THE JUDICIAL ACTS OF THE GENERAL SYNOI), OF THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED CHURCH, EMITTED FROM TIME TO TIME, AS OCCASIONAL TESTIMONIES AGAINST PREVAILING ERRORS: TOGETHER WITH CERTAIN TESTIMONIES, EMITTED BY THE ASSOCIATE SYNOD, AND RECENTLY ADOPTED BY THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED SYNOD OF THE SOUTH. COLUMBIA, S. C. PRINTED BY I. C. MORGAN. 1848 PREFACE TO DECLARATION AND TESTIMONY. That the Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule of faith and practice; teaching us what we are to believe concerning God, and what duties God requires of us, will not be denied by any who .are worthy of the name of Christians. The Divine author¬ ity and truth of the Holy Scriptures are so generally admitted, that very few have the hardihood openly to oppose them. Yet the truth does not stand without opposition; the adver¬ sary, the Devil, who, at the beginning, sought to rob God of his glory, and to deprive man of his happiness; who deceived our first parents, continues to propagate errors and delusions. But the Lord, whose word is established in the heavens, whose faith¬ fulness endures to all generations; who promised that the seed of the woman who had been deceived, should bruise the serpent's head ; who has chosen the weak things of this world to bring to nought the things that are mighty, has also purposed to make known his truth in the earth, through the instrumentality of his people, whom he has called to be his witnesses. Having first manifested himself to his people by his works and words, and testified to them saying, I am God, even thy God, he calls on them to declare and testify the things that they have seen and heard. Thus, when the Lord had shown his wonderful works in the land of Egypt, at the sea, and in the wilderness; when he had spoken to them from Sinai and said, I am the Lord thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, he calls them to be witnesses that he is God. And he continued to raise up individuals under the Old Testament dispensation, who testified the same things against those who forsook the Lord and served other gods. In like manner, when Christ, the Lord, had finished the work which the Father gave him to do; when he iv. Preface. had shown by his mighty works that he was the Son of God, he calls on those who had seen and heard these things to be his witnesses. The Father, his works, the Spirit of truth testified; yet he will put honor on his own people whom he has brought near to himself, "Ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." And thus, as in the days of old, he continues to raise up and preserves witnesses, through whose instrumentality the truth shall be established and prevail on the earth. " They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the testimony which they held." The Lord's witnessing people are called to hold and exhibit the whole truth as it is revealed to them from heaven; or, as it is called, the record that God hath given us, which is briefly summed up by the Apostle John, in these words, " And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." We are required, however, in a special manner, to be estab- 1 lished in the "present truW—such doctrines as are controverted at the present time,—and to bear a direct testimony against exist¬ ing errors. If there were none to pervert the Scriptures, there would be no need of testimony. But the Scriptures being mis¬ interpreted, and perverted by those who profess to believe them ; and corrupt and dangerous doctrines being held forth, it appears manifestly the duty of the Lord's witnessing people to exhibit and testify in behalf of the truths of Revelation, freeing them from the mists and darkness wherewith they are clouded,by the advocates of error and delusion. This has been done by our reforming forefathers in Great Britain; and hence we have handed down to us, those excellent forms of doctrine, which were prepared and set in order by the Assembly of Divines, at Westminster; and were approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and are re¬ ceived by us unaltered, except in a few particulars. The West¬ minster Confession of Faith, as it is received by the Associate Reformed Church, is declared to be our fixed testimony, by which our principles are to be tried. But our judicatories being aware that Confessions of Faith might also be perverted by those who Preface. v. profess to adhere to them, resolved to emit occasional testimonies in particular Acts against errors and delusions. This resolution being carried into effect, the several testimonies whic.h have been emitted at different times are now collected and published, together with other testimonies recently adopted by our Synod. Those recently adopted were not originally prepared by this Synod, but were held by the people of several congregations— now united with us,—while they were in connection with another branch of the Church, (the Associate Synod,) from which they withdrew, in consequence of an unhappy difference of sentiment on the subject of slavery. Several congregations of the Presbytery of Carolinas, together with Rev. Thos. Ketchen, on the 28th day of March, 1832, ten¬ dered their declinature for reasons which were then given. After they had withdrawn, and deliberated with regard to the best means which they could adopt for securing the enjoyment of the Gospel ordinances, they agreed to negotiate in view of a union, with the Associate Reformed Church: which resulted in a union, which was consummated July 10, 1833. In the negotiations referred to, it was found that great similarity existed between the two bodies with regard to doctrine and discipline: that neither of them tolerated the existence of error in their communion, —that both agreed to testify against errors and delusions, and that they were of one mind with regard to praising God with the songs of divine inspiration, excluding all of human inven¬ tion. If there was any difference of opinion on the subjects of covenanting, temporal benefits, and fasting, they considered that such differences might properly be made matters of neutral for¬ bearance. The congregations which were left in the Presbytery of Caro¬ linas, remained in connection with the Associate Synod until May, 1840, when they also withdrew, together with the ministers in said Presbytery, who at the same time tendered their declina¬ ture to Synod. These also engaged in negotiating with the first Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Synod of the South, which resulted in a union, which was consummated in April, 1844: in vi. Preface. which nearly all the remaining congregations of the Associate Presbytery, together with Rev. Messrs. H. Thompson and J. Patrick, were united with the first Presbytery. The terms on which this latter union was effected, differed but little from the former ; except, that in the latter, the principles which had been avowed in the former, were more fully carried into effect by the adoption of the doctrinal part of the Declaration and Testimony of the Associate Church; except wherein exception had been made. Here it will be necessary to give some explanation. The subjects of covenanting, temporal benefits and fasting, have been mentioned, concerning which, there might be some forbearance. These were not considered as unimportant by either, party: it was only the difference of opinion heretofore existing on them, which yvere not considered as insuperable barriers to a union; and which might safely and conscientiously be made matters of mental forbearance. These differences, upon examination, were found to be very small. It appeared also, that there was Teally an agreement on the most important points. 1st. On Covenanting. By comparing the testimonies, it was found both agreed that this is a duty in which we are authorized to engage at suitable times; that there was a proper occasion for it when the Church of Scotland covenanted,—and that these en¬ gagements are binding on the posterity of those who entered into them, wheresoever scattered abroad in the earth, even by virtue of the solemn oath and covenant of their ancestors; except so much as partakes of a civil character, which is not binding on any other nation than those who entered into them. Then the only exception to the testimony on this subject, is that wherein it asserts, it is our duty to engage jointly in public solemn covenanting, and that wherein it is implied that the pres¬ ent is a proper occasion for it. On this point our Synod has not testified; and therefore, if there is any difference of opinion re¬ specting it, it is a matter of forbearance. 2d. On Temporal benefits. Both agree that " our Lord Jesus Christ was a representative and surety for the elect only; he died for them only, and for none else in any respect." And con- Preface. vii. sequently, although temporal benefits be considered as the pur¬ chase of Christ, it can be for the elect only. That they are the purchase of Christ to this extent, is the opinion of some. The Testimony seems to reject this opinion, but in a qualified sense. It considers temporal benefits in their perishing nature, as not being the purchase of Christ; yet declares, " with regard to the elect, God preserves them in life, though wicked, and abusers of his common bounty, till the time of their conversion, and then being brought into his covenant of grace, as his blessing rests on them, so what provision they need for their outward state, is given to them as to children, free from that curse which is upon the basket and store of the wicked: and thus all the good that is in these benefits to believers, flows from the death of Christ." Then, the point of difference is very small, and difficult to be understood, and is, therefore, a matter of forbearance. On this point the Synod does not testify. 3d. On Fasting. On this subject there was no difference in the standards of the two bodies ; both declare the same things. But some attach more importance than others to this duty, as preparatory to partaking of the sacrament of the supper. Yet all agree that it is important that we should make due prepara¬ tion for communion in this sacrament: and that it is not improper to seek this preparation with fasting. Concerning a Declaration and Testimony, there was an agree¬ ment on the main point. Both allow that it is the duty of the Lord's witnessing people to bear a pointed testimony against errors. And we suppose that neither considered these testimonies as new articles of faith. They were not so considered by the Associate Reformed Church, and the Associate Church seems to be of the same mind. See their declaration: " We would not think it necessary to add anything concerning the doctrines taught in our confession of faith, were it not, that many of these doc¬ trines are perverted or denied by some who profess to receive it as the Confession of Faith. It is, therefore, our duty, to bear testimony for the truth, against these, and other enemies with whom they may join in opposing it." viii. Preface. Then we are not to consider these testimonies as new articles of our Confession : but an elucidation, and more full declaration of some doctrines contained in our received standards, and a testimony against the contrary errors. These being judicial decisions, will serve also to guide the judgment in matters of controversy. JUDICIAL ACTS. AN ACT CONCERNING JUDICIAL TESTIMONIES.* Passed June 7, 1797. Whereas a number of people, under the inspection of the Associate Reformed Synod, entertain doubts as to their principles and intentions with respect to the mainte¬ nance of a faithful testimony for the truth, as it is in Jesus ; and whereas these doubts are accompanied with anxiety for a judicial publication, copiously illustrating and defending the doctrines of the Gospel; and enumerating, refuting, and condemning errors and heresies — to be called a Testimony. The Ministers and Elders, in Synod assembled, think it incumbent on them to explain, and by this act they do ex¬ plain, their real views of these interesting subjects. Upright and open testimony for the truths of the Lord's word, whether relating to doctrine, discipline, worship or manners, is the indispensable duty of all Christians; espe¬ cially of the ministers and judicatories of the church, who, from their office, ought to be set for the defence of the Gospel. Judicial testimonies, being designed to operate against prevalent error, are, lest they should miss their aim, to be wisely adapted to the immediate circumstances of the church. Both these principles have been fully recognized by the Synod in their published act of May, 1790, entitled, An Act to amend the Constitution of the Associate Reformed Synod. They therein declare, that "they consider the * It has been thought proper to prefix the Act concerning Judicial Testi¬ monies, as this explains the reasons for which the Synod adopted the mode of occasional testimonies, as preferable to any other, in applying their as¬ certained principles to the vindication of truth and the detection of error. —Publishing Committee. 2 10 Judicial Testimonies. Confession of Faith, larger and shorter Catechisms, directory for worship, and form of church government, as therein re¬ ceived, as their fixed testimony, by which their principles are to be tried ; or, as the judicial expression of the sense in which they understand the Holy Scriptures in the rela¬ tion they have to the doctrine, the worship, and government of the Christian church; and that it is their resolution to emit occasional testimonies, in particular acts against errors and delusions." The Synod, however, having been frequently importuned to publish a testimony of a different kind, renewed from time to time their discussions on this point; and, after the most impartial and serious deliberation, find it their duty not to recede from the above resolution. For the satisfaction of such as have not had access to know the grounds of this decision, some of them are sub¬ joined : 1. In her excellent Confession of Faith, Catechisms, &c. the church is already possessed of a testimony so scriptural, concise, comprehensive, and perspicuous, that the Synod despair of seeing it materially improved, and are convinced that the most eligible and useful method of maintaining the truths therein exhibited, is occasionally to elucidate them, and direct them in particular acts, against particular errors, as circumstances require. 2. There was drawn up and published by a Committee of Synod, in the year 1787, An Overture for illustrating and defending the Doctrines of the Westminster Con¬ fession of Faith. And in May, 1790, Synod unanimously resolved, that said overture is, " in substance, an excellent and instructive illustration and application* of these truths unto the present state of the Church of Christ in America, and warmly recommended it as such to all the people under their inspection." Whatever, then, might be effected on a general scale, by any similar pamphlet in the form of a judicial testimony, may be effected by that overture. And to emit such a testimony would only be to repeat the same laborious and expensive work, without obtaining any pro¬ portional advantage. 3. Could a testimony universally acceptable be prepared, it would still be far from producing those beneficial effects which are so fondly expected. Judicial Testimonies. 11 If it were to do tolerable justice to the prodigious extent of the Confession, it would swell into an immense work, of which the very bulk would defeat the intention. And if it were comprised in a volume suited to the leisure of an ordi¬ nary reader, it would be defective, and defective perhaps, on those very points on which the occurrences of a few months might require it to be particular and full. It could scarcely give a correcter view of the principles of the Synod than is already given in their received Con¬ fession: because it could scarcely hold forth any truths which are not therein held forth ; or state them, upon the whole, with more luminous precision. The opinion that such a testimony is needful to ascertain the Synod's princi¬ ples, is a direct impeachment of the confession itself; since, if they are not sufficiently ascertained by this, it must be either lame or ambiguous; and then the church demands, not a separate testimony, but an amended confession. If any parts of it are differently interpreted and abused to the promotion of error, these ought to be explained in detached acts; and such explanation belongs strictly to the province of occasional testimonies. It could not deter from application for ministerial or Chris¬ tian communion with the Synod, any who are not really friendly to the doctrines of grace. Since one who can pro¬ fess an attachment to the Confession of Faith, while he is secretly hostile to its truths, is too far advanced in dishon¬ esty to be impeded for a moment by any testimony which the wisdom of man can frame. It could not silence the objections and cavils of such as incline to misrepresent the principles and character of the Synod; since it is impossible to satisfy with any thing those who are determined to be satisfied with nothing. The very uncandid manner in which the Synod have already been often treated, both in Britain and America, leaves little rea¬ son to hope their plainest declarations will not be perverted, and their most upright intentions misconstrued. It could not lift up a perpetual banner for truth: since from the ever fluctuating state of religious controversy, and the impossibility of foreseeing the different shapes which error may assume, some parts of it would gradually grow obsolete, while some would be deficient; and the same necessity for occasional testimonies would still remain. In 12 Judicial Testimonies. the nature of things, moreover, it would after a short time, at most a few years, be out of print and out of date, and ceasing to interest the public curiosity, would utterly fail of accomplishing its end. There is also solid reason to fear, that in the present unhappy contentions which divide the church, it would be used by too many as the rallying point of party, and would inflame those wounds in the body of Christ, which it should be our study and prayer to have speedily and thoroughly healed. While these and similar reasons impel the Synod to de¬ cline issuing such a testimony as hath been desired, there are others which persuade them that the plan on which, as the Lord in his providence hath called them, they have hitherto acted; and on which they are resolved to act in future—the plan of emitting occasional testimonies, in¬ cludes all the excellencies of that which they reject; is free from its embarrassments, and is calculated to produce real and permanent good. As witnesses of the Most High, Christians are especially bound to avow and to defend those truths which are more immediately decried, and to oppose those errors which im¬ mediately prevail. This is termed by the Spirit of God, being " established in the present truth." It is the very essence of a judicious testimony ; nor is there any way in which judicatories can so well maintain it, as in serious and scriptural occasional acts. Of this method of testifying, there are plain and numerous traces in the Holy Scriptures, and in the pious practice of the primitive church. Such testimonies have, moreover, several advantages. They are brief: so that a reader of ordinary diligence, can in a very little time make himself perfectly master of their contents. They are pointed: and by singling out the error which is doing present mischief, they give more effectual warn¬ ing of present danger, than could possibly be done if they were interspersed through a large and general publication. They are new: and for this very reason they arrest the attention of men more than if they were diffused through an older and more extended work, however excellent. They may also throw fresh light upon received truths, and make a deeper impression on the mind, than if met with in the course of ordinary reading. Amendment of the Constitution. 13 They furnish special topics for religious conversation: and by fixing the thoughts of pious people on a particular subject, render them greatly instrumental in edifying each other. As they confine the attention of judicatories within a small compass, there is a better prospect of their being executed with ability and success. They serve to cement the affections of judicatories and their people; as they oblige the former to watch with pecu¬ liar zeal over the interest of the latter; and afford the latter continual and endearing proofs of the faithfulness of the former. They are frequent: and thus have a happy tendency to keep alive the spirit of honest testimony for Jesus Christ, which would slumber much deeper, and much longer, were that duty supposed to be discharged in a solitary volume. They will form, collectively, a more complete and useful vindication of truth than could be expected, if the different branches of it were all to be discussed in a continued work. They will show posterity what were the truths which, in a peculiar manner, their fathers were honored to maintain. Wm. Baldridge, Moderator. John McJimsey, Clerk. AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED SYNOD. Whereas it is the opinion of some members of Synod, and of a number of serious people in communion with the Synod, that the Constitution in some of its articles is too general, and that in others its meaning is rather doubtful, and that in its present form it does not suit the state of the church: And whereas, it is the duty of ecclesiastical judi¬ catories, to contribute as much as they can to remove the 14 Amendment of the Constitution. jealousies and quiet the fears of the Lord's people; the min¬ isters and elders in Synod assembled, do express their views of the leading principles of the Constitution in the following manner : 1st. That with the explanations to be immediately men¬ tioned, they sincerely receive and resolve through grace to adhere to the whole doctrine exhibited in the Confession of Faith, and larger and shorter Catechisms, composed by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in England, as agreea¬ ble to and founded upon the Word of God. The twenty-sixth chapter of said Confession is under¬ stood by them as opposed not only to bigotry, which at least by implication appropriates to a particular denomination of Christians the character and privileges of the Catholic Church, but also to the scheme of communion called the latitudinarian, which unites all parties of professed Chris¬ tians in the fullest communion on the footing only of those general principles, that some distinguish by the name of essentials, a scheme which they condemn as subversive of the design of this and every other stated Confession of Faith, and as having a natural tendency to promote error, and to extinguish zeal for many important truths of the Gospel, and consequently, that they do not consider themselves as left at liberty by this part of the Confession, to hold organi- cal communion with any denomination of Christians that is inconsistent with a faithful and pointed testimony for any revealed truth respecting doctrine, worship, discipline and church government. They receive the doctrine of the Confession of Faith re¬ specting the power of the • civil magistrate in matters of religion, described chapter 20th, section 4th; chapter 23d., section 3d., and chapter 31, section 2d., as reduceable to, or consistent with these general principles, viz: that magis¬ trates, as such, in a country professing Christianity, are bound to administer government from Christian principles, and to promote the Christian religion as their own most valuable interest, and the interest of the people committed to their care, by all such means as do not imply an infringe¬ ment of the inherent rights of the Church of Christ, or any assumption of dominion over the consciences of men; that only such opinions and practices are punishable by civil government as have a native tendency to subvert the foun- Amendment of the Constitution. 15 dations of moral government, and injure the common rights of men in a state of civil society, and do not permit good people to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty; and that all other sinful opinions and practices should be left only to the spiritual censures of the church, and the righteous judgment of God. 2. That they also receive the Directory for the public worship of God, composed by the above mentioned Assem¬ bly, as holding forth such things as are of Divine institution in every ordinance of worship ; that they resolve to observe the prudential rules respecting the circumstances of public worship therein prescribed, as far as these rules are practi¬ cable to edification: And that no deviation from these rules shall be countenanced by them, till the necessity or propriety thereof shall have been considered and acknow¬ ledged by the Synod. And they wish that this declaration be considered as their general testimony against wanton innovations in the circumstances of divine worship, and against every kind and degree of superstition, or the intro¬ duction of any thing into the worship of God, as a part thereof, by the authority of men. 3. That they receive with the same sincerity, the form of Presbyterian Church Government and ordination of minis¬ ters, prepared by the aforesaid Assembly, as in substance the only form instituted by Jesus Christ, and resolve to act upon that form, as far as the circumstances in which at any time they may be placed shall permit. 4. That they consider the above mentioned Confession of Faith, larger and shorter Catechisms, Directory for Wor¬ ship, and Form of Church Government, as received by this act, as their fixed testimony, by which their principles are to be tried, or as the judicial expression of the sense in which they understand the Holy Scriptures, in the relation they have to the doctrine, the worship and government of •the Christian church, and it is their resolution to emit occa¬ sional testimonies in particular acts against errors and delu¬ sions. 5. That the terms on which any person or persons shall be admitted as a member or members of the Synod, or as a member or members of any congregation under the inspec¬ tion of Synod, are an approbation of the principles exhibited in the above mentioned Confession of Faith, larger and 16 Religious Connexions of the Synod. shorter Catechisms, Directory for Public Worship, and Form of Church Government, as received by this Act; an h°ly life and conversation, and subjection to the order and disci¬ pline of the church under the care of this Synod. AN ACT CONCERNING THE RELIGIOUS CONNEXIONS OF THE SYNOD. The Ministers and Elders, in Synod assembled, declare with gratitude, and to the praise and glory of God, that, as it is their happiness, to be united to each other in the testi¬ mony of Jesus, or the whole doctrine of the Confession of Faith adopted by them, so they consider it as their distin¬ guished privilege to stand clear of the local disputes, which have divided the witnesses for said testimony, with whom the united parties in the Synod were formerly connected in Scotland; and, while thus united in love to the truth as it is in Jesus, and to each other for the truth's sake, they are determined that the differences among the friends of the reformation cause in Britain, arising from different views merely of the application of said testimony to their circum¬ stances in Britain, shall not affect, alienate, or divide the Synod, in the application of said testimony to their own circumstances, or the circumstances of the Church in America. They desire thankfully to remember the magnanimous sufferings for the cause of truth, by which their pious ances¬ tors in Britain were enabled to distinguish themselves in the two last centuries, and also their zeal for that cause, as ex¬ pressed in the different testimonies for it, which they emitted; and in a particular manner the testimony entitled, Act Dec¬ laration, and Testimony of the Associate Presbytery, pass¬ ed at Perth in North Britain, December 3d, 1736, and an Religious Connexions of the Synod. 17 act of said Presbytery entitled, An Act concerning the Doc¬ trine of Grace, and the Act^ Declaration and Testimony of the Reformed Presbytery, so far as these testimonies contemplate the doctrine, worship, discipline and govern¬ ment of the Presbyterian Church, and do not imply any decisions respecting the controversy about the civil govern¬ ment of Britain and Ireland, which is entirely foreign to the situation of the Church in America: And they also bless God for the national covenant of Scotland, and the solemn league and covenant of Scotland, England and Ireland, with respect to which, it is their opinion that these covenants, as taking their national form and character from the established connexion between the Church and State in Britain, are not obligatory upon any other nation ; but that, in respect of the religious part of these covenants, in which the covenanters solemnly avouched the Lord to be their God, and the God of their seed, and with the same solem¬ nity surrendered themselves, and their posterity to him, promising and swearing that they would walk in his ways and keep his commandments, they are obligatory on the posterity of those who entered into them, wherever scatter¬ ed over the world, even in virtue of the solemn public oath of their ancestors. They love the Church of Scotland and have a peculiar regard for their brethren in Britain, who have borne testi¬ mony against its defections from the purity to which it had attained between the year 1638 and 1649. They desire to cultivate friendship with these brethren, and to concur with them in every laudable endeavor to promote true and undefiled religion: And they wish posterity may know that once they belonged to the Church of Scotland"; that they carried with them into America the system of truth adopted by that Church, and the substance of the testimo¬ nies against deviations from that system; and that they es¬ teem their honor and their duty to support their connexion with those brethren, who still labor to preserve it in its pu¬ rity, as far as such support is consistent with their indepen¬ dence upon any foreign judicatory. 3 18 Imputed Righteousness. AN ACT CONCERNING THE IMPUTATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS¬ NESS OF CHRIST.* Whereas, it has been reported to this Synod, that some persons of their communion either deny that the obedience which Christ gave to the precepts of the divine law, is not a part of that righteousness, by which sinners are justified before God, or treat the imputation of it to believers as a matter of doubtful disputation ; and that on this account much uneasiness has arisen in some congregations; and whereas, it is the indispensable duty of ecclesiastical judi¬ catories to warn all under their inspection against every de¬ viation from the form of sound words. The Ministers and Elders in Synod assembled declare : That the Lord Jesus, not only suffered the penalty of the divine law, but also perfectly obeyed its precepts in the place of sinners; that his obedience and suffering concur to constitute that righteousness, on the footing of which sinners are justified before God ; and, consequently, that not only his suffering, but also his obedience, is imputed for justification. These principles have been solemnly received by this Synod, as important objects of Christian faith, in the con¬ fession of Faith, chap. 8, sect. 5, chap. 11, sect. 1, and in the larger Catechism qu. 70, where it is declared, that the Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice, which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father ; — That those whom God effectually colleth, he also freely justifi- eth — by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them ; — and that Christ by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to God's iustice in behalf of them that are justified. The ground on which these principles have been received * This and the following acts are published in pursuance of the 4lh Arti¬ cle of the Constitution, to give a specimen of the manner in which the Synod intend henceforth to emit occasional testimonies against the errors of the times. Imputed Righteousness. 19 by the S}fnod, is the authority of God, as displayed in the Scriptures of truth, which expressly declare, that Christ was made under the law; that he is the Lord our righteous¬ ness ; that our righteousness is of him; that in him we have righteousness and strength ; that many are made righteous by his obedience, as many were made sinners by the disobedietice of Adam; and that though he knew no sin, he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. That the import of these texts may be better understood, it is necessary to observe, that righteousness, in Scripture, is never considered as a denomination taken from mere suffering; that the phrase under the law, in the epistles of the Apostle Paul, always imply subjection to the precepts of the law. Attending to these general observations, we are naturally led to these inferences from the texts now mentioned, viz: that Christ, as a surety, was made under the law, and in that character fulfilled it; that his obedience being directly opposed to the disobedience of Adam, has a necessary relation to the pre¬ cepts of the law; that the imputation of his righteousness to us, being the reverse of the imputation of our sins to him, must include the imputation of what is commonly called his active obedience ; and, consequently, that he is the Lord our righteousness, not only as the propitiation or sacrifice for our sins, but as the great bond servant, who did the will of the Father, as expressed in the law which he had within his heart. To prevent or remove objections, it must be farther ob¬ served, that whatever subjection to the general principles of moral law arises from Christ's assumption of our nature, he could not, in virtue of that assumption, be under anj par¬ ticular law, because, as God in our nature, being an extra¬ ordinary person, and not an individual belonging to any kind of persons, no law adapted to any kind could have any natural relation to him : that, consequently, his subjec¬ tion to the particular law given to the human kind, did not arise merely from the assumption of human nature, but from an act of his own sovereignty, by which he substituted himself in the place of sinners of the human kind ; that his great end in assuming our nature, was not to procure any advantage to himself, but to display the glory of the divine perfections, to secure the honor of the divine law, and to *20 Imputed Righteousness. bring in and communicate to sinners, believing in his name, an everlasting, a justifying righteousness, and to prepare them for, and in due time to put them in possession of eter¬ nal glory; and that when our pardon and salvation are ascribed to his death, as to their procuring cause, his death is not to be considered abstractly, but as the termination of that course of holy obedience which the divine law requir¬ ed, having become obedient to death, even the death of the cross. As the imputation of Christ's obedience to the precepts of the law, appears to the Synod to be a truth of the Gospel of great importance and extensive influence, they earnestly exhort all under their inspection to contend earnestly for it; and they warn them against the contrary doctrine, as a de¬ parture from the purity of the profession which they have attained, as disturbing the order and weakening the connex¬ ions of truth in the system of the Gospel, as depreciating the righteousness of Christ, by detaching from it the only quality which makes it a proper righteousness, as depriving Christians of the consolation which they may derive from the obedience of Christ, when they have an afflicting sense of the imperfection of their own obedience, as very offensive to the church of God, and plainly contradictory to his holy oracles: And the Synod charge ail the Presbyteries of their denomination carefully to observe published opinions con¬ trary to the doctrine asserted in this Act, and to call the publishers thereof if in communion with the Synod, to a speedy account; and if, after using gentle means to recover them from their error, they remain obstinate, to inflict such censures upon them as the nature of the case or the edifi¬ cation of the church shall require; and they also direct that this Act be registered in the Presbyterial books, and be read to all the congregations and vacancies where any uneasi¬ ness hath arisen, and that ministers and licensed candidates for thfe ministry, guard people as often as they find it neces¬ sary, against disputes about the distinction between the active and passive obedience of Christ, as not only unne¬ cessary, but pernicious. The Covenant of Works. 21 AN ACT CONCERNING THE COVENANT OF WORKS IN THE RELA¬ TION IT HATH TO UNBELIEVERS. The Ministers and Elders in Synod assembled, finding that there are some doubts respecting the aspect which the precepts of the moral law, as stated in the covenant of works, hath towards unbelievers, think it is their duty to declare, as hereby they do declare, what they believe to be the mind of God concerning this subject. By the moral law, in its preceptive part, as stated in the covenant of works, and in the relation it hath to unbeliev¬ ers, they understand the law as requiring perfect obedience, on the pain of eternal misery, as the just punishment of every kind and degree of disobedience. That all unbe¬ lievers are under the obligation of its precepts, as viewed in this light, is a principle held by the Synod on the following grounds : 1. All unbelievers are actually under the penalty of the covenant of works, or are exposed to the execution of its threatening: but its penalty could not have any relation to them, and consequently could not be justly inflicted upon them, if they were not under the preceptive part of the law, as stated therein — a consequence that would be a positive contradiction to the word of God, which declares, that he who believeth not shall he damned, and that the wrath of God abideth on him. 2. The obligation of the precepts of the law being uni¬ versal and indispensable, lies upon believers and unbe¬ lievers, in a manner that is suited to their respective state and character. Unbelievers, therefore, not being interested in the righteousness of Christ, by which he satisfied all the demands of the law, in its federal form, must be under the obligation of its precepts, as connected with the threatening of eternal death, to which they make themselves liable by every transgression. 3. Deliverance from the moral law in the connexions which it hath in the covenant of works, is a privilege pecu¬ liar to believers. This is evidently declared by the Apostle Paul in these words: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are 22 The Lord's Supper. become dead to the law—But now we are delivered from the law—I through the law am dead to the law. Believ¬ ers are under the obligation of the precepts of the law, as a rule of life placed under new connexions in the covenant of grace; but they are totally delivered from the obligation of its precepts, in its federal form, or as requiring perfect obe¬ dience, on pain of eternal misery. This deliverance being peculiar to believers, all unbelievers are under the obliga¬ tion of the precepts of the law in that form, or as stated in the covenant of works. The Synod, impressed with the importance of this doc¬ trine, earnestly exhort all under their inspection to adhere to the profession of it, and warn them against the contrary doctrine, viz: that unbelievers, are only under what is called the commanding power of the moral law as a rule of life, and not under it, as stated in the covenant of works, as a doctrine which amounts to a total abolition of the covenant of works, which brings reproach on the righteousness of Christ, as not implying the fulfilment of the precepts of the law in the place of sinners, which encourages in unbelievers a presumptuous hope of impunity, and consequently, which is destructive to the souls of men. On motion, unanimously Resolved, That the overture presented to the Synod, by the Committee appointed to pre¬ pare an overture for the purpose, illustrating the truths ex¬ hibited in the Confession of Faith, is in substance an ex¬ cellent and instructive illustration and application of these truths unto the present state of the Church of Christ in America, and the Synod warmly recommend it as such to all the people under their inspection. Attested, Alexander Dobbin, Moderator. John Dunlap, Syn. Clerk pro tem. ACT CONCERNING THE FREGUENT ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. Whereas the Sacrament of the Holy Supper was insti¬ tuted by the Lord Jesus, to be a special and permanent Psalmody. 23 memorial of his redeeming love — as we are taught in Luke 22: 19; 1 Cor. 11: 26, the Ministers and Elders, in Synod assembled, earnestly recommend the frequent administra¬ tion of it. As the circumstances of different congregations are very different, their respective Ministers and Sessions, who are best acquainted therewith, are competent to determine how often the sacrament of the supper may he administered con¬ sistently with general edification; hut it is the opinion of the Synod, that in an ordinary state of things, it may and should be administered at least twice in a year, under the charge of every fixed minister; and four times a year, or oftener, in congregations where the Minister and Session shall deem it necessary and expedient: in which cases let the directory for public worship be carefully observed. AN ACT CONCERNING PSALMODY. The Ministers and Elders, in Synod assembled, having seriously considered that religious singing, or uttering the praises of God with a musical air, is entirely neglected by some, and much depraved by others, esteem it their duty to declare, and by this act they do declare, what they think is truth and duty respecting that exercise. Devotional singing is an important branch of moral wor¬ ship. It was practised, with divine approbation, before the Sinaitic covenant existed, Ex. 15; it was a common service under the Old Testament dispensation ; and even then, was preferred to the most solemn ceremonies considered as ex¬ ternal services; Psalm, 69: 30, 31. The observance of it under the New Testament dispensation, is foretold in an¬ cient prophecy, Psalm 66: 1, 2. Isa. 55: 1. It is rep¬ resented as a principal part of the worship of the church militant and triumphant, Isa. 35: 10; Rev. 5:9; 14: 3 : 24 Psalmody. 15: 3. It is supported by the example of Christ and his Apostles. Matthew 26 : 30; and it is expressly command¬ ed, Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 16;Heb. 13: 14, 15. James 5: 13. It is the will of God that the sacred songs of Scripture be used in his worship to the end of the world. These songs should not only be read, like other parts of Scripture, as profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness; but being adapted to music by the spirit of inspiration, they should be sung in celebra¬ ting the praises of God; and the rich variety and perfect purity of their matter, the blessing of God upon them in every age, and the edification of the church thence arising, set the propriety of singing them in a convincing light. The substitution of devotional songs composed by unin¬ spired men in the place of these sacred songs, is therefore a corruption of the worship of God; and it becomes a cor¬ ruption peculiarly offensive, when it is established upon this principle, that some of the songs of Scripture are effu¬ sions of a vindictive temper, and that generally they can¬ not be sung with propriety under the New Testament dis¬ pensation ; a principle which, in the opinion of Synod, im¬ plicitly excludes these songs from a place in the rule of Christian faith and practice ; and has a tendency to excite prejudices against them, and against the character of the holy men of God who wrote them ;* and consequently to shake our faith in the whole of divine revelation. These songs should be sung, not barely with the same frame of spirit with which they should be read, but with such an elevation of soul as is suited to praise, as a distinct ordinance; and in singing those parts of them which are expressed in ceremonial style, or describe the circumstances of the writers, or of the church in ancient times, we should have our eye upon the general principles which are implied in them, and which may be applied to individuals, or the church in every age. Whereas, the poetical version of the Psalms, commonly called the Psalms of David, which hitherto has been used amongst us, is a safe translation of these Psalms, and has been very instrumental in promoting sincere and unaffected devotion; it shall be retained in the congregations under the inspection of this Synod, till another version equally safe and acceptable and more adopted to the improved state Psalmody. 25 of the English language shall be prepared. No tunes shall be sung in our worshipping assemblies, but such as are grave and simple: and no new tune shall be introduced into any congregation in communion with this Synod, with¬ out the knowledge and consent of the church officers, nor even then, unless it shall be evident that the introduction of such tunes, would be acceptable to the congregation and promote its real edification. No chorus of singers, nor singing by parts* shall be in¬ troduced into any of our worshipping assemblies, because it is the duty of the whole congregation to praise God with united hearts and voices. As the use of musical instruments in public worship has no sanction in the New Testament, nor in the practice of the Christian church, for several hundred years after its erection, it shall not be introduced under any form into any congregation under the inspection of the Synod. No practice shall be permitted that is inconsistent with the letter or evident intention of the directory for public worship on the head of singing Psalms. The Ministers aiid Elders in Synod assembled, farther declare, that as the above mentioned principles have been always received among them; and that, as an approbation of them has been always considered as implied in the vows which Ministers and other church officers come un¬ der at their ordination, and which parents come under at the baptism of their children, all ministers and congrega¬ tions who shall not conform their practice to this act, shall be considered as corrupting the simplicity and purity of the public worship of God, and liable, as such, to the censure of the church. Extracted from the Minutes. Robert Annan, Moderator. Stewart Cummin, Syn. Clk. * This is not intended to prohibit what is termed singing the parts: (i. e.) Treble, Counter, Tenor, Bass; but is directly levelled against alternate singing, and against all that kind of singing in which one or more of the parts stop while the rest proceed; when, of course, a part of the congrega¬ tion remains silent. In a word, the clause is designed to forbid the intro¬ duction or use, both of those tunes which are called fugueing tunes, and also of all repeating tunes. 4 26 Faith and Justification. AN ACT CONCERNING FAITH AND JUSTIFICATION. Passed June 12th, 1798. The Ministers and Elders, in Synod 'assembled, finding that dangerous errors are entertained and propagated con¬ cerning the doctrines of saving faith and of justification feel it their duty to declare, and by this act they do declare, what they conceive the Holy Scriptures to teach on these important points, chiefly as they are at present perverted or opposed. I. Of the Appropriation and Assurance of Faith. Faith, in its general idea, is assent to, and reliance on, testimony. Its peculiar character must arise from the tes¬ timony on which it is founded. That divine faith, there¬ fore, by which alone sinners are saved, must be an assent to, and reliance on, the Divine testimony, as exhibited in the written word. The Gospel is expressly termed the re¬ cord or testimony which God gave of his Son; and faith a believing of this record; 1 John, 5 : 10. In perfect har¬ mony with the Scriptures, its general character, its special office, and its true and only warrant, are comprehended in the concise and correct definition of the shorter Catechism. " Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we re¬ ceive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is free¬ ly offered to us in the Gospel." 1. In its general character, which it has in common with other benefits of the Covenant, it is said to be a saving grace. A grace or a free gift; an unmerited favor. It is the gift of God; Eph. 2:8; and that both in its principles and in its exercises. Christians believe even as the Lord gi veth to every man; 1 Cor. 3: 5. And it is he who deals out to every man the measure of faith. Rom. 12 : 8. A grace—being purchased for us by Christ's precious blood, and freely bestowed on us for his sake. It is given Of Faith and Justification 27 unto us in the behalf of Christ, to believe on him. Phil. 1: 29. A grace—because it is wrought in the heart of a sinner by the free Spirit of God, through the instrumentality of the word. "For this reason he is called the spirit of faith ; 2 Cor. 4: 13; and the people of God believe according to the working of his mighty power, which, by the Spi¬ rit, he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Eph. 1: 19, 20. And this faith, so produced, com- eth by hearing, and hearing by the word; of God. Pom. 10: 17. This faith saves. As its origin is grace, so its issue is salvation, from sin and from wrath, both here and hereafter. He that believeth shall be saved; Mark 16: 16; he hath everlasting life ; John 6 : 47 ; and shall not come into con¬ demnation ; John 5 : 24; but shall receive the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul. 1 Pet. 1: 9. 2. The special office of faith is to receive, and rest upon Christ alone for salvation. But, in order to have just views of this part of the subject, we are previously to consider the true and only warrant of faith, which is the free offer of Christ to us in the Gospel. All that is necessary for elucidating this point, may be summed up in the following propositions : 1st. God hath made a grant of his Son Jesus Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour, to a lost and perishing world. He hath not merely revealed a general knowledge of him, but has directly and solemnly given him to sinners, as such., that they may be saved. God so loved the world that he [gave his only begotten Son, thai whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3: 16. 2d. This gift is absolutely free; independent, in every possible manner, on the worthiness or good qualities of mem This is essential to the very nature of his gift. Redemp¬ tion through the blood of Christ is according to the riches of his grace. Eph. 1:7. It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save the ehief of sinners. 1 Tim. 1: 15. 3d. The gift is indiscriminately to all the hearers of the Gospel, and to every one of them in particular. Unto us a child is born ; unto us a Son is given. Isa. 9 : 6. The 28 Faith and Justification. word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart ; that is the word of faith which we preach. That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom. 10: 8, 9. No sins, how¬ ever enormous or aggravated, place any sinner beyond the reach of this liberal grant. The very terms in which it is conveyed, suppose the objects of it to be unbelieving, un- righeousness, and even obstinate in transgression. God gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish ; manifestly implying, that they to whom he is given are unbelievers. The Lord Christ, whose invitation to sinners must be grounded on the Father's gift of him, as the covenant of the people, thus addresses them: Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness ; behold, I bring near my righteousness. Isa. 46 : 12, 13. The Saviour thus given, God hath made it the duty of every one who hears the Gospel to accept, that he may be saved ; and he cannot reject the gift but at the peril of his soul. This is the commandment of God, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John, 3 : 23. Now, the divine command requiring all the hearers of the Gospel to receive the Lord Jesus for salvation, it is mani¬ fest that he is freely given in the Gospel offer to every one of them in particular. Moreover, all the hearers of the Gospel are either believers or unbelievers. That Christ was olfered to believers is evident, from the fact that they have received him, and are saved by him. And that he is offered to unbelievers is no less evident, because they will be condemned for their unbelief. He that believeth not is con¬ demned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John, 3: 18. But the righteous Lord, who loveth righteousness, will not condemn sinners for rejecting an offer which was never made. From all this it results, that God hath laid in his word, a firm foundation for the faith of sinners—that they have his own warrant, and therefore a perfect right, to take the Lord Jesus, in all his grace and fulness, for their own salva¬ tion in particular. Now, as saving faith must correspond both with the war- Faith and Justification. 29 rant of the divine testimony, and with the right to an offer¬ ed Saviour which that warrant creates, it is properly assert¬ ed to be a receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for salvation, as he is freely offered to us in the Gospel. It is to be carefully noted, that the true and only object of faith is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, set forth and given to sinners as such, in the free promise of the Gospel; and that in believing, we receive and rest upon him, and upon him alone, in all those relations, for all those ends, and in that manner which the divine testimony exhibits, and thus set to our seal that God is true. This receiving of Christ, and resting upon him, are usu¬ ally termed the appropriation and assurance of faith. By the former we take the Lord Jesus, who is ours in the gene¬ ral grant, to be ours in personal possession. By the latter, we trust in him that we shall be saved; believing that what¬ ever he did for any of the human race, he did for us; and that'whatever God hath promised to his people, shall be per¬ formed unto us. These are not to be considered as differ¬ ent acts, but as essential properties, of the grace of faith. And that they are essential to it, is most demonstrable. First, then — Appropriation of the Lord Jesus to our¬ selves, for our own salvation in particular, is essential to sa¬ ving faith — For, 1. Without such an appropriation, faith could not answer to its warrant in the divine testimony; which, as hath been proved, tenders Christ to every one in particular; nor to the authority of the divine command, which requires every one in particular to take him thus tendered. 2. Without such an appropriation, there would be no ma¬ terial difference between the faith of God's people, and that of hypocrites or devils. Both may believe, in general, that Christ died for sinners, that God is in him, reconciling the world unto himself; that he is able to save sinners, and that many shall be saved by him. Mere assent to the abstract truth of the Gospel does not, and cannot imply any com¬ placency or interest in the salvation which it reveals. But that faith which may be found in the devils and the damn¬ ed, can in no sense be saving faith. 3. The condemnation of the law is particular. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. Gal. 3: 10. 30 Faith and Justification. When the Holy Ghost convinces of sin, the sinner sees him¬ self, in particular, shut up under the curse. Thou art the man" says the violated law. "Iam the man" replies his awakened conscience. Nor is it possible that he should have peace or safety till the blood of Christ purge his con¬ science, and he, for himself, be delivered from the curse. Therefore, if there were not in believing a particular appli¬ cation of Christ to the soul, the curse of the law would be more efficacious to destroy than the blood of Christ to save. 4. Salvation is particular. A sentence of justification must pass upon, and a work of sanctification be wrought in, every one who shall see the kingdom of God. But justifi¬ cation and sanctification, and whatever else belongs to the salvation of the Gospel, flow unto us only in and through Christ Jesus. And as we receive his benefits in believing; as they cannot be separated from himself; and as they are all communicated by particular application to our souls, it is evident that the faith which embraces him, and with him his benefits, is a faith of particular appropriation. He is made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. 1: 30. 5. The experience of God's people, as it is described in his word, proves that their faith is an appropriating faith. Whether they rejoice in the light, or mourn under the hidings of his countenance, they equally claim him as their God, even their own God. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18 : 1, 2. Why go I mourning because of the op¬ pression of the enemy? O send out thy light and thy truth — Then will I go — unto God my exceeding joy. Yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God; Ps. 43:2,3,4. 6. The Scripture continually ascribes this appropriation to faith. It is illustrated by figures, than which nothing can more strongly mark its appropriating quality. It re¬ ceives the Lord Jesus, as a gift; John 1: 12—puts him on, as a garment; Rom. 13 : 14 — flees to him as a refuge — lays hold of him, as a hope; Heb. 6: 18 — claims him as a portion; Lam. 3: 24 — feeds upon him as the living bread which came down from Heaven. John 6: 51. This, in- Faith and, Justification. 31 deed, is the very life of a believer's soul; the fountain of his hope, his peace, his consolation, that Christ is his Saviour, and God, in Christ, his Covenant God. Secondly. In believing, we not only appropriate the Lord Jesus to ourselves, but are persuaded that whatever he did for the salvation of sinners, he did for us: and that what¬ ever God hath promised to his people, shall be performed to us. This persuasion is the assurance of faith, and is in¬ separable from it. • L Faith being an assent to and reliance on testimony, respects nothing but the veracity of the testifier. It is this which distinguishes it from all other principles^ and which is essential to every kind of it, in every degree, and under every circumstance. Now, the testimony of the living God hath set forth the Lord Jesus as a propitiation through faith in his blood. There can be no medium between receiving him by faith, and rejecting him by unbelief: and in be¬ lieving, we can believe nothing but what God hath testified, because this is the sole ground of our faith. But he hath testified that whatever Christ did as a Saviour, he did for them who receive him; and that to them, and every one of them, all the exceeding great and precious promises shall certainly be accomplished. I cannot, therefore, cast my soul upon Christ for salvation, without believing the divine testimony; and this assures me that as a believer, I in par¬ ticular shall be saved; so that my faith, corresponding with God's testimony, necessarily includes a persuasion of my own salvation in particular. 2. In the Scripture, faith is uniformly opposed to doubt¬ ing. If ye have faith, and doubt not. Matt. 21: 21. O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Matt. 14: 31. If a man lack wisdom, let him ask of God; but let him'ask in faith, nothing wavering—James 1: 5, 6; but doubting being the want of assurance, and being the reverse of faith, assurance is necessarily of the essence of faith. 3. The testimony of God's word to this property of faith is clear and decisive. It forms the chief part of the defini¬ tion which the Holy Ghost has given, Now faith> is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.* We are exhorted to draw nigh to the holiest of all, * Heb. 11:1. The original word rendered " evidence." signifies demon¬ stration,—argument which forbids reply. 32 Faith and Justification. with true hearts, and in the full assurance of faith. Hetf 10: 22. Where the truth contended for is doubly estab¬ lished : (1.) By direct assertion; " the assurance of faith." i. e. the assurance which belongs to faith ; or else 1he ex¬ pression is destitute of meaning. (2.) By allowing degrees in this assurance — " the full assurance of farith, which im¬ plies the existence of the assurance itself :• for a thing which has no being cannot have degrees of being. These pas¬ sages alone, and especially in connection With others, wbieh represent faith as building on Christ the foundation, Eph. 2: 20 — trusting in him, Eph. 1: 12. 13—resting, Ps. 3? * 7, and leaning, Song. 8: 5, on him, do fully prove that as¬ surance is of the nature of faith. - ^ 4. The fruits of faith do also bespeak assurance, -./We- lievers have peace in their consciences—they am freed the dominion of siu^they overcome the world— they"tO- ceive from the fujlnesS of Christ Jesus—they mind tfite things Of the Spirit, &c. - Jill these blessings are the surest of promise, and are enjoyed only in the way of believing the promise. But now, can he believe the promise who has Wo confidence in it ? And how can a sinner have relief from the terrors of the law? How can his enlightened con¬ science be pacified ? Much more, how can he walk in new¬ ness of life, unless he be persuaded that he in particular is reconciled to God; that he in particular shall be saved; and unless he repose his soul upon the faithfulness of Glhd in Christ,-who hath promised to do to him and for htmd&f more abundantly than he can ask or think. Against this doctrine of faith it cannot be justly objected, " that it requires every one who hears the Gospel-to believe that Christ died for him in particular, and thus terminates iff the error of universal redemption." This consequence is avoided by a very plain and import¬ ant distinction between faith, as a general duty, and as a special grace. As a general duty, it is to beiieyeWssUredly on the testimony of God, who ca,nnot lie, Am Christ is freely given in the Gospel offer to me in partfetiiar; and te takff him to myself as the Father's gifCforwfy own particular salvation—persuaded in thus receiyihg'hihi that 1sftaMbe saved. It is this receiving of Christ which converts the indefinite promise of salvation to believers into a promise of salvation to me in particular; and without this apfsnpria- Faith and Justification. 33 tion of Christ, none have a right to conclude that he died for them, and that they shall be saved. As a special grace, faith does actually receive the Lord Jesus, and thus binds the divine faithfulness to the particular salvation of him who believes; so that he may warrantahly say, and ought to he persuaded, and in some measure is persuaded, that whatever Christ did for sinners, he did for him; and what¬ ever God hath promised to his people shall be accomplished to him. Nor can it be objected, " that this doctrine of faith, repre¬ senting true believers as at all times undoubtedly assured of their own gracious state, is inconsistent with Christian experience, and with the encouragements held forth in Scripture to those who labor under doubts and fears, and tends to make sad the hearts of those whom God hath not made sad." The question is not concerning a believer's opinions of his state, which are influenced not only by his faith, but by his feelings, by temptations, by corruptions, and especially by unbelief; but concerning the nature of his faith itself That this is sometimes strong, sometimes weak; yea, so weak that he cannot discern its operations, and even dispute its existence, is most certain. But faith he has, notwith¬ standing. His being unconscious of it at the time, does no more prove the want of it, than unconsciousness of the vital motions of the body proves a state of death. Though his faith be small as a grain of mustard seed, and feeble as the first motion of embryo-life, it is essentially the same with the branching tree, and with the active energy of a perfect man. It is, therefore, as really opposed to every kind of doubting, in its faintest, as in its most vigorous exercise. The difference lies only in degree. Doubting believers there are, but doubting faith there cannot be. In so far as a believer doubts, he is under the power of unbelief; for be his darkness and his fears what they may, they prevail ex¬ actly in the same proportion as his faith fails. A doubting faith, then, is equivalent to an unbelieving faith; or, which is the same thing, a believing unbelief. But this is a con¬ tradiction. It is, therefore, undeniable, that in the midst of conflict and dejection, the believers does, and cannot but trust, and that for himself, in the mercy and faithfulness of his covenant God. This is evinced to others, and may be 5 34 Faith and Justification. evinced to the satisfaction of his own soul, by his clinging to the Lord Christ as his only hope; and by his horror at the thought of relinquishing his claim to the promises, and .to the living God as his portion. Poor as he may call his hope, he would not barter it lor millions of worlds. This bespeaks a trust, and that not a slender one, in the Lord's promise in Christ for personal salvation; and this trust is precisely the assurance asserted as essential to saving faith. It would greatly conduce to clear views of this subject, were the distinction between the assurance of faith, and the assurance of sense, rightly understood and inculcated. When we speak of assurance as essential to faith, many suppose we teach that none can be real Christians who do not feel that they have passed from death unto life, and have not unclouded and triumphant views of their own in¬ terest in Christ, so as to say under the manifestations of his love, " my beloved is mine, and I am his." But God forbid that we should thus offend against the generation of his children. That many of them want such an assurance, may not be questioned. This, however, is the assurance, not of faith, but of sense; and vastly different they are. The object of the former, is Christ revealed in the word ; the object of the latter, Christ revealed in the heart. The ground of the former, is the testimony of God without us ; that of the latter, the work of the Spriit within us—the one embraces the promise, looking at nothing but the veracity of the promiser; the other enjoys the promise in the sweet¬ ness of its actual accomplishment. Faith trusts for pardon to the blood of Christ; sense asserts pardon from the com¬ fortable intimations of it to the soul. By faith we take the Lord Jesus for salvation; by sense we feel that we are saved, from the Spirit's shining on his own gracious work in our hearts. These kinds of assurance, so different in their nature, are very frequently separated. The assurance of faith may be, and often is in lively exercise, when the other is completely withdrawn. Zion said, my Lord hath forgotten me, and the Spouse, my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone" "He may be a forgetting and withdrawing God to my feeling; and yet to my faith, my God, and my Lord still. This case is accurately described by the prophet. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the Faith and Justification. 35 voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Isa. 1: 10. Here the believer, one who fears the Lord, is supposed to be absolutely destitute of sen¬ sible assurance; for he walks in darkness, and has no light; yet he is required to exercise the assurance of faith, by trusting in the Lord, and staying upon his God. . Seeing, therefore, that the Scriptures teach that there is in saving faith a special appropriation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the soul, with a persuasion of its own particular salvation through him; and that this doctrine is in.no wise contrary, but most conformable to the experience of the saints; the Synod do reject and solemnly testify against the prevailing errors, that justifying faith does not neces¬ sarily contain an appropriation of Christ to ourselves, as our own Saviour in particular; nor any assurance that we in particular shall be saved ; but merely a belief and per¬ suasion of God's mercy in Christ, and of his ability and willingness to save those who come unto God through him. And the Synod do warn their people against the principles herein condemned, as contrary to the faith of God's elect; as tending to encourage in sinners a lying hope, founded on a general assent to the truth of the Gospel; and to mar, instead of promoting, the growth and consolation of be¬ lievers. II. Of Justification. Justification, being the reverse of condemnation, expresses a change — not of personal qualities, but of relative state. For as condemnation does not make the subjects thereof wicked, so justification does not make them holy. But as the former is a sentence according to law, declaring a per¬ son unrighteous and adjudging him to penalty, so the lat¬ ter is a sentence, according to law, acquitting him from guilt and declaring him righteous. In justifying sinners, the Most High God, as an upright moral governor, passes a sentence wherein he pardoneth all their sins and accept¬ ed! them as righteous in his sight. For he forgiveth all their iniquities, Ps. 103: 3, and makes them accepted in the beloved. Eph 1: 6. This justification is an act, and is therefore completed at once. It is necessarily an act, because it is a legal sen- 36 Faith and Justification. tence; and an act cannot be progressive: this is the pro¬ perty of a work. The origin of justification is the sovereign grace of God — we axe, justified freely by his grace. Rom. 3: 24. The meritorious cause of it, that which renders it meet and right for God to absolve the sinner from the curse and receive him into favor, and on account of which he is just in justifying, is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, con¬ sisting of his whole obedience to the law, both in its pre¬ cept and penalty. We have redemption through his blood, Eph. 1: 7, and by his obedience many are made righteous. Rom. 5 : 19. This righteousness is conveyed to us by imputation ; that is, is placed to our account as really and effectively as if it had been accomplished in our own persons. He was made under the law; so under it, as to become sin for us, though he knew no sin, that we might be made the right¬ eousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5 : 21; i. e. as our sin being charged on him, is sustained in law as a sufficient reason for exacting from him, in our name, full compliance with all the demands of justice; so that compliance, which is his righteousness, being imputed unto us, is sustained in law as a sufficient reason for acquitting us, in his name, from guilt, and conferring on us a title to everlasting life. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all, and therefore by his stripes we are healed. Isa. 53 : 5, 6. With the imputation of the Surety's righteousness on the part of God the Judge, there is necessarily connected the cordial reception of it on our part. This is done by faith, the faith of the operation of God. It is in believing on the Lord Jesus, or, as has already been explained, accepting him for righteousness, on the divine warrant that our per¬ sons are released from the curse, and we are personally in¬ stated in the right to the inheritance. In this sense, and in this only, does faith justify; not as being in any possible form or degree our justifying righteousness, but simply as it embraces the righteousness of the Surety to the entire exclusion of our own. So speaks the Scripture : We are justified by faith. Rom 5:1; only as it is faith in his blood. Rom. 3 : 24. Hence it is apparent that personal justification takes place at the moment of believing, and not before. But as this Faith and Justification. 37 part of the doctrine of justification has been recently and boldly denied within the bounds of the Synod, they judge it their duty briefly to confirm it, and to hear their testimony against the contrary error. 1. It is not righteousness as imputed merely, that justi¬ fies, but as received also. On this the Scriptures lay par¬ ticular stress. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; which receiving is immediately explained by believing on his name. John 1: 12. No righteousness can justify me at the bar of justice, unless I am warranted in law to plead it as my own. It is palpably absurd to plead a righteousness which I reject. The very plea supposes that the righteousness is mine, and that I trust in it. Now, the righteousness of Christ is not mine in possession, till I accept it as the Father's gift, which I do in believing. Before believing, therefore, I have no righteousness to oppose to the claims of the law, and consequently, neither am nor can be justified. It will not be questioned that the Lord never imputes righteousness to those who never believe, and that he always bestows the grace of faith on those to whom he imputes righteousness. And this demonstrates that there subsists such a connex¬ ion between imputation on his part and faith on ours, that without the latter the former could not produce its effect. But that effect is our justification; therefore justification cannot take place before believing. 2. The law applies its curse to the person of every sin¬ ner in particular, and its terror to the conscience of every convinced sinner in particular. That the Gospel, as the ministration of righteousness, may be directly opposed to the law as the ministration of con¬ demnation, and that its effect may completely destroy the effect of the law's curse, it is necessary that there be a par¬ ticular application of righteousness to the person of the sin¬ ner, and that the peace speaking blood of Jesus be particu¬ larly applied to his conscience. Both are asserted in the Scripture. Believers are elect according to the foreknowl¬ edge of God the Father, through sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1: 2, which purges their conscience from dead works. Heb. 9: 14. But it has been shown under the preceding head, that it is faith which appropri¬ ates the Lord Christ in his saving benefits. And as there 38 Faith and Justification. is no justification before he be thus appropriated, there can be none before believing. 3. The Scriptures divide the hearers of the Gospel into believers and unbelievers, and pronounce upon them sen¬ tences according to their respective characters. He that believeth is not condemned; John 3: 18; he is justified from all things; Acts 13: 39; he hath everlasting life. John 3: 36. While he that believeth not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3 : 18, 36. Till the sinner believe he is an unbeliever, and as long as he continues so, he is in a state of condem¬ nation ; the wrath of God abideth on him. Justifica¬ tion, therefore, before believing, is impossible ; it exhibits a monster which the Bible cannot know—a justified unbe¬ liever. It includes the revolting absurdity of a man's being at the same time and in the same respects, both acquitted and condemned ; both in a state of favor and in a state of wrath ; at once a partaker of Christ and an heir of hell. However plain and peremptory the scriptural doctrine on this point, there are not wanting some to corrupt and op¬ pose it by teaching, not only that justification precedes be¬ lieving, but that the elect were justified from eternity. If nothing more were meant than that the Lord, from eternity, purposed to justify his elect through the righteous¬ ness of their head, Jesus Christ, and that this gracious pur¬ pose or decree infallibly secures their justification in time, it would be a glorious truth. Though to call this justifica¬ tion, when it is in fact the same with election, would be a strange abuse of terms, and would engender an idle and unedifying strife of words. But it is contended that justifi¬ cation, strictly and properly speaking, is eternal; that Je¬ hovah having, from eternity, accepted the suretyship of the Son, accepted, and therefore justified the elect in him : that as His will to elect is election, so His will to justify is justification : that this being eternally an immanent act of the Divine mind, is the true justification: that the transient act, which passes in time on the person of a sinner, and which we style justification, is only an intimation to his conscience of what was done in eternity, and that the pro¬ per business of faith is not to justify, but to impart to the believer a clear manifestation and a comfortable sense of his eternal justification. Faith and Justification. 39 How contrary all this is to the nature of things, to the testimony of God's word, and to the experience of his peo¬ ple, may be easily demonstrated. 1. Justification being the sentence of God the Judge, ac¬ quitting the sinner from guilt and pronouncing him right¬ eous, according to the tenor of the moral law, necessarily implies both the existence of the law and the breach of it by the person justified; neither of which can consist with the doctrine of eternal justification. 2. If, as is alledged, the will to justify is justification, as the will to elect is election, it is certain that the will to create is creation, the will to sanctify, sanctification, the will to save, salvation; so that men were created, sanctified, saved from eternity. That sanctification is a change of personal qualities and justification of legal relations, will neither alter the ques¬ tion nor remove the difficulty. For justification as neces¬ sarily supposes the existence of the relations affected by it, as sanctification does the existence of the persons sancti¬ fied. Both these blessings impart a real and glorious change ; only the subject of the latter is a sinner's person, and of the former, his state. Beside, condemnation affects only legal relations ; and if the will to justify is justifica¬ tion, the will to condemn must be condemnation; so that mankind were condemned from eternity ; that is, eternally, before the covenant, for the breach of which they were con¬ demned, had any being ; or else the covenant with Adam was as eternal as the covenant with Christ; i. e. was made with Adam an eternity before he was created. 3. If the elect were justified from eternity in virtue of their being from eternity in Christ by covenant representa¬ tion, it must follow either that they never were in Adam as a head of condemnation ; or else that they were condemned in Adam after their justification in Christ, because the latter was from eternity and the former only in time; for it is ev¬ ident that they could not be condemned in Adam before he fell under condemnation himself. But both these propo¬ sitions are most repugnant to every principle and declara¬ tion of the Scripture. 4. The elect could not be eternally justified in Christ, their surety, because the surety himself was not justified. As the God man he was made under the law, both in its 40 Faith and Justification. precept and penalty, nor was he discharged till he had sat¬ isfied both to the uttermost. God was first manifested in the flesh, then justified in the Spirit. 1 Tim. 3: 16. This is usually called the virtual justification of the elect; by which must be understood, that in the obedience and death of the Lord Jesus a foundation was laid for their pardon and acceptance, so that God might be justified in justifying them, and the promise thereof made irreversibly sure to them as the seed. But that this was not their own proper justification, is clear from the example of those who, by faith in the Saviour to come, were justified before his appearing to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 5. If the elect were justified from eternity, and of course came justified into the world, it is undeniable that every elect person is regenerated and sanctified from the womb; or else that justification and sanctification may be and often are separated, so that a person in favor with God and an heir of life, may, notwithstanding, be for years and scores of years under the dominion and wallowing in the filth of sin. The former is contrary to notorious fact, and the lat¬ ter, exploding sanctification as the necessary concomitant and test of justification, destroys our Lord's rule, that the tree is known by its fruit. Matt. 12 : 23. 6. The notion of eternal justification overthrows the whole doctrine of the Scripture concerning the office of the grace of faith. This is, preeminently, to receive Christ Jesus the Lord as Jehovah, our righteousness; for he is made of God unto us—righteousness, 1 Cor. 1: 30 ; and with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Rom. 10 : 10. But if the use of faith be merely to manifest our eternal justifica¬ tion, it can in no sense be said to receive Christ for right¬ eousness, which implies, that previously the person exer¬ cising it had none. In addition to which it is obvious, ac¬ cording to this scheme — 1st. That faith can no otherwise justify than works ; be¬ cause holiness being the effect of cleansing by the blood of Christ, manifests our justification; yet the Scriptures at¬ tribute justification to faith and positively deny it to works. 2d. That no person .can be a believer who has not a comfortable sense of his justification ; for faith manifests it; and he loses his faith as often as he loses the manifes¬ tation of his justification ; so that there are neither no be- Faith and Justification. 41 lievers in the world, or else men are believers or unbeliev¬ ers as their comfortable sense of their justification comes and goes. 3d. That no sinner can be called by the ministry of the word to believe, or be condemned for unbelief. Not to believe, because the use of faith being to manifest justifi¬ cation, the call, if general, must be addressed to many who never were, and never will be, justified, and, therefore, have no justification to be manifested ; and if restricted, must be grounded on election — the objects whereof no man knows, or can know. Nor could any be condemned for unbelief— for faith, not being a receiving of Christ for justification, but only manifesting our eternal justification, embraces no offer, and, therefore, unbelief, which is the reverse of faith, rejects none ; and if sinners be condemned for their unbe¬ lief, they will be condemned for a non-manifestation of what never existed. 7. The people of God, when enabled at first to believe, never do it as already justified ; but, feeling themselves accursed and perishing sinners, shut up under the most righteous condemnation of the law, flee to the Lord Jesus, that they may be pardoned, and may be saved from the wrath to come. These views are absolutely inconsistent with the idea and the doctrine of eternal justification. To say that they are erroneous, seeing the elect sinner was eter¬ nally justified, though he does not know it, is, on the mat¬ ter, to say that the Holy Ghost fills his people with ground¬ less terrors, and leads them to lying exercises — for it is he who convinces them of sin, by applying to their consciences both the precept and the curse of the law. Nor will it be any relief to plead that the elect considered as in Christ are justified, but considered in Adam, are children of wrath; for this not only silences the challenge of the Apostle, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God/s elect 1 but supposes them to remain under the very condemnation from which justification in Christ was intended to deliver them. And as, on this plan, there is no inconsistency now between their being justified in Christ, and, at the same time, con¬ demned in Adam, there can be none at any future period ; so that the elect may continue to all eternity in the heavens, in the presence and in the enjoyment of God — children of wrath ! 6 42 The Kingly Authority of the Lord Jesus. From this pernicious tenet, as from a root of bitterness and poison, spring many noxious errors, which, at various times, have infected the church of Christ, and which a regard to her spiritual health has compelled the Synod, however reluctant in severity, to aim at extirpating from their bounds. Hence, the infatuated notions, that Christ is offered in the Gospel to the elect only — that ministers have nothing to do with the reprobate — that the immediate duty of the hearer of the Gospel is to believe, first of all, his per¬ sonal election to eternal life — that one may be for a series of years in a gracious state, without knowing it, or bringing forth the fruits of grace, and yet ought not to question it; with other of a like nature and tendency; all of which do necessarily arise out of the doctrine of eternal justification. The Synod do, therefore, bear this their explicit and public testimony against it; and do solemnly warn and enjoin both ministers and people under their care, as they regard the glory of the Lord Jesus and the welfare of their own souls, to 'discountenance it; and every one who in any manqer inculcates it, as subverting the very foundations of the Gospel — leading sinners to a false and ruinous confi¬ dence, and ministering powerful incentives to all ungod¬ liness. John Young, Moderator. John McJimsey, Clerk pro tern. AN ACT CONCERNING THE KINGLY AUTHORITY OF THE LORD JESUS. Whereas, a principle has lately been propagated, highly derogatory to the Lord Jesus, and hostile to the peace and prosperity of his church, "denying him the exclusive right to ecclesiastical legislation," the Ministers and Elders, in Synod assembled, feel themselves obligated to declare — they hereby do declare—their sentiments on that subject. Jesus Christ is the only Lawgiver of his church; and to invest any man, or body of men, with legislative powers, is a daring infringement of his royal prerogative. It may not The Kingly Authority of the Lord Jesus. 43 be unnecessary to remark, that this authority, strictly con¬ sidered, belongs to Him as Mediator — was given to Him of the Father, and is distinct from that underived, essential dominion, of which, as a Person in Jehovah, he is necessa¬ rily possessed. That the Lord Jesus is the only Lawgiver of his church, appears obvious from those princely names by which he is uniformly exhibited in Scripture. Thus, he is emphatically called "the Prince of Peace;" "our Judge, our Lawgiver and King;" a "King set" or appointed "by Jehovah over his Holy Hill of Zion;" "Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting;" that "one Shep¬ herd," raised up of the Father for Israel, his spiritual flock; the "one Lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy." In these and other passages of Scripture, the Redeemer is not barely denominated Chief Shepherd, Lawgiver, &c., de¬ noting a mere preeminence of authority, but he is entitled that "one Shepherd" and "Lawgiver," undeniably evincing that legislative authority is his peculiar prerogative. This doctrine is still further confirmed by those ensigns of supremacy by which the Redeemer is distinguished. Long before his appearing in our world, it was foretold of Messiah, that " the government should be upon his shoul¬ der;" that he should sit and rule upon his throne, and should be a Priest upon his throne; " that the Lord God would give unto him the throne of his father David— that he should reign over the house of Jacob forever." In con¬ formity to these ancient predictions, Christ is afterwards set forth as possessing "all power in heaven and'earth." "The Father loveth the Son," says the Holy Ghost, by the Evan¬ gelist John — " the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." These and similar passages of Scripture evidently hold forth the Lord Jesus as the only Lawgiver of his house, and rebuke, as both arrogant and presumptuous, all such as claim any legislative power therein. Connect with these another argument, equally convincing in itself, and appropriate to 'the foregoing proposition, that church officers are appointed only by Christ. It is his di¬ vine prerogative to raise up, qualify and establish them in the church. He commissioned the disciples to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. " He 44 The Kingly Authority of the Lord Jesus. gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." As the appointment of officers belongs pecu¬ liarly to him, in like manner the establishment of all sacred institutions. No observance, however rational in its nature, or cunningly calculated to inspire or assist devotion, is bind¬ ing on the church, unless sanctioned by the command, and enstamped with the signature of Zion's King. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." " In vain," is the challenge of his jealousy — "in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Add to this, that ordinances are dispensed inva¬ riably in his name. Ministers are only ambassadors for Christ. By authority derived from him, "they hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that whatsoever they bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatsoever they loose on earth is loosed in heaven." " I have received of the Lord," says the Apostle, establishing the venerable ordi¬ nance of the Supper—"I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you." Church censures are also administered agreeably to his appointment. Is the offending brother cut off from the communion of the faith¬ ful, or, upon his apparent repentance, restored to the privi¬ leges of the church ? Both are executed in the name and by the authority of Christ. These arguments, either separately or unitedly consi¬ dered, undeniably prove that the Lord Jesus is the sole Lawgiver in Zion, and that church officers are vested with no other than executive or ministerial powers. They are servants under Christ as their Master; they are disciples of Christ as their Lord ; they are only stewards of the mysteries of godliness. The Synod, therefore, embrace the present opportunity of testifying against the contrary opin¬ ion as unscriptural—as highly degrading to the Great God our Saviour — and dangerous to the peace and order of his house; and hereby they publicly and solemnly warn the people under their inspection against complying with the same. John Young, Moderator. John McJimsey, Clerk pro tem. DECLARATION AND TESTIMONY OP THE ASSOCIATE SYNOD. CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. We would not think it necessary to add anything con¬ cerning the doctrines taught in our Confession of Faith, were it not that many of these doctrines are perverted or denied by some, who profess to receive it as the Confession of their faith. It is, therefore, our duty to bear testimony for the truth, against these and other enemies with whom they join in opposing it. Article I. Of the Necessity of Scripture Revelations. I. We declare that we receive the Holy Scriptures, not merely as a sufficient rule, but as the wily rule of faith and obedience. There is no other revelation made, either by the light of nature or by an universal tradition, from which men may learn that God will. be gracious to sinners, will forgive their transgressions, and receive them into his favor. The entrance, the evil, and the extent of sin, and the only propitiation by which it is taken away, are all unknown where the Scripture revelation is unknown. There is no salvation in any other than our Lord Jesus Christ; and he is the Saviour of his body the Church — not of those who live in heathen darkness, or who rebel against the light of his word. The Lord either sends the Gospel to those whom he hath appointed to Salvation, or he brings them to some place were it is made known. The Heathen are 46 Declaration and Testimony. described by the Spirit of truth, as sitting in the shadow of death, as led captive by Satan working in their hearts, as children of disobedience ; and therefore, without exception, children of wrath. II. The light of nature, together with the works of cre¬ ation and providence, does, however, so far manifest the power, wisdom and goodness of God, as to render the Heathen inexcusable. Impressions of the divine law still remain on their hearts. Their consciences do, in some de¬ gree, bear witness that there is a Judge higher than any on earth, by whom their actions are tried ; and the visible works of God do manifest to their minds his perfections in¬ visible to the bodily eye, even his eternal power and God¬ head : so that they are without excuse, because they do not improve the knowledge of God which they have, in glorifying him as the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the universe; are not thankful for what of his goodness is dis¬ played to them : go into foolish imaginations quite contrary to the light given them; do those things which their own consciences declare to be evil, and change the truth of God into a lie ; worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator; the object of their fear, esteem, and adoration, being dumb idols, things inanimate, de¬ parted spirits or devils, not Jehovah — the only living and true God. Because they do not give glory to God, accord¬ ing to the knowledge they have of his great and holy name, he justly leaves them to proceed from one degree of idola¬ try and wickedness to another, so that they become exceed¬ ing vile in their lives, and exceeding mad in their super¬ stitions. III. We do, therefore, reject the opinion of those who teach that all knowledge of the Supreme Being to be found in the world, is learned from the revelation of grace made to man since the fall; and that so much of this knowledge as we find among those who have not the written word, has been communicated to them and preserved among them by tradition only. This opinion is contrary to the Scrip¬ tures, and is designed to pave the way for other and greater errors: as, First, That there is a revelation made to all, though more obscurely to some. Secondly, That the rev¬ elation of grace being universal, all of every class, Mahom¬ etan or Heathen, will be saved, who study to frame their Declaration and Testimony. 47 lives according to the light they have, though they never saw or heard of the written revelation we have, and know nothing about our Lord Jesus Christ. And, Thirdly, as a consequence of these two errors, that it is men's improve¬ ment of the means they enjoy, not the free grace of God manifested in Christ Jesus, which makes the difference be¬ tween those who are saved and those who perish. That the Heathen may be saved by living according to the light they have, we do reject as an opinion directly op¬ posite to the Scripture, which assures us, that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh, no one of the human race, Jew or Gentile, without or within the Church, be justified in the sight of God ; and as an opinion which proceeds upon a supposition of that being true, which the Scripture assures us is absolutely false; for no one of the Heathen ever did, and, by reason of the entire depravity of nature which is com¬ mon to all, no one of them ever can live according to the light he has, or obey the law of God so far as he knows it. The Lord beholding from heaven the children of men, de¬ clares, that they are gone aside ; they are altogether be¬ come filthy ; there is none that doeth good, no not one* Article II. Of the Trinity. I. As we adhere to the doctrine expressed in our Con¬ fession of Faith concerning the Trinity, we do reject all contrary opinions, particularly, the error of those who deny that our Lord Jesus Christ is necessarily existent, which is the same as to deny that He is equal with the Father, and one with the Father, God over all blessed for ever. The works done by our Redeemer, shew him to be the supreme Jehovah ; by him all things were made, and without him was not anything made that was made.\ He speaks and it is done-; He commands and it stands fast, — the- sole prerogative of the Most High. He raiseth the dead, which he could not do if he were not God Om¬ nipotent. He will judge the world in righteousness, which he could not do, if he were not God Omniscient, knowing all things which have been thought, said, or acted in the world, from Adam to the last of his posterity. II. A steadfast belief of this truth, that our Redeemer is ♦ Psalm 14 : 2, 3. f John 1 : 3. 48 Declaration and Testimony. God Infinite in all divine perfections, is absolutely neces¬ sary to that confidence in him, and love to him, which the Scriptures require of us. We are commanded to honor Him as we honor the Father;* which, compared with that other commandment, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, plainly shews us that He is both a distinct person from the Father, and one in essence or being with the Father, the object of the same love, adoration and praise. If we know the depth of that misery into which we have fallen, and the greatness of that salvation which we need, we will acknowledge that none but an Almighty Redeemer can save us : if Jehovah, the eternal God, is not our help, we must perish in our sins. III. We believe our Redeemer to be the Son of God by eternal generation, and reject the opinion of those who, de¬ nying this truth, teach, that he is so called, either on ac¬ count of the relation He, as the head of the redeemed, stands in to the first Person of the Trinity, or on account of his assumption of human nature. The Scriptures teach that God sent his >Son to redeem us, plainly intimating that the Redeemer was the Son of God, abstract from the consid¬ eration of his undertaking as a surety for us, or of his enter¬ ing upon his mediatory work; His mission supposes his Sonship ; His Sonship does not arise from his mission ; and in this was manifested the love of God towards us, be¬ cause that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.t He spared not his own Son, (his Son in a sense absolutely different from that in which any other is so,) but gave him up for us allA IY. We do also believe, that the Holy Spirit is God, equal with the Father and the Son, and one with them.; because the Scriptures of truth teach us that he gives those gifts which none but God can give ; searcheth the heart, and has that perfect knowledge of it, which none but God can have ; is every where present, which none but God can be ; and is the object of that worship which is due to God, and to none else. And we do reject the errors of those who deny him to be a distinct person from the Father and the Son, together with all opinions contrary to that revealed truth, There are three that bear record in Heaven, the ♦John 5: 2, 3. t Matth. 4 : 10. $ 1 John 4:9. § Rom. 8: 32. Declaration and Testimony. 49 Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are one* Y. We do, moreover, reckon it our duty to be on our guard, against receiving any pretended new explications of the doctrine of the Trinity, which may have a show of wisdom, but which speak not according to the oracles ot God, because the Lord hath said to us, Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.t Article III. Of Predestination. I. We believe that God did, from eternity, choose some of fallen men to everlasting life in Christ Jesus — not on account of any goodness which he foresaw would be found in thefti, rendering them more worthy of his choice than the rest whom he passed by, but according to his sovereign good pleasure. The Lord hath mercy on whom he will have mercy. The number and aggravations of men's sins are not the cause of any being passed by in the decree of election — for God hath chosen some of the chief of sinners; nor is the comparative fewness of men's sins the cause why any of them are appointed to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ — for every sinner deserves eternal death, and no sinner is saved but by free grace. II. God, who is infinite in goodness, exercises it freely, according to the counsel of his own will. His choosing of some to eternal life, is a display of unmerited goodness to them ; and the rest of fallen men, whom he passed by and left to perish in their sins, are not hereby injured. God, who is just and good, withholds nothing from them which they can claim as due to them. He gave men eminent rank among his creatures, endowing them with rational and immortal souls, and they employ all these endowments, which render them higher than the beasts of the field, in rebellion against their Creator and Lord. He gives them many good things belonging to the present life, and these they employ in sinning against him. He is long-suffering towards them, and they become so much the more hardened in their iniquities. He condemns, and at length casts them *1 John 5: 7. + Col. 2: 8. 7 50 Declaration and Testimony. down under his wrath; but the reason why he thus con¬ demns and punisheth them, is not his passing by them in the decree of election, but their own wickedness — and this wickedness is voluntary. Though the Lord is said to har¬ den them, he does so only by leaving them to the power of their own evil inclinations; by not bestowing on them that grace which softens the heart, the giving of which depends upon his sovereign pleasure ; and by permitting snares and temptations to stand in their way. They sin without any force compelling them. When the Lord gives up men to their own heart's lusts, they walk in their own counsels, choosing and loving that way the end of which is death. III. This doctrine we judge necessary to be taught in the church. As it is of God, we need not be ashamed or afraid to avow it — and it is profitable for all to hear it; it lays the axe to the root of human pride, and teaches us to give the entire glory of our salvation to God—seeing this salvation is not of him that runneth, nor of him that wil- leth, hut of God, who sheweth mercy. The elect, being called, and having obtained that precious faith, the end of which is a perfect salvation, may know that God hath loved them with an everlasting love. And nothing will more powerfully and effectually induce them to love and serve him who has thus chosen them, that they should be holy and without blame before him in love, than this knowledge of their election. And others, who have not this knowledge, can never, in the present life, know that they are not elected, and, therefore, cannot justly plead that this doctrine has any tendency to discourage them. If they understand it, and rightly improve it, it will have a quite opposite effect on them. Some are appointed to salvation, therefore, some shall obtain it; and every one may say, Why not I? there¬ fore, I will seek it. IV. If any allege, that all things being fixed by the de¬ cree of God, they need not use means, the answer to be given to this wicked and unreasonable objection is, that God hath indeed decreed whatsoever comes to pass; all things are as they are, because he decreed that so they should be. This all must confess, or find out some other first cause of things beside God. The number of our days, the bounds of our habitation, our going out and coming in, our lying down and rising up, with every circumstance Declaration and Testimony. 51 of our life, are all absolutely fixed in the eternal and unal¬ terable decree of God. He foreknew all things, and he foreknew them, because he decreed that they should be; yet the belief of this truth does not make us neglect the use of means for obtaining the ends we have in view in the ordi¬ nary business of our stations; and no more should it make us neglect to seek, in the use of appointed means, salvation by our Loid Jesus Christ. The means and the end are inseparably joined in the decree of God ; seeking salvation is the way to obtain it—neglecting to seek it, is the way to destruction. V. We testify against all, who, denying that election is particulart certain, and wholly of grace, teach that it is general of whosoever shall repent and believe — that it is according to the works of men, God having chosen such as he foresaw would distinguish themselves from the rest of mankind by a better improvement of the means of grace—and that it is uncertain, it being, according to the teachers of this error, possible that the elect may totally and finally apostatize from that faith and holiness, upon condition of perseverance in which, it is alleged, they were chosen to eternal life. These errors we abhor, as, by as¬ serting them, men deny God the glory due to his name, and give it to creatures. These errors, so flattering to human pride, but so contrary to the word of God, began to spread in the Reformed Churches about the beginning of the last century. They have ever since been working like a deadly poison, less or more, in all of them, and have prevailed to the great hurt of Christianity—yea, almost to its destruc¬ tion in some of them. VI. We do also testify against those who, though they do not oppose the received doctrine of the Protestant churches concerning predestination, yet allege that it is not safe or profitable to teach it, as if men were wiser than God — as if what he hath expressed in his word were to be kept a secret — or as if the abuse of any article of Scripture doctrine were a just reason for concealing it. The whole doctrine of the salvation of sinners by free grace, through Jesus Christ, is intimately and inseparably con¬ nected with the decree of God choosing them to salvation, not according to any foreseen merit of their's, but accord¬ ing to his good pleasure. And if this election of grace is 52 Declaration and Testimony. not either plainly asserted, or considered as unquestionably true, the Gospel cannot be preached; these questions can¬ not be asked, as a reproof to human pride, O man, who malceth thee to differ ? What hast thou which thou didst not receive ? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?* Nor can that song be sung in the church, Not unto us, not unto our free will, not unto our good inclinations, hut unto thy free grace, unto thy good will, O Lord, be the glory. Article IV. Of Providence. I. We believe that the Providence of God extendeth unto, and is concerned about, all things. The Lord who made, does also uphold, rule, and, according to the counsel of his own will, order, the whole universe. A sparrow falls not to the ground unnoticed by him. He numbereth even the hairs of our head. II. As to what some have called the certain and fixed laws of nature, they are no more than the usual methods by which the Lord makes one thing instrumental in effect¬ ing another. He works by means, without means, or con¬ trary to ordinary means, as seemeth good in his sight. As to what is called chance, strictly speaking, there is no such thing; those events which seem most accidental to us, are all wisely and justly ordered by the Most High. He puts down one and sets up another; and not only does he raise up or cast down the mighty, but he takes notice of the smallest things—he feeds the ravens. III. We do, therefore, testify against those who deny a particular Providence, and against those who teach that the universe is like a clock or machine, which being once set a going by the hand of its maker, requires no more at¬ tention ; and who affirm that the constitution given to the world in its creation necessarily produced every event and circumstance which have since or may afterwards take place in it, without the least concern or- agency of the Cre¬ ator. These errors are so plainly condemned by the whole doctrine and history of the Scripture, that no one who truly believes it can be ensnared by them. They are not new errors; some of old maintained them, saying, The Lord *1 Cor. 4:7. Declaration and Testimony. 53 will not do good, neither will he do evil: The Lord seeth not, neither doth the God of Jacob regard what is done. And the Holy Spirit describes these persons as the brutish among the people ; more stupid than the greater part even of the wicked ; and concerning such it is threatened, that their insensibility shall be removed by swift destruction from the Almighty—because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operations of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.* Article Y. Of the Covenant of Works. I. God having created man after his own image, capable, of knowing, serving, and enjoying him, gave him a promise of a blessed and eternal life, upon condition of his perfect obedience to the divine law, threatening death as a just and necessary punishment of disobedience; by which death was meant not only the dissolution of his bodily frame, but everlasting destruction, which consists in being cast out from the gracious presence of the Lord, and buried in hell under his wrath. The Lord made trial of man's obedience by a positive precept, (and by one which it was very easy to keep,) allowing him to eat of every tree of the garden of Eden, where he was placed, except the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, and intimating to him that in the day he ate of it he should surely die ; a threatening which, upon his transgression, was verified — he dying, spiritually, as soon as he had sinned, and becoming liable to death in its utmost extent. To this, man undoubtedly agreed; the Lord proposed nothing but what was just and good, and it was impossible for man, in his upright state, to hesitate one moment about giving his consent. The words of Eve to the serpent, at first alleging the command of God against eating the forbidden fruit, plainly shew that our first parents considered themselves as under the en¬ gagement which the Lord had proposed to them. II. This transaction between God and man may be called a covenant. There was a promise, a condition, a penalty, and, it cannot be denied, an agreement on man's part to what God proposed. And, though the life promised in this covenant was a reward far higher than the .obedience of ♦ Psalm 28: 5. 54 Declaration and Testimony. any creature could merit, yet, seeing the Lord, abundant in goodness and truth, promised life as the reward of man's obedience, it may justly be called a covenant of works. III. We also believe that in this covenant Adam was the representative of his posterity, with whom they were to stand or fall, as he stood or fell. Of this we are convinced, by the comparison the Holy Spirit again and again makes between the first man Adam and our Lord Jesus Christ — declaring that as they all died in the one. so were all made alive in the other; that as by the one sin and death entered into the world, so by the other righteousness and life en¬ tered ; and that as by the offence of the one many were made sinners, so by the obedience of the other many were made righteous;* which can only refer to the dying or liv¬ ing, the making sinners or the making righteous, of those whom each of them did, as a public person, and as a cove¬ nant-head, represent. IV. We do, therefore, reject the opinion of those who affirm that there was no covenant made with Adam, or that he was not the representative of his posterity. This error is designed to prepare the way for denying original sin, and for perverting the whole order of redemption. Article VI. Of Man, in his Fallen Estate. I. We acknowledge that though man was made upright, yet being left to act freely, according to his own will, and, as a creature, being liable to change, he transgressed the covenant God made with him; and this first man, Adam, being the representative of his posterity, we sinned and fell in him, and are now in our natural state, under the guilt of Adam's transgression, under the curse due to it, and liable to the eternal wrath threatened as its just punishment. By one maris disobedience many were made sinners; not merely taught by his example to sin — not merely disposed to commit sin, by having a corrupt nature transmitted from him to them — but made or constituted sinners, the guilt of this one man, their representative, being imputed to them, or, by the law, accounted their's. II. We also acknowledge that we, being by nature dead in trespasses and sins, are as unable of ourselves to do ♦ Rom. 5: 19. Declaration and Testimony. 55 any work truly good and acceptable to God, as those dead whom we see laid in the grave are unable of themselves to rise and perform the works of the living. This deprava¬ tion of our nature, we confess to be the spring of all actual transgression. The tree being evil, the fruit cannot be good ; nor can a corrupt fountain send forth any but bitter streams. Every imagination of the heart of man, till changed by grace, is evil, from his youth evil, only evil, and continually evil; and it must be so — for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean 7 III. We do, moreover, acknowledge that a sense of guilt working in fallen, unrenewed men -a fear of God's wrath, their wicked minds are filled with enmity against him; and the more clearly they discern the holiness of his law, the extent of his commandments, and the righteous severity of his threatenings, the enmity of the heart becomes the more violent. Thus, the law, which is holy, just, and good, and which shewed to innocent man an attainable and a plain path of life, is so far from leading fallen man to life, that his corruption takes occasion from it to work more vehemently. The more closely and plainly the law is urged on the con¬ science, the more does the rebellion of his heart against God, the lawgiver, display itself in hatred at the holy com¬ mandment. The law is, however, to be preached to sin¬ ners along with the Gospel. They who continue under it, must hear what it saith to them, that they may be convinced of their inability to answer its demands — that they may see how dreadful their condition is — and that they, thus killed by the law, may be persuaded to listen to the Gospel, which manifesteth Jesus Christ the Saviour as the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. IY. We do, therefore, testify against those who teach that there is no such thing as original sin, or that, if there be, it consists only in the want of that righteousness in which man was created; or, at most, in the depravation of our nature, not in our guilt, by the imputation of Adam's first transgression to us, his posterity. This error is design¬ ed to prepare the \yay for denying the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to us for our justification before God. We also testify against all who teach that we have suffered so very little by the fall that it is in our power, by the help of the external means given us, to repair our loss; 56 Declaration and, Testimony. and who deny that there is any absolute need of the all- powerful influence of the Spirit and grace of God to renew us, and to work in us to will and to do that which is well- pleasing in his sight. Such we account deceivers, who would lead us away from Jesus Christ, the Lord who heal- eth us. We have destroyed ourselves, but in him is our help. Article VII. Of the Obligation of the Covenant of Works on Men in their Natural State. I. We do also acknowledge, as a truth plainly taught in the Word of God, and necessarily connected with what we have already declared, that all men, in their natural estate, are under the law given to Adam, and under it in the same form in which it was given to him, viz : that of a covenant of works. This law being, as to the matter or substance of it, written on man's heart in creation, was afterwards expressed in the ten commandments given at Sinai, to put Israel in mind of their duty — to convince them of the ab¬ solute impossibility of obtaining acceptance before God by their obedience, seeing they came so far short of what was required—and to excite them to look by faith through the veil of the ceremonies and sacrifices which God then ap¬ pointed in the church, to the promised Messiah, the salva¬ tion of Israel. And this law is the perpetual and unalter¬ able rule of righteousness, particularly of the duty we owe to God and to one another. Under it, in some form, all men must be; and men, in their natural state, can be under it in no other form than that in which they originally were in their first head. Though they fail in their duty, they are still bound to it — and bound to it under the same penalty and threatening of death as ever; the promise of life still remains to the man who doth these things which the law requires—he shall live by them. If any could satisfy the law for their offences, and fulfil whatever it commands, they would be accepted and declared righteous by God, the lawgiver. But no one can do this. By the deeds of the law — that is, by such deeds as men are now able to per¬ form in obedience to the law -i— shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. Declaration and Testimony. 57 II. That men, in their natural state, are universally under a law, cannot be denied by any who believe the Scrip¬ tures, in which this is so often and s® plainly asserted; and that this is not the ceremonial law, nor yet the moral law, merely as a rule of righteousness, is no less unquestionable. The ceremonial law extended to the Jews only—did not stop every mouth, nor declare the whole world guilty be¬ fore God. It is said, concerning the law, which men in their natural state are under, that as many as are of its works — that is, as many as adhere to it, and continue sub¬ ject to it—are under the curse. This cannot be said of the ceremonial law; many who lived and died under it, were blessed of God and precious in his sight. It never brought any under the curse, except when they, not under¬ standing the design of it, adhered to it as a part of the covenant of works, seeking life by their obedience to it, not by Christ, to whom it directed them. Nor can it be said, that as many as are under the law, as a rule of righteous¬ ness, are under the curse ; if they were, no rational crea¬ ture could be delivered from the curse, without their obli¬ gation to love and serve God becoming void, which is im¬ possible. Thus, the law under which men in their natural state are, is neither a new law which God has given them since the fall, nor the law given to Adam, published in any new form. All stand where he left them, till they are brought into a new state by our Lord Jesus Christ. III. It is not the proclamation of the Gospel, but the re¬ ceiving that salvation offered in it, which sets men free from the law as a covenant, which may be thus illustrated : If a creditor direct his debtor to a surety who is able and wil¬ ling to fulfil his engagements for him, yet, if the debtor, though unable to pay, and bound in duty to follow the di¬ rection given him, be so obstinate and foolish as to refuse to employ the surety, he, in that case, remains under the same engagements as before ; it is not the creditor's offer to deal with him by a surety, but his acceptance of the offer, that would set him free. Moreover, if there is any promise made to this debtor of some good thing which he should have, upon fulfilling his engagements, still, upon the per¬ formance of the condition, it would beeome due to him. It is our duty to lay hold on the covenant of grace, which the Lord proclaims to us; but if we refuse, we thereby avow 8 58 Declaration and Testimony. our adherence to the covenant of works, declaring that we will seek life according to it only. Thus, to the unbeliev¬ ing, the obligation of#the covenant of works is far from be¬ ing made void by the revelation of the covenant of grace., IY. We do, therefore, reject the opinion of those who teach that men, in their natural state, are not under the same covenant with Adam, and debtors to do the whole law. The design of this error is, first, to prepare the way for de¬ nying the satisfaction of Christ, and, next, for introducing into the place of the Gospel a new law, prescribing terms of acceptance with God, which are said to be easier and better adapted to our fallen state than those of the first covenant. And we maintain that the Lord never did, nor ever will, accommodate his law to the sinful weakness of men, it being inconsistent with his holy nature to require less than a perfect obedience, or a loving him with all the heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves; and, besides, no accommodation of God's lav/ to our weakness would avail, since our endeavors in our fallen state to keep the least of God's commandments, are attended with such imperfections as in themselves de¬ serve eternal death. Article YIII. Of the Suretyship and Satisfaction of Christ. I. We believe that Jesus Christ, our Surety, was made under the law which Adam broke, and which all men, in their natural state, are under; otherwise, it could not be said that he was made under the law to redeem them who are under the law*—he came not only, or chiefly, to re¬ deem the Jews from the burden of the ceremonial law, but to redeem both Jews and Gentiles from the curse of that law, or covenant of works, which extends to all the human race in their natural state, and condemns them all to death, they being, without exception, transgressors of it. The Gentiles were in no sense under the ceremonial law. But Christ was made under the law, and made a curse for all whom he redeemed, that he might redeem them all from the curse of the law—without an interest in which re- * Gal. 4: 4, 5. Declaration and Testimony. 59 demption, neither Jews nor Gentiles could receive the adop¬ tion of sons. II. Further, as those whom our Lord Jesus represented, owed both a debt of obedience and of suffering, neither of which they were able to pay, he, according to his engage¬ ment, paid both for them. It became him to fulfil all righteousness in the place of his people. All that was re¬ quired, he, as their Surety, performed. He left no one de¬ mand which the law-covenant had upon him unanswered. Thus, all he did and suffered, from the time he was made manifest in the flesh, till he yielded up his spirit on the cross, was done and suffered, not merely on our account, or for our good, but in our place, by him as our representative and surety; and his whole righteousness, consisting in his obedience even unto death, is imputed to believers for their justification before God — that is, it is accounted their's, as much as if they had performed it in their own persons. As among men, the payment of a debt by a surety, is ac¬ counted by the law his payment for whom it was made, so Christ, by his obedience unto death, obtained for us not merely deliverance from wrath, but an heavenly inheritance, with all the blessings we need to render us meet for it, or to bring us forward to the enjoyment of it. In him we are complete; he is made of God, to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctif cation, and redemption * III. Believing that this is the doctrine taught in the Scriptures of truth, and that the very existence of the Christian Church depends upon holding it fast and im¬ proving it, in drawing nigh unto God as reconciled to us in Christ, we testify against the following errors : First, That whatever Christ did and suffered, was indeed on our ac¬ count and for our good, in as much as thereby he set us an example of holiness and patience, and attested to us the truth of the doctrine he taught by dying for it; but that he did not obey and suffer in our place and as our surety. This error manifestly contradicts the Scripture, which as¬ sures us that Christ came to give his life.a ransom for many — that he is a propitiation for our sins—-and that he, the Just, suffered for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God. It degrades our Lord Jesus Christ from the character of a Saviour to that of an eminent teacher, and * 1 Cor. 1: 30. 60 Declaration and Testimony. places him on a level with the prophets, apostles, and other servants of God, who did also in their lives set us an ex¬ ample of holiness and patience, though not perfect like that of Christ, and attested the truth of the doctrine they taught by dying as witnesses for it. Thus, what they did and suffered, was on account of the church and for its good; but never any of them were what Christ is, the Sa¬ viour of the Church. Secondly, That Christ made a per¬ fect satisfaction for none, but a general satisfaction for all; in consequence of which, God, though fully reconciled to none, is willing to be reconciled to all or any who come to the terms of that which the teachers of this error call the new law or Gospel covenant, but which may with great propriety be called a new covenant of works devised by men, but utterly unknown in the revelation which God has given us of his will. Thirdly, That the satisfaction which Christ made for us, consisted wholly in his sufferings, not in his active obedience to the law. The Scriptures make no such distinction ; therefore, we reject all opinions found¬ ed upon it, as doctrines of men. Christ was made under the law, not for himself, but solely for us. He is said to have taken our infirmities upon himself, and to have borne our sickness, while, in his active obedience to the law, he was serving God, and doing offices of kindness to mankind, in healing their diseases. If his death is sometimes men¬ tioned as expressing the whole of what he did for us, it is because it was the most remarkable and finishing part of his obedience. He did not merely take away our sins, but by his perfect righteousness, comprehending his conformity to the law, in nature, heart, and life, he obtained that we should live and reign with him; less than this could not have removed the curse and opened the path of life to us. Article IX. Of the Extent of Redemption. I. Our Lord Jesus Christ was a representative and surety for the elect only — he died for them only, and for none other in any respect; and all for whom he died shall in¬ fallibly be saved. God is just, and will not require double payment for the same debt; had satisfaction been made by Christ for the sins of all men, none would have perished under the curse ; death, the wages of sin, would not have Declaration and Testimony. 61 been due to any, if Christ had suffered it for the whole human race. Our Lord Jesus himself tells us, that he laid down his life for his sheep ; that he knew who they were ; that they should all hear his voice— that is, acknowledge him as the good Shepherd of their souls; that he ivould give them eternal life ; and that they should never perish, nor any pluck them out of his hand .* He also declares that they were given him by the Father, adding that all who were thus given him should certainly come to him. Nothing can be more evident than that these assertions of our Lord concerning his sheep, express what is peculiar to a chosen number, and not what is applicable to the whole of mankind. II. God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for ws.t And shall that love have no further effects on those for whom Christ died? Another text may serve as an answer to that question: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?+ Yes, surely he will send the Holy Spirit to put us in possession of the benefits which flow from the death of Christ. That free love which gave Christ to die for sinners, will make all for whom he died, through the gift of his righteousness, and through the communication of his quickening Spirit, to reign in life by him and with him; for if when they were enemies they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, they shall be saved by his life A III. When Christ is said to have died for all, and to be a propitiation for the whole world, these expressions are to be understood in a limited sense, (as they most certainly are to be understood in other passages of Scripture,) not as signifying that Christ died for every individual of mankind, or for every man in the whole world, but that he died for all the elect for the whole world of the redeemed — for all of every nation, kindred and language, who belong to the election of grace; and that God hath set him forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to sin¬ ners of every description. We do not wrest the Scripture, while we thus explain what is more obscure in some texts, * John 10: 27, 28. tR°m-5:8- £ Rom. 8:32. $ Rom. 5: 10. 62 Declaration and Testimony. by others, where the matter in question is more expressly taught. IY. Election, redemption, intercession, and eternal salva¬ tion, are inseparable, or of equal extent. He who has an interest in any one of these, has an interest in the whole. Christ's dying for sinners is a manifestation of his love to them, which had no beginning, and will have no end. We do, therefore, testify against those who teach that though Christ died in a special manner for those who are saved, yet he died, in some sense, for those who perish. The Scripture makes no such distinction—the some sense which they plead for, has either no meaning, or else leads to other dangerous errors. We do also testify against the more common error of those who teach that the death of Christ was not. particularly intended for the redemption of any, but that the design of his death was to render salvation equally attainable to all. This error, like others, is design¬ ed to prepare the way for that scheme of doctrine, whereby men are taught that the power of believing, repenting, and yielding sincere obedience, having by the death of Christ been obtained for all, God will save them upon condition of their duly exercising that power. Thus, that error proves a removing from the grace of Christ to another Gos¬ pel, which is not indeed the Gospel, but bears so much of a resemblance to it as may deceive the simple. Article X. Of the Gospel, and of the Difference be¬ tween it and the Law. I. We declare that the Gospel, in the strict sense of the word, contains no commands nor threatenings, being only a promise of grace to sinners through Jesus Christ, or glad tidings of great joy, whereby God proclaims to us that he hath sent his Son to save us ; that whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; and that every one is warranted to believe on him, he being come to save sinners, the chief of whom, applying to him, need not fear that he will reject them. II. All commands belong to the law ; those which enjoin faith, repentance, and other duties peculiar to men under a dispensation of grace, not excepted. Disobedience to these commands is a sin which the law condemns; this it could Declaration and Testimony. 63 not do, if they did not belong to it—for where there is no law, there is no trangressiOn. Neither do these commands belong to any new law given since the fall. New revela¬ tions have been made to men, and duties have been required of them agreeable to the Lord's dispensation towards them, and agreeable to the circumstances in which they stood as fallen and guilty, or as redeemed and saved ; but no new law has been given them—for the first was perfect, and re¬ quired obedience to God in all things and for ever. The law given to Adam enjoined every duty required of us now, in as much as it bound him and his posterity to be¬ lieve not only what God had then revealed, but everything which he might afterwards reveal, and to obey not only what God had then commanded, but everything which he might afterwards command. III. The law is subservient to the Gospel, and therefore to be preached along with it. By the law is the knowledge of sin. It is useful for convincing sinners that they need salvation. It is useful for shewing believers what they de¬ serve, and what they owe to God, rich in mercy, who sent forth his Son, made under the law, to redeem them from its curse. It is useful for teaching all what fear, love, and service, the Lord requires of them. When our Lord gave his Apostles a commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, he intended that they should preach every article of revealed truth, the design of the whole being the same, viz : to lead sinners to him for that salva¬ tion which they so much need, and to shew them how, having received it, they should walk worthy of the Lord, unto all well pleasing, fruitful in every work, that he may be glorified in them and by them. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, being thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Thus, every article of Scripture truth, being intimately connected with the Gos¬ pel and subservient to it, the whole may be, and justly is, called the Gospel; yet, the law, taken by itself, is not the Gospel, but is distinct from it. It is necessary to observe this distinction, lest we confound things that are so ex¬ tremely opposite to one another. 64 Declaration and Testimony. IV. Though the law be taught as it is expressed in the Word of God, yet, if the design for which it is there record¬ ed by the Holy Spirit be neglected — if men are directed to seek eternal life by their obedience to it, and not warned to flee from it, as a covenant of works, to Christ the Saviour— the Gospel is by such teachers thrust out of the Church ; to them who receive such doctrine, Christ is become of none effect: seeking justification by the law, they a Vow an opposition to the grace of God manifested in him. V. We testify particularly against those who teach that the Gospel is a new law, having commands and threaten- ings peculiar to itself, and distinct from those which belong to the law given to Adam. This error subverts both the law and the Gospel; the law, as it puts an imperfect law in the place of that holy law which God has given us, and an imperfect obedience in the place of that perfect right¬ eousness which his law requires ; the Gospel, as according to the teachers of this error, is no more the glorious Gos¬ pel of the free grace of God, but a new law of works, pre¬ scribing conditions to be performed by men, upon the per¬ formance of which, they may claim eternal life as a reward, not of grace, but of debt. If salvation is of works, then it is no more of grace, otherwise grace is no more grace ; but if it be, as it verily is, of grace, then it is no more of i works, otherwise work is no more work* These two ways of seeking salvation are opposite to one another—there is 110 reconciling them. If our works are in any degree the procuring cause of salvation, that distinguishing grace of God which plucks some brands out of the burning, while others are left to perish, has no share in it. Article XI. Of the Universal Offer of Salvation made in the Gospel. I. We believe that a free and unlimited offer is made of salvation through Christ to all who hear the Gospel, and that this offer is not made upon a supposition of Christ's having died for all mankind, but by virtue of the commis¬ sion which God has given, to preach the Gospel to every creaturet—that is, to every sinner of the human race, without exception. To preach the Gospel, is to proclaim * Rom. 11: 6. + Mark 16: 15. Declaration and Testimony. 65 the glad tidings of salvation, as a message from God to fallen men. It is to tell them that salvation is sent to them—that all things are ready; here is a Saviour for them; forgiveness of sins for them; eternal life for them -— all a free gift, which the most vile and unworthy may, without hesitation, and without fear of presumption, in¬ stantly receive and claim as their's. Farther, sinners are to be told that it is vain for them to delay, thinking they shall make some better preparation for coming to Christ. He requires them to come, guilty and vile as they are ; he receiveth such. It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that he came to save sinners. Moreover, all such attempts of sinners to make themselves better, do not only fail of success, but while they delay coming to Christ the roll of their iniquities is increasing; they are re¬ sisting the counsel of God, and are every moment in dan¬ ger of hell; destruction is hanging over their heads, and may fall on them in an hour when they think not of it. He that believeth not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him* II. If any object, that seeing some were before ordained to condemnation, were not redeemed by the death of Christ, and shall never believe, how then shall any man know whether the Lord intends him in the universal offer of sal¬ vation 1 the answer to be given is, the Lord intends all who hear the Gospel, in telling them what is their duty, this is the work of God—the work which he commands and ap¬ proves — that we believe on him whom he hath sent.t It is also a truth that whosoever believeth shall be saved. As to secret things, they belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed, to us.% Never did any man ac¬ cept this offer fronl an assurance given him before he ac¬ cepted it that he was ordained to life—for of this no man can be assured till it be made manifest by his faith. On the other hand, never did any man reject this offer from an assurance given him before he rejected it that he was or¬ dained to condemnation—for of this no one can be assured till he is cast into that prison out of which there is no re¬ demption. They who refuse the salvation offered in the Gospel are not moved to refuse it from this consideration that they are not elected, or that Christ died not for them, * John 13: 13, 36. f John 6: 29. $ Deut. 29: 29. 9 66 Declaration and Testimony. since this is what they do not know. But they are moved to refuse it by the enmity of their hearts against God, par¬ ticularly by their deep-rooted aversion to salvation by free grace through Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem men from all iniquity. To be saved by grace is displeasing to their pride ; to be saved unto ho¬ liness is displeasing to their carnality. They are also moved to reject this salvation through that ignorance of it which prevails in all the haters of it. They are not care¬ ful to understand what they despise, and they are not of themselves able to learn. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God—they are foolishness to him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritu¬ ally discerned* Thus, none perish who hear the Gospel but through their own positive rejection of the counsel of God. It is not because Christ will not receive them, but because they will not come to him, that they fail of ob¬ taining salvation. No man, says our Lord, can come unto me except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him.t But why can no man come 7 What stands in the way 7 Nothing. The way is open, but none of themselves are wil¬ ling to come. The complaint our Lord brought against the Jews, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life,X lies against all men, a,cting according to their natural principles and inclinations. Comparing the texts now men¬ tioned, it is manifest that our inability to come to Christ, or, in other words, to accept the offer of salvation, arises from the blindness and perverseness of our own minds. The consideration of these things should humble us and put us on our guard against casting the blame of our unbelief on God. Are some ordained to condemnation 7 Let us there¬ fore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into God's rest, any of us should seem to come short of it through unbelief.§ If we lay hold on the promise of God, which is declared as a ground of faith to all, in the Gospel, we shall not find ourselves left out of the number ordained to eternal life. Him that cometh to me, says our Lord Je¬ sus, I will in no wise cast out. II III. That the offer of salvation is to all who hear the Gospel, will be found a truth by those who reject it. The Lord is now saying to them, Ye will not come unto me that *1 Cor. 2:14. f John 4: 44. £ John 5: 40 § Heb. 4:4. II John 4: 37. Declaration and Testimony. 67 ye may have life. Yet a little while, and to those who persevere in their obstinacy he will say, Ye would not come to me ; ye had an offer made you ; I called, but ye refused; ye would have none of me ; therefore, I do not acknowledge you as mine ; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Such will be condemned, because they believed not on the name of the Son of God. This would make no part, far less the chief part, of the charge against them, if they had not been called to believe on his name. IY. The Lord, in calling sinners to receive salvation, makes no exception of any class of them. He says to the stout-hearted and far from righteousness, Hearken unto me, I bring near my righteousness, and my salvation shall not tarry. He says to the foolish, who are spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labor for that which satisfieth not, Incline your ear and come unto me • hear and your soul shall live, and 1 ivill make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David* The Lord Christ, who is still speaking from hea¬ ven, is saying to those who, like the unbelieving Jews, are remarkable for their insensibility, My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven;t and to the lukewarm and proud, as he did to the Laodiceans, I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that ye may be rich ; white rai¬ ment, that ye may be clothed ; and anoint your eyes with eye-salve, that ye may see.i Ye are wretched, and miser¬ able, and poor, and blind, and naked, and know not that ye are so; take all of me as a free gift. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.§ His call does not find men willing, but his Spirit and grace ac¬ companying it make them so. He speaks to the dead, and his glory is manifested in this, that his voice- awakeneth to life. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall livs. |[ Y. It is a truth that none will ever believe in Christ till they are so far convinced of their sins as to be persuaded that they need salvation from them. They who tnink they are whole will also think that they need no physician. Their insensibility, however, does by no means render them improper objects of that call, which, through the blessing *Isa. 55:2,3. tJ°hnG:32. f Rev. 3:18. §Rev. 22:17. IIJohn5:25. 68 Declaration and Testimony. of the Lord, is useful to awake them; nor does it lessen the obligation they are under, by the divine command, to believe on the name of Christ Jesus. YI. YYe testify against those who teach that the offer of salvation, in the Gospel, is made to none but awakened and penitent sinners; especially against those who teach that it is men's repentance, their desires of salvation, or some other supposed good thing in them, that gives them a right, or, as some speak, qualifies them to come to Christ; and that sinners must not come to Christ, nor be exhorted to come to him, till they be prepared for receiving him. The teachers of this error contradict the glorious Gospel of the Son of God, which directs us to come to him, as the dis¬ eased did in the days of his flesh, that we may be healed— not first to heal ourselves, arid then to come to him. Men deceive themselves, imagining they have come to Christ, while they are yet far from him; and it is necessary, in preaching the Gospel, to lay open their deceit, and to warn them of their danger; but surely they cannot fly too speed¬ ily for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them. Article XII. Of the Condition of the Covenant of Grace. L We believe that the new covenant, otherwise called the covenant of grace, being made with Christ, as the representative and surety of the elect, the condition of it was his perfect obedience to all that the law required of him in that character. Now, the law required that its pre¬ cepts should be obeyed — that satisfaction should be made for the transgressions committed against it—and that both this obedience and satisfaction should proceed from a wil¬ ling mind, from pure love to God, and from a supreme re¬ gard to his glory. Thus the condition of that covenant is justly said to be the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The law required righteousness of heart, righteousness of life, and righteousness in satisfying for offences. And he answered all its demands in the place of those whom he represented; to them this covenant, therefore, consists only of free and gracious promises. When God brings the elect actually into this covenant, no condition is required to give them a right to the blessings of it He says to them, I will Declaration and Testimony. 69 he your God, and, ye shall he my 'people ; and he power¬ fully moves their hearts to say, Amen, he it, O Lord, ac¬ cording to thy word. Behold, we come to thee; we trust in thee, for thou art the Lord our God. The faith by which they so speak, and by which they take hold of this covenant, is not and cannot properly be called a condition of it; only there is such necessary connection between faith and salvation as there is between the receiving and enjoying of a gift. > Faith, which is expressed in the Scrip¬ ture by taking, receiving, and other such designations, is itself the gift of God, is wrought in the heart by his Holy Spirit, and is exercised only as the Spirit strengthens us. He does not give us a certain degree of power, enabling us to believe, and then leave us to improve that power the best way we can. No. He is the author and finisher of faith; the beginning, the exercise, and the increase of it, are all from him ; it is the effect of his grace, and the work of his Spirit. The promise of faith belongs to the glad tidings of salvation. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness, and in him have I strength * A willing people shall come to him, viz: believe on him, in the day of his power. If faith were not comprehended in the promise, let the other blessings contained in it be ever so great and manifold, they would signify nothing to us, they being suspended on a condition which we are not able to perform—for no man Gan believe, except it he given him from above. II. We reckon it improper to speak of faith, as being, on our part, the condition of the new covenant. Good men, who meant no prejudice to the doctrine of free grace, have called it so. We would not, however, do any honor to their memory by adhering to their language in this matter, see¬ ing it is liable to he, and actually is, used to subvert the truth. The believing sinner, gives nothing, offers nothing of his own, as any way entitling him to favor ; claims no blessings as due to him on account of anything he has done or can do. He comes as poor and needy, guilty and vile, giving himself to Christ, to be washed, justified ami sanctified by him; claiming all blessings as a free gift, offered to him hi the Gospel — as obtained for him solely by Christ, in whom we have redemption through his blood, * Isa. 45: 24. 70 Declaration and Testimony. the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace* Article XIII. Of Faith. I. We maintain that true faith is a receiving the testi¬ mony of God concerning his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, not merely as true, but as his testimony to us. It is a re¬ ceiving of Christ. But how can we receive him, if not as given to us and as our Saviour? It is a trusting him. But how shall we trust in him unless we are assured that he will help us ? It is a flying to him for refuge. But how can we fly to him for refuge unless we are assured that we shall find safety in him? He does not call us to come to him hesitating arid doubting whether he will re¬ ceive us ; so far as such hesitation and doubts prevail, so far unbelief, not faith, prevails. The language of the Gos¬ pel is, I am your God ; the answer of faith is, We are thy people. The promise is to you, saith the Lord ; the answer of faith is, We receive and believe it as the word of him who cannot lie. It is to be observed, that it is not merely said the promise is true, but the promise is to you. And if it be not believed as a promise to us, the truth of him who speaks is denied. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the record thai God gave of his Son : And this is the record that God hath given to us of eternal life, and this life is in his Son-t Thus there is no way left for Gospel-hearers to perish but by a positive denial of the faithfulness of the Holy One of Israel. II. Every one knows that human faith' is believing a human testimony. If any man should tell us that he for¬ gave us a debt we owed him and certain injuries we had done to him, and besides, that he made us a gift of an in¬ heritance, if we really believed him, would we not believe the debt forgiven, the man reconciled to us, and the in¬ heritance ours ? Now, what else is divine faith than be¬ lieving a divine testimony ? And what is our believing the Gospel but our believing God's testimony to us, that he for¬ gives our sins, is reconciled to us and gives us eternal life ? Is the testimony of man worthy of more particular regard ♦Eph. 1: 7. f1 John 5: 10,11. Declaration and Testimony. 71 than that of God ? It is most unreasonable to object, that we may be sure the man in the supposed case intends us a favor, but that we are not sure that God intends to make us partakers of salvation. The secret intention of the man in the supposed case must be unknown to us, as well as the secret intention of God in making the Gospel proclama¬ tion to us. In either case it is only what is declared or re¬ vealed to us that we have to do with. The Lord speaks to all, and none who believe Him as speaking to them shall be disappointed. III. The faith of this, that Christ is able to save all and willing to save some, is no more than what every one must have who really believes the truth of the Scriptures ; yet this is a faith which wicked men and devils may have. But the great inquiry of an awakened sinner is this, Is God speaking in the promise to me 1 Is there forgiveness with God for me 1 And till the Holy Spirit persuades him that these questions ought to be answered in the affirmative he can have no rest in his mind. The poor jailor might have continued in his fears, had he not received the Gospel which Paul preached, as a message from God particularly directed to him ; which message is as particularly directed to every one that hears it, viz: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shali be saved * IY. Faith is often weak. The body of death is often very strong in Christians. Hence their unbelief speaks louder than their faith, and they are disquieted with fears. Sometimes they are careless and sunk in a kind of spiritual sleep, so that they are not much concerned to have their weak faith strengthened ; but as faith is, so will assurance be. Where the one is weak the other will be weak. But still, where the one is there will the other be also. Faith contains, in its very nature, an assurance of the thing be¬ lieved ; and that which true faith believes is, that God is reconciled to us in Christ. Y. This assurance, which is in faith, is very different from the assurance that we are already partakers of grace and salvation. This last is an answer to an inquiry made by one in self examination, Am I a Christian ? Is my faith of the true kind? Do the fruits of it manifest it to be that which is the distinguishing faith of God's elect 1 The as- * Acts 16 : 31. 72 Declaration and Testimony. surance of faith is an answer to the inquiry, Does God give eternal life, not to others only but to me 1 May I trust not only that Christ will save some, but that he will save me ? VI. We testify against all who deny that any persuasion, assurance or confidence, that we in particular, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall be saved, belongs to the nature of faith, and who affirm that faith is only a per¬ suasion that God is merciful in Christ, and that Christ is able and willing to save all who come to him: And who further affirm, that we must first come to Christ and know that we are already true believers, before we can claim Christ as ours in particular, and who deny that such a claim belongs to the nature of faith. What such describe as faith, is much the same with the general doubtsome faith, once universally rejected by Protestants, and reckoned among the errors of the Popish Church. It is to be la- manted that Protestants have not left the generation of An- ti-christ in the sole possession of it. Article XIV. Of Repentance. I. We declare that evangelical repentance is the fruit of faith. The word repentance does, in Scripture, sometimes express the whole of that change which takes place in the conversion of a sinner unto God ; as, when it is said, Re¬ pent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.* In this sense it comprehends faith in Christ, sorrow for sin, love to God, and a disposition to obey him. It is also used, in Scrip¬ ture to express that sense of guilt and fear of wrath, which may be found in the unregenerate; as, when Judas is said to have repented. But the repentance which is mentioned as a distinguishing gift of God to his people, and as differ¬ ent from faith, must, in the nature of things, follow after it. LI. All repentance flows from some kind of faith, and ac¬ cording to a man's faith so will his repentance be. If he is only persuaded that sin is terrible in its consequences, as exposing the transgressor to the wrath of God, then he will only repent of sin, not as evil in itself, but as evil in its effects; he will still love sin, though he hate its wages. Again, if a man is persuaded that sin is evil, as being abo- * Matt. 4 : 17. Declaration and Testimony. 73 minable in God's sight and deforming to the soul, he will loath it and hate it with a perfect hatred ; he will hate the work as well as the wages of iniquity. True repentance be¬ ing a sorrow after a Godly sort, flows from love to God ; but there is no love to him in the soul, till, by faith, we are in some degree persuaded of his reconciliation to us in Christ. Hence we find true repentance described in Scripture as following a gracious change : After that 1 was turned, I repented.* Now there is no turning to the Lord but by faith. When he draws us, we by faith come unto him. Likewise, in Scripture, when the blessings of the new cov¬ enant are described, the Lord is first represented as giving a new heart and a new spirit to sinners ; and then it is said, They shall loath themselves for their iniquities and for their abominations.t Christ is exalted, a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins.X We are, therefore, to seek both .from him by faith. III. We do not, however, affirm that faith is first given, and repentance some time afterward. Though in the na¬ ture of things the one must go before the other; yet, the instant in which a sinner truly believes in Christ, he repents of his sins in a right manner. And we do likewise ac¬ knowledge that some kind of repentance may go before faith. The sinner must see that his sin is destroying him before he thinks of applying to the Saviour. But this re¬ pentance is no distinguishing character of the people of God. It is such a repentance as is found in many who perish, and would be found in all of them if their con¬ sciences were awakened. IY. We testify against those who teach that we may not come to Christ, nor trust in him for salvation till we have first repented of our sins. This doctrine entangles the con¬ sciences of men, and tends to discourage them from coming to Christ • since, according to it, they must first know that their repentance is true before they may venture to trust in him. It is irrational; as it is, upon the matter, directing men first to heal themselves, and then to go to the phy¬ sician It is contrary to the Scripture, which directs sin¬ ners to go by faith to Christ for all they need, and which represents them as first looking to him who was wounded for their transgressions, and then mourning after a godly sort A * Jer 31 • 19. + Ezek. 36: 26, 31. % Acts 5 : 31. § Zech. 12: 10. 10' 74 Declaration and Testimony. Article XY. Of the Freedom of Believers from the Law as a Covenant. I. YYe declare, that believers in Christ are delivered from the law as a covenant of works ; He having fulfilled it in their stead, and redeemed them from its curse. No sooner do they become, by faith, interested in him, than they are delivered from its commanding power, so as they are no more under an obligation to obey its precepts, with this design, that by their obedience they may merit eternal life, and from its condemning power, so that their sins do not any more render them liable to the death which it threatens. If any were under its commanding, they would he also under its condemning power; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continuetli not in all things writ¬ ten in the book of the laiv to do them * Believers are not perfect in that holiness and righteousness of life which the law requires ; they do not continue in all things which it commands to do them with that purity of heart, ardency of love to God, and single regard to his glory which it requires. Therefore, if under the commanding power of the law as a covenant, they would be under its curse. II. The Spirit of God has taught us that they who truly believe in Christ are no more under the law, they being dead to it and it to them. It would be blasphemy to un¬ derstand this of the law as a rule of righteousness : believ¬ ers are not without law to God, but under the law to Christy The exceeding riches of grace manifested in their salvation, instead of weakening, strengthens their ob¬ ligations to love and serve God. They are dead to the laiv, not that they may wallow in sin as the swine in the mire, but that they may live unto God. Now this living unto him is a living according to his holy law. Every transgression of this law is, in itself, worthy of death ; and believers being always in this life imperfect in holiness and often chargeable with very grievous iniquities, if God should enter into judgment with them according to their works, they could not stand in his sight. Their safety does not lie in this, that they commit no iniquity, or that their iniquities are so small that God will not count these worthy ♦Gal. 3: 10. t Cor. 9:21. Declaration and Testimony. 75 of death, but in this, that God will not mark iniquity against them, all their sins, both before and after the day oi their effectual calling, having been laid on Christ, and taken away by him. III. The law from which believers in Christ are set free, cannot be merely the ceremonial; for this deliverance is mentioned as the peculiar privilege of believers in Christ; but it might have been said to the whole Gentile world, saints and sinners, ye are not under the ceremonial law. It is also a privilege common to all believers; but those of the Gentiles who believed in Christ never needed deliver¬ ance from the ceremonial law, for this plain reason, that they were never under it. They who are not under the law are under grace ; but millions not under the ceremo¬ nial law are under the curse. They who are dead to the law live unto God, and sin has no more the dominion over them* But many to whom the ceremonial law never ex¬ tended are enemies of righteousness, children of the devil and servants of sin. By the coming of Christ the cere¬ monial law was no longer binding ; the design of it being answered, it ceased. The Church was then called to behold Christ, not through a veil of ceremonies, but as evidently set forth crucified; and to behold, not the shadows of good things to come, but the good things themselves, which many prophets and righteous men had desired to see but saw not. The dispersion of the Jews and the destruction of the Temple rendered the observation of the ceremonial law as impracticable as it was useless. It may now be said to the whole world, Ye are not under the ceremonial law; but does the infallible consequence of that deliver¬ ance from the law, concerning which the Apostle speaks, belong to all 1 May it be said to men without exception, Ye are under grace and sin shall not have dominion over you ? Verily, no. IV. The law from which believers are delivered is that law by which neither they nor any one living can be jus¬ tified in the sight of God ; and this cannot be merely the ceremonial law, for it is the law according to which all moral actions are tried. Justification by it and justifica¬ tion by grace, are considered as directly opposite the one to the other, and these two are represented in Scripture as * Rom. 6: 11, 14. 76 Declaration and Testimony. comprehending every supposable way in which men may be justified. It must be by the works of the law or by grace ; and if one is justified, not by the works of the law, the Scripture has taught us to conclude that he is justified by grace. But if the ceremonial law only was meant, the Scripture reasoning would be very defective, as a third way of seeking justification, viz : by obedience to the moral law as a covenant of works, would remain unnoticed. The doctrine of justification by works is in no wise rejected by asserting that the ceremonial law is of no more use, that we are not under it, and that we ought not to expect ac¬ ceptance before God on account of our obedience to what it enjoined. Y. The law from which believers in Christ %re set free, is that by which the unbelieving Jews sought righteous¬ ness—and this was not merely the ceremonial law. - Blind as these Jews were, they did not expect that they would be justified by their obedience to the ceremonial institutions only. Their error was, that they did not consider these as directing them to the Redeemer, but as shewing them how they might obtain eternal life by their own works. Thus they confounded the ceremonial institutions with the moral law in its covenant form, and imagined that by such an obedience as they could give to the whole of the moral and ceremonial precepts God had enjoined, they would be jus¬ tified. The young man who came, to our Lord, inquiring what good thing he should do that he might inherit eternal life* had been seeking it in the same way as the other un¬ converted Jews, and he had been seeking it by obedience, not to the ceremonial law only, but to the moral. Paul, in his epistles, frequently speaks of the law as comprehending both the moral and ceremonial precepts, because, among the Jews the word law was commonly understood in that comprehensive sense ; and because, though the ceremonial institutions belonged to the Gospel, as they served to mani¬ fest Christ and to lead sinners to him; yet obedience to them was enjoined by that law first given to man, which is full and perfect, requiring obedience to God in all things which he shall command. VI. The first adversaries of Christianity did not mistake .the sense of Paul's words, though they caluminated his * Matt. 19 : 26, 38. Declaration and Testimony. 77 doctrine : they said he made void the law and taught men to continue in sin. Now, as the ceremonial law prescribed the times and manner of worship in the Jewish Church, not those moral duties which belong to the law as it ex¬ tends to all men, they would not have had even a pretence for their accusations, had he only taught that men were not justified by their obedience to it and were not under it. The ground of their quarrel against him evidently was his teaching that free grace abounds to sinners through Jesus Christ, and that they are saved, not by works of righteous¬ ness which they have done in obedience to any law, but according to the mercy of God. The reproaches cast on his doctrine are the very same with those cast on the doc¬ trine of fre£ grace at this present time. Our cause is the same with his, and our enemies borrow the weapons of their warfare from the same lying spirit as his did. And Paul's answer shows us what reply we should make to such. He did not tell them, that they quite mistook the sense of his words, that in teaching the freedom of believ¬ ers from the law, and in warning all against the vain at¬ tempt of seeking life by it, he meant the ceremonial law only; no, he asserted and vindicated the doctrine of free grace through Jesus Christ. Do we, says he, make void the law through faith ? God forbid: yea, we establish the law* How did he establish it? by preaching Christ as ful¬ filling it in our place, as redeeming us from its curse, and thus redeeming us from all iniquity, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of those good works which the law requires ; the Lord, forming his people for himself according to the holiness represented in his law, they shew forth his praise by conformity to it in their heart and life. We do not make void, but establish the law, while we declare it to be magnified by the perfect obedience of our Lord Jesus ; while we adhere to it as the unalterable rule of righteousness, every transgression of which, if not satisfied for by a surety, must be punished in the sinner; and while we maintain that conformity to it is a chief part of our salva¬ tion holiness being essential to happiness. We therefore testify against all who teach that believers are still under the law as a covenant of works, or that the law from which they are, in Scripture, said to be delivered, is no other than the ceremonial law. * Rom. 3 : 31. 78 Declaration and Testimony. Article XYI. Of the Motives ayid Ends of Accepta¬ ble Obedience. I. We believe that the hope of reward and fear of pun¬ ishment are not, to the true Christian, the chief motives of obedience. The love of Christ constraineth him to live, not unto himself, but unto that Redeemer who died for him and rose again. The love of God being manifested to us in Christ, we love him who first loved us. We love his commandments, we love his service, and are moved by love to him rather than by self-interest, to do those things which are pleasing in his sight. The obedience, of which the chief motives are the fear of hell and hope of reward, is not acceptable to God, because it is not a serving of him in newness of spirit. II. As love to God is the chief motive, so the glory of his name is the chief or highest end of acceptable obedi¬ ence. The law requires that, as the glory of God is the most worthy and important end we can have in view, so we should make it our chief end in all our actions : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart* This is the first, and it is the great commandment. The Lord never did and never will require less of any than what is expressed in this commandment. He will not give his glory to another, and therefore will never allow that we should prefer our self-interest or any thing else to it. But he has wisely and graciously ordered, that in seeking his glory we shall find our true interest; he bids not any serve him in vain. He is not and will not be a debtor to us. We can add nothing to him. We may declare and shew forth, we cannot increase his glory. Our services, when acceptably performed, do, through his blessing, profit our¬ selves, they cannot profit him. III. We, therefore, condemn the following propositions. 1. That the fear of punishment and the hope of reward are the chief motives of a true Christian's obedience. 2. That our self-interest or happiness is the chief or highest end of all virtuous and religious actions. These opinions are contrary to the Scriptures, which teach us that we ought to serve God from love, as children do a father ; not from * Mark 12: 31. Declaration and Testimony. 79 fear, as slaves do a task-master; that loving him above all things, we should not be influenced in his services by self¬ ish considerations, and that whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we should do all to the glory ,of God* Article XYII. Of the Work of the Holy Spirit. I. We believe that there is no inclination or motion to¬ wards anything truly good, but an utter aversion to it, in fallen men, till the Holy Spirit begins a special and gracious work in them. The elect are by nature disobedient, as well as others, and as obstinate in their disobedience as any. The power which brings them to Christ, and sub¬ dues them to the obedience of faith, must be almighty and irresistible in its operations. They, as others, say, We will not come ; the Lord says, Ye shall come ; and the exceed¬ ing greatness of divine power makes them yield. All that can be said concerning the goodness of God, the blessed¬ ness of those who trust in him, and the misery of those who reject his counsel — though said in the most engaging, affecting and persuasive manner possible — will be address¬ ed to sinners in vain, unless the quickening Spirit awakes them to hear it. II. Though the Spirit draws sinners by an irresistible power, yet not by violence. He overcomes their obstinacy in a most sweet and gracious manner. He opens the ears to hear his voice ; he opens the eyes to see the exceeding riches of the grace of God, manifested in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ; he opens the heart to receive the truth in love. Thus the rebellious sinner be¬ comes all willingness. He is overcome, or persuaded, by what may be called divine arguments. A divine light shines into his mind, and it has a transforming influence upon him ; he is renewed in the whole man after the image of God. Seeing access to God through Jesus Christ, and being heartily pleased with God's everlasting covenant of mercy, he acquiesces in it as all his salvation, as compre¬ hending all he desires. III. This change, called in Scripture a being born again, is different, not merely in the degrees of it, but in the very nature of it, from any change which may be effected by * 1 Cor. 10: 34. 80 Declaration and Testimony. the common operations of the Spirit on such as continue in unbelief. Believers are created again in Christ Jesus ; others are not. They know Christ, however, imperfectly; others know him not. They love him; others hate him. They are the children of God; others are the children of the wicked one. They are made light in the Lord ; others are darkness. They hate sin; others love it. They obey God ; others are in rebellion against him. This change is not gradual, but instantaneous ; all either have or have not passed from death to life ; none are in a middle state. These convictions, which may go before conversion, cannot properly be called a preparation for it, as they are of the very same kind with the conviction which may be found in those who perish. IY. The Spirit of God works by the Word; therefore, the spirit which leads men into opinions not taught in the Word, and which does not teach them to consider the Word as a light to their feet, as their guide and their counsellor, and which moves them to despise and speak lightly of the Word, is not the Holy Spirit of God, but the enemy of mankind, leading them captive at his pleasure. Y. We testify against those who teach that there is a, common grace given to them who are not saved, different * only in degree, not in kind, from that grace given to the regenerate, by which they are enabled to believe, love and obey God. This opinion evidently leads to deny that there is such a thing as distinguishing grace, or any favor, be¬ stowed on those who are saved, for which they ought to thank God, as his peculiar gift to them. We also testify against the blasphemy of those, on the one hand, who, pre¬ tending to hold by the Word, deny and ridicule the work of the Spirit, in opening and applying it to the hearers of the Gospel; and that of those, on the other hand, who, un¬ der pretence of magnifying the work of the* Spirit, despise and neglect the Word, by which he works in renewing and calling sinners, and in preparing believers for the inheritance of the saints in light. Article XYIII. Of the Perseverance of the Saints. I. We believe that the Lord will never leave nor forsake any of his saints, so as they shall totally or finally fall from Declaration and Testimony. SI that blessed state into which he brought them in the clay of their conversion. He puts his fear in their hearts, and he wnl preserve it there. They are received into his family, to abide in it for ever. They are heirs of an inheritance not only incorruptible in itself, but reserved in heaven for them; and who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto that salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, when they shall enter on the full possession of this inheritance. They are united to Christ, members of his spiritual body, and shall never be separated from it; he will present it entire to God, saying, Behold I and the chil¬ dren whom God has given me; and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the Scriptures might be ful¬ filled. The Father, who gave them to Christ, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of his Father's hand. Their Redeemer, who is also God, mighty to save, declares they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand.* The love of God did not fix on them on account of any good thing in them. And it will not be taken from them because of any evil in them. The Lord will indeed visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes; but he will not punish them as a Judge executing the sentence of the law on criminals ; he will, as a Father, correct them only for their profit. II. This doctrine belongs to those consolations of God which are neither few nor small. The song put in the mouth of his saints has this note in it: The mercy of the Lord endureth forever; and each of them may say, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. That this doc¬ trine tends to make saints negligent in the study of holi¬ ness and even to encourage them in wickedness, is one of the reproaches devised and spread by the enemy of all truth and righteousness. The faith of the Lord's unchange¬ able love, expressed towards us by bringing us into his everlasting covenant, is a most powerful motive to the study of holiness. It is when believers, failing in the exercise of faith, forget this love, that they fall into sin. Ill We do therefore, testify against those who deny the perseverance of the saints, as guilty of wresting the Scrip¬ ture. In it we read of some who once appeared to be * John 10 : 28. II 82 Declaration and Testimony. saints, manifesting themselves to be what they always were, enemies to God, and still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. We read of some saints who fell into very grievous sins, yet the Lord did not utterly take his Holy Spirit from them, nor suffer their faith to fail; but we never read of any who once were, and afterwards ceased to be. saints. They are all in the hand of their gra¬ cious Lord, who has promised that he will preserve them from all evil; that he will preserve their soul, and that he will preserve them forever. If he did not keep them, none of them would persevere in the way to heaven. Article XIX. Of the Imperfection of the Saints in this Life. I. We acknowledge that all the saints are imperfect in this life. So much sin cleaves to their best services that no one action any of them ever did could be approved, if tried by the pure and holy law of God. A body of death presses them down to the dust. Of this they are most deeply sensible when the Lord makes the light of his coun¬ tenance shine most brightly on their souls. It is then that each of them cries, with exceeding earnestness, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death!* And it is then, that, thanking God, who giveth them the victory, they press, with the greatest ardor, towards the mark of the prize of their high calling. II. We do, therefore, condemn the prid%'., fh«N smiC o>. iron. * 2 Thess, t: 9.