*xiOmmCE>n:;t’Q Gbdrchéeftf Sa_int3:fe]Az592z¢.n:z£f{orzz'the*75zé5ctt1rdof)Jt/new rizmldsf gr1oex’ze:m‘(for_.n mfeizded, andnlweaéarn not *3)’ y;e1;,they».d‘o not at allflnmble ns;Jas to: the .-tru.th ofgonr ways: had they: b€en:'many.mora»5 e;~f:1lyf.ait.‘ naner .\ have the fame‘ t_d:mal{e.~7 : ' ' more (as to that point) then it doth ofieddxusfflgeififb aghé ,r:tOC ‘1.@~‘:§€6 - "“.?«".al»3r.r.-?‘*’t‘ H1 Partécflvtn’ Wrffw: 4411621 out and fcp4h4!i?1;f2§Iz92r:tl7g.;n2w121 ’ by \ 4 )1 e it CE; by an efieétualworlg of.-con'v,'e1fiion,i tha,t-they for a w.’oiledo I [ofier sunder difquietments; :3Iexétitions,,.,; gU;ll“l}TlOllS, »unl”e'ttle- ments of fpirit, that they are toiled witrhtempelts and hot- rid tentations, fuchr as they had not in their former eflate, whilfl they walked according to tbe;oomf'fe this world: For Peter hath fufliciently inefiruéted; us wholelbufinefs itis to raife fuch fiorins,.neVen the Deztilis e-, i an_d.3.1f0 \Vh0f€ defigne ' it is, that after tiiey/ozrut tifferedo while; thereby they {hall be fetled, perfeé?ed,fi‘aloli/bed, that have f0 fufFered5even the God of all Grace. And ‘look what courfe ofdifpenfation God hQlds~ CO,"Sdi}7fS -pt-rfono/Z7, he dothpthe like to bodies of jS~.4?flt: in Churches, aI1d:'th€=I)€V,l1< ytlie faine for his part .t_0Or=_’ And that vconfolatory Maxim of the Apoflle, God //mo tread dowrt Satanunder your feet /bortiy; , which Patti ut- terethlconcerningethe Church oflfiome, fhews how both God and Sotm l1avee’this;Y€1‘y';hand therein :, forhe {peaks that Very thing in re£e_renc—'e,uiito. their diMifi.0nSs 35 1116 CO- fiherence clearly tnanifeff.Se;’.ra1.:1d [0 you h£W€ b0t11 defigns gexprefl at once. , , - ; Yea,}vea1‘e nota little induced to think, that the dooifiom, hiieachges, &‘e.;ojf thofe primitive ‘Cl?t!r_7’(Sh€;§'.~_VVO111d., £19! h3«V€ been {'9 fitequengamongs -the people‘ theamfelvess, and not the Elders onely, had not the free'd0inf,‘ liberties. and rights of ' the Members (the Brethren,‘ we mean) been Rated and ..e_xercif ed in thofe Churches, the fame which We maintain and ’C_Onte’I1d.fQrito be in ours. e a ,. ~ : ' ' i Yea (Which perhaps may feem more firange to many)- ‘ had not thofe Churches been conftituted‘ of Members ' in-i : t/aeilzeoruerzly gift, and their eorts kod tafled the : good Word of p1igh£.I1€.dfUfth€r then with notional and traditional know- ledge, by a new and more powerful light of the Holy G/ow, wherein they imd [ween mode /amt/cars of the loofly ‘G-‘I7?/Z2 and ‘ God); ,,.,__,,,..,,‘.,_. V —7 J ‘A'5i3*@pEFZCE. Goa’, Md the Powers af rtva;1ri%'t*o tome, and of fuch Meih: bets at lowelt ,» there hadnot fallen oucthofe kindes ofdi-~ ivifions among them. i For experience hath lhewn, that the common fort of meer Doffrimzl Profeffbrs (fuch as the molt are now a days‘) who fe highefi elevation is but freedom: from moral fcandzl joyned with devotion to Chrifi through meer eeducation, fuch as in many Turksi is found towards Mabomet, that thefe finding and feeling themfelves not much concerned in the aéfirue part of Relzgz'o;2,. lo they may have the honor (efpecially upon a Reformation of a new Refine- ment) that themfelves are approved‘ Members, admitted e to the Lords Supper, and their children to the Ordinance of Baptifrne, they regard riot other matter‘: (as Ga/lio did not) but do eafily and readily‘ give up . themfelves unto their Guides ,1 » being‘ ; .1ike;;dead fifihes. earned with the common ftreaing whereas ,.tho'.ffe’ that have a further renewed light by :1 work of the holy Gholl, whether [wing or temporary; are upon the quite contrary grounds apt to be bufie about, and inqui1itiJve,into,« what they are to receive and praétife, ~ or wherein their confci- ences- are profeiledlyi concerned involved : And thereupon‘ they take the freedom ‘to examine and try tlzeflzirits , w/yetiyer of’God or no : And from hence are moreapt to dif{atisfa€tion,« and from thence to run into divifion, and many of fuch proving. to be emlightned but with atemporarfi not faving Faith (who have fuch aviork of the Spirit upon them , and profeflion in them’ , as will and doth approve it felf, to the judgement of Saints, and oughtto be to judged, until theyqb€ Qtherwife , . difcovered) who at long run , prove hypocrites throuoh indulgence unto lufts, and -then out of their lufls perlilt to w«;~ 44 A 7.’ 4 ‘rw‘vv'H:"7r7':'!‘T*:-:'WI~wII1l7’v'-awn-:~¢-A'iWt"“““ «:7-i~ fiw" * W’ !v:e$7.~v7=7 "‘.f'T ‘ ‘- T-I’~':"‘-; V or . . tr-;hold;upthefe Adiyifions unto breach of, or departiugs ** from C-hurches, and the Ord1na‘nc'eso”f God ,‘ and God“ . ;';.erven with them for it, they waxmg worfe mm’ wor_/6,‘ decez}vz'xg% and being dfC€i_’UCd.;. and even’ [many of‘ thofe that are finceréi t rougha;mixtureofdarkn¢fS—31fld‘étié. roneoufnefs ; in their judgements -, t arefor _a« tfeafohl apt out of confcieuce to be led unity with t/)c"err'o'r of ho?/jars; div/yzté lie in wait to deceive. o lufomuch as the Apoftle upon the _exam‘pletl_of thofej firfitirnes , forefeeitjtg alfo the like e'V.*ents'i[n following generations upon the like, Caufes Ahathhbeen” bold to let this down as a ruled Cafe, 'tl1atlike\*vfife in other Churches fo conflituted and dc faffo exnpriviledged as that of the Church ofhczarmz/2 was (which fingle Chur,ch,s‘in;_the_hh {a4- cred Records about it, = is l»the;com_p‘_le_‘itefi Mirror‘ of Church-Conflitution,l Order and Government, and events thereupon enfuing, of any one Church whatever that we have fiory of) his Maxim is, T here mufl be alfo divzfion: amongll you; he fetly inferts an {ALSO} in the cafe, as that which had beenin his own obfervation _, and that WhlCh\VOllldb€5m‘73 am; the fite of other Churches like thereunto, fa propbefiet/1 be: And he {peaks this“‘as pe~ Ffmptorily as he dot elfewhere in that other, We mu/Z tbrozggbwzany-trfbgolatims enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Yea-, and that 4111174! wil£,ehIjf’uedhgddly'ir1 Cbré/ltfijefwa /ha/Z _[1(fl’rperfecutz'on.' Thereis‘ a [MuST] upon "both alike, and we blefsGod, that we have run through both, and do fay , and we fayno more-, izlmtzza it mu dam; (bit zéwww. in bothtrefpefts; l, ' _ A Hoxvever, filth hath been the powerful hand of Gods Providence in tI2efe,whicl1 have been the worfl of‘ our Tryi .415, That out of an approved experience and olifervation ' b ‘ or ._%%._.%fifl.— —. . % g at ?t>lsé{EP2£1«E.‘ ?-————-—~ ‘—* - —— June. 20. 1642. of the iffue, ‘we are able. tdliadde that otl1ei”part,of the Apofiles Prediction, iThat%thereforefm3l2 rent: be, that they which are approved‘ may ée ‘maa‘e maniftffl among yam-, which holy iffue God (as having aimed at it therein) doth frequenAtly and certainly brinv iuChufcheS,ias he cloth bring upon them that other f21te’ofdi_v?fion.Let them there4 fore look uhto it, that are ‘the Hutbors of fact altflurbarzaet, as the Apoflle warneth, Gal _ 5, to, The experimeatt: t/nit, That we have feen, and do dailyfee, that multitudes of ho- ly and phrecious foul$:,a‘n‘cl(in.‘the holy Ghofis Word)af*pro*ved S aintss, ave heen,‘aiid’ar'e;.the r_ho’re rooted and grounded by means of - thefe {haking*s_ , anddo continue to cleave the falter to Chrifla and the purity of his Ordinancesg and va- lue them tl1ei,‘r:iore:b_ythis coft God hath put‘ them to for the enJoying‘iof_them., iWl10774'UZ'flq‘b£’£’i72 planted mt/ac Hem/ie of the Lord, ‘/ttitziti fioariflted in the Eoartt of 0m*'G'oal,“ in thefe evil times, to jbew that the Lord is upright. And this expe- rimented event from out of fuch divitions, -hath more con- firmed us, and is a lowder Apologie‘ for us, then alltllat our oppofites ‘are able from out «breaches to alleadge to preju- dice us’. ‘ We 1 will add afew words for ctmclttflott, and give a more particular account of thisour DECLARATION. In drawing upthrisconfefsattz 0fFaz't/7,w'e have hadbefore us the Article’: of Religion, approved and paifedby both Houfes of Parliament, after advice had with an Affémély of Dz'- . vines, called together by them for that purpofe. To which Confeflion, for the fubftance of it, we fullyaffent, as do out Brethren of New-'E7z'gIafldi , V and the Churches i alfo of Scotland , as each in their general Synods have teftified. ‘ A .4 eotefiiace. c A few thinigs*vive have added for obviating fome erro- neousopiriions, that ‘ have beenemore broadly and boldly here of late maintained by the AlTe1‘tets, then in former- times; and made: other additions and alterations in met/ooa’, here‘ and there ,‘ and fome clearer explanations , aswe found‘occa5fion, j e i ‘We 7 have “ieridi i'V0re'd"itthrougl1out, to hold to fuch Truths in this our Confeflion, as are more properly term- ed matter: of Faith; and What is of Cbarob-ora’cri, we difpofeinwcertain Proisofitionsbyit felf. To this courfe we are led; by°’the? lgxample of the Honcirable «flora/es of iPar“lia772e2at, *obl'erving what was efiablifhed, and What omitted by them in that ~Confe[:ion the Allernbly pre- fented toithem; Who thouoht it not convenient to have matters of Difciplirze and ciimo-amrmem put into a Confefsioa of spam, efpecially fuch particulars thereof, as then 'were’’,‘ and Trill are controverted andrunder difpute by men Orthodoxiand found in Faith. The ;o“‘ cap, there-t fore of that Confel‘fion,‘as it was prefented to them by tl1e_Afle1nbl , which is of C}mrcb—Ce72fi4re: , their 14 6. ‘and in ‘whom Placed: As alfoi'czZ>§‘3I.of "Synod: and Ctméacelgto be called, of 2» at‘ foroein their decree: and determinations; And the 4"‘ paragr, of the 2o"‘ca'p.‘ which determines what opiniorzs and pr‘a&ifes az/tomb; peace of the Church, and how fuch difturbers oughtto bfpfoooedodeagaiizfl bythe Cenfiore: of the C/oxorc/1’, and‘f>uniih‘ed ib}K_”the“Ci'w'l.Magi]lrate, Alfo aid teat part "of t1€ 24“‘cap.n9‘ Marriage and Divorce, T efe were e fuc-h»dou‘b'tful a rtions, and fo unfutable to a Confeflion of Faith‘ as the VI-Ioooraole Hozoflat in their great if- dmthought fit to lay‘ th_¢m'i1fidei i There being nothing that? teiids 1”nor'e to‘hei'gl’iten'dilTentings among Brethrlen, ‘ ~ b 2 t 1€fl Aug. I 647 Seffion 7850 A ‘I{El?iA ca. then.~to.—;determine grind adopt the zrsatfter of theiriidifiérencikfi under fothigh a title, asto be ean:A.rticle Of om". Ftzzft/1,.; Sothat there are i two whole Chapters,: and fome Paraar graphs inother Chapters intheir Confefl'1on,,thatwe have upon this account, omitted.-,_ and the rather do we give this notice, becaufe that Copy of ’the;Pa_f1_;am¢ms, followed by us,’ istin fexy,rnens.h;u1ds.; the other as it came from the A émbly, being approved of in Sc_0tland5 was printed and tftened nto.thewor1d. before the Par- ligmeht had declared their Refolutions about it-, which was not till 5€z¢ne 2fg3,,»1.t64,3_d-ii and yet_h:;th been,‘ and conti-~ 996th £9 be. €h¢C°PY:. (°¥di“3Ti1Y«)-°‘1¢3Yifold:-rfififltfildafld reprinted for thefe elewn years.;_ ' A Aftperthep1_97‘icaj0. of tlie Law p the i11§lii$Z€ ~Sy£ten_1o; foewe noiw §iV€r¥3,§ .1iJ£€€'Pu1317k£1Ei¢,a£cQt1ii’£rrQf Qur confieiencesg; and-ihe :'VV.€.h€lV€ 11816 drawn up, ahd do prefent. . here? V Y it Wi11aPP€.'a1' 110W 1I;1u§h:,~O1: 'h0.\_v little we differ‘in+.t'he‘fe f zhingsrvfrqrn ,0t1r;1?f‘é$hy:teria£;3$ré£hren;3 e r; e T eo.:sAnd;»%ae..trui%;b€re.is.1w iflfisfiwff ~4‘1337fls‘: Bi‘ thstfor ,0lkf~§1§r_fiferip@s~'fi‘0maLiclneep1ie£eh1£:fételfimfifaiiiibfir ’ ing out of confcience, and notho31t~;of.rontempt;br our % differences one from: another 4,, A being ._I1Qp=>wilfz_¢l , fhould chargeeither of us with that odious reproach of Sclazfm. Andnifldfiédz .if mt f9.r Qur,$iiff6.Ying frem -.t,11€rS.t.e,1tre-1fr€,trt1k¢.t1§ffoCIf1It11€ii1: bf ; their Zi3f.‘,?,fI‘h‘:“' oraesryy t_hefe;difi’efén§eS‘(ib‘l;ff3i'h€ftfieyffiO1T§,‘l5)fillidfiil We that {refpeévt ‘We 1effs"§i‘e‘fer'Vé__ ‘cenfu‘_r‘e. rs‘ ncjur~ ” ‘priaétife beinv no 1other“ftfhen what 1; _.was' in our’_b1'ea1{in°e T110111 Era? ’ acy, androng beerorerr,esby,:;ry,9: rfiufirform as fit’ heyzzrse in; ‘ izvéis‘. taken fur byL.il1é:nsr arid” W111" M fifif?;t11é‘¥$>lk<°- rEEifC515C%CYh had been upon our neekfw ;hj’1$hdaj7r;pfg111e fut’ way (a“s;fo-r~ merly, and ngw i‘s,an_d hat1_1"1ie‘e1h1h te1'_rr1ed,Scbz'fm) had not withmuch fuffering bin‘t‘hen'pra‘&ifed‘8z fincehcontinuedh in. For N ’0fU€l{y,r wjherewiLl1__we are 1i1§e_e‘\;Vifefbor‘l1 ‘Charged by IP16 €~n‘€11:ii:e‘*3:i.,t’>.rf »bi3’V‘15f‘.hiwf,§ ’i;t}i‘s;t “<5 the-: C hurc-heszgasfalfo the Writings of ‘oLj’r1'«1'our1;deII’e‘13r,c>‘b‘4 stefithnc Divinesflmidi ¢tham‘zhi‘<:1i_Tvi7ef are ratisfiea‘ in;) a; fII11réonci1rréI1i2:e;ebrgiugfbout1in~a11:'tbe«fubf1:an3cia1,’par't¥S‘. of Churr§li—(_}over.nmenr ',, with our Reverend ‘Bretbbrenthe _0la'- 1ZzaritanL2éon+"Conf}ir7ni/Z35. w;ho# being infiafit in prayer and much fufferi-ngs~,: revaix1e¢¥xvith.::he'a'I;drt1,:ana:wé Puritanif. . A1_1g.by Dr. Arms near %:Z:,“::a¢ ~&dt.h’r§03t: ‘=2»1irar»9b‘Iey~ Wed iii teatS.:e:*in*é>hri%rBfe>tfireiiea alfo ;\z;1:3ti§£=es,_ 3? athattarerforzllriesbyrerial aftibor;ii:i1ation§»';§‘prfifefswhaiisrof Gilbe, Fox, xveighcragaxnft'No'vclty’for ehexr way. % L A o D ing - \‘__“* , , ,_ -, .,‘ ._.e 7» » fifgnhain, Cartwright» Ycrm:r.,~Fu1!e. Whitaker» iliainolfl‘. Ifc‘rkin$.' &c.-. , ' ' "‘.4(> 7);!) ; }r'f.’5'.‘ . . _‘y:_’___ ;__«l,\.‘ fj‘Tffiha;a§i§i;fiérefBre. ';hé"1:o‘id iii ewmiie , Iiandfrs .tbe’he:_1fr_t5ofyPrinces, hath’ put-into-theehearrs of our Go. verngrsfto‘ Idlériife andsaeerrhit‘. 7&5 the hm? zdonelmnv F ,yea,er§)_;>re;}rli:o);s"Leagl§_,§effwafign;.:§o. ‘enjoy their _COI:1fcj- A ' enC¢§_,"fthoQgb’n.é;tgi¢ifCQme up :to l€z;l~eefhzblzj}3c_af.‘/2y ' _: in0re,_to ‘give us both pro» tecftiogrxarid e’; ,’af;ieé‘aeriéo;1fagemenr that the rnofl des voted" Confovrrizf/Zsf ffi‘yyfu;§'ier'1HiiOusro times e.n-.- joyed’, _yea,,ax1.d';by,a pub1;qfie,La$v‘ gofefiabljfll this Liberty‘ for,ri1ne“to;CQii1Eg\ainr1’ Areyot_ni;1‘1,jtT1ee'r,A;1I1, .tb,€“rn1'dfi of our. fears, to fegoirer i1s‘a{RaEzy}2ée‘; atoivhitbisEf£nb1ifl1ment,and cor- dia11y‘re{’o1Ves.t’o‘ fec1i‘refbo1IraCb_urches. in-the enjoyment of Lhefe Liberties,’ if’we‘abufer tIjreinaynoyt*.tor11e difiurbance of theCi_vi1 Peace,_‘ ; V ' b . This. fliouldf be a"- fiver}? 'gr€,a'i?‘ ‘engagement_ upon the heartsof a1l,,thou'gH'of different perfwafi‘ons,,. to endea- vor our utmoflé, joymly to promove the honorand profpe-_-e my of fuch a Government and Governors b » whatfoever means, which in our Callings‘ as Miniflers o 'ntheG0fpo_eI, and as Churches ofjefus Cbrifl the Prince of pe‘ac:e,, we zre anyway able to -, asalfo to be peaceably difpofed one - . ..:s¥ J r rowagdsr... 2 rPQEI?‘A CE. LO Idi- n mnce of March :4. 164.5. ‘ éConfide— rations ‘from Si- June :9. fior _C1hurch—Government, and fttch an Eicclefizg/hical Orde} as they. judgedwottld hcfl_oynt with the Law: and ~C0.‘U€l’fl- anentvf the Kz_'ngdajm, did publiih them. requiringthe,pra- étife thereof throughout the Nation», and in particular, by the Minifters of the :Pl_'OVl;I1C¢ of jL0»tta'07t. But (upon the former reafon, or the like charitable confideration) thefemtles were not impofed by.£l1€II1 under any PENAL- T1’ or rigorous inforcement , though frequently urged lthereunto by fome. c it - rounreverend Brethren of the Province of London, ha- ving conIidered’ofthel'e Ordinances, and the Ch‘urch—Go-r vernxnent laid down in them, declared their opinions to be, That there is not a complmt rulcitz thofi: Ordinances; alfo, that there.4re—}mzny ncceffary things not yet eflzzhlz'/held, and fame things wherein their confciences are not [0 full} [4, tisfied. 'Thefe Brethren in the famepaper, have pub- lifhed alfo their joynt"lRefolutz'on to praflife in all things ac. cording to the mic ofthe Word, zz;ta'accordz'7tg to theje 0,»- é1i72ance:,fofar .15 they cpnccixvethem corrcfpottd to it,zzrta'i7t [9 daittgthey tr’u]l'%hey /hézil notgirieve the fpirit of theitrztly goéily, norgtvt any otca/fort to them that are twttmry minded, to hlzzmc their proceedings. We humbly conceive(that WE being diffatisfied in-thefe A i things as our-B‘re'tth‘ren) the likeliherty was intended by «t-he‘yhonorable’,'Houi’es;_ ‘ahd may be takenfby us ‘of the Coniregationul may =(Wit'hOl1t blame or -"grief to the fpirits or»: ofe Bm'h'ren":1tleaf’c) to refolve, or rather to conti- rnueinthe fame refolution and pracftife in {hefc matters, r-which indeed were our praétifes in times of greatefi op- pofition, andb‘e'fo’re this‘refon‘nation tvasbefgtin‘. “ ' And asvour Brethren thelMim]}c'r5 of -London, drew up '-and _publifhed their almziorzs and apprehcnfiorzs about ‘Church- war I1”---w ‘v.-it-=—-' 1 '.'rrv:,v -.-- " ' '' ~‘':, — , W“ . ~.~_ ‘ ' ~ r \ »x~,¢g ...,. ,/.._._.....U,“.)...:w.. V 7-.., . .. 1. ,»-.,«,.«~ ..,~.; --~ -‘~ —-.;» ~ ,- ,, _:_,vV ..—..,k,., .‘ ;—“x “'5 ' , J 1' ta’ ' ’ ~ ' 1 a n ' , M , ' .- _ 7 # 6’.-s_ Hr; -F. -'-, (-9. "‘_ . I .7 -1 .0 5, : A .. 9‘,--. S - ., 7. ‘v 5' h‘.’T',»’ ‘T.’ r C‘. 4“ 7’ ‘R 5 - V‘.-‘. ' "‘:v:"‘ '1." - "‘. 9' . g».-L 3;“; '14‘ .3 2,‘? .4 . “ ‘ R ft.’ . ..‘ . “: 5"’ ¢;"‘ ,l “ ' - -5- — mu. « . .. - . " __ S» 5»: , Mica’ V w\" f5,''w..~* ‘; . .~'T.~‘,',-.;..t";k_,......~:._.._.,.,._ .......~ A V .. , _._ »_ ,1 “Wards 3119. Li L— -31’ ;: and ‘WM! *m,l1fl¥?i »I916f3tiQn_ to 10 e as brethren, notWithfia,nding‘fUCh. difi"e'r‘cnces, remembring, as it’s .very.;n¢qua1'xv¢ ::fi1ou1d;,:. the difieréndes" that. are 135.. tween 1I’«re*:é’ytz*-rz';i;2s4 arré ;Uiz;’q2»e;¢ale;ét:&r; I?3being'A‘difl‘eten&:’es between fe11ow— {§:yants,§J“i§i}Effne_'itffi_§*1“:~iE5f5thérn“‘ha§rihg}i«u- thority given fi‘()'i‘fi €I1éir"‘ opinions, one more then _th¢'Q£hEr;:;.. p l1’a‘.tfTnnc5.f't1’rn .G,0‘vetnorsZ afqzer {o 1" Oleni d an Efta‘b1'if11ni enéiigfigfbggg§igitI11u§;b‘dtln,,n {ifi our greater differences from th€i£§BIl11€?z§'iU)Ci:_éif§§§fi.{g.l§j51 -for ‘ any of us to take 4 f ellow— fewfivtfitléytnflie :fbmzt,*s upion ':EhG’5i1C- cQun;—ofaa5*}éffI§I*?é¢koning,»‘Jiindf ~nd’tihin§‘_2;*c?11;;-2; :03 b:z’;’n' ufvén it-:{ i5?;t§3,férg3¢t; ‘at vléafi not fo fexercife, that? com-pflon and‘tencTé'n1eAfs we have found, ' whtjrf 'W‘_e;h’i1;d lefs ground 10 Cb§1Le§12e19rexn<€tit..: A ii: 5; Q gf; ‘ — ‘ - J —-- ~»~. s.-.,~. -.-. .24 .x ,« -<.,- \.- J11 -sflur Pxaxwxnwn airsafiy atI4ifl€d,7' we'a1l;maj. mall; éy the f zlim.n71t!€~,' andt, t:hatz1217erein we are n at/zerwzfe mi7gde»d’,n Godf wouldnfrweal; itto -113 in .' -‘ A, , _v Q- ‘sx-;~‘0.\‘rz::i1§fio 3133 :2: :3§,.S1Q;‘1b :;:ns'1:) “E0 aariusfil 95; ,~- ".€‘~.~ :7“ " ’; ‘ r ' ~. .—~ -'3 :..-3-- . *3. .-‘ .- ' . _ .»—J«L.'.*.= 5.. ( :0.I3uA 1.3.-13. : -4; ‘.;'(}ca13_r:r;_£;'1.,::'){§ .33 {;m3,r ...‘ M’ -17 _"‘ '2. . _ "2 ” ' __ , _ ' ’ v- v: . ‘fhwi .?~':u.:&< '-:1 .~f;.3J. :3? 3,? 5V: 531:3 X.) :5; ,.7»)'.‘..:~‘“fl_7C I12f~;:;'!a',’:/E *j.>..';§ g» ‘V . I I‘ r -’ -:, . . l_‘ ‘ . ‘I r 1' 1'x;i.: ;;..":;:" .' g - 1 K J "q;f- *4“ y, '1 '. v 9: ' . -- p.-0.-"._ ‘.‘,_ ¢_",‘; "» :"A-.. I,’-.,-_ 5. 4 " . , ., ', J , ’ . .‘ (.4 C:-IL-‘.1-’ .-...4J)‘ .' ,J ; _a):___I__ _ "_,_ 3 J; ‘ _ ‘ ._-‘)3‘ ". 3‘ 7"”; ?"1 I’. -"-‘~’."".'I7‘." =5"; -‘V; If " "‘ :" ’-.' - -r ,. ~ 1- r, ..‘ 7 *’*‘1~ -,-1.13:3 (“.1 2: C173‘. ; rim], L .»-'_»._::.r-. .::,-.'..IJ .; 4! L \ _ A -3 ." A . -nv‘l ,,‘*,:I( ‘Q. I‘ - A . .«.”{j’ I ‘ 1 v _ r 1 '1 .»’ ‘ '.'.;»' . t w gr, 0"“ V 3». . xi ’ I F-N‘ :1 fvfi I U b~ ‘Q P- , I . at-. -.¢ »—q t P 7 )9 t. I .''‘|. 3» 2 '« <’_‘*1I.J‘.:;..: 13; His“-' I A‘- _ . '.‘(“‘) r _n .3 -r - ~ '-1 V —- 1 ..;.u....;. .1. .. .94 .‘. .'v I,’ . ’\ p 9 "‘I°""‘~"f _""""'\ ‘E "Q r~-‘P- 4-aps.a.«.¢ a;..,. .. v.._ ‘, .-<'q--~r- ‘I-‘bar . .. . « 1 tfyxtt? 7'5)‘ _».&.}_,- :_I'-,‘ ~ g ,-.3 ;-‘: . €‘—-$2. v N». h K . f 5- . ,. , A‘ . . ‘ ‘ _ ,‘ Q by 1 V’. 4- ,V. ‘ -..\s‘...._ .. vi. -,: 1;_‘.1-.;!.~” .- I;-');..«‘ A! J:-jr‘O"' -bu MI &' "' '/‘at '7 ‘V ale ." \’l“l"‘A" ““ 3" -o *i$%$$fi$fi$$%%. 7 Books roicitsgy 7’o75nrAzze;é at the Sun:Rtifii1}§;v s s ” ; 7'» « - t s-in‘Pcu4l: Church-.yard,viz. ’ ; X . t Mr, .Cmjl.s:fifth Volume on the Book of E109, in quarto: 2 f :£é%¢;Aiow?%»Tsflawnt4m,ifi f<.>1i0« ' M>r.:Bgk.fé?J c;ay1‘1":crt1ie llr_1fcio'nv‘ei'ifefdi;n y _ y_ _ ‘if 4 "‘ ’ Mr. CortomintheCow/ehant,yintendejdfttddenlry for the Prels. ' ‘L;¢/{i}i:sl5r¢ai&iec‘oF God‘linefi: : » « if 4‘ . I L15/[1531 . 3 :’ ..»'i:'_:> il {IV 3;} I‘_;¥",',' ' " L1’ ' -Faith:1an'the{R€o:¥Istio>z;in§(>l’i:o:<.§ t M,f;-Gdfd/(A6: aglinticilddicialisxfkfirolbgys W1?€ _,€.5I1 li€:}Yt’ov4eslit . 1:9 béthe. way and «praétice of Heatheng, androught not to be fo as namediby them that profefs. the Name of Chrifi_ £'fZz‘y'4‘-7% I2,‘1"g’.‘”]érL m‘.tz.{ 3‘ " r_ by The E-,Ii{’tory.of theEs/an eli_calChurclfes.ol.’ tlie’7Valleys of‘ P‘iér)}z§:i: *, ‘coat a-l 'eia&'i 'D“_e’feri'piion"of the Plille, . and‘: a1 faithful Account‘-'o'f“i the ;D‘o&rin‘e5 = {Life .‘an'cl.::1%e_:fecu t‘ions“= of the ancient zlrthabitonts ,~ - together with a moi’: naked and 1 punflual Relation of the late Bloody Maffacre I 65 5.a;;d g_Nag;- rative of all the following Tranfaétions to I 6 58. juftifi ‘d part- ly by divers ancient Manufcripts , written many hundred years before Calvin or Luther. By Samuel Lflfarland Efq-, in folio. The humbled {inner refolved what he fhould do to be faved : or Faith in the Lord Iefus Chrifi, the onely way of Salvation, byxMr.0b4diala Sad iclg, in quarto. “The Riches of race difplayed in the offer and tender ofSal.. vation to poor finners, by the fame Author, in twelves. The Fountain opened, and the-Waterof Life. flowing forth,‘ for the refrefhin of thirfiyrfinners, by the fame A-uthor,quarto. The Gofpels lory, without prejudice to the Law, fhining forth in the Glory of God the Father, Son and holy Ghofi, forthe falvation of finners, by Mr. Richard Bjfield, in oétavo; }illZe‘2z:;iSi;1;ip.;.tiri€ Cbrbnology . I , X. : M1“»:‘,W]l5 £€sIe'r~;th {\€o1utner.on;the BoQk9f.%eé.ih';q-uscrte. ; . ; zaaaaaaaaaaaraaaaaaaaate .‘ I I ' I R’ V . (- 5‘ - ' vb . _‘>- 7]‘ k,‘ ,‘ :1.-,1 9',-‘Qi-i -1.; ‘ a.: :.‘;;..,. . , , L .' —-,t- ‘. ,. _. '~_ >‘ ‘ y.’ H, ex. .,‘ . .,_ .. i_:,_‘_.*_3]_‘ '4 "._'.i~“-‘ -7 » ’ v' --i ‘,.'., 1.‘ .- .. ..'':.i‘o,‘..''- ‘ V5 4.’; x, '/i .2 .1 !-\l ' . , -- .‘ "' _ c .. . In ~ ~ oprge . ‘Ownedéndepraétifedinthe A . 5 CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES .«=~.*r?= '2‘ ‘ i‘ in -2 _ ‘ £3 '3‘-.-«tn-._ ._ s: _ 1 i ' . ‘ . - ..‘- . r -_i 4 Z ‘ 7 Hj:AP,L.'i I,:;f: e 0/thew sm-pu;n.v e ‘ ' iiLthough the Light of Nattirefiatqdgtlie ' i i Works of Creation and»Providence, ‘ \ “do; {To far nrzmifefl; the Goodnefs, Wif- S "a‘c3n’1ea”nd Power bf ‘God , as to leave 5. ‘ men uttexcufableg yet arethey not ,fuf- , M . ‘ ii;fiC'l§fit';0‘give that,knowiedge,dfGod = iihis fi€Cef- faivgtiofi':‘f?Ti1eieforéiit plezifedithgé Liorid at Tun- idirytimes, :ii[1‘d in di'\”7‘efrs.1fi:1iie’rs torevezil himfelf, and to declare that his VViY1Tui1ti)_h’is‘iChurch 5 and afterwardé for the zetter priefervingt tnd prgpagating eofthe truth ,, and '.' L. . ’~‘:-e ; ~ ‘;._,I\ . ‘for -it e more fate e&‘§bIifl11ne§t,gfid c;ortifor"t't_1ie Cliiirclt hgaififi the c‘or1‘upt1OIi‘0fi[i1€ Hefb, and the malice of Satan _ B and I ~'rv~ 9. ‘V 3-,9 , ancl of th’e'vs}~orld:to commit the fame Wholly unto v{/titlng : which maketh the holy Séfipture to be mofl’ necelfary ; thofe fonnetfways of Gods revealing his Will‘ untdhis page-3 Ple,,tbein?,lI1owceafe€¥. J‘ 3 J A J J ‘ *5 '. ‘ . «V - - . . * Unclefthe name ;of“fiol3f jlscflptthté, ‘or ‘the ‘ Word of God written, are now contained all the Books of the Old. I and New Teltament 5 whichare thefe; E A ,..0/tlae 0'3 25€fia.m::If- Genéfis, , Deutetonomy, Jo-J fhua, Judges, Rllth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2. Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Either, Job, Pfalms, Ptosrérbs, Ecclefiaftes, The Song of Songs, Ifaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel,Da- niel, Hofea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, _ Nahug, ‘Habakkuk, Jzephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, ':4g__1:»-'_‘ 5' :_’T;';’v . VJ , L— ‘J . : Matthew, Mark, Luke, Jqhn, ThejA<&s—of, the Ape» , files» e1?=1u1s; Epi-file ta the ‘Rem »“ I 2 C°Iifltl§i3!$;,Ga14tifl!%5,i Feliheflzinfié ' Ph.il_’1{">'l>i’=*'-i.7i,~°»z’T' .333- ‘loffianstif Théffalonihns; "fhefl“alonians,"*i ’t.‘t)/"‘1’;iiI.1‘o-» thy, 2 to Timothy, “[0 Titus, To'I?hjlem;5n, ‘E’ i.- , J file to the Hebrews, The Epiftle of James,,:The_ rfl; "and f€C0.0.3 01": —P¢t¢r> The firfi, fecvnd andthird Epifiles ofjo ngerhecfipifiie ofjude, Th¢\R‘cvelation. All vvhieh are givé£i”6§’ infpfration of God to be the Rule of Ruth and Life. ll V . ,BQ.<>}€5f ‘30mm9ii1Y;called A octypha, not being of Divrne rnfplratlima; 316599. part of e t Canon of the Sscrle Pwfe 5' 3£1dfth€¥€f0¥€. are ofl no authority in the Church of God , not to beiziny totlflerwife approved ormade ufe of. a then other humane writings. r t ‘ .AuC_hO.f Qftlleeholy Scripture, for which it ought 10 be b€1i€V€d aild Obeyed; depentleth not upon the r Te- filmonyfi of any manor — Church ;’ but wholly npontfiod (who is Ttuth_,it felf).t,the Author thereof », and therefore it is to be recelved, becaufetit isthe .Word of God. .Vo' ‘ h We maybe rnovedvand induced by the Teltimonz of . o y the Church ,' to an Thigh and reverent efteern of the $criPtnrecsAnd'the ;:hfi3Y§{1HnéfS‘0f..£hefi Matter, : the eflica‘-9 ey of thee ;th€: of thestyle, the eonfentof allthe parts, the;fcope,.of the whole, (whichvis; to give all glory to ,God«) the full difcovery itmakes of the onely way‘ of Mans Salvation, the many other incomparable ex-‘ cellencies, and the intire perfeétion thereof, are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence it felf to be the Word of God-, Yet ngjtwlth=Pcaneling;,r our full perfivfafion and aflurance of the infallible ‘ Truth. and Divir1é4e"Authority thereof,;l§§ frornrtllevjnward work of the holygpirit »,,- hear- ing yvitnefs lryand with the Wordin om'-‘heatt§.'} 2 l 1 ; ‘ii'~f; $ am‘ i n 3 T ‘ I ; ,1-3; B 2 VI. The Q... !‘I..'£* .___,.. .___. 1-” . .‘ ,., . -.—-xx..- .-r :-..s q. ‘____~___._‘__~ _'___a,.. r ».!‘ Th ' .' t i " " v r ' .7 *9’. ,A,. 1 ,» fie...‘ 5~ »-l"; K__ ---. "1" .-g. ;L ->1 J l( ~_:,()',> l 1 . gt, .3.*-s~;. ;u-~.‘ -xv‘.--~.’ ..:.iF.. 0. 5 ."’ . 3. 3 . r» V :'~ : - ; 5 ‘_,_._lV_.< .. ‘L3; 4 dim, 3. The whole Counfel of concerning all things necef-4 l1ft3;efr0r,h1S Own Glory; rnarisi §alvation, Faith and Life, is ex vi exprefly l'€L_d0v£{1i1’n»S‘Cr1ptt1re; or by ”g»and ne_-, ceflfiryfiohfequence may liefid’eduCéd’frorfi5SEi;i‘1§turé unto f which mhthing at anyay5accam..ug{q‘,a fu°fl§_:..[ Cl€.flt,l111(?l€Ill£1fl£lJngDftl1€m.> ; . c - 1: _ 3 . r.‘ III‘) V '-_. . l '. K .'~o7.«: . "V: LC A . h _ \ a he , ‘-‘If’.-i3f;l 'i',*_" ' Th€40lcl:eTefiament-in Hel§'rew. (which was the ENG-tivle’ Languagetofthe. People of God of old): and the New Te; fiannent. in Greek (which at the time « ‘of: writing or it wais? rnoflegenerall-iv sknown £orthE:'Nation§) being irlhrnédiatelgld “1lPH¢d by C05; and his fingular care and providence L 4 7 ' ll . kept: V — 1-“, I -3‘-.7"-"‘ /*"1iw:v:.v-~ ‘-,p,g,—,—y~.‘r?c-n~;-—.w,:.«x;_w-.;u-3;-q:g~.r.-.gjfi,g-v. p .2 A5) S} kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical ; ‘foas in. all Controverfies of ’elig.ioni the "Church -is finally to ap- peal unto them. But becaufeythefe Original Tongues are not known to all the people of God , who have right; unto aI1d_1I'lt€l‘€flI in the Scriptures , and are commanded. in the fear fiof God to read and {earth them-,‘ .th~erefor;e they arerto be tranflated into the vulgar language of every Nation, unto which they come ,_ that the Word of‘God pdwellingplentifully inall ,. they may worlhip him in an ac-- ceptable maner ,, an 1 J I djthrough patience and comfort of the r$crip.tur¢S‘:I1ayehav.ciMP€-a‘-‘ _ l i xx. The: infallible; Rule of Inter retationof ,Scriptnre ,, is‘; the Scripture its _felf.;; therefgre when there is a queltiee on about the true and; fullfenfe of any Scripture (which,is» ' not lmanifold, but one). it mull benfearched and known ‘by other places,that {peak more clearly. a Judge by all cfontroverfiiesiof S R615-6’ gronhare to. pybepcleterminedl, and all Decrees of Councels, OplI1lOI1S. -of ancient Writers, Doctrines of men andiprrvate Spirits; are to be examined , and in whole Sentence Wei‘ ‘ are torezlt , can be no other , but the holy Scripture delij-- veredby th.€.SplI'_,l,£', into which Scripture fo.clelr,veredi , our ’ ’ ' - I ' p _ .l‘ ,‘ V, ‘,. '7'.‘ .—. A \ us» in :1 =1‘ .3 .' I-1 . g-qfi 1 ’?:“~' - e . 3:‘ f ‘ ‘ '.“.t~,‘~,a«‘: _, . fr; ,_' ‘_ , . I ‘~ 1" .-' r;:- - . “'!§..:, "yr 9-9 4‘ :-. ,‘ ', ‘.»v.J_i"“ ’ V _:_ _ _ . _. _x‘)_. 1“ J" 4 , l.. v’ '\«H .........,. , «- ‘ '(6>.;a,.. i i f crux}; “ “i .....n v?I’Here butone onely and it/rile God 5' ‘ who is infinite in Being and Perfeétion,i arnofi pure Spirit, :invifible, without body, parts, orpaflions, immutable, immenfe, eternal, incomprehenlible, almighty, mot’: wife, moi’: holy, \mofi frees molt abfolute, tworlting all rhinos according to the Counfel of his:~orfi1*irrifnutable ? and ma? righteous Will, for his own Glory, molt loving, gracious, .mer‘ciful, long-fuffering, abundant in ooodnefs and truth, forgiving iniquity, tranfgreflion and (in, the rewarder-of themthat diligently feel: him «, and withal, jufi and terrible in his judgements, hating allfin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. I I. , God hath all Life, Glory, Goodnefs,Bleli'ednel's,in,and eofhnnfelf 5 and IS alone, in,‘and unttiéhimfelf, All-flufl ficienr, not {landing in need of any Creatures which he hathrnade, nor deriving any glory from them, but onely mantfefhnghrs own glory in, by, unto, and upon them : He hthé alfgiled Fouiétztin‘ of alll1'_I;c:ing,‘0f_*1:’i7hl()IIt1fi*thgjlggh ‘W om,» n tow ornate a t’1n0'S; an ta mo 0- Veraign dominion over them, to a3 by them, forthem, or upon them, whatfoever himfelf pleafeth: In his light all things are open and manifefl, his Knowledge 1S infinite, infallib'le,—and independent uponothe Creature, Co as nothing is to him contingent or uIiC€l‘taln. He 15 mofi holy in all his Counfels, mall his Works, and mall his Commands. L :0fGademd Trinity.‘ i A ‘ V To . . . / ,V ‘V ¥ . (7) . To him is due from Angelsi Men, and every other Creature , whatfoever VVorlhip, Service or Obedience, as Creatures, they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he sisefurtrher pleafed to require of them. IH. i ‘ In the Unity of the God-ahead there be three Perfons; Ofone Subl‘tance,«P,,ower, and Eternit , God the Father ,, God the Son ’, and God the holy Giio : The Father‘ is. of none, neither ,begot;ten,, nor proceeding; The Son is» ' eternally begotten of the Father -, The holy Ghofi _€ter-e- , nally proceeding from the.Father and the Son. A Which Doéfrineof the Trinity is the ‘foundation of all our Com- munion with «God,_an‘d comfortable Dependence upon him... ‘#1.- CHARiUL Of God: Eternal i)ecree.. from all eternity did by the wife ly Counfel of hisown Will, fi’€€l’y" and umchangee I ably ordain whatfoever comes to pafs: Yet fo, as thereby- neither is God the Author of fin , nor is violence offered“ to the will of the Creatures, nor is the liberty or contin- gency of fecondgCaufesa taken away, but rather .eB;ablifhed.. I 1.: Although God’ knows whatfoever may or can come 10:- pafs upon all fuppofed Cond1tions,.yet hath he not de- creed any thing, becaufe he forefaw it asluture, or as that Wh1¢h,Vould come to pafs upon fuch COI1(llt10nS.« WI J.‘ ' ,l, .--..... .u.- 4- ~-- —~—‘ ‘ l\~- ( _ I .. > - . »--- ‘A - «. .- ~. . .. . .. . - . -->—-— -. .‘ ~. — ,_. _ -u‘ 3 By the Decree of God for the5manifePtation*of hisGlo-i ry, fome Men and Angels are predefiinated unto everlait-y ing Life, and others fore-ordained to everlaf-‘ting Death, y t r i”I‘he’fe Angels" and Mren‘thfi$‘; Yédéitinated land ‘ fore-H ordained, are particularly and unt: angeably defignedg and their number is fo certain and defing'i£€y5‘ iificaatltiot be r either}1lcl‘eafedror?d1rIixnrflaed;’gj v ‘. ~ ":'.' '5 ‘ w. »' .4. ..-J ..'.....-; _. .1x$_, keg. .’ ‘. Thofe of mankinde that are I predeftinated unto Life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, accord- s ing to his eternal and immutable purpofe, and the fecret qounfel and good pleafitre ofi'his3VV3Ill, hath chofen in Chrifl unto everlaftirig Glory , out of his meet free Grace and Love, Without any fore—fight of Faith or good Works, or perfeverance in either ofthem, or any other thing in the Creature, as Conditions.ot~Cau'fes maxing ‘him thereunto, andalltoe the praife of his glorious:Gr;ac'e. , , , V I. ‘Q ‘ - 7 As. God hath appointed the.El_e<§,t; u.(1.to» Glory, fo aha.-the heby theeternalandmoft .free:;p11fP0fi?;f of ehis,Will afore- ordained all the means thereunto: Wherefore they who are eleéted, being laln in Adam, are redeemed by Chrift, are effeétually called unto Faith in Cluift by his Spirit working in due feafon, are jufiified, ‘adopted; fanétified, * o and keptby his power, through Paidfi, _unto falvationg Neither are any other redeemed by _C hr ill; or elfeétually . called,‘. *1 ‘c"él1éd;'i'ji1Iliifi'éd;iiiadoptedg fafiétified and faved, but the Elesft onely. ' g VII. lriThe.'refi:of mankinde Godwas pleafed , according to the tinfearchableiC0unfel of his ‘own Will, whereby he ex- téndeth or withholdethr mercy ', as i he pleafeth ; for the glory of his foverai n power over his Creatures , to pafs by,— and to ordain t "em to difhonor and wrath for their (in W to the praife of glorious Juftice. ‘ The Doétrineiiof thishigh myflery of Predeflination is to be handlediwith fpecial‘/prudence and care , that-men at- tending the will of God revealed in his Word , and yield- ir;g obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their ‘ e eétudl Vocation, be aflhred of ~ their eternal Eleétion. So {hall this Doétrineafford matter of praife,reverence and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abun- dant confolation to all that fincerely obey the Gofpel. -— _ $I‘r* e‘ iic‘:H¥A1>‘. c N.” ‘ t f iiiC"i“i“'°”.° t g t T pleafeid God the Father, .' Son and} holy Ghofi , for» x 4 J‘ the manifeflation of the glory of his eternal Power; Wifdom and Goodnefs,in the beginning to create or make of._noth1n0 the wo1‘1§,l»,and all thingstherem, whether v1fi— ’ «bléiorginvffibléa indiéfpaceof d=iyS>and‘a11;’very good. " t i ‘1I.Arta? __. O . I‘: . ( to P. 1 ,- — ‘ — H ‘Vi. ‘ 'fi V’ . V '7‘ “.‘ A "_ V V V‘ ‘_'1'_" :5 -I--u, .1 ¢.,‘~._ I ,~;.’ '._»v:‘~,: ’,-.‘.3’_;';¢"«_?‘\,_’~ '-i«_ (w - . »- ~ -; * 6) . ff». _ _ . ,.. , . «.1 1 - !__,.. vi \J-- " - II. " A b After Gocl had made all other creatures, he created h Man , male and female , with reaflonable and immqrtal Sétilsg ehtlued withknoviiledge, righteoufnefs anditrueho-g lii1el§,after his own‘ Iinage?-,» ‘liaviirg§cTie:I;é.Wfo f ten initheir-heart“, wer to-fulfiPit‘g ea? polfibilitye of tranfgre mg, being .l€ft to the liberty oh their own Wiflgt 7\’vhxch4waS.‘£ubje& unto ._ Befid'es_ this Law written in their hearts, not to eat of the Tree of.jth_egKnow1edge of good and evil-, .Which,wl1i.l€5 W335 kept» they were hapyy, in their communion‘ "with-b God3 and a hail dominion 4 over the Cr£atln.€Sé;,. ; 1' . . _- 2 1 .. - * - —; .‘-.w r*' .. " '\}"'.;— I ' V. "4~ £ —'l‘‘‘« ‘- J.«‘ _'1...’.'. -.\.- -.,‘ |‘~I -..‘.a:'a ' l .. -J ‘ — 1' ‘_.. -~.-1 n";-I r - r~;4~:-Q 4;.- '-- -1:’ "11- f‘ I’ tr‘) 7;;/; T’:ll'T‘ V‘:'v . 1--._ '7'“: J T) “-‘Iv: :.;:.«-I711; ::v.r*'.. vivu ,',7Il’U..«...a-~«- .-~.v..=.. . ~ _ . .. ,_ e : ; .3 zx; '% :~z.;3 itis; 1 :. 0d the great Creator of all things , cioth uphold, dr- ‘ recft, difpofe and govern all creatures , actions, and things from the greateiheventor the-:lea£’c by his molt wife and holy Providence; according unto his infallible fore- knowledge, and the free migmtable counfel of his own W41.‘ I0 111e,l?{3l{¢ ‘Rf Phi, $199: L l¥$.Wt§c1Q;,1,., Rem» .}tt{tiee,’€3oo;l‘tteFs‘.aItd‘*I\?iterc}a§.*‘. 5 j”? ‘ fii ‘ Although imieltrtionto the foreelowe;, unfearchable Wifdom, and -in- i ;?(&eodnefs:o£:£§gd, {'0 far emanifeit . I’ ~ ‘ ' g i ._. . .-.. "_ ‘ ‘ " . , I ': V 4- . ;-, - ."..“" t’ ‘V’ I . ‘ . _ D. - , -1 * ’ As for thofe xvieked and ungodly men, ii ivhomi God as . a righteous judge, for former fins, doth blinde and harden, from them he not oneiy withholdeth his grace, whereby‘ they might have been iniightned in tIh:eir.'un‘derflandings; and wrought upon ‘in their hearts -, but fometi mes alfo withdraweth the gifts which they had, and expofeth them to fuch ohjeots, as their corruption makes occafions of fin ; and withal gives them over to their own‘1ufj:s, the stem pta- tions of the world, and the power of Satan 5 whereby it comes to pafs that they harden; themfe1ves—',: even under thofe means which God ufeth for the foftning‘ of e others. \(,II.. A v, As the providengeof reach to all‘ Creatures, fo after a moft fpecittl rnaner itf taketh care of his Church, and difpofeth allthings to the good thereof. CHA12. VI.“ i _1 Oftbejiallof Man, 9/Siigagzd ftlzet r 4‘ ; ‘Puni/7’mentzM°0/'.f‘I i Ed: *having.r,inad‘ei a.s’ ;.. _.___._ II. By‘ this {in they, and we in them, fell from original rich- teoufnefs and communion with God, and fo became dead a in fin, and wholly defiledin all the faculties: andrparts of. foul and body. % _ . 111. r . They being the Root, and by Gods appointrnentIland- ing in the room and {lead of all mankinde, the guilt of this. fin was imputed,’ and Corrufted nature ‘conveyed to all their poflerity defcending from t rem by ordinary generation. " 1 V; . From. this Original corruption , whereby we are utterly indifpofed, difabled and made oppofite‘ to all good, and. wholly inclined to all evil ,_ do proceed all Aétual itrani’-»~ greflions. - Tliislc-Orruiition of nature during this lif'e‘,doti_h in thofeithatiare regenerated-, and although it]be‘thr.ou0h Chrift pardonedand mortified, yet both it {elf and all the motions thereof are truely and properly fin. V 1. Every fin, both original and actual, being a tranfgreflion; of the righteous Law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth; in its own nature bring guiltupon the finner, whereby he isbound over to the wrath of God, and curfe of the Law, and fomade fubjeét to death , with all miferies fpiritua.l,9 temporal and eternal. CH_A.P.,. ‘ ~- ”’*‘v ' V"-V-» ,7 .~.,._. 7 ._.__.. . 6:. ._w (14) c HA P. VII. t Of Gods Corvenmztanitib t»Man. Tfle diftancerbetweenfiod and €hei€rea'it1irie”is"fo great, that although reafonable creatures do owe ‘iobeolience unto him as their Creator , yetthey could never have at- tained the reward of life, but by fome voluntagy condefcen- {ion on Godspart, which he liathibeen plea’ bywayvof ‘Covenant, ff i_ ' " ,. The firlt Covenant made with man; was a Covenant of Works, wherein life was promifed to Adam, and .in hiruto his—pofterir_y,, upon eonditigt>n.of*perre& and ;perfpn;a;1‘obe-_ _ .. . , ,. - . , 1 . 1. edto "exprcfsf, Man by his fall having made himfelf uncapable of life by that Covenant, the Lord "was pleafed ytfo1na%kJe%a_:fecond, commonly called the Covenant offiracegwhtrem he freely offeret_h- unto finners life and {alvation by jelusi‘ Chrift; requiring of them faith in him that they may befaved, and romifing to give unto allthofe that‘are"o1'dan1eduntolife,‘ is holy Spirit , to make themlwilling and able to believe. ' .1 V. f f - i This Covenant of Grace is frequently fet ~fortl1ll’in the Scripture by the name of a Teftament, in reference to the death of jefus-Chrift the Teftator, and to the everlaffing ‘ Inheritance’, Wltll all things ‘belongingto It , therein «be— queat'ie.:i. \ V. Al- “5:'>f_ A Although this »CoV?e.nant~ hath~been= d,ifferenti‘y‘and‘—vari=- ottflyeadmmifliredin refpeét of Ordinances and:I'n&it-utions. in the time of the Law , and fincet-he eomingiof Chrift -in theflefh-, get for the fubftjance and efficacy of it , to all its fgiritual an faving ends, it is one and the fame -, upon the a’ccountrof which various difpenfations , it is.tca11='ed the Old and NeweT'efiatnent. . _____n j v y . *1 fur l'_‘ ‘V,.‘ C‘H’A P; Vim. 0]’ CW2 tbe. Mte€1i4tm'. " T“ gieafed*God— iI't*i‘liS‘ e'te1*n:11 purpoftg tochufe tandaiordains: ' the Lorcijefus his Ofieiy‘beg‘0tten¥S®n>,i iaccording to a-. Covenant made between them both , tobethe Mediator between God and Man-, the Prophet, Prieft, and King; A the Head anrisavior of his Church , the Heir of all things, and o£ the VVorid_-, unto whomfihe did firorfi§all%_‘etéer-- Ixity give a geop‘ie'to be his feed -and to be by hirritin time recieeined, called, juftifiedat fanétifi ed,an:1 glotifiett. Afll. 1 s iII;.t » o ’ ThehSott{>fGod5 { the fecond Peifon-‘i in the T1-inity, be-+ ing eternal God», of7_one fubftance, andiequal with the Father,., did, 6‘ when the fulnefs of time was come, 1. ta‘_ke‘ upon him Mans nature ,, with all the effential propertiess hr. and common. infirmities _ther,eof',t yet without: {i:h,fl being M milceived by the power of the holy‘ Ghofi? inthe womb of the Virgin.Mary of her fubfiance: So that two whole per» £62.61: _,...r~.. , ..— r..,. .. H 7.71.. f. ~ I ,.y~_.n..‘,_.. ._.._,.. 7 V‘ l; e; W‘. feétand diitinét natures, the Godhead and the Manhood, were infeparably joyned together in one Perfon, without converfion, compofition, or confufion; which Perfonis -very God and very Man, yet one Chrifi, the onely Medi- ator be.t;ween God and Man,_ i T ~ c , -- _ , i g I I‘ I. The Lord Jefus in his Humane nature, thus united to the Divine in the Perfon of the Son, was fanétified and anointed with the holy Spirit above meafure; ‘having in ‘him all the treafures of Wifdom and Knowledge, in whom it pleafed the Father that all fulnefs fhould dwell, to the end that being holy, harmlefs, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be throughly furniihed to ex- ecute the Oflice of :1 Mediator and Suretygwhich Office he took not untohimfelf, but was thereuntocall-ed by- his Father, whoalfo put-tall Power and Judgement into his -hand, and gave him Commandment to execute the fame. \ IV. _, This-Qflice the Lord jefus did molt willingly under'take;i. which that he might difcl;a1‘ge; he was made .under the Law, and did -perfectly fulfil it ,‘ and underwent the punifh-E ment due to us,whichwe {hould have born and fuflered,be~ ing made {in and a curfe for us, enduring mofi grievous tor- m€l1tsirnmediately£r0m~G0d;iI) his foul, and moftpainful fufferings in his body,was crucified, and died,waS huried,and remained under the power of death, yet faw no 4 corruption, on the third day he arofe from the dead with the fame Bo- dy in »which- he «fuffered, svithyyhich alfohe ilfccndediinto. Heavenmnd tbcijf: littcethiat the right. hancliqfi hisi._I7atliet,. , making intercellion, and {hall returnto judge Meniand 9 :2: :'::e end of the world. ’ V," The A A. (l_f7),._% _ V ‘M 3 ' p _ V0 The Lord Jefus by his lperfeét ‘obedience and facriffcieiof himfelf, which he throng the eternal Spirit once offered “ up unto God, hath fully fatisfied the Jufiice of-God’, and purchafed not onely reconciliation, but an everlafiing inhe- ritance in the Kingdom of heaven, for all thofe whom the Father hath givenunto him. i i r V I. Although the work of Redemption was not aétually wroughtby Chrift, till after his Incarnation-, yet the vertuet eflicacy and benefits thereof ’ were a communicated to the Elect in all ages" fucceflively from‘ the beginning of the world, in and by thofe Promifes, Types and Sacri‘fic‘e”s”, wherein he was revealed and fignified to be the Seed of the Woman , which fhould bruife the Serpents head, and the Lamb flain from the beginning of the world, being yefler-. day and to day the fame, and for ever. " S ' VII. Chrift in the-work of ‘Mediation, aéteth according to c both Natures,‘ by each'Nature doing that which is ‘pro er to it {elf ; yet by reafon of the unity of the Perfon, t at * which 15 proper to one Nature, is fometimes in Scripture ‘ attributed to the Perfon denominated by the other Nature, " . . ing unwthem in andbytheiword, .the'myIt‘eries:offalVa‘-‘1 V111 To all thofe for whom Chrift hath purchafed Redem- prion, he doth certainly and effeétually apply and commu-I nicate the fame,samakj_1ng'1nterce{Iion forptrhem, and reveal; tion, 4. _. n, erreeiuariyparraraarnoa thern Iii; to i5”e1re?; and obey, and governing t eir hearts by his Word and Spi— -rit, overcoining all their enemies by ‘almighty Power and.Wifdo m,” in fuch maner and ways as are mofl: confo- nant to his wonderful and unfearchable difpenfarion. CHAP; LIX} I Od hath endued the Will ofman with that natural li-e -- e bertyand power of aéiing upon choice, that it is nei- ther forced, norby any abfolute neceflity of r Nature deg termined to do good or evil. ° . .' I * Man in hisflate of Innocency had freedom and powerto will and to do that which was. good and wellpleafing to God 5 but yet mutably, fo thathemight fall "from it. III. . ’ ‘ Man by his-i'al1’ into a Rate offin, hath lofballr ability of will to any fpiritual good accompanying falvati- on 5 fo as a natural man being altogether averfe from that good, and dead in fin, is notable by his own flrength to__ convert himfelf, or to prepare himfelfthereunto. ' V.‘ g When God converts afinner, and tranflates him into the {late of grace, he freeth him from his naturalbondage: Under fin, andby his.gra_ce_a1onc inables-hiinfreely towill: _ gand ( I9 ) and to do thatwhich is fpiritually good 5' yet fo, as that by reafon of h1S remaining corruption , he doth not per. fectly nor o_nely will that which is good, but doth alfo will that which is evil. I Va The will of Man is made perfectly and imrnutably free to good alone in the Rate of Glory onely. I CHAP. X. 0/ Efléflunl Calling. I Ll thofe whom God hath predefiinated unto life, and I thofe onely,he is plea fed in his appointed and accepted a time effeélually to call by his VVord' and Spirit , out of that flate of fin and death inwhich they are by nature, a to grace and falvation by Jefus Chrifi , inliohtning their 0' mindes fpiritually and {avingly to underitand. the things of God, talking away their heart of flone, and giving unto them an heart of flefh, renewing their wills, and by, his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jefus Chrifi 5 yet fo, as they come» molt freely, being made willing by his grace, II. ‘This elfeftual Call is of Gods free and lfpecial grace alone,‘ not from any t_h1_ng* at all forefeen 1n rr_1an, who is altoge- ther paflive therein , until being quickned and renewed the holy Spirit,heis thereby enabled to anfwer this Call, « and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it. I ‘ D. 2 - . III. «Elec3: ‘X ..._..~- ,4’ _::/Afr -:37 I I . ,»// . — _ i 1.1.1‘. e’. Eleét Infants «dying in Infancy, are regenerated and favecl by Chrifi, who worketh when,and where,an:l how he pleall . eth: fo alfo are all other eleét perfons who are uncapable of being outwardly called by the Miniflzery of the Word. '1' ,IV. Others. not elected, although they may be called by the Minifiery of the Word, and may have fome common ope-1 rations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn b the » Father,they neither do. nor can come unto Chrift,and t ere- fore cannot be favecl ; much lefs can men not profefling the Chriftian Religion, be faved in any other way whatfoever, b_e t-hey never fo diligent to frame their lives according 'to ~ the Light of Nature , and the Law offthat Religion they. do profefs: And to aflert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detefied. - ' : CHAR XL 0-fl j‘u3“ti/‘Zcdtion THo{e whom effeffualfy calleth, he lalfo freely ju-i-7 ftifieth, not by infufing righteoufnefsinto them, but by pardoning their fins , and by accounting and acceptillg their perfons as righteous, not for .any._ thing wrought in them, or done by them; but ‘for Chri1’tS‘fake alone -, nor by ignpug-F ting Faith it'fe1f,' the at} of _believing,’ ‘or any other Evan}: gelical obedience to them, as their rigihteoufnefs, but by irn-f ;>,uti.ng Chrifts active obeclience unto the whole Law,,; and.’ " " ‘ “ gaflive w——v palfive obedience in his death,{or their wholeand fole righ- teoufnefs, they receiving and telling on him and his righ-- . teoufnefs by Faith -, . whizh Faith they have not of ‘ theme‘ fe.lves,it is the gift of God. i eth by Love. ~ 11. Faith thus-receiving and refting on Chile, and his righ;-4 teoufnefs, isthe alone inftrument of juflification-, yet it is. notalone in the .perfon.ju{lified., but is ever accompanied: with all other faving graces, and is no dead Faith, but workf- III-.t ‘ i by his Obedience and Death did fully difcharge the Debt of all thofe that are-juftified, and did by the fa-- ' crifice oi himfelf, in the blood of his Crofs, undergoing in“; i is" onely o ‘ actually apply Chriit unto them... their {lead the penalty due unto them ,. make a proper,_. real, and full fatisfa6’cion.to Godsgufiice intheir behalf :.~ Yetin, as much as he was given by t‘ e Father for them,and. his Obedience and Satisfaétion accepted in their Read, and bothfreeli ,i notsfor any thing in them, their juftificatiott-x {Y free grace, A that both the exact juftice and -rich: grace of God rnightbe glorified in the jufiification of; finners. c ’ a it ’ IV.” « - , God did from all eternity decree to juflifie all the EI'eét,“_-. andChri£t did in the fulnefs of time die for their fi7ns,. and rife again for their jufiification :Neverthel'efs, they arenotzi jufiified perfonally, tuntilthe holy Spiritdoth indue time; God; .~0— ii(22) ',, ,M v. .. -God doth continue to forgive the fins of thoferthat are ijuftified 5 and althouoh they can never fall from the Rate of jufiification, yet t ey may by their finsfall under Gods " fatherly difpleafure :. and in that condition they have not ufually the light of his Countenance refiored unto’ them, until they humble themfelves, confefs their fins, beg par-p don, and renew their faith and repentance. e V I. s The jufiification of Believers under the old'Tefiafnent, was in all thefe refpeéts one and the fame with the juItifica- tion of Believers under the new Teftament. i " C H A P. XII. Of Adoption. i ‘ , Ll thofe that are juflified, God vouchfafeth in and for his onely Son Jefus Chrifi to make partakers of the grace of Adoption, by which they are taken into the num- ber, and enjoy the Liberties and priviledges of the Chflv idren of God, have this Name put upon them, receive the Spirit of Adoption, have accefs to the Throne of Grace , with boldnefs, are enabled to cry Abba Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chaftened bv him as byafa- _ gther, yet nevertafi off, but fealed to the‘day of Redem-5 vation. t,- CHAP. ._ptioin,, and inherit the Promifes as Heirsof everlafting 331. (23)i C H A P. X ‘I II; a ~ 1 Of Sicmé?ificat\ion=.r Hey that are united to Chrift, effectually‘ ‘called and’ regenerated, having a newheart and a new f irit crea- t ted in them, through ev_ertue of Chrifis deat and re- furreétion, -areealfoafurther fanéfified really and perfonally through the fame vertue, by his Word and” Spirit dwel- ling in them; the dominion of the whole body of fin is deltroyed, and the feveral luits thereof are more and more weakned and mortified, and they more and more quick—- S ned, and Pcrengthned invall faving graces, to the practice of all true-holinefs, wit.hout:which.no»man (hall fee the Lord; S I I. This Sanétification‘ istthroughout in the whole man, i yeti = imperfeft in this life-, there abideth {till fome remnants of corruption in’ every partawhence arifeth a continual and irre- concileablewar, the 11691 lufling againftithey {Pith} and the fpirit~againfi:'the S S S ' | / I "I I.“ ~ In which way, although the remaining corruption for a. time may much prevail, yet through the continual fupply S of Pcrength fromthe fanftifying Spirit of Chrifi, the rege-« nerate part doth overcome, and fo the Saints grow ingrace, perfecting holinefs m.the fear. of God, ' S CHAPQ; J int) c C HA P. Lxttv; firming. Fgzitlat tree grace of Faith, wherebyithe Eleét are inabled‘bei- ».> lieve to the faving of their fouls , is the Work Of the A Spirit of Chrifl; in their hearts , and is Ordinarily wrought by the Minifieryof the Word}; by which alfo, :md;by the adminifiration of the_Seals , Prayer, and .,0th€:r means ,. it increafed andifitengthened. . s ‘I I. ’ ;_ By this .,Faitha Chrifiian believetlt to be true whatfo-; e.V€.ri.s revealed in the Word, foot. the Authority of God himfelf {peaking therein, andaéteth differently upon that which each particular ’pafl"age thereof containeth , yield- ing obedience to the commands, ‘ trembling at the threat- nings, and embracingthe promifes of Gold, for this ilife, and that which is to- come. Bu.tethe_,principa_lee_a£ts of‘ faving Faith are, acce ting, receiving, and refiing upon Chrift alone, for jufti cation, fanétification, and eternal life, by l vertue of the covenant of Grace. - ’ y s . e I I I. g , - This Faith, although it bgifferent in degrees,’ and may the weak or flrong, yet it i the leafl: degree of. it differ-— ent in the kinde or nature 0 it (as is all other faving gtacf) from the faith"and common grace of ‘temporary believers ;~ and therefore, though it maybe many times alfailed anti tvealrned , yet it gets the victory, growing up in many to_t'he;a_ttain1nent ofa full aflurance through Chrifl, who is both the author and finilher of our Faith. C H A P. s felfrabhorrency , pray CHAE xv , Rgpentance untalvfeiand filrvation. 1’ ‘p F }l!§h.70.f :1‘-hfi 33-ififi are converted at years, A .having , ometime lived in the Rate: of nature , and thet'einiIfer- védiidivers 1U{t$i"ajnd pleafures, God in their eflefiual calling giveth them Rtapentance unto life. _A "'7 II. *Whereas’ there is’ none that doth goods, “and finneth not, L «and the belt of men may j,througl_;tltc'tpower and deceitful- nefs of their corruptions dwelling in them , with the preva- lency ofteinptation , fall into great fins and provocations ; G9d~1}fi£hi in,at1>§:.lcov5r~%s1t mersifidly cjprovided, i.l;iatf.T,.5,§i1i§f3zer$1”(71t1§C,_)11tfliI{€"\i’i¢7‘aLrr_é1t1tt; thereof are devifed by men out of bIiiide‘izeali,‘; or ‘upon any pretence of good intentions. _ ‘. .~ . ‘:‘ w’f»‘;=,‘f i’ i’ i qfhefe good Works i done’ in‘ s obedience toifC.o‘ds’rcd11ij§ mandments, are the-fruits and evidences of a’ true and11i\'7'e- 1y‘Faith—, and by them Believers manifeft their ’ thankful- nefs,~~{fireng~then t_Ijeir‘afli1rance , edifie ‘their__Brethren§ adorn the prfQfefli‘on of 'G\ofpe1,jft'op the mouthesfof the adverfaries ,i anéigglorifie God , whofe tvorkmanfliip they are, created in Chrilt efus thereunto, that having their fruit unto holinefs, t ey may have theend eter... na1life,_ ~. g’ of i i r ’ v >4 ..,r. r I. IH.f:l'.hei:_g7 Q , -.\.,—r:1:-,:,M—.. ——— 1.7, ~1——~..—-vv.--7 .,—y\.‘.—/ VV>\’ ..- , .77.. .. — "—‘T'v;"'v—»y‘~—« ... ., \ 4 ,, . .g- - 7 1 7 l t \ 2 ) l ' ( - I .4 . , ,.............».m.. ....... . . .. ...........- «-9- . ...~...,....~....- .» .. .. * I I I. Their ability to do good works is not at all of ‘them-= f¢1ves,ibutixvl10lly from the Spirit of Chrifc: And that they may be enabled thereunto , ;befides the . graces, they have already .r€:C£iV;ecl, thereis required an aét-ual: influence of ~ the fame holy Spirit‘ to w ork :in.t’~hem toiwill and to do, of goodpleafure»; yet. are theyrnot hereupon grow negligent , as if they were not bound to perform any dut , unlefs upon a fpecial rnotion of the Spirit, but they oug t to be diligent in itirring up*’ the grace of God that is in lE}1‘:IIlo‘l ' z -_ «iThey! ‘Who in - their obediencein: attain» to ‘ 3t‘he“9featefl:' height n-which—’is poflible in this 1 plil’c’év‘,*’ tare, 5fo«f;_ir from ‘being abl’eto» fupererogate , and to do more then3God requires, as that ?the*y~ fall fhort of m”uc'h,%i which in duty they‘_are bo1indtado;i:~'% e t e . g. « l '-“,"‘fi5 -“, } €,,__;j __ ”J5-§r: ix: Wéamnar by ouribefil iidrkis of fin, or eternal life at the hand of God ,.by.reafon of the great dif- proportion that is between them, and the glory to come», and the infinite di-fiance that is between us,a‘n‘dgGod,whom by them We can neither profit, nor fatisfie for the debt of our former. ‘fins; but \?Vl1€n.=‘W€‘ have dormer all we &an,we5have“ done but our duty, and are unprofitable, fervants: and béj: cfaufe as they are good, they proceed: from his Spirit, a_i1‘d ?§$[they; are wrought by 1_1(s,~ they aredefile-ckl and 1flfl1X§Cl«'W‘1[l1 fo much iwealine is and iinperfecftion, that they cannot en-= dure the feverity of Gods )udg€m€flt. . ' ‘F3 2! ' ‘&7Io .‘{go 1.1-. ., .s.\.._ .. t. - - « -~-Iv~v~ wu...-..-..... ..~ .. .. -.-¢ ‘"“" VI. V Yet notwithftanding, the perfons of Believers being ae- cepteglthrough Chrifl,‘ their good works 2 alfo are accepted inhim , not asgthoughahey wevein gthisfllife ‘wholly «‘unl-- blameable unreptoveab1ein:6odsfigh}t+, ‘hm; #th‘ac he looking upon. them.'m his-‘ Son is p1eafed‘~t’oja;ceept and re‘ ward thatwhich is fincere,a1though accompanied withtmany weakneffes and imperfections. . is V 4- 4 Works done by unregenerate menb,h althotxgh fo?rM1:he.t matter of them they may be things which God commands, and of Good ufe both tothemfelves and to others: yet be-« C9«“.f¢ E¥0§¢¢4; 3,, heart. purified I‘azi;ei1;t nor ass Iiéflr¢:i&3:ae ,. aasnsa‘ .; a;¢c;rdin&t9thfisW0fii 31391‘ to arqghc end , t . sgloxyew o£ God 5 they are thereeforefinful, am Comet pleafc God ,= not make a man meetyto neeeive grace from G od; and yet their neglect of them is.mn’ne:fiaa ful, and difpleafing unto God, y ' CHAP. X V I 1%.. _ Of -, in his belovetb ;5— 'ef.3-if feétually called and fanéfified by his Spirit-., can 351. chef totally nor finally fall away from the Fate of grace,’ ' but Certainlyper/fevere thexein to the end‘, and eter nally favcd. ii IL. m—s 1:: (ff? i —'rhisPer‘feverance of the depends notuponr their ; own free-will , but upon the immutabilityof the Decree of Eleétion», from the free and unchangeable love of God the ~ Father, upon the eflicacy of the merit and intercefsion of Jefus Chrifl, and union with him, the Oath of God, the abiding of hisSpirit, and of the feed of God within them,., and the nature of the Covenant of Grace, from all which; , arifeth tho the certainty and infallibility thereof. A III. , And though they may through the temptationiofSata1:r,., and of the wor-ld,.the prevalency of corrupgon remaining in». it eprefervation, fall into grievous fins,and for a time continue therein,where-~ them, and the~negleét.-of the meansof t by they incur Gods difpleafure, and grieve his holy Spirit, come tohave their graces and comforts impaired, have their hardned, and. their; confciences wounded,. hurt and fitandalize othersjantiibringi temporal judgementsuponlthem-» through fait'h’untbi_rfalva‘tion».;. . ‘ ._...—a-—av~ A ,-p " ,- -, ., ‘ -y . . ‘ .,.l . K ._ \ ~ z iHAr>-xvm« ‘ ‘ Ia. = _O.- ‘ = ‘ ‘rule’ Of tB€‘flflitrdh€€ of1Gekaéé«~and§civltvatibn;é-1*3 : " ’ i‘ Lthough temporary believers, andother men may vainly deceive ‘them {elves with falfe‘ *ht‘)pes, . and carnal prefumptions of being in thefavor of God, and: Rate of yfalvation , which hope of theirs fhallperifhf, yet; fiiliiit, .felv»es -,4 yet“ they? are fhalllbelltept by the VPGWFF Of ev-»w —w —- — x — ~ "IX7. '»r-.'' V (3°.>i i _; .6", fuch as trul§Lbelieve in the Lord Jefus, and love him in pfincerity, endeavoring to wallé in all good confcience before him, may in this. life be cerdtainly aifured that they are in the Rate of Grace, and may rejoyce i-nu;the.Vhope,ofdp,theigle— Jryof God, which hope 111.111’ never I.I1.]afk§:: tl1:%m:a1fham€d..; ‘ L I f._".;g§',. -. Z ’ p This certainty is not a. bare con jeétural and probable iper. zfwafion, grounded upon a fallible hope,-butandinfal_1ib1¢ af. a furance of faith, founded on £11? blood ands righteoufnefs of Chrift, revealed in the ;Gofpe1,' and alfo upon the in- ward evidenceiof thofe graces unto which promifes are made, and on the immediate witnefs of the Spirit, *teftify- _ ing our Adoption, andas afruit thereof, [leaving-the hear: I ;.»_"}' . ,.: more humble~an.d*h01y.' 1 ' fi ~ This infallible Affurance do_.thnot-fobelong to threef- i fell“? Of Faiths A ;bUt+tha£ aatruebeliéver may wait.ilong;and ‘°“fl‘€‘i-with .:p?artak¢Is€>f: it; yet '-be itlg inablecl Splfifi-'t.D" kfiO}Vé thfi f .’.[h;iIlgS, whi‘ch are freely given him of God, he may without extraordinae iy revelation in the right ufe of ordinary means attain there— ' unto : And therefore it is the duty of every one to give all -diligence to make hipgliiprg and fure, that there- by his heart may be inlarged in peace and joy in the holy Ghoflmfiglcgvet ‘a}1;i,thanlg£ulpe4Ts £C};GOCl, “gandi infigength and chearfulnefs in the duties» of obedience , the “proper fruits of this aflurance; fo far is it from incl_ini_ng mento .- ;;- .‘. V h1'V.a True ,'-. rhwmhwm 4 i .Tru“e'believers divers ways fhaken, diminifhed and interrnitted, as by neg- ,. may have the afl”urance*of theirfzilvationr lioence in preferving of it, by falling into fome f ecial fin, i w 1Ch woundeth the confcience, and grieveth t e Spirit, by fome fudden or vehement‘ temptation,‘ by ‘Gods with- draw: 0 the light of his.countenance, fulfering event fuch as. fear l1I_IltO'Walk"lI1 darknefs, and to have nolight. -,. yet are th.€y.‘II€i£l3l€{1‘ utterly deftitute of that feed of; God, and, li£eEbf;Eaitl;;rthét loveof Chrift and the 'Bre.thren,tha't fine; Cerity{9f‘e-heart and §L‘:onfciencefofdu1;y,' ‘out of bythe. operation of the Spirit,‘ ' this aflitrance ‘may in e due time be. revived, ‘and by the which inthefmeanl tithe they are {up-; v ported‘fromzuttendefpair, ,— . C‘HAiP’.. xxx. ~ .; f0f,:‘tl§e;L¢w 0/,iG»3d.p. s r 2 . *3 ..I '> 4 .‘. A"_y’s ‘} gave 5 to: s:A2lzmzi * fa: : of’ tiniverflal obedience.‘ written in his heart, ‘and a particular precept of not eatot = ing the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil,‘ as 9. Covenant of Works, by which her bound him and all his poifterityvto perfonal, entire; exaétrand perpetual obedi- ence, promifed life upon the £u1fi11mg., and threatned.'death_' uponthebreach of: it, and induedihim with power and gbi.~T~~ ’ 1.1%. This Law fo written in the heart, continuedto be a peg: e . ‘a (32) #fi feet Rule of righteoufnefs after the fall of man, and was de- livered by God upon mount sinar tn ten Commandments, rand Written in two Twles-, four firft Commandments ~containing our duty towards God, tandthel other fix out da- ty to man, " . s.‘ t :1 ;;_s Befrde this Law commonly? called Moral, God ~=pleafed.to gtve to the people of’ IfraelCeremonial Laws‘, -V To them alfo. he g.aveifiJndxs§n:Iudi¢ial9vI.aws, which ex- :pired together with the State of that people, not obliszing 393)’ that .fn?;wtiea*.’»_th6ir genfirflpgluié %Iy0.- Qmg .1. mom.u..' . 3 . .. i ~'IherMora1 dothfoe qmmdmn, ma. ;juflified7‘ 3.5 “P?X{95?_§ 35 otbfiffia (thereof -, Tatlddtlrxat nor- ~0rI_€_lY 1.9. fegfifd of the matter contamedin it , btttzalfo iIl'1'€«? {peek of the Authority of God the Creator , who gave it :; neither doth Chrifi in the Gpfpel any way diifolve , bin much Pcrengthen this obligation. \7Io AI“ s againfiifiha i A together iwithiaclearer fi . l V I. Although true believers be not under the Law, as a’Co- venanoof Works, to be thereby juftified or condemned ;; a yet it is of greatufe to them as well as to others, in that, as arule of life, rnformino them of the Will or God, and their duty, it directs andbindes them to walk accordingly, difcovering alfo the finful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives, fo as examining themfelves thereby, they may ‘ come to further conviétion of humiliation for, and hatred have Chtiit, and the perfet‘/‘tion of his obedience. It is likewrfe of ufe to the regenerate, to refirain their corrupti- . ons, in that it forbids fin, and the threatningsof it ferve to fhew what even their fins deferve, and what affliétions in this life they may expeét for them, although freed from the Curie thereof threatned in the Law. i The promifes of it inlike maner fhew them Gods approbation of obedi- ence, and what blefiings they may expect upon the perfor- mance thereof, although not asidue to them by the Law, oht of the need they ye as azCovenant of Works; I fo as a mans doing good, and re- _ fraining from evil, becaufe the Law incourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the Law, and -not under Grace; » VI 1. ' Neither are the forementioned ufes of the Law contrary to the grace of the Gofpel, but do fweetly comply with it, the Spirit of Chrift fubduing and inabling the will of man to do that freely and chearfully, which the will of God re- vealed in the Law requizred to be done. F CHAPXX. \ £ ‘. 4 I . J’ _ _-;.e..¢..«. .. a..- 1nV'o cHAfi Xxs * % 0/ gigeai/gez,gn;i¢f t the Graceitketreofi 2‘ He Covenant of Works being bgréken by fin, and‘? 7 made unprofitable unto*1ife,*~G10diivas pleafed to give -~ unto’ thet~E1egStthe‘ {5fomife'of Chfilhf thifi’ feed tifthe: wo- man,i 'as'«the- mejc1ns=ofc3i*1ing"tl‘tem‘,‘and Beggetting inthemit Faith and Repentance: In this promife, the Gofpel, as to the fubflance of it, wasirevealedgandwasgtheteinefleétu-‘ 22} f’or_'theco_nVer.fion 3I1d"fa1Vat1Q_f1:,gf finners, j A ‘, ' ~t . This promife ofC'hrifi, ar1d,fa1vationr«.by him, isreveaI- ed onelysinsméliby the’-5V,V91:d;O,f (3921; ‘neither do the works i J‘ of Cream“ iah: 9f, atusre, 11’1akedifcoVex‘y cifChiil?i,. or 6£G_ra”ee by him, ;fO_lIell1Cl1,;ZlS-- in a general or obfcure w§ay -, much lefs that: men defiitute V» of the revelation of him by the.Prom1f e or Gofpel,_ fhouid . be inablecl thereby to attgin .faVJ1flg_F§A1§1_1 p_xgRepenta._n_ce, A 1.11. The revelation ‘0£.d*\—1€,,G0fp€1; unto fi11fl€fS"fl_i3.'.'-’.‘ié in divers times, and by fi,1adr,y,part-s, with the 3d'd‘fUOn. of Promifes and Preceptsgfor-the obedience required there-' in, as to th@;N3.~£.1£)l1S _an'dj perfo'nsto~w*_hQm.it.. iS:‘*ffin‘t€d.;"t‘isg‘: meerly of the Soveraignwwili ‘and - plfilfiifre 04 God, ‘Q not being annexed by Vertue of any proinife to the due im-" « provement. ?~ (35) 4 , pr_ovém'ent‘~of inens naturalabilities, vertue of common ilight r‘eceived without it, which none ever did make, or can fa do : And 7therefore in‘ all ages the Preaching of the Go- ifpelhatli been granted unto Perfons and Nations, as to thezextent or {tra-itning of it-—, intgreativarie-ty, according to ..the¢1C‘:i0Lihl’€l’0fi Wii1;j0£7€Qd; I e 1 1 ii ..-._. ~ ,. .,-.)..': I , ,. _ _ . , . K 3 c ,. . . .- ‘,.~c_j_g.,;.,.g A 1‘. g,._,. — :1 ii AilthoughstheiGiofpeilflbe the onely outward means of [revealing Chrift and faving Grace, and is, as fuch,abundant- lyfuflicient thereunto 5 yet’ ‘ that men who are dead in tref- .pdfe§,:i’r‘ndy7.Ibe borIi»:1‘gé1inr,it qtlickned or-reg'enera’ted, there ;is>’nioreover:nec‘elTaryan effeétual, irrefifiible work of the ;holy Ghofcupon the who1e:l'oul,for the roducing in them anew fpiritual life, without which no ot er means are fuf- }=ificient= for their converfion unto God. , i cHAn XXL Of C/griftaiantLiI2e(ty,:g _4ml Liberty ~ - i i a ’0fvCor¢f“?nhCe- a ‘He Libertv which Chrift hath urchafed for Believers under the Gofpel, confifis in t eir freedom from the ~ uilt of fin , the condemning 7wrath of a God , the rigor and curfe-ofthe Law, and in their being delivered from «this prefent evil »?vvo'r?lcl?, bondage to Satan, i and dominion of fin, from the evil of afiiiétions, the fear and {ting of death, the victory of the grave. and everlalhng damnation; rasalfo in their free accefs to God, and their yielding 0bedi— ‘ «€066 unto him, not out of flaviih fear, but achilde—l1ke F 2 love (.17.. G6) I I love and willing minder: xvhicihr , Believers und.eri.thee.».Law, forithe fubftarrcet of them; ‘but under the New Tefiamentetheliberty of Chrifiians is-fur- ther inlarged in their freedom from the yoak of 7 the Cére,-t t ‘ monial Law, the whole Legal hadminifiration of the Cove- I nant of Grace, to which the ]ewi{h(;hurch wasi,fubjeg , Prayer is to be made for things lavvful, and for all forts -of men living, orthat {hall live hereafter, but not for the ' dead, nor. forthofe of whom it be .knovvn .tl1at,tl,_1ey, The reading of the Scriptures,t Preaching, anclwhearingl ~.the‘xvord of God, fingmg(‘off"Pfal1n§.;fas alfo ;the§fa',drnini=-' firation of Baptifrfiancltthé tL,9‘rds’S'u‘pper,.lare all parts of religioué Worlhip o‘l‘_G%otl,f:t'<‘>.be, 1 5éri’o1in;1,etl‘_ir"t obedience uné to God with underflandiin‘g,, faith, trevierence, and‘ godly fear.‘Solemn, Humi1i'a'tions,xvith Fafiingst‘arijd hankfgiving. upon ‘fpecial ‘occafions, are in‘ their fe‘veral'ti1Iies and {ea-' fons to be ufed in a holy and religious maner.“ " t “ I IVLP _ N either Prayer, ' nor any other part of religious ‘Worfliip, zis nowunder ahe Gofpel; either .tgred-unto,'_or made more’ aaccqptable by any place, in Whit 1 , itis performed, or to-‘ wares which iris drreéted“-, but Godirs to be worfliipped every where in fpirit and in truth, as in private families day- ly, and in fecret each one by himfelf, fo more folemnly in the publique aflemblies; which are not carelefly nor wil- fully to be ne '0 elected, or forfaken, when God by his Word = or Providence calleth. thereunto. V IL As’ it is of the-law of Nature, that in general a‘ ropor-j rtion of time by Gods appointment be fet apartéfort e wor- mp of God -, 10 by his Word in a pofitive, moral, and per-— petual _,__-...,.;-,._-~ v av -nrvir-_'.."1',.|..-\.‘l."4-0 ' Z i particularly appointed g onedaiy in. {even for 3 Sabbath to be keptf: holy u’nto~himt,which from the beginning of the world tofthe f€fu1ff€&iQfi~ of~C3hri{t, Wa$,th€ laft-day of theweek, and frbrnithe‘fe’fur’reé}:ioi*r o£v(;1irin~-was changed} into the 1 ifirfliday of the Week; W”hich’ih&I1d in the duties of Niecei} fity and Mercy. -: J: .1 . ‘ ‘ , n (;HA,p,i \ of law/uznoazimzngz mi, .AA'. 7 Iiawfui Oath is a part of religious W or{hip,whereii1 the eperfon {wearing in truth, righteoufnefs and judge- ment, foiemniycalleth God to witnefs what he aflerteth or. prornifeth, and to judge him according to the truth or..Afa1f~ hood ofwhathe fweareth, ’ it Tizirfi O (40) The name of God onely isthat by whichmen oughtto fwear, and therein. it is to be ufed with all holy fear. and re- tverence : Therefore to fwear vainly, or rafhly,by that glo- .—rious or dreadful name,or to {wear at all by any other gbjpgy. ..-is1inful,and to be abhorred; yet as in matters of weight and moment an Oath is warranted by the Word of God’ un... der the New Tefiament, as well as underthe Old-,fo,a,law,. ful Oath, being im pofed by lawful authority in fuch mat-5 riters, ought to be ‘taken. a III. Whofoever taketh an Oath warranted by the Word of "God, ought duly to confiderithe weightinefs of fo folemn an a&, and therein to avouch nothing butwhathe is fully perfwaded is the truth: neither may any man binde himfelf by Oath to any thing, but what is good and jufi, and what he believeth fo to be, and what he is able and refolved to l perform. Yet it is a fin to refufe an Oath touching any thing that is good and jufi, being" lawfully impofed by Authority. i H IV. An Oath is to be taken in the plain and common fe-nfe of the words,without equivocation or mental refervationglt «cannot oblige to fin, but in any thing not finful being ta- ken it bindes to performance, although to a O mans own hurt -, nor is it to be violated, although made to H€l‘€tlCl£S «oriu‘fidels.a * V. i . ’ " l ( R N / .. .- .« . , ._ ( (, . . ..: _ - I v 3 " "=V_t “ : n A Vow, _which is, not tolbe made to any Creature, but alone, 15 oféthc like nature witha pnomiflory Oath; and ‘ I" ’ . .- - -. _-I. l 'O!$hf mibe made withthe like religious care , andm be t eigg pe;fgrmetd.wlth thee1il1;e‘{ai:h% fingers,‘ . lrlonafiicall Vows of perpetual fingle H‘ X 33¢ ‘ ees of Cl‘_P£jl‘f€a;lOIl;‘, that they atetjfuperftjr debt , , .‘3.9*””*3"‘fi3"5“lf“?4£€$Aae m3VhiC11 410 Chrifiian maygintanglc Al :3 l 10f ‘the ciéaii Mftgiflrate. God the fupreme Lord‘ and King of all the world ,’ m bath ordained «civil nMagifiIates to be under him, over tlI1eqpTo_.dp,l’e for his own lory and the pubfique good 5 and $0 31$ A Cad hateh 2-fin ed em with the [power of the (word, for the defence and incoumgementof them thatdo coed’ .'.=1f_fel}‘d.‘*.1.8~“?-ifillfiwhnolfome Laws of =eac_.h tCommr;>n\vealth 5‘ fo for that end they may lépvfully now .. . , Q G under $1 V s‘é> I ‘ .: /I ,- C 42 7 under the “newiTefiament wage war upon juft and necef- fary occafion; e III. - Although the Magiflrate is bound to incourage , pro- '~mOte5aI1d proteét the profeflors and profe {lion of the;Go- fpel, and to manage and order civil adminifihations in a due lubferviency to the intereft of Chnfl: in the world , and to that end to take care that men of corrupt mindesand r.£onv"er_fations do not licentioufly publiih. and divuloe aBlai'p”hemie‘s and Errors, in their own nature, fubxfertirigt , Z faith, and inevitably deftroyino the fouls of them that re?- ceive them : Yet in fuch dilierences about I the Doétrines of the Cofpel , or ways of the worthip of God , as mayhe- fal men exercifing a good confcience , manifefcing it in their converfation , and holding} thefoundation , not di-» Pcurbing others in their ways or worfhip that differ from. them-, there is no warrant for the Magrftrate under the « Gofpel to abridge them of their liberty. . - i *; .. o be e*?§£i L.,_I V:f_:.? ‘. I lit”? It is the dutyof people to praiyfor*Magifhates,“toilio- nor their perfons , to pay them Tribute and other dues‘, to obey their lawfial commands, and to be fubjeft to their Authority for confcience fake. pInfidelityi,or differenceiin religion , doth not make void the Magifirates ejufl' and l’e'-a E31 Authority, nor freethe people from their obedience to im: from which ecclefiaflical perfons are not exempted, much lefs hath the Pope any power or jurifdiétion over them intheir dominions , or roverany. of their people‘, and leaf} of all to deprive them ‘of their“Dbminions1or.liVes‘, if helhall judge them to b’e"H‘eretiéks‘,or.r upon axryother pre- '£€I1€€ whatfoever C;HrA«F? ( 4; ) CHAR xxw Of Marriage. A V Arriage is to be between one man and one woman: " neither isit lawful for any man to have more then one wife, not for any "woman tohave more then one huf- band at the fame time; ~ ‘ . Iti" Marriage was ordained foi the mutual help of husband and wife, for the’ increare of manleinde‘ with a_ legitimate i{I"ue,{and of the Church with-an holy‘ feed, ‘and’ for pre-,5 ver_1tinggofunc1ea_nnefs;g j e i g_ ' .. It is lawful for all forts ofpeop1eto‘marry,ig whoaré able with judgement to give their confent. Yet , it is the duty, ». v:~ :1.» v f»* J.‘ in ofC»hriPtians to marry in the Lord, and therefore fuch as“ profefs the true Reformed Religion, fhould not marry with Infidels, Papifts, or other Idolaters: neither _fhou1d_fuch as are god1y,be unequally eyoakedby marrying with fuchas are wicked intheir‘ life, or maintain damnable Hetefie, d ’ i .‘ 1 -. v . V ' K__, .. 1'. -:v." ', . _, , ,1»; . Q * .’ ' I a Marriage‘oughtin'ot* to‘?oe‘ivithin‘the degrees offconfan- guinity or "aifinftyi forbi‘d‘den'in the" Word ‘-,“‘ ‘not’ "can 1'uch incefiuous Marriages ever be made ‘lawful by any law or man, or confent of paft1¢S?.f:O.§lS>§hQffi tperfotns”-rnayglifive 9 Q together’ as e; :1 ,~. , ,1 __ ,g ., U’ I’! {,5 9fi“i’*~“*"tfirAhi ~ 7- - 2. ,.A \ V _ ' Vb.‘ .,... . ... v—\'—v ...--—-~-«~‘\. ;- '— ~.. ., n .; ..'..v ‘V "N . .....'_...-A~.,- , _, 7’ . . ( 4 ' _ _‘ J.‘ _ A _ _ _ __ __’A __ _, ._ 2.... . ....... Cfiéfi XXVE 0[ the Cbgrck. Tfk Cathofiique or llniverfal Church , is imvi-—~T hrs/:5 beexi, ‘are, or. ‘finllbe gglthéréd income the Head thereof, and is the Spoufe, ghg £nln.e%£_s_ of him char. filleth all in 3.11. _‘ "T 11‘ fiblé, cpilfifis of the whole nmnbex: of the lEle¢l[,%F: shat... Thlifirholc WJ fingél th €:jfaltl1 of tlne and obedience: ump by»; Chrift according unto it , not deffroyingd G feflion by any Errors evertino the foun’datidn%,’lor"1ii1hbli? nefs of converfacion, are, a inlay be called the vifible Ca- tholiqua Churchof Chrifi ,_ although 3553011 i.E»is..,I_1e_)~t;%i:t1- t1;ufi€,d..\vj§thé:«1é1clr£1ini'£fl’::1tic§;i of; a1i35gOrdipa;sqes,pr; 39? 0fl3fi€I5l‘° W“-?“%P3’€rlb»h%l9!.£3A*cn ; l 5pl1refil’Ch um: heivem am: trnxturcgand’ erxor 9’ and fame have fo dn1ge;1cnat.erl;as*t10b:e». come no%Cl‘1urc‘hes of Cfififl, Synétgoguesof ‘Satan: Neverthelefs Chrifi alwayshédl had, and ever {hall have a vifible ]gin%‘§o_}1z Ln,thi$:g.,7vo;ld,, etldznhercof, asbeliéfii’ ._r » bwnmcgl ‘ . 5 W j “» x I ‘ . l ‘I'M-e'is no*o”eherlH‘e‘ad’of but , noxcan the Ppge of Rbme in any fexife ‘ ‘ A‘ “ Hea , (#5) fiééa thereof; but is that Antichrifi, that manof rm, and fonof perdition, that exalteth himfelf in the Church againft Chnft, and all‘ that is. called God, whom’ the Lord, {hail deftroyi with the brig-htnefs of his coming. Asthe Lord in hiscarieéand love towards his Church; hath in histinfilnite A ovidenceiexercifed’ it w_ithy°feat9 varietyin alt ages, for t good of them that love rim,’ and -hisiown Glory: fa aecorchng tokhisr ‘promife, we ex«= pgé£chat‘in»t*I1e kittierdayisfi 13sinticl*ia‘if¥3beirtg'&e&roye€i, the‘ Jews called , and the adverfaries of the Kingdom of his dear Son broken, the Churches of Chrifi being inlarged 3 and edified through; a plentifiihéoinmunication of light and grace , {hall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable and glorious. CQ§)£5h13.0Q*,thBn they have enjoyed., » .'- -' . film-" .i~ 4 A . . . 5, .4 3 * "P ‘ir.‘.,.“- ,..L...o 5 L1 Saints that are united to ]efus' Chrift their Headf by his Spirit and gFaith,.aLthough they are not made‘ thereby- ._oa.e perfon, wirt.h;h.ixrft_, .,ha‘ye feilowfl1Lp~ his; '_ and being united toga; angglier inlove, they have CQmml!.4-1: .5 ' nion in each others gifts and goracesi and are obliged to that performance of fuch duties, p Chltgue and private, as do-con-t duce to their mutual good, bdth tn. the inward and outwards ,..,‘.;..? Q'\ \ .. -, '2 M.‘ ;)-,’7i'.‘”1?i:.’~.~\'- L ‘ g ‘ f,. =.. _.ii.‘.1. * -~. I .i V . _ 3 ‘ . ,._ . . .. 5 . ' : ~‘ “ ‘ . y C" ‘ 3"? ' r i46) All Saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowlhip and communion in the Worfhip ofGod,andin performing fuch other fpiritual fervicesas tend to their mutual edification; ras alfo in relieving each other in outward things, according to their feveral abilities and neceflities : which communion. though efpecially to be exercifed by them in the relations wherein they Itand, whether in Farnilies or Churches, yet -as God .oFfereth OPPor.tunity,is to be extended unto all thofe ~who in evexytiplace ca1t:upo’n the Name of the Lord Jefus. j 4; »fi\ ~ » .0f‘etbe?Sa¢ramems:; ‘ SAcraments are ho1y?Signs and ‘S eals the Covenant of " (;I'3.C€)iII1ITl€di3.l'.€lYe inf’:-i'tuted by Chrifi-,to reprefent him and his benefits, and to confirm our intereft in him, and fo- lemnly to engage ‘nsitolthe fervice of God in Chrift, ac- cording to his Word. W g 4 J V i *3 There is Szicrérnent :‘a:Ip’lritual- relation; ‘or nnioii between-‘the, fr the «thindfignifiedg _’ whenceit comes to ’pa{‘s that *t"E;"fiamesf and’ ' the; one af€‘_attribuEed to, the other, f" . J z _ ,‘- ‘ 1 . , , . . . . . ‘ Th;-:3 grace which 15 exhibited in or by the Sacramdilrig ’ .ri.gh;1y ufed) is not conferred by any gower in thermneither doth : - , ..,. _ I 1': ,. , ; I‘-.‘..“.' 3"’ 1. 'u.:. . , \ / __ ‘ .r. - ’ I T " ' .rY _,.‘ L:--9 Q [L I-.-‘rrx ' 1_” "»'§ 7."':',‘ "'Kt'; -‘. -1-c.~.o‘—.‘. . 3 I g ‘ii .4 -" C»./\./(...’ ,3 Lfiuif }4}- .a r. ~ ' .-1 I -J‘: ‘i?fiC' ,_ 1. 47> ::7‘d0th the efficacy ‘ofaS'_aeram;ent"'depend upon the piety or r intention ofrhim that do“th'admini{_1'er it. but upon the work of the Spirit, and the word oflnftitution, which con- tains together witha Precept authorizing the ufe thereof, a Promrfe of benefit to worthy. receivers. p There be onely two Sacraments ordained by‘ Chrifl our Lord in the Gofpel, that is to fay, Baptifm and the Lords Supper ; neither of which may, be difpenfed by any but by zgsmmmer ofrr;itheVy’ord.l/awfizily ca1Ied,t? is a " “ re 7 _’i‘he Sacraments of the Old Tefltament, in regard of the fprrrtual things thereb fignified and exhibited, were for fubftance the fame wit thofeof the New. i " , CHAP. XXIX. Of ,’j3aptifm.. BApti{m is a Sacrament of the New. Teftarnentgordainedf f by Jefus C hriit £O'b€ ' unto the; party baptized a fign; -«.3351 £531.?‘ of theCovenant of Grace, o£ ' his ingraffing into: Chriit, .ofregeneration,f ofremiiiion of’, fins, and of his gi- Vlflg upunbo God through .]efus~Chrifi to.-walk innewnefse Of life; which Ordinance is by Chrifisr. own. appointment. to be continued in his Church until the end of the world" I I... T he outward Elernentto ‘be ufed in this Ordi‘nance~',. rs: Wa&€R:.“ -watetfupfon the perfon. - am; bipgizedhathe \ f e ,.o‘€the" Fathfifa ?ndo£1he:Sm;§a_sid :>£?t;hn:l1o1§r>fiG§h:b£i:*,;i:gr;a., lawfu1iy£flh:d. Dipping of the erfoni ilitb the J eater but Baptifrn is rig tly adrhiniftred by pouring or {prinklingi oi ” inst enemy tiara obedience unto ‘Chrifi, but alfo the Infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized? and thofe onely. 1 Although it be La; great {en-to; aomzemni -‘Ordinance, yet grace and falvation are not fo infeparably annexed ‘unto it, as that no perfon canbe regenerated or fa- ved without it-, or thaxjirii that‘areb;1pIized,are undoubtedly regenerated. i i R - . Ix vu_ ,_ -«J The-encacy of Ba:ri"fm‘ismc -tied to an momem: or time . twhereinzit isadminifired, yet notwithihmding, by . tiglat uiie of thisfiidinance, the gmrzeuprgimiikti 'i_s>niot.~or1,'e}y ofiered , but reallyécexhibited rand confm1ed.g;by31h’e no ifixch (whethm ofzzge; ciiinfants) aSithat‘graoe;bfe- iomgcth mrto, acoonding xmzfie -ccnmfel of Gods =own” inhis-°-PP0iI1tedtinre. 2 i VII. . .-L Baptifm :is'1>ut"bnee‘ tohemfhnini£n*ed:.to any CHARg (B49) 7 iii l,'EHARixxx.i Of the Lord: Supper. jefus in the night wherein he was betrayed‘, ~ a ‘inflituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, called the-Lords Supper , to be obferved in his Churches unto the end of the world,for the per etual remembrance, and Ihew« ing forth oftheTSacrifice of ' {elf in hisrdeath, the {cal- ing of all benefits thereof unto true believers, their fpiritu- al nourifhment, and growth in him, their further ing 0e~ ‘ men: in and mail duties which they owe unto him, a to heabondand pledge of their’ ttommunion with him, and if}, A W II. ’ s In this Sacrament Chrifi is not offered up to his Father, nor any real Sacrifice made at all for remiflion of fin of the quick or dead, but onely a memorial of that one offering of hirnfelf by himfelf upon the Crofs once for all, and a {pi- ritmil OB!-atiottof allpoifible .~praife unto God for the fame», fo thatthe.Popi£h Sacrifice of the Mafs (as they call it) is moft abominable, injurious to Chrifis own onely Sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all thefins of the Elect. t is A .,y _,?i. Llordijefus hath in this Ordinance appointed lis Miniflers to pray and blefs the Elements of Bread and Wine, and thereby to fetithem apart froma common to an holy ufe , and to take and break the Bread, to takethe Cup, (they ‘communicating alfo themfelves) toéglvfclr 4 . H or “I . —-.. i *<5°9c a both to the Cornmunicants, but to none who are not then prefent in the Cong‘r.;egation.r j J‘ ' e n I V} Private MalTes,or receiving the Sacrament by a Priefl,or ahytotllef alone, as likenivife the denial sol b tl1eCu?p'. peoplefivorfluping the;Elements,the up?.o7r"cari- ryingrthem about for adoration, and the yrefervxngfthem for any pretended religious . ufe,are all contrary to the nature of this Sacrarr1ent,',.and to the Inflitutiorfr of 1‘ ~_. i be ‘-3 : . ."§z‘ : * "7 c The outward Elements inthis Sacrament duely fet apart: to the ufes ordained by Chrifl‘, have fuch irelationéto him C rucified, as that truly, yet Sacramentally ,onely,: Etheyiare‘ fometimes called by the name of the things they reprelent, to wit, the Body and Blood of Chrifi-, albeit in fubfiance and nature they flill remain “truly and onely Bread. and Wineasthey were béore. t ;r i . < -. ,.- ex, . _ . I, ‘ , _ _ ‘ y 1. . ., ' ‘ 4 ' ' - _ .. ‘ ' _ , 5‘ .. 1 ’ -‘ P’ ‘I ‘ V I y. _ . > r _ 5 . ’ J y ‘ That Doctrine which maintainéa changerrol» that an . fiance of Bread and Wine into the fubllance of~C«hri{ls . dy and Bloodrcommonly called Tranfubf’ca1itiation)by don-- fecration of.aaPrief’t;orf’bylan3z other way,is.repugnant:.not at Scripture alon'e,but even to common fe nfe and real'on,over-r throweth the nature of the Sacrament, and hath been, and isthe oaufe of manifold? ’Super{titio'ns,? yea of groefs Ido- laD;'l€5. . i ‘ ii . T '_' ’ B’ 5 T . A ' VII“. L. ' A Worthy Receiveré outvvardly partaking of the Elements; i i( so “V Elements, in‘:-his Sacrame_nt,do}hen‘ alfo inwardly, by Faith’, really Fandi indeed, yet notgcarna-lly and. cotporally, but {pi- ___——— L ritually, receiveand feediupon Chrilt crucified, and all be- nefitseeofhis death 5. the Body and Blood of Chrifl: being then n ot corporally or carnally in, with, or under the Bread or Wine 5 yet as really, but fp.iritually prefent to the Faith e o f Believers in that Ordinance,‘as the Elements themfelves ‘ are to their outward fcnfést A o _ Alllignoraniz and ungodly .perfons,u as they are unfitto enjoy communion with Chrilt, fo are they unworthy of the Lords Table, and cannot without great fin againft him, whileft they remain fuch,partake of , thefe ‘holy Myfleries, or be admittedtheteunto-, yea whofoevei? {hall receive un- vyorthily ,,_are,,(dieso£ mensafteradeath return to dull, and feel corruption; but .th€if:{@l11.5r(Wlt1iCh neither die nor;fle.ep)v: havingilanimmnnalfubfil1et1qe;,irr1xneT (54 on NSTITU T I ON ‘AND THE ‘i; r- - ’ s V.’ : .’.§ . - - ‘ “ ‘ " . .' ': , . .. .3 - . . - . . 2 I ‘ \ fa "f> ; ’ - .-. .. .. ._ . . l .' _ "fl ’ _ ‘ ‘ J. .. ,. ‘ .' ‘- . .. ,/ i J , ‘ « 3 ‘ ’ .2 by ‘.'n - .V _ ~ _, " r " ._' '. n . » . ,- _ - - " _ _ , .' 3 . .,. __ - 0 - ‘ " , " . ; ‘V: .-... ‘ ‘Nv l . I I >_“ ‘ I .3 ,'\ a ."r\‘<‘ . ’~ H_ ,\ 3' ‘ ‘,5 ' . ‘ R . ' f\, ‘ . - . 1 =-.;.-..» ,..-lé .a.-...—/...,'- . 9. ,_ _-_:r'_— _ V t ‘. h M. ‘i , .. --—-'e . .. » .Y'—.—"r V .v 5 ’ .-. 3 .. ~ 4 - a Y the appoincmegace qf the Father‘ all Po_wer- £0: D the C;aL1ing,_. ‘In£_).ig1t1on,: Order or Government: , . of Lhe.Chk1rGh; 1see.1nvefted.'in a'Su ireme and 30-- ¢ veraiga eimaneriine ‘t11€,L<3.fd I¢fusC rift as King; and Head thereofi- ' ’ 1 V _‘ i . i i i 1 Hi. In the execution of this Pbwer wherewith he is for en-« trufiedgghe Lerdf _I§fuseC3u€Eh~0Ut"0f:P1}¢'W0r*d "M0 C0m_“" miinien wiz-h himfelf, thofe that. are given unto; by Faber) . than,-‘hey may wail; beforefh1m_1na_11theAways-of A obedience, which heprefcribeth to inhis Word. i IIL Thofé; T ,2! , __... ...,.—...- .-.. » .~..--..u..- in»: t... ., .._---u.¢-.,., . - L ‘Thofe. thus}Ca117ed (thiéotigh the s-‘the L . . .¢—' - év 3 " .".'°“ ".~ 2 by his Spirit) he commaudeth to waik together in particu- lar Societies or Churches , forrtheir mutual edification , and the due performance of that , he requifeth of them itihis Wfifldp To each of thefé-tChurg;h'q's$ thu§j;gathg"ed;; according mnto his ininele dedafied he given all that Power and Authority, way needfull for their carryi on th3§Ord€¥mW0rflu§}3ud I)ifcip1in£,which he hath mggtuged fog them tgilohfemywith and Rules , for the due 'aud’rig exerting and 'uexeeu:ing of Lthafpower. ‘V k __ . - . _ i . V; s "'I‘hef'e articu1ar‘Churches* thus" appointed by: Afi- ethority 0 },'}*’afih1’in§n‘1Re,d for the ends before'e3rpréffcCP§ t étfé‘ i€i‘~'C.1%‘5f’-‘ii e €§?I¥‘3S" iiinio thdfe ends , the feat of that Powervérhich‘-he 5i$7f>iea{ed tifcoiiii municate to his Saints or Subjeéts in this world, fol that rfuch they receive it immediately from himfelf. . “ s . . . 5 ?.~J LC; :2 Béfiaesrthefe pafiieahrchdréhéégi inlhtui’ ted "by Chiiff 1 Cihurch~i‘fnore'~ éxtenfivé~ or Catholiqué en-. «nrthe execution of anyiauthority in hismame; mulled with power for-the aéminifiration flofi Or:dia’ances,i V IL. A -. C I €57)‘ y be VII. A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the minde of Chrift, confifls of Officers and Members : ‘ The Lord Chrift having given to his called ones(un.ited ac- cording to his appointment in Church-order) Libertyandi Power to choofe Perfons fitted by the holy Ghofi for. that purpofe , to be over them and to minifier to them in the Lord. W V I I. _ The Members of rthefe Churches are Saints by Callin ,i vifibly manifefiing and evidencing (in:an"c1 by _their,profe{%i- ' on andrwalking) their obedience’ unto that Call ofC.hrifi, the Gofpel. who being further known to each other by their confeflion of the Faith wrought in themby the power of.God,declared by themfelves or otherwife manifeI1ed,do willingly confent, to walk together according to thle appointment of Chrifi, giving up thernfelves to t e Lor , and to one another by the will of God in profelled fubieétion to the Ordinances of I X. The Oflicers appointed by Chrift to be chofen and let apart by the Church fo called, and gathered for the pecu- liar adminifiration of Ordinances , and execution of Power or Duty which he intrufts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the World , are Pafiors, Teach: ers,~ E1ders,and Deacons. C ‘ X. Churches thus gathered and aifembling for the Worfliip 053061 , are thereby vifible and publique , and their Af- , * 1 ‘ femblies lique Afiemblies. * (583 fembhes (in what place foever they are, according as have liberty or opportunity) are therefore Church or Pu; « X I. The way appointed by-Chrifi for the calling of any per- i ion, fitted andnagifted bythe holy Ghofi; ‘ unto the Office of Paftor, Teacher orE1der in a Church, is, that he be cho; fen thereunto by the common fuffrage of the Church in felf, and folemnly fet apart by Fafiing and Prayer, with Itnpofition 0f.Handst.0fith€eE1derfl1ip of that Church, if’ there be any beforee teherein; Andiof» 3 Deacon, that he be chofen bytthe like fuflrage, and fet apart by Prayer, and the like Ilnpofition of Hands, XH. Li e The Effence of thi_s‘i.C‘a1L of 2. Paflor, Teacher on Elder t1ntO'OH_i£e, confifts in the Election of the Church, toge-i (her with his men ation of it, and feg>ara»L.iQ.n by Ex;/tinge and Prayer: And I ofe who arefo cho en, though not fez apart by Impofition of Hands, are rightly confiituted Mi» nifters of efus Chrifhin whofe Name and Authority they exercife t e Minifltery. to them fo committedb. The Cal- ofDeaconsconfi1Reth in thelike Erleéfifin and accepta-; tion, with fegapation 5y«1?myer. . t X 111 1.. Although it be incumbent on the Pafiors. and: Teachersj of the Churches to be infiant in. Preaching the Word, by way of Oflice-, yet the work oi Preaching the Word is not i foipeculiuly confined to them, but that others aifo, gifted mid the holy Ghofi forit,anctapprovede.(beii1:1gebfi+ ‘ W . . V cer, or communicate Oflice—power unto him. Q ~...-4.;-..L._ V;_ iereunto) may publiquely, ordinarily and conflantly per- form it 5 fo that they give themfelvescup thereunto. XIV. ‘ However,’ they who are ingaged in the ' work of Pub~ lrque Preaching, and enjoy the Publique Maintenance upon that account, are not thereby obliged to tdifpenfe the Seals to any other then fuch as (being Saints by Calling, and ga-. thered according to the Order of the Gofpebthey ftand re-» lated to,as Paftors or Teachers-,yet ought they not to neg- l_ecSt others living within their Parochial Bounds,but befides their conflant publique Preaching to them, t'hey'ought to enquire after their profiting by the Word,inflru&ing them in, and prefling upon them (whether young or old) the A Great Doctrines oi the Gofpel, evenperfo ll d ‘- gularly, {'0 far astheir itrength and time vvillnsidiiiiiil ° Pam ' be _ X V. Ordination alone without the Election or recedent con- - fent of the C hl11”Ch; by thofe who formerly ‘ave been ()1--, dained by vertue of that Power they have received by their Ordination, doth not conltitute any perfon a Church Offi-r . X VI. i’ A Church furnifhed with Officers (according to the l iminde ofChrifi) hath ‘full power to adrninifler all his Ordi- nances -, and where there is want of any one or more Ofli.~ cers, requ;_red , that Officer, or thofe which are in the Church,fi1ayadlninifier‘ all the Ordinances proper totheir particular Duty and Offices-, but where there are no teach- . ‘ I 2 ing , - 1 . , V \ I 4._« )4 - ;_ . A .. , ., L . » _. VK‘ ' . V ' _ ‘ ‘- -- .2. gv x--of‘-. 1 V i ‘W111 Waysapand means in Providence of God called \ » ‘ ~~ "v s.u~\,‘,4. , ( 60) A ing Officers,‘ none may adminifter the Seals, nor can th‘ Church authorize any fo to do. , XVIL In the carrying on of Church-adminifiration s, no perfon ought’ to be added to the Church,but by the confent of the Church it felf-,' that fo love (without diflimulation) may be preferved between all the Members thereof. X V I-I I. Whereas the Lord Jefus Chrift hath appointed and in- fiituted as a means of Edification, that thofe who walk not according to the Rules and Laws. appointed by him (in re- f ect of Faith and Life, fo that juft offence doth arife to the Church thereby) be cenfured in his Name and Autho-- rity : Every Church hath Power in it {elf to exercife and execute all thofe Cenfures appointed by him in the way and Ode: prefcribed in the Gofpel. X I X.‘ ’ ' The Cenfures fo appointed by Chrifl, are Admonition and Excommunicarionz and whereas fome offences are or- may be known onely to fome, it is appointed by Chrifi, that thofe to whom they are fo known, do. firft admonifh the offender in private: in publique offences where any fin, before all-,or in cafe of non-amendment upon private admo- nition, the offence being related to the Church, and the offender not manifefling his re entance, he is to be duel admonilhed in the Name of C rift by the whole C hutch, by the Minifiery of the Elders of the Church; and if this Cenfure prevail not for his repentance, then he is to becafl: out by Excommunication with the confent of the Church, X X. As \.. ‘XX. lar Churches,'when and where they have opportunrty f'o to do, fo none are to be admitted unto the Priviledges of the Churches, whodo not fubmitthemfelves to the Rule of Chrift in the C enfures of the Governmentof them. i I.‘ . i This being the way prefcribed by Chrifi in cafe of ofi”ence,,.’. no Church-members upon, any offences taken by them, having performed their duty required of‘ them in this mat- ter, ouoht, to d-ifiurbi any Church-order, or abfent them- ~ g f elves libm the publique Aflernblies,or the Adminifcration of any Ordinances upon that pretence, but to wait upon Chrilt in the further proceeding of the Church, XXIIe The Power of Cenfures being feared by Chrifi in a par- " ticular Church, is to be exercifed onely towards particular: Members of each Church refpeétively as fuch-, and there is no ower given by him unto any Synods. or Ecclefiaflical Allfemblies to Excommunicate, or by their publique Ediéts. to threaten Excommunication, or other Church-cenfures~ ' againflt Churches,MagiRrates, or their people upon any ac-» count, no man being obnoxious to that Cenfilre, but HPOH ' his perfonal mifcarriage , as a Member: of a partic-ulatg Church. . XXII I9. Although the Church is a Society of men, alI"embli£r:)g; “As all Believers are bound to joyn themfelves toparticu- ~wjV' for the’ celebration of the Ordinances according to it fire 2! Q52.) 4 . . pointment of Chrift, yet every Society aifembling for tha V end or purpofe, upon the account of cohabitation within . any civil Precinfis and Bounds, is not thereby conflituted a Church,feeing there may be-wanting among them, what is effentially required thereunto , and therefore a Believer living with others in fuch a Precin6t,may joyn hfinfelf with any Church for his edification. X X IV. For the avoidino of differences that may otherwife arife, for the greater Solemnity in the Celebration of the Ordi- nances ofChrift, and the opening a way for the larger ufe- ‘fulnef s of the Gifts and Graces o the holy Ghofl; Saints living in one City or Town, or within fuch clifiances as i that they may conveniently ailemble for divine Worihip, ought rather to joyn in one Church for their mutual Pcrengthning and edification , then to let up many difiinét ‘Societies. X X V. _ As all Churches and all the Members of them are bound , to pray continually for the good or profperity of a all the Churc es of Chrifl in all places, and upon all occafions to further it, (Every one within the bounds of their Places and Callinos, in the exercife of «their Gifts and Graces) So the Chart es themfelves (when planted by the providence of God, fo as they may have opportunity and advantage for it) ought to hold communion amongft themfelves for their peace, increafe of love, and mutual edification, \ XXVI; In a (I ._ _ ,.__ _. _.._ - - ..;._. — ' 1 we _ ~r ' * A» I- .. F . 3 . V ‘ ‘SR.’ 1 ’ I V‘ . ‘ V ' ’ ~ . V > V V 1 .r~ C I - - Hm ‘ K‘ . I K . u_',_W': -:3 _ “A » ,'‘t-. y.. .f_ I ' .1 1‘ W? V ‘ ~ ~'' ’ I av ‘ ’ ~ 3* ~.'ca’fes of Cl1fl'lCI1ltl€S or drfferences, erther 1n pom; d éh'lI1€2OflIlAdH'1lfllflIl'3.Il0[151\VhCl'€lH either rheChurches. in general are concerned, or any one Church in their Peace, union,and Edification, or any Member or Members of any Church are injured an, or by any proceeding in Ce.nfures,_, not agreeable to Truth and Order: it is according to the mihde of Chriff, that many Churches holding communion- .together,do by their Meflengers. meet. 1n a Synod or Coun- ~«€e1, to confider and grve therr advrce rn, or about that mat- ter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concern- ed -, Howbelt thefe Synodis foadfembled are nor entrufted with any C.hlurch-Power, properly to called, or xvrth any Jurifdiéfion over the Churches themfelves, to exercife any Cen{;1.re5,.‘€ltl1€l"_OV§I‘ any Churches or Perfon-s, or to ma. pofe their determrnanons on the Churches‘ or Officers, XXVI}, Befidesthefe occaflonal Synods or Conncels, there are- not infiitnted by Ch‘F1ll£'a£1yfi§l.ted»SyflOcls.1ma fixed Coma.‘ bm;g0,; of Churches, or then Officers in leffer or gr'eater- Affemblies; nor are there any Synods appointed by Chritbj . in a way of Subordinationato one another. ‘ X X V I I I. Perfoné that are joyned in Churcl1—fellowfl1ip, ought-rnot. tiohtly or without jull caufe to withdraw themfelves from fife communion of the Church whereunto they are fo joyn-. ed : Neverthelefs, where an perfon cannot continue in any Church without his fin, eit 1er for want of the Admrnrflra- gionof anyordinances infiituted by Chrifl, or by his be-~ _3 l . ma; 9'" e‘ Qt w ins dePriveé*i>f his T thing m praihce not v§§3ff3fited‘bY"1h€“VV0rcT3 A0 7 Berfecution} or ‘upon cheeacééimofcorivehieneynf“ ai 1-‘ion-, hggoqfulting withtheeeCehfurch,or the”Officer«:o?rf;e_ ._ P fice"rs:th5éreof, {may'peace’ab1y’depa,rtfiom the cdmmuniotxé-A! x*:i'L%FV . A of gheChuxch , wherewith hegfo, Walked, to jo h A with féme other:Ch.u'rceh5.1ew,herehee$na.:,;%e;1joyqeet e; ‘ ’ Ordiniemceshin the pxiritf/7 of chhe.Vf2y11%e;:;,f£o:,-‘his edih catich ; Genfolation. A A ~ 4 “. « , ‘ _ ,7 _ .. L Such».«refQr1ningeechurcheeagconfifiof.perfqns;}sfQLmdTin; » the . Faith, and ‘of ’C0flVeI,fa.tiQ[‘1.' b€€oming7 .thé,%e.‘hG6fpel,e j ought not to r,efu"fethe«communion 7c>f— eachhhdtfier, ffo far, " 4 as may confifi withxtheir o‘wnhPrirIc_ip1e-gerefpeétivelyghough, ; A’ Q thev walk not in all thitlgs accofidhlge E) the fame *Rules"Of: e. % L ' - C hhrch-order. A, E - K ' - :3‘ v. v MM 3,. . ' '-' ~ I, .31.: '2 .2,{,.. _ . . C5 4 ‘ . - - c. ' I L. ‘ ‘ 5 V . ‘ . - _..‘fl-;.__ , ‘Q. _ .;V . . _ 3 . In ,_V. 1%.. A‘ :; .Churche3?gatheredieahd’ wa1king,.a:;i:9;;ehf; .;.t<)5»;;fjx,e fi'1infde:" 'ofCh7r’i’ft, judging other Churches (thohu;,E*hh}§ efsephu”re)e-to -be txue C*hu1:ches,hmay receive unto occaf communion “ f "> -with .t1le_!11:f;f£ICh§__h4€mb€fS of thofe Churche‘§as;are credibly .4 Q geflified to be gOdlY,and.to live without offenC,€,, ' 7 . a. . > ¥ '=?_.~<: = » . ,. .7 .5? 't,.:')":'~' .r "V7 4 - -4.’ ;».~- - --'.' ‘,2-.Y—"“' U’ «Q1;-'. V . 1' -, * 9' .. ~ '-'4 » I pp RARE BX 7235 .C6 1658 1659 uuvmm or uoouu - counnu ELL SPC RRE RARE 5 .C6 1658 1659 llllflfiillflllflllllfl 01 0-005934288