DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. 4. 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 with-holdeth his grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts ;-but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion for 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. [Chap. v. sect. 6.] DOCTRINES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 4. The divine grace of God floweth unto all men,—but those who will not receive and apply it, but follow the wicked inclinations of their own corrupt nature, in the pursuit and practice of evil, and neglect to exercise their free-will in co-operating with that Divine gift,-thereby harden their own hearts, and blind their understandings, until at length they become totally unfitted for the reception of heavenly light and life, and consequently cannot be saved. Of Original Sin and Heredita- Of Original Sin and Heredita ry Evil. 1. Our first parents being the root of all mankind, the guilt of their sin was imputed, and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation. 2. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ ry Evil. 1. Hereditary evils exist, and are inherited from parents successively, but they are not imputed, except to those who make them their own by actual commission-consequently all infants are saved. 2. This corruption of our nature, by a life of charity and faith, and consequent regeneration, may in a great degree be Of Christ the Mediator, and of Of Christ the Mediator, and of Redemption. 1. 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. 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 himself man's nature. 2. 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. Redemption. 1. It pleased Jehovah God, in his eternal purpose, and in the fulness of time, to assume the human nature in the person of Jesus Christ, for the purpose of redeeming mankind and glorifying that Humanity, which is called the Son of God. 2. The Lord Jesus Christ, as Divine Truth, by acts of Redemption, which were spiritual combats with, and subjection of the hells and infernal spirits, and the removal of evils from man ;-as also by the glorification of his Humanity, and the uniting of it with the Father or Divine Good (by which man was enabled to approach nearer to the Divinity, and the Divini [Confession of Faith, ed the means of salvation to all DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. 3. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in Heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers; answering all accusations against them; and procuring for them quiet of conscience notwithstanding daily failings, access and boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and service. [Larger Catechism, question 55.] 4. The grace of God is manifested in the second Covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a mediator, and life and salvation by him; and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his holy spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith, with all other saving graces. [Ib. Quest. 32, and Confession of Faith, chap. vii.] Of Free-Will. 1. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as DOCTRINES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 3. "This humanity being the medium by which man may come to God the Father, and God the Father to man, and thereby be his teacher and guide unto salvation, therefore the Son of God, by whom is meant the Humanity of God the Father, is called the Saviour and the Mediator: Intercession, consecuently, is perpetual mediation ; for true love, whence mercy, clemency and grace proceed, perpetually intercedeth, that is mediateth for those who do his commandments, and are thereby the objects of his love." E. S. 4. The love and mercy of God is manifested, in his freely providing the means of salvation to all mankind, by his assuming the human nature, and therein, by acts of redemption, removing hell or evil from them; thereby giving them power to receive and apply the influences of his holy spirit, and to live a life of charity and faith, as the condition of eternal life and salvation. Of Free-Will. 1. Man, by increase of hereditary evil, is naturally averse from spiritual things; but every one receives from the Lord the Of Effectual Calling and Re-. Of Effectual Calling and Re generation. 1. 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. 2. 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. [Confession of Faith, chap. x. sect. 1 & 2.] generation. 1. All those who refrain from evils, and live a life of charity and faith, are, by the co-operation of the holy spirit, gradually removed from the state of sin and corruption which they are in by nature, to a spiritual state of virtue and purity, and finally to salvation. 2. This spiritual state of Heavenly purity, is effected solely by the exertions of man's freewill (in refraining from evils as sins against God, and living a good life) co-operating with the divine influence flowing unto all; thereby making himself a fit subject for the reception of further communications of the Holy Spirit, which co-operates so far only in regeneration, as man exerts his free-will. Of Gentilism. 1. They who having never heard of the Gospel, and know Works. 1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth 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. 2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justifi Works. 1. Those who live a life of goodness according to the commandments, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, will be saved; and such life and faith will be imputed to them. 2. Such life of goodness and charity, is the essential means of salvation and justification,— yet it is never alone,-always producing and accompanying a |