Art. IX. Of Chrift's Death, Paffion and Burial.'

TH

Hat our Lord Jefus offered himself a voluntary Sa crifice unto his Father for us w; that he fuffered Contradiction of Sinners; that he was wounded and plagued for our Tranfgreffions w; that he being the clean innocent Lamb of God x, was condemned in the Prefence of an earthly Judge y, that we should be abfolved before the Tribunal-feat of our God z; that he fuffered not only the cruel Death of the Crofs (which was accurfed by the Sentence of God a) 'but alfo, that he suffered for a Seafon the Wrath of his Father b, which Sinners had deferved: But yet we avow, that he remained the only Wellbeloved, and bleffed Son of his Father, even in the midst of his Anguish and Torment, which he suffered in Body and Soul, to make the full Satisfaction for the Sins of the People c; after the which, we confefs and avow, that there remaineth no other Sacrifice for Sin d; which if any affirm, we nothing doubt to avow, that they are blafphemous against Chrift's Death, and the everlasting Purgation and Satisfaction purchased to us by the fame.

u Heb. 10. 4.-12. w If. 53. 5. Heb. 12.3. x John r.29. y Mat. 27.11,26. Mark 15. Luke 23. z Gal.3.13.a Deut. 21.23. 6 Mat. 26.39. c2Cor.5.21. dHeb.9.12,& 10.14.

W

Art. X. Of his Refurrection.

E undoubtedly believe, that infomuch as it was impoffible that the Dolours of Death should retain in Bondage the Author of Life ; that our Lord Jefus, crucified, dead and buried, who defcended into Hell, did rife again for our Juftification f; and destroying of him who was the Author of Death, brought Life again to us, that were subject to Death, and to the Bon. dage of the fame g; we know that his Refurrection was confirmed by the Teftimony of his very Enemies h, by the Refurrection of the Dead, whofe Sepulchres did

e Acts 2. 24. ƒ Acts 3. 26. Rom. 6. 5, 9. 25. g Heb. 2. 14, 15. h Mat. 28. 4.

open,

Rom. 4.

open, and they did tife and appear to many without the City of Jerufalemi; it was allo confirmed by the Teftimony of his Angels k, and by the Senfes and Judgments of his Apoftles, and of others who had Converfation, and did eat and drink with him, after his Resurrection /.

i Mat. 27. 52, 53. k Mat. 28. 5, 6. / John 20. 27. & 21, 7. & 12, 13. Luke 24 41, 42, 43.

WE

Art. XI. Of bis Afcenfion.

7E nothing doubt, but the felf-fame Body, which was born of the Virgin, was crucified, dead and buried, and which did rise again, did afcend into the Hea vens, for the Accomplishment of all Things m, where, in our Names, and for our Comfort, he had received all Power in Heaven and Earth, where he fitteth at the right Hand of the Father, inaugorate in his Kingdom, Advocate and only Mediator for us 0; which Glory,Honour and Prerogative, he alone, amongst the Brethren, fhall poffefs, till that all his Enemies be made his Footftool p, as that we undoubtedly believe they fhall be in the final Judgment, to the Execution whereof, we certainly believe, that the fame our Lord Jefus fhall as vifibly return, as that he was feen to afcend q; and then we firmly believe that the Time of Refreshing and Reftitution of all Things fhall come r, infomuch that thefe, that from the Beginning have fuffered Violence, Injury and Wrong for Righteoufnefs Sake, fhall inherit that bleffed Immortality promised from the beginning: But contrariwife, the Stubborn, Inobedient, cruel Oppreffors, filthy Perfons, Idolaters, and all fuch Sorts of Unfaithful, fhall be caft in the Dungeon of utter Darkness, where the Worm shall not die, neither yet fhall their Fire be extinguished t: The Remembrance of which Day, and of the Judgment to be executed in the fame, is not only to us a Bridle, whereby our carnal Lufts are refrained, but alfo fuch

C

inesti

Luke 24.51. Acts 1.9. n Mat. 28.18. 0 1 John 2.1. Tim. 2. 5. p Pfal. 110. 1. Mat. 22.44. Mark 12.36. Luke 20. 42, 43. Acts 1.-11. r Acts 3. 19. Mat.

25.34. 2 Theff. 1. 4, &c. Rev. 21. 27. Ifa. 66. 24, Mat. 25. 41. Mark 9. 44, 46, 48. Mat. 22, 13.

inestimable Comfort, that neither may the Threatning of Worldly Princes, neither yet the Fear of Temporal Death, and present Danger, move us to renounce and forfake that bleffed Society, which we the Members have with our Head and only Mediator Chrift Jefus u, whom we confess and avow to be the Meffias promised, the only Head of his Kirk, our juft Law-giver, our only Highpriest, Advocate, and Mediator w. In which Honours and Offices, if Man or Angel prefume to intrude themselves, we utterly deteft and abhor them, as blafphemous to our fovereign and fupreme Governor, Chrift Jesus.

u 2Pet. 3.11. 2Cor. 5.9,10,11. Luke 21.27,28. John 14.1, &c. Ila.7.14. Eph. 1.22. Col. 1.18. Heb. 15. & 10.21. 1 John 2.1. 1 Tim. 2.5.

T

Art. XII. Of Faith in the Holy Ghoft.

9.11,

His our Faith, and Affurance of the fame, proceeds not from Flesh and Blood, that is to fay, from no natural Powers within us, but is the Infpiration of the Holy Ghoft x: Whom we confefs God equal with the Father, and with his Sony; who fanctifieth us, and bringeth us into all Verity, by his own Operation; without whom we fhould remain for ever Enemies to God, and ignorant of his Son Chrift Jefus. For of Nature we are fo dead, fo blind, and fo perverfe, that neither can we feel when we are pricked, fee the Light when it fhines, nor affent to the Will of God when it is revealed; except the Spirit of the Lord Jefus quicken that which is dead, remove the Darkness from our Minds, and bow our stubborn Hearts to the Obedience of his bleffed Will z. And fo, as we confefs, that God the Father created us, when we were not a; as his Son our Lord Jefus redeemed us, when we were Enemies to himb: So alfo do we confefs, that the Holy Ghost doth fanctify and regenerate us, without all Refpect of any Merit proceeding from us, be it before, or be it after

Our

x Mat. 16.17. John 14 26. & 15.26. & 16.13 y Acts 5.3,4. 2Col.2.13. Eph.2.1. John 9.39. Rev.3.17. Mat. 17. 17. Mark 9. 19. Luke 9. 41. John 6.63. Mic. 7.8. Kings 8. 57,58. a Pfal. 109. 3. Rom. 5. 10.

our Regeneration c. To speak this one Thing yet in more plain Words; As we willingly fpoil ourselves of all Honour and Glory of our own Creation and Redemption d, fo do we alfo of our Regeneration and Sanctification e: For of ourselves we are not fufficient to think a good Thought; but he who hath begun the Work in us, is only he that continues us in the fame, to the Praise and Glory of his undeserved Gracef.

John 3.5. Tit. 3.5. Rom. 5.8. d Phil. 3.9. e Phil. 1.6. 2Cor. 2.5. f Eph. 1.6.

Art. XIII. Of the Caufe of good Works.

So that the Caufe of good Works We conftis to be

not our Free Will, but the Lord Jefus, who dwelling in our Hearts by true Faith, bringeth forth fuch Works as God hath prepared for us to walk in. For this we most boldly affirm, that it is Blafphemy to say, that Chrift abides in the Hearts of fuch, in whom there is no Spirit of Sanctification g; And therefore we fear not to affirm, that Murderers, Oppreffors, cruel Perfecutors, Adulterers, Whoremongers, filthy Perfons, Idolaters, Drunkards, Thieves, and all Workers of Iniquity, have neither true Faith, nor any Portion of the Spirit of the Lord Jefus, fo long as obftinately they continue in their Wickedness; for, so soon as the Spirit of the Lord Jefus (which God's Elect Children receive by true Faith) taketh Poffeffion in the Heart of fo foon doth he regenerate and renew the fame Man; any Man, To that he beginneth to hate that which before he loved, and beginneth to love that which before he hated ; and from thence cometh that continual Battle, which is between the Flesh and the Spirit in God's Children : Still the Flesh and natural Man, according to their own Corruption, lufteth for Things pleafant and delectable unto itfelf, and grudgeth in Adverfity, is lifted up in Profperity, and at every Moment is prone and ready to offend the Majefty of God h. But the Spirit of God, C 2 which 3 Eph. 2 20. Phil. 2.13. Rom. 8.9. h Rom. 7.15. ad ult, Gal. 5.17.

which giveth Witneffing to our Spirit, that we are the Sons of God i, maketh us to refift filthy Pleasures, and to grone in God's Prefence for Deliverance from this Bondage of Corruption k, and finally, to triumph over Sin, that it reign not in our mortal Bodies. This Battle hath not the carnal Man, being deftitute of God's Spirit, but doth follow and obey Sin with Greedinefs, and without Repentance, even as the Devil and their corrupt Lufts do prick them m: But the Sons of God, as before is faid, do fight against Sin, do fob and mourn when they perceive themfelves tempted to Iniquity; and if they fall, they rife again with earneft and unfeigned Repentance n; and thefe Things they do not by their own Power, but by the Power of the Lord Jefus, without whom they were able to do nothing ..

i Rom. 8. 16. k Rom. 7. 24. & 8. 22. / Rom. 6.12. » Eph. 4. 17, &c. n 2 Tim. 2. 26. • John 15.5.

Art. XIV. What Works are reputed good before God. WE confefs and acknowledge, that God hath given

Man his holy Law, in which not only are forbidden all fuch Works as difpleafe and offend his godly Majefty, but alfo are commanded all fuch as please him, and as he hath promifed to reward p: And thefe Works be of two Sorts; the one is done to the Honour of God, the other to the Profit of our Neighbours; and both have the revealed Will of God for their Affurance. To have one God, to worship and honour him, to call upon him in all our Troubles, to reverence his holy Name, to hear his Word, to believe the fame, to communicate with his holy Sacraments q, are the Works of the first Table. To honour Father, Mother, Princes, Rulers, and fuperior Powers, to love them, to fupport them, yea, to obey their Charges (not repugning to the Commandment of God) to fave the Lives of Innocents, to repress Tyranny, to defend the Oppreffed, to keep our Bodies clean and holy, to live in Soberness and Temperance, to deal juftly with all Men, both in Word and Deed;

Ex.20.1,&c. Deut.5.6.& 48. qLuke 1.74, 75.Mic.6.8.