USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The confession of faith and form of covenant of the Old South Church, in Boston, Massachusetts, with lists of the founders, the pastors, the ruling elders and deacons, and the members > Part 2
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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.
X. The supreme Judge by which all contro- versies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits, are to be ex- amined: and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other, but the holy scripture delivered by the Spirit; into which scripture so delivered our Faith is finally resolved.
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CHAP. II.
Of God and of the Holy Trinity.
There is but one living and true God; who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, im- mutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, al- mighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most ab- solute, 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 re- warder 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.
II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessed- ness, 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 pleaseth : in his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible and
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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, ser- vice or obedience, as creatures, they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to re- quire of them.
III. In the unity of the God-head there be three persons of one substance, power, and eter- nity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither be- gotten, nor proceeding ; the Son is eternally be- gotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable de- pendeuce upon him.
CHAP. III.
Of God's Eternal Decrec.
God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchange- ably 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.
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II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed any thing, because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.
III. By the decree of God for the manifesta- tion of his glory, some men and angels are pre- destinated unto everlasting life, and others fore- ordained to everlasting death.
IV. These angels and men thus predestinated, and fore-ordained, are particularly and unchange- ably designed, and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or di- minished.
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 persever- ance 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.
VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he by the eternal and most free pur- pose of his will fore-ordained all the means there- unto : 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
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due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.
VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, 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.
VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination, is to be handled with special pru- dence 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, rever- ence and admiration of God, and of humility, dili- gence, and abundant consolation to all that sin- cerely obey the gospel.
CHAP. IV.
Of Creation.
It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom and goodness, in the be-
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ginning 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.
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 heart, and power to fulfil it; and yet under a pos- sibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change. Besides this law written in their hearts, they re- ceived 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.
CHAP. V.
Of Providence.
God, the great Creator of all things, doth up- hold, direct, dispose and govern all creatures, ac- tions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, ac- cording 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, jus- tice, goodness and mercy.
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. 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 ordereth them to fall out, ac- cording to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
III. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.
. IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom and the infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, in that his determi- nate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission, which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation, to his own most holy ends, yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth 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.
V. The most wise, righteous and gracious God doth ofttimes 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 sup- port upon himself, and to make them more watch-
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ful against all future occasions of sin, and for sun- dry other just and holy ends.
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 withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and disposeth 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 useth for the softening of others.
VII. As the providence of God doth in gen- eral reach to all creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things for the good thereof.
CHAP. VI.
Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punish- ment thereof.
God having made a covenant of works and life thereupon, with our first parents, and all their posterity in them, they being seduced by the sub- tilty and temptation of Satan, did wilfully trans-
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gress the law of their creation, and break the cov- enant in eating the forbidden fruit.
II. By this sin they, and we in them, fell from original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
III. They being the root, and by God's ap- pointment standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. .
IV. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled and made oppo- site to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
V. This corruption of nature during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ pardoned and mor- tified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin.
VI. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth in its own nature bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal and eternal.
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CHAP. VII.
Of God's Covenant with Man.
The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience to him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.
II. The first covenant made with man, was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.
III. Man by his fall having made himself un- capable of life, by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace ; wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requir- ing of them faith in him that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are or- dained unto life, his Holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe.
IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testa- tor, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.
V. Although this covenant hath been differ-
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ently and variously administered in respect of or- dinances and institutions in the time of the law, and since the coming of Christ in the flesh ; yet for the substance and efficacy of it, to all its spir- itual and saving ends, it is one and the same ; upon the account of which various dispensations, it is called the Old and New Testament.
CHAP. VIII. Of Christ the Mediator.
It pleased God in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son, according to a covenant made between them both to be the mediator between God and man; the Prophet, Priest, and King, the head and Savior of his church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified and glorified.
II. The Son of God the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one sub- stance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and com- mon infirmities thereof, yet without sin, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance: so that two whole perfect and distinct natures, the
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God-head and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion ; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only me- diator between God and man.
III. The Lord Jesus in his human nature, thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety ; which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father, who also put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.
IV. This office the Lord Jesus Christ did most willingly undertake; which that he might dis- charge, he was made under the law, and did per- fectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us, enduring most grevious torments immediately from God in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body, was crucified, and died, was buried and remained un- der. the power of death, yet saw no corruption, on the third day he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the
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right hand of his Father, making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.
V. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God, and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.
VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his incarna- tion, yet the virtue, efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages suc- cessively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types and sacrifices, wherein he was revealed and signified to be the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday and to-day the same, and forever.
VII. Christ in the work of mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself ; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature, is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.
VIII. To all those for whom Christ hath pur- chased redemption, he doth certainly and effec- tually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them, and revealing unto them in
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and by the word, the mysteries of salvation, effec- tually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by his word and Spirit, overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.
CHAP. IX.
Of Free Will.
God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute ne- cessity of nature determined to do good or evil.
II. Man in his state of innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God; but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it,
III. Man by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability to will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation, so as a natural man be- ing altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
IV. When God converts a sinner, and trans- lates him into a state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that
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which is spiritually good ; yet so, as that by rea- son of his remaining corruption, he doth not per- fectly, nor only, will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.
V. The will of man is made perfectly and im- mutably free to good alone in the state of glory only.
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CHAP. X.
Of Effectual Calling.
All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call by his word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ, enlightening their minds spirit- ually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh, renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ : yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.
II. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive there- in, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this
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call, and to embrace the grace offered and convey- ed in it.
III. Elect infants dying in infancy, are regen- erated and saved by Christ, who worketh when and where, and how he pleaseth : so also are all other elect persons, who are uncapable of being . outwardly called by the ministry of the word.
IV. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they. neither do nor can come unto Christ, and there- fore cannot be saved ; much less can men not pro- fessing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives, according to the light of na- ture, and the law of that religion they do profess : and to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.
CHAP. XI.
Of Justification.
Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by account- ing and accepting their persons as righteous, not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone ; nor by imputing faith
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itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his sufferings and death, for their whole and sole righteousness, they receiving and resting on him and his righteous- ness by faith ; which faith they have not of them- selves, it is the gift of God.
II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ, and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification : yet it is not alone in the person jus- tified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
III. Christ by his obedience and death did fully discharge the debt of all those that are jus- tified, and did by the sacrifice of himself, in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf : yet inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.
IV. God did from all eternity decree to justify the elect, and Christ did in the fulness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification : nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until
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the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them.
V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified ; and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may by their sins fall under God's fatherly dis- pleasure; and in that condition they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and re- pentance.
VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testament, was in all these respects one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.
CHAP. XII. Of Adoption.
All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make par- takers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a father, yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemp- tion, and inherit the promises as heirs of everlast- ing salvation.
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CHAP. XIII.
Of Sanctification.
They that are effectually called and regenerated, being united to Christ, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also further sanctified and personally through the same virtue, by his word and Spirit dwelling in them, the do- minion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weak- ened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
II. This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life, there abide still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcileable war, the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.
III. In which war, although the remaining cor- ruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual supply of strength from the sancti- fying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome, and so the saints grow in grace, per- fecting holiness in the fear of God.
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CHAP. XIV.
Of Saving Faith.
The grace of faith, whereby the elect are ena- bled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word ; by which also, and by the administration of the seals, prayer, and other means, it is increased and strengthened.
II. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the author- ity of God himself speaking therein, and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth, yielding obedience to the com- mands, trembling at the threatenings, and embrac- ing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to, come. But the principal acts of saving faith are, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone, for justification, sanctifica- tion, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
III. This faith, although it be different in de- grees, and may be weak or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers ; and there- fore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, growing up in
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many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
CHAP. XV.
Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation.
Such of the elect as are converted at riper years, having sometime lived in the state of na- ture, and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repent- ance unto life.
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