did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon him (John i. 1, 14; Gal. iv. 4) man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, (Rom. viii. 3; Heb. ii. 14, 16, 17; iv. 15) yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowing her, (Luke i. 27, 31, 35) and so was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David, according to the scriptures; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God, and very man, yet one (Rom. ix. 5; 1 Tim. ii. 5) Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

8

3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified, and anointed (Psal. xlv. 7; Acts x. 38; John iii. 34) with the Holy Spirit, above measure; having in him (Col. ii. 3) all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father, that (Col. i. 19) all fulness should dwell; to the end, that being (Heb. vii. 26) holy, harmless, undefiled, and full (John i. 14) of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator, and (Heb. vii. 22) surety; which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto (Heb. v. 5) called by his Father, who also put (John v. 22, 27; Matt. xxviii. 18; Acts ii. 36) all power and judgment in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.

4. This office the Lord Jesus did most (Psa. xl. 7, 8; Heb. x. 5-11; John x. 18) willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the law (Gal. iv. 4;

Matt. iii. 15) and did perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the (Gal. iii. 13; Isa. liii. 6; 1 Pet. iii. 18) punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made (2 Cor. v. 21) sin and a curse for us; enduring most grievous sorrows9 (Matt. xxvi. 37, 38; Luke xxii. 44; Matt. xxvii. 46) in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead ;' yet saw no (Acts xiii. 37) corruption; on the (1 Cor. xv. 3, 4) third day he arose from the dead, with the same (John xx. 25, 27) body in which he suffered; with which he also (Mark xvi. 19; Acts i. 9, 10, 11) ascended into heaven; and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, (Rom. viii. 34; Heb. ix. 24) making intercession; and shall (Acts x. 42; Rom. xiv. 9, 10; Acts i. 10) return to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.

5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God (Heb. ix. 14; x. 14; Rom. iii. 25, 26), hath fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven (John xvii. 2; Heb. ix. 15) for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.

6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ, till after his incarnation (1 Cor. iv. 10; Heb. iv. 2; 1 Pet. i. 10, 11), yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages successively, from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman, which should bruise

9

[Savoy Conf. inserts here, "immediately from God."]

[West and Savoy Conf. read, "remained under the power of death."]

2 [West. and Savoy Conf. read, "Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ."]

the serpent's head, (Rev. xiii. 8) and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; (Heb. xiii. 8) being the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.

7. Christ in the work of mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in scripture attributed to the person (John iii. 13; Acts xx. 28) denominated by the

other nature.

8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly and effectually (John vi. 37, x. 15, 16, xvii. 9; Rom. v. 10) apply, and communicate the same, making intercession for them; uniting them to himself by his Spirit (John xvii. 6; Eph. i. 9; 1 John v. 20) revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe, and obey (Rom. viii. 9, 14); governing their hearts by his word and Spirit, and (Ps. cx. 1; 1 Cor. xv. 25, 26) overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom; in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and (John iii. 8; Eph. i. 8) unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them, to procure it.3

9. This office of mediator between God and man, is proper (1 Tim. ii. 5) only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof transferred from him to any other.

10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in in respect of our (John i. 18) ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God (Col. i. 21; Gal. v. 17) and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office, to reconcile us,

3

["And all of free," &c., not in West. and Savoy Conf.]

and present us acceptable unto God: and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office (John xvi. 8; Ps. cx. 3; Luke i. 74, 75) to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom.*

CHAP. IX.

Of free will.

1. God hath indued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is (Matt. xvii. 12; Jam. i. 14; Deut. xxx. 19) neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.

2. Man in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power, to will and to do that (Eccl. vii. 29) which was good, and well-pleasing to God; but yet (Gen. iii. 6) was mutable, so that he might fall from it.

3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost (Rom. v. 6, viii. 7) all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, (Eph. ii. 1, 5) and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to (Tit. iii. 3, 4, 5 ; John vi. 44) convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, (Col. i. 13; John 8, 36) he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him (Phil. ii. 13) freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that, by reason of his (Rom. vii. 15, 18, 19, 21, 23) remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.

4 [The two last paragraphs are not in the West. and Savoy Conf., but

constitute the 13th and 14th articles of the Confession of 1646. See ante.]

5. The will of man is made (Eph. iv. 13) perfectly and immutably free to God alone in the state of glory only.

CHAP. X.

Of effectual calling.

1. Those whom God hath predestinated unto life he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, (Rom. viii. 30, xi. 7; Eph. i. 10, 11; 2 Thess. iii. 13, 14) effectually to call by his word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation (Eph. i. 1—6), by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to (Acts xxvi. 18; Eph. i. 17, 18) understand the things of God; taking away their (Ezek. xxxvi. 26) heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them (Deut. xxx. 6; Ezek. xxxvi. 27; Eph. i. 19) to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come ((Psa. cx. 3; Cant. i. 4) most freely, being made willing by his grace.

2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone (2 Tim. i. 9; Eph. ii. 8), not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature, co-working with his special grace (1 Cor. ii. 14; Eph. ii. 5; John v. 25), the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less (Eph. i. 19, 20) power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.

3. Elect infants dying in infancy, are (John iii. 3, 5, 6) regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and (John iii. 8) how he pleaseth;