Previous and Other Pages of Article: OF CREATION

< BACK / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

CHAPTER 12 - OF ADOPTION

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

1 Eph 1:5; Gal 4:4-5.
2 Jn 1:12; Rom 8:17.
3 2 Cor 6:18; Rev 3:12.
4 Rom 8:15.
5 Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18.
6 Ps 103:13.
7 Prov 14:26.
8 1 Pet 5:7.
9 Heb 12:6.
10 Isa 54:8-9; Lam 3:31.
11 Eph 4:30.
12 Heb 1:14; 6:12.

CHAPTER 13 - OF SANCTIFICATION

They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally (1) through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; (2) the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, (3) and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, (4) and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, (5) to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (6)

1) Acts 20:32; Rom 6:5-6.
2) Jn 17:17; Eph 3:16-19; 1 Thes 5:21-23.
3) Rom 6:14.
4) Gal 5:24.
5) Col 1:11.
6) 2 Cor 7:1; Heb 12:14.

This sanctification is throughout the whole man, (7) yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, (8) when ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. (9)

7) 1 Thes 5:23.
8) Rom 7:18,23.
9) Gal 5:17; 1 Pet 2:11.

In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, (10) yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; (11) and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them. (12)

10) Rom 7:23.
11) Rom 6:14.
12) Eph 4:15-16; 2 Cor 3:18; 7:1.

CHAPTER 14 - OF SAVING FAITH

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

1) 2 Cor 4:13; Eph 2:8.
2) Rom 10:14, 17.
3) Lk 17:5; 1 Pet 2:2; Acts 20:32.

By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God Himself, (4) and also apprehendeth an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, (5) as it bears forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in His workings and operations: and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; (6) and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, (7) trembling at the threatenings, (8) and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come; (9) but the principle acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. (10)

4) Acts 24:14.
5) Ps 19:7-10; 119:72.
6) 2 Tim 1:12.
7) Jn 15:14.
8) Isa 66:2.
9) Heb 11:13.
10) Jn 1:12; Acts 16:31; Gal 2:20; Acts 15:11.

This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong, (11) yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers; (12) and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, (13) growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, (14) who is both the author and finisher of our faith. (15)

11) Heb 5:13-14; Matt 6:30; Rom 4:19-20.
12) 2 Pet 1:1.
13) Eph 6:16; 1 Jn 5:4-5.
14) Heb 6:11-12; Col 2:2.
15) Heb 12:2.

CHAPTER 15 - OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE AND SALVATION

Such of the elect as are converted in riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life. (1)

1) Ti 3:2-5.

Whereas there is none that doth good and sinneth not, (2) and the best of men may, through the power and deceitfulness of their corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall in to great sins and provocations; God hath, in the covenant of grace, mercifully provided that believers so sinning and falling be renewed through repentance unto salvation. (3)

2) Ecc 7:20.
3) Lk 22:31-32.

This saving repentance is an evangelical grace, (4) whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency, (5) praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things. (6)

4) Zech 12:10; Acts 11:18.
5) Ezek 36:31; 2 Cor 7:11.
6) Ps 119:6,128.

As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof, so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly. (7)

7) Lk 19:8; 1 Tim 1:13,15.

Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation, (8) yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them that repent, (9) which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.

8) Rom 6:23.
9) Isa 1:16-18; 55:7.

CHAPTER 16 - OF GOOD WORKS

Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word, (1) and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions. (2)

1) Mic 6:8; Heb 13:21.
2) Matt 15:9; Isa 29:13.

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

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

Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ; (10) and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure; (11) yet they are not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them. (12)

10) Jn 15:4-5.
11) 2 Cor 3:5; Phil 2:13.
12) Phil 2:12; Heb 6:11-12; Isa 64:7.

They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do. (13)

13) Job 9:2-3; Gal 5:17; Lk 17:10.

We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins; (14) but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because as they are good they proceed from His Spirit, (15) and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's punishment. (16)

14) Rom 3:20; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 4:6.
15) Gal 5:22-23.
16) Isa 64:6; Ps 143:2.

Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him; (17) not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight, but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections. (18)

17) Eph 1:6; 1 Pet 2:5.
18) Matt 25:21, 23; Heb 6:10.

Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and others; (19) yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith, (20) nor are done in a right manner according to the Word, (21) nor to a right end, the glory of God, (22) they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man meet to receive grace from God, (23) and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing to God. (24)

19) 2 Ki 10:30; 1 Ki 21:27, 29.
20) Gen 4:5; Heb 11:4, 6.
21) 1 Cor 13:1.
22) Matt 6:2, 5.
23) Amos 5:21-22; Rom 9:16; Ti 3:5.
24) Job 21:14-15; Matt 25:41-43.

CHAPTER 17 - OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Those whom God hath accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, whence He still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; (1) and tough many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, (2) yet He is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity. (3)

1) Jn 10:28-29; Phil 1:6; 2 Tim 2:19; 1 Jn 2:19.
2) Ps 89:31-32; 1 Cor 11:32.
3) Mal 3:6.

This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, (4) flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him, (5) the oath of God, (6) the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God wthin them, (7) and the nature of the covenant of grace; (8) from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

4) Rom 8:30; 9:11, 16.
5) Rom 5:9-10; Jn 14:19.
6) Heb 6:17-18.
7) 1 Jn 3:9.
8) Jer 32:40.

And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein, (9) whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit, (10) come to have their graces and comforts impaired, (11) have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, (12) hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves, (13) yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end. (14)

9) Matt 26:70, 72, 74.
10) Isa 64:5, 9; Eph 4:30.
11) Ps 51:10, 12.
12) Ps 32:3-4.
13) 2 Sam 12:14.
14) Lk 22:32, 61-62.

CHAPTER 18 - OF THE ASSURANCE OF GRACE AND SALVATION

Although temporary believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish; (1) yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, (2) which hope shall never make them ashamed. (3)

1) Job 8:13-14; Matt 7:22-23.
2) 1 Jn 2:3; 3:14, 18-19, 21, 24; 5:13.
3) Rom 5:2, 5.

This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith (4) founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel; (5) and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, (6) and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; (7) and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy. (8)

4) Heb 6:11, 19.
5) Heb 6:17-18.
6) 2 Pet 1:4-5, 10-11.
7) Rom 8:15-16.
8) 1 Jn 3:1-3.

This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be a partaker of it; (9) yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of means, attain thereunto: (10) and therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance; (11)- so far is it from inclining men to looseness. (12)

9) Isa 50:10; Ps 88:1-18; Ps 77:1-12.
10) 1 Jn 4:13; Heb 6:11-12.
11) Rom 5:1-2, 5; 14:17; Ps 119:32.
12) Rom 6:1-2; Ti 2:11-12, 14.

True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as by negligence in preserving of it, (13) by falling into some special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit; (14) by some sudden or vehement temptation, (15) by God's withdrawing the light of His countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light, (16) yet are they never destitute of the seed of God (17) and life of faith, (18) that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived, (19) and by the which, in the meantime, they are preserved from utter despair. (20)

13) Song 5:2-3, 6.
14) Ps 51:8, 12, 14.
15) Ps 116:11; 77:7-8; 31:22.
16) Ps 30:7.
17) 1 Jn 3:9.
18) Lk 22:32.
19) Ps 42:5,11.
20) Lam 3:26-31.

CHAPTER 19 - OF THE LAW OF GOD

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

1) Gen 1:27; Ecc 7:29.
2) Rom 10:5.
3) Gal 3:10, 12.

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

4) Rom 2:14-15.
5) Deut 10:4.

Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; (6) and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties, (7) all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished with power from the Father for that end abrogated and taken away. (8)

6) Heb 10:1; Col 2:1
7.7) 1 Cor 5:7.
8) Col 2:14, 16-17; Eph 2:14, 16.

To them also He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being for modern use. (9)

9) 1 Cor 9:8-10.

The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, (10) and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; (11) neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation. (12)

10) Rom 13:8-10; Jam 2:8,10-12.
11) Jam 2:10-11.
12) Matt 5:17-19; Rom 3:31.

Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, (13) yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin; (14) together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of His obedience: it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatening of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. These promises of it likewise shew them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace. (15)

13) Rom 6:14; Gal 2:16; Rom 8:1; 10:4.
14) Rom 3:20; 7:7-25.
15) Rom 6:12-14; 1 Pet 3:8-13.

Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it, (16) the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done. (17)

16) Gal 3:21.
17) Ezek 36:27.

CHAPTER 20 - OF THE GOSPEL, AND OF THE EXTENT OF GRACE THEREOF

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

1) Gen 3:15.
2) Rev 13:8.

This promise of Christ, and salvation by Him, is revealed only by the Word of God; (3) neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by Him, so much as in a general or obscure way; (4) much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance. (5)

3) Rom 1:17.
4) Rom 10:14-15, 17.
5) Prov 29:18; Isa 25:7; 60:2-3.

The revelation of the gospel unto sinners, made in divers times and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God; (6) not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever did make, or can do so; (7) and therefore in all ages, the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God.

6) Ps 147:20; Acts 16:7.
7) Rom 1:18-32.

Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life; (8) without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God. (9)

8) Ps 110:3; 1 Cor 2:14; Eph 1:19-20.
9) Jn 6:44; 2 Cor 4:4, 6.

CHAPTER 21 - OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigour and curse of the law, (1) and in their being delivered from this present evil world, (2) bondage to Satan, (3) and dominion of sin, (4) from the evil of afflictions, (5) the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave, (6) and everlasting damnation: (7) as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, (8) but a child-like love and willing mind. (9) All which were common also to believers under the law for the substance of them, (10) but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of a ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of. (11)

1) Gal 3:13.
2) Gal 1:4.
3) Acts 26:18.
4) Rom 8:3.
5) Rom 8:28.
6) 1 Cor 15:54-57.
7) 2 Thes 1:10.
8) Rom 8:15.
9) Lk 1:73-75; 1 Jn 4:18.
10) Gal 3:9, 14.
11) Jn 7:38-39; Heb 10:19-21.

God alone is Lord of the conscience, (12) and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to His Word, or not contained in it. (13) So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, it so betray true liberty of conscience, (14) and the requiring of an implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also. (15)

12) Jam 4:12; Rom 14:4.
13) Acts 4:19, 29; 1 Cor 7:23; Matt 15:9.
14) Col 2:20, 22-23.
15) 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 1:24.

They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction, (16) so they wholly destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives. (17)

16) Rom 6:1-2.
17) Gal 5:13; 2 Pet 2:18, 21.

CHAPTER 22 - OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE SABBATH DAY

The light of nature shews that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might. (1) But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by Himself, (2) and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. (3)

1) Jer 10:7; Mk 12:33.
2) Deut 12:32.
3) Ex 20:4-6.

Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone; (4) not to angels, saints, or any other creatures; (5) and since the fall, not without a mediator, (6) nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone. (7)

4) Matt 4:9-10; Jn 6:23; Matt 28:19.
5) Rom 1:25; Col 2:18; Rev 19:10.
6) Jn 14:6. br/>7) 1 Tim 2:5.

Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one part of natural worship, is by God required of all men. (8) But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, (9) by the help of the Spirit, (10) according to His will; (11) with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and when with others , in a known tongue. (12)

8) Ps 95:1-7; 65:2.
9) Jn 14:13-14.
10) Rom 8:26.
11) 1 Jn 5:14.
12) 1 Cor 14:16-17.

Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter; (13) but not for the dead, (14) not for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death. (15)

13) 1 Tim 2:1-2; 2 Sam 7:29.
14) 2 Sam 12:21-23.
15) 1 Jn 5:16.

The reading of the Scriptures,16 preaching, and hearing the Word of God, (17) teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord; (18) as also the administration of baptism, (19) and the Lord's supper, (20) are all parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to Him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover, solemn humiliation, with fastings, (21) and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner. (22)

16) 1 Tim 4:13.
17) 2 Tim 4:2; Lk 8:18.
18) Col 3:16; Eph 5:19.
19) Matt 28:19-20.
20) 1 Cor 11:26.
21) Esther 4:16; Joel 2:12.
22) Ex 15:1-19; Ps 107:1-43.

Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth; (23) as in private families (24) daily, (25) and in secret each one by himself; (26) so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by His word or providence calleth thereto. (27)

23) Jn 4:21; Mal 1:11; 1 Tim 2:8.
24) Acts 10:2.
25) Matt 6:11; Ps 55:17.
26) Matt 6:6.
27) Heb 10:25; Acts 2:42.

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by His Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto Him, (28) which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: (29) and is to be continued to the end of the world as a Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

28) Ex 20:8.
29) 1 Cor 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Rev 1:10.

The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, (30) but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. (31)

30) Isa 58:13; Neh 13:15-22.
31) Matt 12:1-13.

Article Continues: OF LAWFUL OATHS AND VOWS

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / NEXT >