your minds and hearts, that so you be not an easy prey to such as lie in wait to deceive.* For the want hereof to be condoled is the unhappiness of many, ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.t IV. That having applied the rule of Holy Scripture to all the Articles of this Confession, and found the same upon trial, the unchangeable and eternal truths of God,‡ you remember and hold them fast, contend earnestly for them as the faith once delivered to the saints. Value them as your great charter, the instrument of your salvation, the evidence of your not failing of the grace of God, and receiving a crown that fadeth not away.§ Maintain them, and every of them, all your days, with undaunted resolution against all opposition, whatever the event be, and the same transmit safe and pure to posterity: Having brought the truth on no hand sell it. Believe the truth will make you free: Faithful is he that hath promised: So shall none take away your crown. Finally Do not think it is enough that your faith and order be according to the Word of God, but live accordingly.** It is not enough to believe well, you run yourself into the greatest hazard unless you be careful to live well, and that this be,ff all your life and conversation * Eph. 4: 13, 14. + 2 Tim. 3: 7. Rev. 3:3; Jude, 3. 1 Cor. 15: 18: 1 Cor. 16: 13; Psal. 78: 5. John, 23:23; John, 8: 32; Heb. 10: 13; Rev. 3: 11. ** Tit. 2: 11, 12. †† Gal. 1: 16; Mic. 6: 8. must be agreeable to the rule of God's Word. This is the rule of a Christian conversation and practical reformation.* Rest not in the form of godliness, denying the power of it. Stir up an holy zeal, strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die. Be not carried away with the corruptions, temptations, and evil examples of the times, but be blameless and without rebuke, the sons of God in a froward generation, they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Remember ye our brethren in this colony, that we are a part of that body, for which the providence of God hath wrought wonders, and are obliged by and accountable for all the mercies dispensed from the beginning of our fathers' settling this country until now. There he spake with us. That the practical piety and serious religion of our progenitors is exemplary and for our imitation, and will reflect confounding shame on us, if we prove degenerate. The Lord grant that thy noble design of our fathers in coming to this land, may not be forgotten by us, nor by our children after us, even the interest of religion, which we can never exchange for a temporal interest without the foulest degeneracy, and most inexcusable defection.** To conclude, the solemn rebukes of Providence, from Rev. 3: 19; Rev. 3:2; Phil. 2 : 15. * 2 Tim. 3: 15; 2 Tim. 1:5; Job. 8:8. Jer. 2: 21. time to time, in a series of judgments, and in particular, the general drought in the summer past, together with the grevious disappointment of our military undertaking, the distresses, sickness, and mortality of our camp, cannot successfully be improved but by a self-humbling consideration of our ways, and a thorough repentance of all that is amiss." So will the God of our fathers be our God, and he will be a wall of fire round about us, and the glory in the midst of us in this present, and all succeeding generations. AMEN. * Isa. 26:9; Gen. 43: 23; Zech. 2:5. A CONFESSION OF FAITH. CHAP. I. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I. ALTHOUGH the light of nature, and the works of creation and Providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation: Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly to writing; which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people, now ceased.f a Rom. 2:14, 15; Rom. 1: 19, 20; Psal. 19: 1, 2, 3. Rom. 1 32; chap. 2: 1. b 1 Cor. 1: 21; chap. 2: 13, 14. c Heb. 1, 1, 2. d Prov. 22: 19, 20, 21; Luke, 1, 3,4; Rom. 15:4; Matt. 4: 4, 7, 10; Isa. 8: 19, 20. e 2 Tim. 3: 15; 2 Pet. 1: 19. f Heb. 1: 1, 2. II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: Of the Old Testament. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Of The New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 to Timothy, 2 to Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, the first and second Epistles of Peter, the first, second, and third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, the Revelation. All which are given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.g g Luke 16: 29, 31; Eph. 2: 20; Rev. 22; 18, 19; 2 Tim. 3:16. |