1) The Holy Scriptures
We believe in the divine inspiration of the Holy Sciptures, and receive them as a gracious revelation of the mind and will of God1.
1Deut. 4:2; Psalm 19:7; Prov.30:5-6; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Rev.22:18-19; John 5:39.
2) The Trinity
We believe that there is but one living and true God;1 that there are Three Persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost2 - that these Three Persons are equal in nature, power and glory; and we believe that the Son and the Holy Ghost are as truly and as properly God as the Father.3
1Exod.3:14; Deut.4:35, 6:4; Num.23:19; 1 Sam.2:2-3; Psalm 90:2, 115:3, 135:5, 139:7-10; Prov.15:3; Eccles.3:14; Isa.40:28, 45:22, 46:9; Jer.10:10, 23:24; Mal.3:6; Mark 12:29; John 4:24; 1 Cor.8:6; Col.1:16.
2Matt.28:19; John 1:1; 2 Cor.13:14; 1 John 5:7; Jude 20-21.
3John 10:15, 30; Eph.2:22; Heb.1:3, 9:14
3) The Everlasting Love of God; Election; Predestination; Adoption; and the Eternal Covenant of Grace
We believe in the everlasting and unchangeable love of God;1 and that before the foundation of the world the Father did elect a certain number of the human race unto everlasting salvation, whom he did predestinate unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will;2 and we believe that in fulfilling this gracious design, He did make a covenant of grace and peace with the Son and with the Holy Ghost on behalf of those persons thus chosen,3 and that in this covenant the Son was appointed a Saviour, and all spiritual blessings provided for the elect, and also that their persons, with all the grace and glory designed for them, were put into the hands of the Son as their Covenant Head, and made His care and charge.4
1Jer.3:13
2Gal.4:5; Eph.1:2-13; 1 Thess.5:9; 2 Thess.2:13; 2 Tim.1:9; 1 John 3:1; 1 Peter 1:2, 2:9
32 Sam.23:5; John 1:17
4Psalm 111:8-9; Isa.42:6, 54:10, 55:4; Jer.31:3; John 6:37, 17:2; Acts 4:12; Rom.8:29-30; Eph.1:3, 2:13; Heb.2:13, 6:17-18, 8:8-9.
4) The Fall of Man
We believe in the Fall of our first parents, and that by it the whole of the human race became involved in, and guilty of, Original Sin; and that as they are born into the world, the whole of their posterity are, in consequence, actual transgressors against God.1And we believe that by the Fall all men were rendered both unable and unwilling spiritually to believe in, seek after, or love God until called and regenerated by the Holy Ghost.2
1Rom.5:12-21; Psalm 58:3
2Gen. 6:5, 8:21; Job 14:4, 25:4; Psalm 51:5; Jer.13:23, 17:9; Matt.15:19; Rom.3:10-24, 5:12-19, 1 Cor.15:22,45-50; Eph.2:3; 1 John 5:19
5) The Sacred Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Offices as Mediator, Surety and Substitute
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, being set up from everlasting as the Mediator of the New Covenant, and having engaged to be the Surety of His people, did, in the fulness of time, really and truly assume human nature, and not before, either in whole or in part.1 And we believe that, though He existed from all eternity as the eternal Son of God,2 the human soul of the Lord Jesus did not exist before it was created and formed in His body by Him who forms the soul of man within him, when that body was conceived, under the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary.3 And we believe that Christ's human nature consists of a true body and reasonable soul, both of which, together and at once, the Son of God assumed into union with His Divine Person, when made of a woman and not before;4 that this human nature was not sinful, peccable, or mortal,5 though capable of death by a voluntary act,6 but essentially and intrinsically pure and holy;7 and that in it He really suffered, bled and died, as the Substitute and Surety of His church and people, in their room and stead, and for no others;8 whereby, together with His holy, spotless life, He fulfilled the law, and satisfied all the claims of justice, as well as made a way for all those blessings which are needful for His people, both for time and eternity.9
1Prov.8:23
22 John 1:18; Phil.2:5-8; Heb.1:5,13:8; 2 John 3; Rev.1:8
3Isa.7:14; Matt.1:23; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:14; Gal.4:4
4Luke 2:40; Heb.2:14-17
5Psa.16:10; Acts 2:27
6John 10:17-18
7Song 5:9-16; Heb.7:26
8John 10:15,26, 17:9,13
9Heb.9:22-28
6) Particular Redemption
We believe that the eternal redemption which Christ has obtained by the shedding of His blood is special and particular1 that is to say, that it was intentionally designed only for the Elect of God, the Sheep of Christ, who therefore alone share in the special and peculiar blessings thereof.2
1Gal.3:13; Heb.9:12-15
2Isa.35:10; John 10:15, 25-28; Acts 2:47, 13:48, 20:28; Rom.5:8-10, 8:33-34, 9:13,15-16; Rev.14:4
7) Imputed Righteousness; Justification; and Pardon
We believe that the justification of God's Elect is only by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to them,1 without consideration of any works of righteousness, before or after calling, done by them, and that the full and free pardon of all their sins, past, present, and to come, is only through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of His grace.2
1Isa.45:24, 64:6; Jer.23:6; Matt.7:18; Luke 18:13; Acts 13:39; Rom.4:4-5, 5:19, 10:4; 1 Cor.1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil.3:9; Titus 3:5
2Rom.3:20-27, 4:22, 9:11; 2 Tim.1:9; Heb.1:3, 9:22; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:1
8) Regeneration
We believe that the work of regeneration is not an act of man's free will and natural power, but that it springs from the operation of the mighty, efficacious and invincible grace of God.1
1Jer.50;20; Psa.110:3; John 1:13, 6:29,63,65, 16:8; Rom.8:16, 11:4,6; James 1:18
9) Conviction of Sin; Believing in Christ; and Final Perseverance
We believe that all those who were chosen by the Father and redeemed by the Son, and no others, shall, at the appointed time, certainly be convinced in their hearts of sin by the Spirit,1 be brought in guilty before God, and made the recipients of eternal life, coming to Christ for salvation, and believing on Him as the Anointed of the Father, and the only Mediator between God and man;2 but that none can spiritually come to Christ unless drawn by the Father;3 and that all the elect shall be thus drawn to Christ, and shall finally persevere; so that not one of the elect shall perish, but all arrive safely in glory.4
1John 16:8; 1 Cor.2:14; Eph.2:1
21 Tim.2:5; Heb.8:6, 9:15, 12:24
3John 6:44,65
4Job 17:9; Matt.25:34; John 4:14, 5:24, 6:37,44-47, 10:28, 17:6, 12:24; Acts 2:47; Rom.8:29-39; Phil.1:6; 1 Peter 1:3-5
10) Spiritual Death and Spiritual Life
We believe that all men are by nature so completely dead in trespasses and sins that they cannot, while in that state, know or feel anything of God in Christ, spiritually, graciously, and savingly.1 And we believe that, when quickened into everlasting life in Christ (as the elect alone are, or can be, or will be), the vessel of mercy then first feels spiritually the guilt of sin, and is taught to know, in his own experience, the fall and ruin of man.2 Thus every quickened child of God is brought, in God's own time and way, through the Spirit's teaching, from necessity to depend for salvation on Christ's blood and righteousness alone.3 And we believe that this teaching will not lead him to licentiousness, but make him willing to walk in good works, to which he is ordained, and which are acceptable to God only through Jesus Christ.4
1Eph.2:1-3
2Isa.1:6; Rom.3:10-19, 7:18
3John 6:68, 10:9, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Eph.2:8-10; Heb.6:18
4Rom.8:14; Gal.5:16-25, 6:14-16
11) Man Unable to Perform Spiritual Good Works until he is Called by Grace
We believe that man can never do a good work, properly so called, until the grace of God is implanted in his heart,1 and that nothing is spiritually good but what God Himself is pleased to communicate to, and work in, the soul, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.2 And we also believe that man's works, good or bad, have not anything to do with his call, or being quickened, by the Holy Spirit.3
1Rom.8:8
2Phil.2:13
32 Cor.3:5; Eph.2:3-9; Titus 3:5; Heb.13:21
12) Effectual Calling; the Application of the Law; and the Manifestation of Mercy and Pardon
We believe in the effectual calling of all the elect vessels of mercy out of the ruins of the Fall in God's appointed time, and that the work of regeneration, or new birth, is the sovereign work of God, and His work only, the sinner being as passive therein as in his first birth, and previously thereto dead in trespasses and sins.1 We believe in the application of the Law to the elect sinner's conscience by the Spirit of God,2 showing the sinner how greatly he has broken that Law, and feelingly condemning him for the same; and in the manifestation of mercy and pardon through Christ alone made known to the soul by God the Holy Ghost.3
1John 3:3-8, 6:37-65; Rom.8:30; 1 Cor.1:26-29; Eph.2:4-5
2Rom.7:7,9,12
3Psa.30:3, 130:7; Isa.40:2; Jer.33:8; Mic.7:18; Rom.7:5-10
13) The Effects of Faith
We believe that faith is the gift of God,1 as well as true spiritual repentance and hope,2 and a manifestation of pardon to the soul; that through faith Christ is made precious to the soul,3 and the soul drawn out in love to God;4 that all are the fruits and effects of the blessed Spirit, and that they will most certainly be productive of good works, and a walk and conversation becoming the Gospel.5
1Eph.2:8
2Acts 5:31; Rom.15:13; 2 Thess.2:16; 1 Peter 1:3
31 Peter 2:7
41 John 4:19
5Gal.2:16-21, 5:22-26
14) The Resurrection of the Body; and the Eternal Glory or Damnation
We believe in the Resurrection of the body, both of the just and the unjust;1 that the just (the elect) shall be raised up in glory and honour,2 and be openly acknowledged and fully acquitted in the Judgment Day, before angels, devils and sinners, and made fully and eternally blest both in body and soul; and that the wicked shall be raised up to be condemned, body and soul, to the unspeakable torments of hell for ever and ever.3
1Acts 24:15
2Matt.24:31, 25:31-40
3Isa.26:19; Dan.12:2; Matt.25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 23:6; Rom.6:23, 8:11,23, 14:10-12; 1 Cor.15:52; 2 Cor.5:10; Rev.20:12-15
