is that Antichrist that Man of Sin and Son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his Coming V. As the Lord in his Care and Love towards his Church hath in his infinite Wise Providence exercised it with great variety in all Ages for the good of them that love him and his own Glory so according to his Promise we expect that in the latter Days Antichrist being destroyed the Jews called and the Adversaries of the Kingdom of his dear Son broken the Churches of Christ being inlarged and edified through a free and plentiful Communication of Light and Grace shall enjoy in this World a more quiet peaceable and glorious Condition than they have enjoyed CHAP. XXVII Of the Communion of Saints ALL Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and Faith although they are not made thereby one Person with him have Fellowship in his Graces Sufferings Death Resurrection and Glory and being united to one another in Love they have Communion in each others Gifts and Graces and are obliged to the performance of such Duties publick and private as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward Man. II. All Saints 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 though especially to be exercised by them in the Relations wherein they stand whether in Families or Churches yet as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every Place call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XXVIII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace immediately instituted by Christ to represent him and his Benefits and to confirm our Interest in him and solemnly to engage us to the Service of God in Christ according to his Word II. 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 III. 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 IV. There be only two Sacranents ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Lord's Supper neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully called V. 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. CHAP. XXIX Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the Party baptized a sign and seal of the Covenant of Grace of his ingraffing 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 Ordinance is by Christ's own appointment to be continued in his Church until the end of the World. II. The outward Element to be used in this Ordinance 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 III. Dipping of the Person into the Water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administred by pouring or sprinkling Water upon the Person IV. Not only those who do actually profess Faith in and Obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both believing Parents are to be baptized and those only V. 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 VI. The Efficacy of Baptism is not tyed to that moment of time wherein it is administred 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 VII Baptism is but once to be administred to any Person CHAP. XXX 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 Churches unto the end of the World for the perpetual Remembrance and shewing forth of the Sacrifice of himself in his Death the sealing of all Benefits thereof unto true Believers their Spiritual Nourishment and growth in him their further Ingagement 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 II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for Remission of Sin of the quick or dead but only a Memorial 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 abominable injurious to Christ's own only Sacrifice the alone Propitiation for all the Sins of the Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers 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 Break 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 IV. Private Masses or receiving the 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 V. The outward Elements in this Sacrament duely set apart to the Uses ordained by Christ have such Relation to him Crucified as that truely 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 VI. 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 VII 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 or Wine yet as really but spiritually present to the Faith of Believers in that Ordinance as the Elements themselves are to their outward Senses VIII All ignorant and ungodly Persons as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with Christ so are they unworthy of the Lord's Table and cannot without great Sin against him whilst they remain such partake of these holy Mysteries or be admitted thereunto yea whosoever shall Receive unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord eating and drinking Judgment to themselves CHAP. XXXI 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 dye 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 Torment 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 II. At the Last Day such as are found alive shall not dye 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 for ever III. The Bodies of the Unjust shall by the Power of Christ be raised to dishonour the Bodies of the Just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious Body CHAP. XXXII 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 II. 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 fulness of Joy and Glory with everlasting Reward in 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 be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Judgment both to deterr 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 OF THE INSTITUTION OF CHURCHES And the ORDER Appointed in them by JESUS CHRIST I. BY the Appointment of the Father all Power for the Calling Institution Order or Government of the Church is invested in a Supreme and Sovereign manner in the Lord Jesus Christ as King and Head thereof II. In the Execution of this Power wherewith he is so intrusted the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto Communion with himself those that are given unto him by his Father that they may walk before him in all the ways of Obedience which he prescribeth to them in his Word III. Those thus called through the Ministry of the Word by his Spirit he commandeth to walk together in particular Societies or Churches for their mutual Edification and the due Performance of that Publick Worship which he requireth of them in this World. IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered according unto his Mind declared in his Word he hath given all that Power and Authority which is any way needful for their carrying on that Order in Worship and Discipline which he hath instituted for them to observe with Commands and Rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that Power V. These particular Churches thus appointed by the Authority of Christ and intrusted with Power from him for the ends before expressed are each of them as unto those ends the seat of that Power which he is pleased to communicate to his Saints or Subjects in this World so that as such they receive it immediately from himself VI. Besides these particular Churches there is not instituted by Christ any Church more extensive or Catholick intrusted with Power for the Administration of his Ordinances or the Execution of any Authority in his Name VII A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the Mind of Christ consists of Officers and Members The Lord Christ having given to his called Ones united according to his Appointment in Church Order Liberty and Power to choose Persons fitted by the Holy Ghost for that purpose to be over them and to Minister to them in the Lord. VIII The Members of these Churches are Saints by Calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their Profession and Walking their Obedience unto that Call of Christ who being further known to each other by their confession of the Faith wrought in them by the Power of God declared by themselves or otherwise manifested do willingly consent to walk together according to the Appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God in professed Subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel IX The Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church so called and gathered for the peculiar Administration of Ordinances and Execution of Power or Duty which he intrusts them with or calls them to to be continued to the end of the World are Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons X. Churches thus gathered and assembling for the Worship of God are thereby visible and publick and their
Assemblies in what Place soever they are according as they have liberty or opportunity are therefore Church or Publick Assemblies XI The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any Person fitted and gifted by the Holy Ghost unto the Office of Pastor Teacher or Elder in a Church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common Suffrage of the Church it self and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer with Imposition of Hands of the Eldership of that Church if there be any before constituted therein And of a Deacon that he be chosen by the like Suffrage and set apart by Prayer and the like Imposition of Hands XII The Essence of this Call of a Pastor Teacher or Elder unto Office consists in the Election of the Church together with his Acceptation of it and Separation by Fasting and Prayer And those who are so chosen though not set apart by Imposition of Hands are rightly constituted Ministers of Jesus Christ in whose Name and Authority they Exercise the Ministry to them so committed The Calling of Deacons consisteth in the like Election and Acceptation with Separation by Prayer XIII Although it be incumbent on the Pastors and Teachers of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word by way of Office yet the Work of Preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Ghost for it and approved being by lawful ways and means in the Providence of God called thereunto may publickly ordinarily and constantly perform it so that they give themselves up thereunto XIV However they who are engaged in the Work of publick Preaching and enjoy the publick Maintenance upon that account are not thereby obliged to dispense the Seals to any other than such as being Saints by Calling and gathered according to the Order of the Gospel they stand related to as Paâ—tors or Teachers yet ought they not â—o neglect others living within their Parochial Bounds but besides their constant publick Preaching to them â—hey ought to enquire after their profiting by the Word instructing them â—n and pressing upon them whether young or old the great Doctrines of the Gospel even personally and particularly so far as their strength and time will admit XV. Ordination alone without the Election or precedent consent of the Church by those who formerly have been Ordained by virtue of that Power they have received by their Ordination doth not constitute any Person a Church-Officer or communicate Office-Power unto him XVI A Church furnished with Officers according to the Mind of Christ hath full Power to administer all his Ordinances and where there is want of any one or more Officers required that Officer or those which are in the Church may Administer all the Ordinances proper to their particular Duty and Offices but where there are no Teaching Officers none may Administer the Seals nor can the Church authorize any so to do XVII In the carrying on of Church Administrations no Person ought to be added to the Church but by the consent of the Church it self that so love without dissimulation may be preserved between all the Members thereof XVIII Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and instituted as a means of Edification that those who walk not according to the Rules and Laws appointed by him in respect of Faith and Life so that just offence doth arise to the Church thereby be censured in his Name and Authority Every Church hath Power in it self to exercise and execute all those Censures appointed by him in the way and Order prescribed in the Gospel XIX The Censures so appointed by Christ are Admonition and Excommunication and whereas some Offences are or may be known only to some it is appointed by Christ that those to whom they are so known do first admonish the Offender in private in publick Offences where any Sin before all or in case of non-amendment upon private Admonition the Offence being related to the Church and the Offender not manifesting his Repentance he is to be duely admonished in the Name of Christ by the whole Church by the Ministry of the Elders of the Church and if this Censure prevail not for his Repentance then he is to be cast out by Excommunication with the consent of the Church XX. As all Believers are bound to joyn themselves to particular Churches when and where they have opportunity so to do so none are to be admitted unto the Privileges of the Churches who do not submit themselves to the Rule of Christ in the Censures for the Government of them XXI This being the way prescribed by Christ in case of Offence no Church-Members upon any Offences taken by them having performed their Duty required of them in this matter ought to disturb any Church-Order or absent themselves from the Publick Assemblies or the Administration of any Ordinances upon that pretence but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the Church XXII The Power of Censures being seated by Christ in a particular Church is to be exercised only towards particular Members of each Church respectively as such and there is no Power given by him unto any Synods or Ecclesiastical Assemblies to Excommunicate or by their publick Edicts to threaten Excommunication or other Church-censures against Churches Magistrates or their People upon any account no Man being obnoxious to that Censure but upon his personal Miscarriage as a Member of a particular Church XXIII Although the Church is a Society of Men assembling for the celebration of the Ordinances according to the appointment of Christ yet every Society assembling for that end or purpose upon the account of Cohabitation within any Civil Precincts and Bounds is not thereby constituted a Church seeing there may be wanting among them what is essentially required thereunto and therefore a Believer living with others in such a Precinct may joyn himself with any Church for his Edification XXIV For the avoiding of Differences that may otherwise arise for the greater Solemnity in the Celebration of the Ordinances of Christ and the opening a way for the larger usefulness of the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost Saints living in one City or Town or within such distances as that they may conveniently Assemble for Divine Worship ought rather to joyn in one Church for their mutual strengthning and Edification than to set up many distinct Societies XXV As all Churches and all the Members of them are bound to pray continually for the Good or Prosperity of all the Churches of Christ in all Plaâ—â—s and upon all occasions to further it Every one within the Bounds of their Places and Callings in the Exercise of their Gifts and Graces So the Churches themselves when planted by the Providence of God so as they may have opportunity and advantage for it ought to hold Communion amongst themselves for their Peace increase of Love and mutual Edification XXVI In Cases of Difficulties or Differences either in point of Doctrine or in Administrations wherein either the Churches in general are concerned or or any one Church in their Peace Union and Edification or any Member or Members of any Church are injured in or by any proceeding in Censures not agreeable to Truth and Order it is according to the Mind of Christ that many Churches holding Communion together do by their Messengers meet in a Synod or Counsel to consider and give their advice in or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the Churches concerned Howbeit these Synods so assembled are not intrusted with any Church Power properly so called or with any Jurisdiction over the Churches themselves to exercise any Censures either over any Churches or Persons or to impose their Determinations on the Churches or Officers XXVII Besides these occasional Synods or Counsels there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or their Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ in a way of Subordination to one another XXVIII Persons that are joyned in Church-Fellowship ought not lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the Communion of the Church whereunto they are so joyned Nevertheless where any Person cannot continue in any Church without his Sin either for want of the Administration of any Ordinances instituted by Christ or by his being deprived of his due Privileges or compelled to any thing in practice not warranted by the Word or in case of Persecution or upon the account of conveniency of Habitation he consulting with the Church or the Officer or Officers thereof may peaceably depart from the Communion of the Church wherewith he hath so walked to joyn himself with some other Church where he may enjoy the Ordinances in the Purity of the same for his Edification and Consolation XXIX Such Reforming Churches as consist of Persons found in the Faith and of Conversation becomming the Gospel ought not to refuse the Communion of each other so far as may consist with their own Principles respectively though they walk not in all things according to the same Rules of Church-Order XXX Churches gathered and walking according to the Mind of Christ judging other Churches though less pure to be true Churches may receive unto occasional Communion with them such Members of those Churches as are credibly testified to be Godly and to live without Offence FINIS