The Major is past doubt, seeing there must be the true profession of true Christianity, that must justly denominate a man (at age) a true Professor of Christianity. If he notoriously want the first, he is morally no Professor: If he want the later, he professeth not Christianity. To prove the Minor, we will begin with the later. We speak not now of any Accidentals that pertain not to the Being, but tend only to the well-Being of a Christian. Now I hope it is past controversy among us all, that it is essential to our Christianity, that it be in the Intellect and Will, whatever we say of the outward Man: and for the Intellect, that we believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: And it is essential to our believing in God, that we believe him to be our Creator, Chief Ruler, and chief End and Happiness. And to believe in the Son Essentially, containeth a believing that he is Jesus Christ our Lord, that is, that he is the Redeemer of the world, who shed his blood to save his people from their sins by pardon and sanctification, and who will raise them from the dead, and judge them to everlasting Blessedness: and who is their Lord and Ruler on this ground, and to this end; to believe in the Holy Ghost essentially, containeth a believing that his Testimony of Christ was true, and that he is the Sanctifier of those that shall be saved. It is as much essential to Christianity, to consent that God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be such to us as we profess them to be, as aforesaid: which is included in believing in God, and in Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost: And therefore the sum of the Covenant is [I will be your God (upon Redemption by Christ) and you shall be my people] Now the Notoriously Ungodly do either profess to believe and consent to all this, or but to part: If to All, then they lye, of which more anon: If but to part; then 1. it is not the Christian Faith, no more then a heart, or a l•ver is a man; it is but part of it: 2. and our Divines wil• say, that he that doth not believe and consent to the whole Essence of Christianity, doth not truly believe or consent to any Essential (though for that I determine it not) But were their Faith never so firm in any one ⟨p. 273⟩part, it is not Christianity, or the Christian Faith, without the whole. If it be the Christian Faith to believe in God the Father only, then those that deny Christ, are Christians.
The Major is past doubt, seing there must be the true profession of true Christianity, that must justly denominate a man (at age) a true Professor of Christianity. If he notoriously want the first, he is morally no Professor: If he want the later, he professeth not •hristianity. To prove the Minor, we will begin with the later. We speak not now of any Accidentals that pertain not to the Being, but tend only to the well-Being of a Christian. Now I hope it is past controversie among us all, that it is essential to our Christianity, that it be in the Intellect and Will, whatever we say of the outward Man: and for the Intellect, that we believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: And it is essential to our believing in God, that we believe him to be our Creator, Chief Ruler, and chief End and Happiness. And to believe in the Son Essentially, containeth a believing that he is Jesus Christ our Lord, that is, that he is the Redeemer of the world, who shed his blood to save his people from their sins by pardon and sanctification, and who will raise them from the dead, and judge them to everlasting Blessedness: and who is their Lord and Ruler on this ground, and to this end; to believe in the Holy Ghost essentially, containeth a believing that his Testimony of Christ was true, and that he is the Sanctifier of those that shall be saved. It is as much essential to Christianity, to consent that God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be such to us as we profess them to be, as aforesaid: which is included in believing in God, and in Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost: And therefore the sum of the Covenant is [I will be your God (upon Redempition by Christ) and you shall be my people] Now the Notoriously Vngodly do either profess to believe and consent to all this, or but to part: If to All, then they lye, of which more anon: If but to part; then 1. it is not the Christian Faith, no more then a heart, or a l•ver is a man; it is but part of it: 2. and our Divines wil• say, that he that doth not believe and consent to the whole Essence of Christianity, doth not truly believe or consent to any Essential (though for that I determine it not) But were their Faith never so firm in any one ⟨p. 273⟩part, it is not Christianity, or the Christian Faith, without the whole. If it be the Christian Faith to believe in God the Father only, then those that deny Christ, are Christians.
