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النشر الإلكتروني

III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed,1 and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation.2

1 Gen. i. 27, 28; ii. 16, 17; Acts xvii. 26; Rom. v. 12, 15-19; 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 45, 49. Psalm li, 5; Gen. v. 3; Job xiv. 4; xv. 14.

IV. 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.3

1 Rom. v. 6; viii. 7; vii. 18; Col. i. 21. 10-12. 3 James i. 14, 15; Eph. ii. 2, 3;

2 Gen. vi. 5; viii. 21; Rom. iii. Matt. xv. 19.

V. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated:1 and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.2

11 John i. 8, 10; Rom. vii. 14, 17, 18, 23; James iii, 2; Prov. xx. 9; Eccles, vii. 20. 2 Rom. vii. 5, 7, 8, 25; Gal. v. 17.

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VI. 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,3 and curse of the law, and so made subject to death,5 with all miseries spiritual, temporal,' and eternal.8

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CHAPTER VII.

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.1

1 Isaiah xl. 13-17; Job. ix. 32, 33; 1 Sam. ii. 25; Psalm cxiii. 5, 6; c. 2, 3; Job xxii. 2,3; xxxv. 7, 8; Luke xvii. 10; Acts xvii. 24, 25.

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II. 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.3

1 Gal. iii. 12. Rom. x. 5; v. 12-20.-(See Chapter VI. Section 3, note 1.) Gen. ii. 17; Gal. iii. 10.

III. Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second,1 commonly called the Covenant of Grace: wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved;2 and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.3

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1 Gal. iii. 21: Rom. viii. 3; iii. 20, 21; Gen. iii. 15; Isaiah xliii. 6. xvi. 15, 16; John iii. 16; Rom. x. 6, 9; Gal. iii, 11. 3 Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27; John vi. 44, 45.

IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a Testament, in refe

rence to the death of Jesus Christ, the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.1

1 Heb. ix, 15-17; Heb. vii. 22; Luke xxii, 20; 1 Cor. xi. 25.

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V. 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.1

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12 Cor. iii. 6-9. 2 Heb. Chapters viii, ix, x; Rom. iv. 1 Cor. v. 7. 3 1 Cor. x. 1-4; Heb. xi. 13; John viii, 56.

11; Col. ii. 11, 12; 4 Gal, iii. 7-9, 14.

VI. Under the Gospel, when Christ the substance1 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 fulness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the New Testament.5 There are not therefore two covenants of grace differing in substance, but one and the same under various dispensations.

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1 Col. ii. 17. 2 Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; 1 Cor. xi. 23-25. 3 Heb. xii. 22-27; Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. 4 Matt xxviii. 19;-(See note 2 immediately foregoing ;) Eph. ii. 15-19. 5 Luke xxii. 20. 6 Gal. iii. 14, 16; Acts xv. 11; Rom. iii. 21-23,30; Psalm xxxii. 1, with Rom. iv. 3, 6, 16, 17, 23, 24; Heb. xiii. 8.

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CHAPTER VIII.

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 man ;1 the Prophet,2 Priest, and King; the Head and Saviour of his Church; the Heir of all things ;6 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.9

1 Isa. xlii. 1; 1 Peter i. 19, 20; John iii. 16; 1 Tim. ii. 5.

3 Heb. v. 5, 6.

7 Acts xvii. 31.

4 Psalm ii. 6;
8 John xvii. 6;

ii. 6; Isaiah lv. 4, 5; 1 Cor. i. 30.

Luke i. 33. 5 Eph. v. 23.
Psalm xxii, 30; Isaiah liii. 10.

2 Acts iii. 22, 6 Heb. i. 2,

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II. 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 fulness of time was come, take upon him man's nature,1 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.5

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1 John i. 1, 14; 1 John v. 20; Phil. ii 6; Gal. iv. 4. * Heb. ii. 14, 16, 17; iv. 15. 3 Luke i. 27, 31, 35; Gal. iv. 4.-(See note1 immediately foregoing. Luke i. 35-(See the foregoing Verse ;) Col. ii. 9; Rom. ix. 5; 1 Pet. iii. 18; 1 Tim. iii, 16. 5 Rom. i. 3, 4; 1 Tim, ii. 5.

III. 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;2 in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell:3 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.5 Which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father ;6 who put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same."

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3 Col. i. 19. 4 Heb. vii. 26;
6 Heb. v. 4, 5.
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IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake;1 which that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it;3 endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul,* and most painful sufferings in his body;5 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,1o making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.12

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1 Psalm xl. 7, 8; Heb. x. 5-10; John x. 18; Phil. ii. 8. 2 Gal iv. 4. 3 Matt. iii. 15; v. 17. 4 Matt. xxvi. 37,38; Luke xxii. 44; Matt. xxvii. 46. 5 Matthew, Chapters xxvi, and xxvii. 6 Philip. ii. 8.-(See the last Scripture in note immediately foregoing.) 7 Acts ii. 23, 24, 27; xiii. 37; Rom. vi. 9. 8 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4, 5. 9 John xx. 25, 27. 10 Mark xvi. 19. 11 Rom. viii. 34; Heb. ix. 24; vii. 25. 12 Rom. xiv. 9, 10; Acts i. 11; Acts x. 42; Matt. xiii. 40-42; Jude, ver. 6; 2 Pet. ii. 4.

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