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<DATE>2012-11-29</DATE>
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<NAME>Colm MacCrossan</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed.</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, Of tho&s;e CHURCHES which are commonly (though fal&s;ly) cal|led ANABAPTISTS; Pre&s;ented to the view of all that feare GOD, to examine by the touch&s;tone of the Word of Truth: As likewi&s;e for the taking off tho&s;e a&s;per&s;ions which are frequently both in Pulpit and Print, (although unju&s;tly) ca&s;t upon them.</P>
<Q><BIBL>ACTS 4. 20.</BIBL>
<P><HI>Wee cannot but &s;peake the things which wee have &s;eene and heard.</HI></P></Q>
<Q><BIBL>ISAI. 8. 20.</BIBL>
<P><HI>To the Law and to the te&s;timony, if they &s;peake not according to this Rule, it is becau&s;e there is no light in them.</HI></P></Q>
<Q><BIBL>2 COR. 1. 9, 10.</BIBL>
<P><HI>But wee had the &s;entence of death in our &s;elves, that wee &s;hould not tru&s;t in our &s;elves, but in the living God, which rai&s;eth the dead; who delivered us from &s;o great a death, and doth deliver, in whom wee tru&s;t that he will yet deliver.</HI></P></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed in the yeare of our Lord, 1644.</P>
<PB REF="2">
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD><HI>TO ALL THAT DESIRE The lifting up of the Name of the LORD JESUS in &s;inceritie, the poore de&s;pi|&s;ed Churches of God in</HI> London <HI>&s;end greeting, with prayers for their farther increa&s;e in the knowledge of CHRIST JESUS.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_WEE que&s;tion not but that it will &s;eeme &s;trange to many men, that &s;uch as wee are frequently termed to be, lying under that calumny and black brand of Heretickes, and &s;owers of di|vi&s;ion as wee doe, &s;hould pre&s;ume to appeare &s;o publickly as now wee have done: But yet notwith&s;tanding wee may well &s;ay, to give an&s;wer to &s;uch, what <HI>David</HI> &s;aid to his brother, when the <HI>Lords</HI> battell was a fighting, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 29. 30. <HI>Is there not a cau&s;e?</HI> Surely, if ever people had cau&s;e to &s;peake for the vindication of the truth of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in their hands, wee have, that being indeed the maine wheele at this time that &s;ets us aworke; for had any thing by men been tran&s;acted again&s;t our per&s;ons onely, wee could quietly have &s;itten &s;till, and committed our Cau&s;e to him who is a righteous Judge, who will in the great day judge the &s;ecrets of all mens hearts by Je&s;us Chri&s;t: But being it is not onely us, but the Truth pro|fe&s;&s;ed by us, wee cannot, wee dare not but &s;peake; it is no &s;trange thing to any ob&s;erving man, what &s;ad changes are laid, not onely by the world, that know not God, but al&s;o by tho&s;e that thinke them&s;elves much wronged, if they be not looked upon as the chiefe Worthies of the Church of God, and Watchmen of the Citie: But it hath fared with us from them, as from the poore Spou&s;e &s;eeking her Beloved, <HI>Cant.</HI> 5. 6, 7. They finding us out of that common road-way them&s;elves walke, have &s;mote us and taken away our vaile, that &s;o wee may by them be recommended odious in the eyes of all that behold us, and in the hearts of all that thinke upon us, which they have done both in Pulpit and Print, charging us with holding Free-will, Falling away from grace, denying Origi|nall &s;inne, di&s;claiming of Magi&s;tracy, denying to a&s;&s;i&s;t them either in per&s;ons
<PB REF="3"> or pur&s;e in any of their lawfull Commands, doing acts un&s;eemly in the di&s;pen|&s;ing the Ordinance of Bapti&s;me, not to be named amongst Chri&s;tians: All which Charges wee di&s;claime as notoriou&s;ly untrue, though by rea&s;on of the&s;e calumnies ca&s;t upon us, many that feare God are di&s;couraged and fore&s;talled in harbouring a good thought, either of us or what wee profe&s;&s;e; and many that know not God incouraged, if they can finde the place of our meeting, to get together in Clu&s;ters to &s;tone us, as looking upon us as a people holding &s;uch things, as that wee are not worthy to live: Wee have therefore for the cleering of the truth wee profe&s;&s;e, that it may be at libertie, though wee be in bonds, briefly publi&s;hed a Confe&s;&s;ion of our Faith, as de&s;iring all that feare God, &s;eri|ou&s;ly to con&s;ider whether (if they compare what wee here &s;ay and confe&s;&s;e in the pre&s;ence of the Lord Je&s;us and his Saints) men have not with their tongues in Pulpit, and pens in Print, both &s;poken and written things that are contrary to truth; but wee know our God in his owne time will cleere our Cau&s;e, and lift up his Sonne to make him the chiefe corner-&s;tone, though he has been (or now &s;hould be) rejected of Ma&s;ter Builders. And becau&s;e it may be conceived, that what is here publi&s;hed, may be but the Judgement of &s;ome one particular Con|gregation, more refined then the re&s;t; Wee doe therefore here &s;ub&s;cribe it, &s;ome of each body in the name, and by the appointment of &s;even Congregations, who though wee be di&s;tinct in re&s;pect of our particular bodies, for conveniency &s;ake, being as many as can well meete together in one place, yet are all one in Communion, holding Je&s;us Chri&s;t to be our head and Lord; under who&s;e go|vernment wee de&s;ire alone to walke, in following the Lambe where&s;oever he goeth; and wee beleeve the Lord will daily cau&s;e truth more to appeare in the hearts of his Saints, and make them a&s;hamed of their folly in the Land of their Nativitie, that &s;o they may with one &s;houlder, more &s;tudie to lift up the Name of the Lord Je&s;us, and &s;tand for his appointments and Lawes; which is the de&s;ires and prayers of the contemned Churches of Chri&s;t in <HI>London</HI> for all Saints.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>Sub&s;cribed in the Names of &s;even Churches in</HI> London.
<LIST>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>William Kiffen.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Patience.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>John Spilsbery.</ITEM>
<ITEM>George Tipping.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Samuel Richard&s;on.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>Thomas Skippard.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Munday.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>Thomas Gunne.</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Mabbatt.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>John Webb.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Killcop.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>Paul Hob&s;on.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Goare.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>.
<LIST>
<ITEM>Jo&s;eph Phelpes.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Heath.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="confession of faith">
<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>THE CONFESSION Of FAITH, of tho&s;e Churches which are commonly (though fal&s;ly) called ANABAPTISTS.</HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>_THat GOD as he is in him&s;elfe, cannot be comprehended of any but him&s;elfe, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 6. 16.</NOTE> dwelling in that inacce&s;&s;ible light, that no eye can attaine unto, whom never man &s;aw, nor can &s;ee; that there is but <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5. Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6, 13. Iohn 14. chap.</NOTE> one God, one Chri&s;t, one Spirit, one Faith, one Bapti&s;me; <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 6. 3. 13, 14. Gal. 1. 8, 9. 2 Tim. 3. 15.</NOTE> one Rule of holine&s;&s;e and obedience for all Saints, at all times, in all places to be ob&s;erved.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>That God is <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">E&s;a 44. 67. &amp; 43. 11. &amp; 46. 9.</NOTE> of him&s;elfe, that is, neither from ano|ther, nor of another, nor by another, nor for another; <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Iohn 4. 24.</NOTE> But is a Spirit, who as his being is of him&s;elfe, &s;o he gives <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Exod. 3. 14.</NOTE> being, moving, and pre&s;ervation to all other things, being in him&s;elfe eternall, mo&s;t holy, every way infinite in <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 36. Act. 17. 28.</NOTE> greatne&s;&s;e, wi&s;dome, power, ju&s;tice, goodne&s;&s;e, truth, &amp;c. In this God-head, there is the Father, the Sonne, and the Spirit; being every one of them one and the &s;ame God; and therefore not divided, but di&s;tingui|&s;hed one from another by their &s;everall properties; the <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 8. 6.</NOTE> Father being from him&s;elfe, the <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Pro. 8. 22, 23. Heb. 1. 3. Iohn 1. 18.</NOTE> Sonne of the Father from everla&s;ting, the holy <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6.</NOTE> Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>That God hath <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 45. 10. Rom. 11. 34, 35, 36. Mat. 10 29, 30</NOTE> decreed in him&s;elfe from everla&s;ting touching all things, effectually to work and di&s;po&s;e them <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 11.</NOTE> according to the coun&s;ell of his owne will, to the glory of his Name; in which decree appeareth his wi&s;dome, con|&s;tancy, truth, and faithfulne&s;&s;e; <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 3.</NOTE> Wi&s;dome is that where|by he contrives all things; <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Num. 23. 19, 20.</NOTE> Con&s;tancy is that whereby the decree of God remaines alwayes immutable; <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Jere. 10. 10. Rom. 3. 4.</NOTE> Truth is that whereby he declares that alone which he hath de|creed, and though his &s;ayings may &s;eeme to &s;ound &s;ome|times another thing, yet the &s;en&s;e of them doth alwayes agree with the decree; <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 44. 10.</NOTE> Faithfulne&s;&s;e is that whereby he effects that he hath decreed, as he hath decreed. And touching his creature man, <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Acts 13. 48. Rom. 8. 29, 30</NOTE> God had in Chri&s;t before the foundation of the world, according to the good plea|&s;ure of his will, foreordained &s;ome men to eternall life through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, to the prai&s;e and glory of his grace, <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Jude ver. 4. &amp; 6. Rom. 9. 11, 12, 13. Prov. 16. 4.</NOTE> leaving the re&s;t in their &s;inne to their ju&s;t con|demnation, to the prai&s;e of his Ju&s;tice.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<P><NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 1. chap. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 11. 3. E&s;a. 45. 12.</NOTE> In the beginning God made all things very good, created man after his own <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Gen. 1. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 45, 46. Eccle&s;. 7. 31.</NOTE> Image and likene&s;&s;e, filling him with all perfection of all naturall excellency and up|rightne&s;&s;e, free from all &s;inne. <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 49. 20.</NOTE> But long he abode not in this honour, but by the <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 1 4, 5 2 Cor. 11. 3.</NOTE> &s;ubtiltie of the Serpent, which Satan u&s;ed as his in&s;trument, him&s;elfe with his Angels having &s;inned before, and not <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude ver. 6. Ioh. 8. 44.</NOTE> kept their fir&s;t e&s;tate, but left their owne habitation; fir&s;t <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 1, 2, 6 1 Tim. 2. 14. Eccle&s;. 7. 31. Gal. 3. 22.</NOTE> <HI>Eve,</HI> then <HI>Adam</HI> being &s;educed did wittingly and willingly fall into di&s;obedience and tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion of the Commandement of their great Creator, for the which death came upon all, and reigned over all, &s;o that all &s;ince the Fall are conceived in &s;inne, and brought forth in iniquitie, and &s;o by nature children of wrath, and &s;ervants of &s;inne, &s;ubjects of <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12. 18, 19. &amp; 6. 23. Eph. 2. 3. Rom. 5. 12.</NOTE> death, and all
<PB REF="4"> other calamities due to &s;inne in this world and for ever, being con&s;idered in the &s;tate of nature, without relation to Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>V.</HEAD>
<P>All mankind being thus fallen, and become altogether dead in &s;innes and tre&s;pa&s;&s;es, and &s;ubject to the eternall wrath of the great God by tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion; yet the elect, which God hath <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Jer. 31. 2.</NOTE> loved with an everla&s;ting love, are <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 15. Eph. 1. 3, 7. &amp; 2, 4, 9. 1 The&s;&s;. 5. 9. Acts 13. 38.</NOTE> re|deemed, quickned, and &s;aved, not by them&s;elves, neither by their own workes, le&s;t any man &s;hould boa&s;t him&s;elfe, but wholly and onely by God of <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 30. 31. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Jer. 9. 23, 24.</NOTE> his free grace and mer|cie through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who of God is made unto us wi&s;dome, righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, &s;anctification and redempti|on, that as it is written, Hee that rejoyceth, let him re|joyce in the Lord.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>VI.</HEAD>
<P><NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Joh. 17. 3. Heb. 5. 9. Jer. 23. 5, 6.</NOTE> This therefore is life eternall, to know the onely true God, and whom he hath &s;ent Je&s;us Chri&s;t. <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 1. 8. Joh. 3. 36.</NOTE> And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire to them that know not God, and obey not the Go&s;pel of our Lord Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>VII.</HEAD>
<P>The Rule of this Knowledge, Faith, and Obedience, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 5. 39. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16, 17. Col. 21. 18, 23 Matth. 15. 9.</NOTE> concerning the wor&s;hip and &s;ervice of God, and all other Chri&s;tian duties, is not mans inventions, opinions, devi|ces, lawes, con&s;titutions, or traditions unwritten what&s;o|ever, but onely the word of God contained in the Cano|nicall Scriptures.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>VIII.</HEAD>
<P>In this written Word God hath plainly revealed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 22, 23. Heb. 1. 1, 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. 2 Cor. 1, 20.</NOTE> what&s;oever he hath thought needfull for us to know, be|leeve, and acknowledge, touching the Nature and Office of Chri&s;t, in whom all the promi&s;es are Yea and Amen to the prai&s;e of God.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="9" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>IX.</HEAD>
<P>Touching the Lord Je&s;us, of whom <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 15. &amp; 22. 18. &amp; 49. 10. Dan. 7. 13. &amp; 9. 24, 25, 26.</NOTE> <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets wrote, and whom the Apo&s;tles preached, is the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 23. Joh.. 1. 1, 2, 3, Col. 1: 1. 15, 16, 17.</NOTE> Sonne of God the Father, the brightne&s;&s;e of his glory, the ingraven forme of his being, God with him and with his holy Spirit, by whom he made the world, by whom he upholds and governes all the workes hee hath made, who al&s;o <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 4.</NOTE> when the fulne&s;&s;e of time was come, was made man of a <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Heb 7. 14. Rev. 5. 5. with Gen. 49. 9, 10. Rom. 1. 3. &amp; 9. 5. Mat. 1. 16. with Luke 3. 23. 26. Heb. 2. 16.</NOTE> woman, of the Tribe of ^e <HI>Judah,</HI> of the &s;eed of <HI>Abraham</HI> and <HI>David,</HI> to wit, of <HI>Mary</HI> that ble&s;&s;ed Vir|gin, by the holy Spirit comming upon her, and the power of the mo&s;t High over&s;hadowing her, and was al&s;o <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 3, 4, 5 Phil. 2. 8.</NOTE> in all things like unto us, &s;inne onely excepted.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="10" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>X.</HEAD>
<P>Touching his Office, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 15. Heb 9. 15. Joh. 14. 6.</NOTE> Je&s;us Chri&s;t onely is made the Mediator of the new Covenant, even the everla&s;ting Co|venant of grace between God and Man, to <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 2. &amp; 3 1, 2. &amp; 7. 24. E&s;a. 9. 6, 7. Acts 5. 31.</NOTE> be perfectly and fully the Prophet, Prie&s;t and King of the Church of God for evermore.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="11" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XI.</HEAD>
<P>Unto this Office hee was fore-ordained from everla|&s;ting, by the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 23. E&s;a. 42. 6. &amp; 49. 1. 5.</NOTE> authority of the Father, and in re&s;pect of his Manhood, from the womb called and &s;eparated, and <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 11. 2, 3, 4, 5. &amp; 61. 1, 2, 3. with Luk. 4. 17. 22. Joh. 1. 14 16. &amp; 3. 34.</NOTE> anointed al&s;o mo&s;t fully and abundantly with all gifts nece&s;&s;ary, God having without mea&s;ure poured the Spi|rit upon him.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="12" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XII.</HEAD>
<P>In this Call the Scripture holds forth two &s;peciall things con&s;iderable; fir&s;t, the call to the Office; &s;econdly, the Office it &s;elf. Fir&s;t, that <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 4, 5, 6</NOTE> none takes this honour but he that is called of God, as was <HI>Aaron,</HI> &s;o al&s;o Chri&s;t, it being an action e&s;pecially of God the Father, whereby a &s;peciall covenant being made, hee ordaines his Sonne to this office: which Covenant is, that <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 10. 11.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;hould be
<PB REF="5"> made a Sacrifice for &s;inne, that hee &s;hall &s;ee his &s;eed, and prolong his dayes, and the plea&s;ure of the Lord &s;hall pro&s;per in his hand; which calling therefore contains in it &s;elfe <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 42. 1.</NOTE> chu&s;ing, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 20.</NOTE> fore-ordaining, <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Joh. 3. 17. &amp; 9. 27. &amp; 10. 36 E&s;a. 61. 1.</NOTE> &s;ending. Chu&s;ing re|&s;pects the end, fore-ordaining the means, &s;ending the ex|ecution it &s;elf, <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32.</NOTE> all of meere grace, without any condition fore-&s;een, either in men, or in Chri&s;t him&s;elfe.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="13" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XIII.</HEAD>
<P>So that this Office to be Mediator, that is, to be Pro|phet, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 24. Dan. 7. 14. Act. 4. 12. Luke 1. 33. Ioh. 14. 6.</NOTE> Prie&s;t, and King of the Church of God, is &s;o proper to Chri&s;t, as neither in the whole, nor in any part there|of, it can be transferred from him to any other.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="14" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XIV.</HEAD>
<P>This Office it &s;elf to which Chri&s;t was called, is three|fold, of <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Deut. 18. 15. with Acts 3. 22. 23.</NOTE> a Prophet, of <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110. 3. Heb. 3. 1. &amp; 4. 14. 15. &amp; 5. 6. &amp; 9. 21.</NOTE> Prie&s;t, &amp; of <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 2. 6.</NOTE> a King: this num|ber and order of Offices is &s;hewed; fir&s;t, by mens nece&s;&s;i|ties grievou&s;ly labouring <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 3.</NOTE> under ignorance, by rea&s;on whereof they &s;tand in infinit nece&s;&s;ity of the Prophetical office of Chri&s;t to relieve them. Secondly, alienation fro~ God, wherein they &s;tand in need of the Prie&s;tly Office to reconcile them: Thirdly, our <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>e</HI> Col. 1. 21: Eph. 2. 12.</NOTE> utter di&s;ability to return <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Cant. 1. 3. Ioh. 6. 44.</NOTE> to him, by which they &s;tand in need of the power of Chri&s;t in his Kingly Office to a&s;&s;i&s;t and govern them.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="15" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XV.</HEAD>
<P>Touching the Prophe&s;ie of Chri&s;t, it is that whereby he hath <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 18. &amp; 12. 49. 50. &amp; 15. &amp; 17. 8. Deut. 18. 15.</NOTE> perfectly revealed the whole will of God out of the bo&s;ome of the Father, that is needfull for his &s;ervants
<PB REF="6"> to know, beleeve, and obey; and therefore is called not onely a Prophet and <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Matth. 23. 10.</NOTE> a Doctor, and the <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Heb. 3. 1.</NOTE> Apo&s;tle of our profe&s;&s;ion, and the <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Mal. 3. 1.</NOTE> Angel of the Covenant; but al&s;o the very <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 24.</NOTE> wi&s;dome of God, and <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 3.</NOTE> the trea&s;ures of wi&s;dome and under&s;tanding.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="16" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XVI.</HEAD>
<P>That he might be &s;uch a Prophet as thereby to be every way compleat, it was nece&s;&s;ary that he &s;hould bee <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 18. &amp; 3. 13.</NOTE> God, and withall al&s;o that he &s;hould be man; for unle&s;&s;e hee had been God, he could never have perfectly under&s;tood the will of God, <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 11. 16.</NOTE> neither had he been able to reveale it throughout all ages; and unle&s;&s;e hee had been man, hee could not fitly have unfolded it in his <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 22. with Deut. 18. 15. Heb. 1. 1.</NOTE> own per&s;on to man.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="17" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XVII.</HEAD>
<P>Touching his Prie&s;thood, Chri&s;t <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 17. 19. Heb. 5. 7, 8, 9. &amp; 9. 26. Rom 5. 19. Ephe&s;. 5. 12. Col. 1. 20.</NOTE> being con&s;ecrated, hath appeared once to put away &s;inne by the offering and &s;acrifice of him&s;elf, and to this end hath fully performed and &s;uffered all tho&s;e things by which God, through the blood of that his Cro&s;&s;e in an acceptable &s;acrifice, might reconcile his elect onely; <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 14, 15, 16. Rom. 8. 34.</NOTE> and having broken downe the partition wall, and therwith fini&s;hed &amp; removed all tho&s;e Rites, Shadowes, and Ceremonies, is now entred within the Vaile, into the Holy of Holie&s;t, that is, to the very Heavens, and pre&s;ence of God, where he for ever liveth and &s;itteth at the right hand of Maje&s;ty, appearing before the face of his Father to make interce&s;&s;ion for &s;uch as come to the Throne of Grace by that new and living way; and not that onely, but <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 5. Ioh. 4. 23. 24.</NOTE> makes his people a &s;pirituall Hou&s;e, an holy Prie&s;thood, to offer up &s;pirituall &s;acri|fice
<PB REF="6"> acceptable to God through him; neither doth the Father accept, or Chri&s;t offer to the Father any other wor&s;hip or wor&s;hippers.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="18" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XVIII.</HEAD>
<P>This Prie&s;thood was not legall, or temporary, but ac|cording to the order <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 17.</NOTE> of <HI>Melchi&s;edec;</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 16.</NOTE> not by a carnall commandement, but by the power of an endle&s;&s;e life; <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 18, 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> not by an order that is weak and lame, but &s;table and per|fect; not for a <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 24, 25.</NOTE> time, but for ever, admitting no &s;ucce&s;&s;or, but perpetuall and proper to Chri&s;t, and of him that ever liveth. Chri&s;t him&s;elfe was the Prie&s;t, Sacrifice and Al|tar: he was <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 6.</NOTE> Prie&s;t, according to both natures, hee was a &s;acrifice mo&s;t properly according to his humane nature: <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Col. 1. 20, 22. E&s;a. 53. 10. Matth. 20. 28.</NOTE> whence in the Scripture it is wont to be attributed to his body, to his blood; yet the chiefe force whereby this &s;a|crifice was made effectuall, did depend upon his <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 28. Rom. 8. 3.</NOTE> divine nature, namely, that the Sonne of God did offer him&s;elfe for us: he was the <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 14. &amp; 13. 10, 12, 15. Matth. 23. 17. Ioh. 17. 19.</NOTE> Altar properly according to his di|vine nature, it belonging to the Altar to &s;anctifie that which is offered upon it, and &s;o it ought to be of greater dignity then the Sacrifice it &s;elfe.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="19" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XIX.</HEAD>
<P>Touching his Kingdome, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 21, 22. Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. Luke 24. 51. Acts 1 11. &amp; 5. 30, 31. John 19. 36. Rom. 14. 17.</NOTE> Chri&s;t being ri&s;en from the dead, a&s;cended into heaven, &s;at on the right hand of God the Father, having all power in heaven and earth, given unto him, he doth &s;piritually govern his Church, exerci|&s;ing his power <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mark 1. 27. Heb. 1. 14. John 16. 7, 15.</NOTE> over all Angels and Men, good and bad, to the pre&s;ervation and &s;alvation of the elect, to the over|ruling and de&s;truction of his enemies, which are the Re|probates,
<PB REF="7">
<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">John 5. 26, 27. Rom. 5, 6, 7, 8. &amp; 14. 17. Gal. 5. 22, 23. John 1. 4, 13.</NOTE> communicating and applying the benefits, vertue, and fruit of his Prophe&s;ie and Prie&s;thood to his elect, namely, to the &s;ubduing and taking away of their &s;innes, to their ju&s;tification and adoption of Sonnes, re|generation, &s;anctification, pre&s;ervation and &s;trengthe|ning in all their conflicts again&s;t Satan, the World, the Fle&s;h, and the temptations of them, continually dwelling in, governing and keeping their hearts in faith and filiall feare by his Spirit, which having <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">John 13. 1. &amp; 10. 28, 29. &amp; 14. 16, 17. Rom. 11. 29. P&s;al. 51. 10, 11. Job. 33. 29 30. 2 Cor. 12, 7, 8, 9.</NOTE> given it, he never takes away from them, but by it &s;till begets and nouri&s;heth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all heaven|ly light in the &s;oule unto immortality, notwith&s;tanding through our own unbeliefe, and the temptations of Satan, the &s;en&s;ible &s;ight of this light and love be clouded and overwhelmed for the time. <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Job 1. and 2. Chap. Rom. 1. 21. &amp; 2. 4, 5, 6. &amp; 9. 17, 18. Eph. 4. 17, 18. 2 Pet. 2. chap.</NOTE> And on the contrary, ruling in the world over his enemies, Satan, and all the ve&s;&s;els of wrath, limiting, u&s;ing, re&s;training them by his mighty po|wer, as &s;eems good in his divine wi&s;dome &amp; ju&s;tice to the execution of his determinate coun&s;ell, delivering them up to a reprobate mind, to be kept through their own de|&s;erts, in darkne&s;&s;e and &s;en&s;uality unto judgement.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="20" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XX.</HEAD>
<P>This Kingdome &s;hall be then fully perfected when hee <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 24, 28. Heb. 9. 28. 2 The&s;&s;. 1. 9. 10. 1 The&s;&s;. 4. 15, 16, 17. John 17. 21, 26.</NOTE> &s;hall the &s;econd time come in glory to reigne among&s;t his Saints, and to be admired of all them which doe be|leeve, when he &s;hall put downe all rule and authority un|der his feet, that the glory of the Father may be full and perfectly manife&s;ted in his Sonne, and the glory of the Father and the Sonne in all his members.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="21" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="7">
<HEAD>XXI.</HEAD>
<P>That Chri&s;t Je&s;us by his death did bring forth &s;alva|tion and reconciliation onely for the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">John 15. 13. Rom. 8. 32, 33; 34. Rom. 5. 11. &amp; 3. 25.</NOTE> elect, which were tho&s;e which <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Joh. 17. 2. with 6, 37.</NOTE> God the Father gave him; &amp; that the Go&s;pel which is to be preached to all men as the ground of faith, is, that <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Matth. 16. 16. Luke 2. 26. Ioh. 6. 69. &amp; 7. 3. &amp; 20. 31. I Iohn 5. 11.</NOTE> Ie&s;us is the Chri&s;t, the Sonne of the ever-ble&s;&s;ed God, filled with the perfection of all heavenly and &s;pi|rituall excellencies, and that &s;alvation is onely and alone to be had through the beleeving in his Name.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="22" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXII.</HEAD>
<P>That Faith is the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 8. Ioh. 6. 29. &amp; 4. 10. Phil. 1. 29. Gal. 5. 22.</NOTE> gift of God wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God, whereby they come to &s;ee, know, and beleeve the truth of <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 17. 17. Heb. 4. 11, 12. Iohn 6. 63.</NOTE> the Scriptures, &amp; not onely &s;o, but the excellencie of them above all other wri|tings and things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Chri&s;t in his nature and offices, and the power of the fulne&s;&s;e of the Spirit in its workings and operations; and thereupon are inabled to ca&s;t the weight of their &s;oules upon this truth thus beleeved.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="23" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXIII.</HEAD>
<P>Tho&s;e that have this pretious faith wrought in them <NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 7. 24, 25. Iohn 13. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 4, 5. 6. E&s;a. 49. 13, 14, 15, 16.</NOTE> by the Spirit, can never finally nor totally fall away; and though many &s;tormes and floods do ari&s;e and beat again&s;t them, yet they &s;hall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fa&s;tened up|on, but &s;hall be kept by the power of God to &s;alvation,
<PB REF="8"> where they &s;hall enjoy their purcha&s;ed po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, they being formerly engraven upon the palms of Gods hands.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="24" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXIV.</HEAD>
<P>That faith is ordinarily <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Rom. 10, 17. 1 Cor. 1. 21.</NOTE> begot by the preaching of the Go&s;pel, or word of Chri&s;t, without re&s;pect to <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 16.</NOTE> any power or capacitie in the creature, but it is wholly <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 1, 2. Ezek. 16. 6. Rom. 3. 12.</NOTE> pa&s;|&s;ive, being dead in &s;innes and tre&s;pa&s;&s;es, doth beleeve, and is converted by no le&s;&s;e power, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 19. Col. 2. 12.</NOTE> then that which rai&s;ed Chri&s;t from the dead.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="25" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXV.</HEAD>
<P>That the tenders of the Go&s;pel to the conver&s;ion of &s;inners, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Ioh. 3. 14, 15 &amp; 1. 12. E&s;a. 55. 1. Ioh. 7. 37.</NOTE> is ab&s;olutely free, no way requiring, as ab&s;olute|ly nece&s;&s;ary, any qualifications, preparations, terrors of the Law, or preceding Mini&s;tery of the Law, but onely and alone the naked &s;oule, as a <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 15. Rom. 4. 5. &amp; 5. 8.</NOTE> &s;inner and ungodly to re|ceive Chri&s;t, as crucified, dead, and buried, and ri&s;en a|gaine, being made <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Act. 5. 30, 31 &amp; 2. 36. 1 Cor. 1. 22, 23, 24.</NOTE> a Prince and a Saviour for &s;uch &s;in|ners.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="26" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXVI.</HEAD>
<P>That the &s;ame power that converts to faith in Chri&s;t, the &s;ame power carries on the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 9.</NOTE> &s;oule &s;till through all du|ties, temptations, conflicts, &s;ufferings, and continually what ever a Chri&s;tian is, he is by <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 10</NOTE> grace, and by a con|&s;tant renewed <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 12, 13 Joh. 15. 5. Gal. 2. 19, 20.</NOTE> operation from God, without which he cannot performe any dutie to God, or undergoe any temptations from Satan, the world, or men.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="27" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXVII.</HEAD>
<P>That God the Father, and Sonne, and Spirit, is one
<PB REF="8"> with <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 1. 1. Joh. 14. 10. 20. &amp; 17. 21.</NOTE> all beleevers, in their <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 9, 10. &amp; 1. 19. Joh. 1. 17.</NOTE> fulne&s;&s;e, in <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Joh. 20. 17. Heb. 2. 11.</NOTE> relations, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 18. Eph. 5. 30.</NOTE> as head and members, <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17</NOTE> as hou&s;e and inhabitants, as <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 16. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 3.</NOTE> hu&s;|band and wife, one with him, as <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Gal 3. 26.</NOTE> light and love, and one with him in his inheritance, and in all his <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Joh. 17. 24.</NOTE> glory; and that all beleevers by vertue of this union and onene&s;&s;e with God, are the adopted &s;onnes of God, and heires with Chri&s;t, co-heires and joynt heires with him of the inheritance of all the promi&s;es of this life, and that which is to come.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="28" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXVIII.</HEAD>
<P>That tho&s;e which have union with Chri&s;t, are ju&s;tified from all their &s;innes, pa&s;t, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 10. 14. &amp; 9. 26. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 3. 23.</NOTE> pre&s;ent, and to come, by the bloud of Chri&s;t; which ju&s;tification wee conceive to be a gracious and free <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 38, 39. Rom. 5. 1. &amp; 3. 25. 30.</NOTE> acquittance of a guiltie, &s;infull crea|ture, from all &s;in by God, through the &s;atisfaction that Chri&s;t hath made by his death; and this applyed in the manife&s;tation of it through faith.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="29" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXIX.</HEAD>
<P>That all beleevers are a holy and <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 9.</NOTE> &s;anctified people, and that &s;anctification is a &s;pirituall grace of the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 4.</NOTE> new Covenant, and effect of the <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">1 Joh 4. 16.</NOTE> love of God, manife&s;ted to the &s;oule, whereby the beleever is in <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 24.</NOTE> truth and rea|litie &s;eparated, both in &s;oule and body, from all &s;inne and dead workes, through the <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 15.</NOTE> bloud of the everla&s;ting Co|venant, whereby he al&s;o pre&s;&s;eth after a heavenly and Evangelicall perfection, in obedience to all the Com|mands, <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 20.</NOTE> which Chri&s;t as head and King in this new Co|venant has pre&s;cribed to him.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="30" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXX.</HEAD>
<P>All beleevers through the knowledge of <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 5. 9, 10.</NOTE> that Ju&s;ti|fication
<PB REF="9"> of life given by the Father, and brought forth by the bloud of Chri&s;t, have this as their great privi|ledge of that new <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 54. 10. &amp; 26. 12.</NOTE> Covenant, peace with God, and re|conciliation, whereby they that were afarre off, were brought nigh by <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 13, 14</NOTE> that bloud, and have (as the Scripture &s;peaks) peace <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 7.</NOTE> pa&s;&s;ing all under&s;tanding, yea, joy in God, through our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, by <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 10, 11.</NOTE> whom wee have re|ceived the Atonement.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="31" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXI.</HEAD>
<P>That all beleevers in the time of this life, are in a con|tinuall warfare, combate, and oppo&s;ition again&s;t &s;inne, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13. 2 Cor. 10. 3. Rev. 2. 9, 10</NOTE> &s;elfe, the world, and the Devill, and liable to all manner of afflictions, tribulations, and per&s;ecutions, and &s;o &s;hall continue untill Chri&s;t comes in his Kingdome, being prede&s;tinated and appointed thereunto; and what|&s;oever the Saints, any of them doe po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e or enjoy of God in this life, is onely by faith.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="32" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXII.</HEAD>
<P>That the onely &s;trength by which the Saints are ina|bled <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 16. 33.</NOTE> to incounter with all oppo&s;ition, and to overcome all afflictions, temptations, per&s;ecutions, and tryalls, is onely by Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who is the Captain of their &s;alva|tion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 9, 10.</NOTE> being made perfect through &s;ufferings, who hath ingaged his &s;trength to a&s;&s;i&s;t them in all their afflictions, and to uphold them under all their temptations, and to <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 15. 5.</NOTE> pre&s;erve them by his power to his everla&s;ting Kingdome.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="33" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXIII.</HEAD>
<P>That Chri&s;t hath here on earth a &s;pirituall Kingdome,
<PB REF="9"> which is the Church, which he hath purcha&s;ed and re|deemed to him&s;elfe, as a peculiar inheritance: which Church, as it is vi&s;ible to us, is a company of vi&s;ible <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 2. Eph. 1. 1.</NOTE> Saints, <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 7. Act. 26. 18. 1 The&s;. 1. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 18.</NOTE> called &amp; &s;eparated from the world, by the word and <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 37. with Acts 10. 37.</NOTE> Spirit of God, to the vi&s;ible profe&s;&s;ion of the faith of the Go&s;pel, being baptized into that faith, and joyned to the Lord, and each other, by mutuall agreement, in the practical injoyment of the <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Rom. 10. 10. Act. 20. 21. Mat. 18. 19. 20. Act. 2. 42. 1 Pet. 2. 5.</NOTE> Ordinances, commanded by Chri&s;t their head and King.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="34" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXIV.</HEAD>
<P>To this Church he hath <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. 2 Cor. 6. 18.</NOTE> made his promi&s;es, and gi|ven the &s;ignes of his Covenant, pre&s;ence, love, ble&s;&s;ing, and protection: here are the fountains and &s;prings of his heavenly grace continually flowing forth; <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 8. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 15. &amp; 4. 16. &amp; 6. 3. 5. Acts 2. 41. 47. Song 4. 12. Gal. 6. 10. Eph. 2. 19.</NOTE> thither ought all men to come, of all e&s;tates, that acknowledge him to be their Prophet, Prie&s;t, and King, to be inrolled among&s;t his hou&s;hold &s;ervants, to be under his heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in his walled &s;heep|fold, and watered garden; to have communion here with the Saints, that they may be made to be partakers of their inheritance in the Kingdome of God.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="35" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXV.</HEAD>
<P>And all his &s;ervants are called thither, to pre&s;ent their <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 6, 7. 12. 18. Rom. 12. 4, 5, 6. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 5. 6. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 22. to the end.</NOTE> bodies and &s;oules, and to bring their gifts God hath gi|ven them; &s;o being come, they are here by him&s;elfe be|&s;towed in their &s;everall order, peculiar place, due u&s;e, be|ing fitly compact and knit together, according to the ef|fectuall working of every part, to the edification of it &s;elfe in love.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="36" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="10">
<HEAD>XXXVI.</HEAD>
<P>That being thus joyned, every Church has <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Acts 1. 2. &amp; 6. 3. with 15. 22. 25 1 Cor. 16. 3.</NOTE> power gi|ven them from Chri&s;t for their better well-being, to choo&s;e to them&s;elves meet per&s;ons into the office of <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 7, 8 &amp; 16. 1. 1 Cor. 12 8. 28 1 Tim. 3. chap. Heb. 13. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> Pa&s;tors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, being qualified ac|cording to the Word, as tho&s;e which Chri&s;t has appoin|ted in his Te&s;tament, for the feeding, governing, &s;erving, and building up of his Church, and that none other have power to impo&s;e them, either the&s;e or any other.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="37" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXVII.</HEAD>
<P>That the Mini&s;ters afore&s;aid, lawfully called by the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 4. Acts 4. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 14. Joh. 10. 3, 4. Acts 20. 28. Rom. 12. 7, 8 Heb. 13. 7. 17.</NOTE> Church, where they are to admini&s;ter, ought to conti|nue in their calling, according to Gods Ordinance, and carefully to feed the flock of Chri&s;t committed to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready minde.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="38" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXVIII.</HEAD>
<P>That the due maintenance of the Officers afore&s;aid, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 7. 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 The&s;. 5. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17, 18. Phil. 4. 15, 16.</NOTE> &s;hould be the free and voluntary communication of the Church, that according to Chri&s;ts Ordinance, they that preach the Go&s;pel, &s;hould live on the Go&s;pel, and not by con&s;traint to be compelled from the people by a forced Law.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="39" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XXXIX.</HEAD>
<P>That Bapti&s;me is an Ordinance of the new Te&s;tament, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 18, 19 Mark. 16. 16.</NOTE> given by Chri&s;t, to be di&s;pen&s;ed onely upon per&s;ons pro|fe&s;&s;ing
<PB REF="10"> faith, or that are Di&s;ciples, or taught, who upon <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 37, 38. &amp; 8. 36, 37, 38 &amp; 18. 8.</NOTE> a profe&s;&s;ion of faith, ought to be baptized.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="40" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XL.</HEAD>
<P>The way and manner of the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Mat. 3. 16. Joh. 3. 23. Acts 8. 38.</NOTE> di&s;pen&s;ing of this Ordi|nance, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The word <HI>Baptizo,</HI> &s;igni|fying to dip under water, yet &s;o as with convenient garments both upon the ad|mini&s;trator and &s;ubject, with all mo|de&s;tie.</NOTE> the Scripture holds out to be dipping or plung|ing the whole body under water: it being a &s;igne, mu&s;t an|&s;wer the thing &s;ignified, which are the&s;e: fir&s;t, the <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 5. &amp; 7. 14. with Heb. 10. 22.</NOTE> wa&s;h|ing the whole &s;oule in the bloud of Chri&s;t: Secondly, that intere&s;t the Saints have in the <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5</NOTE> death, buriall, and re|&s;urrection; thirdly, together with a <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 28, 29.</NOTE> confirmation of our faith, that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and ri&s;eth againe, &s;o certainly &s;hall the bodies of the Saints be rai&s;ed by the power of Chri&s;t, in the day of the re&s;urrection, to reigne with Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="41" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLI.</HEAD>
<P>The per&s;ons de&s;igned by Chri&s;t, to di&s;pen&s;e this Or|dinance, the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 8. 16. Mat. 28. 16, 17 18, 19. John 4. 1, 2. Acts 20. 7. Mat. 26. 26.</NOTE> Scriptures hold forth to be a preaching Di&s;ciple, it being no where tyed to a particular Church, Officer, or per&s;on extraordinarily &s;ent, the Commi&s;&s;ion injoyning the admini&s;tration, being given to them under no other con&s;ideration, but as con&s;idered Di&s;ciples.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="42" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLII.</HEAD>
<P>Chri&s;t has likewi&s;e given power to his whole Church <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 47. Rom. 16. 2. Math. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 2 Cor. 2. 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> to receive in and ca&s;t out, by way of Excommunication, any member; and this power is given to every particular Congregation, and not one particular per&s;on, either member or Officer, but the whole.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="43" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="11">
<HEAD>XLIII.</HEAD>
<P>And every particular member of each Church, how <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18. 16, 17, 18. Act. 11. 2, 3. 1 Tim. 5. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> excellent, great, or learned &s;oever, ought to be &s;ubject to this cen&s;ure and judgement of Chri&s;t; and the Church ought with great care and tenderne&s;&s;e, with due advice to proceed again&s;t her members.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="44" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLIV.</HEAD>
<P>And as Chri&s;t for the <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Acts 20. 27, 28. Heb. 13. 17. 24 Mat. 24. 25. 1 The&s;. 5. 14.</NOTE> keeping of this Church in holy and orderly Communion, placeth &s;ome &s;peciall men over the Church, who by their office are to governe, o|ver&s;ee, vi&s;it, watch; &s;o likewi&s;e for the better keeping thereof in all places, by the members, he hath given <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Mark. 13. 34. 37. Gal. 6. 1. 1 The&s;. 5. 11. Jude ver. 3. 20 Heb. 10. 34, 35 &amp; 12. 15.</NOTE> au|thoritie, and laid dutie upon all, to watch over one ano|ther.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="45" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLV.</HEAD>
<P>That al&s;o &s;uch to whom God hath given gifts, being <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. cha. Rom 12. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 The&s;. 5. 17, 18, 19.</NOTE> tryed in the Church, may and ought by the appointment of the Congregation, to prophe&s;ie, according to the pro|portion of faith, and &s;o to teach publickly the Word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="46" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLVI.</HEAD>
<P>Thus being rightly gathered, e&s;tabli&s;hed, and &s;till pro|ceeding <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. &amp; 3. Chapters. Acts 15. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Ephe&s;. 2. 16. &amp; 3. 15. 16. Heb. 10. 25. Jude ver&s;. 13. Matth. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5.</NOTE> in Chri&s;tian communion, and obedience of the Go&s;pel of Chri&s;t, none ought to &s;eparate for faults and corruptions, which may, and as long as the Church con|&s;i&s;ts of men &s;ubject to failings, will fall out and ari&s;e a|mong&s;t them, even in true con&s;tituted Churches, untill they have in due order &s;ought redre&s;&s;e thereof.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="47" TYPE="article">
<PB REF="11">
<HEAD>XLVII.</HEAD>
<P>And although the particular Congregations be di&s;tinct and &s;everall Bodies, every one as a compact and knit Ci|tie <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 17. &amp; 14. 33, 36. &amp; 16. 1. Matth. 28. 20. 1 Tim. 3. 15. &amp; 6. 13, 14. Rev. 22. 18. 19. Col. 2. 6, 19. &amp; 4. 16.</NOTE> in it &s;elfe; yet are they all to walk by one and the &s;ame Rule, and by all meanes convenient to have the coun&s;ell and help one of another in all needfull affaires of the Church, as members of one body in the common faith under Chri&s;t their onely head.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="48" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLVIII.</HEAD>
<P>That a civill Magi&s;tracie is an ordinance of God &s;et up <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 2.</NOTE> by God for the puni&s;hment of evill doers, and for the prai&s;e of them that doe well; and that in all lawfull things commanded by them, &s;ubjection ought to be given by us in the Lord: and that we are to make &s;upplication and prayer for Kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines and hone&s;ty.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="49" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>XLIX.</HEAD>
<P>The &s;upreme Magi&s;tracie of this Kingdome we beleeve to be the King and Parliament freely cho&s;en by the King|dome, and that in all tho&s;e civill Lawes which have been acted by them, or for the pre&s;ent is or &s;hall be ordained, we are bound to yeeld &s;ubjection and obedience unto in the Lord, as conceiving our &s;elves bound to defend both the per&s;ons of tho&s;e thus cho&s;en, and all civill Lawes made by them, with our per&s;ons, liberties, and e&s;tates, with all that is called ours, although we &s;hould &s;uffer never &s;o much from them in not actively &s;ubmitting to &s;ome Ec|cle&s;ia&s;ticall Lawes, which might be conceived by them to
<PB REF="12"> be their duties to e&s;tabli&s;h, which we for the pre&s;ent could not &s;ee, nor our con&s;ciences could &s;ubmit unto; yet are we bound to yeeld our per&s;ons to their plea&s;ures.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="50" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>L.</HEAD>
<P>And if God &s;hould provide &s;uch a mercie for us, as to incline the Magi&s;trates hearts &s;o for to tender our con|&s;ciences, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 2, 3, 4. P&s;al. 126. 1. Acts 9. 31.</NOTE> as that we might bee protected by them from wrong, injury, oppre&s;&s;ion and mole&s;tation, which long we formerly have groaned under by the tyranny and oppre&s;|&s;ion of the Prelaticall Hierarchy, which God through mercy hath made this pre&s;ent King and Parliament won|derfull honourable, as an in&s;trument in his hand, to throw downe; and we thereby have had &s;ome breathing time, we &s;hall, we hope, look at it as a mercy beyond our expe|ctation, and conceive our &s;elves further engaged for ever to ble&s;&s;e God for it.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="51" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>LI.</HEAD>
<P>But if God with-hold the Magi&s;trates allowance and furtherance herein; <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Act 12. 40, 41. &amp; 4. 19, &amp; 5. 28. 29, 41. &amp; 20. 23. 1 The&s;&s;. 3. 3. Phil. 1. 27, 28, 29. Dan. 3. 16, 17. &amp; 6, 7, 10, 22, 23.</NOTE> yet we mu&s;t notwith&s;tanding pro|ceed together in Chri&s;tian communion, not daring to give place to &s;u&s;pend our practi&s;e, but to walk in obedience to Chri&s;t in the profe&s;&s;ion and holding forth this faith be|fore mentioned, even in the mid&s;t of all trialls and affli|ctions, not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brethren, &s;i&s;ters, yea, and our own lives dear unto us, &s;o we may fini&s;h our cour&s;e with joy: re|membring alwayes we ought to <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. 1 Tim. 6. 13, 14, 15. Rom. 12. 1, 8. 2 Cor. 14, 37. 2, Tim. 4, 7, 8. Rev. 2. 10. Gal. 2. 4, 5.</NOTE> obey God rather then men, and grounding upon the commandement, commi&s;&s;i|on and promi&s;e of our Lord and ma&s;ter Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who
<PB REF="12"> as he hath all power in heaven and earth, &s;o al&s;o hath pro|mi&s;ed, if we keep his commandements which he hath gi|ven us, to be with us to the end of the world: and when we have fini&s;hed our cour&s;e, and kept the faith, to give us the crowne of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, which is laid up for all that love his appearing, and to whom we mu&s;t give an account of all our actions, no man being able to di&s;charge us of the &s;ame.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="52" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>LII.</HEAD>
<P>And likewi&s;e unto all men is to be given what&s;oever is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 5, 6, 7. Matth. 22. 21. Titus 3. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Ephe&s;. 5. 21, 22. &amp; 6. 1, 9. 1 Pet. 5. 5.</NOTE> their due; tributes, cu&s;tomes, and all &s;uch lawfull duties, ought willingly to bee by us paid and performed, our lands, goods, and bodies, to &s;ubmit to the Magi&s;trate in the Lord, and the Magi&s;trate every way to bee acknow|ledged, reverenced, and obeyed, according to godline&s;&s;e; not becau&s;e of wrath onely, but for con&s;cience &s;ake. And finally, all men &s;o to be e&s;teemed and regarded, as is due and meet for their place, age, e&s;tate and condition.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="52" TYPE="article">
<HEAD>LII.</HEAD>
<P>And thus wee de&s;ire to give unto God that which is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 22. 21. Acts 24. 14, 15, 16. Iohn 5. 28. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5. 1 Cor. 15. 58, 59.</NOTE> Gods, and unto <HI>Ce&s;ar</HI> that which is <HI>Ce&s;ars,</HI> and unto all men that which belongeth unto them, endevouring our &s;elves to have alwayes a cleare con&s;cience void of offence towards God, and towards man. And if any take this that we have &s;aid, to be here&s;ie, then doe wee with the Apo&s;tle freely confe&s;&s;e, that after the way which they call here&s;ie, wor&s;hip we the God of our Fathers, beleeving all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets and A|po&s;tles, de&s;iring from our &s;oules to di&s;claime all here&s;ies
<PB REF="13"> and opinions which are not after Chri&s;t, and to be &s;ted|fa&s;t, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord, as knowing our labour &s;hall not be in vain in the Lord.</P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>1 <HI>COR.</HI> 1. 24.</BIBL>
<P>Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith we &s;tand.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="13">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
