Truth and Innocence Vindicated, Part 1 · Subpart 9
And that the World may know what my Judgment is in Matters of Faith, I do heartily declare my Aſſent unto, and Approbation of theſe following Articles.
I. Of the Scripture.
THE Holy Scripture of the Old and New Teſtament, are the Word of God, and the only Rule of Faith and Life.
II. Of God.
There is but one only the living and true God, who is a Spirit Infinite, Eternal and unchangeable in his Being, Wiſdom, Power, Holineſs, Goodneſs and Truth. There are three Perſons in the God-head, the Father eternally begetting, the Son eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son, the ſame in Eſſence, equal in all the incommunicable and communicable Attributes of the Divine Nature.
III. Of God's Decree.
The Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpoſe, according to the Council of his Will, whereby for his own Glory, he hath fore-ordain'd whatſoever comes to paſs; which Decrees he executes in the Works of Creation and Providence.
IV. Of Creation.
The work of Creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his Power, in the ſpace of ſix Days, and all very good; and after other Creatures, he Created Man Male and Female, after his own Image, in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs, Holineſs; with Dominion over the Creatures.
V. Of Providence.
God's Works of Providence are his moſt Holy, Wiſe, and Powerful, Preſerving and Governing all his Creatures and all their Actions.
VI. The Covenant of Works.
When God Created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, as the common Head and Repreſentative of all Mankind, upon condition of perfect Obedience; forbidding him to Eat of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Evil, upon pain of Death; which Covenant our firſt Parents (being left to the freedom of their own Will) broke, and ſo fell from the Eſtate wherein they were Created, by ſinning againſt God, and all Mankind, deſcending from Adam by ordinary Generation, ſinn edwith him, and Fell with him in his firſt Tranſgreſſion.
VII. Of Sin by the Fall.
The Sinfulneſs of every Man deſcending from Adam by an ordinary Generation, conſiſts in the Guilt of Adam's firſt Sin, the want of Original Righteouſneſs, and the Corruption of his whole Nature; which is commonly call'd Original Sin, together with all Actual Sins, whereby he is oppoſite to all Good, and bent to all Evil, and liable to God's Wrath, the Curſe of the Law, Death, and all Miſeries, Spiritual, Temporal and Eternal. The remainders of this Original ſinful Nature acts even in the Saints, when their State is changed through Grace.
VIII. Of Chriſt.
Chriſt Jeſus the Eternal Son of God became Man, being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary, by the Holy-Ghoſt, and thereby taking our Nature upon him, continueth to be God and Man in two diſtinct Natures and one Perſon for ever.
IX.
Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both in his humbled and exalted ſtate, executeth the Office of a Prophet, of a Prieſt, and of a King, to his Church.
X. Of the Prophetical Office of Chriſt.
Chriſt executes the Office of a Prophet, in the times both of the Old and New Teſtament, in revealing by his Word and Spirit, the whole Mind and Will of God for Man's Salvation.
XI. Of the Prieſthood of Chriſt.
Chriſt executeth the Office of a Prieſt, in once offering up himſelf a Sacrifice without Spot to God, to be a Reconciliation for the Sins of all them that ſhall be Saved, and in making continual Interceſſion for them at the Right Hand of the Majeſty on High.
XII. Of the Kingly Office of Chriſt.
Chriſt, as our Redeemer, executeth the Office of a King, in calling out of the World a People to himſelf, in Ruling and Defending them, and in reſtraining and conquering all his and their Enemies.
XIII. Of the Covenant of Grace.
The Covenant of Grace was made with Chriſt, as the ſecond Adam, and in him with all the Elect as his Seed, and was made manifeſt by freely providing and offering to Sinners a Mediator and Life, and Salvation through him.
XIV. Of Iuſtification.
Thoſe whom God effectually Calleth, he alſo freely Juſtifieth; not by infuſing Righteouſneſs into them, but by pardoning their Sins, and by accounting and accepting their Perſons as Righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Chriſt's ſake alone; not by imputing Faith it ſelf, nor any other Evangelical Obedience unto them as their Righteouſneſs, but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Chriſt unto them: They receiving and reſting on him and his Righteouſneſs by Faith, which Faith they have not of themſelves, it is the Gift of God: And this Faith is not a dead Faith, but worketh by Love, and is accompanied with all other ſaving Graces.
XV. Of Faith.
Faith in the General, is a giving credit to the whole revealed Mind and Will of God in his Word and upon his own Authority; but as it is a ſaving Grace, it is a work of the Spirit, whereby a Sinner doth ſee and behold Chriſt in all his Excellencies, and is perſuaded and enabled to look to him, to go forth from Sin and Self, to lay hold of Chriſt, and to reſt and relie on Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, for Acceptance with God and Eternal Salvation.
XVI. Of Effectual Calling.
Effectual Calling is the powerful Voice of the Son of God by his Spirit, accompanying his Word, whereby a Sinner is enabled to accept of Chriſt upon his own Terms, according to the Promiſe of the Goſpel; therefore it relates to Faith.
XVII. Of Aſſurance.
Aſſurance is not a bare conjectural and probable Perſuaſion, but the infallible certainty of Faith founded upon the Teſtimony of the Spirit of Adoption, witneſſing with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God; altho many Believers have not attained to this Aſſurance, yet it is the Duty of all to ſeek after it, and thoſe that have attained to it may have it divers ways ſhaken and diminiſh'd through Sin and Temptations.
XVIII. Of Perſeverance.
The Perſeverance of the Saints, depends not upon their own Free Will or inherent Grace already received; but upon the Immutability of the Love of God in the Decree of Election, the Efſicay and Merit of the Interceſſion of Chriſt: The Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and the abiding of the Spirit of God. Altho true Believers cannot fall finally and totally, yet they may fall into grievous Sins, and may continue in them for a while, whereby they grieve the Spirit, leſſen their Comforts, wound their Conſciences, ſcandaliſe others, and do come under the Rebuke of God's fatherly Corrections for their Recovery and Amendment.
XIX. Of Adoption.
Adoption is an act of the free Grace of God, in and for his only Son Jeſus Chriſt, whereby all thoſe that are juſtified are received into the number of his Children, have his Name put upon them, the Spirit of his Son given unto them, are under his fatherly Care and Correction, admitted to all the Liberties and Privileges of the Sons of God, made Heirs of all the Promiſes and Fellow-heirs with Chriſt in Glory.
XX. Of Sanctification.
Sanctification is the Work of God's Grace, whereby they whom God has before the Foundation of the World, choſen to be Holy, are in time through the powerful Operation of the Spirit, applying the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt unto them, renew'd in their whole Man after the Image of God, having the Seeds of Repentance; and of all other ſaving Graces put into their Hearts, and thoſe Graces ſo ſtirred up, increaſed and ſtrengthned, as that they more and more dye unto Sin, and riſe up unto Newneſs of Life in the lively Actings and Exerciſes of Faith.
XXI. Of Repentance.
True Goſpel Repentance, is a ſaving Grace, wrought by the Spirit of God, whereby we are enabled thorough believing on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for Life and Salvation, to turn from Sin unto God.
XXII. Preparatory Works.
Works done before Faith, (however good in themſelves) yet are vain, fruitleſs, ſinful, and not pleaſing to God; and therefore can't make us any ways meet for the receiving of Grace.
XXIII. Of Good Works.
Good Works are then only Good, when they are the Fruits of Faith, and they ought to be carefully maintain'd by Believers, not that they may thereby be juſtified or continued in a juſtified State; but that they may glorifie God, and anſwer the Ends of their Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt.
XXIV. Of the Moral Law.
The Moral Law holds the Elect during their Unregeneracy under its condemning Force 'till they believe; and is unto all Believers a Rule for Obedience, which they are enabled to conform unto by the Power of God's Grace.
XXV. Of the State of Believers after Death, and their Reſurrection.
The Souls of Believers immediately after Death, are made perfect in Holineſs, are received up to Heaven, and behold the Face of God in Light and Glory. Their Bodies in the mean time reſting in the Grave till the Reſurrection, are then Re-united to their Souls in Perfect Bleſſedneſs, and full Enjoyment of God forever.
XXVI. Of the Laſt Iudgment.
God has appointed a Day wherein he will Judge the Quick and the Dead in Righteouſneſs by Jeſus Chriſt, to whom all Power and Judgment is given of the Father for the Glorifying his Divine Mercy in the Salvation of the Elect, and of his Divine Juſtice in the Eternal Damnation of the Wicked and Diſobedient.
FINIS.