西敏斯特信仰告白 The Westminster Confession of Faith

西敏斯特大要理問答 The Westminster Larger Catechism
西敏斯特小要理問答 The Westminster Shorter Catechism
使徒信經 Apostles' Creed
尼西亞信經 Nicene Creed
迦克頓信經 Chalcedonian Definition

西敏斯特信仰告白
Westminster confession of faith

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引言

自伊利沙白女王一世以來，英國聖公會成爲主教制，就是由女王直接委任主教治理地方教會，並在公共崇拜中遺傳許多天主教的禮儀，此舉引起許多改革的新教徒的不滿，這群忠于改革的人就是當時的清教徒。在1643年，查理士（Charles）當政之時（1625-1649），當時議院的議員以清教徒居多，他們期盼以清教徒改革原則重整英國教會，于是在韋斯敏斯德大教堂召開了一個大型的議會，與會人士有121位牧師，30位議院的議員，及8位列席的蘇格蘭代表。對于教會應采取的體制，人人看法不同，而以贊成長老制者居多；在神學的立場上，大家則一致認同加爾文的觀點，否定阿民念派及羅馬天主教。

經過三年的討論，議會于1646年12月完成了《韋斯敏斯德信條》，供日後議院及議會之用。信條的內容完整、精確、簡潔、平衡，每一個句子都經過小組的討論及公開的辯論，參與者陣容之堅強也屬罕見。信條于數個月後加入聖經的章節引證，是年六月得到議院的批准。

雖然在英國此信條所獲得的公認只到1660年，但它深受清教徒的愛戴，在蘇格蘭也爲議會及議院所接納；後來隨著新大陸的移民而傳入北美洲，是在英、美的長老派及北美的公理會與浸信會中最具影響力之信條。

此信條是加爾文神學，清教徒及聖經融合的結晶，共有三十三章，其特色有下列幾點：

文中論述的次序爲聖經、上帝、世人、基督、拯救、教會及末世，成爲現代教義神學分段的先驅。
開宗第一章的聖經論，華腓德（B.B. Warfield）稱之爲基督教中最完美的聖經論告白。
預定論在此信條中展現成熟的風貌，平衡地教導了神的主權與人的自由。
著重聖約神學，以此解釋在曆史中神與人的關系。
確認清教徒所強調的得救的確知。

WCF【第1講】前言

目錄 Content

第 1 章論聖經
The Holy Scripture

第 2 章論上帝和三位一體
God and the Holy Trinity

第3 章論上帝永遠的預旨
God’s Eternal Decree

第4 章論上帝創造之工
Creation

第 5 章論上帝護理之工
Providence

第 6 章論人的墮落、罪惡和刑罰
The Fall of Man, and Sin and Its Punishment

第 7 章論上帝與人所立的約
God’s Covenant with Man

第 8 章論中保基督
Christ the Mediator

第 9 章論自由意志
Free Will

第 10 章論有效的恩召
Effectual Calling

第 11 章論稱義
Justification

第 12 章論兒子的名分
Adoption

第 13 章論成聖
Sanctification

第 14 章論得救的信心
Saving Faith

第 15 章論悔改得生
Repentance Unto Life

第 16 章論善行
Good Works

第 17 章論聖徒的堅忍
Perseverance of the Saints

第 18 章論蒙恩與得救的確信
Assurance of Grace and Salvation

第 19 章論上帝的律法
The Law of God

第 20 章論基督徒的自由和良心的自由
Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience

第 21 章論基督教的敬拜和安息日
Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

第 22 章論合法的起誓和許願
Lawful Oaths and Vow

第 23 章論政府官員
The Civil Authorities

第 24 章論結婚與離婚
Marriage and Divorce

第 25 章論教會
The Church

第 26 章論聖徒相通
Communion of the Saints

第 27 章論聖禮
The Sacraments

第 28 章論洗禮
Baptism

第 29 章論聖餐
The Lord’s Supper

第 30 章論教會的懲戒
Church Discipline

第 31 章論教會的總會和會議
Synods and Councils

第 32 章論人死後的狀態和死人復活
The State of Men after Death, And the Resurrection of the Dead

第 33 章論最後的審判
The Last Judgment.

西敏斯特信仰告白

第一章：論聖經

WCF【第2講】第1章：論聖經 01

【第1章-1】：聖經的必要性，神自我啟示的方法、對象、
形成、目的與啟示的終止

WCF【第3講】第1章：論聖經 02

【第1章-2-4】聖經的正典與旁經，信服聖經的根據：上帝為作者

WCF【第4講】第1章：論聖經 03

【第1章-5】確信聖經無謬的根據（上帝的見證）及聖經的屬性

WCF【第5講】第1章：論聖經 04

【第1章-6】聖經的完備性、聖靈光照的必須性和關於教會治理的事宜。

第一章論聖經

1-聖經的必要性，神自我啟示的方法、對象、形成、目的與啟示的終止。

一、雖然，天然本性之光（light of nature）、創造、護理之工能夠「彰顯神善良、智慧、權能，叫人無可推諉」1，卻仍不足以使人認識神及其旨意到「能夠得救」的程度2。所以神樂意多次多方將自己啟示給祂的教會，並向教會宣佈祂的旨意3，之後為了更佳的保守、傳揚真理，更加堅立並安慰教會，去抵擋肉體的敗壞、撒但與世界的邪惡，神就使祂的啟示被全部記載下來4，因此聖經是絕對必要的5，因為神先前啟示祂旨意給祂百姓的方法，如今已經不再使用了6。

2-4 聖經的正典與旁經，信服聖經的根據：上帝為作者

二、所謂「聖經」，或說「記載下來的聖言」，包括舊新約全書，即舊約39卷，新約27卷（書卷名從略）。這些書都是神所默示的7，要作為信仰與生活的準則。

三、通稱為「旁經」（Apocrypha）的各卷書，既不是神的默示，也就不屬聖經正典，所以在神的教會中沒有權威，至多只能當作是人的作品來對待或使用8。

四、聖經的權威理當被信服，這權威不在乎任何人或教會的見證，乃完全在乎神（祂就是真理的本身）。神既是聖經的作者，所以我們應當接受聖經，因為聖經是神的話9。

5- 確信聖經無謬的根據（上帝的見證）及聖經的屬性

五、我們可能因為教會的見證而受到感動與影響，因而高舉聖經、敬重聖經10，對聖經屬天的性質、教義的功效、文體的莊嚴、各部的一致、整體的要旨（將一切榮耀歸給神）、對於人類惟一得救之道的完整彰顯，和其他許多無比卓越、全然完美之處，都足以證明聖經本身就是神的話。雖然如此，最讓我們完全確信聖經是無謬的真理，有屬神權威的原因，乃是由於聖靈在我們裡面動工，聖靈「藉著且伴隨著」神的話在我們心中作見證11。

6-聖經的完備性、聖靈光照的必須性和關於教會治理的事宜。

六、神全備的旨意，包括神自己的榮耀、人的得救、信仰與生活等一切的知識，若不是明明記載在聖經裡，就都是已經從聖經引申出來正當且必要的結論；所以無論在任何時刻，不論是假藉聖靈的新啟示，或憑藉人的遺傳，都不可以加添聖經的內容12。然而，我們承認︰為了明白聖經中所啟示的得救之道，上帝的靈在我們內心的光照是必須的13；某些關於敬拜神、教會治理的處境14，與人類一般處世為人有相通之處，這時我們要按照聖經的總規則（這是我們隨時隨刻要遵守的），憑著人的天然之光、以基督徒的慎思明辨來安排。

7-聖經的清晰性與理解聖經的普通方法

七、聖經的內容並非每處都同樣的清楚，也並非對所有人都同樣的明白15，但凡是有關得救所必須知道、必須相信、必須遵守的事，都已經在聖經的某些章節中解釋得非常清楚明白了，不但是有學問的人，就是無學問的人，只要用正常的方法去讀，就能得到充分瞭解16。

八、舊約是用希伯來文寫成（這是古時神選民的母語），新約是用希臘文寫成（這是當時各國最通行的語言）都是受神直接的默示，而且經過歷世歷代，在神以獨特的方式看顧與護理之下，保持其純正，所以是真確的17；因此一切信仰上的爭議，教會最後都要以聖經為最高依據18。但因神的百姓並不都通曉聖經的原文，可是他們都有權利，也有興趣讀聖經，而且神吩咐他們要以敬畏神的態度誦讀和查考聖經19；所以凡聖經所到之處，都應當譯成當地通行的語言20，使神的話可以豐豐富富地存在眾人心裡，他們就可以用神所喜悅的方式敬拜祂21，並可以因聖經所生的忍耐和安慰得著盼望22。

九、解釋聖經有一個絕對無誤的法則，就是以經解經（the Scripture interprets itself）。所以當我們對任一處聖經的真實完整意義（每處聖經只有一個意思，而非多重含意）有疑問時，就當查考聖經其他比較清楚的經文，以明白其真義23。

十、一切信仰上的爭論、教會會議一切的決議、古代作者的意見、人的教導、個人屬靈的領受等事務，都應當以聖靈在聖經中所說的話作為最高的裁判，如此的裁決，我們都當誠服24。

第二章：論神和三位一體

一、只有一位獨一1 永活的真神2，祂的本體和完美是無限的3，是至純之靈4，眼不能見5；沒有形體、四肢6、情慾7，永不改變8，廣大無邊9，永遠長存10，不可測度11，全能12，至高智慧13，至為聖潔14，最自由15，最絕對16；按照自己不變且最公義的旨意，為了祂自己的榮耀17 行做萬事18；最有慈愛19、有恩惠、有憐憫、長久忍耐、有豐盛的良善與真理；赦免罪孽、過犯與罪惡20；賞賜那殷勤尋求祂的人21；祂的審判最公義、最可畏22，祂恨惡諸惡23，斷不以有罪的為無罪24。

二、一切生命25，榮耀26，善良27，祝福28 都在神自己裡面，也都屬於祂；並且唯獨在祂自己裡面（且歸於祂自己）擁有完全的充足，祂不需要祂所造的任何被造之物29，也不從他們得到任何榮耀30，反倒在他們裡面、藉著他們、向著他們、並在他們身上，彰顯祂自己的榮耀，祂是萬有的獨一根源，萬有都是本於祂、倚靠祂、也歸於祂31，並且在萬有之上有至高主權，可以藉他們、為他們、對他們，行祂自己所喜悅的事32。萬有在祂面前都是赤露敞開的，清晰顯明的33；祂的知識無限，毫無錯誤，並不依靠受造之物34，所以對祂來說，沒有任何事物是偶然或不確定的35。祂的一切旨意、作為和命令都是至聖的36。天使、世人、以及別的受造之物，都應當按著祂的美意所要求他們的，敬拜、事奉、且順從祂37。

三、神是獨一的神，但祂裡面有三個位格，同屬一個本質，權能相同，同樣永恆，這三個位格就是︰父、子、聖靈（三位一體的）神38。父不屬於、不受生於、也不出於任何其他來源；子在永恆裡由父所生39；聖靈在永恆裡由父和子而出40。

1 申六4；林前八4、6。
2 帖前一9；耶十10。
3 伯十一7-9，廿六14。
4 約四24。
5 提前一17。
6 申四15-16；約四24。
7 徒十四11、15。
8 雅一17；瑪三6。
9 王上八27；耶廿三23-24。
10 詩九十2；提前一17。
11 詩一四五3。
12 創十七1；啟四8。
13 羅十六27。
14 賽六3；啟四8。
15 詩一一五3。
16 出三14。
17 箴十六4；羅十一36。
18 弗一11。
19 約壹四8、16。
20 出卅四6-7。
21 來十一6。
22 尼九32-33。
23 詩五5-6。
24 鴻一2-3；出卅四7。
25 約五26。
26 徒七2。
27 詩一一九68。
28 提前六15；羅九5。
29 徒十七24-25。
30 伯廿二2-3。
31 羅十一36。
32 啟四11；但四25、35。
33 來四13。34 羅十一33-
34；詩一四七5。
35 徒十五18；結十一5。
36 詩一四五17；羅七12。
37 啟五12-14。
38 約壹五7；太三16-17，廿八19；林後十三14。
39 約一14、18。
40 約十五26；加四6。

第三章論神永恆的元旨
一、神從萬古以先，本著祂自己的旨意，按著祂最智慧、最聖潔的計畫，全然自主的、絕不改變的決定一切將要成的事1。神如此的決定，並不因此使祂成為罪惡的創始者2，也不因此而剝奪了受造者的意志，且不至於剝奪「第二因」的自主性或偶然性（contingence），反倒使得堅立3。

二、雖然神知道一切情況下的任何可能或可以發生的事4；然而，祂預定萬事，並非根據祂對那件事的預先看見，也不是根據預先知道在某情況下將會有怎樣的事情發生5。

三、按照神的元旨，為了彰顯神的榮耀，有些人和天使6 被預定得永生，其餘的人和天使則被預定受永死7。

四、神這樣預定這些天使和人，都是出於祂特定和不變的計畫；而且他們的數目是如此的確定，既不可增加，也不可減少8。

五、這些蒙神預定得生命的人，是神從創立世界以前，按照祂永遠與不變的目的，也按照祂奧秘的計畫與美意，在基督裡揀選他們得到永遠的榮耀9。神這樣選定他們，完全是出於神白白的恩惠與慈愛，並非根據神預見他們的信心、善行，也不是因為神預見他們在信仰與善行上的堅忍，或受造界其他任何事物，成為神揀選的條件或原因10。總之這一切都是為了使祂榮耀的恩典得著稱讚11。

六、神既然指定「選民」得榮耀，祂便藉著自己永遠的旨意，也是最自由的旨意，預先安排好達到此目的的一切手段12。因此，蒙選召者雖在亞當裡墮落了，卻蒙基督救贖13──藉著聖靈的工作，在適當的時候呼召他們，在基督裡生發有效的信心，並使他們被稱為義，成為神的兒女，成聖14，因信蒙神能力保守，以致得救15。這一切恩惠只臨到蒙揀選的人16，其餘的人則無此恩惠。

七、至於其餘的人類，神乃是按照祂自己的意思，根據祂那不可測的計畫，隨心所欲地施予或保留其恩惠，為了彰顯祂在受造者身上的至高權能，祂就樂意放棄他們，並指定他們為自己的罪受羞辱、遭忿怒，使祂榮耀的公義得著稱讚17。

八、這預定的教義至為深奧，所以應當特別慎重，留心處理18，好叫凡聽從神在其聖言中所啟示之旨意的人，可以從他們所得的有效的恩召的確實性上，確信自己永遠蒙揀選19。如此，這教義對那些凡是以真心順從福音的人，就成為他們謙虛、勤勉、蒙受極大安慰的緣由20，也成為他們對神發出讚美、敬畏與讚嘆的緣由21。

1 弗一11；羅九15、18，十一33。2 雅一13、17；約壹一5。3 徒二23，四27-28；太十七12；約十九11。4 徒十五18；撒上廿三11-12。5 羅九11、13、16、18。6 提前五21；太廿五41。7 羅九22-23；弗一5-6。8 提後二19；約十三18。9 弗一4、9、11；羅八30；提後一9。10 羅九11、13、16；弗一4、9。11 弗一6、12。12 彼前一2；弗一4-5，二10；帖後二13。13 帖前五9-10；多二14。14 羅八30；弗一5；帖後二13。15 彼前一5。16 約十七9，六64-65，十26，八47；羅八28-39；約壹二19。17 太十一25-26；羅九17-18、21-22；提後二19-20；猶4；彼前二8。18 羅九20，十一33；申廿九29。19 彼後一10。20 羅十一5-6、20，八33；彼後一10。21 弗一6；羅十一33。

第四章論神創造之工
一、父、子、聖靈（三位一體的）神1，為彰顯自己的永能、智慧與良善的榮耀2，就樂意在起初、從「無有」（nothing）中創造世界，並其中一切有形無形之物，以六日做成，並都甚好3。

二、神造了一切其他受造物之後，就造了人，造男造女4，有理性的與不朽的靈魂5，又按著自己的形像賦與他們知識、仁義和真聖潔6，有神的律法寫在他們的心裡7，且有履行律法的能力8；然而他們仍處於「可能觸犯律法」的狀態，神也讓他們有自由按著自己的意志行事，這意志是會改變的9。除了這寫在他們心中的律法之外，他們還領受「不可吃分別善惡樹上果子」的命令；他們遵守這命令，就得與神相交，以此為樂10，又能統管受造物11。

1 來一2；約一2-3。2 羅一20；耶十12；詩一○四24，卅三5-6。3 創一；來十一3；西一16。4 創一27。5 創二7；傳十二7；太十28。6 西三10；弗四24。7 羅二14-15。8 傳七29。9 創三6；傳七29。10 創二17，三8-11、23。11 創一26、28；詩八6-8。

第五章論神護理之工
一、偉大的神創造萬物，藉著祂至高的智慧、至聖潔的護理1，根據祂無謬的預知2，以及祂自由、不變的旨意3，祂確實的維護4、指導、安排、並統管一切受造物，包括他們一切從最大到最小5 的行動與事物6，為要使自己榮耀的智慧、能力、公義、善良、恩惠得著稱讚7。

二、雖然萬事萬物按照他們在神預知和元旨之內（祂乃是第一因〔first cause〕），毫無變更且準確的發生8；但是神用同樣的護理，按照第二因的性質安排，使他們以必然的、或自由的、或偶然的方式發生9。

三、神雖然在一般的護理中使用方法（means）10，但祂若看為好，也可以不受方法的約束行事──不用它11、超越它12、甚至牴觸它13。

四、神的護理彰顯祂全備的能力、莫測的智慧、無限的善良，而且彰顯到一個地步，甚至涵蓋到人類的第一次墮落，和人類與天使所犯的其他罪14。但神不是僅僅允許罪發生而已15，更是藉由祂的全智與全能來限制、支配、管轄罪16，這一切的安排，都是為了達成祂最神聖的目的17。雖然如此，罪仍是出於受造物，而不是出於神。神既是至聖潔、至公義，就絕對不是、也不會是罪的創始者或贊同者18。

五、最智慧、最公義、最恩慈的神，確實常常讓祂的兒女暫時受各種試探，和他們自己內心敗壞的影響，好使他們因過去的罪受懲罰，或使他們發現他們內心敗壞詭詐的潛勢力，好使他們謙卑19；又提升他們到「更深、更常依靠神托住他們」的光景，使他們更儆醒防備將來一切犯罪的時機，並達成其他各種公義聖潔的目的20。

六、對於那些因為以前所犯的罪而瞎了眼、硬了心的惡人和不敬虔的人21，上帝是公義的審判者，神不但不向他們施恩（以恩典光照他們的悟性，並影響他們的心）22；甚至有時也收回他們已得的恩賜23，使他們受自己敗壞的影響，以致犯罪24；並且任憑他們逞著自己的私慾，受世界的引誘，在撒但的權勢之下25，因此，即使神用來軟化別人的方法對待他們，也會讓他們愈發的剛硬26。

七、神的護理既然遍及一切受造物，所以就用最特別的方法照顧祂的教會，調度萬事，使教會得益處27。

1 箴十五3；詩一○四24，一四五17；代下十六9。2 徒十五18；詩九四8-11。3 弗一11；詩卅三10-11。4 來一3。5 但四34-35；詩一三五6；徒十七25-26、28；伯卅八～四一。6 太十29-31。7 弗三10；羅九17；創四五7。8 徒二23。9 創八22；耶卅一35；出廿一13；申十九5；王上廿二28、34；賽十6-7。10 徒廿七31、44；賽五五10-11；何二21-22。11 何一7；太四4；伯卅四10。12 羅四19-21。13 王下六6；但三27。14 羅十一32-34；撒下廿四1，十六10；代上十4、13-14，廿一1；王上廿二22-23；徒二23，四27-28。15 創五十20；賽十6-7、12。16 詩七六10；王下十九28。17 徒十四16。18 雅一13-14、17；約壹二16；詩五十21。19 代下卅二25-26、31；撒下廿四1。20 林後十二7-9；詩七三1-4；可十四66-72。21 羅一24、26、28，十一7-8。22 申廿九4。23 太十三12，廿五29。24 申二30；王下八12-13。25 詩八一11-12；帖後二10-12。26 出七3，八15、32；林後二15-16；賽八14；彼前二7-8；徒廿八26-27；賽六9-10。27 提前四10；摩九8-9；羅八28；賽四三3-5、14。

第六章論人的墮落、罪惡和刑罰
一、我們的始祖，因受撒但的狡猾與試探誘惑，就吃了禁果而犯罪1。然而，神按著祂智慧且聖潔的計畫，就容許他們犯罪2，神定意使這事發生，藉此榮耀祂自己。

二、他們因為犯了這罪，就使他們從「起初公義，並與神相交」的關係中墮落了3，於是死在罪中4，並且身體靈魂一切功能與部位都完全被玷污了5。

三、始祖既然是全人類的根源6，這罪孽就歸算（imputation）給他們的後裔，並且罪所引起的死亡和敗壞的人性，藉著生育傳給了後代所有的子孫7。

四、我們因這原始的敗壞，對一切的善完全沒有意願8、沒有能力、甚至反對，完全傾向邪惡9，這樣的敗壞便產生一切的本罪（Actual Transgressions）10。

五、這種人性的敗壞，於今生仍舊殘留在已蒙重生的人裡面11；雖然這樣的敗壞藉著基督可以得赦免、並被治死，但這敗壞本身和它所產生的一切行動，都不折不扣是真實的罪12。

六、不管是原罪還是本罪，既然都干犯、違背神公義的律法13，藉著罪的本性，就將罪責歸給罪人14，人因此必遭受神的忿怒15，與律法的咒詛16，並且伏在死的權勢之下17，無論是暫時18、是永遠19，心靈都受一切的苦20。

1 創三13；林後十一3。2 羅十一32。3 創三6-8；傳七29；羅三23。4 創二17；弗二1；羅五12。5 多一15；創六5；耶十七9。6 徒十七26；羅五12、15-19；林前十五21-22、49。7 詩五一5；伯十四4。8 創六5，八21；羅三10-12。9 羅五6，八7，七18；西一21。10 雅一14-15；弗二2-3。11 約壹一8、10；羅七14、17-18、23；雅三2。12 羅七5、7-8、25；加五17。13 約壹三4。14 羅二15，三9、19。15 弗二3。16 加三10。17 羅六23。18 羅八20；哀三39。19 太廿五41；帖後一9。20 弗四18。

第七章論神與人所立的約
一、神與受造者之間的差距大到一個地步，雖然有理性的人都應當以神為他的創造主而順服祂，然而他們絕對無法得著神，以祂作為他們的祝福與賞賜，除非在神這方面自願以某種方式降卑；神也確實願意這樣做，而神也已經樂意藉著立約的方式來俯就他們1。

二、神與人立的第一個約是「行為之約」2（covenant of work），神在這約中應許賜生命給亞當，並且在他裡面將這生命給他的後裔3，條件是：人要完全的、親自的順服神4。

三、人因墮落使自己無法藉這約得生命，而主願意立第二個約5，這約通稱為「恩典之約」（covenant of grace）。神在這約將生命與救恩藉耶穌基督白白賜給罪人；這約的要求是︰罪人必須信耶穌基督，才能得救6；這約的應許是︰神將聖靈賜給一切預定得生命的人，使他們願意相信，也能夠相信7。

四、聖經常常用「遺命」（Testament）稱這恩典之約，即是「耶穌基督受死前立遺命」之意，亦即「耶穌藉這遺命，將永遠的產業及其所屬的一切，遺留給承受這約的人」之意8。

五、這約在律法時期與福音時期有不同的執行方法9。在律法時期，恩典之約是藉著應許、預言、獻祭、割禮、逾越節的羔羊，以及其他傳給猶太人的預表禮儀執行，這些都是預表那要來的基督10；在當時，這些預表藉著聖靈的運行，足以有效的教導選民，使選民對所應許的彌賽亞有信心，知道藉著祂11才能得著完全的赦罪，與永遠的救恩。這約稱為舊約12。

六、在福音時期，當「約的本體」基督顯現時13，施行這約的方法乃是（1）傳揚聖道、（2）施行洗禮、（3）施行聖餐14；這些條例雖然數目比較少，實施方式比較簡單，外在的榮耀比較少，但是藉著這些方法卻把這約，以更完整、更多證據、更有屬靈果效的方式帶給萬國萬民（包括猶太人和外邦人）15，表明這約的意義16；這約稱為新約17。這樣看來，這並不是兩個本質不同的恩典之約，而是一個相同的約，但施行方式不同18。

1 賽四十13-17；伯九32-33；詩一一三5-6。
2 加三12。
3 羅十5；五12-20
4 創二17；加三10
5 羅八3；三20-21；賽四二6
6 約三16；羅十6、9；加三11
7 結卅六26-27；約六44-45
8 來九15-17；七22
9 林後三6-9
10 來八～十；羅四11；西二11-12、17；林前五7
11 來十一13；約八56
12 加三7-9、14
13 西二17；加二17
14 太廿八19-20；林前十一23-25
15 太廿八19；弗二15-19
16 來十二22-27；耶卅一33-34
17 路廿二20；來八7-9
18 加三14、16；徒十五11；羅三21-23、30；四3、6、16-17、23-24。

第八章論中保基督
一、神按祂永遠的旨意，隨己意揀選、設立祂的獨生子主耶穌作神人之間的中保1；為先知2、祭司3、君王4、教會的元首和救主5，承受萬有6、審判世界7；神從萬古之先就將一群百姓賜給祂為後裔8，而且到了時候，藉著祂得贖、蒙召、稱義、成聖、得榮9。
二、神的兒子，三位一體中的第二位，正是永恆的神，與父同質、同等；當日期滿足的時候，就取了人性10，並具有人性一切的本質、以及人通常會有的軟弱，只是祂無罪11；藉聖靈的大能，在童貞女馬利亞的腹中成孕，繼承了她人性的本質12。所以在耶穌裡面是兩個完整無缺的，且相異的二性（就是神性與人性），不可分割地結合於一個位格裡，兩性之間沒有轉化、合成、混合13。這個位格是真正的神，也是真正的人，卻是一位基督，神和人之間惟一的中保14。
三、主耶穌的人性既與神性聯結，就藉聖靈成聖，受聖靈膏抹，毫無限量15；在祂裡面積蓄著一切的智慧和知識16，父神喜歡叫一切的豐盛居住在祂裡面17，祂既然是聖潔、無惡、無玷污，充充滿滿地有恩典有真理18，祂就得以充分執行中保和保證人的職分19。這職分並不是祂自取的，乃是蒙父所召20，父把一切的權柄和審判交在祂手中，並且吩咐祂去執行21。
四、主耶穌極其樂意擔任這職分22；為了執行這職分，所以祂生在律法之下23，而且完全成全了律法24，祂的靈魂直接忍受了最劇烈的折磨25，身體承受了最疼痛的苦楚26，被釘，受死27，被埋，暫處於死亡的權勢之下，但未見朽壞28；第三天祂帶著原來受苦時的那個身體29從死裡復活30；又帶這個身體升入高天，坐在父的右邊31，為我們代求32；並要在世界的末了，還要再來審判世人和天使33。
五、主耶穌憑自己完全的順服與犧牲，藉著永遠的靈，一次獻上給神為祭，就已經完全滿足了父神公義的要求34；不但付出代價使父所賜給祂的人得以與神和好，也使他們得以承受天國永遠的基業35。
六、雖然救贖之工是到基督成肉身之後才實際完成，但救贖的功勞、效果、益處，卻從創世以來，在歷世歷代中，藉著那些應許、預表、祭物，繼續傳給神所揀選的人；祂藉這些應許、預表、祭物，顯明祂就是那「擊破蛇頭」的那位「女人的後裔」，是那從創世之初設立的「被殺的羔羊」，是昨日、今日、直到永遠都不改變的基督36。
七、基督按著祂的神人二性，執行中保的職分；二性各盡其職37；但由於基督位格的一致性，所以在聖經中，祂人性所做的事，有時也被歸算到神性上38，反之亦然。
八、基督對那些祂所買贖的人，就真實而有效地將這救贖施行並傳遞給他們39；為他們代求40，藉聖道將救恩的奧秘啟示給他們41；藉著祂的靈，有效地勸勉他們相信而順服；藉著祂的道和祂的靈掌管他們的心42；藉著祂的全能全智勝過他們一切的仇敵，所用的方式與祂那奇妙莫測的旨意相合43。
1 彼前一19-20；提前二5。2 徒三22；申十八15。3 來五5-6。4 詩二6；路一33。5 弗五23。6 來一2。7 徒十七31。8 約十七6；詩廿二30；賽五三10。9 賽五五4-5；林前一30。10 約一1、14；約壹五20；腓二6；加四4。11 來二14、16-17，四15。12 路一27、31、35；加四4。13 路一35；西二9；羅九5；彼前三18；提前三16。14 羅一3-4；提前二5。15 詩四五7；約三34。16 西二3。17 西一19。18 來七26；約一14。19 徒十38；來十二24，七22。20 來五4-5。21 約五22、27；太廿八18。22 詩四十7-8；來十5-10；約十18。23 加四4。24 太三15，五17。25 太廿六37-38；路廿二44。26 太廿六～廿七。27 腓二8。28 徒二23-24、27，十三37。29 林前十五3-4。30 約廿25、27。31 可十六19。32 羅八34；來九24，七25。33 羅十四9-10；徒十42。34 羅五19；來九14、16，十14。35 但九24、26；西一19-20；弗一11、14；約十七2；來九12、15。36 啟十三8；來十三8。37 來九14；彼前三18。38 約三13；約壹三16。39 約六37、39，十15-16。40 約壹二1-2；羅八34。41 約十五13、15；弗一7-9；約十七6。42 約十四16；羅八9、14；約十七17。43 詩一一○1；林前十五25-26；西二15。

第九章論自由意志
一、神已經賦予人的意志有「天然的自由」（natural liberty），既不受外力強迫，也不受本性絕對必然的影響，能決定行善或行惡1。
二、人在無罪的狀態時，他有自由與能力去立志，行神所喜悅2的善事，但這狀態是可以改變的，以至人可能從其中墮落3。
三、人因為墮落入罪中，已經完全不能向任何「關乎得救的、屬靈的」善4立志；所以一個屬血氣的人，既然完全與善悖離5，又死在罪中6，就不能憑自己的能力去改變自己，或預備自己的心去被改變7。
四、當神使罪人歸正、使他進入恩典時，神將人的本性從罪惡捆綁中釋放出來8，並單單藉著神的恩典，使他能自由的立志，行出屬靈的善9；但是，因為人還有「殘餘的敗壞」，人無法完全的、也無法專一的立志行善；他仍可能立志行惡10。
五、惟有在人「得榮耀」之後，人的意志才能達到完全的、不變的自由立志行善11。
1 太十七12；雅一14；申卅19。2 傳七29；創一26。3 創二16-17，三6。4 羅五6，八7；約十五5。5 羅三10、12。6 弗二1、5；西二13。7 約六44、65；弗二2-5。8 西一13；約八34、36。9 腓二13；羅六18、22。10 加五17；羅七15、18-19、21、23。11 弗四13；約壹三2；猶24。

第十章論有效的恩召
一、凡神所預定得生命的人，且就只有這些人，祂樂意在祂指定與看為合宜的時候，藉著祂的聖道與聖靈1，有效地呼召他們2脫離從本性而來的罪與死，使他們藉著耶穌基督得恩惠，蒙拯救3。使他們的心在靈裡蒙光照，以致得救，明白屬神的事4，神除掉他們的石心並賜給他們肉心5，更新他們的意志6，藉著祂的大能使他們決定向善，並有效地吸引他們來到耶穌基督面前7。然而，他們完全是自由地前來，是因為神的恩典，使得他們有願意的心8。
二、這有效的恩召（effectual calling），是唯獨出於神白白所賜的特別的恩典，完全不是因為神預見在人裡面有任何善行9；人在這件事上完全是被動的；直等到蒙聖靈的感化和更新10，他才有能力回應這個恩召，並投向神在這個恩召中所要賜予的恩典11。
三、被揀選的嬰兒而早夭者，已經藉著基督並透過聖靈重生而得救了12，這些都是聖靈隨己意於某時、某處、照祂喜悅的方法所成就的13。照樣，其餘那些無法藉著聽道蒙外在呼召的選民，也都是如此得救14。
四、其他未蒙揀選者，雖然可能藉著聽道蒙呼召15，也可能經歷一些聖靈普遍的作為16，但他們並未真正歸向基督，所以不能得救17。那些不承認基督教信仰的人，更不能靠任何其他方法得救；無論他們按照天然之光和自己所信奉的宗教規條，如何殷勤生活，也不能得救18。任何肯定他們、堅稱他們可以得救的說法，都是非常邪惡的，應該加以唾棄19。
1 帖後二13-14；林後三3、6。2 羅八30，十一7；弗一10-11。3 羅八2；提後一9-10。4 林前二10、12；弗一17-18。5 結卅六26。6 結十一19，卅六27；腓二13；申卅6。7 弗一19；約六44-45。8 歌一4；詩一一○3；約六37；羅六16-18。9 提後一9；多三4-5；弗二4-5、8-9。10 林前二14；羅八7；弗二5。11 約六37；結卅六27；約五25。12 路十八15-16；約三3、5；羅八9。13 約三8。14 約壹五12；徒四12。15 太廿二14。16 太七22，十三20-21；來六4-5。17 約六64-66，八24。18 徒四12；約十四6，四22，十七3；弗二12。19 約貳9-11；加一6-8。

第十一章論稱義
一、凡蒙神有效恩召的人，神也白白稱他們為義1；但不是將義注入（infusing）他們裡面，稱他們為義；而是赦免他們的罪，算他們為義，接納他們為義人。這並不是因為在他們裡面有任何的功勞，或是他們做了什麼，完全是因為基督的緣故。也不是將信心、相信的行為，或其他對福音的順服（evangelical obedience），歸算為他們的義；乃是把基督的順服和所成就的義歸算給他們2，以致他們憑信心接受並倚靠祂和祂的義；這信心並不是出於他們自己原有的，乃是神所賜的3。

二、「信心」使人接受並倚靠基督和祂的義，這乃是稱義惟一的管道4；然而在被稱義者的心中，不單只有信，而是伴隨著其他使人得救的恩典，並且這不是死的信心，而是使人生發仁愛的信心5。

三、基督藉著順服和受死，完全清償了一切被稱為義之人的罪債，並為他們使父神的公義得到合宜的、真實的、完全的滿足6。然而，父神既是為了他們賜下基督7，使祂代替他們順服，滿足父神公義的要求，蒙父神悅納8，這順服與滿足都是白白的恩典，並非因他們裡面有任何功德，所以他們的稱義是惟獨出於白白的恩典9，使神絕對的公義和豐富的恩慈，在罪人稱義上可以得著榮耀10。

四、神在創世以前就定意（decree）要稱一切選民為義11；而在日期滿足的時候，基督就為了他們的罪而死，也為了他們的稱義而復活12；雖然如此，但他們必須等到適當的時候，聖靈真正將基督帶給他們，他們才得以被神稱為義13。

五、神會繼續赦免被稱義之人的罪14；他們必不會失去稱義的地位15，但他們可能因犯罪使神不悅，就如同兒子因過失使父親不悅一樣，直到他們自卑、認罪、求饒，並更新信心、悔改，父神的面光才再次光照他們16。

六、舊約時代信徒的稱義，與新約時代信徒的稱義，在每一方面都是相同17。

1 羅八30，三24。2 羅三22、24-25、27-28，四5-8，五17-19；林後五19、21；多三5、7。3 徒十44；加二16；腓三9；弗二7-8。4 約一12；羅三28，五1。5 雅二17、22、26；加五6。6 羅五8-10、19；提前二5-6；來十10、14；賽五三4-6、10-12。7 羅八32。8 林後五21；弗五2。9 羅三24；弗一7。10 羅三26；弗二7。11 加三8；彼前一2、19-20；羅八30。12 加四4；提前二6；羅四25。13 西一21-22；加二16；多三4-7。14 太六12；約壹一7、9，二1-2。15 路廿二32；約十28；來十14。16 詩八十九31-33，五十一7-12，卅二5。17 加三9、13-14；羅四22-24；來十三8。

第十二章論兒子的名分
一、神在祂的獨生子裡，並為了祂獨生子耶穌基督的緣故，將得兒子名分的恩典，賜給凡被稱義的人1，藉此他們被歸入神子民之列，得享神眾子的自由和權利2。歸入主的名下3，領受兒女的靈4，坦然無懼地來到施恩寶座前5，呼叫阿爸父6，蒙父的憐憫7、保護8、供養9、管教10，但永不被撇棄11，反受印記，等候得贖的日子來到12，並且承受應許13，為神永遠救恩的後嗣14。
1 弗一5；加四4-5。2 羅八17；約一12。3 耶十四9；林後六18；啟三12。4 羅八15。5 弗三12；羅五2。6 加四6。7 詩一○三13。8 箴十四26。9 太六30、32；彼前五7。10 來十二6。11 哀三31。12 弗四30。13 來六12。14 彼前一3-4；來一14。

第十三章論成聖
一、凡蒙有效恩召而被重生的人，神既然在他們裡面創造了新的靈和新的心，就進一步因基督受死與復活的功勞1，藉著道和住在他們裡面的聖靈2，使他們個別的、確實的成聖。罪的權勢被毀壞3，肉體的各種邪情私慾愈來愈被削弱、被治死4，他們則愈來愈在一切救贖的恩典上活過來、得堅固5，以致行出真正的聖潔；因為人非聖潔，就不能見主6。
二、成聖（santification）雖然是貫徹全人之內7，但在今生，這成聖還無法達到完全，在人裡面每一方面都還有些殘餘的敗壞8；因此在人裡面有持續不斷、無法化解的爭戰，就是情慾和聖靈相爭，聖靈和情慾相爭9。
三、在這場爭戰中，那殘存的敗壞雖然可能暫時佔有優勢10，但是基督成聖之靈不斷加力量給人，那蒙神重生的新人靠這力量終必得勝11；所以聖徒會在恩典中長進12，敬畏神得以成聖13。
1 林前六11；腓三10；羅六5-6。2 約十七17；弗五26；帖後二13。3 羅六6、14。4 加五24；羅八13。5 西一11；弗三16-19。6 林後七1；來十二14。7 帖前五23。8 約壹一10；羅七18、23；腓三12。9 加五17；彼前二11。10 羅七23。11 羅六14；約壹五4；弗四15-16。12 彼後三18；林後三18。13 林後七1。

第十四章論得救的信心
一、「信心」的恩典是基督的靈在蒙神揀選之人心中的工作1，使他們得以相信，以致靈魂得救2；這信心通常是藉著道的傳揚而產生3，又同樣藉著道的傳揚，以及聖禮的執行和禱告而增長並加強4。
二、藉此信心，基督徒相信凡在聖經中所啟示的都為真實，因為那是神以自己的權威說話5，又對聖經各處經文以不同的行動來回應──對命令要順服6；對警戒要畏懼7；對神所賜今生和來生的應許要歡喜領受8。但使人得救之信心主要的表現是︰憑恩典之約領受、並單單接受、依靠基督，得以稱義、成聖、得永生9。
三、這信心有程度上的不同，或強或弱10，可能常常多方受攻擊，有軟弱，但終必得勝11，藉著為我們的信心創始成終的基督12，信心在許多人裡面增長，使他們達到完全確信的地步13。
1 林後四13；弗一17-19，二8。2 羅十14、17。3 來十39。4 彼前二2；徒廿32；羅一16-17；路十七5。5 約四42；帖前二13；約壹五10。6 羅十六26。7 賽六十六2。8 來十一13；提前四8。9 約一12；徒十六31；加二20。10 來五13-14；羅四19-20；太八10。11 路廿二31-32；弗六16；約壹五4-5。12 來十二2。13 來六11-12，十22；西二2。

第十五章論悔改得生
一、悔改（repentance）得生命是一種福音性的恩典1，所以每一位福音使者不但要傳講相信基督，同時也要傳講悔改得生命2。
二、罪人藉著悔改，看到、也感受到自己的罪不但危險，而且他的罪是何等污穢可憎，違背了神的神聖本性和公義的律法，又知道神在基督裡向悔改之人所顯的恩慈，就為自己的罪憂傷，且恨惡自己的罪，以致轉離一切罪惡，歸向神3，定意竭力按照神一切誡命與神同行 4。
三、雖然我們不能靠悔改達到任何償罪的功效，也不可將悔改當成罪得赦免的理由5，因赦罪乃是神在基督裡白白的恩典6；雖然如此，每個罪人還是都需要悔改，人不悔改就不得赦免7。
四、沒有一個罪會太小，以致不必被定罪8；照樣，也沒有一個罪會太大，能使真心悔改的人仍然沉淪9。
五、人不應該自滿於含糊籠統的悔改；而是，每個人都有責任竭力為自己某項具體的罪個別的悔改10。
六、每個人都應該向神親自承認自己的罪，祈求赦免11，並且離棄罪惡；這樣他就必蒙神的憐恤12；所以得罪弟兄或基督教會的人，應該願意私底下認罪，或公開的認罪，為自己的罪憂傷，藉此向那些被他干犯的人表明悔改13；那被干犯者就應當與他和好，並以愛心接納他14。

1 亞十二10；徒十一18。2 路廿四47；可一15；徒廿21。3 結十八30-31，卅六31；賽卅22；詩五十一4；珥二12-13；摩五15。4 詩一一九6、59、106。5 結卅六31-32，十六61-63。6 何十四2、4；羅三24；弗一7。7 路十三3、5；徒十七30-31。8 羅六23，五12；太十二36。9 賽五十五7；羅八1；賽一16、18。10 詩十九13；路十九8；提前一13、15。11 詩五十一4-5、7、9、14，卅二5-6。12 箴廿八13；約壹一9。13 雅五16；路十七3-4；書七19；詩五十一。14 林後二8；加六1-2。

第十六章論善行
一、只有神在祂神聖的話語中所吩咐的那些事才是善行（good works）1；至於那些沒有聖經根據的事，只不過是人出於盲目熱心，或出於人所謂的「善良動機」，這些都不算是善行2。

二、這些因遵守神之誡命而有的善行，乃是真實且活潑的信心所結出的果子與憑據3，信徒藉善行表達他們的感恩4，加強他們的確信5，造就弟兄的德行6，尊榮所信的福音7，堵住敵人的口8，歸榮耀給神9。這些信徒乃是神的作品，在基督耶穌裡做成的10；既結出成聖的果子，他們的結局就是永生11。

三、信徒根本不是靠自己能夠有行善的能力，而是完全倚靠基督的靈12。信徒若要能行善，除了已經領受的諸般恩典之外，還必須有聖靈在他們裡面運行，使他們立志行事，為要成就神的美意13。然而他們不可因此懈怠，以為除非受聖靈的特別感動，否則就不必盡任何本分；反倒應當殷勤，激發在他們裡面從神而來的恩典14。

四、那些因順服以致達到今生可能達到的最高境界者，決不能因此累積額外的功德，所行的善也決不會比神所要求的更多，因為他們所行的善遠不及他們所應盡的責任15。

五、我們最好的善行也不能使我們配得從神手中得赦罪或永生，因為我們的善行與將來要顯明的榮耀相比，實在是算不得什麼；我們和神之間有無限的差距，因此我們憑善行既不能叫神得益處，又不能補償我們以往的罪債16；我們就算做完了一切我們所能做的，也只是以無用僕人的身份，做的是我們本分所應做的17；而且善行既是良善的，就是出自神的聖靈18；然而，善行既又是由我們行出來的，就也會攙雜了我們諸多的軟弱和不完全，因而被玷污，以致經不起神嚴格的審判19。

六、即便如此，信徒本人既藉基督蒙神悅納，他們的善行就也在基督裡蒙悅納20。這不是說，他們今生在神的眼中好像是毫無瑕疵，無可指摘似的21；而是說，神既是在祂兒子裡看待這些善行，就還是悅納並獎賞那些出於誠心的善行22，雖然其中仍含有許多軟弱和不完全。

七、未重生之人所行的善事，雖然事情本身可能是神所吩咐的，對己對人都有益處23，但因為行這些事並非從「被信心潔淨過的心」所發出的24，而且也不是按照神的道、以正當的方法行 25，也不是正確的目的，為了榮耀神而做的26；因此仍是罪行，不能討神的喜悅，也不能使人因此就配得領受神的恩典27。然而，未重生的人他們如果忽視善行，就更加有罪，更不討神的喜悅28。

1 彌六8；羅十二2；來十三21。2 太十五9；賽廿九13；彼前一18；羅十2；約十六2；撒上十五21-23。3 雅二18、22。4 詩一一六12-13；彼前二9。5 約壹二3、5；彼後一5-10。6 林後九2；太五16。7 多二5、9-12；提前六1。8 彼前二15。9 彼前二12；腓一11；約十五8。10 弗二10。11 羅六22。12 約十五4-6；結卅六26-27。13 腓二13，四13；林後三5。14 腓二12；來六11-12；彼後一3、5、10-11；賽六十四7；提後一6；徒廿六6-7；猶20-21。15 路十七10；尼十三22；伯九2-3；加五17。16 羅三20，四2、4、6，八18；弗二8-9；多三5-7；詩十六2；伯廿二2-3，卅五7-8。17 路十七10。18 加五22-23。19 賽六十四6；加五17；羅七15、18；詩一四三2，一三○3。20 弗一6；彼前二5；出廿八38；創四4；來十一4。21 伯九20；詩一四三2。22 來十三20-21，六10；林後八12；太廿五21、23。23 王下十30-31；王上廿一27、29；腓一15-16、18。24 創四5；來十一4、6。25 林前十三3；賽一12。26 太六2、5、16。27 該二14；多一15，三5；摩五21-22；何一4；羅九16。28 詩十四4，卅六3；伯廿一14-15；太廿五41-45，廿三23。

第十七章論聖徒的持守
一、凡蒙神在祂愛子裡所接納、並藉祂的靈有效呼召、且成聖的人，不可能完全從恩典中墮落，也不可能最終以墮落為結局；而是必定在恩典中堅信到底，在永恆裡得救1。

二、聖徒這樣持守，並非倚靠他們自己的自由意志，乃是因為（1）揀選的元旨不會改變，是出於父神白白的、不變的愛2；（2）耶穌的救贖之工和代求的效力3；（3）聖靈與神的道住在他們裡面4，以及（4）恩典之約的本質5。藉著這些，使聖徒得以堅定的、永不失落的持守到底6。

三、然而可能因為（1）撒但和世界的引誘，（2）殘留在聖徒內心的敗壞仍甚囂張，（3）聖徒忽略使他們得以持守的管道，以致聖徒仍會陷入大罪7，並且持續一陣子陷溺於其中8，因此而使得神不悅9，使聖靈擔憂10，在某種程度上失去恩典和安慰11，內心變得剛硬12，良知受到損傷13，傷害並絆倒他人14，為自己帶來暫時的審判15。

1 腓一6；彼後一10；約十28-29；約壹三9；彼前一5、9。2 提後二18-19；耶卅一3。3 來十10、14，十三20-21，九12-15，七25；羅八33-39；約十七11、24；路廿二32。4 約十四16-17；約壹二27，三9。5 耶卅二40；來八10-12。6 約十28；帖後三3；約壹二19；帖前五23-24。7 太廿六70、72、74。8 詩五十一標題；五十一14；撒下十二9、13。9 賽六十四5、7、9；撒下十一27。10 弗四30。11 詩五十一8、10、12；啟二4；歌五2-4、6。12 賽六十三17；可六52，十六14；詩九十五8。13 詩卅二3-4，五十一8。14 撒下十二14。15 詩八十九31-32；林前十一32。

第十八章論蒙恩與得救的確信
一、雖然假冒為善的人和其他未重生的人，可能憑虛偽的盼望和肉體的自負而自我欺哄，以為自己蒙神喜悅，已得拯救1，但這種盼望只是徒勞終必落空2。然而，那真心相信主耶穌，誠摯的愛祂，竭力以無虧的良心在神面前行事的人，今生可以十分有把握的確知他們是蒙恩的3，並且歡歡喜喜盼望神的榮耀，這盼望永不會使他們羞恥4。

二、這種確信並非出於不實盼望的臆測或假設5，其基礎是（1）救恩的應許，這是從神而來的真理6，（2）所應許的恩典在我們心中的內證7，（3）聖靈與我們的心同證我們是神的兒女8，這聖靈是我們得基
業的憑據，我們受了祂的印記，等候得贖的日子來到9。
三、這無謬的確據並非信心的本質，真信徒可能要經過長久等待，並在許多困苦中奮鬥，才能擁有此確據10；然而，既然聖靈使真信徒得知「神開恩白白賜給他的事」，他就可以不藉由特別的啟示，只要正確使用一般的方法（編註：亦即讀經、禱告、守聖禮等），便可有此確據11。所以，信徒都當竭力殷勤，使自己在所蒙的恩召和揀選上堅定不移12；因此可以在聖靈的平安與喜樂中、在愛神與感謝神上，因順服神吩咐的責任而得能力與喜樂，使他的心寬廣起來，這些都是因擁有這確據而結的果子13。這確據決不會使人變得閒懶14。
四、真信徒可能因各種原因，對自己得救的確據產生不同程度的動搖、削減，或間斷，例如：（1）疏忽持守得救的確據，（2）陷入特別的罪，以致良心受傷，聖靈擔憂，（3）遇到某些突然或猛烈的試探，（4）神不再以面光照耀他們，（5）神甚至允許那些敬畏祂的人行在黑暗中，而無亮光15；但他們決不會完全失去神的道、信仰的生命、愛基督和愛弟兄的心、內心的誠實、盡責的良心；而上述這些德行藉著聖靈的運行，可使得救的確據在適當的時候得以恢復16。在黑暗中，他們有上述這些德行扶持，不致完全絕望17。
1 伯八13-14；彌三11；申廿九19；約八41。2 太七22-23；伯八13。3 約壹二3，三14、18、19、21、24，五13。4 羅五2、5。5 來六11、19。6 來六17-18。7 彼後一4-5、10-11；約壹二3，三14；林後一12。8 羅八15-16。9 弗一13-14，四30；林後一21-22。10 約壹五13；賽五十10；可九24；詩八十八1-18，七十七1-12。11 林前二12；約壹四13；來六11-12；弗三17-19。12 彼後一10。13 羅五1-2、5，十四17，十五13；弗一3-4；詩四6-7，一一九32。14 約壹二1-2，三2-3，一6-7；羅六1-2，八1、12；多二11-12、14；林後七1；詩一三○4。15 歌五2-3、6；詩五十一8、12、14，七十七1-10，卅一22，八十八1-18；弗四30-31；太廿六69-72；賽五十10。16 約壹三9；路廿二32；伯十三15；詩七十三15，五十一8、12；賽五十10。17 彌七7-9；耶卅二40；賽五十四7-10；詩廿二1，八十八1-18。

第十九章論神的律法
一、神賜給亞當一套律法做為行為之約（covenant of works），神藉這約使亞當和他的後裔有義務要親自對神有個別的、完全的、不偏不倚的、並永遠的順服；人若遵守這約，神就應許他得生命；人若違背這約，神就警告他要死亡。神也賜給亞當力量，使他有權力、有能力遵守這律法1。

二、這律法在亞當墮落之後，仍為完全之義的準則，既是這樣，神就在西乃山頒佈這十條誡命，且刻於兩塊石版上2；前四誡是我們對神當盡的本分，其餘六誡是我們對人的本分3。

三、這律法通常稱為道德律（moral law），除了這律法之外，神也樂意把「禮儀律」（ceremonial laws）賜給「尚未成年」的教會（編註：基督未道成肉身之前的舊約時期），就是以色列民。其中包含象徵的禮儀︰一部分是關於敬拜，預表基督和祂的恩典、行為、受難和所賜的益處4；另一部分是說明各種道德義務的教導5。今天到了新約時代，所有這些禮儀律都廢止了6。

四、以色列民是一個政治體，所以神又賜給他們各種司法律（judicial laws）。以色列國既亡，這些司法律也就隨之廢去，如今，其約束力僅止於一般要求的公正原則而已了7。

五、世上的一切人，包括稱義的人和其他人，都要確實永遠遵守道德律的約束8。這不只是因為律法內容的緣故，也是因為神的權威，神乃是頒佈律法的造物主9。基督在福音書裡也從不廢掉這義務，反而更堅固之10。

六、真信徒雖不在律法之下，他們的稱義或定罪都不是憑行為之約11；但這律法對於他們或別人都大有用處，因為律法作為一種生活的法則，可以使他們知道神的旨意、人的本分，並且指示、約束他們照著去行12。它也揭發人的本性、內心和生活中的罪汙13，就會因此察驗自己，便可以更加知罪，因罪降卑，恨惡罪惡14，同時更清楚看見自己何等的需要基督，也看見基督的順服是何等的完全15。

同樣的，律法也可以防止重生的人敗壞，因為律法禁止罪惡16，律法的警告讓他們知道犯罪所應承受的刑罰，雖然他們可以免於律法所警告的「罪的咒詛」，然而他們若犯罪在今生仍要受何等的苦17。照樣，律法的應許也讓他們知道神怎樣喜悅人順服，他們若遵行律法會得到何等祝福18；不過，他們不可以認為「因為律法是行為之約，所以我理應得酬勞」19：因此，人行善棄惡，只是因律法勉勵行善，阻擋罪惡，這決不代表他是在律法之下，不在恩典之下20。

七、上述律法的各種功用都不違背福音的恩典，反而是與它巧妙融合21。基督的靈使人的意志降伏，並且使人能甘心樂意地行出神在律法中所啟示的要求來22。

1 創一26-27，二17；羅二14-15，十5，五12、19；加三10、12；傳七29；伯廿八28。2 雅一25；二8、10-12；羅十三8-9，三19；申五32，十4；出卅四1。3 太廿二37-40；出廿3-18。4 來九1-28，十1；加四1-3；西二17。5 林前五7；林後六17；猶23。6 西二14、16-17；但九27；弗二15-16。7 出廿一1-36，廿二1-29；創四十九10；彼前二13-14；太五17、38-39；林前九8-10。8 羅十三8-10；弗六2；約壹二3-4、7-8；羅三31，六15。9 雅二10-11。10 太五17-19；雅二8；羅三31。11 羅六14，八1；加二16，三13，四4-5；徒十三39。12 羅七12、22、25；詩一一九4-6；林前七19；加五14、16、18-23。13 羅七7，三20。14 雅一23-25；羅七9、14、24。15 加三24；羅七24-25，八3-4。16 雅二11；詩一一九101、104、128。17 結九13-14；詩八十九30-34。18 利廿六1-14；林後六16；弗六2-3；詩卅七11，十九11；太五5。19 加二16；路十七10。20 羅六12、14；彼前三8-12；詩卅四12-16；來十二28-29。21 加三21。22 結卅六27；來八10；耶卅一33。

第廿章論基督徒的自由和良心的自由
一、因為基督付上代價，使福音之下的信徒獲得自由，這自由包括：（1）使他們脫離罪的轄制、神定罪的忿怒、道德律的咒詛1，被釋放出來；（2）使他們脫離現今邪惡的世界、撒但的捆綁、罪惡的轄制2、苦難的殘害、死亡的毒鉤、墳墓權勢的囂張、永遠的定罪3，並從中被拯救出來；（3）使他們可以無拘無束來到神面前，順服神4，並非出於奴僕的心仍舊害怕，乃是出於兒子愛父的心，甘心樂意順服5。律法之下的信徒也同樣享有這一切的權利6；但在新約之下的基督徒有更多的自由，可以脫離猶太教會必須服從的禮儀束縛7，更坦然無懼來到施恩寶座前8，與神自由之靈有交通，這交通通常比律法之下的信徒所享有的更完全9。

二、惟獨神是良心的主宰10，在關於信仰或敬拜的事上，要使人脫離一切與聖經相離或相悖之人的道理與吩咐，所以如果有人違逆良心去相信人的道理，聽從人的吩咐，就是出賣良心的真自由11；若有人勉強別人接受不明確的信仰12，要人絕對盲從，就是摧毀良心和理性的自由13。

三、凡假藉基督徒自由而實際犯罪，或心懷私慾的人，這樣做正是破壞基督徒自由的目的；所謂基督徒自由的目的，就是我們既從仇敵手中被救出來，就可以終身在神面前，坦然無懼地用聖潔、公義事奉祂14。

四、再者，神所命定的權柄和基督付代價所換得的自由，並不是要讓人彼此毀壞，而是要互相維持，彼此持守；所以凡以基督徒自由為藉口，反抗國家或教會任何合法的權柄，或合法執行權柄的人，就是反抗神的命令15。人所發表的意見，或支持的行為如果違背了（1）人天然本性的光，（2）已知有關信仰、敬拜、做法的基督教原則，（3）敬虔的實意；或是他們任何錯謬的見解與做法，不管是本質錯謬，或是在發表或支持的方式上，有礙基督在教會所設立的外在平安與次序者，教會均可合法追究16，並由教會加以懲戒，和政府官員的權柄加以制裁。

1 多二14；帖前一10；加三13。2 加一4；西一13；徒廿六18；羅六14。3 羅八28，八1；詩一一九71；林前十五54-57。4 羅五1-2。5 羅八14-15；約壹四18。6 加三9、14。7 加四1-3、6-7，五1；徒十五10-11。8 來四14、16，十19-22。9 約七38-39；林後三13、17-18。10 雅四12；羅十四4。11 徒四19，五29；林前七23；太廿三8-10，十五9；林後一24。12 西二20-23；加一10，二4-5，五1。13 羅十17，十四23；賽八20；徒十七11；約四22；何五11；啟十三12、16-17；耶八9。14 加五13；彼前二16；彼後二19；約八34；路一74-75。15 太十二25；彼前二13-14、16；羅十三1-8；來十三17。16 羅一32；林前五1、5、11、13；約貳10-11；帖後三14；提前六3-5，一19-20；多一10-11、13，三10；太十八15-17；啟二2、14-15、20，三9。

第廿一章論基督教的敬拜和安息日
一、天然之光顯示有一位神，掌管萬有，並有至高主權，祂本為善，並且善待萬物，因此人當盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意地敬畏、愛慕、讚美、求告、信靠、事奉祂1。但敬拜這位真神，必須要按照祂自己設立的法則，並受到祂自己啟示的旨意所規範，才可蒙祂悅納。所以我們不可按人的想像和道理，或撒但的提議，或以任何可見的有形的代表物，或其他非聖經所規定的方法來敬拜神2。

二、惟獨父、子、聖靈才能受宗教的敬拜3，天使、聖徒，或任何其他受造物，都不當受敬拜4。再者，自從人類墮落之後，敬拜必須有一位中保，也不能憑任何其他的居間和解，惟獨以基督為中保5。

三、以感謝的心禱告是崇拜中的一項特點6，是神吩咐每個人都當行的7。此外，如果禱告要蒙垂聽，就必須奉聖子的名8、有聖靈的幫助9、遵神的旨意10，用悟性、謙卑、熱心、信心和恆心11，若是出聲禱告，則要用人所明白的言語12。

四、應該為合神法度的事禱告13；如果是為人禱告，可以是為各種各類的人，必須是現在還活著的人，或是未來將要出生的人14；但不可為死人禱告15，也不可為那些明知已犯致死之罪的人禱告16。

五、以虔誠敬畏神的心誦讀聖經17；以順服的心，用悟性、信心和敬虔的態度講道，沒有偏頗18，以同樣的心態聽道，不違背良心19，心被恩感歌唱詩篇20，合宜並按理施行基督所設立的聖禮，這些都是敬拜神的正常內容21；此外，如宗教上的起誓22、許願23、嚴肅的禁食24，以及特殊場合的感恩等25，都當在各自所屬的時候季節，以聖潔敬虔的方式舉行26。

六、在今天的福音時期，無論是禱告或其他宗教敬拜活動，都與舉行的地點、方向無關，也不因為在哪個地方、朝哪個方向舉行，就會更蒙悅納27；我們應該在任何地方28以心靈和誠實敬拜神29，無論是每天30在各人家中31，私下獨處32，或在比較嚴肅的公共聚會中，都是這樣。當神以祂的聖言或護理呼召我們參加公共聚會時，人不可疏忽或故意不重視，甚至放棄33。

七、一般來說，按照我們本性的需要，撥出適當比例的時間敬拜神是應當的；所以，神在聖經中特別指定七日中的一日為安息日，藉由積極的、道德性的，永恆對人有約束力的誡命，吩咐歷世歷代每個人都要向祂守這日為聖34。從世界之始到基督復活之前，這聖日為每週的末一日，自從基督復活之後，這聖日改為每週的頭一日35，在聖經中稱為主日36，而且要繼續下去，作為基督教的安息日，直到世界的末了37。

八、因此人當向主守這安息日為聖，且要事先適當預備自己的心，整頓日常用務，不僅是整日遵守神聖的安息，停止自己的工作、言談、思想、屬世的職務和消遣38，也要用全部的時間投入公開或私下對神的敬拜，並履行當盡的本分和慈善的義務39。

1 羅一20，十12；徒十七24；詩一一九68，卅一23，十八3，六二8；耶十7；書廿四14；可十二33。2 申十二32；太十五9，四9-10；徒十七25；出廿4-6；西二23。3 太四10；約五23；林後十三14；啟五11-13。4 西二18；啟十九10；羅一25。5 約十四6；提前二5；弗二18；西三17。6 腓四6。7 詩六十五2。8 約十四13-14；彼前二5。9 羅八26。10 約壹五14。11 詩四十七7；傳五1-2；來十二28；創十八27；雅五16，一6-7；可十一24；太六12、14-15；西四2；弗六18。12 林前十四14。13 約壹五14。14 提前二1-2；約十七20；撒下七29；得四12。15 撒下十二21-23；路十六25-26；啟十四13。16 約壹五16。17 徒十五21；啟一3。18 提後四2。19 雅一22；徒十33；太十三19；來四2；賽六十六2。20 西三16；弗五19；雅五13。21 太廿八19；林前十一23-29；徒二42。22 申六13；尼十29。23 賽十九21；傳五4-5；徒十八18。24 珥二12；斯四16；太九15；林前七5。25 詩一○七1-43；斯九22。26 來十二28。27 約四21。28 瑪一11；提前二8。29 約四23-24。30 耶十25；申六6-7；伯一5；撒下六18、20；彼前三7；徒十2。31 太六11；書廿四15。32 太六6；弗六18。33 賽五十六6-7；來十25；箴一20-21、24，八34；徒十三42，二43；路四16。34 出廿8、10-11；賽五十六2、4、6-7。35 創二2-3；林前十六1-2；徒廿7。36 啟一10。37 出廿8、10；太五17-18。38 出廿8，十六23、25-26、29-30，卅一15-17；賽五十八13；尼十三15-19、21-22。39 賽五十八13；太十二1-13。

第廿二章論合法的起誓和許願
一、合神法度的起誓乃是宗教敬拜的一部分1，在正當場合的時候，起誓者嚴肅地呼求神，祈求神為他所宣述、所承諾的作見證；並按照他所起誓的真偽來施行判斷2。

二、人只當用神的名來起誓，並當存完全聖潔與敬畏的心來使用祂的名3。因此，人若用那榮耀可敬畏的名虛偽地或輕率地起誓，或用別的名起誓，都是有罪的、可憎惡的4。然而，在舊新約中，有關重大事件的起誓是為聖經所認可的5；因此有關此類事件，若有合法權威的命令，需要起誓，就當遵行6。

三、凡起誓者要正當考慮此嚴肅行為的重大性，而且只當為自己內心所十分確信為真實的事宣誓7。除了那善良而正當的事，而且自己相信為善良而正當的事，並在能力範圍內、且決心去行的事以外，人不當以起誓來約束自己8。然而關於善良而正當的事，若拒絕合法的權威所命令的起誓，乃是罪9。

四、起誓當用淺顯易懂的通常話語，不可用雙關語，心裡也不可有所保留10（譯註：即心中另外保留某種意思與所言者相違）。不可用起誓使人犯罪，然而，在不使人犯罪的事上，一旦起誓，即使起誓者會因此受虧損，也必須履行11；就是對異端者或不信者起了誓，也不可廢棄12。

五、許願與帶應許的起誓性質相同，當以宗教敬虔的態度來許願，而且要以同樣的誠實來履行13。

六、除了對神以外，人不可對任何受造之物許願14。許願若要蒙悅納，就必須出於信心與責任感，為所蒙的憐憫感恩，或為已得著所求的感謝，藉此更嚴格約束自己，履行應盡的本分或其他的事，又必須以「恰到好處、毫不勉強」為條件與原則，不可踰越15。

七、人不可起誓去行聖經所禁止的事、妨礙聖經所吩咐的本分、行超過自己能力的事，或行神未應許、也未賜能力去行的事16。從這幾點看來，羅馬天主教修道者許願終生獨身、自願貧困、服從，全然不能使我們更加完全，反而是背道而馳到一個地步，成為迷信與犯罪的陷阱，基督徒決不可自陷其中17。

1 申十20。2 出廿7；利十九12；林後一23；代下六22-23。3 申六13。4 出廿7；耶五7；太五34、37；雅五12。5 來六16；林後一23；賽六十五16。6 王上八31；尼十三25；斯十5。7 出廿7；耶四2。8 創廿四2-3、5-6、8-9。9 民五19、21；尼五12；出廿二7-11。10 耶四2；詩廿四4。11 撒上廿五22、32-34；詩十五4。12 結十七16、18-19；書九18-19；撒下廿一1。13 賽十九21；傳五4-6；詩六十一8，六十六13-14。14 詩七十六11；耶四十四25-26。15 申廿三21-23；詩五十14，六十六13-14，一三二2-5；創廿八20-22；撒上一11。16 徒廿三12、14；可六26；民卅5、8、12-13。17 太十九11-12；林前七2、9、23；弗四28；彼前四2。

第廿三章論政府官員
一、神是全地的主、全地的王，為祂自己的榮耀和眾人的好處，任命了政府官員，使他們在神以下，在百姓以上；為達此目的，神賜他們權柄，使他們能保護和鼓勵善良的人，讓他們賞善罰惡1。

二、基督徒蒙神呼召執行政府官員的職務時，接受並執行此職是合法的2，執行職務時，應照各個國家健全的法律來維持敬虔、正義與和平3；現今在新約之下，為了達到這個目的，他們可以在必要的時候發動合神法度的戰爭4。

三、政府官員不可擅自講道並施行聖禮，或執掌天國鑰匙之權5，但有權利和責任保持教會內的秩序、合一與和睦，維持真理的純正和完整，禁止褻瀆和異端，防止或改革在敬拜與教會紀律中所有的腐敗和弊端，並確立、執行和遵守神所有的律例6。為了更有效的執行任務，他有權召開教會會議（synod），出席會議，並確保會議所執行的一切都合乎神的旨意7。

四、人民有責任為政府官員禱告8，尊敬他們的人格9，給他們納稅或繳交其他當納的費用10，服從他們合法的命令，並為良心的緣故服從他們的權柄11。政府官員正當而合法的權柄，並不會因為不信神或信仰不同的宗教而失效，也不能因此免除人民對他們的順從12；而教會人員也不例外，都當順從政府官員13；因此，天主教教皇無權管轄他們的統治，或管轄他們的百姓。更不能判定他們為異端，或以任何其他藉口來剝奪他們的領土或生命14。

1 羅十三1-4；彼前二13-14。2 箴八15-16；羅十三1-2、4。3 詩二10-12，八十二3-4；提前二2；撒下廿三3；彼前二13。4 路三14；羅十三4；太八9-10；徒十1-2；啟十七14、16。5 代下廿六18；太十八17，十六19；林前十二28-29，四1-2；弗四11-12；羅十15；來五4。6 賽四十九23；羅十三1-6；詩一二二9；斯七23-28；利廿四16；申十三5-6、12；王下十八4；代上十三1-9；王下廿三1-26；代下卅四33，十五12-13。7 代下十九8-11、29-30；太二4-5。8 提前二1-2。9 彼前二17。10 羅十三6-7。11 羅十三5；多三1。12 彼前二13-14、16。13 羅十三1；王上二35；徒廿五9-11；彼後二1、10-11；猶一8-11。14 帖後二4；啟十三15-17。

第廿四章論結婚與離婚
一、結婚必須是一男一女之間的事；若男人同時有一個以上的妻子，或女人有一個以上的丈夫，都是不合神的法度的1。

二、婚姻制度的設立乃為夫妻的互助2，按正道生兒養女，繁殖人類，使教會聖潔的後裔增加3，並防止污穢不潔的事4。

三、凡能用自己的判斷來表示同意的各種人都可以結婚5，但基督徒的本分是只當在主裡結婚6。所以承認真正改革宗信仰的人，不應與不信主的人、天主教徒、或其他拜偶像的人結婚。敬虔的人不應該與那些在生活上罪惡昭彰，或持守可咒詛異端的人結婚，以免背負不相稱的軛7。

四、不可在聖經所禁止的血族或姻族的親等內結婚8，此等亂倫的婚娶不能因人為的律法，或雙方的同意就使其成為合法同居的夫婦9。若鰥寡娶嫁，男人不可娶其妻之至近的親屬，女人亦不可嫁其夫至近的親屬，正如男女不可娶嫁自己至近的親屬一樣10。

五、在訂定婚約之後所犯的通姦或淫行，如在結婚之前被發現，清白者的一方有解除婚約的正當理由11。若是在結婚之後犯姦淫，清白者一方可以提出離婚12，並於離婚之後，視犯罪者一方如同已死，與他人結婚乃為合法13。

六、雖然人的敗壞傾向於處心積慮用不正當的手段，把神在婚姻上所配合的分開，但除了姦淫或教會與政府官員無法調解的故意離棄的行為之外，沒有解除婚約的正當理由14。離婚當遵照有秩序的手續公開進行，當事者不可隨己意私自離開15。

1 創二24；太十九5-6；箴二17；林前七2；可十6-9  2 創二18  3 瑪二15  4 林前七2、9 5 來十三4；提前四3；林前七36-38；創廿四57-58  6 林前七39  7 創卅四14；出卅四16；申七3-4；王上十一4；尼十三25-27；瑪二11-12；林後六14  8 利十八18；林前五1；摩二7  9 可六18；利十八24-28  10 利廿19-21  11 太一18-20  12 太五31-32  13 太十九9；羅七2-3  14 太十九8-9、6；林前七15  15 申廿四1-4；斯十3。

第廿五章論教會
一、無形的大公教會或稱普世教會，是由過去、現在與將來在教會的元首基督之下所召集同歸於一的全體選民所構成。並且，這教會就是那位充滿萬有者的新婦、身體和豐盛1。

二、有形的教會（visible church）在福音時期是大公性的、普世性的（她不像在律法時期僅限於一個國家），而是由一切承認真正信仰的人2，以及他們的子女3所構成。這教會是主耶穌基督的國度4、神的家5，在教會以外，通常沒有得救的可能6。

三、為了召集並成全在今世生活的聖徒直到世界的末了，基督就把牧職、聖言以及神的律例賜給這大公、有形的教會。並且藉著祂自己的同在和聖靈，按照祂所應許來成全他們7。

四、這大公教會有時比較顯而易見，有時比較不明顯8。並且，組成這大公教會裡的教會，其純正程度也不一致，乃是根據各教會所教導並接納的福音教義、所執行的典章、所舉行的公開敬拜的純正程度多寡而定9。

五、天下再純正的教會也難免會有混雜和錯謬10。有些教會簡直不是基督的教會，腐敗到一個地步，反倒成為撒但的會堂11；雖然如此，在地上總是還有按神旨意敬拜祂的教會12。

六、教會除主耶穌基督以外沒有元首13。羅馬教會的教皇絕非教會的元首，反倒是敵基督、罪人、滅亡之子，在教會中高抬自己，抵擋基督和一切稱為神的14。

1 弗一10、22-23，五23、27、32；西一18。2 林前一2，十二12-13；詩二8；啟七9；羅十五9-12。3 林前七14；徒二39；結十六20-21；羅十一16；創三15，十七7；加三7、9、14；羅四。4 太十三47；賽九7。5 弗二19，三15；箴廿九18。6 徒二47。7 林前十二28；弗四11-13；太廿八19-21；賽五十九21。8 羅十一3-4；啟十二6、14；徒九31。9 啟二、三；林前五6-7。10 林前十三12；啟二～三；太十三24-30、47。11 啟十八2；羅十一18-22。12 太十六18，廿八19-20；詩七十二17，一○二28。13 西一18；弗一22。14 太廿三8-10；帖後二3-4、8-9；啟十三6。

第廿六章論聖徒相通
一、凡藉基督的靈，又藉著信與元首耶穌基督聯合的眾聖徒，就在基督的恩典、受苦、受死、復活以及榮耀上有份1，並且他們既在愛裡彼此聯合，便分享彼此的恩賜和所領受的恩典2，並有責任透過公開和私下的作為，促使彼此內在與外在都互相得益處3。

二、凡是被稱為聖徒的人，就當在敬拜的事上維持一個聖潔的團契與交通，又當舉行其他屬靈的聚會，為求得共同的造就4，又當按各人所能和所需，在物質的事上彼此幫助。這種聖徒相通要按照神所賜的機會，擴展到各處一切稱呼主耶穌之名的人5。

三、聖徒與基督一切相通，決不會讓聖徒分享基督的神性，或在任何一方面與祂平等，這種主張是不敬虔的褻瀆6。聖徒彼此相通無損各人對自己財物的權利或所有權7。

1 約壹一3；弗三16-19；約一16；弗二5-6；腓三10；羅六5-6；提後二12。2 弗四15-16；林前十二7，三21-23；西二19。3 帖前五11、14；羅一11-12、14；約壹三16-18；加六10。4 來十24-25；徒二42、46；賽二3；林前十一20。5 徒二44-45；約壹三17；林後八～九；徒十一29-30。6 西一18-19；林前八6；賽四十二8；提前六15-16；詩四十五7；來一8-9。7 出廿15；弗四28；徒五4。

第廿七章論聖禮
一、聖禮是恩典之約的聖潔記號與印證1，它是由神直接設立的2，為要表徵基督和祂的恩典，並確認我們在祂裡面有分3；它也是屬教會的人與世界其餘的人之間的一個明顯的區分4；並且按照神的話，它也能鄭重地促使教會的人，按照神的話在基督裡服事神5。

二、在每一聖禮中的「記號」與「記號所代表的實體」之間都有一種屬靈的關係，或說聖禮上的聯合；因此聖禮的名稱與功效相互歸屬6。

三、正確施行聖禮時顯出的恩典，不是因為聖禮本身有什麼能力，也不是因為施行聖禮者的敬虔或意志使它有能力7，而在於聖靈的工作8，和基督設立聖禮的話，這話包含（1）吩咐人要施行聖禮，（2）應許給那按理領受聖禮者得益處9。

四、我們的主基督在福音書中只設立了兩個聖禮，即洗禮和聖餐；除了正式（合神法度）按立的傳道人外，任何人都不得執行這兩個聖禮10。

五、舊約的聖禮就它所表徵與顯明的屬靈事物，與新約的聖禮在本質上相同11。

1 羅四11；創十七7、10。2 太廿八19；林前十一23。3 林前十16，十一25-26；加三17、27。4 羅十五8；出十二48；創卅四14；林前十21。5 羅六3-4；林前十16、21。6 創十七10；太廿六27-28；多三5。7 羅二28-29；彼前三21。8 太三11；林前十二13。 9 太廿六27-28，廿八19-20。10 太廿八19；林前十一20、23，四1；來五4。11 林前十1-4，五7-8。

第廿八章論洗禮
一、洗禮是耶穌基督所設立的，新約時期的聖禮1，不但為了嚴肅承認受洗者加入有形教會2，對受洗者也是恩典之約的記號與印證3，象徵連結於基督4、重生5、並罪得赦免6，藉耶穌基督將祂自己奉獻給神，行事為人有新生的樣式7；這聖禮是基督親自吩咐的，必須在教會中繼續施行，直到世界的末了8。

二、這聖禮中所用的外在物質是水，應該由按理蒙神呼召的福音使者，奉父、子、聖靈的名給受洗者施洗9。
三、在受洗者頭上澆水或灑水就是正當地施行洗禮，無須將受洗者浸入水中10。

四、不只那些真實承認、相信並順服基督者應當受洗11，父母當中，只要一方是信主的，他們的嬰孩也當受洗12。

五、輕視或忽略洗禮，雖為大罪13，但並不代表恩典和救恩必須依附於洗禮，以致人若不受洗就不能重生得救14，這也不代表凡受洗者都一定是重生的15。

六、洗禮的效果並不在洗禮施行那一刻發生16；然而，因著正當的施行這聖禮，聖靈會按著神自己美意的安排，在祂指定的時間，提供、實際顯明並賜予所應許的恩典給領受的人，無論是已成年，或只是嬰孩17。

七、洗禮對任何人只施行一次18。

1 太廿八19；可十六16。2 林前十二13；加三27-28。3 羅四11；西二11-12。4 加三27；羅六5。5 多三5。6 可一4；徒二38，廿二16。7 羅六3-4。8 太廿八19-20。9 太三11，廿八19-20；約一33；徒十47，八36、38。10 來九10、19-22；徒二41，十六33；可七4。11 可十六15-16；徒八37-38。12 創十七7、9-10；加三9、14；西二11-12；徒二38-39；羅四11-12；林前七14；太廿八19；可十13-16；路十八15。13 路七30；出四24-26。14 羅四11；徒十2、4、22、31、45、47。15 徒八13、23。16 約三5、8。17 加三27；多三5；弗五25-26；徒二38、41。18 多三5。

第廿九章論聖餐
一、主耶穌被賣的那一夜，以祂的血與身體設立了聖禮，稱為聖餐，應當在教會中遵守，直到世界的末了，為要永遠記念祂自己犧牲受死，也能保證基督的犧牲將使真信徒在其中得益處，並在祂裡面得著屬靈的滋養和生長，使他們更進一步對主履行應盡的本分。並且，聖餐又維繫、保證信徒與基督奧秘身體的聯結，並與其他肢體彼此聯繫1。

二、在這聖禮中，不是基督被獻給父神，也不是為活人死人的赦罪而真實獻祭2，只是記念主一次而永遠地在十字架上獻上自己，也是以讚美向神獻上屬靈的祭物3。因此，天主教所謂的彌撒造成惡劣的毒害，讓人曲解基督一次的獻祭，這祭是基督為選民的諸罪孽所獻的惟一挽回祭4。

三、主耶穌在這聖禮中吩咐祂的僕人向會眾（1）宣讀設立聖餐時說的話（2）禱告（3）祝福餅杯，就使它們分別為聖（4）拿起餅來，擘開（5）拿起杯來（他們自己也領聖餐），將餅杯分給領受聖餐的人（communicant）5，但不可分給未出席者6。

四、（1）個人彌撒，即單獨從神甫，或從任何一個人所領受的聖餐7；（2）不讓信徒領受主杯8；（3）膜拜聖餐的餅和杯，或將之舉起、捧持、遊行讓人膜拜；（4）以任何宗教用途為藉口保存聖品等等，這些都有違聖餐的本質，違背基督設立聖餐的宗旨9。

五、聖餐中的外在物質（餅與酒），如果按基督的吩咐，適當地分別為聖，與真正被釘死的基督，就擁有一種真實但僅限於聖禮上的關係：雖然它們有時就直接被人稱做「主的身體」、「主的血」10；但就其本質與性質來說，這些真的只是餅和酒，和從前一樣11。

六、所謂「餅與酒的本質，經過神甫的祝聖或其他方法，變成基督的身體與血的本質（所謂化質說〔transubstantiation〕）」的教義，不但不合聖經，而且違反常識和理性；顛倒聖餐的特質，在過去和現在都造成各種迷信與明顯的偶像崇拜12。

七、按理領聖餐者，不但是在外面有分於聖餐中有形的物質13，也是在內心憑信心真實地（不是憑肉體，而是屬靈地）領受被釘十字架的基督，以基督為糧，也領受祂受死帶給我們的一切益處。基督的身體和血雖不是具體地在餅杯之內，或在其旁，或在其下；然而就屬靈方面來說，是真實的向信徒的信心顯現，正如餅與酒真實的臨在於信徒的外在感官一樣14。

八、無知與邪惡之人縱然領受了聖餐的餅和杯，卻不能領受餅杯所表明的基督身體與血；由於他們不按理領受聖餐，反而干犯主的身體和血，就定了自己的罪。因此，凡無知與不敬虔的人，都不配享有與祂的連結，也就不配赴主筵席，若他們依然故我，就不能領受聖餐15，即使獲准領受16，那一定會大大得罪基督。

1 林前十一23-26，十16-17、21，十二13。2 來九22、25-26、28。3 林前十一24-26；太廿六26-27；路廿二19-20。4 來七23-24、27，十11-12、14、18。5 太廿六26-28；可十四22-24；路廿二19-20；林前十一23-26。6 徒廿7；林前十一20。7 林前十16。8 可十四23；林前十一25-29。9 太十五9。10 太廿六26-28。11 林前十一26-28；太廿六29。12 徒三21；林前十一24-26；路廿四6、39。13 林前十一28，五7-8。14 林前十16、3-4。15 林前十一27-29；林後六14-16；林前十21。16 林前五6-7、13；帖後三6、14-15；太七6。

第卅章論教會的懲戒
一、主耶穌是教會的王與元首，祂已將教會行政權交給教會的治理者（officers of the church），他們與政府官員不同1。

二、天國的鑰匙既交給這些治理者，他們就有保留罪或赦免罪的權柄，本著神的道和懲戒，對不悔改的人，關閉天國；又按情形，藉宣傳福音和撤除懲戒2，向悔改的罪人敞開天國。

三、教會的懲戒是必須的，它是為了矯正犯罪的弟兄，以得著他們，並阻止其他弟兄犯同樣的罪，除去那足以感染全團的酵；擁護基督的尊榮和福音神聖的承認；避免神的震怒，必須實行懲戒；如他們容忍惡名昭彰和剛愎的犯罪者來褻瀆神的聖約和這約的印證，神的忿怒就要臨到教會，這也是公平的3。

四、為了更圓滿地達成以上之目的，教會治理者應當按著犯罪的性質和犯罪者的罪狀，予以勸戒，暫時停止聖餐，並逐出教會（excommunication）4。

1 賽九6-7；提前五17；帖前五12；徒廿17-28；來十三7、17、24；林前十二28；太廿八18-20；約十八36。2 太十六19，十八17-18；約廿21-23；林後二6-8。3 林前五，十一27-34；提前五20，一20；太七6；猶23。4 帖前五12；帖後三6、14-15；林前五4-5、13；太十八17；多三10。

第卅一章論教會的總會和會議
一、為了教會有更好的治理與更多的造就，應當有「總會」（synods）或「會議」（Councils）的集會1。

二、政府官員為了諮商並勸告有關宗教問題，有權召開牧師及其他適當人員的會議2；若政府公然與教會為敵，基督的僕人便可憑著自己的職責，或與代表各教會的適當人員，共同召開教會會議3。

三、教義上的爭論，良心方面的爭議，設立規則與指示以維持公開敬拜與教會行政的良好秩序，受理有關「管理不當」的控訴，並用其權柄決斷，這些都是教會會議要做的事。這種命令與決定，如果合乎聖經，應當尊敬順從，不但是因為它合乎聖經，也因為它是按照神的命令在聖經中所設立的權威4。

四、使徒時代以後所有的教會會議，無論是一般例行的會議，或是特殊的會議，都有錯謬的可能，事實上，許多會議曾經有過錯謬。所以不可拿這些會議所規定的，當作信仰與行為的準則，只可用來幫助信仰與生活5。

五、總會或議會，除了有關教會的事務以外，不可處理或決定任何事。不可干涉國政，若遇有非常的事，可以謙恭地向政府請願，或應政府官員的要求，為了對得起良知，可向政府提出忠告6。
1 徒十五2、4、6。2 賽四十九23；提前二1-2；代下十九8-11、29-30；太二4-5；箴十一14。3 徒十五2、4、22-23、25。4 徒十五15、19、24、27-31，十六4；太十八17-20。5 弗二20；徒十七11；林前二5；林後一24。6 路十二13-14；約十八36。

第卅二章論人死後的狀態和死人復活
一、人的身體在死後歸回塵土並且朽壞1。但靈魂（既不死，又不睡眠）卻永存不滅，所以立刻歸返賜靈的神那裡2。義人的靈魂，既在那時在聖潔上得以完全，就被接入高天，在榮光中得見神面，在那裡等候身體完全得贖3。惡人的靈魂要被拋在地獄裡，留在痛苦與完全黑暗中，等候大日的審判4。除此兩處以外，聖經並未言及靈魂離開身體後別有所歸。

二、在末日還活著的人不死，卻要改變5；凡死了的人都必復活，帶著身體，這身體性質雖異，卻是原來的同一個身體，不是另一個身體；這身體與靈魂再度結合，直到永遠6。

三、惡人的身體，將因基督的權能，復活受辱；義人的身體，將因基督的靈，復活得榮，與基督自己的榮耀身體相似7。

1 創三19；徒十三36。2 路廿三43；傳十二7。3 來十二23；林後五1、6、8；腓一23；徒三21；弗四10；約壹三2。4 路十六23-24；徒一25；猶6-7；彼前三19。5 帖前四17；林前十五51-52。6 伯十九26-27；林前十五42-44。7 徒廿四15；約五28-29；林前十五42-44；腓三21。

第卅三章論最後的審判
一、神已經定了日子，父神已將一切審判的權柄交給耶穌基督，要藉著祂1憑公義審判世界2。在那日，不但墮落的天使要受審判3，就是凡活在世上的眾人，都要在基督的審判台前顯露出來，供出自己的思想、言語、行為，按他們在肉身時所行的，或善或惡受報4。

二、神指定這日子，是為了在永遠得救的選民上5，彰顯神憐憫的榮耀，在受刑罰的邪惡悖逆者身上，彰顯神公義的榮耀。那時義人必入永生，領受從主而來完全的喜樂與舒暢6；但那不認識神、不順從耶穌基督的惡人，必被扔到永遠的痛苦中，離開主的面，和祂權能的榮光，受永遠滅亡的刑罰7。

三、基督既為了阻止眾人犯罪，又使敬虔之人在苦難中多得安慰8，就令我們確信將來必有審判之日；祂不讓人知道那日子，是要讓人可以擺脫一切肉體的安逸，時常儆醒，因為他們不知道什麼時辰主要來，而且一直預備好說︰「主耶穌啊，我願你來！願你快來！阿們。」9。

1 徒十七31。2 約五22、27。3 林前六3；猶6；彼後二4。4 林後五10；傳十二14；羅二16，十四10、12；太十二36-37。5 羅九23；太廿五21。6 羅二5-6，九22；帖後一7-10。7 太廿五31-46；徒三19；林後五10-11。8 彼後三11、14；林後五10-11；帖後一5-7；路廿一27-28；羅八23-25；賽四十六4。9 太廿四36、42-44；可十三35-37；路十二35-36；啟廿二20。

— 出處：《歷代教會信條精選》，改革宗，123-158頁。

The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the "subordinate standard" of doctrine in the Church of Scotland and has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide.
In 1643, the English Parliament called upon "learned, godly and judicious Divines" to meet at Westminster Abbey in order to provide advice on issues of worship, doctrine, government and discipline of the Church of England. Their meetings, over a period of five years, produced the confession of faith, as well as a Larger Catechism and a Shorter Catechism. For more than three hundred years, various churches around the world have adopted the confession and the catechisms as their standards of doctrine, subordinate to the Bible. For the Church of Scotland and the various denominations which spring from it directly, though, only the Confession and not the Catechisms is the subordinate standard, the Catechisms not being re-legislated in 1690.
The Westminster Confession of Faith was modified and adopted by Congregationalists in England in the form of the Savoy Declaration (1658) and by Particular Baptists in the form of the Second London Baptist Confession (1677/1689). English Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and some others, would together come to be known as Nonconformists, because they did not conform to the Act of Uniformity (1662) establishing the Church of England as the only legally approved church, though they were in many ways united by their common confessions, built on the Westminster Confession.

歷史背景簡介
Brief Historical Context

歷史背景：
1640 年代的英國正處於內戰之中，暴君查爾斯國王向他的議會宣戰，此時英國議會成員主要是清教徒，他們希望有一個委員會向他們提供建議，因此議會召集了 121 名來自所有國家的牧師和神學士在英國各地在西敏敏斯特教堂開會，最初他們說要完善英格蘭教會的 39 條條款，但後來與國王發生了戰爭，因此議會不得不前往蘇格蘭尋求軍事援助以保衛自己免受國王的侵害。

當時蘇格蘭已經處在宗教改革運動之中，是一片改革的土地，所以蘇格蘭說：「好，如果你捍衛蘇格蘭的改革宗教會，並繼續按此改革英格蘭的教會，我們將幫助你捍衛自己和英格蘭的改革，願上帝保佑！」所以他們在這兩個偉大國家之間簽署了所謂的「莊嚴結盟與聖約」（Solemn League and Covenant），蘇格蘭向議會提供了他們的軍隊，到英格蘭北部與國王爭戰，如果英格蘭議會同意推動英格蘭的宗教改革，並捍衛蘇格蘭的改革，那麼西敏斯特議會就必須完全改變，從試圖去完善 39 條條款，到按照英國國會的要求，去行使莊嚴的盟約，就是正確的神學「教理問答」「教會紀律」「教會組織」「教會的敬拜」所有這些都基於神的話。

西敏斯特信仰告白是如何寫成的

成形過程：
這是一個經歷幾個階段的過程，大會成員分為三個不同的「常設委員會」（Standing committees）。因此，你是大會的成員，就會被分配到其中一個常設委員會。大會組成的方式，是給予不同的委員會不同的頭銜或名稱，並要求這些委員會提出草案，帶到大會會場進行辯論。(除此之外，有超過200個臨時的委員會，被任命行使特別的工作，例如：舉行牧師資格考試，審核大會成員資格，以及檢視可能的異端)

因此，第一步是小組委員會（Sub-committee），或常設委員會。常務委員會通常由20到30位成員所組成。他們所作的事就是，把他們的提議草案帶到大會上。當所有成員被招聚在一起時，他們就在大會現場宣讀草案，然後，開始辯論。

在這個辯論的過程中，草案會經過辯論，根據投票結果，以及是否提出修正案，而被當場修改。然後重新提交，或考慮進一步修改，或得到批准。如果獲得批准，則移交到「措辭委員會」（The Wording Committee）。「措辭委員會」是大概我們今天所知道的《西敏斯特信仰告白》資產最重要的貢獻者。信仰告白中美麗的用詞和平衡，都應該歸功於措辭委員會。因為這是一項艱鉅的任務，因為這裡有平均70個不同的書記和牧師們，在大會現場進行辯論，還有多個委員會在創建他們自己的報告。在這樣的情況下，有各種各樣的變化和細微差別，是非常真實的。所以，要從如此多種多樣的個人寫作風格，達到一致性，是「措辭委員會」重要工作的一部分。委員會承擔了這項非凡的任務，產生出最後版本的措辭用語。這再次顯出大會給予此委員會相當大的空間，去琢磨形成最後的版本。但是最終，「措辭委員會」所作的每一個文字上的改變，都必須再次帶到大會上，公開閱讀並由整個大會批准。

註：
三個常設委員會（The Standing Committee）包括：

1-教義委員會（The Committee of Doctrine）：
該委員會負責起草信仰告白，成為長老會的主要教義標準。該委員會的成員包括威廉·特威斯(William Twisse)、托馬斯·加塔克(Thomas Gataker)和赫伯特·帕爾默(Herbert Palmer)等神學家。

2-治理委員會（The Committee of Government）：
該委員會負責起草教會政府形式，闡述教會的結構和組織。該委員會的成員包括著名的長老派領袖，如塞繆爾·拉瑟福德(Samuel Rutherford)、喬治·吉萊斯皮(George Gillespie)和羅伯特·貝利(Robert Baillie)。

3-敬拜委員會（The Committee of Worship）：
該委員會負責起草公共崇拜指南，提供指導進行公共崇拜服務的準則。該委員會的成員包括史蒂芬·馬歇爾(Stephen Marshal)、愛德蒙德·卡拉米(Edmund Calamy)和亨利·羅布羅(Henry Robrough)等領先的清教徒神學家。

The Westminster Confession of Faith

CHAPTER 1
Of the Holy Scripture

1.  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 are they 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 unto writing; which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased

2. 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 I Samuel II Samuel I Kings II Kings I Chronicles II 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 The Gospels according to Matthew Mark Luke John The Acts of the Apostles Paul's Epistles to the Romans Corinthians I Corinthians II Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians I Thessalonians II to Timothy I to Timothy II 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 inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the Canon of Scripture; and therefore are of no authority in the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.

4. The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the holy Scripture; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

6.  The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and the government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

7.  All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

8.The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as in all controversies of religion the church is finally to appeal unto them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto, and interest in, the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.

9.  The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it may be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.

10. The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.

CHAPTER 2
Of God, and of the Holy Trinity

There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and withal most just and terrible in His judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.
God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth. In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.
In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

CHAPTER 3
Of God’s Eternal Decree

1. God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin; nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions; yet hath He not decreed any thing because He foresaw it as future, as that which would come to pass, upon such conditions.

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death.

4.These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite that it can not be either increased or diminished.

5. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His free grace and love alone, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto; and all to the praise of His glorious grace.

6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.

7. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice.

8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending to the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.

CHAPTER 4
Of Creation

1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create or make of nothing the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.

2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness after His own image, having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Besides this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.

CHAPTER 5
Of Providence

God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly, yet, by the same providence, He ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
God, in His ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure.
The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God; who being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.
The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes leave for a season His own children to manifold temptations and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.
As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden; from them He not only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had; and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin; and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan; whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.
As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures, so, after a most special manner, it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof.

CHAPTER 6
Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof

Our first parents, begin seduced by the subtlety and temptations of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.
By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.
They being the root of mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by original generation.
From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.
Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal.

CHAPTER 7
Of God’s Covenant with Man

The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him, as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.
The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.
Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace: wherein He freely offered unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, His Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.
This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ, the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.
This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying Christ to come, which were for that time sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation, and is called the Old Testament.
Under the gospel, when Christ the substance was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed, are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper; which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity and less outward glory, yet in them it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the New Testament. There are not, therefore, two covenants of grace differing in substance, but one and the same under various dispensations.

CHAPTER 8
Of Christ the Mediator

It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only-begotten Son, to be the mediator between God and men, the prophet, priest, and king; the head and Savior of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom He did, from all eternity, give a people to be His seed, and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.
The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof; yet without sin: being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
The Lord Jesus in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure; having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell: to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety. Which office He took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by His Father; who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.
This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which, that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered; with which also He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.
The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.
Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated into 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 the serpent’s head, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday and today the same and forever.
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 denominated by the other nature.
To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey; and governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.

CHAPTER 9
Of Free Will

God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil.
Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which is good and well-pleasing to God; but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it.
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
When God converts a sinner and translates Him into the state of grace, He freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and, by His grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that, by reason of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly, nor only, will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.
The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone, in the state of glory only.

CHAPTER 10
Of Effectual Calling

All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed and accepted time, 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 by Jesus Christ: enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good; and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.
This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, 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.
Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who work-eth when, and where, and how He pleaseth. So also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess; and to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.

CHAPTER 11
Of Justification

Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.
Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction of His Father’s justice in their behalf. Yet inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.
God did, from all eternity, decree to justify the elect; and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins and rise again for their justification; nevertheless they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.
God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified; and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may by their sins fall under God’s Fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.
The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.

CHAPTER 12
Of AdoptionAll those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God; have His name put upon them; receive the Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness; are enabled to cry, Abba, Father; are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by Him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.
CHAPTER 13
Of Sanctification

They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life: there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome: and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

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; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word: by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.
By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acteth differently, upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.

CHAPTER 15
Of Repentance unto Life

Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.
By it a sinner, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God, and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.
Although repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ; yet is it of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.
As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.
Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.
As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof, upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy: so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended; who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

CHAPTER 16
Of Good Works

Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His holy Word, and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intention.
These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.
Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure; yet are they 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.
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, that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.
We cannot, by our best works, merit pardon of sin, or eternal life, at the hand of God, because 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; 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; 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 judgment.
Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him, not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable 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.
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; yet, because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith; nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word; nor to a right end, the glory of God; they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God. And yet their neglect of them is more sinful, and displeasing unto God.

CHAPTER 17
Of the Perseverance of the Saints

They, whom God hath accepted in His beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.
This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalancy of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their perseverance, fall into grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve His Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts; have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.

CHAPTER 18
Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation

Although hypocrites, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions: of being in the favor of God and estate of salvation; which hope of theirs shall perish: yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God: which hope shall never make them ashamed.
This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.
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 partaker of it: 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 ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone 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 Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance: so far is it from inclining men to looseness.
True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by falling into some special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation; 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: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, 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, and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.

CHAPTER 19
Of the Law of God

God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which He bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it.
This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables; the first four commandments containing our duty toward God, and the other six our duty to man.
Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, His graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the New Testament.
To them also, as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other, now, further than the general equity thereof may require.
The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; 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. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation.
Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it 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 nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; 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 threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof; although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works: so as a 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.
Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it: 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.

CHAPTER 20
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 curse of the moral law; and in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin, from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love, and a willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law; but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the 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.
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to His Word, or beside it in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.
They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.
And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And, for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or, to the power of godliness; or, such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against by the censures of the church.

CHAPTER 21
Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is good, and doeth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.
Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to Him alone: not to angels, saints, or any other creature: and since the fall, not without a mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone.
Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, is by God required of all men; and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of His Holy Spirit, according to His will, with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and, if vocal, in a known tongue.
Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter; but not for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear; the sound preaching, and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God with understanding, faith, and reverence; singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as, also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: besides religious oaths, and vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon special occasion; which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.
Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable to, 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; as in private families daily, and in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by His Word or providence, calleth thereunto.
As it is of the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by 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: 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 in Scripture is called the Lord’s Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath.
This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.

CHAPTER 22
Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth; and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he sweareth.
The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred. Yet, as, in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the Word of God, under the New Testament, as well as under the Old, so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters ought to be taken.
Whosoever taketh an oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth. Neither may any man bind himself by oath to any thing but what is good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform.
An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation. It cannot oblige to sin; but in anything not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man’s own hurt: nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.
A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.
It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone: and that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for obtaining of what we want; whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto.
No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own power, and for the performance of which he hath no promise or ability from God. In which respects, monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.

CHAPTER 23
Of the Civil Magistrate

God, the supreme Lord and king of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under Him over the people, for His own glory and the public good; and to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evildoers.
It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto; in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth, so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions.
Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.
It is the duty of the people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’s sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people from their obedience to him: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted; much less hath the pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.

CHAPTER 24
Of Marriage and Divorce

Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.
Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife; for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the church with an holy seed; and for preventing of uncleanness.
It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgment to give their consent. Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And, therefore, such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.
Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man, or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together, as man and wife.
Adultery or fornication, committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce, and after the divorce to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.
Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage; wherein a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it, not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case.

CHAPTER 25
Of the Church

The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.
The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
Unto this catholic and visible church, Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world; and doth by His own presence and Spirit, according to His promise, make them effectual thereunto.
This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less, visible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.
The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error: and some have so degenerated as to become apparently no churches of Christ. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to His will.
There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof.

CHAPTER 26
Of the Communion of the Saints

All saints that are united to Jesus Christ their head, by His Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as to conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.
Saints by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
This communion which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of the Godhead, or to be equal with Christ in any respect: either of which to affirm, is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another as saints, take away or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and possessions.

CHAPTER 27
Of the Sacraments

Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the cov-enant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits, and to confirm our interest in Him: as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the church, and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.
There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.
The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments, rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it, but upon the work of the Spirit, and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.
There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the gospels, that is to say, baptism and the supper of the Lord: neither or which may be dispensed by any but a minister of the Word, lawfully ordained.
The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New.

CHAPTER 28
Of Baptism

Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in His church until the end of the world.
The outward element to be used in the sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the gospel, lawfully called thereunto.
Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.
Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized.
Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.
The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God’s own will, in His appointed time.
The sacrament of baptism is but once to be administered to any person.

CHAPTER 29
Of the Lord’s Supper

Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein He was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of His body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper, to be observed in His church unto the end of the world; for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of Himself in His death, the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto Him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with Him, and with each other, as members of His mystical body.
In this sacrament Christ is not offered up to His Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead, but a commemoration of that one offering up of Himself, by Himself, upon the cross, once for all, and a spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same; so that the popish sacrifice of the mass, as they call it, is most abominably injurious to Christ’s one only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect.
The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people, to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants; but to none who are not then present in the congregation.
Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other, alone; as likewise the denial of the cup to the people; worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use, are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.
The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ; albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly, and only, bread and wine, as they were before.
That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common-sense and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament; and hath been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.
Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of His death: the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.
Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament, yet they receive not the thing signified thereby; but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, to their own damnation. Wherefore all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Him, so are they unworthy of the Lord’s table, and cannot, without great sin against Christ, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto.

CHAPTER 30
Of Church Censures

The Lord Jesus, as king and head of His church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.
To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.
Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren; for deterring of others from like offenses; for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel; and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the church, if they should suffer His covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.
For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition, suspension from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for a season, and by excommunication from the church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.

CHAPTER 31
Of Synods and Councils

For the better government and further edification of the church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils and it belongeth to the overseers and other rulers of the particular churches, by virtue of their office, and the power which Christ hath given them for edification and not for destruction, to appoint such assemblies; and to convene together in them, as often as they shall judge it expedient for the good of the church.
It belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially, to determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience; to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of His church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission, not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God, appointed thereunto in His Word.
All synods or councils since the apostles’ times, whether general or particular, may err, and many have erred; therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith or practice, but to be used as a help in both.
Synods and councils are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary; or by way of advice for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.

CHAPTER 32
Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep), having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.
At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.
The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor; the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, unto honor, and be made conformable to His own glorious body.

CHAPTER 33
Of the Last Judgment

God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged; but likewise all persons, that have lived upon earth, shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
The end of God’s appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord: but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity: so will He have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.

信仰告白 Confession

西敏斯特信仰告白 The Westminster Confession of Faith

教理問答 Catechisms

西敏斯特大要理問答 The Westminster Larger Catechism
西敏斯特小要理問答 The Westminster Shorter Catechism

信經 Creeds

使徒信經 Apostles' Creed
尼西亞信經 Nicene Creed
迦克頓信經 Chalcedonian Definition

爾灣聖徒改革宗長老會
All Saints Reformed presbyterian Church Irvine, California

西敏斯特信仰告白
Westminster confession of faith

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爾灣聖徒改革宗長老會All Saints Reformed presbyterian Church Irvine, California﻿

西敏斯特信仰告白Westminster confession of faith

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西敏斯特信仰告白

第一章：論聖經

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第二章：論神和三位一體

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爾灣聖徒改革宗長老會
All Saints Reformed presbyterian Church Irvine, California

西敏斯特信仰告白
Westminster confession of faith