Westminster Confession of Faith

CHAPTER 1: Of the Holy Scripture

1. 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 unexcusable;without excuse;^a yet are theythey are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary untoto salvation.^b Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundrymany times, and in divers manners,many ways, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will untototo his church;^c 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 untoto writing:^d which makethmakes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary;^e those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.^f

2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,Testament, which are these:

All whichof these are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.^g

3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being ooff 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.^h

4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependethdoes not depend upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof:of it: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.ⁱ

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to ana 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 discoveryrevelation it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof,of it, are arguments wherebyby which it doth abundantly evidenceevidences itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding,nevertheless, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof,of it, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.^l

6. 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: untoto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.^m 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:ⁿ and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, whichthat 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.^o

7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear untoto all:^p 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 untoto a sufficient understanding of them.^q

8. 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;authentic;^r so as,that, in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal untoto them.^s But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto,to, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them,^t therefore they are to be translated into the vulgarcommon language of every nation untoto which they come,^u that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner;^w and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.^x

9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is ththee 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.^y

10. 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 sentencejudgment we are to rest, can be no other butthan the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.^z

CHAPTER 2 Of God, and of the Holy Trinity

1. There is butonly one only,^a living, and true God,^b who is infinite in being and perfection,^c a most pure spirit,^d invisible,^e without body, parts,^f or passions;^g immutable,^h immense,ⁱ eternal, incomprehensible,^l almighty,^m most wise,ⁿ most holy,^o most free,^p most absolute;^q working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,^r for his own glory;^s most loving,^t gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;^u the rewarder of them thatthose who diligently seek him;^w and withal,additionally, most just, and terrible in his judgments,^x hating all sin,^y and who will by no means clear the guilty.^z

2. God hathhas all life,^a glory,^b goodness,^c blessedness,^d in and of himself; and is alone in and untoto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures whichthat he hathhas made,^e nor deriving any glory from them,^f but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto,to, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things;^g and hathhas most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth.whatever he pleases.^h In his sight all things are open and manifest,ⁱ his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent uponof the creature, so asthat nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain.^l He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.^m To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoeverwhatever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.ⁿ

3. In the unity of the Godhead there beare three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost:SpiritSpirit:^o the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;^p the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.^q

CHAPTER 3: Of God’s Eternal Decree

1. God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoeverordained whatever comes to pass:^a yet so, as therebyso that by this neither is God the author of sin,^b nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.^c

2. Although God knows whatsoeverwhatever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions,^d yet hath he has not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.^e

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated untopredestined to everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.^g

4. These angels and men, thus predestinated,predestined, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.^h

5. Those of mankind that are predestinated untopredestined to 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, hathhas chosen, in Christ, untoto everlasting glory,ⁱ 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;to do so; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.^l

6. As God hathhas appointed the elect untoto glory, so hath he,he has, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto.^m Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,ⁿ are effectually called untoto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,^o and kept by his power, through faith, untoto salvation.^p Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.^q

7. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, wherebyby which he extendethextends or withholdethwithholds mercy, as he pleaseth,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.^r

8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,^s that men, attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto,to it, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation,calling, be assured of their eternal election.^t So shall this doctrine shall afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God;^u and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.^w

CHAPTER 4: Of Creation

1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,Spirit,^a for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness,^b in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things thereinwithin it whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.^c

2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female,^d with reasonable and immortal souls,^e endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image;^f having the law of God written in their hearts,^g and power to fulfill it:^h and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject untoto change.ⁱ 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,kept it, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.^l

CHAPTER 5: Of Providence

1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold,^a direct, dispose, and governgoverns all creatures, actions, and things,^b from the greatest even to the least,^c by his most wise and holy providence,^d according to his infallible foreknowledge,^e and the free and immutable counsel of his own will,^f to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.^g

2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the firstFirst Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly;^h yet, by the same providence, he orderethorders them to fall out,come about, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.ⁱ

3. God, in his ordinary providence, makethmakes use of means, yet is free to work without,^l above,^m and against them, at his pleasure.ⁿ

4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendethextends itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men;^o and that not by a bare permission,^p but such as hathhas joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding,limiting,^q and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends;^r yet so, as theso that their sinfulness thereof proceedethproceeds 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.^s

5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave,often leaves his own children, 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 untoexpose to them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled;^t 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 sundryvarious other just and holy ends.^u

6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, blinds and hardens for former sins, doth blind and harden,^w from them he not only withholdethwithholds his grace wherebyby whichby which they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts;^x but sometimes also withdrawethwithdraws the gifts whichthat they had,^y and exposethexposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin;^z and, withal,additionally, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan,^a whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means whichthat God usethuses for the softening of others.^b

7. As the providence of God doth,God, in general, reachreaches to all creatures; so, afterin a most special manner, it takethtakes care of his church, and disposethorders all things to the good thereof.its good.^c

CHAPTER 6: Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof

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

2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God,^c and so became dead in sin,^d and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.^e

3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed;^f and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.^g

4. From this original corruption, wherebyby which we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good,^h and wholly inclined to all evil,ⁱ do proceed all actual transgressions.

5. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remainremains in those that are regenerated;^l and although it be,is pardoned and mortified through Christ, pardoned, and mortified;Christ; yet both itself, and all the motions thereof,its motions, are truly and properly sin.^m

6. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto,ⁿ doth, in its own nature, bringnature brings guilt upon the sinner,^o wherebyby which he is bound over to the wrath of God,^p and curse of the law,^q and so made subject to death,^r with all miseries spiritual,^s temporal,^t and eternal.^u

CHAPTER 7: Of God’s Covenant with Man

1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience untoto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hathhas been pleased to express by way of covenant.^a

2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works,^b whereinin which life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity,^c upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.^d

3. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second,^e commonly called the covenant of grace; whereinin which he freely offereth untooffers to sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved,^f and promising to give untoto all those that are ordained untoto eternal life his Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.^g

4. 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 Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.bequeathed in it.^h

5. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel:ⁱ under the law, it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, foforr that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elecelectt in faith in the promised Messiah,^l by whom they had fufullll remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the old testament.^m

6. Under the gospel, when Christ, the substance,ⁿ was exhibited, 1 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: which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence and spiritual efficacy,^p to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles;^q and is called the new testament.^r There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.^s

CHAPTER 8: Of Christ the Mediator

1. It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man,^a the Prophet,^b Priest,^c and King,^d the Head and Savior of his church,^e the Heir of all things,^f and Judge of the world:^g untoto whom he did from all eternity givegave a people, to be his seed,^h and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.ⁱ

2. The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, taketook upon himhimself man's nature, with all theits essential properties,properties and common infirmities thereof,infirmities, yet without sin;^l being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost,Spirit, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance.^m So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion.ⁿ WhichThis person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.^o

3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure,^p having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;^q in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell;^r to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth,^s he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator, and surety.^t WhichHe did not take this office he took not untoto himself, but was thereunto called to it by his Father,^u who put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.^w

4. This office theThe Lord Jesus didundertook this office most willingly undertake;^x which that he might discharge,discharge it, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfillfulfilled it;^z endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul,^a and most painful sufferings in his body;^b was crucified, and died,^c was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption.^d On the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered,^f with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sittethsits at the right hand of his Father,^g making intercession,^h and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.ⁱ

5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience, and sacrifice of himself, which he, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up untoto God, hathhas fully satisfied the justice of his Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given untoto him.^l

6. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his incarnation, yet theits virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated untoto the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, whereinin which he was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which shouldthat would bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same, and forever.^m

7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself;ⁿ 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.^o

8. To all those for whom Christ hathhas purchased redemption, he doth certainly and effectually applyapplies and communicatecommunicates the same;^p making intercession for them,^q and revealing untoto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation;^r effectually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit;^s 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.^t

CHAPTER 9: Of Free Will

1. God hathhas endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil.^a

2. Man, in his state of innocency,innocence, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God;^b but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.^c

3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hathhas wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation:^d so as,that, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good,^e and dead in sin,^f is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.for it.^g

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freethfrees him from his natural bondage under sin;^h and, by his grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;ⁱ yet so, asso that by reason of his remaining corruption, he dothdoes not perfectly, nor only, will that which is good, but doth also willwills that which is evil.

5. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone, in the state of glory only.^l

CHAPTER 10: Of Effectual Calling

1. All those whom God hath predestinated untohas predestined to life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,^a by his Word and Spirit,^b out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ;^c enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,^d taking away their heart of stone, and giving untoto them a heart of flesh;^e renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good,^f and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ:^g yet so, asso that they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.^h

2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man,ⁱ who is altogether passive therein,in it, until, being quickenedmade alive and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled in this way to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.^l

3. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit,^m who workethworks when, and where, and how he pleaseth:pleases:ⁿ so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.^o

4. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word,^p and may have some common operations of the Spirit,^q yet they never truly come untoto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:^r much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligentdespite their utmost diligence to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess.^s And, to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.^t

CHAPTER 11: Of Justification

1. Those whom God effectually calleth,calls, he also freely justifieth:justifies:^a not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ untoto them,^b they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness, by faith; whichthis faith they do not have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.^c

2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:^d yet is itit is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but workethworks by love.^e

3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully dischargedischarged the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did makemade a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father's justice in their behalf.^f Yet, inasmuch asbecause he was given by the Father for them; and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead;place; and both, freely, not for anything 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.

4. God did,God, from all eternity, decreedecreed to justify all the elect,^l and Christ did,Christ, in the fullness of time, diedied for their sins, and riserose again for their justification:^m nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit doth,Spirit, in due time, actually applyapplies Christ untoto them.ⁿ

5. God doth continuecontinues to forgive the sins of those that are justified;^o and, although they can never fall from the state of justification,^p yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored untoto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.^q

6. The justification of believers under the old testament was, in all these respects, one and the same withas the justification of believers under the new testament.^r

CHAPTER 12: Of Adoption

1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth,graciously guarantees, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption,^a by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God,^b have his name put upon them,^c receive the Spirit of adoption,^d have access to the throne of grace with boldness,^e are enabled to cry, Abba, Father,^f are pitied,^g protected,^h provided for,ⁱ and chastened by him, as by a father: yet never cast off,^l but sealed to the day of redemption;^m and inherit the promises,ⁿ as heirs of everlasting salvation.^o

CHAPTER 13: Of Sanctification

1. They,Those who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection,^a by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them:^b the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,^c and theits several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;^d and they more and more quickenedenlivened and strengthened in all saving graces,^e to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.^f

2. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man;^g yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part;^h whence arisethfrom which arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.ⁱ

3. In whichthis war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may muchgreatly prevail; yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome;overcomes;^l and so, the saints grow in grace,^m perfecting holiness in the fear of God.ⁿ

CHAPTER 14: Of Saving Faith

1. The grace of faith, wherebyby which the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,^a is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,^c by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.^d

2. By this faith, a Christian believethbelieves to be true whatsoeverwhatever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein;in it;^e and actethacts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth;of it contains; yielding obedience to the commands,^f trembling at the threatenings,^g and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.^h But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.ⁱ

3. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; mamayy be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:^l growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,^m who is both the author and finisher of our faith.ⁿ

CHAPTER 15: Of Repentance unto Life

1. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,^a the doctrine whereofof which is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.^b

2. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such asthose who are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all untoto God,^c purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.^d

3. Although repentance beis not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,its pardon,^e which is the act of God's free grace in Christ;^f yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.^g

4. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation;^h so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.ⁱ

5. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.

6. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof;of them;^l upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy;^m so, he that scandalizethscandalizes his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended,ⁿ who are thereuponthen to be reconciled to him,him and in love to receive him.him in love.^o

CHAPTER 16: Of Good Works

1. Good works are only such as God hathhas commanded in his holy Word,^a and not such as, without the warrant thereof,its warrant, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intention.^b

2. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith:^c and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,^d strengthen their assurance,^e edify their brethren,brothers,^f adorn the profession of the gospel,^g stop the mouths of the adversaries,^h and glorify God,ⁱ whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,for these good works, that, having their fruit untothat leads to holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.^l

3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.^m And that they may be enabled thereunto,so enabled, beside the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of his good pleasure:ⁿ yet are theythey are not hereupontherefore to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless uponby a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.^o

4. TheyThose who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height whichthat is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much whichthat in duty they are bound to do.^p

5. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom, by them, we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins,^q but when we have done all we can, we have done butonly our duty, and are unprofitable servants:^r and because, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit;^s and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment.^t

6. Notwithstanding,Nevertheless, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him;^u not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreprovable in God's sight; but that he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.^x

7. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things whichthat God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others:^y yet, because they proceed not from ana heart purified by faith;^z nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word;^a nor to a right end, the glory of God,^b they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, or make a man meetfit to receive grace from God:^c and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing untoto God.^d

CHAPTER 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints

1. They,Those whom God hathhas accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere thereinin it to the end, and be eternally saved.^a

2. This perseverance of the saints dependsdoes not depend upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father;^b upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ,^c the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them,^d and the nature of the covenant of grace:^e from all of which arisetharises also theits certainty and infallibility thereof.infallibility.^f

3. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalencyprevalence of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;^g and, for a time, continue therein:^h whereby they incur God's displeasure,ⁱ and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts,^l have their hearts hardened,^m and their consciences wounded;ⁿ hurt and scandalize others,^o and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.^p

CHAPTER 18: Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation

1. Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estatestate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such asthose who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace,^c and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.^d

2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope;^e but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation,^f the inward evidence of those graces untoto which these promises are made,^g the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God,^h which Spirit is the earnestguarantee of our inheritance, wherebyby which we are sealed to the day of redemption.ⁱ

3. This infallible assurance dothdoes not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficultiesdifficulties, before he bebecomes a partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things whichthat are freely given him ofby God, he may,may attain to it without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto.means.^l And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure,^m that therebyin this way his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost,Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance;ⁿ so far is it from inclining men to looseness.^o

4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted;intermitted in various ways; as, by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some special sin which woundeththat wounds the conscience and grievethgrieves the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation, by God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, and sufferingallowing even such asthose who fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light:^p yet are theythey are never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren,brothers, that sincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may,may be revived in due time, be revived;time;^q and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.^r

CHAPTER 19: Of the Law of God

1. God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.^a

2. This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables:^b the first four commandments containing our duty towards God; and the other six, our duty to man.^c

3. Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits;^d and partly, holding forth diversvarious instructions of moral duties.^e All whichof these ceremonial laws are now abrogated, under the new testament.^f

4. To them also, as a body politic, he gave sundryvarious judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people; not obliging any other now, further than thetheir general equity thereof may require.^g

5. The moral law doth forever bindbinds all, justified persons as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof;of it;^h and that, not only in regard ofto the matter contained in it, but also inwith respect ofto the authority of God the Creator, who gave it.ⁱ Neither dothdoes Christ, in the gospel, in any way dissolve, but muchgreatly strengthen this obligation.

6. Although true believers beare not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned;condemned by it;^l yet is itit is of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;^m discoveringexposing also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives;ⁿ so as,Therefore,that, examining themselves thereby,by it, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin,^o together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience.^p It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin:^q and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereoffor them threatened in the law.^r The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect uponfor the performance thereof:of it:^s although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works.^t So as, a man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encouragethencourages to the one, and deterrethdeters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law; and, not under grace.^u

7. Neither are the forementionedaforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it;^w the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requirethrequires to be done.^x

CHAPTER 20: Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience

1. The liberty <span clasands="v-const">which</span>that Christ hathhas purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law;^a and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin;^b from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation;^c as also, in their free access to God,^d and their yielding obedience untoto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love and willing mind.^e All whichof these were common also to believers under the law.^f But, under the new testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected;^g and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace,^h and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partakepartook of.ⁱ

2. God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hathhas left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, whichthat are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship.^l So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience:^m and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.ⁿ

3. TheyThose who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do therebyin this way 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.^o

4. And because the powers whichthat God hathhas ordained, and the liberty whichthat Christ hathhashas purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another, theythose who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it beis civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.^p And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity (whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation),conduct), or to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order whichthat Christ hath established in the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against, by the censures of the church.^q

CHAPTER 21: Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day

1. The light of nature showethshows that there is a God, who hathhas lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and dothdoes good untoto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might.^a But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture.^b

2. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;Spirit; and to him alone;^c not to angels, saints, or any other creature:^d and, since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone.^e

3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship,^f is by God required of all men:men by God:^g and, that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son,^h by the help of his Spirit,ⁱ according to his will, with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance;^l and, if vocal, in a known tongue.^m

4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful;lawful things;ⁿ and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter:yet live:^o but not for the dead,^p nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin untothat leads to death.^q

5. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear,<sup clasands="proof-marker">r</sup> the sound preaching and conscionableconscientious hearing of the Word, in obedience untoto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence,^t singing of psalms with grace in the heart;^u as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:^w beside religious oaths,^x vows,^y solemn fastings,^z and thanksgivings upon special occasions,^a which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in ana holy and religious manner.^b

6. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto,to, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed:^c but God is to be worshiped everywhere,^d in spirit and truth;^e as, in private families daily, and in secret, each one by himself;^h so, more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God,God calls men to them by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto.providence.ⁱ

7. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time should be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hathhas particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy untoto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,^l which, in Scripture, is called the Lord's day,Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.ⁿ

8. This Sabbath is then kept holy untoto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe ana holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations,^o but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.^p

CHAPTER 22: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship,^a wherein,in which, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly callethcalls God to witness what he asserteth,asserts, or promiseth,promises, and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he sweareth.swears.^b

2. The name of God onlyalone is that by which men ought to swear, and thereinin doing so it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence.^c Therefore, to swear vainly, or rashly, by that glorious and dreadful Name; or, to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred.^d Yet, as in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the Word of God, under the new testament as well as under the old;^e so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters, ought to be taken.^f

3. Whosoever takethWhoever takes an oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouchavow in it nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth:^g neither may any man bind himself by oath to anything but what is good and just, and what he believeth sobelieves to be,be so, and what he is able and resolved to perform.^h

4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common senssensee of the words, without equivocation, or mental reservation.ⁱ It cannot oblige to sin; but in anything not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt. Nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics, or infidels.^l

5. A vow is of the likesamesamesame nature withas a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.^m

6. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone:ⁿ and, that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith, and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want, wherebyby which we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties; or, to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto.to them.^o

7. No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded,commanded in it, or whichthat is not in his own power, and for the performance whereofof which he hathhas no promise of ability from God.^p In whichthese respects, popish monasticalmonastic vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.^q

CHAPTER 23: Of the Civil Magistrate

1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hathhas ordained civil magistrates, to be, under him, over the people, for his own glory, and the public good: and, to this end, hathhas armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them thatthose who are good, and for the punishment of evildoers.^a

2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto:to it:^b in the managing whereof,it, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;^c so, for that end, they may lawfully, nowlawfully wage war now, under the new testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.^d

3. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven;^e or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.^g And, as Jesus Christ hathhas appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let,obstruct, or hinder, theits due exercise thereof,exercise, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief.^h It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered,permitted, either upon pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.ⁱ

4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons,^l to pay them tributetaxes or other dues,^m to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, dothdoes not make void the magistrates' just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them:^o from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted,^p much less hathhas the pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.^q

CHAPTER 24: Of Marriage and Divorce

1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time.^a

2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,^b for the increase of mankind with legitimate issue,offspring, and of the church with ana holy seed;^c and for preventing of uncleanness.^d

3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent.^e Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.^f And therefore such asthose who profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such asthose who are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such asthose who are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.^g

4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden by the Word.^h Nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so asthat those persons may live together as man and wife.ⁱ

5. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, givethgives just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce:^l and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.^m

6. Although the corruption of man beis such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God hathhas joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can in no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is a sufficient cause sufficient offor dissolving the bond of marriage:ⁿ wherein,in which, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case.case^o

CHAPTER 25: Of the Church

1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof;of it; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that fillethfills all in all.^a

2. 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;^b and of their children:^c and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ,^d the house and family of God,^e out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.^f

3. UntoTo this catholic visible church Christ hathhas given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth,and, by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, makemakes them effectual thereunto.for this.^g

4. This catholic church hathhas been sometimes more, sometimes less visible.^h And particular churches, whichthat are members thereof,of it, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.ⁱ

5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan.^l Nevertheless, there shall be alwaysalways be a church on earth, to worship God according to his will.^m

6. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ.ⁿ Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof.its head.^o

CHAPTER 26: Of the Communion of Saints

1. All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by his Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory:^a and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces,^b and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private,private duties as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.^c

2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain <span clasands="v-const">an</span>a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification;^d as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. WhichSuch communion, as God offerethoffers opportunity, is to be extended untoto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.^e

3. This communion whichthat the saints have with Christ, dothdoes not make them in any wiseway partakers of the substance of his Godhead; or to be equal with Christ in any respect: to affirm either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous.^f Nor dothdoes their communion one withwith one another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or propriety whichownership that each man hath inhas of his goods and possessions.^g

CHAPTER 27:Of the Sacraments

1. Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace,<sup clasands="proof-marker">a</sup> immediately instituted by God,^b to represent Christ, and his benefits; and to confirm our interest in him:^c as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong untoto the church, and the rest of the world;^d and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to his Word.^e

2. There is, in every sacrament, a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified: whencefrom which it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.^f

3. The grace whichthat is exhibited 2 in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither dothdoes the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administeradministers it:^g but upon the work of the Spirit,^h and the word of institution, which contains,contains a promise of benefit to worthy receivers, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.the sacrament.ⁱ

4. There beare only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say,gospel: baptism, and the Supper of the Lord:Lord, neither of which may be dispensed by any, but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained.

5. The sacraments of the old testament, in regard ofto the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited,exhibited 3 by them, were, for substance, the same withas those of the new.^l

CHAPTER 28: Of Baptism

1. Baptism is a sacrament of the new testament, ordained by Jesus Christ,^a not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church;^b but also, to be untoto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace,^c of his ingrafting into Christ,^d of regeneration,^e of remission of sins,^f and of his giving up untoto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life.^g WhichThis sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world.^h

2. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewithwith which the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,Spirit, by a lawfully called minister of the gospel, lawfully called thereunto.gospel.ⁱ

3. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person.

4. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience untoto Christ,^l but also the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized.^m

5. Although it beis a great sin to contemndisdain or neglect this ordinance,ⁿ yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed untoto it, as that no person can be regenerated, or saved, without it;^o or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.^p

6. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time whereinwhen it is administered;^q yet, notwithstanding,nevertheless, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited, 4 and conferred, by the Holy Ghost,Spirit, to suchthose (whether of age or infants) asto whom that grace belongeth unto,belongs, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time.^r

7. The sacrament of baptism is but once to be administered untoto any person.person only once.^s

CHAPTER 29: Of the Lord’s Supper

1. Our Lord Jesus, inon the night whereinwhen he was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lord's Supper, to be observed in his church, untountil the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death; the sealing all its benefits thereof untoto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in him, their further engagement in and to all duties whichthat they owe untoto him; and, to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other, as members of his mystical body.^a

2. In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to his Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all, for remission of sins of the quickliving or the dead;^b but only a commemoration of that one offering up of himself, by himself, upon the cross, once for all: and a spiritual oblationoffering of all possible praise untoto God, for the same:^c so that the popish sacrifice of the massMass (as they call it) is most abominably injurious to Christ's one, only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of his elect.^d

3. The Lord Jesus hath,has, 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 therebyin this way to set them apart from a common to ana holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicatingpartaking also themselves) to give both to the communicants;^e but to none who are not then present in the congregation.^f

4. Private masses,Masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other, alone;^g as likewise, the denial of the cup to the people,^h worshiping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about, for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.ⁱ

5. The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit,that is, the body and blood of Christ; albeit,although, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.^l

6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ's body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense, and reason; overthrowethoverthrows the nature of the sacrament, and hathhas been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, ofsuperstitions and even gross idolatries.^m

7. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements, in this sacrament,ⁿ do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually, receive, and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death: the body and blood of Christ being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet, as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.^o

8. Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament; yet, they do not receive not the thing signified thereby;by them; but, by their unworthy coming thereunto,to it, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, to their own damnation. Wherefore,Therefore, all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with him, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table; and cannot, without great sin against Christ, while they remain such,cannot partake of these holy mysteries,^p or be admitted thereunto.to them, while they remain such, without great sin against Christ.^q

CHAPTER 30: Of Church Censures

1. The Lord Jesus, as King and Head of his church, hath thereinhas appointed a government,government for it, in the hand of church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.^a

2. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed; by virtue whereof,of which, they have power, respectively, to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word, and censures; and to open it untoto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel; and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.^b

3. Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren,brothers, for deterring of others from the like offenses, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the church, if they should sufferallow his covenant, and the seals thereof,its seals, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.

4. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition; suspension from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season; and by excommunication from the church; according to the nature of the crime,offense, and demerit of the person.^d

CHAPTER 31: Of Synods and Councils

1. For the better government, and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils:^a and it belongethbelongs to the overseers and other rulers of the particular churches, by virtue of their office, and the power whichthat Christ hathhas given them for edification and not for destruction, to appoint such assemblies;^b and to convene together in them, as often as they shall judge it expedient for the good of the church.^c

2. It belongethbelongs to synods and councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of his church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: whichthese decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for the power wherebyby which they are made, as being an ordinance of God appointed thereuntofor these purposes in his Word.^d

3. All synods or councils, since the Apostles' times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in both.^e

4. Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs whichthat concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary;extraordinary cases; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.magistrate requires them to do so.^f

CHAPTER 32: Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

1. The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption:^a but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them:^b 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.^c And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day.^d BesidesBeside these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgethacknowledges none.

2. At the last day, such asthose who are found alive shall not die, but be changed:^e and all the dead shall be raised up, with the selfsame bodies, and none other (although with different qualities), which shall be united again to their souls forever.^f

3. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor: the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, untoto honor; and be made conformable to his own glorious body.^g

CHAPTER 33: Of the Last Judgment

1. God hathhas appointed a day, whereinon which he will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ,^a to whom all power and judgment is given ofby the Father.^b In whichOn that day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,^c but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.^d

2. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous shall go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and refreshing, which shall come from the presence of the Lord;Lord: but the wicked who do not know not God, and do not obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.^e

3. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity:^f so will hehe will have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they do not know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.^g

[1]: https://github.com/allejo/jekyll-toc