ftians are bound, by their acknowlegement of Chrift as their only Lord and Matter, to reject .all doctrines, commands, and traditions of men, which any ways contradict or interfere

with his commands and ordinances, or which Gal. 5 1 15% tend to bind the confcience where he has left 2 Cor. 3. 17 us free.

As King, Jefus Chrift will take effectual care of his Church, which is built upon the foun

dation of the prophets & apoftles, He himself Eph. z, zo: being the chief corner it ne. He will build

it up, preferve and defend it by his almighty

power, in the midst of all dangers and enemies, Matt. 16. 18. and govern every thing in the courle of providence with special reference to it's welfa e: and, notwithstanding the moft difcouraging appearances, tie will continue it unto the end Matt. 28, 201 of the world.

Christ is

A&

& 10, 42. Joh. 5.22,23

FINALLY; Jefus Chrift is ordained of God Judge of the world. to be the Fudge of the living and the dad: for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men may. honor the Son even as they honor the Father. Of this God hath given affurance to all men, A& 17. 31. in that he hath raised him from the dead.

We must all appear before the judgment feat 2 Cor. 5. 10, of Chrift, that every one may receive the things 11.

done in the body, according to that which he hath done, whether it be good or bad and then the Lord will bring to light the hidden

things of darknefs, and make manifeft the 1 Cor. 4 5. counfels of all hearts; and as the only Law

giver of his kingdom, he will fhew his power Jam. 4. Im both to fave and to deftroy.

Matt. 28. 19.

14.

6. 11, 15,

THE

ART. IV.

Of the Holy Ghost.

HE Holy Ghoft, into whofe name, to gether with that of the Father and the Matt. 3. 16. Son, chriftians are baptized, is frequently called Rom. 8. 9- in the facred fcriptures, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Chrifti: who, as God under a diftin&t I Cor. 3.16,17 perfonal character, performs an important part in the great work of man's falvation. The 2 Per. 1 21. holy Spirit of God, infpired and guided the 2 Tim. 3.16 faints under the old Teftament, and revealed 1 Pet. 1.1 to the prophets thofe deep things of God of Ifa. 44.3. Joh. which they fpake. But the Spirit is more 7. 39. Gal.3. efpecially promifed and given under the new 14. Joh. 10. Teftament, as the Teacher, Sanctifier, and 7-15. Comforter of believers.

17, 19.

12.

2 Theff.2.13.

19

On the day of Pentecoft the holy Ghoft was At 2.1-4 fent down, in a miraculous manner, on the Apoftles and difciples, enabling them to speak languages, which they had never learnt, and endowing them with other fupernatural gifts and powers for the confirmation of the Gospel, But the Spirit of Chrift, according to his promife, was efpecially given to the firtt preachers of chriftianity, to teach them all things, to 15. 26, 27. 16.7-15. bring to their remembrance all things whatfoever Chrift had faid unto them, to guide them into all truth; and to convince the world of fin, of righteoufnefs, and of judgment.

Jch. 16. 17.

26.

BUT the agency of the Spirit was not limited to thofe miraculous operations which were but fenfible evidences of his inward operatiFor by one Spirit all believers are baptized into one body; and we are faved by the Tit. 3.5,6,7 washing of regeneration, and the renewing of

I Cor. 12. 3, ons.

13.

the

the holy Ghoft. No man can fay, that Jefus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghoft; and the Spirit dwells in believers, fo that even their bodies are called the Temples of the holy Ghoft. If any man have not the Spirit of Rom. 8. 9Chrift, he is none of his for by him all fpi- 16. ritual knowlege is communicated to chriftians; every grace and virtue is afcribed to his cy; he is the promised Comforter of Chrift's Gal.5.22,23, people; and by him they are fanctified and 2 Cor, 1. 21, fealed unto the day of complete redemption. 22.

agen

1 Cor. 2.9-16.

25

Theff. 1. 5.

Pet. 1. 12.

Eph. 1.13. THE Spirit of God always works by and 4. 30. with the Gofpel, whenever it is effectual unto falvation; opening the understandings of men,, that they may understand the scriptures; applying the doctrines, precepts, and promises of the word, to the various purposes of the chriftian life; and rendering them efficacious in the heart. But Chrift now communicates no new inftructions by his Spirit, which he has not already committed to writing in the sacred fcriptures.

AR T. V.

Of the fecond Coming of Chrift, the Refur rection of the dead, and eternal Judgment.

T

Christ will vi

fibly appear, HAT fame Jefus which was taken up A&t..1. II. from us in a cloud into heaven, will a come again in like manner as he was feen go

ing into heaven. He is gone to prepare a

place for his difciples, and he hath promised Joh. 14. 2, 31 that he will come again, and receive them un

to himself, that where he is, there they may be

alfo. All chriftians therefore look for him to appear the second time, without the former Heb. g. 9.28 marks of humiliation and fuffering for fin, unto

their

Tit. 1. 13.

their eternal falvation: and they are encouraged to expect his appearing as the manifeftation of the glory of the great God and their Savior, and to confider it as the bleffed and joyful hope which is given them by the Gospel, for 2 Theff. 1.1o. he will come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.

The day of Judgment unknown to

men.

GOD hath appointed a day in which he will judge the fecrets of men by Jefus Chrift; Act. 17. 31. which is called in the Scriptures, the day of Rom. 2. 16. judgment, the end of the word, the last day, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the day of the Lord. But at what precife period this great day shall arrive is one of thofe fecret things Matt. 24. 36, which belong only to God for of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels in heaven, but the Father only. We are therefore commanded to watch, and be always ready, because at fuch an hour as we think not, Though the pro

42. 43.

2 Pet. 3. 3- the Son of man will come.

9.

mife of his coming feems to be delayed, and fcoffers may boldly deride it, because all things ftill continue as they were from the beginning of the creation; yet the Lord is not flack concerning his promife, but is long-fuffering towards us, not willing that any not willing that any fhould perish, Heb. 10. 37. but that all should come to repentance. that fhall come,,will come, and will not tarry folemnity of beyond the appointed time.

The form and

the Judgment. Matt. 24. 30. Rev. 1.7.

He

CHRIST will come in the clouds of heaven,

with power and great glory, and every eye fhall fee him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth fhall wail because of him. He will come in the glory of his Father, and all the holy angels with him; and being feated on the throne of his glory, all nations fhall be gathered before him; and he

will

will feparate them one from another as a fhep herd divideth his fheep from the goats; and then, as Judge of all, he will pronounce fentence according to this divifion betwixt the righteous and the wicked, and reward every man according to his works.

The refar rection of the

16.

29.

6. 14.

2 Cor. 4. 14.

WHEN Chrift appears to judge the world, dead. the dead will be raijed. For the Lord will de- 1 Theff. 4. fcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the trumpet of God: and all that are in the graves fhall hear his Joh. 5. 28, voice, and fhall come forth, they that have done good to the refurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the refurrection of damnation. The refurrection of Chrift is the I Cor.15.12, evidence and earnest of the refurrection of the -32. dead bodies of the faints unto eternal life: for Chrift being railed from the dead, is become the first fruits of them that have fallen afleep in him. But we fhall not all die; but we 1 Cor.15.51, fhall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump; for the trumpet fhall found, and the dead fhall Theff. 4. be raised, and the faints who remain alive fhall be changed, and caught up in the clouds, together with those who are raised from their graves, to meet the Lord in the air, and to live for ever with him.

52.

I

16, 17.

The confiagration of

THE great day of Chrift's fecond coming the world. will be the end of this prefent world, when the Matt. 13. 39, heavens fhall pass away with a great noife, and 43. the elements fhall melt with fervent heat, the 1 Pet. 4. 7. earth alfo and the works that are therein fhall 2 Pet. 3.5be burnt up. All these things which we behold fhall be diffolved. As the old world was overwhelmed and deftroyed with a flood of water, fo the heavens and the earth which are

now,

12.