A Confession of Faith

The Publisher to the READER.

PERHAPS your Curiosity may Enquire, whence this small Composure had its Original? To satisfy this Curiosity, I am willing to let you know thus much; That being in the House of a private Friend, I had this small Script presented to my view, upon the perusal whereof, I could not but Express my value for it, and my just Acknowledgements unto the then unknown Author of it; whom upon Enquiry, I find to be a Deceased Gentle-Woman (formerly the Religious Consort of the Reverend Mr. Moses Fiske, Pastor of the Church of Brantrey ) who, at her Admission into the Church, gave this as a Confession of her Faith, drawn up by her, altogether without his Assistance. Upon due Consideration, I thought the Publication hereof, would be of no small advantage unto the Children in this Land, (and not altogether to be despised by riper Years) who have herein, briefly sum'd up the main Articles of their Creed, yet fully, perhaps exceeding any Composure, ordinarily to be met withal, of the same Dimentions. It is not with a design to blazon the Fame and Reputation of any Person, that this is now presented to the Public View: But as the design of it is purely to do Good, so I hope it will be received with all Candor, without any carping or critical Reflections, upon anything merely Circumstantial, since the Main is Serious, Solid, and no ways to be disapproved

That it may be followed with a blessing upon all, that shall employ their Minutes in the perusal of it, but especially upon Young Ones, who may hence gather the Fragrant Flowers of Divine Knowledge, is, and shall be, the Hearty Desire and Prayer of him, who is

A CONFESSION OF FAITH. &c.

I Believe , That the Holy Scriptures , the Books of the Old & the New Testament, Penned by the Prophets & Apostles, are the Infallible Word of God, the Subject of true Divinity; That only Rule of Faith & Manners, teaching what man ought to Believe concerning God, and what Duty God requires of man.

I Believe , GOD is a most Pure, Powerful, Eternal, Unchangeable Being, Independent, Incomprehensible, Invsiible & Glorious; in whom all Fulness dwells, both of Holiness & Righteousness, Grace & Mercy, Wisdom & Truth.

I Believe , That there is but ONE God , and that there are Three Persons in the God-head; The Father, the Son, & the Holy Ghost. The Father is of Himself; The Son of the Father; and the Holy Ghost from the foregoing Persons in the Trinity.

I Believe , The Decrees of God are His Determinate Purpose of Effecting all things, by His Almighty Power, according to the Counsel of His Will.

I Believe , God doth Execute His Decrees, in the works of Creation and Providence .

I Believe , The work of Creation is that, whereby God made the world & all things therein, of nothing, and very good.

I Believe , The Providence of God is that, whereby He accomplisheth in His Creatures, what He intended in his Counsel.

I Believe , That as Man at first, was formed of the Dust of the Earth, consisting both of Soul & Body, being made Upright, Cloathed with the Image of God; the Effects whereof, were a sweet and blessed Harmony of Union and Communion with God; so from this estate of happiness, all men fearfully Fell in Adam , thro' willful Disobedience, in contradicting the Express Commandment of God, by Eating the Forbidden Fruit. The Act of this Transgression, was completed by our First Parents Eating that forbidden Fruit; in the Guilt of which Act, all the natural Posterity of Adam , are by the just imputation of God involved. The principal (blameable) cause was their abusing their Freewill: The helping cause was the Devil. Altogether unblameable was the Command of God, against which Adam dashing himself, as a stately Vessel against a mighty Rock, made Ship-wreck of his whole estate. The Consequents whereof, were Guilt, Filth , and Punishment .

Guilt , is that Obligation, whereby the sinner is tied to undergo due Punishment.

Filth , is that Spiritual Pollution, whereby the sinner is made void of all comeliness and honor, and is become vile.

Punishment , is the Reward of Evil, inflicted upon the sinner because of sin; which is, Death , both Spiritual & Corporal .

I Believe , That the sin which follows this Fall, is either Original , or Actual .

Original Sin, is an habitual inclination to walk contrary to the Law of God.

Actual Sin, is a continual Exercise of the Act, in going contrary to the Command of God. This comprehends both Sins of Omission and Commission .

The inchoation of Corporal Death , lies in a miserable privation of the good things of this Life; the consummation whereof, is the separation of Soul and Body.

Spiritual Death , is a miserable privation of the comfortable life and happiness [especially] of the inner man. The Inchoation whereof consists in a desperate privation of the sweetness of God's favor and presence. The Consummation whereof is a final Dejection from the face of God, into Hell; of the Soul immediately after the First Death , & of the Soul & Body, joined together at the day of Judgment .

And though' all are thus fallen, yet,

I Believe , That there are some, (though' but a few,) their number and names, being only known unto God, who shall be everlastingly saved from sin and sorrow, and freely received into everlasting life; being such as the Lord in His infinite wisdom hath made choice of, before the world was, to be His Militant Servants on Earth, & to be His Triumphant Saints in Heaven, thro' Riches of, Grace in Christ Jesus.

Restitution , is that whereby a man is lifted up, from a state of Sin and Death, into a state of Grace and Life. The parts whereof are Redemption and Application .

Redemption is that, whereby a man is freed from the Bondage of Sin & Satan, thro' the satisfaction of a Redeemer.

I Believe , That this Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, by in ineffable Generation, the Eternal Son of God, whom the Father hath appointed from all Eternity, to purchase the Salvation of all the Elect of God; who willingly gave up himself to be a Sacrifice , for the sins of his People, & in order hereunto, took upon Him our Nature, in everything made like to us, Sin only excepted, & the manner of His subsisting; and therefore He was made a fit, and suitable Redeemer, both in respect of His Person in that He was Godman, and His Offices which he hath freely taken upon him, accomplishing from time to time, his Prophetical, Priestly, and Kingly Mediatorship. His Prophetical , in Revealing to man the deep things of the Wisdom and good Pleasure of God. His Priestly , in Expiating for Sin, and purchasing Favor with the Father, and making continual Intercession for us. His Kingly , whereby he leads men to the attainment of Holiness & Blessedness by an uncontrollable Power : Conquering his & our Enemies, & at last Raising us from the Dead. Thus Christ Redeems his Elect both by his Humiliation and Exaltation . His Humiliation , in that Abasement of Christ, whereby he became subject to satisfy Divine Justice, for our Offences, and to merit life & happiness. His Exaltation , whereby he obtains a stately Victory, full of Glory and Triumph, over His and our Enemies.

I Believe , That the Effectual & saving Application of Christ and all his purchased Grace, in a Gospel way, is Exhibited in due season, to everyone that belongs to the Election of Grace; which consists in Union and Communion with Christ.

Union with Christ, is the consent and agreement, whereby a Believer is joined to Christ, as his Spiritual Head . This Union is begun, in the powerful Ministry of the Law , whereby the Soul is convinced of Sin, & the necessity of a Savior; but it is accomplished in Vocation , which is a fruit of the Covenant, whereby the Lord powerfully accompanying his Word by his Spirit, doth not only graciously Invite, but effectually Draw the Soul to accept the Tender of Grace, and to embrace Fellowship with Christ Jesus. The special Graces here required are, Repentance and Faith .

Faith is that Grace of God, whereby the Soul is brought to confide, and acquiess in the Lord Jesus Christ, both for the Grace it stands in need of here, and for Glory hereafter.

Repentance is a turning of the whole man, from Sin unto God, with a resolution of, and endeavors after New Obedience.

Communion with Christ, is that whereby the People of God do participate with him, in all his Benefits revealed in Scripture▪ having his Righteousness imputed, together with his Active & Passive Obedience, for their Justification ; and withal, the Privileges of Son-ship or, Adoption , the Impress of Christ's likeness , upon their Souls in Sanctification ; made Perfect in the Heavenly world, in a state of Glorification .

Justification is an Act of God's free Grace; whereby he blots out all the Debts and Arrearages, of every believing sinner, for Christ his sake, and withal gives him a Bill of Discharge, from all the Accompts, that were between God and his Soul, receiving him as Righteous in his sight, both for the satisfaction of his Justice, & glory of his Mercy.

Adoption is that Grace of God, whereby he receives every believing sinner, in owning Himself to be their Father, and they to be His Children, and consequently, that they have right unto, and in due time shall have the possession of the promised Inheritance, which appertains to such a Relation. The effects whereof are Freedom from Sin, and Boldness to approach before God in Prayer.

Prayer is a going to God in the Name of Christ, by the help of the Spirit, whereby we present our desires before him, for things according to his Will.

I Believe , That Sanctification is a Work of God's power, whereby sinners are translated from the pollution of sin unto the perfection of the Image of God; which is begun in a state of imperfection in this life, made perfect & complete in the world to come. The parts whereof, are Mortification , and Vivification. Mortification is a putting off the Image of Adam , by applying the Death of Christ. Vivification is a putting on, the Image of Christ , by applying the power of His Resurrection .

I Believe That Glorification is that perfecting Grace of God, whereby the number of his Elect, having completed their warfare & work in this world, according to the will of God, are freely discharged of their sin and the events thereof, forever; and made Fellow-heirs with Christ, of all the promised Inheritance.

I Believe , the Church , the Subject of this blessing, is either General or Particular .

I Believe , That there is but one General, Universal, Invisible Church of the Saints, in which is contained, the whole number of God's Elect, that one Mystical Body, Christ's Bride; the particular Members whereof, have the same Father, the same Christ, the same Spirit, the same Faith & Baptism. This Church is not completed here, at one and the same time; for it is partly Militant , & partly Triumphant .

I Believe , That a Visible Particular Church , is a Society of Faithful ones, with their Seed, who are in Ecclesiastical Confaederation with God, and one with another. Or, a convenient Number of Faithful ones, Saints & their Seed, Orderly, Solemnly, & Religiously, Covenanting with God, & each other, for the advancement of the Kingdom of God, and their own mutual Edification, by the improvement of all those means that are appointed to that end.

I Believe , This Church being complete, consists of Officers and Members .

The Officers are Pastors Teachers, Ruling-Elders , & Deacons .

The Office & Work of a Pastor , is that whereby he bends himself, especially to apply the Word to the hearts of his Hearers, according to their several occasions & necessities.

The Labor of the Teacher is that, whereby he bends himself, especially to open the Scriptures, & divine principles, refuting errors

The Work of a Ruling-Elder , consists in waiting at the Doors of the Sanctuary, watching over the Church, and ways of Church-Members .

The Office of a Deacon is to collect & distribute, the outward Estate of the Church, providing for the Table of the Lord, 〈◊〉 Ministers, & the Poor, & that with all Chearfulness & Fidelity .

I Believe , That this Church thus constituted, & thus furnished, hath a right of Administring, both Seals & Censures .

The Seals are Baptism , and the Lord's Supper . The former of Initiation the other of Education.

I Believe , That Baptism is that washing of the Flesh with water, in the Name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost, whereby is signified, Christ in the promise, by whom we are washed from Sin , & made Righteous , delivered from Death , & restored to Life .

I Believe , That the Lord's Supper , is the second Sacrament of the New Testament , instituted by Christ , wherein by the signs of bread & wine, & the actions that concern the same, is shown forth his death; and God doth signify, seal, & exhibit the body & blood of Christ, with all the benefits of his Death & Passion, to every worthy receiver, for his Spiritual Nourishment, and Growth in Grace.

The Censures are Admonition & Excommunication. Admonition is that whereby a Brother openly offending, or not hearing his Brethren in private, is convinced, that he may be gained. Excommunication is that, whereby a Brother offending, and not hearing the Church, is excluded from the Communion of the Saints, for the cure of his Spirit, and the preservation of the Church.

I Believe , That as the world had a beginning, so it shall have an end : At what time, both those that are Dead, and Alive, shall be gathered together before the Lord Jesus Christ to Judgment , at the sound of the last Trumpet; where everyone shall receive a full Reward of their works: The Sheep being set at his right hand, are acquitted of sin, & received into glory; but the Goats at his left hand, are Sentenced irrevocably to suffer Everlasting Torments, with the Devil and his Angels, in the Lake of Unquenchable Fire and Brimstone.