1. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience to him as their creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.
Luke 17:10; Job 35:7,8
2. Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a 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; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.
Genesis 2:17; Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:20, 21; Romans 8:3; Mark 16:15, 16; John 3:16; Ezekiel 36:26, 27; John 6:44, 45; Psalms 110:3
3. This covenant is revealed in the gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman, and afterwards by farther steps, until the full discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament; and it is founded in that eternal covenant transaction that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect; and it is alone by the grace of this covenant that all the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were saved did obtain life and blessed immortality, man being now utterly incapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in his state of innocency.
Genesis 3:15; Hebrews 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 11;6, 13; Romans 4:1, 2, &c.; Acts 4:12; John 8:56
1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scriptures
- Chapter 2 - Of God and the Holy Trinity
- Chapter 3 - Of God's Decree
- Chapter 4 - Of Creation
- Chapter 5 - Of Divine Providence
- Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
- Chapter 7 - Of God's Covenant
- Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator
- Chapter 9 - Of Free Will
- Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Callin
- Chapter 11 - Of Justification
- Chapter 12 - Of Adoption
- Chapter 13 - Of Sanctification
- Chapter 14 - Of Saving Faith
- Chapter 15 - Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation
- Chapter 16 - Of Good Works
- Chapter 17 - Of the Perseverance of the Saints
- Chapter 18 - Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
- Chapter 19 - Of the Law of God
- Chapter 20 - Of the Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof
- Chapter 21 - Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
- Chapter 22 - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
- Chapter 23 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
- Chapter 24 - Of the Civil Magistrate
- Chapter 25 - Of Marriage
- Chapter 26 - Of the Church
- Chapter 27 - Of the Communion of Saints
- Chapter 28 - Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 29 - Of Baptism
- Chapter 30 - Of the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 31 - Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
- Chapter 32 - Of the Last Judgment
- Ending Statement and Signatories