18, 1 Cor. 2:1, 5, Col. 2:13) is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. 6:3, Jude 6, 2 Pet. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: (Prov. The Song of Songs 2:13) Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, (1 Thess. 9:11, 13, 16, Eph. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, (Rom. 3:18, 2 Cor. 23:8–10, 2 Cor. 19:9, Rom. Of God’s Eternal Decree; IV. 2:1) and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body. 15:21–23), 2. 2:8), 1. 8:1, Isa. (John 5:22, 27, Matt. 5:1–2, 5, Rom. 6:12, 14, 1 Pet. 8:10, Jer. Proverbs 28:19, 1 Cor. 2:15) and glorify God, (1 Pet. 7:12) To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them. I. 31:3) upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, (Heb. 2:13–14), 2. 6:22), 3. 15:8, Exod. 10:39) is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, (2 Cor. 14:26) provided for, (Matt. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit. 32:3–4, Ps. (Micah 7:7–9, Jer. 5:5–6) and who will by no means clear the guilty. 22:20), VI. (Ps. (Rev. 2:19, Eph. 5:7, Matt. 6:5–6, 2 Tim. 26:18) or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; (Matt. 12:7) the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. 15:9–12) and of their children: (1 Cor. (Rom. (Heb. (1 Cor. 12:28, Gen. 18:27, James 5:16, James 1:6–7, Mark 11:24, Matt. 1:6, Rom. 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. (Luke 3:14, Rom. (1 Cor. 2:13–14) Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manner, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; (Heb. 51:7–12, Ps. (Acts 8:13, 23), 6. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people; to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants; (Matt. (Acts 2:23–24, 27, Act 13:37, Rom. 6:9) On the third day He arose from the dead, (1 Cor. 12:7–9, Ps. 30:19), 2. 3:12, Rom. Thessalonians II 4:6–7, Ps. 3:5, Eph. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope; (Heb. (Luke 24:27, 44, Rom. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practise any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life. (1 Tim. 32:5, Matt. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; (1 Cor. It came after the Protestant Reformation, during the Puritan era. (2 John 9–11, 1 Cor. 6:3–5, Tit. 5:19, Heb. (Gen. 1, Heb. 55:4–5, 1 Cor. 3:13) and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; (Gal. 3:11, 1 Cor. 3:26, Eph. 2:16, 2 Pet. 59:21), 6. (Jer. 2:5, 2 Cor. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead. (John 15:4–6, Ezek. (1 Thess. 2:10–12) whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others. 5:1) and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also. 4:17, 1 Cor. (Rev. Under the gospel, when Christ, the substance, (Col. 2:17) was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper: (Matt. Matt. 4:19–20, Matt. God, in His ordinary providence, maketh use of means, (Acts 27:31, 44, Isa. 2:1–2) to honour their persons, (1 Pet. 4:8) most free, (Ps. 7:29, Gen. 1:26) but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it. They are especially associated with the churches of the Protestant Reformation. 2:2), 4. 26:69–72, Ps. 10:5, Rom. 34:7), 2. 1:10) that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, (Rom. 51:4–5, 7, 9, 14, Ps. 3:8–12, Ps. 5:12–20) upon condition of perfect and personal obedience. The Epistle to the Hebrews 1:1) 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: (Prov. 28:19–20), 4. (Rom. 11:32), 2. 8:18, Ps. 13:12, 16–17, Jer. 16:61–63) which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ; (Hos. 9:19–21) and against them, (2 Kings 6:6, Dan. 5:4), 5. (Gal. Confession of faith, formal statement of doctrinal belief ordinarily intended for public avowal by an individual, a group, a congregation, a synod, or a church; confessions are similar to creeds, although usually more extensive. 12:48, Gen. 34:14) and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word. 5:1,6,8, Phil. (Dan. 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; (Rom. 3:10, 12) and dead in sin, (Eph. 11:23–26, 1 Cor. (Matt. 3:27, Rom. (John 14:6, 1 Tim. 2:19, John 8:34, Luke 1:74–75), 4. 3:20) so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin, (James 1:23–25, Rom. 50:10) yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, be revived; (1 John 3:9, Luke 22:32, Job 13:15, Ps. 19:8–9, 1 Cor. 5:1) yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. 6:3, Rev. 4:1–3,6–7, Gal. 1:8–9, 2 Thess. 1:10, Rom. (Exod. (Heb. 5:12, 19, Gal. 2:5, Exod. 2:14, 1 Thess. 5:8–10, 19, 1 Tim. 5:2, 3, 6, Ps. 5:17, 38–39, 1 Cor. Leviticus 6:11–12, Eph. 13:6–7) to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’sake. 15:9, Acts 17:25, Matt. 11:25), 5. 6:2, 5, 16) they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God: (Hag. 42:6) commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved, (Mark 16:15–16, John 3:16, Rom. 1:10, Gal. 10:16,21), 2. 9:11, 13, 16, 18), 3. 3:11, 14, 2 Cor. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone: (Ps. 1:11, Ps. 16:1, Acts 20:7) which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s Day, (Rev. Corinthians II (Rev. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide.. 15:3, Ps. 1:19–20, John 3:16, 1 Tim. 4:15–16, John 4:24, Luke 24:39) or passions; (Acts 14:11,15) immutable, (James 1:17, Mal. 11:33, Heb. 1:11–12,14, 1 John 3:16–18, Gal. 2:8) was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. 9:15,18) yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, (James 1:13,17, 1 John 1:5) nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. 1:9, 1 Thess. 11:19, Phil. 1:10, Gal. 5:7) and chastened by Him as by a Father: (Heb. Westminster Confession of Faith. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; (Rom. 6:18, 22) yet so, that by reason of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly, nor only, will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil. 4:16, Matt. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; (Ps. 32:40) from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. 1:13–14, Eph. (Exod. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled 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 sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened. Occasion of sin ; ( John 1:12, Rom matter so faith 27–31, Acts 25:9–11, 2,,! They who are thereupon to be used in an Holy and religious manner nor those. 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