CHAPTER I
Of the Holy Scripture
Although the light of nature; and the works of creation; and
providence; do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God,
as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that
knowledge of God and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation.
Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners,
to reveal; Himself, and to declare; that His will unto His Church; and
afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and
for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the
corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to
commit the same wholly unto writing: which makes the Holy Scripture to
be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing His will unto
His people being now ceased.
Rom 2:14, 15; Rom 1:19, 20; Ps 19:1, 2, 3; Rom 1:32, 2:1; 1Cor 1:21;
1Cor 2:13, 14; Heb 1:1; Prov 22:19, 20, 21; Luke 1:3, 4; Rom
15:4; Matt 4:4, 7, 10; Isa 8:19, 20; 2Tim 3:15; 2Pe 1:19; Heb 1:1, 2.
II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are
now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are
these:
Of the Old Testament:
Genesis I Kings Ecclesiastes Amos
Exodus II Kings Song of Solomon Obadiah
Leviticus I Chronicles Isaiah Jonah
Numbers II Chronicles Jeremiah Micah
Deuteronomy Ezra Lamentations Nahum
Joshua Nehemiah Ezekiel Habakkuk
Judges Esther Daniel Zephaniah
Ruth Job Hosea Haggai
I Samuel Psalms Joel Zechariah
II Samuel Proverbs Malachi
Of the New Testament:
Matthew I Corinthians I Timothy I Peter
Mark II Corinthians II Timothy II Peter
Luke Galatians Titus I John
John Ephesians Philemon II John
Acts of Philippians Epistle to III John
the Apostles Colossians the Hebrews Jude
Epistle to I Thessalonians Epistle of Book of the
the Romans II Thessalonians James Revelation
Luke 16:29, 31; Eph 2:20; Rev 22:18, 19; 2Tim 3:16.
III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine
inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture; and therefore
are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise
approved, or made use of, than other human writings.
Luke 24:27, 44; Rom 3:2; 2Pe 1:21.
IV. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be
believed and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man, or
Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof:
and therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.
2Pe 1:19, 21; 2Tim 3:16; 1Jn 5:9; 1Thess 2:13.
V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high
and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the
matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the
consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all
glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's
salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire
perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence
itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion
and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is
from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the
Word in our hearts.
1Tim 3:15; 1Jn 2:20, 27; John 16:13, 14; 1Cor 2:10, 11,
12; Isa 59:21.
VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own
glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in
Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from
Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new
revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we
acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary
for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word:
and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and
government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which
are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence,
according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be
observed.
2Tim 3:15 ,16, 17; Gal 1:8, 9; 2Thess 2:2; John 6:45; 1Cor 2:9 to 12;
1Cor 11:13, 14; 1Cor 14:26, 40.
VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor
alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known,
believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and
opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned,
but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a
sufficient understanding of them.
2Pe 3:16; Psalm 119:105, 130.
VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the
people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time
of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being
immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence
kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all
controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them.
But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of
God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are
commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they
are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which
they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may
worship Him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort
of the Scriptures, may have hope.
Matt 5:18; Isa 8:20; Acts 15:15; John 5:39, 46; 1Cor 14:6,
9, 11, 12, 24, 27, 28; Col 3:16; Rom 15:4.
IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture
itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full
sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one) it must be
searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.
2Pe 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16.
X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be
determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers,
doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined; and in whose
sentence we are to rest; can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in
the Scripture.
Matt 22:29, 31; Eph 2:20 with Acts 28:25.
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CHAPTER II
Of God, and of the Holy Trinity
There is but one only, living, and true God: who is infinite in being
and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or
passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most
wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according
to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own
glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in
goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal, most just and
terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means
clear the guilty.
Deut 6:4; 1Cor 8:4, 6; 1Thess 1:9; Jer 10:10; Job 11:7, 8,
9; Job 26:14; John 4:24; 1Tim 1:17; Deut 4:15, 16; John 4:24, with Luke
24:39; Acts 14:11, 15; James 1:17; Mal 3:6; 1Kg 8:27; Jer 23:23, 24; Ps 90:2;
1Tim 1:17; Ps 145:3; Gen 17:1; Rev
4:8; Rom 16:27; Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8; Ps 115:3; Ex 3:14; Eph 1:11; Prov
16:4; Rom 11:36; 1Jn 4:8, 16; Ex 34:6, 7; Heb 11:6; Neh 9:32, 33; Ps
5:5, 6; Nah 1:2, 3; Ex 34:7.
II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself;
and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of
any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but
only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: He is the
alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all
things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for
them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleases. In His sight all things
are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and
independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent, or
uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in
all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other
creature, whatsoever worship, service or obedience He is pleased to
require of them.
John 5:26; Acts 7:2; Ps 119:68; 1Tim 6:15; Rom 9:5; Acts 17:24, 25; Job
22:2, 3; Rom 11:36; Rev 4:11; 1Tim 6:15;
Dan 4:25, 35; Heb 4:13; Rom 11:33, 34; Ps 147:5; Acts 15:18; Ezek
11:5; Ps 145:17; Rom 7:12; Rev 5:12, 13, 14.
III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one
substance, power, and eternity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the
Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding: the
Son is eternally begotten of the Father: the Holy Ghost eternally
proceeding from the Father and the Son.
1Jn 5:7; Matt 3:16, 17; Matt 28:19; 2Cor 13:14; John 1:14, 18; John
15:26; Gal 4:6.
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Of God's Eternal Decree
God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His
own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet
so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered
to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of
second causes taken away, but rather established.
Eph 1:11; Rom 11:33; Heb 6:17; Rom 9:15, 18; James 1:13, 17; 1Jn 1:5; Acts 2:23;
Matt 17:12; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Prov 16:33.
II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all
supposed conditions, yet hath He not decreed anything because He foresaw
it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.
Acts 15:18; 1Sam 23:11, 12; Matt 11:21, 23; Rom 9:11, 13,
16, 18.
III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men
and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others
fore-ordained to everlasting death.
1Tim 5:21; Matt 25:41; Rom 9:22, 23; Eph 1:5, 6; Prov 16:4.
IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and fore-ordained, are
particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number is so certain
and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.
2Tim 2:19; John 13:18.
V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the
foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable
purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath.
chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace
and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance
in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or
causes moving Him thereunto: and all to the praise of His glorious
grace.
Eph 1:4, 9, 11; Rom 8:30; 2Tim 1:9; 1Thess 5:9; Rom 9:11, 13, 16; Eph
1:4, 9; Eph 1:6, 12.
VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath He, by the
eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means
thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are
redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His
Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and
kept by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other
redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified,
and saved, but the elect only.
1Pe 1:2; Eph 1:4, 5; Eph 2:10, 2Thess 1:13; 1Thess 5:9, 10; Titus
2:14; Rom 8::30; Eph 1:5; 2Thess 2:13; 1Pe 1:5; John
17:9; Rom 8:28-39; John 6:64, 65; John 10:26;
John 8:47; 1Jn 2:19.
VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable
counsel of His own will, whereby He extends or withholds mercy, as
He pleases, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to
pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath, for their sin, to
the praise of His glorious justice.
Matt 11:25, 26; Rom 9:17, 18, 21, 22; 2Tim 2:19, 20; Jude 4; 1Pe 2:8.
VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be
handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of
God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from
the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal
election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and
admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation
to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.
Rom 9:20; Rom 11:33; Deut 29:29; 2Pe 1:10, Eph 1:6; Rom 11:33; Rom
11:5, 6, 20; 2Pe 1:10; Rom 8:33; Luke 10:20.
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It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation
of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the
beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things
therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all
very good.
Heb 1:2; John 1:2, 3; Gen 1:2; Job 26:13; Job 33:4; Rom 1:20; Jer
10:12; Ps 104:24; Ps 33:5, 6; Gen 1 chap.; Heb 11:3; Col 1:16; Acts
17:24.
II. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and
female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge,
righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image; having the law of
God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it: and yet under a
possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own
will, which was subject unto change. Beside this law written in their
hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, which while they kept, they were happy in their
communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.
Gen 1:27; Gen 2:7 and Eccl 12:7 and Luke 23:43 and Matt 10:28; Gen
1:26; Col 3:10; Eph 4:24; Rom 2:14, 15, Eccl 7:29; Gen 3:6; Gen 2:17;
Gen 3:8, 9, 10, 11, 23; Gen 1:26, 28.
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God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and
govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the
least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible
fore-knowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to
the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness and
mercy.
Heb 1:3, Dan 4:34, 35; Ps 135:6; Acts 17:25, 26, 28; Job 38 to 41 chapters;
Matt
10:29, 30, 31; Prov 15:3; Ps 104:24;
Ps 145:17; Acts 15:18; Ps 94:8, 9, 10, 11; Eph 1:11. Ps 33:10, 11; Isa
63:14; Eph 3:10; Rom 9:17; Gen 45:7;
Ps 145:7.
II. Although, in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God, the
first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly: yet, by
the same providence, He orders them to fall out, according to the
nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
Acts 2:23; Gen 8:22; Jer 31:35; Ex 21:13 and Deut 19:5; 1Kg
22:28, 34; Isa 10:6, 7.
III. God in His ordinary providence makes use of means, yet is free to
work without, above, and against them at His pleasure.
Acts 27:31, 44; Isa 55:10,11; Hos 2:21, 22; Hos 1:7; Matt 4:4; Job
34:20; Rom 4:19, 20, 21; 2Kg 6:6; Dan 3:27.
IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of
God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extends
itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men; and
that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most
wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of
them, in. a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends; yet so, as the
sinfulness thereof proceeds only from the creature, and not from God,
who, being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be, the author
or approver of sin.
Rom 11:32, 33, 34; 2Sam 24:1 and 1Chron 21:1; 1Kg 22:22, 23; 1Chron
10:4,13,14; 2Sam 16:10; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27,
28; Acts 14:16; Ps 76:10; 2Kg 19:28; Gen 1:20; Isa 10:6,
7, 12; James 1:13,14,17; 1Jn 2:16; Ps 1: 21.
V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for
a season His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of
their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover
unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their
hearts, that they may be humbled; and, to raise them to a more close and
constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them
more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other
just and holy ends.
2Chron 32:25, 26, 31; 2Sam 24:1; 2Cor 12:7, 8, 9; Ps 73 chapter; Ps
77:1 to 12; Mark 14:66-72 and John 21:15, 16, 17.
VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge,
for former sins doth blind and harden, from them He not only withholds
His grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their
understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also
withdraws the gifts which they had, and exposes them to such objects
as their corruption makes occasions of sin; and, withal, gives them over
to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of
Satan: whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under
those means which God uses for the softening of others.
Rom 1:24, 26, 28; Rom 11:7, 8; Deut 29:4; Matt 13:12; Matt 25:29;
Deut 2:30; 2Kg 8:12, 13; Ps 81:11, 12; 2Thess 2:10, 11, 12, Ex 7:3 and
Ex 8:15, 32; 2Cor 2:15, 16; Isa 8:14; 1Pe 2:7, 8; Isa
6:9, 10 and Acts 28:26, 27.
VII. As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so
after a most special manner it takes care of His Church, and disposes
all things to the good thereof.
1Tim 4:10; Amos 9:8, 9; Rom 8:28; Isa 43:3, 4, 5, 14.
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