THE CONFESSION OF FAITH

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 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.

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
EXODUS
LEVITICUS
NUMBERS
DEUTERONOMY
JOSHUA
JUDGES
RUTH
I SAMUEL
II SAMUEL
I KINGS
II KINGS
I CHRONICLES
II CHRONICLES
EZRA
NEHEMIAH
ESTHER
JOB
PSALMS
PROVERBS
SONG OF SOLOMON
ISAIAH
JEREMIAH
LAMENTATIONS
EZEKIEL
DANIEL
HOSEA
JOEL
AMOS
OBADIAH
JONAH
MICAH
NAHUM
HABAKKUK
HAGGAI
ZECHARIAH
MALACHI

OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

MATTHEW
MARK
LUKE
JOHN
ACTS
ROMANS
I CORINTHIANS
II CORINTHIANS
GALATIANS
EPHESIANS
PHILIPPIANS
COLOSSIANS
I THESSALONIANS
II THESSALONIANS
I TIMOTHY
II TIMOTHY
TITUS
PHILEMON
HEBREWS
JAMES
I PETER
II PETER
I JOHN
II JOHN
III JOHN
JUDE
REVELATION

All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

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.

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.

V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to a high and reverent esteem for 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 does 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.

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.

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 educated, but the uneducated, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

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 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 language of every people 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.

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 may be searched and known by other places in scripture that speak more clearly.

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.

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 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.

II. God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He has 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 has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever He 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.

III. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three can say "I" or be addressed as "You", all three can be the doer of action and be the receiver of action: they are therefore, by any reasonable definition, persons. They are not however three separate Gods, but are various manifestations of the one true God.

CHAPTER III
OF GOD'S ETERNAL DECREES

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.

II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions; yet He has not decreed anything 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 manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death.

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.

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, has chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His free grace and love alone, 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.

VI. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so He has, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, fore-ordained 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.

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 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.

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.

CHAPTER 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 beginning, to create or make of nothing the world, and all things therein, whether visible of 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 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. Besides 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.

CHAPTER V
OF PROVIDENCE

God, the great Creator of all things, upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

II. Although in relation to the foreknowledge 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.

III. God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure.

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 has 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.

V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, does 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 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 if sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.

VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous judge, for former sins, does blind and harden; from them He not only withholds his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and worked upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had; and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion 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.

VII. As the providence of God does, 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.

CHAPTER VI
OF THE FALL OF MAN, OF SIN, AND OF THE PUNISHMENT THEREOF

Our first parents, being seduced by the subtlety and temptation of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin God was pleased, to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.

II. By this sin they fell from their 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 of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin 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 opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.

V. This corruption of nature, during this life, remains in those that are regenerated: and although it is through Christ pardoned and mortified, 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, does, 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.

CHAPTER VII
OF GOD'S COVENANTS WITH MAN

In His eternal purpose and to effect His wise Plan, God has, at sundry times, entered into covenant with man. All that is true about the relationship of man to his maker is to be found in where man stands in relation to those covenants.

Through these eight covenants, God dispenses rule.

I. The Edenic Covenant

That which God made with man when He set him in the garden and gave him charge over all that was in it. God gave Adam and Eve every herb and the fruit of every tree to eat, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil lest they die.

II. The Adamic Covenant

In which God cursed the serpent and gave promise of the Deliverer, who would be the seed of woman. God placed upon mankind, man and woman, the curse of their sin, and drove them out of the garden.

III. The Noahic Covenant

In which God through Noah made covenant with all the world. After establishing the seasons, He gave all the animals unto man and made them for food, even as the green herb, but He forbade the drinking of blood. Then He forbade the murder of man, giving charge to the avenger of blood from which human government arises. God charged man to fill the earth, and He covenanted not to destroy the earth anymore by flood. He gave the rainbow as a token of that covenant.

IV. The Abrahamic Covenant

In this, the covenant of blessing, also the covenant of promise, God instituted the ethic about which His plan for history would revolve when He promised, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee."

This covenant has three prominent parts:

1. God promised to Abraham a Land.

2. God promised to him a seed that would be innumerable, many kings and nations would descend from his loins, that one particular great nation would come from him, and also a special Seed-singular.

3. God promised to Abraham that through his seed would come great blessings for all the families of the earth (including those that are not his bodily seed).

The promises of this covenant were given unconditionally and circumcision was to be the sign or seal of the covenant.

This covenant was then confirmed in Abraham's son Isaac, then in his son Jacob, and received by the Children of Israel.

V. The Mosaic Covenant

God made this covenant with the Children of Israel, which they received at the hand of Moses. Consisting of some 613 laws, it makes up most of the material from Exo. 19: thru Deu. 28:, and is designed as a "schoolmaster" to teach mankind about God. The ordinances of this covenant were conditional and the covenant was considered broken by the time of the Babylonian captivity.

VI. The Covenant of the Land

God made this covenant with the Children of Israel to fulfill the first part of the Abrahamic Covenant concerning the Land. God established the conditions of occupancy and gave promise of the day of His return, and their regathering, when they will turn to the Lord their God with all their heart. This covenant is recorded in Deu. 29: and 30:.

VII. The Davidic Covenant

God made this covenant with David the King of Israel to Fulfill the second part of the Abrahamic Covenant concerning the seed. First making mention of the return clause found in the Covenant of the Land, God promised to establish the seed of David upon the Throne of His Kingdom after him forever. Thus God revealed that the one who would secure the promise of the Land would be none other than the son of David, the son of Abraham, Christ (Anointed) the King. This covenant is recorded in II Sam. 7:, I Chr. 17: and other places.

VIII. The New Covenant

God made this covenant with the Children of Israel to fulfill the third part of the Abrahamic Covenant concerning blessing for all the families of the earth, as can be seen in Isa. 49:-55:, Jer. 30: and many other places.

In one mighty work, Jesus took on Himself the seed of woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, and the seed of God by way of the virgin birth. To fulfill the types and figures in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and to justify the giving of all the blessings, both covenanted and promised (for it is impossible for God to lie), the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ Himself, being mediator of the New Covenant, sealed the covenant with His own Blood.

Although the New Testament is almost entirely devoted to the New Covenant, most of the articles of the New Covenant are found in the Old Testament.