The Whitefield Declaration of Faith

Creeds and confessions have been an instrumental element of the Christian Church throughout its history. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:4-5 stood, and stands today among practicing Jews, as an essential creedal statement that was to be learned and lived out. The Apostle Paul gave us a similar statement in the combined verses of I Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16 which deepened our understanding of the One God spoken of in the Old Testament. The church has built upon such biblical statements, first through creeds (Apostle’s, Nicene, etc), and later through confessions, by taking the overall teaching of Scripture on various topics and condensing it for us so that we might more clearly understand what the Bible says regarding key matters of faith and practice. The early creeds served to provide a foundation for what it means to be a Christian. They were short and succinct, addressing very particular theological controversies of their day and thereby giving us today clarity on, as well as boundaries around, some of the most fundamental Christian doctrines.

Confessions of faith developed among like-minded churches and their officers to clearly delineate a more comprehensive theology that those united churches agreed upon. They were essentially brief systematic theologies. That is, the confession of faith sought to summarize the comprehensive teaching of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, inclusive of every genre, synthesizing for the church what is taught therein. Such documents serve to bring both clarity and unity among Christians when used rightly.

Whether or not one clearly expresses it, every Christian has a confession of faith. Christians are, after all, people of the Book, who are called to stand upon the truth of God as expressed in that book. For Christians to believe and stand upon the truth of God, we must know what that truth is. Confessions of faith are, then, an essential tool of the Church to build up faithful Christians.¹

1  For a deeper look at the importance and necessity of creeds and confessions for the Christian Church, see: Trueman, Carl R. The Creedal Imperative. Crossway. 2012. and Fesco, J. V. The Need for Creeds Today: Confessional Faith in a Faithless Age. Baker Academic. 2020.

Most of the confessions of faith in use today were written during, and immediately after, the Protestant Reformation. The most prominent ones written in English are the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order, and the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. Written roughly four hundred years ago, these confessions have stood the test of time, and are upheld by many churches as faithful summaries of the teachings of Scripture. The writers of these documents, faithful men of God, used two important terms to help us understand the role of these confessions of faith. First, Scripture serves prominently as the norma normans, or norming norm. That is, Scripture is the final rule and authority by which all other rules and authorities are to be governed, and by which all explanations of the Christian faith must be defined. As the Word of God, the Bible stands first and foremost as our authority. Thus, any faithful confession of faith must adhere fully to, and be derived from, the teachings of Scripture. Second, confessions of faith are a norma normata, or normed norm. This means that confessions of faith serve as important rules, standards, and authorities for Christian Churches inasmuch as they agree with God’s infallible and inerrant Word.

After four hundred years there have been many changes in the English language, as well as developments in our understanding of theology. Just as there have been significant efforts to modernize Bible translations, so also it is crucial for us to update our confessions of faith.

Presented before you is a new confession of faith, seeking to bring unity and clarity among those churches, church officers, and any Christians who consider themselves to be reformed, credo-baptist, and conditionalist; as well as to showcase to all other brothers and sisters in Christ our common foundation on the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as communicated in God’s written Word, the Bible. It is new, not in the sense of being written fully from scratch, but rather in the sense that faithful men have taken the work of those who came before us and revised it for the use of the church today.

As the editors of this new confession of faith are involved in a primarily congregationalist denomination, it was decided to use the Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order — a reformed congregationalist revision of the Westminster Confession by Thomas Goodwin, John Owen, and others —  as our initial starting point. It was then compared with the Westminster and London Baptist confessions, and at times also the reformed confessions of continental Europe. The goals of this project were:

• To provide a clear, thorough, and precise explanation of biblical Christianity from a reformed and conditionalist position;
• To offer a confession of faith that will foster unity, discipleship, and training among like-minded churches and church leaders; and
• To maintain faithfulness to the originals as we believe they are generally a correct summary of biblical truth.

During the editorial process, the following efforts were made:

• Archaic language and phrases were updated for modern usage;
• Theological content was altered for further clarity and precision;
• Complex sentences and paragraphs were only simplified when such simplification provided greater precision;
• Changes to the confession were only made with the agreement of at least three editors; and
• Scripture references were added to support every point with the agreement of at least two editors.

Some chapters saw greater revision than others.

Chapters XXXII: of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead and XXXIII: of Christ’s Second Coming, the Final Judgment, and the New Heavens and the New Earth have been mostly rewritten to reflect what we believe to be the biblical doctrine of conditional immortality.

Chapter XI: of Union with Christ was inserted since union with Christ was not explained in the originals;

Chapter XVI: of Repentance unto Life and Salvation was fully reworked as a combination of the differing content of all three source confessions;

Chapter XXVII: of the Church now includes important statements on church polity similar to those in the addendum to the Savoy, but fully reworked;

Following the practice of the Westminster and London Baptist confessions, Scripture references have been added throughout in order to show some of the biblical sources for the doctrinal points that are made. Every reference has been thoroughly reviewed by at least two editors, usually more, for accuracy and consistency. They were derived from a variety of sources: the original confessions, commentaries and expositions on those confessions, systematic theology works, and much personal study. Although they are listed as prooftexts, we ask the reader to use caution in treating them as direct, singular, prooftexts. In many cases a doctrine’s explanation is not found in any one text, but through a synthesis of multiple texts. Further, the references given ought to be considered within their contexts, not in isolation. In one instance, the superscription (original title) to a psalm was cited. Although it is debated among modern scholars whether the superscriptions are inspired and original, we believe they are. Finally, it should be noted that at times the work of theology requires us to see the “good and necessary inferences”² that are derived from Scripture. This particularly applies to Chapter XXVII: of the Church where Scripture often requires us to look at not only the direct teaching of the various passages addressing polity, but also to see and understand the implications of those passages.

2 See Whitefield Declaration of Faith I.5.

Editorial Committee

Nathaniel S. Bickford, General Editor

Lou Going, Contributing Editor

Erik Reynolds, Contributing Editor

The editorial committee expresses their gratitude to Luke Copeland for his extensive editorial assistance in conjunction with the general editor.

The editorial committee also expresses their thanks to Steve Spearing, Andrew Rice, and Mike Alix for their editorial contributions and feedback throughout the process.

The contributing Editors express their heartfelt appreciation for the persistent labor and steady guidance of Nathaniel Bickford throughout the process of editing this confession.

Primary Source Confessions

Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order (1658).

Westminster Confession of Faith (1646).

London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689).

Comparison Sources

The Westminster Confession of Faith with a parallel Modern English Study Version. The Committee on Christian Education of The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 1993.

1689 Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English. Founders Ministries. 2021.

A Tabular Comparison of the 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith, the 1658 Savoy Declaration of Faith, the 1677/1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith and the 1742 Philadelphia Confession of Faith.

After more than three years, hundreds of hours, and many edifying discussions and debates, we can confidently say that the Lord’s gracious hand was upon us, and we praise God for His Spirit’s sustaining power and supreme wisdom, without which we would have certainly fallen short of our task. May the Whitefield Declaration of Faith serve the church for generations to come as a source of clarity, instruction, and unity in order that the church will bring glory to the God who chose and bought her. We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be adored and honored, and His Gospel clearly and unashamedly believed and heralded, by our children and their children for as long as the Lord tarries.

All Glory be to the triune God from whom all blessings flow! Creation, redemption, and consummation are His undeserved gifts to us, His beloved bride, The Church, through whom God’s glorious grace is practiced, expounded, and proclaimed to all the world.

~ Nathaniel S. Bickford     November, 2024

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 inexcusable;¹ yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation:² therefore it pleased the Lord at various times, and in diverse manners, to reveal himself, and to declare his will to his Church;³ 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 that revelation wholly unto writing;⁴ which therefore makes the holy Scripture to be most necessary;⁵ those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.⁶

1. Rom 2:1, 14-16; Rom 1:18-20, 32; Ps 19:1-6
2. John 17:3; I Cor 1:21; 2:13-14
3. Heb 1:1-2
4. Luke 1:1-4; John 17:17; 20:31; Rom 15:4; Matt 4:4, 7, 10; Isa 8:16, 20
5. II Tim 3:15; II Pet 1:19
6. I Cor 14:37; I John 5:13; I Cor 10:11; Heb 1:1-2; 2:1-4; Eph 2:20-21

2. Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the Books of the Old and New Testament; which are these:

a. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations. Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

b. OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The Epistle of James, The First and Second Epistles of Peter, The First, Second and Third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, The Revelation

c. All of these, which are the Holy Scripture, are given by the inspiration of God as the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, life, and obedience.⁷

7. II Tim 3:15-16; Luke 16:29, 31; Luke 24:27; John 5:46-47; I John 1:3-4; Eph 2:20; Isa 8:20; Rev 22:18-19; Gal 1:8-9; Ps 119:11, 105

3. The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the Author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.⁸

8. II Tim 1:13; II Pet 1:19-21; I Tim 3:15; I John 5:9; I Th 2:13; Rev 1:1-2

4. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high and reverent esteem of the holy Scripture;⁹ and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God. Yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.¹⁰

9. Pss 19:7-8; 33:4; Neh 8:5-6
10. I Cor 2:9-10; Heb 4:12; John 10:35; Isa 55:11; Rom 11:36; Ps 19:7-11; II Tim 3:15; I Cor 2:4-5; I Th 1:5; I John 2:20, 27; Isa 59:21

5. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, as well as for man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.¹¹ 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,¹² and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.¹³

11. II Tim 3:16-17; Gal 1:8-9; II Th 2:2; Matt 12:9-14; Deut 29:29
12. John 6:45; I Cor 2:12-15; Eph 1:17-18; II Cor 4:6
13. I Cor 14:26, 40

6. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all:¹⁴ yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly set forth 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 a sufficient understanding of them.¹⁵

14. II Peter 3:15-16
15. Pss 119:105, 130; Deut 30:10-14; Acts 17:11

7. The Old Testament in Hebrew and Aramaic (which were the native languages of the people of God of old¹⁶) and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of 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 authentic;¹⁷ so as in all controversies of religion the Church is finally to appeal unto them.¹⁸ But because these original languages are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them;¹⁹ therefore they are to be translated into the common language of every nation unto which they come,²⁰ that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner,²¹ and through the endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures may have hope.²²

16. Rom 3:2
17. Matt 5:18
18. Isa 8:20; Matt 15:3-6; Luke 16:31
19. John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Rev 1:3; II Tim 3:14-17
20. Matt 28:18-20; I Cor 14:6-12
21. Col 3:16; Ex 20:4-6; Matt 15:7-9
22. Rom 15:4

8. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one) it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.²³

23. Acts 15:15; 17:11; John 5:46; I Pet 1:20-21; Luke 24:44

9. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit.²⁴ By this Scripture so delivered our faith is finally resolved.²⁵

24. Matt 22:29, 31; Acts 28:25; I John 4:1-6
25. Eph 2:20; Acts 28:23-24

1. There is but one only living and true God;¹ who is infinite in being and perfection,² a most pure Spirit,³ invisible;⁴ without body, parts,⁵ or passions⁶; who alone has immortality;⁷ who is immutable,⁸ immense,⁹ eternal,¹⁰ incomprehensible,¹¹ almighty,¹² most wise,¹³ most holy,¹⁴ most free,¹⁵ most absolute,¹⁶ working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,¹⁷ for his own glory,¹⁸ most loving,¹⁹ gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin,²⁰ the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;²¹ and altogether most just and terrible in his judgments,²² hating all sin,²³ and who will by no means clear the guilty.²⁴

1. Deut 6:4; I Cor 8:4; Gal 3:20; I Thess 1:9; Jer 10:10
2. Job 11:7-9; Ps 139:6; Isa 48:12
3. John 4:24
4. I Tim 1:17; John 1:18
5. Deut 4:15-16
6. Acts 17:24-28
7. I Tim 6:16
8. Mal 3:6; James 1:17
9. I Kings 8:27; Jer 23:23-24
10. Ps 90:2; I Tim 1:17
11. Ps 145:3; Rom 11:34
12. Gen 17:1; Rev 4:8
13. Rom 16:27
14. Lev 10:3; Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8
15. Ps 115:3; Isa 14:24
16. Ex 3:14; Isa 45:5-6
17. Eph 1:11; Ps 115:3; Isa 46:10
18. Prov 16:4; Rom 11:36; Rev 4:11
19. I John 4:8, 16; John 3:16
20. Exod 34:6-7
21. Heb 11:6
22. Gen 15:16; Neh 9:22-23; Heb 10:26-31
23. Rom 1:18; Pss 5:5-6; 11:5
24. Exod 34:7; Nah 1:2-3

2. God has all life,²⁵ glory,²⁶ goodness,²⁷ blessedness,²⁸ in, and of himself; and is alone, in, and unto himself, all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he has made,²⁹ nor deriving any glory from them,³⁰ but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: He alone is the fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things;³¹ and has most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever he pleases.³² In his sight all things are open and manifest,³³ his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent of the creature,³⁴ so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain.³⁵ He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.³⁶ To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures, they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.³⁷

25. John 5:26
26. Acts 7:2
27. Ps 119:68
28. I Tim 6:15; Rom 9:5
29. Acts 17:24-25
30. Job 22:2-3
31. Rom 11:34-36
32. Rev 4:11; I Tim 6:15; Dan 4:25, 35
33. Heb 4:13
34. Rom 11:33-34; Ps 147:5
35. Ezek 11:5; Acts 15:16-18
36. Ps 145:17; Rom 7:12
37. Rev 5:12-14

3. The one,³⁸ true God exists in three persons, who are co-equal and co-eternal of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.³⁹ The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;⁴⁰ the Holy Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.⁴¹ This doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence upon him.

38. Deut 6:4
39. Matt 3:16-17; 28:19; II Cor 13:14; Eph 1:3-14; 2:18
40. John 1:14, 18; Heb 1:2-3; Col 1:15
41. John 14:16-17; 15:26; Rom 8:9; Gal 4:6

1. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:¹ yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,² nor does he violate the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.³

1. Isa 46:10; Ps 33:11; Eph 1:11; Rom 9:15, 18; Rom 11:33; Heb 6:17
2. Ps 5:4; Jas 1:13, 17; I John 1:5
3. Acts 2:23; 4:27-28; Matt 17:12; John 19:11; Prov 16:33

2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions,⁴ yet he has not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.⁵

4. Acts 15:16-18; I Sam 23:11-12; Matt 11:21, 23
5. Rom 9:10-18

3. By the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels⁶ are predestined or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace;⁷ others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.⁸

6. Matt 25:41; I Tim 5:21; Jude 1:6
7. Eph 1:5-6
8. Rom 9:22-23; Prov 16:4; Jude 1:4

4. These angels and men, thus predestined and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.⁹

9. II Tim 2:19; John 13:18; 17:2, 6, 9-12

5. Those of mankind who are predestined unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, has chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory,¹⁰ 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,¹¹ and all to the praise of his glorious grace.¹²

10. Eph 1:4, 9, 11; Rom 8:28-30; II Tim 1:9; I Thess 5:9
11. Rom 9:11, 13, 16; Eph 1:4-5; 2:5, 8-9
12. Eph 1:6, 12

6. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will foreordained all the means thereunto.¹³ Wherefore those who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,¹⁴ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,¹⁵ and kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation.¹⁶ Neither are any others redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.¹⁷

13. I Pet 1:2; Eph 1:4-5; II Thess 2:13
14. I Thess 5:9-10
15. Rom 8:30; Eph 1:5; II Thess 2:13
16. I Pet 1:5
17. John 6:64-65; 8:47; 10:26; 17:9; Rom 8:28; I John 2:19

7. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extends or withholds mercy, as he pleases, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.¹⁸

18. Matt 11:25-26; Rom 9:14-24; II Tim 2:19-20; Jude 1:4; I Pet 2:8

8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,¹⁹ that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their effectual calling, be assured of their eternal election.²⁰ So shall this doctrine afford expressions of praise, reverence, and admiration of God,²¹ and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.²²

19. Deut 29:29; Rom 11:33
20. I Thess 1:4-5; II Pet 1:10
21. Eph 1:6; Rom 11:33
22. Rom 11:5-6, 20; Rom 8:31-39; Eph 2:8-10; Luke 10:20

1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,¹ for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness,² in the beginning, to create or make out of nothing the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.³

1. Heb 1:2; John 1:2-3; Gen 1:2; Job 33:4
2. Rom 1:20; Jer 10:12; Pss 19:1; 33:5-6; 104:24
3. Gen 1; Heb 11:3; Col 1:16; Acts 17:24; Exod 20:11

2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female,⁴ with rational souls,⁵ endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image,⁶ having the law of God written in their hearts,⁷ and power to fulfill it;⁸ and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.⁹ Besides this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.¹⁰ While they kept this command, they were happy in their communion with God and had dominion over the creatures.¹¹

4. Gen 1:27
5. Gen 2:7; Matt 10:28
6. Gen 1:26; Col 3:10; Eph 4:24
7. Rom 2:14-15
8. Eccl 7:29
9. Gen 3:6, 17
10. Gen 2:17
11. Gen 1:26, 28

1. God, the great Creator of all things, upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things¹ from the greatest even to the least² by his most wise and holy providence,³ according to his infallible foreknowledge,⁴ and the free and immutable counsel of his own will,⁵ to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.⁶

1. Heb 1:3; Neh 9:6; Dan 4:34-35; Ps 135:6; Acts 17:25-28; Isa 46:10-11; Job 38:11
2. Matt 10:29-31
3. Prov 15:3; Pss 104:24; 145:17; II Chr 16:9
4. Acts 15:15-18; Isa 42:9; Ezek 11:5; Ps 94:8-11
5. Eph 1:11; Ps 33:10-11
6. Isa 63:14; Rom 9:17; Ps 145:7; Eph 1:3-14

2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly;⁷ so that there is not anything that befalls any by chance, or without his providence;⁸ yet by the same providence he directs all things to function according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.⁹

7. Acts 2:23; Isa 14:24, 27
8. Prov 16:33
9. Gen 8:22; Jer 31:35; Exod 21:13; I Kings 22:28-34; Isa 10:5-7

3. God in his ordinary providence makes use of means,¹⁰ yet is free to work without,¹¹ above,¹² and against them¹³ at his pleasure.

10. Acts 27:24, 31, 44; Isa 55:10-11
11. Hos 1:7
12. Rom 4:19-21
13. II Kgs 6:6; Dan 3:27

4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence, that his determinate counsel extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men¹⁴ — and that not by a bare permission¹⁵ — which he also most wisely and powerfully bounds, and otherwise orders and governs throughout the course of history to his own most holy ends;¹⁶ yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceeds only from the creature, and not from God, who being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the author or approver of sin.¹⁷

14. Acts 2:23; II Sam 24:1; I Chron 21:1; I Kgs 22:22-23; I Chr 10:4, 13-14; Rom 11:32-34
15. Acts 14:16
16. Gen 50:20; Isa 10:5-7, 12
17. Ps 50:21; Jas 1:13-14, 17; I John 2:16

5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled;¹⁸ 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 various other just and holy ends.¹⁹ Whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment, for his glory²⁰ and their good.²¹

18. II Chr 32:25-26, 31; Deut 8:2-5
19. II Cor 12:7-9; Ps 73; Mark 14:66-72; John 21:15-17
20. Rom 11:36
21. Rom 8:28-30

6. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as the righteous judge, for former sins, does blind and harden,²² from them he not only withholds his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts;²³ but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had,²⁴ and exposes them to such objects, as their corruption makes occasions of sin; and withal gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan;²⁵ whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God uses for the softening of others.²⁶

22. Rom 1:24-28; Rom 11:7-8
23. Deut 29:4
24. Matt 13:12; Matt 25:29
25. Ps 81:11-12; II Thess 2:10-12
26. Exod 7:3; Exod 8:15, 32; Isa 6:9-10; 8:14; II Cor 2:15-16; I Pet 2:7-8

7. As the providence of God does in general reach to all creatures, so in a most special manner it takes care of his Church and disposes all things to the good thereof.²⁷

27. I Tim 4:10; Amos 9:8-9; Isa 43:3-5, 14-15

1. Although God created man upright and perfect,¹ and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death upon the breach thereof² — that is, God created man within a covenant of works and life — yet man did not long abide in this honor; our first parents, being seduced by the subtlety and temptation of Satan, did wilfully transgress the law of their creation and break the covenant in eating the forbidden fruit,³ a transgression which God was pleased according to his wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.⁴

1. Eccl 7:29; Gen 1:31
2. Gen 2:16-17
3. Gen 3:1-7; I Tim 2:14; II Cor 11:3
4. Rom 11:32

2. By this sin they, and we in them,⁵ fell from original righteousness and communion with God,⁶ and so became dead in sin,⁷ and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.⁸

5. Rom 5:12
6. Gen 3:6-10; Rom 3:10-19, 23
7. Eph 2:1-3; Col 2:13
8. Titus 1:15; Jer 17:9

3. They being the root, and by God’s appointment standing as covenant representatives of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed,⁹ and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.¹⁰

9. Acts 17:26; Rom 5:12, 15-19; I Cor 15:21-22, 45, 49
10. Ps 51:5; Gen 5:3; Job 14:4; 15:14; Isa 64:6

4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good,¹¹ and wholly inclined to all evil,¹² do proceed all actual transgressions.¹³ Yet this original corruption neither minimizes nor excuses the sinful thoughts, attitudes, or actions of any person, as each is guilty for his own sin.¹⁴

11. Rom 5:6; 7:18; 8:7; Col 1:21
12. Gen 6:5; 8:21; Rom 3:10-12
13. Jas 1:14-15; Eph 2:2-13; Matt 15:19
14. Ezek 18:20; Rom 14:12; Rev 22:12

5. This corruption of nature during this life does remain in those that are regenerated;¹⁵ and although it is through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin.¹⁶

15. I John 1:8, 10; Rom 7:14-23; Eccl 7:20; Prov 20:9
16. Rom 7:5-8, 24-25; Gal 5:17

6. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto,¹⁷ does in its own nature bring guilt upon the sinner,¹⁸ whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God¹⁹ and curse of the law,²⁰ and so made subject to death,²¹ with all miseries: spiritual,²² temporal,²³ and eternal.²⁴

17. I John 3:4
18. Rom 2:15; 3:9, 19
19. Eph 2:3
20. Gal 3:10
21. Rom 6:23
22. Eph 4:18
23. Rom 8:20; Lam 3:39
24. Matt 10:28; 18:18; 25:46; John 3:36; 5:29; II Thess 1:9

1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he has been pleased to express by way of covenant.¹

1. Isa 40:13-17; Job 9:32-33; Ps 113:5-6; Acts 17:24-25; Ps 100:2-3; Job 22:2-3; 35:7-8; Isa 64:6

2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works,² wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity,³ upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.⁴

2. Gen 2:16-17; Hos 6:7; Gal 3:12; Isa 24:5-6
3. Rom 5:12-20
4. Gen 2:17; Gal 3:10

3. Since man, by his fall, made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the Covenant of Grace;⁵ wherein he freely offers unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him that they may be saved,⁶ and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.⁷

5. Gen 3:15; Gal 3:21; Rom 3:20-21; 8:3; Titus 1:1-3; Isa 42:6
6. John 3:16; Rom 10:6-9; Gal 3:11
7. Ezek 36:26-27; John 6:44-45

4. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the 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.⁸

8. Heb 9:15-17; 7:22; Luke 22:20; I Cor 11:25

5. Although this covenant has been differently and variously administered in respect of ordinances and institutions in the time of the law, and since the coming of Christ in the flesh; yet for the substance and efficacy of it, to all its spiritual and saving ends, it is one and the same;⁹ upon the account of these various administrations it is called the Old and New Testament.¹⁰

9. Heb 1:1-2; Col 2:17; Rom 4:1-8; Heb 13:8
10. Heb 8:6-13; 9:13-14; Luke 22:20; II Cor 3:5-9

6. This covenant is revealed in the gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman,¹¹ and afterwards by further steps, until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament;¹² and it is founded in that eternal covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect;¹³ and it is only by the grace of this covenant that all the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were saved did obtain life and blessed immortality, man being now utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.¹⁴

11. Gen 3:15
12. Heb 1:2
13. Eph 1:3-14; II Tim 1:9; Titus 1:2
14. Heb 11:6, 13; Rom 4:1-25; Acts 4:12; John 8:56

1. It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to a covenant made between them both, to be the Mediator between God and man;¹ the Prophet,² Priest,³ and King,⁴ the Head and Saviour of his Church,⁵ the Heir of all things⁶ and Judge of the world;⁷ unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed,⁸ and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.⁹

1. Isa 42:1; I Pet 1:19-20; John 3:16; I Tim 2:5
2. Acts 3:22
3. Heb 5:5-6
4. Ps 2:6; Luke 1:32-33
5. Eph 1:22-23; Eph 5:23
6. Heb 1:2
7. Acts 17:31
8. John 17:6, Ps 22:30; Isa 53:10
9. Rom 8:30; I Tim 2:6; Isa 55:4-5; I Cor 1:30

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 had come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof¹⁰, yet without sin,¹¹ being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance:¹² 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;¹³ which Person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.¹⁴

10. John 1:1-3, 14; I John 5:20; Phil 2:6-8; Gal 4:4
11. Heb 2:14-18; Heb 4:15; Rom 8:3
12. Matt 1:22-23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35; Gal 4:4
13. Luke 1:35; Col 2:9; Rom 9:5; I Pet 3:18; I Tim 3:16
14. Rom 1:3-4; Rom 9:5; I Tim 2:5

3. The Lord Jesus in his human nature, thus united to the divine in the Person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure,¹⁵ having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,¹⁶ in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell;¹⁷ to the end that being holy, blameless, undefiled,¹⁸ and full of grace and truth,¹⁹ he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety;²⁰ which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father,²¹ who also put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.²²

15. Ps 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34
16. Col 2:3
17. Col 1:19
18. Heb 7:26
19. John 1:14
20. Acts 10:38; Heb 7:22; 12:24
21. Heb 5:4-5; Ps 2:7
22. John 5:22, 27; Matt 28:18; Acts 2:36

4. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake;²³ which, so that he might discharge it, he was made under the law,²⁴ and did perfectly fulfill it,²⁵ and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered,²⁶ being made sin and a curse for us,²⁷ enduring most grievous torments immediately from God in his soul,²⁸ and most painful sufferings in his body,²⁹ was crucified, and died;³⁰ was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption.³¹ On the third day he arose from the dead³² with the same body in which he suffered,³³ with which also he ascended into heaven,³⁴ and there sits at the right hand of his Father,³⁵ making intercession;³⁶ and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.³⁷

23. Ps 40:7-8; Heb 10:5-10; John 10:18; Phil 2:8
24. Gal 4:4
25. Matt 3:15; Matt 5:17
26. Isa 53:6; I Peter 3:18
27. Gal 3:13; II Cor 5:21
28. Matt 26:37-38; 27:46; Luke 22:44
29. Matt 27:22-54; Isaiah 53:5; I Peter 4:1
30. Phil 2:8
31. Acts 2:23, 27; Acts 13:35-37
32. I Cor 15:4-8; Acts 2:24
33. John 20:25, 27
34. Acts 1:9-11
35. John 20:17; I Peter 3:22; Heb 1:3; Rom 8:34
36. Rom 8:34; Rom 9:24; Heb 7:25
37. Rom 14:9-10; Acts 1:11; Acts 10:42; Matt 13:40-42; Jude 1:6; II Pet 2:4

5. The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God — by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once offered up unto God, through the eternal Spirit —³⁸ and purchased not only reconciliation,³⁹ but also an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven,⁴⁰ for all those whom the Father has given unto him.⁴¹

38. Rom 5:19; Heb 9:14; Heb 10:14; Eph 5:2; Rom 3:25-26
39. II Cor 5:18-19; Col 1:19-20; Rom 3:25-26; Heb 9:12
40. Eph 1:11-14; I Pet 1:3-5
41. John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15

6. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ until after his incarnation; yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world,⁴² in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed and signified to be the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent’s head,⁴³ and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world,⁴⁴ being the same yesterday, and today, and forever.⁴⁵

42. Heb 1:1-2; 4:2; I Pet 1:10-11; Gal 4:1-5; Rom 4:1-25
43. Gen 3:15; Romans 16:20
44. Rev 5:6-14; Rev 13:8; I Peter 1:19-20
45. Heb 13:8; John 8:58; Rev 1:17-18; 22:13

7. Christ in the work of mediation acts according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself;⁴⁶ 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.⁴⁷

46. Heb 9:14; I Pet 3:18; John 3:13-15
47. John 3:13; Acts 20:28

8. To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, he does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same;⁴⁸ making intercession for them;⁴⁹ uniting them to himself by his Spirit;⁵⁰ and revealing unto them in and by the Word the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey,⁵¹ and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit;⁵² overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom,⁵³ and in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his most wonderful and unsearchable administration.⁵⁴

48. John 6:37, 39; John 10:15-16; John 17:9; Rom 5:10
49. Heb 7:25; Rom 8:34; I John 2:1-2
50. Rom 8:1-2; II Cor 3:17-18; I Cor 3:16
51. John 17:6; Eph 1:7-10; 3:1-6; I John 5:20
52. Rom 8:9, 14; 15:18-19; Ezek 36:26-27; Jer 31:33-34; John 14:16; 17:17; II Cor 4:13
53. Ps 110:1; I Cor 15:24-26; Mal 4:2-3; Col 2:15
54. John 3:8; Eph 1:8

1. God has endowed the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice that it is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.¹

1. Matt 17:12; Jas 1:14; Deut 30:19

2. Man in his state of innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God;² but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it.³

2. Eccl 7:29; Gen 1:26
3. Gen 2:16-17; Gen 3:6

3. Man by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation;⁴ so as a natural man being altogether averse from that good,⁵ and dead in sin,⁶ is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.⁷

4. Rom 5:6; 8:7; John 15:5
5. Rom 3:10-12
6. Eph 2:1, 5; Col 2:13
7. Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44, 65; I Cor 2:14; Eph 2:2-5

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he frees him from his natural bondage under sin,⁸ and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;⁹ yet, by reason of his remaining corruption, he does not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.¹⁰

8. Col 1:13; John 8:34, 36
9. Phil 2:13; Rom 6:18, 22
10. Gal 5:17; Rom 7:15-23

5. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.¹¹

11. Eph 4:13; Heb 12:23, I John 3:2; Jude 1:24

1. All those whom God has predestined unto life, and those only, he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call by his Word and Spirit,¹ out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ;² enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,³ taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh;⁴ renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good;⁵ and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;⁶ yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.⁷

1. Rom 8:30; 11:7; II Thess 2:13-14; II Cor 3:3, 6
2. Eph 2:1-7; Rom 8:2; II Tim 1:9-10
3. Acts 26:18; Eph 1:17-18; I Cor 2:10-12
4. Ezek 36:26; 11:19
5. Phil 2:13; Deut 30:6; Ezek 36:27; Eph 1:19
6. John 6:37, 44-45; Eph 4:4
7. Ps 110:3; Rom 6:16-18

2. This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature;⁸ for man is wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses until being regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit, through whom he is thereby enabled to answer this call⁹ and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, which he does by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.¹⁰

8. Titus 3:4-5; II Tim 1:9; Eph 2:4-5, 8-9
9. I Cor 2:14
10. Eph 1:19-20; John 6:37; 5:25

3. Any elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit,¹¹ who works when, and where, and how he pleases;¹² so also are any other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.¹³

11. John 3:3, 5, 6; Luke 18:15-16; Acts 2:38-39; I John 5:12; Rom 8:9
12. John 3:8
13. I John 5:12; Acts 4:12

4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit,¹⁴ yet not being effectually drawn by the Father,¹⁵ they neither do nor can come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved.¹⁶ Much less, then, can such men not professing the Christian religion be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they ever so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess:¹⁷ and to assert and maintain that they may be saved is without warrant of the Word of God.¹⁸

14. Matt 7:22; 13:20-21; Heb 6:4-6
15. John 6:44-45, 64-66
16. Matt 22:14; John 8:24; I John 2:24
17. Acts 4:12; John 4:22; 17:3; 14:6; Eph 2:12
18. II John 1:9-11; I Cor 16:22; Gal 1:6-9

1. All those who are effectually called are united with Christ¹—spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably²—as their head and husband,³ in the likeness of His death, burial, and resurrection, and have thereby died to the tyrannical rule of sin.⁴ This union is a work of God’s grace⁵ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ.⁶

1. Eph 1:4-5; I Cor 1:9; II Tim 1:9; I Pet 5:10
2. I Cor 6:17; John 10:28
3. Eph 1:22-23; Eph 5:23, 25-27, 29-30
4. Col 1:13-14; 2:11-13; 3:1-4; Eph 2:4-6
5. Eph 2:7-8; I Cor 1:30
6. II Cor 3:17-18; I Cor 2:14-16; 3:16

2. By virtue of this gracious union all the benefits of redemption, which include justification,⁷ adoption,⁸ sanctification,⁹ reconciliation,¹⁰ perseverance,¹¹ and future glorification,¹² are communicated to the elect, who are thereby partakers of them; justification and sanctification flowing forth distinctly and inseparably.¹³

7. Rom 3:23-26; 4:23-25; 8:1; Gal 2:17; I Cor 1:30
8. Eph 1:5; Rom 8:14-15
9. I Cor 1:2; Rom 6:1-14; Heb 10:10-14; I Thess 5:23; Col 1:10-12
10. Col 1:19-20
11. I Cor 1:4-9; I Thess 5:23; Col 1:10-12
12. I Cor 15:22; Rom 8:30
13. Rom 6:1-14; Gal 2:20; I Cor 1:30

1. Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies;¹ 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 Christ’s active obedience to the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness,² to those receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.³

1. Rom 8:30; 3:24
2. Rom 4:5-8; II Cor 5:19, 21; Rom 3:22, 24-25,27-28; Titus 3:5,7; Eph 1:7; Jer 23:6; I Cor 1:30-31; Rom 5:17-19
3. Acts 10:44; Gal 2:16; Phil 3:9; Acts 13:38-39; Eph 2:7-8

2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ, and his righteousness, is the sole instrument of justification;⁴ yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.⁵

4. John 1:12; Rom 3:28; 5:1
5. Jas 2:17,22, 26; Gal 5:6

3. Christ by his obedience and death did fully discharge the debt of all those who are justified, and did by the sacrifice of himself — in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them — make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf.⁶ Yet in as much as he was given by the Father for them,⁷ and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead,⁸ and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justification is only of free grace,⁹ that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.¹⁰

6. Rom 5:8-10, 19; I Tim 2:5-6; Heb 10:10,14; Dan 9:24, 26; Isa 53:4-6, 10-12
7. Rom 8:32
8. II Cor 5:21; Matt 3:17; Eph 5:2
9. Rom 3:24; Eph 1:7
10. Rom 3:26; Eph 2:7

4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,¹¹ and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:¹² nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit does in due time actually apply Christ unto them.¹³

11. Gal 3:8; I Pet 1:2,19-20; Rom 8:30
12. Gal 4:4; Rom 4:25
13. Col 1:21-22; Gal 2:16; Titus 3:4-7

5. God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;¹⁴ and although they can never fall from the state of justification,¹⁵ yet they may by their sins fall under God’s fatherly displeasure: and in that condition they have not the light of his countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.¹⁶

14. Matt 6:12; I John 1:7-9; 2:1-2;
15. Luke 22:32; John 10:28; Heb 10:14
16. Pss 89:31-33; 51:7-12; 32:5; Matt 26:75; I Cor 11:30-32; Luke 1:20

6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.¹⁷

17. Gal 3:9,13-14; Rom 4:22-24; Heb 13:8

1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafes in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of adoption,¹ by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God,² have his name put upon them,³ receive the Spirit of adoption;⁴ have access to the throne of grace with boldness,⁵ are enabled to cry, Abba Father;⁶ are pitied,⁷ protected,⁸ provided for,⁹ and chastened by him as by a father;¹⁰ yet never cast off,¹¹ but sealed to the day of redemption,¹² and inherit the promises¹³ as heirs of everlasting salvation.¹⁴

1. Eph 1:5; Gal 4:4-5
2. Rom 8:17; John 1:12
3. Jer 14:9; II Cor 6:18; Rev 3:12; 14:1
4. Rom 8:15
5. Eph 3:12; Rom 5:2; Heb 4:14-16
6. Gal 4:6
7. Ps 103:13; Mal 3:17
8. Prov 14:26
9. Matt 6:30-32; I Pet 5:7; Heb 13:5
10. Ps 119:75; Heb 12:5-7
11. Ps 94:14; Lam 3:31; Jer 32:40
12. Eph 1:13; 4:30
13. Heb 6:12; 10:36
14. I Pet 1:3-4; Heb 1:14; Rom 8:17

1. They that are united to Christ, effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection,¹ are also further sanctified really and personally through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them;² the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed³ and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;⁴ and they that are in Christ more and more quickened, and strengthened in all saving graces,⁵ to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.⁶

1. I Cor 6:11; Acts 20:32; Phil 3:10; Rom 6:5-6
2. John 17:17; Eph 5:26; II Thess 2:13
3. Rom 6:6, 14
4. Gal 5:24; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5
5. Col 1:11; Eph 3:16-19
6. II Cor 7:1; Heb 12:14; I John 3:3

2. This sanctification is throughout in the whole man,⁷ yet imperfect in this life; there abides still some remnants of corruption in every part;⁸ whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.⁹

7. I Thess 5:23
8. I John 1:8-10; Rom 7:18-25; Phil 3:12
9. Gal 5:17; I Pet 2:11

3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail,¹⁰ yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate nature does overcome,¹¹ and so the saints grow in grace,¹² perfecting holiness in the fear of God.¹³

10. Rom 7:23
11. Rom 6:14; I John 5:4; Eph 4:15-16
12. II Pet 3:18; II Cor 3:18
13. II Cor 7:1

1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,¹ is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,² and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;³ by which also, and by the administration of the seals (baptism and the Lord’s supper), prayer, and other means, it is increased and strengthened.⁴

1. Heb 10:39; Titus 1:1-2; Eph 2:8
2. John 3:5; II Cor 4:13; Eph 1:17-19; I Cor 12:3
3. Rom 10:14, 17; Rom 1:16-17; I Cor 1:21; Matt 28:19-20
4. I Pet 2:2; Acts 20:32; 2:38; Rom 6:3-4; I Cor 10:16; 11:23-29; Mark 9:24; Luke 17:5

2. By this faith a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaks therein,⁵ and acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains: yielding obedience to the commands,⁶ trembling at the threatenings,⁷ and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.⁸ 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.⁹

5. Acts 24:14; I Thess 2:13; John 4:42; I John 5:10
6. John 14:15; Rom 16:26
7. Ezra 9:4; Isa 66:2; Heb 4:1
8. Heb 11:13; I Tim 4:8
9. John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Gal 2:20; Acts 15:11

3. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong,¹⁰ yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it (as is all other saving grace) from the common grace and faith of temporary believers.¹¹ Therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,¹² growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ,¹³ who is both the author and finisher of our faith.¹⁴

10. Heb 5:13-14; Matt 6:30; Rom 4:19-20; 14:1-2
11. II Pet 1:1; Heb 6:4-6
12. Luke 22:31-32; Eph 6:16; I John 5:4-5; II Cor 4:7-10
13. Col 2:2; Heb 6:11-12; 10:22
14. Heb 12:2

1. Saving repentance is an evangelical grace,¹ whereby a person, being made sensible by the Holy Spirit of the manifold evils of his sin,² does by faith in Christ humble himself because of his sin with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence.³

1. Zech 12:10; Acts 11:18; II Tim 2:25
2. Pss 51:1-6; 130:1-3; John 16:8-11
3. Acts 20:21; Isa 6:5

2. In this repentance, a sinner — now being aware 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 as are penitent — so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God.⁴ Praying for pardon and strength of grace, the truly repentant sinner purposes and endeavors, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk with God in a manner well-pleasing to him in all the ways of his commandments.⁵

4. Ezek 18:30-31; Isa 30:22; Joel 2:12-17; II Cor 7:10-11
5. Ps 119:6, 128; Eph 2:10

3. Although repentance ought not to be rested on as any satisfaction for sin or any cause of the pardon thereof⁶ — the satisfaction and cause being God’s free grace in Christ⁷ — yet it is of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it.⁸

6. Ezek 36:31-32; 16:61-63
7. Rom 3:24; Eph 1:7; 2:5-10
8. Luke 13:3-5; Acts 17:30-31; Rev 2:5

4. Such of the elect as are converted later in life, having lived in the state of nature, and therein served diverse lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling gives them repentance unto life.⁹

9. II Chr 33:10-20; Acts 9:1-19; 16:29-30; I Cor 6:9-11; Titus 3:3-5

5. As repentance is to be continued throughout the whole course of our lives, because of the body of death and the motions thereof; so it is every man’s duty to repent of his particular known sins specifically, not being content with a general repentance.¹⁰

10. Luke 19:8; I Tim 1:13-15; I John 1:8-10

6. Whereas there is no one who does good and does not sin,¹¹ and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalence of temptation, fall into great sins and provocations;¹² God has, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers thus sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation.¹³

11. Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:10-18, 23
12. II Sam 11:1-27; Luke 22:54-62
13. Ps 51:1-19; Luke 22:31-32; John 21:15-19

7. As every man is bound to make confession of his sins to God, and shall find mercy from God upon such confession and repentance;¹⁴ so he that scandalizes 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;¹⁵ who are thereupon to be reconciled to him and in love to receive him.¹⁶

14. Ps 32:5-6; Ps 51:4-5, 7, 9, 14; Luke 15:18-24
15. Jas 5:16; Josh 7:19
16. II Cor 2:8; Luke 17:3-4

8. Such is the provision which God has made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,¹⁷ yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them who truly repent,¹⁸ which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.¹⁹

17. Rom 5:12; 6:23; Matt 12:36; Jas 2:10
18. Isa 1:16-18; 55:7; Rom 8:1; Ps 103:12
19 Ps 19:13; I John 1:9; II Timothy 2:25-26; II Cor 5:10-11, 18-21; Ezek 3:18-19

1. Good works are only such as God has commanded in his holy Word,¹ and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon pretense of good intentions.²

1. Mic 6:8; Rom 12:2; Heb 13:21
2. Matt 15:9; Isa 29:13; I Pet 1:18; Rom 10:2

2. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;³ and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,⁴ strengthen their assurance,⁵ edify their brethren,⁶ adorn the profession of the gospel,⁷ stop the mouths of the adversaries,⁸ and glorify God,⁹ whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto;¹⁰ that having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.¹¹

3. Jam 2:18,22
4. Ps 116:12-13; I Pet 2:9
5. I John 2:3,5; II Pet 1:5-10
6. II Cor 9:2; Matt 5:16
7. Titus 2:1-12; I Tim 6:1
8. I Pet 2:15
9. I Pet 2:12; Phil 1:11; John 15:8
10. Eph 2:10
11. Rom 6:22

3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.¹² And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides 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;¹³ yet they are not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.¹⁴

12. John 15:4-6; Ezek 36:26-27
13. Phil 2:13; 4:13; II Cor 3:5
14. Phil 2:12; Heb 6:11-12; II Pet 1:3,5,10-11; Isa 64:7; II Tim 1:6; Acts 26:6-7; Jude 1:20-21

4. They who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which 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 which in duty they are bound to do.¹⁵

15. Luke 17:10; Neh 13:15-22; Job 9:2-3; Gal 5:17

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. We can neither profit God by our works, nor satisfy him for the debt of our former sins;¹⁶ but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants.¹⁷ This is because, as they are good, they proceed from the Spirit,¹⁸ and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the fullness of God’s judgment.¹⁹

16. Rom 3:20; 4:2, 4, 6; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom 8:18; Ps 16:2; Job 22:2-3; 35:7-8
17. Luke 17:10
18. Gal 5:22-23
19. Isa 64:6; Gal 5:17; Rom 7:15,18; Pss 143:2; 130:3

6. Yet notwithstanding, believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him;²⁰ not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight;²¹ 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.²²

20. Eph 1:6; I Pet 2:5; Exod 28:38; Gen 4:4; Heb. 11:4
21. Job 9:20; Ps 143:2
22. Heb 13:20-21; II Cor 8:12; Heb 6:10; Matt 25:21,23

7. Works done by unregenerate men, although conforming in some measure to the things which God commands, and being of good use both to themselves and to others:²³ yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith;²⁴ nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word;²⁵ nor to a right end, the glory of God;²⁶ they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man fit to receive grace from God;²⁷ and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.²⁸

23. II Kgs 10:30-31; I Kgs 21:27,29; Phil 1:15-18; Rom 2:14-15
24. Gen 4:5; Heb 11:4,6
25. I Cor. 13:3; Isa 1:12
26. Matt 6:2,5,16
27. Hag 2:14; Titus 1:15; Amos 5:21-22; II Kgs 10:30; Hos 1:4; Rom 9:16; Titus 3:5
28. Pss 14:4; 36:3; Job 21:14-15; Matt 25:41-45; Matt 23:3

1. Those whom God has 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 therein to the end and be eternally saved.¹

1 Phil 1:6; II Pet 1:10; John 10:28-29; I John 3:9; I Pet 1:5,9

2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election; from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father;² upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ,³ and union with him; the oath of God; the abiding of his Spirit;⁴ and of the seed of God within them;⁵ and the nature of the covenant of grace.⁶ From all of these arises the certainty and infallibility of their perseverance.⁷

2. II Tim 2:18-19; Jer 31:3
3. Heb 10:10,14; Heb 13:20-21; Heb 9:12-15; Rom 8:33-39; John 17:11,24; Luke 22:32; Heb 7:25
4. John 14:16-17; I John 2:27
5. I John 3:9; I Pet 1:23
6. Jer 32:40
7. John 10:28; II Thess 3:3; I John 2:19

3. And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalence of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;⁸ and for a time continue therein,⁹ whereby they incur God’s displeasure,¹⁰ and grieve his Holy Spirit;¹¹ come to have their graces and comforts impaired;¹² have their hearts hardened,¹³ and their consciences wounded;¹⁴ hurt and scandalize others,¹⁵ and bring temporal judgments upon themselves;¹⁶ yet they are and shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.¹⁷

8. Matt 26:70-74
9. Ps 51 superscription, Ps 51:1, 14
10. Isa 64:5,7,9; II Sam 11:27
11. Eph 4:30
12. Ps 51:8,10,12; Rev 2:4
13. Isa 63:17; Mark 6:52; Mark 16:14
14. Pss 32:3-4; 51:8
15. II Sam. 12:14
16. Ps 89:31-32; I Cor 11:32
17. John 6:37,39; John 10:28-29; I Cor 1:7-8; Phil 1:6; I Pet 1:5; I Thess 5:23

1. Although unregenerate men — such as those who confess Christ yet fall away — may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and state of salvation,¹ which hopes and presumptions of theirs shall perish;² yet such as 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, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God,³ which hope shall never make them ashamed.⁴

1. Mic 3:11; Deut 29:19; John 8:41
2. Job 8:13-14; Matt 7:22-23
3. I John 2:3; I John 3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; I John 5:13; Rom 5:2
4. Rom 5:5

2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith,⁵ founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ, revealed in the gospel,⁶ and also upon the inward evidence of those graces unto which promises are made,⁷ and on the immediate witness of the Spirit — who testifies of our adoption⁸ and seals our inheritance for the day of redemption⁹ — and, as a fruit thereof, leaving the heart more humble and holy.¹⁰

5. Heb 6:11, 19
6. Heb 6:17-18
7. II Pet 1:3-4, 10-11; I John 2:3; 3:14
8. Rom 8:15-16
9. Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; II Cor 1:21-22
10. I John 3:1-3

3. This infallible assurance does not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he becomes a partaker of it;¹¹ yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means attain that assurance.¹² And therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure;¹³ that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience,¹⁴ which are the proper fruits of this assurance;¹⁵ such assurance by no means inclines believers to loose and careless living.¹⁶

11. Pss 88; 77:1-9; I John 5:13; Mark 9:24
12. I John 4:13; Heb 6:11-12; I Cor 2:12; Eph 3:16-19
13. II Pet 1:10
14. Rom 15:13; Eph 1:3-4; Ps 4:6-7
15. Rom 5:1-5; 14:17
16. Rom 6:1-2; Titus 2:11-12, 14; I John 1:6-7; 2:1; II Cor 7:1; Rom 8:1, 12; I John 3:2-3; Ps 130:4

4. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation shaken, diminished, and intermitted in diverse ways; as by negligence in preserving of it;¹⁷ by falling into some special sin, which wounds the conscience, and grieves the Spirit;¹⁸ by some sudden or vehement temptation;¹⁹ by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance, allowing even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light;²⁰ yet they are not so utterly destitute of that seed of God²¹ and life of faith,²² that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty, but that through these things — by the operation of the Spirit — this assurance may in due time be revived,²³ and in the meantime they are supported from utter despair.²⁴

17. Heb 6:11-12; II Peter 1:5-11
18. Ps 51:8, 12, 14; I John 2:1
19. Ps 116:10-11; I Kings 19:4
20. Pss 30:7; 88; Matt 26:69-75; Isa 50:10
21. I John 3:9
22. Luke 22:32
23. Ps 42:5, 11; Job 13:15
24. Lam 3:26-32; Mic 7:7-9; Jer 32:40; Isa 54:7-10

1. God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,¹ as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience;² promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it.³

1. Gen 1:27; Eccl 7:29
2. Rom 10:5
3. Gal 3:10, 12; Gen 2:17; Rom 2:14-15; 5:12; Job 28:28

2. This law, so written in the heart, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall of man;⁴ and was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables;⁵ the four first commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man.⁶

4. Rom 2:14-15
5. Jas 1:25; 2:8, 10-12; Rom 13:8-9; Deut 5:32; Exod 34:1; Deut 10:4
6. Matt 22:37-40

3. Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typological ordinances; partly of worship — prefiguring Christ: his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits⁷ — and partly holding forth diverse instructions of moral duties.⁸ All such ceremonial laws, being appointed only to the time of their fulfillment, are by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only lawgiver,⁹ who was furnished with power from the Father for that end, abrogated and taken away.¹⁰

7. Heb 9:11-14, 23-24; Heb 10:1; Col 2:17; Gal 4:1-3
8. I Cor 5:7; II Cor 6:17; Jude 1:23
9. Isa 33:22; John 5:22; Ja 4:12
10. Col 2:14-17; Eph 2:14-16

4. To the people of Israel he also gave various judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution, their continuing use being limited to the moral principles they proclaim.¹¹

11. I Cor 9:8-10; Exod 21:33-36; 22:1-15; I Pet 2:13-14; Matt 5:17, 38-39

5. The moral law does forever bind all, both true believers in Christ and all others, to the obedience thereof;¹² and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; neither does Christ in the gospel in any way dissolve, but rather does strengthen this obligation.¹³

12. Rom 13:8-10; I John 2:3-4, 7-8; Jas 2:8, 10-12
13. Matt 5:17-19; Rom 3:31

6. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned;¹⁴ yet the law 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;¹⁵ discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives; so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin;¹⁶ together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience.¹⁷ It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin;¹⁸ 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 thereof threatened in the law.¹⁹ The promises of it in like manner show them God’s approval of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof,²⁰ although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works;²¹ therefore a man’s doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.²²

14. Rom 6:14, 8:1; 10:4; Gal 2:16; 3:13; 4:4-5; Acts 13:39
15. Rom 7:12, 22, 25; Ps 119:4-6; I Cor 7:19; Gal 5:14, 18-24
16. Rom 3:20; 7:7, 9; Jas 1:25
17. Gal 3:24; Rom 7:24; Rom 8:3-4
18. Jas 2:11; Ps 119:101, 104, 128
19. Ezra 9:13-14; Ps 89:30-34
20. Lev 26:1-14; Eph 6:2-3; Ps 37:11; Matt 5:5; Ps 19:11
21. Gal 2:16; Luke 17:10
22. Rom 6:12-14; I Pet 3:8-13; Ps 34:12-16

7. Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it;²³ 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, required to be done.²⁴

23. Gal 3:21
24. Ezek 36:27; Heb 8:10; Jer 31:33

1. The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them faith and repentance;¹ in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and was therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners.²

1. Gen 3:15
2. Gal 4:4; Heb 11:13; Gal 3:16

2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only in and by the Word of God;³ neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, in even a general or obscure way.⁴ Much less are those men who are destitute of the revelation of him by the promise or gospel enabled to attain saving faith or repentance.⁵

3. Rom 1:17; 10:13
4. Rom 10:14-17; 1:21-23
5. Isa 60:2-3; Matt 28:19-20; Rom 2:12; Rom 3:19-20

3. The revelation of the gospel unto sinners, given progressively and in diverse ways throughout redemptive history, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God.⁶ This gift is not given on account of any man’s promise to improve himself by his natural abilities, even by virtue of common light received apart from the gospel, a promise which no one ever can keep.⁷ And therefore in all ages the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or clarity of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God.⁸

6. Ps 147:20; Acts 16:7
7. Rom 1:18-32; 3:10-12; 8:7-8
8. Matt 28:18-20; Rom 16:25-27

4. Although the gospel is the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is as such abundantly sufficient thereunto;⁹ yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual, irresistible work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life,¹⁰ without which no other means are sufficient for their conversion unto God.¹¹

9. Rom 1:16-17
10. I Cor 2:14; Eph 1:17-20
11. John 6:44; I Cor 1:22-24; II Cor 4:4-6

1. The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, and the rigor and curse of the law;¹ and in their being delivered from this present evil world,² bondage to Satan,³ and dominion of sin,⁴ from the evil of afflictions,⁵ the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation;⁶ as also in their free access to God,⁷ and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear⁸, but a childlike love and willing mind.⁹ All of these benefits, in their very essence, were common also to believers under the law;¹⁰ 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;¹¹ and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace,¹² and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.¹³

1. Gal 3:13; Titus 2:14; I Thess 1:10
2. Gal 1:4
3. Acts 26:18
4. Rom 8:1-4; 6:14; Col 1:13
5. Rom 8:28; Ps 119:71
6. I Cor 15:50-57
7. Rom 5:1-2
8. Rom 8:14-15
9. Mark 10:15; Luke 1:73-74; I John 4:18
10. Gal 3:9, 11, 14; I Cor 5:7
11. Gal 4:1-7; 5:1; Acts 15:10-11
12. Heb 4:14-16
13. John 7:38-39; Heb 10:19-22; II Cor 3:13, 16-18

2. God alone is lord of the conscience,¹⁴ and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any way contrary to his Word, or not contained in it;¹⁵ so that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience;¹⁶ and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.¹⁷

14. Jas 4:12; Rom 14:4
15. Acts 4:19; 5:29; Matt 15:9
16. Col 2:20-23; Gal 1:10; 2:4-5; 5:1
17. I Cor 3:5; II Cor 1:24; Rom 10:17; 14:23; Acts 17:11; Rev 13:12, 16-17; Hos 5:11

3. They who upon pretense of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction;¹⁸ so they wholly 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 lives.¹⁹

18. Rom 6:1-2
19. Gal 5:13; I Peter 2:16; II Peter 2:18-19, 21; John 8:34; Luke 1:74-75

4. Because the authorities which God has ordained and the liberty which Christ has purchased are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful authority, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.²⁰ 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 manner of life; 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 which Christ has established in the Church, they may lawfully be called to account and be brought under the discipline of the Church.²¹

20. I Pet 2:13-17; Rom 13:1-7; Heb 13:17; Matt 22:15-21
21. Rom 1:32; Rev 2:2, 14-15, 20; I Cor 5:1, 5, 11, 13; II John 1:10-11; II Thess 3:14; I Tim 6:3-5; Titus 1:10-11, 13; Titus 3:10-11; Matt 18:15-17; I Tim 1:19-20

1 Although the word “religious” has a negative connotation in modern American culture that was not present in the past, we believe this is still the best word for what is meant here, and elsewhere, in this confession of faith. “Religious,” in the sense used here, refers to the overall system of beliefs and practices within the Christian faith. “Religious Worship” here generally refers to corporate worship, but is also inclusive of all forms of worship.

1. The light of nature shows that there is a God who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is just, good, and does good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart, and all the soul, and with all the might.² 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 representations, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.³

2. Rom 1:20; Pss 19:1-4; 50:6; 97:6; 145:9-12; Acts 14:17; Pss 104:1-35; 86:8-10; 95:1-6; 89:5-7; Jer 10:7; Rom 10:12; Josh 24:14; Mark 12:33
3. Deut 12:32; Matt 15:9; Acts 17:23-25; Matt 4:9-10; Deut 4:15-20; Exod 20:4-6; John 4:23-24; Col 2:18-23

2. Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;⁴ not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;⁵ and since the fall, not without a Mediator, nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone.⁶

4. Matt 4:10; Matt 28:19; John 5:23; II Cor 13:14; Phil 2:9-11; Rev 5:11-14
5. Col 2:18; Rev 19:10; Rom 1:25; Acts 10:25-26
6. John 14:6; I Tim 2:5; Eph 2:18; Col 3:17

3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of natural worship,⁷ is by God required of all men;⁸ but that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son⁹ by the help of his Spirit,¹⁰ according to his will,¹¹ with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance;¹² and when with others in a known tongue.¹³

7. Phil 4:6; I Tim 2:1; Col 4:2; Eph 6:18-19
8. Pss 65:2; 67:4-7; 96:7-9; 148:11-13; Isa 55:6-7
9. John 14:13-14; I Pet 2:5
10. Rom 8:26; Eph 6:18
11. I John 5:14
12. Ps 47:7; Eccl 5:1-2; Heb 12:28; Gen 18:27; Jas 5:16; 1:6-7; Mark 11:24; Matt 6:12,14-15; Col 4:2; Eph 6:18
13. I Cor 14:13-19

4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful,¹⁴ and for all sorts of men living, or for those of future generations;¹⁵ but not for the dead.¹⁶

14. I John 5:14-16; John 15:7
15. I Tim 2:1-2; John 17:20; II Sam 7:29; Ruth 4:12
16. II Sam 12:21-23; Luke 16:25-26; Rev 14:13

5. The reading of the Scriptures,¹⁷ preaching,¹⁸ and hearing the Word of God,¹⁹ teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord;²⁰ as also the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are all parts of religious worship of God,²¹ to be performed in obedience unto God with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear.²² Special occasions that warrant sincere expressions of humility, lament, and fasting,²³ as well as times that necessitate thanksgiving²⁴ are also acceptable and proper grounds for public worship.

17. Luke 4:16-17; Acts 15:21; Col 4:16; I Thess 5:27; Rev 1:3
18. II Tim 4:2; Act 5:42
19. James 1:22; Acts 10:33; Matt 13:19-23; Heb 4:2; Isa 66:2
20. Eph 5:19; Acts 16:25; Col 3:16 Jas 5:13
21. Matt 28:19; I Cor 11:23-29; Acts 2:42
22. Heb 12:28-29
23. Joel 2:12; Esth 4:16; Matt 9:15; I Cor 7:5; Acts 14:23
24. Exod 15:1-21; Ps 107:1-43; Neh 12:27-43; Esth 9:20-22

6. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel either tied unto, or made more acceptable by, any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed;²⁵ but God is to be worshiped everywhere²⁶ in Spirit and in truth,²⁷ as in private families²⁸ daily²⁹ and in secret each one by himself,³⁰ so more formally in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor willfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God by his Word or providence calls thereunto.³¹

25. John 4:21
26. Mal 1:11; I Tim 2:8
27. John 4:23-24
28. Deut 6:6-7; Job 1:5; II Sam 6:18, 20; I Pet 3:7; Acts 10:2
29. Matt 6:11
30. Matt 6:6, 16-18; Neh 1:4-11; Dan 9:3-4; Eph 6:18
31. Isa 56:6-7; Heb 10:25; Pss 100:4; 122:1; 84:1-12; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:42-44; 2:42

7. As it is of the law of nature that in general a proportion of time by God’s appointment be set apart for the worship of God; so by his Word in a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him;³² 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,³³ which in Scripture is called the Lord’s Day,³⁴ and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath,³⁵ the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.³⁶

32. Exod 20:8-11; Isa 56:2-7
33. Gen 2:2-3; I Cor 16:1-2; Acts 20:7
34. Rev 1:10
35. Matt 5:17-18; Mark 2:27-28; Rom 13:8-10; Jas 2:8-12
36. Col 2:16-17

8. This Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs beforehand,³⁷ do observe a holy rest through the gathering of the saints for corporate worship,³⁸ accompanied by private acts of worship, acts of mercy and necessity, and other means of rest and worship unto the Lord.³⁹

36. Exod 20:8; Isa 58:13-14
37. Heb 10:25; Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; I Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10
38. Luke 4:16; Matt 12:1-13; Mark 3:1-5

1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship,¹ wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgment, solemnly calls God to witness what he asserts or promises, and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he swears.²

1. Deut 10:20; Deut 6:13; Neh 10:29; Isa 19:21; Eccl 5:4-5
2. Exod 20:7; Lev 19:12; II Cor 1:23; II Chron 6:22-23

2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence.³ Therefore to swear vainly, or rashly, by that glorious or dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful and to be abhorred.⁴ 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;⁵ so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.⁶

3. Deut 6:13
4. Exod 20:7; Jer 5:7; Matt 5:34,37; Jas 5:12
5. Heb 6:16; II Cor 1:23; Isa 65:16
6. I Kings 8:31; Neh 13:25; Ezra 10:5

3. Whosoever takes an oath, warranted by the Word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to affirm nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth.⁷ Neither may any man bind himself by oath to any thing, but what is good and just, and what he believes so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform.⁸ Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath touching any thing that is good and just, being lawfully imposed by authority.⁹

7. Exod 20:7; Jer 4:2
8. Gen 24:2-9
9. Num 5:19,21; Neh 5:12; Exod 22:7-11; Eph 4:25

4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.¹⁰ Any oath taken cannot oblige to sin, but in anything not sinful it binds to performance, even if to a man’s hurt; ¹¹ nor is it to be violated even when made to heretics or unbelievers.¹²

10. Jer 4:2; Ps 24:4
11. I Sam 25:22,32-34; Ps 15:4
12. Ezek 17:16,18-19; Josh 9:18-19; II Sam 21:1

5. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone,¹³ is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.¹⁴

13. Ps 76:11; Jer 44:25-26
14. Isa 19:21; Eccl 5:4-6; Pss 61:8; 66:13-14

6. Monastic 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.¹⁵

15. Matt 19:11-12; I Cor 7:2,9; Eph 4:28; I Pet 4:2; I Cor 7:23; Col 2:18-19

1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil authorities to be under him, over the people for his own glory and the public good; and to this end has armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of those who do good, and for the punishment of those who do evil.¹

1. Rom 13:1-4; I Pet 2:13-14

2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a civil authority, when called thereunto;² in the management whereof, as they ought specially to maintain justice and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each government;³ so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage war upon just and necessary occasion.⁴

2. Prov 8:15-16; Rom 13:1-4
3. Ps 2:10-12; I Tim 2:2; Ps 82:3-4; II Sam 23:3; I Pet 2:13
4. Luke 3:14; Rom 13:4; Matt 8:9-10; Acts 10:1-2; Rev 17:14, 16

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;⁵ or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith.⁶ Yet, as caring 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.⁷ As Jesus Christ has appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any civil government should interfere with, prevent, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief.⁸

5. II Chr 26:18; Matt 18:17; 16:19; I Cor 12:28-29; Eph 4:11-12; I Cor 4:1-2; Rom 10:15; Heb 5:4
6. John 18:36; Acts 5:29; Eph 4:11-12
7. Isa 49:23; Rom 13:1-6
8. Ps 105:15; Acts 5:17-32

4. It is the duty of civil authorities to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon claim 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.¹

9. Rom 13:4; I Tim 2:2

5. It is the duty of people to pray for civil authorities,¹⁰ to honor their persons,¹¹ to pay them tribute and other dues,¹² to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for the sake of conscience.¹³ Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void just and legal civil authorities, nor free the people from their obedience to them.¹⁴ No ecclesiastical persons are exempted from such civil authorities,¹⁵ nor does any religious or ecclesiastical authority hold any power or 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 it shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.¹⁶

10. I Tim 2:1-3
11. I Pet 2:17
12. Matt 22:21; Rom 13:6-7
13. Rom 13:5; Titus 3:1
14. I Pet 2:13-16
15. Rom 13:1; Acts 25:9-11; II Pet 2:1,10-11; Jude 1:8-11; I Kings 2:26-35
16. Mark 10:42-44; Matt 23:8-12; II Tim 2:24; I Pet 5:3

1. Marriage is to be between one biological man and one biological 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.¹

1. Gen 2:24; Matt 19:4-6; I Cor 7:2; 6:9; Rom 1:26-27; I Tim 1:10

2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,² for the increase of mankind with legitimate offspring and of the Church with godly children,³ and for preventing sexual immorality.⁴

2. Gen 2:18; Eph 5:28; I Pet 3:7
3. Gen 1:28; Gen 9:1; Mal 2:15
4. I Cor 7:2-9

3. It is lawful for any one man and one woman, who are able with judgment to give their consent, to be joined together in marriage.⁵ Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;⁶ and therefore those who profess the true Christian faith should not marry unbelievers or idolaters; neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked by marrying with such as are wicked in their life or maintain damnable heresies.⁷

5. Heb 13:4; I Tim 4:3; I Cor 7:36-38; Gen 24:57-58
6. I Cor 7:39
7. Gen 34:14; Exod 34:16; Deut 7:3-4; I Kgs 11:4; Neh 13:25-27; Mal 2:11-12; II Cor 6:14

4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word;⁸ nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man, or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.⁹

8. Lev 18:6-17, 24-26; Lev 20:19; Amos 2:7; I Cor 5:1
9. Mark 6:18; Lev 18:24-28

5. Adultery or fornication, committed after engagement and detected before marriage, gives just reason for the innocent party to break that engagement.¹⁰ In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful, but not necessary, for the innocent party to sue out a divorce,¹¹ and after the divorce to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.¹²

10. Matt 1:18-20
11. Matt 5:31-32
12. Matt 19:9; Rom 7:2-3

6. Although the corruption of mankind is such that people are apt to seek arguments to justify unwarranted separation of those whom God has joined together in marriage;¹³ yet nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil authority, is sufficient cause of dissolving the bond of marriage;¹⁴ wherein 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.¹⁵

13. Wording has been changed in accord with the WCF Modern Study Version (OPC).
14. Matt 19:3-9; I Cor 7:15
15. Deut 24:1-4

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, and is the Bride, the Body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.¹

1. Heb 12:23; Eph 1:10, 22-23; Eph 5:23, 27, 32; Col 1:18

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;² and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ;³ the house and family of God,⁴ outside of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.⁵

2. I Cor 1:2; 12:12-13; Ps 2:8; Rev 7:9; Rom 15:9-12
3. Matt 13:47; Isa 9:7; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:30-36; Col 1:13
4. Eph 2:19; 3:15; Heb 3:6; I John 3:1-2
5. Acts 2:36-47; Heb 4:2; Matt 18:18

3. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error,⁶ and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan.⁷ Nevertheless Christ has always had, and ever shall have, a visible kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him and make profession of his name.⁸

6. I Cor 5:1-13; Rev 2:1-3:22; III John 1:9-10; Matt 13:24-30
7. Rom 11:18-22; Rev 2:9; 3:9
8. Matt 16:18; 28:19-20; Mark 4:30-32; Pss 72:16-19; 102:28; Isa 9:6-7

4. The supreme and sovereign King and Head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ,⁹ in whom is invested the supreme and sovereign power for the calling, institution, order, and government of his Church.¹⁰ None other can be called the head of the church but him alone, and anyone who claims that title unto himself is of the spirit of antichrist that exalts itself in the Church against Christ.¹¹

9. Isa 9:6-7; Col 1:18; Eph 1:20-21
10. Matt 28:18-20; Eph 1:22-23; 4:11-12; John 17:1-3
11. I John 4:3; II John 1:7; II Thess 2:3-4

5. In executing his office as Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ calls sinners out of the world and into communion with himself¹² and with one another,¹³ as local churches,¹⁴ that they may walk together before him in the ways of Christian obedience prescribed in his holy Word.¹⁵ To these churches he has given all the power and authority that is needful for the life of the Church in this present world, both in worship and discipline, as he has commanded and instructed.¹⁶

12. John 10:16; 17:1-3; I Cor 1:9; Eph 2:11-13
13. I John 1:3; Eph 2:14-22; Heb 4:1-2
14. Rev 2:1-3:22
15. Matt 28:18-20, Eph 4:1-6
16. Matt 16:19; 18:15-20; John 20:21-23 Acts 14:21-23; II Cor 2:6-8; I Cor 6:1-3

6. Those called unto Christ, through the ministry of the Word and by his Spirit, are commanded by Christ, the Head of the Church, to walk together in particular local churches for corporate worship, mutual edification, and service unto the Lord.¹⁷

17. Heb 10:23-25; Acts 2:42-46; Eph 2:11-16; 4:25; Col 3:16; I Cor 12:12-27; I Pet 4:10-11; I Thess 5:14; II Thess 3:6, 14, 15

7. A particular church gathered and completed unto the mind of Christ consists of members and officers.¹⁸ These officers, elders and deacons, appointed by Christ, are chosen and set apart by the church with the power and authority given by Christ for the administration of the ordinances and execution of the power and duty entrusted to them until the full consummation of the heavenly kingdom.¹⁹

18. Phil 1:1; Heb 13:24; I Cor 6:4
19. Acts 20:17-18, 28; Heb 13:7, 17; I Tim 3:1-13

8. The members of these churches, called saints,²⁰ having been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up themselves to him,²¹ and having been baptized upon their profession of faith,²² relying on His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully covenant together to walk according to the call of Christ as one body, giving themselves up to one another and submitting to the ordinances of the gospel.²³ Such members are added to the church by the consent and welcome of the church itself, in order that mutual love and covenant is preserved and supported;²⁴ for the maintaining of the covenant bond of fellowship, worship, mutual edification, and discipline, each Christian ought only to join one particular local church.²⁵

20. Rom 1:7; I Cor 1:2
21. Mark 1:15; II Tim 2:25
22. Acts 2:38; Rom 6:3-4; I Cor 12:13; Col 2:12
23. Rom 12:9-13; 15:5-7; Gal 5:13; Heb 13:16; I Cor 11:33
24. Acts 2:41, 47
25. Heb 13:7, 17; Rev 2-3

9. The elders of a local church, called and qualified men who are appointed by Christ and set apart by the church itself,²⁶ oversee the spiritual care of the church, as undershepherds of the Great Shepherd of the Sheep,²⁷ through the ministries of the word,²⁸ prayer,²⁹ and discipline;³⁰ administration of the sacraments;³¹ general oversight of the local body of Christ;³² and proclamation of the great doctrines of the gospel within their community, even personally and particularly, so far as their strength and time will admit.³³ The elders must meet and maintain the qualifications set forth in Scripture.³⁴

26. Acts 14:23
27. Acts 20:28; Eph 4:11; I Pet 5:1-4
28. Acts 6:2, 4; I Cor 9:16; I Tim 5:17; II Tim 2:15; I Pet 4:10-11
29. Acts 6:4; James 5:14
30. Acts 20:29-30; Heb 13:17; II Tim 2:24-26
31. I Cor 11:23-26; Matt 16:18; 28:19
32. I Tim 3:1-2; 1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:5
33. I Pet 4:10-11; Rom 10:14-15
34. I Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9

10. As the work of the elders is to attend the service of Christ, in his churches,³⁵ as those who must give an account to the Lord Jesus;³⁶ it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect,³⁷ but also to provide for them from the resources God has given to those congregations, so as those elders may have a comfortable supply, without them being unnecessarily entangled in secular employment;³⁸ and so they may show hospitality towards others.³⁹ Such supply should be in accordance with the elder’s need and time dedicated to the work of the church, unless he voluntarily forgoes it.⁴⁰ This is required by the law of nature and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who has ordained that those who preach the Gospel should get their living from the Gospel.⁴¹

35. Acts 6:4; Titus 1:9
36. Heb 13:17; Acts 20:28
37. I Thess 5:12-13; Heb 13:7; I Pet 5:5
38. II Tim 2:4; Num 18:21
39. I Tim 3:2
40. I Cor 9:6-15; Gal 6:6; Acts 18:3-5
41. I Tim 5:17-18; Luke 8:1-3

11. The deacons of a local church, appointed by Christ and set apart by the church itself, oversee the physical care of the church as ministers of mercy, assistants to the elders, and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ for the welfare of the body.⁴² The deacons must meet and maintain the qualifications set forth in Scripture.⁴³

42. Acts 6:1-6; Galatians 6:10; I Pet 4:11
43. I Tim 3:8-13

12. Those candidates for the office of elder or deacon, selected by the church, are to be considered through much prayer and evaluated according to the standards set forth in Scripture as to their giftedness, character, preparation, and calling. Officers so approved are to be ordained and installed by the laying on of hands in the presence of the church by previously ordained elders.⁴⁴

44. Acts 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23; Titus 1:5; I Tim 3:10; 4:14; 5:22; II Cor 8:19

13. A church furnished with officers — according to the mind of Christ — has full power to administer all his ordinances. Without elders no one may administer the sacraments, nor may the church authorize any to do so.⁴⁵

45. I Pet 5:1-2; Heb 13:17; I Cor 4:1

13. The Lord Jesus Christ has appointed and instituted church discipline as a means to maintain the purity of his bride,⁴⁶ to edify believers by deterring sin and promoting holiness, and to promote the spiritual welfare of the offending believer by calling him or her to return to a biblical standard of doctrine and conduct.⁴⁷ Every church is entrusted, by her Head, with the authority and responsibility to discipline members for flagrant sin or serious doctrinal error in the way and order prescribed in the Scriptures, with the goal of the restoration of the offender.⁴⁸

46. Eph 5:26-27; Rev 19:7-8
47. I Cor 5:1-3; Heb 3:12-13; Num 16:26, 31-33
48. Matt 18:15-20; ; I Thes 5:12; II Tim 2:24-26

14. The means of church discipline so appointed by Christ include admonition and excommunication, and various intermediary measures, such as removal from church offices and exclusion from the Lord’s Supper.⁴⁹ Those under discipline are to be rebuked first privately, then by two or three, and finally, if still no repentance is offered, publicly in the presence of the entire local church body. If any instance of discipline rises to the level of public rebuke, it is to be overseen by the elders,⁵⁰ and any excommunication is to be performed by consensus of the congregation, with the goal of the restoration of the offender.⁵¹

49. I Tim 5:20; I Thess 5:12; II Thess 3:14-15; I Cor 5:4-5, 13; 11:27-34; Titus 3:10; Jude 1:23; I Tim 1:20
50. I Tim 5:17; Titus 1:5, 9; Rom 12:8
51. Matt 18:15-20; I Cor 5:1-13; Titus 3:10; II Cor 2:6-8; Gal 1:9

16. As all believers are bound and instructed to join themselves to particular churches, whenever they are able,⁵² so also none are to be admitted unto the privileges of the churches who do not submit themselves to the rule and discipline of Christ in their local church.⁵³

52. Acts 2:42-47; 5:14; 16:5; Heb 4:2
53. Heb 13:17; I Thess 5:14; II Thess 3:6, 14, 15; I Cor 11:27-32

17. In cases of sin or personal offense, church members who have performed their duty in the matter, according to the instruction of Scripture, ought not to usurp the Christ-given authority of the church in completing this work of discipline, or to forsake the gathering of the saints during the process of discipline, but should rather prayerfully support the work Christ has given to the church.⁵⁴

54. Heb 13:17; 10:24-25; Matt 18:15-17; Eph 4:2-3

18. As all true churches and the members thereof are called to pray for one another,⁵⁵ so also they ought to maintain fellowship with one another, when opportunity provides, for their peace, increase of love, and mutual edification. These churches ought not to refuse fellowship with one another on account of differing polities.⁵⁶

55. Eph 6:18; Ps 122:6
56. John 13:34-35; 17:20-23; Rom 16:1; II Cor 8:1-4, 6-24; II Cor 9:12-15; III John 1:5-8

19. Such churches of like doctrine and practice ought also to voluntarily join themselves together in covenant relationship for deeper mutual edification, support, and accountability, furthering the unity of the Church and the ministry Christ has called her so to do. These churches in covenant relationship with one another are commonly called conferences or denominations.⁵⁷

57. Acts 15:1-35; I Tim 4:14; II Cor 6:14-18

20. These conferences or denominations of churches are called, as a broader expression of the body of Christ, to determine difficulties or differences of doctrine, conscience, administration, public worship, or church discipline, wherein either the churches in general are concerned, or any one church, or one or more members of a church are harmed by matters not agreeable to truth and order.⁵⁸ Although such bodies may err, the decrees and determinations thereof, if in agreement with the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission, not only because of their agreement with the Word, but also because of the authority whereby they are made by the churches in union with one another and with Christ.⁵⁹

58. Acts 15:1-35; II Cor 1:24; Gal 2:1-2; Prov 12:15; 13:10
59. Acts 17:11; I Cor 2:5; Eph 2:20; I John 4:1; Acts 8:14

21. A person joined in covenant membership with a local church ought not lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the communion of the church whereunto they are so joined.⁶⁰ Nevertheless, if his continuing in covenant with that church might lead him into sin — for want of the administration of the sacraments, as a result of spiritual neglect, in cases of persecution, or due to convenience of location — he may transfer to some other local church where he may be edified in accordance with the Scriptures and serve that church of God. In cases where transfer is necessary, and after consultation with the church or elders, he is called to leave as peaceably as possible, as far as it depends on him.⁶¹

60. Acts 2:42; I Cor 1:9-10; Col 3:15
61. I Cor 5:9-13; II Cor 2:5-11; II Thess 3:6,14

1. All saints who are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by his Spirit and faith, although they are not made thereby one person with him, have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory:¹ and being united to one another in love, they have communion in each others’ gifts and graces,² and are obliged to the performance of such duties — public and private — as promote their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.³

1. I John 1:3; Eph 3:16-19; John 1:16; Eph 2:5-6; Phil 3:10; Rom 6:5-6; II Tim 2:12
2. Eph 4:15-16; I Cor 12:7; I Cor 3:21-23; Col 2:19
3. I Thess 5:11, 14; Rom 1:11, 12, 14; I John 3:16-18; Gal 6:10

2. All saints are bound to maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification.⁴ They are also bound to assist each other in material things, according to their several abilities and necessities.⁵ This communion, though especially to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand, whether in families or churches, yet as God offers opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus.⁶

4. Heb 3:12-13; 10:24-25; Acts 2:42, 46; Isa 2:3; I Cor 11:20
5. Acts 2:44-45; 11:29-30; I John 3:17
6. II Cor 8:1-9:15; Rom 15:1-6; Gal 6:1-10

3. This communion which the saints have with Christ does not make them in any way partakers of the substance of his Godhead, or to be equal with Christ in any respect; to affirm either is impious and blasphemous.⁷ Nor does their communion one with another, as saints, take away or infringe the title or propriety which each person has in his goods and possessions.⁸

7. Col 1:18-19; I Cor 8:6; Isa 42:8; I Tim 6:15-16; Ps 45:7; Heb 1:8-9
8. Exod 20:15; Eph 4:28; Acts 5:4

1. Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace,¹ immediately instituted by Christ,² to represent him and his benefits, to confirm our union with him,³ to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the world, ⁴ and solemnly to engage us to the service of God in Christ, according to his Word.⁵

1. Rom 4:11; Gen 17:7, 10
2. Matt 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; I Cor 11:23
3. I Cor 10:16; I Cor 11:26; Gal 3:27; Rom 6:3-4
4. Rom 15:8; Exod 12:48; Gen 34:14
5. Rom 6:3-4; I Cor 10:14-22

2. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.⁶

6. Gen 17:10; Matt 26:27-28; Titus 3:5

3. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither does the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that administers it,⁷ but upon the work of the Spirit,⁸ and the word of institution; which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to those who participate in a worthy manner.⁹

7. Rom 2:28-29; I Pet 3:21
8. Matt 3:11; I Cor 12:13
9. Matt 28:19-20; 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; I Cor 11:23-26

4. There are only two sacramental means of grace ordained by Christ our Lord in the gospel — Baptism and the Lord’s Supper — neither of which may be dispensed by any but a minister of the Word qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ.¹⁰

10. Matt 28:19; I Cor 11:20, 23; I Cor 4:1; Heb 5:4

1. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ¹ not only for the solemn admission of the person baptized into the visible Church,² but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace,³ of his ingrafting into Christ,⁴ of regeneration,⁵ of remission of sins,⁶ and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life;⁷ which ordinance is by Christ’s own appointment to be continued in his Church until the end of the world.⁸

1. Matt 3:13-17; 28:19; John 4:1-2
2. I Cor 12:13
3. Col 2:11-12
4. Rom 6:3-5; Gal 3:27
5. Ezek 36:25-26; John 3:5; Titus 3:5
6. Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Pet 3:21
7. Rom 6:3-4
8. Matt 28:19-20

2. The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, by a minister of the gospel lawfully called.⁹

9. Matt 28:19-20; Acts 8:36-38; 10:47

3. Immersion in water is the mode of baptism which best fulfills the Biblical instructions, imagery, and meaning. Pouring or sprinkling may also be employed under necessary circumstances.¹⁰

10. Matt 3:16; I Cor 10:1-2

4. Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, as well as faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.¹¹

11. Matt 28:19-20; Rom 6:3-4; I Pet 3:18-22; Heb 11:7; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 8:13

5. Although it is a great sin to neglect this ordinance,¹² yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably linked to it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it;¹³ or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.¹⁴

12. Matt 28:19; Acts 2:38; 10:47; Luke 7:30
13. Luke 23:42-43; Acts 10:1-47
14. Acts 8:13, 21-23

6. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered;¹⁵ yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Spirit to those to whom that grace belongs, according to the counsel of God’s own will in his appointed time.¹⁶

15. John 3:5, 8
16. Gal 3:27; Rom 6:3-6; Acts 2:38, 41

7. True baptism is but once to be administered to any person.¹⁷

17. Eph 4:5; Rom 6:3-11; Acts 19:1-6

1. Our Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper,¹ to be observed in his churches to the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance and showing forth of the sacrifice of himself in his death,² the sealing of all benefits thereof unto true believers,³ their spiritual nourishment and growth in him,⁴ their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him,⁵ and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other.⁶

1. Matt 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20
2. I Cor 11:23-26; Acts 2:42
3. Rom 4:11
4. John 6:32-40, 47-58
5. I Cor 11:25
6. I Cor 10:16-17, 21

2. In this sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the living or dead,⁷ but only a memorial of that one offering up of himself upon the cross once for all, and a spiritual offering of all possible praise unto God for the same;⁸ so that the Roman Catholic mass is most abominable, injurious to Christ’s once and for all sacrifice, which is the sole propitiation for all the sins of the elect.⁹

7. Heb 9:22, 25-26, 28; Heb 10:10-14; John 19:30
8. I Cor 11:24-26; Luke 22:19-20
9. Heb 7:23-24, 27; Heb 10:11-18

3. The Lord Jesus has in this ordinance appointed his ministers to pray and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to a holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and to give both to the communicants even as they also partake;¹⁰ but to none who are not then present in the congregation.¹¹

10. Matt 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; I Cor 11:23-26
11. Acts 20:7; I Cor 11:20

4. Private masses, or receiving the sacrament by a priest, or any other, alone;¹² as likewise the denial of the cup to the people;¹³ worshiping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use;¹⁴ are contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.¹⁵

12. I Cor 10:16-17; 11:19-22
13. Mark 14:23; I Cor 11:25-29
14. Exod 20:4-6
15. Matt 15:9

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, that is, the body and blood of Christ;¹⁶ albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine as they were before.¹⁷

16. Matt 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24
17. I Cor 11:26-28; Matt 26:29; Mark 14:25

6. The 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; overthrows the nature of the sacrament; and has been and is the cause of many superstitions and gross idolatries.¹⁸

18. John 1:14; 20:26-29; Acts 1:9-11; 3:21; I Cor 11:24-26; Luke 24:6, 39

7. Those who receive the visible elements of this sacrament in a worthy manner¹⁹ do, by faith, really, truly, and spiritually receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death;²⁰ the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in, with, or under the bread or wine; yet as really, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.²¹

19. I Cor 11:27-29
20. John 6:29, 35, 47-58
21. I Cor 10:16

8. All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Christ, so are they unworthy of the Lord’s table, and cannot without great sin against him, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto;²² yet, whosoever shall receive unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and drinking judgment to themselves.²³

22. I Cor 5:6-7; II Cor 6:14-16; II Thess 3:6, 14-15; Matt 7:6
23. I Cor 10:21-22; 11:17-22, 27-29

1. For those who die outside of Christ all hope of God’s mercy and grace is forfeited;¹ there are no opportunities for repentance after physical death² and there exists no state or condition of purgatory; they return to dust and see corruption;³ they are kept in sheol⁴ — that is, hades, the grave — to be raised for final judgment.⁵ For those who die in Christ, their bodies decompose and their spirits rest with Christ;⁶ their rest is one in which they are held secure in the mercy, grace, and love of God⁷ until the resurrection.⁸

1. John 3:18; 3:36
2. Heb 9:27
3. Gen 3:19; Eccl 3:20; Acts 13:36
4. Pss 9:17; 49:14; Prov 5:5; Luke 16:19-31
5. Dan 12:2; Matt 25:46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:14-15
6. Rev 14:13; 6:9-11;Heb 12:23; I Thess 4:13-15; II Cor 5:6-8; Phil 1:23; II Pet 1:13-15
7. Rom 8:38; Ps 116:15
8. John 11:25; Col 3:4; I John 3:2; I Pet 1:3

2. Jesus Christ’s redemptive work accomplished the salvation of his people not only from the judgment of God but also from the horror and power of death.⁹ This does not mean that believers do not experience death,¹⁰ for death is the lot of all people, except those who are living at the time of Christ’s appearing.¹¹ However, the physical death of the saint does not cause us to grieve as those who have no hope;¹² the believer’s hope is in the Second Coming of Christ,¹³ at which time the dead in Christ will be raised from death to put on immortality¹⁴ and share in the eternal, heavenly kingdom on an earth made new.¹⁵ Even in death, believers belong to him;¹⁶ death cannot separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord;¹⁷ his resurrection guarantees theirs.¹⁸ While all die, only those who die in the Lord are likened to a seed that is sown as perishable but will be raised imperishable through the power of the resurrection.¹⁹

9. Heb 2:14; II Tim 1:10; I Cor 15:14
10. I Cor 15:16-18
11. I Thess 4:16-17
12. I Thess 4:13
13. Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28; Acts 1:11; Phil 3:20; I Thess 1:9-10
14. Isa 25:8; Hos 13:14; I Cor 15:51-54
15. Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1-4; II Pet 3:13; Rom 8:20-21
16. Rom 14:8; I Thess 4:14
17. Rom 8:38
18. I Cor 15:20-23; Rom 8:11
19. I Cor 15:35-50

3. On the day of the Resurrection, believers who are found alive shall not die, but be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye;²⁰ and all the dead in Christ shall be raised up with the self-same bodies,²¹ and none other, although with different qualities,²² which shall be united again to their spirits forever.²³ Their bodies shall, by the Spirit of Christ, be raised unto honor and thus conformed to Christ’s own glorious body;²⁴ the bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor.²⁵

20. I Cor 15:51-52
21. Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15
22. I Cor 15:35-42
23. Job 19:25-27
24. Phil 3:21; I Cor 15:43
25. Dan 12:2; John 5:29; Matt 25:46

1. At Christ’s Second Coming,¹ the end of human history will occur with the destruction of the heavens and the earth,² ushering in God’s eternal Kingdom. Christ’s coming will be unexpected and sudden;³ it will not be in secret but will be visible⁴ and accompanied with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God.⁵ Christ at his glorious coming will usher in God’s appointed day of judgment,⁶ wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.⁷ In that day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,⁸ but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the judgment seat 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.⁹ 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 condemnation of the wicked, those who remain lost in their sin and unrighteousness.¹⁰

1. I Thess 3:13; II Thess 2:1; I Tim 6:14; II Tim 4:1; Titus 2:13
2. Isa 51:6; II Pet 3:7-12
3. Matt 24:42-44; Luke 12:40; I Thess 5:2; II Pet 3:10
4. Matt 24:27; Luke 17:24;Rev 1:7
5. I Cor 15:52; I Thess 4:16
6. Acts 17:31; Rom 2:16
7. John 5:22-30; Acts 10:42 II Tim 4:1
8. II Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6
9. Eccl 12:14; Matt 16:27; Matt 25:31, 41, 46; Acts 24:15; Rom 14:10; II Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12
10. Rom 9:22-26

2. In that day, the dead outside Christ will be raised to undergo the judgment of God.¹¹ The wicked who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be punished with eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.¹² God will vindicate his purposes and the honor of his Son before all the wicked; causing all who refused to love, serve, and worship him to bow down before the awful splendor of his majesty and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.¹³ Unbelievers will then experience the just wrath of God,¹⁴ whose judgment of the unrepentant will be in keeping with his holy justice;¹⁵ a judgment which includes degrees of suffering¹⁶ that will result in their eternal death,¹⁷ the utter destruction of their whole persons.¹⁸ Even now, all people apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are under his wrath; we have an obligation to warn them to flee from the wrath to come by repenting of their sins and their self-reliant autonomy and trusting in Jesus Christ as the promised redeemer from sin and God’s wrath.¹⁹

11. Dan 12:2; Matt 25:46
12. II Thess 1:9; Phil 3:19; I Thess 5:3
13. Phil 2:9-11; Isa 45:23; Rom 14:11
14. Zeph 1:14-15; John 3:13; 5:30; 8:16; Rom 2:5-6; Eph 5:6; Col 3:5-6
15. Gen 18:25; Rom 3:5-6; Job 34:10
16. Matt 10:15; 11:22; Luke 10:12,14
17. Rom 6:21, 23; Rom 8:13; James 1:15; Rev 20:14
18. Isa 66:24; Obad 1:16; Mal 4:1-3 Matt 3:12; 10:28; Mark 9:43-48; Heb 12:29; Jude 1:6; II Pet 2:6
19. Matt 3:7; Rom 5:9; 10:14-15

3. God’s wrath is final²⁰ and hell is in no way morally remedial so as to eventually lead to the universal salvation of those justly banished there; God’s wrath is justly punitive²¹ and for that reason, it is indeed a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God;²² God’s wrath in its own way, like his grace, magnifies his glory²³ and must not be denied by the followers of Jesus Christ.

20. Heb 9:27
21. Gen 18:25; Rom 2:5; 3:5
22. Heb 10:31
23. Rom 9:15-23

4. The dead in Christ will be raised and, together with the believers living at that time, will be transformed by the glory of Christ’s appearing²⁴ and made ready to share in the inheritance which has been prepared for them.²⁵ At the end of the age, God will also destroy the present heavens and earth²⁶ and make them anew;²⁷ For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life,²⁷ and receive that fullness of joy and glory,²⁸ with everlasting reward²⁹ in the presence of the Lord.³⁰ The specific eternal dwelling of the saints will be on the earth made new,³¹ where they will perfectly, joyfully,³² and willingly submit to God’s rule,³³ serving him and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, world without end.³⁴

24. I Cor 15:49-54; Phil 3:21
25. Acts 20:32; Eph 1:11, 14, 18; Heb 9:15; I Pet 1:3-5
26. II Pet 3:7-12
27. Isa 65:17; 66:22; II Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1
28. Dan 12:2; John 6:37, 39; John 10:28; Titus 1:2; I John 2:25
29. Ps 16:11; Jude 1:24; I Pet 4:13; Isa 25:6-9
30. Matt 5:12; 6:6; Heb 10:35; 11:26; II John 1:8
31. II Cor 4:14
32. Isa 65:17; 66:22; II Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1-3
33. Isa 25:8; 35:10; 65:19; Rev 7:17; Rev 21:4
34. Dan 7:18, 27; Luke 1:33; Heb 1:8; Phil 2:10-11
35. Eph 1:9-10; 3:21

5. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity;³⁶ so will he have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all worldly security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may be ever prepared to say, “Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.”³⁷

36. II Pet 3:11, 14; II Cor 5:10-11; II Thess 1:5-7; Luke 21:27-28; Rom 8:23-25
37. Matt 24:36, 42-44; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-36; Rev 22:20