derstanding of any Place or Sentence in Scripture, or for the Reformation of any Abuse within the Church of God, we ought not fo much to look what Men before us have faid or done, as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly fpeaketh, within the Body of the Scriptures; and unto that which Jefus Chrift himself did, and commanded to be done q. For this is a Thing univerfally granted, that the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of Unity, is nothing contrarious, unto himself r. If then the Interpretation, Determination, or Sentence, of any Doctor, Church or Council, be repugnant to the plain Word of God written in any other Place of Scripture; it is a Thing moft certain, that there is not the true Understanding and Meaning of the Holy Ghoft, although that Councils, Realms and Nations have approved and received the fame. For we dare not admit any Interpretation, which repugneth to any principal Point of our Faith, or to any other plain Text of Scripture, or yet unto the Rule of Charity. 9 John 5. 39. 1 Eph. 3. 4. Art. XIX. Of the Authority of the Scriptures. S we believe and confefs the Scriptures of God fuf As we believe and confels take the Mans of God perfect; fo do we affirm and avow the Authority of the fame to be of God, and neither to depend on Men nor Angels. We affirm therefore, that fuch as alledge the Scripture to have no other Authority, but that which it hath received from the Church, to be blafphemous against God, and injurious to the true Church, which always heareth and obeyeth the Voice of her own Spouse and Paftort, but taketh not upon her to be Mistress over the fame. 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17 t John 10. 27. Art. XX. Of general Councils, of their Power, Authority, and Caufe of their Conventions. A$ S we do not rafhly condemn that which godly Men, affembled together in general Councils lawfully gathered, have proponed unto us; fo, without juft Ex amination amination, dare we not receive whatsoever is obtruded unto Men, under the Names of general Councils: For plain it is, as they were Men, fo have fome of them manifeftly erred, and that in Matters of great Weight and Importance u. So far then as the Council proveth the Determination and Commandment that it giveth, by the plain Word of God; fo foon do we reverence and embrace the fame: But if Men, under the Name of a Council, pretend to forge unto us new Articles of our Faith, or to make Conftitutions repugning to the Word of God; then utterly we must refuse the fame, as the Doctrine of Devils, which draweth our Souls from the Voice of our only God, to follow the Doctrines and Conftitutions of Men w. The Caufe, then, why that general Councils conveened, were neither to make any perpetual Law, which God had not before made, neither yet to forge new Articles of our Belief, nor to give the Word of God Authority; much less to make that to be his Word, or yet the true Interpretation of the same, which was not before, by his holy Will, expreffed in his Word x: But the Cause of Councils (we mean of fuch as merit the Name of Councils) was partly for Confutation of Herefies y, and for giving publick Confeffion of their Faith, to the Pofterity following; which both they did by the Authority of God's written Word, and not by any Opinion or Prerogative, that they could not err, by reafon of their General Affembly: And this we judge to have been the chief Caufe of general Councils. The other was for good Policy and Order, to be conftitute and obferved in the Kirk, which (as in the Houfe of God z) it becometh all Things to be done decently and in Order a. Not that we think, that any Policy, and an Order in Ceremonies, can be appointed for all Ages, Times and Places: For as Ceremonies fuch as Men have devifed, are but temporal ; fo may and ought they to be changed, when they rather fofter Superftition than edify the Church, using the fame. Art, Gal.2.11,-14. w 1 Tim.4.1,2,3. x Col.2.16.18,-22. y Acts 15. z 2 Tim.3.15. Heb.3.2. a 1Cor.14 40. A Art. XXI. Of the Sacraments. S the Father under the Law,befides theVerity of the Sacrifices, had two chief Sacraments, to wit, Circumcifion and the Paffover; the Defpifers and Contemners whereof were not reputed of God's People b; fo do we acknowledge and confefs, that we now, in Time of the Evangel, have two chief Sacraments only, inftituted by the Lord Jefus, and commanded to be used of all thofe that will be reputed Members of his Body, to wit, Baptifm, and the Supper or Table of the Lord Jefus, called the Communion of his Body and Blood c: And these Sacraments, as well of the Old as of the New Testament, now inftituted of God, not only to make a visible Difference betwixt his People, and these that were without his League, but also to exercise the Faith of his Children, and, by Participation of the fame Sacrament, to feal in their Hearts the Affurance of his Promife, and of that moft bleffed Conjunction, Union, and Society, which the Elect have with their Head Chrift Jefus. And thus we utterly condemn the Vanity of thefe, that affirm Sacraments to be nothing elfe but naked and bare Signs; no, we affuredly believe, that by Baptifin we are ingrafted in Chrift Jefus, to be made Partakers of his Juftice, whereby our Sins are covered and remitted; And also, that in the Supper, rightly ufed, Chrift Jefus is fo joined with us, that he becometh very Nourishment and Food to our Souls d, not that we imagine any Transubstantiation of Bread into Chrift's natural Body, and of Wine into his natural Blood, as the Papifts have perniciously taught, and damnably believed; but this Union and Conjunction, which we have with the Body and Blood of Chrift Jefus, in the right Ufe of the Sacraments, wrought by Operation of the Holy Ghoft, who by true Faith carrieth us above all Things that are visible, carnal and earthly, and maketh us to feed upon the Body and Blood of Chrift Jefus, which was 6 Gen.17 10,11,14. Ex.21. Num.9.13. c Mat. 28.19. Mark 16.15,16. Mat. 26.26,27,28. Mark 14.22,23,24. Luke 22.19,20. 1 Cor.11.23,-26. d 1Cor.10.16. Rom. 6.3,4,5. Gal.3.27. was once broken and fhed for us, which now is in Heaven, and appeareth in the Presence of his Father for use: And yet, notwithstanding the far Diftance of Place, which is between his Body now glorified in Heaven, and us now mortal on this Earth; yet we most affuredly believe, that the Bread which we break, is the Communion of Christ's Body, and the Cup which we blefs, is the Communion of his Blood f. So that we confefs, and undoubtedly believe, that the Faithful, in the right Ufe of the Lord's Table, do fo eat the Body, and drink the Blood of the Lord Jefus, that he remaineth in them, and they in him: Yea, they are fo made Flesh of his Flesh, and Bone of hisBonesg, that as the Eternal God-head hath given to the Flesh of Chrift Jefus (which of the own Nature was mortal and corruptible) Life and Immortality; fu doth Chrift Jefus his Flesh and Blood, eaten and drunken by us, give unto us the fame Prerogatives. Which, albeit we confess, are neither given unto us at that Time only, neither yet by the proper Power and Virtue of the Sacrament only; yet we affirm, that the Faithful, in the right Use of the Lord's Table, have fuch Conjunction with Chrift Jefus i, as the natural Man cannot apprehend: Yea, and further we affirm, that albeit the Faithful, oppreffed by Negligence, and manly Infirmity, do not profit fo much as they would, in the very inftant Action of the Supper, yet it fhall after bring forth Fruit, as lively Seed fown in good Ground: For the holy Spirit, which can never be divided from the right Institution of the Lord Jefus, will not fruftrate the Faithful of the Fruit of that mystical Action; but all these, we fay, come of true Faith, which apprehendeth Chrift Jefus, who only maketh his Sacraments effectual unto us. And therefore, whosoever flandereth us, as that we affirm and believe Sacraments to be naked and bare Signs, do Injury unto us, and peak against the manifeft Truth. But this liberally and frankly we confess, that we make a Diftinction between Chrift e.Mark 16.19. Luke 24.51. Acts 1.11.& 3.21, f1 Cor. 10.16. g Eph.5.30. h Mat.27.50. Mark 15.37. Luke 23. 46. John 19.30. 1 John 6. 51, &c. 1 Chrift Jefus in his Eternal Subftance, and between the Art. XXII. Of the right Adminiftration of Sacraments. two Things are requifite: The one, that they be miniftrate by lawful Minifters, whom we affirm to be only they that are appointed to the Preaching of the Word, into whofe Mouth God hath put fome Sermons of Exhortation, they being Men lawfully chofen thereto by fome Church. The other, That they be ministrate in fuch Elements, and in fuch Sort, as God hath appointed; else we affirm, that they cease to be the right Sacraments of Chrift Jefus. And therefore it is, that we flee the Doctrine of the Papiftical Church, in Participation of their Sacraments; First, Because their Minifters are no Ministers of Chrift Jefus; yea, (which is more horrible) they fuffer Women, whom the Holy Ghost will not fuffer to teach in the Congregation, to baptize. And, Secondly, Because they have fo adulterated both the one Sacrament and the other with their own Inventions, that no Part of Chrift's Action abides in the original Purity; for Oil, Salt, Spittle, and fuch like in Baptism, are but Mens Inventions. Adoration, Veneration, bearing throughout Streets and Towns, and keeping of Bread in Boxes or Buifts, are Profanation of Chrift's Sacraments, and no Ufe of the fame. For Chrift Jefus faid, 'Take, eat, &c. Do ye this in Remembrance of me.' By which Words and Charge, he fanctified Bread and Wine, to be the Sacraments of his holy Body and Blood, to the End that /Mat.26.26. Mark 14.22. Luke 22.19. 1Cor.11.24, |