PION Gf 
 
 
 VTTE 
 
 : n TO^T 
 
 
 BAP 
 
 r0438 1 
 
•*?5 
 
 
 
 # 
 
 
 Ql 
 
 
 
 
 <€ 
 
 
 J5r 
 
 
 IE 
 
 
 (* 
 
 
 c« 
 
 
 f _ 
 
 . 
 
 73 
 
 
 *•»» 
 
 ha 
 
 _C 
 
 
 •S 
 
 
 Q. 
 
 
 §> 
 
 fc 
 
 o 
 
 
 *-*- 
 
 
 $ 
 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 CD 
 
 C 
 
 bfl 
 
 
 sS# 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 ~<d 
 
 1 
 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 E 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 P4 
 
 >> 
 
 
 
 
 -Q 
 
 s 
 
 •& 
 
 
 -o 
 
 <^> 
 
 % 
 
 ■#-> 
 c 
 
 CL 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 3p& 
 
A 
 
 CONFESSION OF FAITH, 
 
 PUT FORTH 
 
 BY THE ELDERS AND BRETHREN 
 
 Of 
 
 MANY CONGREGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS, 
 
 (baptised ttpon profession of their faith,) 
 
 IN LONDON AND THE COUNTRY. 
 
 ADOPTED BY 
 
 THE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, 
 
 Met at Philadelphia, September 25, 1742. 
 With two additional articles, viz. 
 
 OF IMPOSITION OF HANDS, AND SINGING OF 
 PSALMS IN PUBLIC WORSHIP. 
 
 ssss 
 
 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with 
 the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 20, 
 
 Search the Scriptures. John v. 39, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 rHISTlD AITS PUBLISHED BT ANDERSON AND MEEHAN, 
 WO. 59, EOCUST-STREET, 
 
 1818. 
 
WE, the Ministers and Messengers of, and concerned 
 for, upwards of one hundred baptised congregations in 
 England and Wales (denying Arminianism) being met to- 
 gether in London, from the third of the seventh month to 
 the eleventh of the same, 1689, to consider of some things 
 that might be for the glory of Gou, and the good of these 
 congregations ; have thought meet (for the satisfaction of 
 all other Christians that differ from us in the point of bap- 
 tism) to recommend to their perusal the Confession of 
 our Faith, printed for and sold by John Marshall, at the 
 Bible in Grace-church-street, which Confession we own, as 
 containing the doctrine of our faith and practice ; and do 
 desire that the members of our churches respectively do 
 furnish themselves therewith. 
 
 Hanserd Knotty*, 
 William Kiffin, 
 John Harris, 
 William Collins, 
 Hercules Collins, 
 Robert Steed, 
 Leonard Harrison, 
 George Barret, 
 Isaac Lamb, 
 Richard Adams, 
 Benjamin Keach, 
 Andrew Gifford, 
 Thomas Vaux, 
 Thomas Winnel, 
 James Hitt, 
 Richard Tidmarsh, 
 William Facer/, 
 Samuel Buttal, 
 Christopher Price, 
 
 Daniel Finch, 
 John Ball, 
 Edmojid White, 
 William Prichard, 
 Paid Fruin, 
 Richard Ring % 
 John Tomkins, 
 Toby Willes, 
 John Carter, 
 James Webb, 
 Richard Sutton, 
 Robert Knight, 
 Edward Price, 
 William Phipps, 
 William Hankins, 
 Samuel Ewer, 
 Edward Man, 
 Charles Archer. 
 
 In the name and behalf of the whole assembly. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 chaptf.k Page 
 
 1. Of the Holy Scriptures - - - 13 
 
 2. Of God and of the Holy Trinity - - 17 
 
 3. Of God's Decree 20 
 
 4. Of Creation ----- 22 
 
 5. Of Divine Providence - - - - 23 
 
 6. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment 
 
 thereof ----- 25 
 
 7. Of God's Covenant 27 
 
 8. Of Christ the Mediator - 28 
 
 9. Of Free-WiU ----- 32 
 
 10. Of Effectual Calling 33 
 
 11. Of Justification - - - 35 
 
 12. Of Adoption 37 
 
 13. Of Sanctification 38 
 
 14. Of Saving Faith 39 
 
 15. Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation - 40 
 
 16. Of Good Works 42 
 
 17. Of the Perseverance of the Saints - - 44 
 
 18. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation - 46 
 
 19. Of the Law of God 48 
 
 20. Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace 
 
 thereof - - - - - 51 
 
 21. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 52 
 
 22. Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day - 54 
 
 23. Of Singing of Psalms in Public Worship - 57 
 
 24. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 58 
 
 25. Of the Civil Magistrate 59 
 
 26. Of Marriage ----- 60 
 
 27. Of the Church 61 
 
 28. Of the Communion of Saints - - 66 
 
 29. Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper - - 67 
 
 30. Of Baptism 68 
 
 31. Of Laying on of Hands - - - 69 
 
 32. Of the Lord's Supper - - - - 70 
 
 33. Of the State of Man after Death, and of the 
 
 Resurrection of the Dead - - - 72 
 
 34. Of the Last Judgment - - - -73 
 
JUDICIOUS AND IMPARTIAL READER. 
 
 \ 
 
 Courteous Reader, 
 
 IT is now many years since divers of us (with 
 other sober Christians then living, _md walking in 
 the way of the Lord, that we profess) did conceive 
 ourselves to be under a necessity of publishing a 
 Confession of our Faith, for the information and 
 satisfaction of those that did not thoroughly under- 
 stand what our principles were, or had entertained 
 prejudices against our profession, by reason cf the 
 strange representation of them, by some men of 
 note who had taken very wrong measures, and ac- 
 cordingly led others into misapprehensions ot us, 
 and them : And this was first put \>rti< ao«ut the 
 year 1643, in the name of seven cougrer;auons then 
 gathered in London ; since which time, divers im- 
 pressions thereof have been dispersed abroad, and 
 our end proposed, in good measure answered, in- 
 asmuch as many (and some of those men eminent 
 both for piety and learning) were thereby satisfied, 
 that we were no way guilty of those heterodoxies, 
 and fundamental errours, which had too frequent- 
 ly been charged upon us without ground, or occa- 
 sion given on our part. And forasmuch, as that 
 A 2 
 
vi To the Reader. 
 
 Confession is not now commonly to be had, and 
 also that many others have since embraced the 
 same truth which is owned therein, it was judged 
 necessary by us to join together in giving a testi- 
 mony to the world, of our firm adhering to those 
 wholesome principles, by the publication of this 
 which is now in your hand. 
 
 And forasmuch as our method and manner of 
 expressing our sentiments, in this, doth vary from 
 the former (although the substance of this matter is 
 the same) we shall freely impart to you the rea- 
 son and occasion thereof. One thing that greatly 
 prevailed with us to undertake this work was (not 
 only to give a full account of ourselves to those 
 Christians that differ from us about the subject of 
 baptism, but also) the profit that might from thence 
 arise, unto those that have any account of our la- 
 bours, in their instruction and establishment in the 
 great truths of the gospel; in the clear under- 
 standing, and steady belief of which our comforta- 
 ble walking with God, and fruitfulness before him, 
 in all our ways, is most nearly concerned; and 
 therefore we did conclude it necessary to express 
 ourselves the more fully and distinctly ; and also 
 to fix on such a method as might be most compre- 
 hensive of those things we designed to explain 
 our sense and belief of; and finding no defect in 
 this regard, in that fixed on by the Assembly, and 
 after them, by those of the Congregational way, we 
 
To the Reader. vii 
 
 did readily conclude it best to retain the same or* 
 der in our present confession ; and also when we 
 observed, that those last mentioned, did in their 
 confessions (for reasons which seemed of weight 
 both to themselves and others) choose not only to 
 express their mind in words concurrent with the 
 former in sense, concerning all those articles 
 wherein they were agreed, but also for the most 
 part, without any variation of the terms, we did in 
 like manner conclude it best to follow their exam- 
 ple, in making use of the very same words with 
 them both, in these articles (which are very many) 
 wherein our faith and doctrine is the same with 
 theirs; and this we did, the more abundantly, to 
 manifest our consent with both, in all the funda- 
 mental articles of the Christian religion, as also 
 with many others, whose orthodox confessions have 
 been published to the world, on the behalf of the 
 Protestants in divers nations and cities : And also 
 to convince all, that we have no itch to clog reli- 
 gion with new words, but do readily acquiesce ia 
 that form of sound words, which hath been in con- 
 sent with the Holy Scriptures, used by others be- 
 fore us ; hereby declaring, before God, angels, 
 and men, our hearty agreement with them, In that 
 wholesome Protestant doctrine, which with so 
 clear evidence of Scriptores they have asserted : 
 Some things indeed, are in some places added, 
 some terms omitted, and some few changed ; but 
 
viii To the Reader. 
 
 these alterations are of that nature } as that we need 
 not doubt, any charge or suspicion of unsoundness 
 in the faith, from any of our brethren upon the ac- 
 count oi them. 
 
 In those, things wherein we differ from others, 
 we have expressed ourselves with all candour and 
 plainness, that none might entertain jealousy of 
 aught secretly lodged in our breasts, that we would 
 not the world shouid be acquainted with ; yet we 
 hope we have also observed those rules of modesty 
 and humility, as will render our freedom in this re- 
 spect inoffensive, even to those whose sentiments 
 are different from ours. 
 
 We have also taken care to affix texts of Scrip- 
 ture at the bottom, for the confirmation of each ar- 
 ticle in our Confession ; in which work we have 
 Studiously endeavoured to select such as are most 
 clear and pertinent, for the proof of what is assert- 
 ed by us: And our earnest desire U, that all into 
 whose hands this may come, would follow that 
 (never enough commended) example of the noble 
 Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily that 
 they might find out whether the things preached 
 to them were so or not. 
 
 There is one thing more which we sincerely 
 profess and earnestly desire credence in, viz. That 
 cont* mion is most remote from our design in all 
 that we have done in this matter: And we hope, 
 the liberty of an ingenuous unfolding our principles 
 
To the Reader, ix 
 
 and opening our hearts unto our brethren, with the 
 scripture grounds on which our faith and practice 
 will by none of them be either denied to us s or taken 
 ill from us. Our whole design is accomplice;! if 
 we may obtain that justice, as to be mea »are< 
 our principles and practice, and the judgra Jnt of 
 both by others, according to what we a« s 
 published; which the Lord (whose ey<s are «.,• a. 
 Jiame qfjire) knoweth to be the doctrine y which 
 with our hearts we most firmly believe, and sincere- 
 ly endeavour to conform our lives to A.nd, oh, that 
 other contentions being laid asleep, the only care 
 and contention of all, upon whom the name of our 
 blessed Redeemer is called, might for the future 
 be, to walk humbly with their God, in the exercise 
 of all love and meekness towards each other to per- 
 fect holiness in the fear of the Lord, each one en- 
 deavouring to have his conversation such as be- 
 cometh the Gospel ; and also suitable to his place 
 and capacity, vigorously to promote in others the 
 practice of true religion, and undefiled in the sight 
 of God our Father 1 And that in this backsliding 
 day, we might not spend our breath in fruitless 
 complaints of the evils of others, but may every 
 one begin at home, to reform in the first place our 
 own hearts and ways, and then to quicken all, that 
 we may have influence upon, to the same work ; 
 that if the will of God were so, none might deceive 
 themselves by resting in, and trusting to a form of 
 
x To the Reader, 
 
 godliness, without the power of it, and inward ex- 
 perience of the efficacy of those truths that are 
 professed by them. 
 
 And verily there is one spring and cause of the 
 decay of religion in our day, which we cannot but 
 touch upo i, jd earnestly urge a redress of, and 
 that is the neglect of the worship of God in fami- 
 lies, by those to whom the charge and conduct of 
 them is committed. May not the gross ignorance 
 anci instability of many, with the profaneness of 
 others, be justly charged upon their parents and 
 masrers, who have not trained them up in the way 
 wherein they ought to walk when they were young; 
 bu> have '^gjected those frequent and solemn com- 
 mands which the Lord hath laid upon them, so to 
 catechise and instruct them, that their tender years 
 might be seasoned with the knowledge of the truth 
 of God, as revealed in the scriptures ; and also by 
 their own omission of prayer, and other duties of 
 religion of their families, together with the ill ex- 
 ampieof their loose conversation, have inured them 
 first to a neglect, and then contempt, of all piety 
 and religion ? We know this will not excuse the 
 blindness and wickedness of any ; but certainly it 
 will fall heavy upon those that have been thus the 
 occasion thereof; they indeed die in their sins, but 
 will not their blood be require d of those under 
 whose care they were, who yet permitted them to 
 go on without warnings yea, led them into the paths 
 of destruction ? And will not the diligence of Chris- 
 
To the Reader. xi 
 
 tians, with respect to the discharge of these duties, 
 in ages past, rise up in judgment against. a*ui con- 
 demn many of those who would be esteemed such 
 nw ? 
 
 We shall conclude with our earnest prayer, 
 That the God of all grace, will fiour out those 
 measures oj his Fitly Spirit ufionus, that the pro- 
 fession of truth may be accompanied with the 
 sound belief and diligent practice of it, by us, 
 that his name may in all things be glorified 
 through Jesue Christ our Lord, Amen, 
 
\ 
 
 
 CONFESSION OF FAITH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 2. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, 
 certain, &nd infallible a rule of all saving know- 
 ledge, faith, and obedience ; although the b light 
 of nature, and the works of creation and provi- 
 dence *do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and 
 power of God, as to leave men unexcusable ; yet 
 are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of 
 God and his will, which is necessary unto salva- 
 tion. c Therefore it pleased the Lord at stand ry 
 times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, 
 and to declare that his will un^o his church ; and 
 afterward for the better preserving and propa- 
 gating of the truth, and for the more sure estab- 
 lishment, and comfort of the church against the 
 corruption of 'he flesh, and the malice of Satan, 
 and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto 
 d writing ; which maketh the holy scriptures to be 
 most necessary, those former ways of God's re- 
 vealing his will unto his people being now ceased. 
 
 a 2 Timothy iii. 15, 16, 17. Isaiah viii. 20. Lukexvi.29, 
 31. Ephesians ii. 20. b Tlomans i. 19, 20,21. ii 14, 15. 
 Psalm xix. 1,2. 3. c Hebrews i. 1. d Proverbs xxii. 
 19, 20, in, Romans xv. 4. 2 Peter i. 19, 20. 
 
 B 
 
U Of the Holy Scri/itures. 
 
 2. Under the name of holy Scripture, or the word 
 pf God written, are now contained all the books of 
 the Old and New Testament, which are these : 
 
 Of the Old Testament. 
 
 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuter- 
 .>n- my, Joshua. Judges, Ruth, l Samuel, 2 Samu- 
 el 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, 
 Ezra, Nehemiah, Father, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, 
 Ecelesiastes, The Song of Son^s, Isaiah, Jeremiah, 
 Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel. Hosea. Joel, Amos, 
 CKadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zeph- 
 auiah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi. 
 
 Of the New Testament. 
 
 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the 
 Apostles, Paul's Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corin- 
 thians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phi- 
 lippjans, Colossians, 1 ; hessalonians, 2 Thessalo- 
 nians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to Titus, to Phile- 
 mon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of 
 J nes, the first and second Epistles of Peter, the 
 first, second and third Epistles of John, the Epistle 
 of Jude, the Revelation. All which are given by 
 the e inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and 
 life. 
 
 3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not 
 being of f divine inspiration are no part of the canon 
 (or rule) of the scripture, and therefore are of no 
 authority to the church of God, nor to be any other- 
 wise approved, or made use of than other human 
 wriiings. 
 
 c 2 Timothy iii. 16. / Luke xxiv. 27, 44. Romans iii. 2V 
 
®/ the Holy Scrifitures. 3 5 
 
 4. The authority ©f the holy Scripture, for which 
 it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the 
 testimony of any man, or church, but wholly upon 
 s God, (who is Truth itself) the author thereof; 
 therefore it is to be received, because it is the word 
 of God. 
 
 5. We may be moved and induced by the testi- 
 mony of che church ot Goo", to an high and rever- 
 ent esteem of ihe holy scriptures; and the heaveri- 
 liness of the maUer, the efficacy of the doctrine, 
 and the majesty of the style, the concent of all the 
 parts, the scope ot the whole, (which is to give all 
 glory to God) the full discovery it makes of the 
 only way of man's salvation, and many other incom* 
 parable excellencies, and entire perfections inert f, 
 are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence 
 itself to be the word of God ; yet, notwithstanding 
 our 1 * fuH persuasion, and assurance of the infallible 
 truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the in- 
 ward work of the holy Spirit, bearing witness by 
 and with the word in our hearts. 
 
 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all 
 things * necessary for his own glory, man's salva- 
 tion, faith and life, is either expressly set down, or 
 necessarily contained in the holy scripture ; unto 
 which nothing at any time is to be added, whether 
 by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of 
 men. 
 
 Nevertheless we acknowledge the fc inward illu- 
 
 g 2 Peter i. 19, 20,21. 2 Timothy iii. 16. 2 Tbessalo- 
 nians ii. 13. 1 John v. 9. h John xvi. 13, 14. 1 Corin- 
 thians ii >0, 11, 12. 1 John i. 2, 20, 27. i 2 Timothy 
 iii. 15, 16, 17. Galatians i. 8, 9. k John vi. 45. 1 Co- 
 rinthians ii. 9, 10, 11, 12. 
 
16 ©f the Holy Scti/itufes. 
 
 mination of the Spirit of God to be necessary foi 
 the saving understanding of such things as are re- 
 vealed in the Word, and that there are some cir- 
 cumstances concerning the worship of God, and 
 government of the church, common to human ac- 
 tions and societies ; which arc to be * ordered by 
 the light of nature, and christian prudence, accord- 
 ing to the general rules of the word, which are al- 
 ways to be observed. 
 
 7. All things in scripture are not alike m plain in 
 themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those 
 things which are necessary to be known, believed, 
 and observed for salvation, are so "clearly pro- 
 pounded, and opened in sonrv; place of scripture or 
 other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, 
 in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a 
 suffiaent understanding of them. 
 
 8. The Old Testament in ° Hebrew, (which was 
 t!>e native language of the people of God of old) 
 and the New Testament in Greek, which (at the 
 time of writing it) was most generally known to 
 the nations, being immediately inspired by God, 
 and by his singular care and providence kept pure 
 in all ages, are therefore p authentical ; so as in all 
 controversies of religion, the church is finally ta 
 appeal unto them 1. But because these original 
 tongues are not known to all the people ol God, 
 who have a right unto, and interest in the scriptures, 
 and are commanded in the fear of God to read 1 " and 
 search them, therefore they are to be translated 
 into the vulgar language of e very nation, unto 
 
 / 1 Corinthians xi. 13, 14 xiv. 26, 40. m 2 Peter iii. 
 16 n Psalm xix. 7. cxix 130. o Romans iii. 2. 
 p Isaiah viii. 20. g Acts xv. 15. r John v 3-9. 
 
Qf God and the Holy Trinity, \7 
 
 which they s come, that the word of God c dwelling 
 plentifully in all, they may worship him in an ac- 
 ceptable manner, and through patience and coiw- 
 fort of the scriptures may hope. 
 
 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of scrip- 
 ture" is the scripture itself : And therefore when 
 there is a question about the true and full sense of 
 any scripture, (which is not manifold but one) it 
 must be searched by other places, that speak more 
 clearly. 
 
 JO. The supreme judge by which all contro- 
 versies of religion are to be determined, and all de- 
 crees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doc- 
 trines of men, and private spirits, are to be exam- 
 ined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be 
 no other bat the holy scripture delivered by the 
 Spirit, into which * scripture so delivered, our faith 
 is finally resolved. 
 
 CHAPTER If. 
 
 OF GOD AND THE HOLY TRINITY. 
 
 1. The Lord! our God is but a one only living, 
 and true God ; whose i> subsistence is in and of 
 himself, c infinite in being and perfection, whose es- 
 sence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; 
 
 s 1 Corinthians xiv. 6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28. t Colessianj 
 iii. 16. v 2 Peter i. 20, 21 Acts xv. 15, 16. x Mat. 
 thevv xxii. 29, 33. Ephesians ii. 20. Acts xxviii. 23. / 
 1 Corinthians viii. 6. Deuteronomy vi. 4. b Jeremiah 3 
 It). Isaiah xlviii. 12. c Exodus iii. 14. 
 
 B2 
 
.18 Of God and the Holy Trinity . 
 
 d a most pure Spirit, e invisible, without body, 
 pans, or passions, who only hath immortality, 
 dwelling in the light which no man can approach 
 Utuo, who is f immutable, g immense, 11 eternal, in- 
 comprehensible^ almigh y, eveiy way infinite, k 
 most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute, ] 
 working all things to the counsel of bis own immu- 
 table and most righteous wili,m tor his own glory, 
 most loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, 
 abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquuy, 
 transgression and sin, 11 the rewarder o- them that 
 diligently seek him, and withal most just, ° and 
 terrible in his judgments, P hating all sin, and will 
 by no means clear thei guilty. 
 
 2. God having all r life, s glory, 1 goodness, bles- 
 sedness, in and of himself, is aioi e in, and unto 
 himself all sufficient, not u standing in need of any 
 creature which he hath mode, nor deriving any 
 glory from them, but only manifesting his own 
 glory in, by, unto, and upon them, he is the alone 
 fountain of all being, x of whom, through whom, 
 and to whom are all things, an'! he hath most sov- 
 ereign y dominion overall creatures, to do by them, 
 for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleas- 
 
 d John iv. 24. e 1 Timothy i. 17- Deuteronomy iv. 15, 
 16. /Malachi in. 6. g 1 Kings viii. 27. Jeremiah xx'ni. 
 23. h Psalm xc. 2. i Genesis xvii. 1. k Isaiah vi 3. 
 I Psalm cxv. 3. Isaiah xlvi. 10. m Proverbs xvi. 4. Ro- 
 mans xi. 36. re Exodus xxxiv. 6, 7. Hebrews xi. 6. o Ne- 
 hemiah ix. 32, 33. p Psalm v. 5, 6 g Exodus xxxiv. 7. 
 Nahum i. 2, 3. r John v. 26. s Psalm cxlviii. 13. t Psalm 
 cxix. 68. it Job xxii. 2, 3. a; Romans xi. 34, 35, 36= 
 y Daniel iv. 25, 34, 35. 
 
Of God and the Holy Trinity. 19 
 
 eth ; in his sight z all things are open and manifest, 
 his knowledge is * infinite, infallible, and indepen- 
 dent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him 
 Contingent or uncertain ; he is most holy in all his 
 counsels, in b all his works, and in all his com- 
 mands; to him is due c from angels and men, what- 
 soever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures 
 they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is fur- 
 ther pleased to require of them. 
 
 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are 
 three subsistences, d the Father, the Word, (or 
 Son) and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power and 
 eternity, each having the whole divine essence, e 
 yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none 
 neither begotten, nor proceeding, the Son is f eter- 
 nal iy begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit g pro- 
 ceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, 
 v. ithout beginning, therefore but one God, who is 
 not to be divided in nature and being, but distin- 
 guished by several peculiar, relative properties, 
 and personal relations ; which doctrine of the Trini- 
 ty is the foundation of all our communion with 
 God, and comfortable dependence on him. 
 
 z Hebrews iv. 13. a Ezekiel xi. 5. Acts xv. 18. 
 b Psalm cxlv. 17. c Revelation v. 12, 13, 14. d 1 John v. 
 7. Matthew xxviii. 19. 2 Corinthians xiii. 14. e Exodus 
 hi. 14 John xiv. 11, 1 Corinthians viii. 6. /John i. 14, 18. 
 .§• John xv. 26. Galatians iv. 6. 
 
20 Of God's Decree. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF GOD J S DECREE. 
 
 I. God hath a decreed in himself, from all eter- 
 nity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his owo 
 Will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatso- 
 ever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God nei- 
 ther the author of sin, b nor hath fellowship with 
 any therein, nor is violence offered to the will of 
 the creature, nor yet is the liberty, or contingency 
 of second causes taken away, but rather c establish- 
 ed, in which appears his wisdom in disposing all 
 tilings, and power and faithfulness d in accom- 
 plishing his decree. 
 
 2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may, or 
 can come to pass upon all e supposed conditions ; 
 yet hath he not decreed any thing, f because he 
 foresaw it as future, or as that which would come 
 to pass upon such conditions. 
 
 3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of 
 his glory, s some men and angels are predestinated, 
 or foreordained to eternal life, through Jesus 
 Christ, to the h praise of his glorious grace; others 
 being left to act in their sin to their 1 just condem- 
 nation, to the praise of his glorious justice. 
 
 4 These angels and men thus predestinated, and 
 foreordained, are particularly, and unchangeably 
 
 a Isaiah xlvi. 10. Ephesians i. 11. Hebrews vi. 17. Ro- 
 mans ix. 15, 18. b James i. 15, 17. 1 John i. 5. c Acts iv. 
 27, 28. John xix. 11. d Numbers xxiii. 19 Ephesians i. 
 3, 4, 5. e Acts xv. 18. /Romans ix. 11, 13, 16, 18. 
 g 1 Timothy v. 21. Matthew xxv. 34. h Ephesians i. 5, %'. 
 i Romans ix. 22, 23. Jude 4. 
 
Of God's Decree. 21 
 
 designed ; and their k number so certain, and defi- 
 nite, that it cannot be either increased or dimin- 
 ished. 
 
 5. Those of mankind l that are predestinated to 
 life, God, before the foundation of the world was 
 laid, according to his eternal and immutable pur- 
 pose, c.nd the secret counsel and good pleasure of 
 his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting 
 glory, out of his mere free grace and love ; m wi h- 
 out any other thing in the creature as a condition 
 or cause moving him thereunto. 
 
 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, 
 so he hath by the eternal and most free purpose of 
 his will, foreordained n all the means thereunto, 
 wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in 
 Adam, ° are redeemed by Christ, are effectual ly p 
 called unto faith in Christ* by his Spirit working 
 in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified and 
 kept by his power through faith 1 unto salvation ; 
 neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effec- 
 tually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and 
 saved, but the elect r only. 
 
 7 The doctrine of this high mystery of predes- 
 tination, is to be handled with special prudence and 
 care ; 'hat men amending the will of God revealed 
 in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, 
 may, from the certain'y of their effectual vocation, 
 be assmed of their s eternal election; so shall this 
 
 k 2 Timothy ii. 19. John xiii. 18. I Ephesians i. 4, 9, 11. 
 Romans viii. 30. STimo'hy i. 9. 1 Thessalonians v. 9. 
 m Romans ix. 13, 16. Ephesians ii. 9. 12. n 1 Peter i. 2. 
 2 Thessalonians ii. 13 o 1 Thessalonians v. 9, 10. p Ro- 
 mans viii. 30- 2 Thessalonians ii. 13. g 2 Peter i. 3. 
 7- John x 26. John xvii. 9. John vi. 44. s 1 Thessalonians 
 i.4,5, 2 Peter i. 10. 
 
32 Of Creation. 
 
 doctrine afford matter l of praise, reverence, and 
 admiration of God, and » of humility, diligence, 
 and abundant x consolation, to all that sincerely 
 obey the Gospel. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 OF CREATION, 
 
 *. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, 
 a Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the 
 glory of b his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, 
 to create or make the world, and all things therein, 
 ° whether visible, or invisible, in the space of six 
 days, and all very good. 
 
 2. After God had made all other creatures, he 
 treated d man, male and female, with e reasonable 
 and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that 
 life to God, for which they were created, being f 
 made after the image of God, in knowledge, righte- 
 ousness, and true holiness ; having the law of God 
 9 written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it; and 
 yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left 
 to the liberty of their own will, which was h subject 
 to change. 
 
 3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they 
 received ' l a command not to eat of the tree of know- 
 
 t Ephesians i. 6. Romans xi. 33. u Romans xw 5, 6. 
 a? Luke x. 20. a John i. 1, 5 Hebrews i. 2. Job xxvi. 13. 
 b Romans i. 20. c Colossians i. 16. Genesis ii. 1, 2. 
 d Genesis i. 27. e Genesis ii. 7. /Ecclesiastes vii. 29- 
 Genesis i. 26. g Romans ii. 14, IS. A Genesis iii. 6. 
 i Genesb ii. 17. and iii. 8, 9, 10. 
 
Of Divine Providence. 26 
 
 ledge of good and evil ; which, whilst they kept, 
 they were happy in their communion with God, 
 and had dominion k over the creatures. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 
 
 1. God, the good Creator of all things, in his in- 
 finite power and wisdom, doth a uphold, direct, dis- 
 pose, and govern ail creatures, and things, from 
 the greatest even to the b least, by his most wi>e 
 and holy Providence, to the end for which they 
 were created, according unto his infallible fore-know- 
 ledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his c 
 own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, 
 power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy. 
 
 2. Although iu relation to the fore-knowledge 
 and decree of God, the first cause, all things come 
 to pass d immutably and infallibly ; so that there is 
 not any thing befalls any e by chance, or without his 
 Providence ; yet by the same Providence he or- 
 dereth them to fall out according to the nature of 
 second causes, either f necessarily, freely, or con- 
 tingently. 
 
 3. God in his ordinary Providence s maketh use 
 of means ; yet is free h to work without, * above, 
 and k against them at his pleasure. 
 
 £Genesi» i. 26, 28 a Hebrews i. 3. John xix. 11. 
 Isaiah xlvi. 10, 11. Psalm xiii. 5, 6. b Matthew x. 26, 30, 
 31. c Ephesians i. 11. d Acts ii. 23. e Proverbs xvi. 33. 
 / Genesis viii. 22 g 4cts xxvii 31, 44. IsaLh lv. lo. 11. 
 h Hosea i. 7. i. Romans iy. 19, 20, 21. k Bajiiel iii. 27. 
 
'24 Of Divine Providence. 
 
 4. The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdom ; 
 and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest them- 
 selves in his Providence, that his determinate coun- 
 sel ! extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all 
 other sinful actions both of angels and men ; (and 
 that not by a bare permission) which also he most 
 wisely and powerfully m boundeth, and otherwise 
 ordere'vh, and governeth, in a manifold dispensation 
 to his most holy n ends ; yet so as the sinfulness of 
 their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and 
 not from God ; who, being most holy and righteous, 
 neither is, nor can be, the author or ° approver of 
 sin. 
 
 5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, 
 doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children 
 to manifold temptations, and the corruptions of 
 their own hearts, to chastise them for their former 
 sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength 
 of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, p 
 that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a 
 more close and constant dependance for their sup- 
 port upon himself, and to make them more watch- 
 ful against all future occasions of sin, and for other 
 just and holy ends. 
 
 So that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by 
 his appointment, for his glory, <i and thejr good. 
 
 6. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom 
 God as a righteous judge, for former sin doth » 
 i. i ... » > . 
 
 I Romans xi. 32, 33, 34. 2 Samuel xxiv. 1. 1 Chronicles 
 xxi. 1. m2 Kings xix. 28. Psalm lxxvi. 10. n Genesis 1. 
 20 Isaiah x. 6, 7, 12. o Psalm 1. 21. John ii. 16. /» 2 Chro- 
 nic :< j * xxxii. 25, 26,31. 2 Samuel xxiv. 1. 2 Corinthians 
 xii. 7 8,9. g Romans viii. 26. r Romans i. 24* 25, 28. an* 
 .si. 7, 8. 
 
Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, &c. 25 
 
 blind and harden ; from them he not only with- 
 h"ldeth his 1 grace, whereby they might have been 
 enlightened in their understanding, and wrought 
 upon in their hearts; but sometimes also with- 
 draweth t the gifts which they had, and exposeth 
 them to such u objects as their corruptions make 
 occasion of sin; and withal, x gives them over to 
 their own lusts, and temptations of the world, and 
 the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass, that 
 they y harden themselves, even under those means 
 which God useth for the softening of others. 
 
 7. As the Providence of God doth in general 
 reach to all creatures, so after a more special man- 
 ner it taketh care of his * Churchy and disposeth of 
 all things to the good thereof. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 «F THE FALL OF MAN, OF SIX, AHB OF THE 
 PUNISHMENT THEREOF. 
 
 1. Although God created man upright, and 
 perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which bad 
 been unto life had he kept if, a and threatened 
 death upon the breach there f ; yet he did not iong 
 abide in this honour ; b Satan us'mg the subtility of 
 
 s Deuteronomy xxix 4. t Matthew x> ii. 12 u Deuter- 
 onomy ii. 30 2 Kings viii 12,13 x Psalm lxxxi 11,12. 
 2 Thessalonians ii. 10, 11, 12. y Exodus viii. 15. 32. Isaiah 
 vi. 9, 10. 1 Peter ii. 7, 8 ; lTimothy iv 10. Kmm ix. 8, 
 9. Isai h xliii. 3, 4, 5 a Genesis ii. 16, 17. b Genesis iir. 
 12, 13. 2 Corinthians xi. 3. 
 
 c 
 
26 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, &c. 
 
 the serpent to seduce Eve, then by her seducing 
 Adam, who, without any compulsion, did wilfully 
 transgress the law of their creation, and the com- 
 mand given unto them, in eating the forbidden 
 fruit ; which God was pleased according to his 
 wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed 
 to oider it, to his own glory. 
 
 2. Our first parents by. this sin, fell from their 
 ° original righteousness and communion with G<,d, 
 and we in them, whereby death came upon all ; d 
 all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled, e in 
 all the faculties, and parts of soul and body. 
 
 3. They beim; the f root, and, by God's appoint* 
 mer.t, standing in the room and stead of all man- 
 kind ; the guilt of the sin was imputed, and cor~ 
 rufited nature conveyed to all their posterity, {de- 
 scending fiom them by ordinary generation, being 
 now s conceived in sin, and by nature children h of 
 wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects J of death, 
 and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal and eter- 
 nal, unless the Lord Jesus k set them free. 
 
 4. From this original corruption, whereby we 
 are l utterly indisposed, disabled, and made oppo- 
 site to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do 
 m proceed all actual transgressions. 
 
 5 This corruption of nature, during this life, 
 doth n remain in those that are regenerated ; and 
 
 c Romans iii. 23. d Romans v. 12, &.c. e Titus i. 15. 
 Genesis vi 5. Jeremiah xvh. 9. Romans iii. 10— 19. /Ro- 
 mans v. 12. 19. 1 Corinthians xv. 21, 22. 45 49. g Psalm 
 11 5. Job. xiv. 4. h Epheslahs ii. 3. j Romans vi. 20, and 
 v. 12. k Hebrews ii, 14. IThessalonians i. 10. I Romans 
 viii. 7- Colossians i. 21. m James i. 14, 15. Matthew xv. 
 39. n Romans vii. 16. 23. Ecclesiastes vii. 20. 1 John i. 8. 
 
Of GoWs Covenant, 21 
 
 although it be through Christ pardoned, and mor- 
 tified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, 
 are truly and properly ° sin. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 of god's covenant. 
 
 1. 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 attained the reward of li f e but 
 by some a voluntary condescension on God's part, 
 which he hath been pleased to express, by w*y of 
 covenant. 
 
 2. Moreover, man having brought himself b un- 
 der the curs, of the law by his fall, it pleased the 
 Lord to make a covenant o'~ grace, wherein he free- 
 ly offereth unto sinners c life and salvation by Je- 
 sus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that 
 'they might be saved ; ancj d promising to give unto 
 all those that are ordained unto eternal life, his holy 
 Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe. 
 
 3. This covenant is revealed in the gospel first 
 of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the e 
 seed of the woman, and afterwards by farther steps, 
 until the full f discovery thereof was completed in 
 
 o Romans vii. 24, 25. Galatians v. 17. a Luke xvii. 10. 
 Job xxxv 7, 8. b Genesis iii. 17. Galatians iii. 10 
 •mans iii. 20, 21. c Romans viii. 3. Mark xvi. 15, 16. 
 John iii. 16. rfEzekiel xxxn. 26, 27. John vi. 44, 45. 
 Psalm ex. 3. e Genesis iii. 15. /Hebrews i. 1. 
 
28 Of Christ the Mediator. 
 
 the New Testament ; and it is founded in that s 
 eternal covenant '.ransactien, that Mas between ihe 
 Father and the Son about the redemption of the 
 elect ; and it is alone by the grace of this covenant, 
 that all of the posterity of fallen Adam, that ever 
 ■were h saved, did obtain life and blessed immor- 
 tality ; man being now utterly incapable of a< ca pt- 
 ance wit God upon those terms on which Adam 
 stood in his state of innocency. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 . ©F CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 
 
 1. It pleaded God, in his eternal purpose, to choose 
 and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only and bt -gotten 
 Sun, according to the covenant made between 
 them both, a to be the Mediator between G^d and 
 man ; the b prophet, c priest, and d king ; * head and 
 Saviour of his church, the f heir of all things, and 
 £ judge of the world; unto whom he did from all 
 eternity e give a people to be his seed, and to be 
 by him in time redeemed, caiied, justified, sancti- 
 fied, and glorified. 
 
 2. The Son of God, the second person in the 
 Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the 
 
 g 2 Timothy i. 9. Titus i. 2. h Hebrews xi 6 13. Ro- 
 mans iv. 1, 2, &c. Acts iv. 12. John viii. 56. a Isaiah xlii. 
 1.1 Peter i 9,10. h Acts iii. 22. c Hebrews v. 5, 6. 
 JPsdm ii. 6. Luke i. 3o * Eph< sums i. 23. f BebrtWs 
 i. 2. i Acts xvii. 31. e Isaiah liii. 10. dolm xvii. 6; 
 Romans viii. 30. 
 
Of Christ the Mediator. 29 
 
 brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance, 
 and equal with him; who made the world, who up- 
 hokieth and governeth all things he haih made; 
 did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon 
 him f man's nature, with all the essential proper- 
 ties, and common infirmities Lhercoi, s yet without 
 sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the 
 womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming 
 down upon her, and the power of the Most High 
 overshadowing her, b and so was made of a woman, 
 of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and 
 David, according to the scriptures : so. that two 
 whole, perfect, and distinct natures, were insepa- 
 rably joined together in one person, without con- 
 version^ composition^ or confusion; which person is 
 very God and very man, yet one * Christ, the only 
 Mediator between Gud and man. 
 
 3. The Lord Jesus in his human nature thus 
 united to the divine, in the person of the Son, was 
 sanctified, and anointed k with the Holy Spirit, 
 above measure ; having in him * all the treasures 
 of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the 
 Father, that m ail fulness should dwell : to the end, 
 that being R holy, harmless, undefiled, and full ° of 
 grace, and truth, he might be thoroughly furnish- 
 ed to execute the ofTicc of a Mediator, and p Sure- 
 ty ; which office he took not upon himself, but wag 
 
 /'John i. 14. Galatians iv. 4- g Romans viii. 3. He- 
 brews ii. 14. 16, 17. and iv. 15. h Luke i. 27. 31. 35. 
 i llomans ix. 5. 1 Timothy ii. 5. k Psalm xlv. 7. Acts x. 
 38. John iii. 34. I Colossians ii. 3. m Colossians i. 19. 
 n Hebrews vii. 26. o John i. 14. p Hebrews vxi. 22. 
 
 'c2 
 
-30 ®f Christ the Mediator, 
 
 thereunto 9 called by his father ; who also put * all 
 power and judgment in his hand, and gave him 
 commandment to execute the same. 
 
 4. This office the Lord Jesus did most 8 willing- 
 ly undertake, which that he might discharge he 
 was made under the law, t anc i ^id perfectly fulfil 
 it, and underwent the u punishment due to us, 
 which we should have borne and suffered, being 
 made x sin and a curse for us ; enduring most griev- 
 ous sorrows y in his soul ; and most painful suffer- 
 ings in his body ; was crucified, and died, and re- 
 mained in the state of the dead ; yet saw no z cor- 
 ruption: on the a third day he .-rose from the dead, 
 with the same b body in which he suffered ; with 
 which he also c ascended into heaven} and there 
 sitteth on the right hand of his Father, d making 
 intercession j and thall e return to judge men and 
 angels, at the end of the world. 
 
 5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and 
 sacrifice of himself, winch he through the eternal 
 Spirit once offered up unto God, f hath fully satis- 
 fied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and 
 purchased an everlasting inheritance in the king- 
 dom of heaven, s fur all those whom the Father 
 hath given unto him. 
 
 q Hebrews v. 5. r John v. 22. 27. Matthew xxviii. 18. 
 Acts ii. 36. s Psalm xl. 7, 8. Hebrews x. 5 — 10 John x. 
 18 t Galatians iv. 4. Matthew iii. 15. u Galatians hi. 
 13. Isaiah liii. 6. 1 Peter iii. 18. x 2 Corinthians v. 21. 
 y Matthew xxvi. 37, 38. Luke xxii. 44. Matthew xxviL 
 46. z Acts xiii. 37. a 1 Corinthians xv. 3, 4. b John xx. 
 25. 27. c Mark xvi. 19. Acts i. 9, 10, 11. d Romans viii. 
 34. Hebrews ix. 24. e Acts x. 42. Romans xiv. 9, 10. Acts 
 i. 11. / Hebrews ix. 14. and x. 14. Romans iii. 25, 26, 
 £ Jolui xvii. 2. Hebrews ix. 15, 
 
Of Christ the Mediator, 31 
 
 6. Although the price of redemption was not 
 actually paid by Christ, till after his incarnation, * 
 yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof was 
 communicated to the elect in all ages successive- 
 ly, from the beginning of the world, in and by 
 those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein he 
 was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the 
 woman, which should bruise the serpent's head ; 
 *» and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the 
 world : J being the same yesterday, and to day, and 
 
 for ever. 
 
 7. Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth accord- 
 ing to both natures, by each naiurc doing that 
 which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the uni- 
 ty of the person, that which is proper to one nature, 
 is sometimes in Scri/iture attributed to the person 
 k denominated by the other nature. 
 
 8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained 
 eternal redemption, he doth certainly and effectu- 
 ally * apply, and communicate the same; making 
 intercession for them; uniting them to himself by 
 his Spirit; m revealing unto them, in and by the 
 word, the mystery of salvation ; persuading them 
 to believe, and obey ; n governing their hearts by 
 his word and Spirit, and ° overcoming all their ene- 
 mies by his Almighty power and wisdom; in such 
 manner and ways, as are most consonant to his 
 wonderful, and p unsearchable dispensation ; and 
 
 * 1 Corinthians x. 4. Hebrews iv. 2. 1 Peter i. 10, 11; 
 h Revelations xiii. 8. j Hebrews xiii. 8. k John iii. 13. 
 Acts xx 28. / John vL 37 x. 15, 16 and xvii. 9. Romans 
 v. 10. m John xvii. 6. Ephesians i. 9. 1 John v. 20. n Ro- 
 mans viii. 9. 14 Psalm ex. 1. o X Corinthians XV. 25, 2£ e 
 p John iii. 8. Ephesians i. 8. 
 
32 Of Free Will. 
 
 all of free and absolute grace, without any condition 
 foreseen in them, to procure it. 
 
 9. This office of Mediator between God and man 
 is proper <i only to Christ, who is the prop; \ 
 priest, and king of the Church of God; and may 
 not be, either in whole, or any part thereof, trans- 
 ferred from him to any other. 
 
 10. This number and order of offices is neces- 
 sary ; for in respect of our* - ignorance, we stand 
 in need of his prophetical office ; and in respect of 
 our alienation from God, s and imperfection of the 
 best of our services, we need his priestly office, to 
 reconcile us, and present us acceptable unto God t 
 and in respect of our averseness, and utter inability 
 to return to God, and for our rescue, and security 
 from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly 
 office, * to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, 
 and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 OF FREE WILL. 
 
 1. Go» hath indued the will of man with that 
 natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, 
 that it is a neither iorced, nor by any necessity of 
 nature determined to do good or evil. 
 
 2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, 
 
 q 1 Timothy ii. 5. r John i 18. s Colossians i. 21. 
 Gaiaiians v. 17. t John xvi 8. Psalm ex. 3. a Mat- 
 tView xvii. 12. James i. 14. Deuteronomy xxx. 19. 
 
Of Effectual (falling. 5,3 
 
 and power, to will, and to do, that b which was 
 good, and well-pleasing to God; but yet c was 
 mutable, so that he might fall from it. 
 
 3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly 
 lost d all ability of will, to any spiritual good ac- 
 companying salvation ; so as a natural man, being 
 altogether averse from that good, e and dead in 
 sin, is not able, by his own strength, to f convert 
 himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. 
 
 4. When God converts a sinner, and translates 
 him into the state of grace, g he freeth him from 
 his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace 
 alone, enables him h freely to will, and do that 
 which is spiritually good; yet so as that, by reason 
 of his J remaining corruptions, he doth not perfect- 
 ly nor only will that which is good, but doth also 
 will that which is evil. 
 
 5. The will of man is made k perfectly and im- 
 mu'ably free to good alone in the state of glory 
 only. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 OF EFFECTUAL CALLING. 
 
 1. Those whom God had predestinated unto 
 life, he is pleaded in his appointed and accepted 
 
 b Ecclesiastc-s vii. 29. c Genesis iii. 6. d Romjaps 
 v. 6 and viii 7. e Ephesians ii. 1. 5. /Titus iii. 3, 
 
 4, 5. John vi. 44. g Colossiaiis i. 13. John viii. >6. 
 A Philtppiaris ii. 13. . j Romans vii- 15. 18, 19. 21. 23; 
 k Ephesians iv. 13. 
 
34 Of Effectual Calling. 
 
 time a 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 saivation b by Jesus Christ ; 
 enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, 
 to c understand the things of God ; taking away 
 then d heart of stone, and giving uivo them an 
 hear' of flesh ; renewing their wills, and by his al- 
 mighty power determining them e to that which is 
 good, and effectually drawing the m to Jesus Chi^t; 
 y<t so, as they come i most freely, being made 
 willing by his grace. 
 
 2. Phis effectual call is of God's free and spe- 
 cie grace alone, g not from any thing at all foreseen 
 in mail, nor from any power or agency in the crea- 
 ture, co-working wkh his special grace ; h the 
 creature being wholly passive therein. being dead 
 in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and 
 renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled 
 to answer this call, and to embrace t ;e grace offer- 
 ed and convey d in it, and that by no less 1 power 
 than that which raised up Christ from the dead. 
 
 3. Elect infants dying in inf ticy, art- k regene- 
 rated and '.aved by Chris; through the Spirit, who 
 workeih when, and where, and i how he please th; 
 so also are all other elect persons, who are incapa- 
 ble of being outwardly called by the ministry of 
 the word. 
 
 a Romans viii. 30 and xi 7. Ephesians i. 10, 11. 2 Thes- 
 salonians ii- 13, 14. b Ephesians iL 1 — 6. c Acts 
 xxvi. 18. Ephesians i. 17, 18. d Ezekiel xxxvi. 26. 
 
 e Deuteronomy xxx. 6. Ezekiel xxxvi. 27 Ephesians i. 19. 
 f Psalm ex. 3. Canticles i. 4. g 2 Timothy i. 9. Ephe- 
 sians ii. 8. h 1 Corinthians ii 14. Ephesians ii. 5. John 
 v 2.5. i Ephesians i. 19. 30. k John iii. 3. 5, 6. 
 
 /John iii. 8. 
 
Of Justification* 3o 
 
 4. Others not elected, although they may be 
 called by the ministry of the word, m and may have 
 some common operations of the Spirit; yet, not 
 being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither 
 will, nor can truly n come to Christ ; and therefore 
 cannot be saved: much less can men that receive 
 not the Christian religion ° he saved, be they never 
 so diligent to frame their lives a* cording to the 
 light of nature, and the law of that religion ihey do 
 profess. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also 
 freely a justifieth, not by infusing righteousness 
 in'o them, bnt by b pardoning their sins, and by ac- 
 counting and accepting their peisons, as c righte- 
 ous; not for any thing wrought in them, <<r done 
 by them, bin for Christ's s ke alone ; not by impu- 
 ting faith itself, the act of btlieviig, or ny oth i d 
 evangelical obedience to them, as their righteous- 
 ly ss, but by imputing Christ's active obedience 
 unto the whoJe law, and passive obedience in his 
 death, for their whole and sole righteousness ; they 
 
 m Matthew xxii. 14. and xiii. 2o, 21 Hebrews vi. 4 5. 
 nJohhvi 44,4565. Uohn ii 24,25. o Acts iv 12* 
 
 Jolm iv. 22. and xvii. 3 a Romans iii. 24. and * 30. 
 
 b Romans iv. 5 — 8. Ephesians \.7. c \ On- nt i. 
 
 30, 31. Romans v 17, 18,19. d JPhilippuuis iii. 8, 9. 
 Ephesians ii. 8, 9, 10. 
 
36 Of Justijicalian, 
 
 % receiving, and resting on him, and his righteous- 
 ness by faith ; which they have not of themselves: 
 it is the gift of God. 
 
 2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and 
 his righteousness, is the f alone instrument of jus- 
 tification : yet it is not alone in the person justified, 
 but is ever accompanied with all other saving 
 graces, and is no dead faith, s but worketh by love. 
 
 3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully 
 discharge the debt of all those that are justified ; 
 and did by the sacrifice of himself, in the blood of 
 his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due 
 unto them, make a proper, real and full satisfac- 
 tion h to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inas- 
 much as he was given by the Father for them, and 
 his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their 
 stead, and both ' l freely, not for any thing in them, 
 their justification is only of free grace, that both 
 the exact justice and rich grace of God might be^ 
 glorified in the justification of sinners. 
 
 4. God did from all eternity decree to 1 justify all 
 the elect, and Christ did in the fulness of time die 
 for their sins, and n * rise again for their justifica- 
 tion ; nevertheless they are not justified personally, 
 until the Holy Spirit doth in due time n actually 
 apply Christ unto them. 
 
 5. God doth continue to° forgive the sins of those 
 
 e John i. 12. Romans v 17. /Romans iii. 28. g Gala- 
 tians v. 6. James ii. 17, 22, 26. h Hebrews x. 14. 1 Peter 
 i. 18, 19. Isaiah liii. 5, 6. i Romans viii. 32. 2 Corinthians 
 v. 21. k Romans iii. 26. Ephesians i. 6, 7. and ii. 7. 
 I Galatians iii. 8. 1 Peter i. 2. 1 Timothy ii. 6. m Romans 
 iv. 25. TiColossians i. 21, 22. Titos HI, 4, 5, C\ 7. a Mat- 
 fhewri. 12. 1 John i. 7, 9. 
 
Of Adoption. 3,7 
 
 that are justified; and although they can never fall 
 from the state of p justification, yet they may by 
 their sins fall under God's i fatherly displeasure ; 
 and in that condition, they have not usually the 
 light of his countenance restored unto them, until 
 they r humble themselves, confess their sins, beg 
 pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. 
 
 6. The justification of believers under the Old 
 Testament, was in all these respects s one and the 
 same with the justification of believers under the 
 New Testament. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 OF ADOPTION. 
 
 i. All those that are justified, God vouchsafed 
 in and for the sake of his only Son, Jesus Christ, 
 to make partakers of the grace a of adoption ; by 
 which they are taken into the number, and enjoy 
 the liberties and b privileges of children of God; 
 have his c name put upon them, d receive the Spirit 
 of adoption, « have access to the throne of grace 
 with boldness ; are enabled to cry Abba, Father ; 
 are f pitied, s protected, h provided for, and » chas- 
 tened by him, as by a Father ; yet never k cast off, but 
 
 p John x. 28. q Psalm lxxxix 31, 32, 33. r Psalm 
 xxxii. 5. and li. 7 — 12. Matthew xxvi. 75. s Galatians iii. 
 9. Romans iv. 22, 23, 24. aEphesians i. 5. Galatians iv, 
 4, 5. b John i. 12. Romans viii. 17, c 2 Corinthians vi. 18. 
 Revelations iii. 12. d Romans viii. 15 e Galatians iv. 6, 
 Ephesians ii 18. / Psalm ciii. 13. ,§• Proverbs xiv. 26. 
 h 1 Peter v. 7. * Hebrews xii, 6. fc Isaiah liv. 8, -9. la- 
 mentations iii, 31. 
 
 8 
 
38 Of Sanctijication, 
 
 sealed, i to the day of redemption, and inherit the 
 promises, m as heirs of everlasting salvation. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 OF SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 1. They who are united to Christ, effectually 
 called, and regenerated, having a new heart and 
 a new spirit created in them, through the virtue of 
 Christ's death and resurrection; are also a further 
 sanctified, really and personally, through the same 
 virtue, b by his word and Spirit dwelling in them; 
 c the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, 
 d and the several lusts thereof, are more and more 
 weakened and mortified ; and they more and more 
 quickened, and e strengthened in all saving graces r 
 to the f practice of all true holiness, without which 
 no man shall see the Loud- 
 
 2. This sanctification is g throughout in the 
 whole man, yet imperfect h in this life; there abideth 
 still some remnants of corruption in every part, 
 whence arisethaJ continual and irreconciieable war; 
 the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit 
 against the flesh. 
 
 3 In which war, although the remaining cor- 
 ruption for a tim may rauch k prevail, yet through 
 
 ZEphesians iv. 30. m Hebrews i. 14. aud vi. 12. a Acts 
 xx 32 Romans vi. 5, 6. b John xvii. 17 Ephesians iii. 
 16— -19. 1 Thessalonians v. 21. 22, 23 c Romans vi. 14. 
 rfGalatians v. 24. e Colossians i. 11. / 2 Corinthians vii. 
 1 Hebrews xi i 14 g 1 Thessalonians V 23. A Romans 
 vii. 18,25. ^Gaiatians v. If, I Peter ji. 1J. #Rom#as 
 
 TM.23. 
 
Of Saving Faith. 39 
 
 the continual supply of strength, from the sanctify- 
 ing Spirit of Christ, 1 the regenerate part doth 
 overcome ; and so the saints grow in grace, perfect- 
 ing holiness in the fear of God, m pressing after an 
 heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the 
 commands which Christ, as head and king, in his 
 word hath prescribed to them. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 OF SAVING FAITH. 
 
 1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are 
 enabied to believe to the saving of their souls, is the 
 work of the Spirit of Christ » in their hearts, and 
 is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the b word; 
 by which also, and by the administration of Bap- 
 tism, and the Lord's Supper, prayer and other 
 means appointed of God, it is increased, c and 
 strengthened. 
 
 2. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true 
 d whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the au- 
 thority of God himself; and also apprehendeth an 
 excellency therein e above all other writings, and 
 all things in the world: as it bears forth the glory 
 of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in 
 his nature and offices, and tru power and fulness of 
 the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations; 
 
 I Romans vi. 14. m Ephesians iv. 15, 16. 2 Corinthians 
 iii 18 and vii. 1. a 2 Corinthians iv. 13. Ephesians ii. 8. 
 b Romans x. 14, 17 c Luke xvii. 5. 1 Peter ii. 2. Acts 
 xx. 32. d Acts xxiv. 14. e Psalm xix. 7, 8, 9, 10. and 
 cxix. 72. 
 
40 Of Refientance unto Life and Salvation, 
 
 and so is enabled to f cast his soul upon the truth 
 thus believed, and also acteth differently upon that 
 which each particular passage thereof contaiueth ; 
 yielding obedience to the % commands, trembling 
 at the h threatenings, and embracing the i promises 
 of God, for this life, and that which is to come : but 
 the principal acts of saving faith, hath immediate 
 relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting 
 upon k him alone, for justification, sanctification, 
 and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. 
 5. This faith* although it be different in degrees, 
 and may be weak, l or strong, yet it is in the least 
 degree of it, different in the kind, or nature of it, 
 (as is all other saving grace) from the faith m and 
 common grace of temporary believers ; and there- 
 fore, though it may be many times assailed and 
 weakened, yet it gets n the victory, growing up in 
 mnny, to the attainment of a full assurance through 
 Christ, who is both the author p and finisher of our 
 faith. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 <*F REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE AND SALVATION, 
 
 1 . Sue h of the elect as are converted at riper years, 
 having a sometimes lived in the state of nature, 
 and therein served divers lusts and pleasures, God, 
 
 / 2 Timothy i. 12. ^Jolm xv 14. A Isaiah lxvi. 2. 
 /Hebrews xi. 13. k John i 12- Acts xvi. 31. Galatians ii. 
 2() Acts xv. 11. I Hebrews v. 13, 14. Matthew vi. 30. 
 Romans iv. 19,20. »i 2 Peter i. 1. n Ephesians vi. 16. 
 1 .John v. 4, 5 o Hebrews vi. 11. 12. Colossians ii. % 
 /r Hebrews xii. 2". a Titus iii. 2, 3, 4, 5. 
 
Of Re/ientance unto Life and Salvation. 41. 
 
 in their effectual calling, giveth them repentance 
 unto life. 
 
 2. Whereas there is none that doeth good, and 
 sinneth b not, and the best of men may, through the 
 power and deceiuulness of their corruption dwell- 
 ing in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall 
 into greater sins and provocations, God hath in the 
 covenant of grace, mercifully provided that be- 
 lievers so sinning and tailing, be renewed through 
 repentance unto salvation. 
 
 3. This saving repentance is an d evangelical 
 grace, whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit 
 made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth 
 by faith in Christ, humble himself for it, with godly 
 sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency ; « 
 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a 
 purpose and endeavour by supplies of the Spirit, to 
 f walk before God unto all well pleasing in all 
 things. 
 
 4. As repentance is to be continued through the 
 whole course of our lives, upon the account of the 
 body of death, and the motions thereof; so it is 
 every man's duty to repent of his g particular 
 known sins, particularly. 
 
 5. Such is the provision which God hath made 
 through Christ in the covenant of grace, for the 
 preservation of believers unto salvation, that al- 
 though there is no sin so small, but it deserves h 
 damnation ; yet there is no sin so great, that it shall 
 bring damnation on them that 1 repent; which 
 
 b Ecclesiastes vii. 20. c Luke xxii. 31,32. dZecha- 
 riah xn. 10. Acts xi. 18. e Ez^kiel xxxvi. 31. 2 Corin- 
 thians vii. 11. /Psalm cxix. 6, 128. g Luke xix. 8. 
 1 Timothy i. 13, 15. h Romans vi. 23. Hsaiab i. 16, 17, 
 18. and lv. 7. 
 
 D 2 
 
42 Of Good Works. 
 
 makes the constant preaching of repentance neces- 
 sary. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 OF GOOD WORKS. 
 
 1. Good works are only such as God hath* com- 
 manded in his Holy Word, and not such as without 
 the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of 
 blind zeal, b or upon any pretence of good inten- 
 tions. 
 
 2. These good works, done in obedience to God's 
 commandments, are the fruits and evidences c of a 
 true and lively faith ; and by them believers mani- 
 fest their d thankfulness, strengthen their e assu- 
 rance, edify their f brethren, adorn the profession 
 of the Gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, 
 and glorify s God, whose workmanship they are, 
 created in Christ Jesus h thereunto, that having 
 their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end * 
 eternal life. 
 
 3. Their ability to do good works, is not at all of 
 themselves, but wholly from the spirit k of Christ ; 
 and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides 
 the graces they have already received, there is ne- 
 cessary an l actual influence of the same Holy Spirit 
 to work in them to will and to do of his good plea- 
 sure ; yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, 
 
 a Micah vi. 8. Hebrews xiii. 21. b Matthew xv. 9. 
 Isaiah xix. 13. c James ii. 18, 22. d Psalm cxvi. 12, 13. 
 e 1 John ii. 3, 5. 2 Peter i. 5—11. /Matthew v. 16. 
 g 1 Timothy vi. 1. 1 Peter ii. 15. Philippians l. 11. 
 AEphesians ii. 10. i Romans vi. 22. £John xv, 4, 6". 
 ?2 Corinthians iii. 5. Philippians ii. IS. 
 
Of Good Works. 43 
 
 as if they were n^t bound to perform any duty, un- 
 less upon a spinal motion of the Spirit. hut they 
 ought to be diligent in m stirring up the grace of God 
 that is in them. 
 
 4. They who in their obedience attain to the 
 greatest height which is possible in this life, arc so 
 far from being able to supererogate, and to do more 
 than God requires, as that* 1 they fall short of much 
 which in duty they are bound to do. 
 
 5. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of 
 sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of 
 the great disproportion that is between them and 
 the glory to come, and the infinite distance that is 
 between us and God, whom by them we can never 
 profit, nor satisfy, for the debt of our • former sins, 
 but when we have done all we can, we have done 
 but our duty, and are unprofitable servants: and 
 because as they are good, th^y proceed from his P 
 Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are de*- 
 filed, i and mixed with so much weakness and im- 
 perfection that they cannot endure the severity of 
 God's judgment. 
 
 6. Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers 
 being accepted through Christ, their good works 
 also are accepted in r him ; not as though they were 
 in this life wholly unblamable and unreprpvable in 
 God's sight; but that he looking upon them in his 
 Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is s 
 
 m Philippians ii. 12. Hebrews vi. 11, 12. Isaiah lxiv. 7. 
 n Job ix. 2, 3. Galatians v. 17. Luke xvii. 10. o Romans 
 iii. 20. Ephesians ii. 8, 9. Romans iv. 6. p Galatians v. 
 22, 23. q Isaiah lxiv. 6. Psalm cxliii. 2. r Ephesians i. 6 
 1 Peterii. 5. s Matthew xxv. 21, 23, Hebrews vi. 1$, 
 
4>4 Of the Perseverance of the Saints. 
 
 sincere, although accompanied Muth many weak- 
 nesses and imperfections. 
 
 7. Works done by unregenerate men, although 
 far 'he matter of them, tbey may he things which 
 God commands*, and of good use, both to themselves 
 and ' others; yet because they proceed not from a 
 heart purified by u faith, nor are done in a right 
 manner according to the w word, nor to a right 
 end the x glory of God, they are sinful, and cannot 
 please God, nor make a man meet to receive grace 
 from y God ; and yet their neglect of them is more 
 simul, and z displeasing to God. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS. 
 
 1. Those whom God hath accepted in the Be- 
 loved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, 
 and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can 
 neither totally nor finally fall from the state of 
 gr^ce, a but shall certainly persevere therein to the 
 end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and 
 callings of God are without repentance, (whence 
 he sill bege s and nourisheth in them faith, repent- 
 ance. love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit 
 
 t 2 Kings x. 30. 1 Kings xxi. 27, 29. u Genesis iv. 5. 
 H: brews xi. 4, 6. w 1 Corinthians xiii. 1. x Mat- 
 thew vi. 2, j. y Amos v 21, 22. Romans ix. 16. Titus 
 in 5. x J >b xxi 14, 15. Matt new xxv. 41, 42, 43. 
 a loho x. 28, 29. PhiLippwis i. 6. 2 Timothy ii 19. 1 John 
 ii. 19. 
 
Of the Perseverance of the Saints. 45 
 
 to immortality) and though many storms and floods 
 arise and beat against them, yet they shall neve 
 be able to lake them off that foundation and rock 
 which by faith they are fastened upon : notwith- 
 standing, through unbelief and the temptations of 
 Satan, the sensible sight ot the light and love of God 
 may for a time be clouded, and obscured from & 
 them, yet it is still the same, G and they shall be 
 sure to be kept by the power of God unto salva- 
 tion, where they shall enjoy their purchased posses- 
 sion, they being engraven upon the palm of his 
 hands, and their names having been written in tne 
 book of Life from all eternity. 
 
 2. This perseverance of the saints, depends not 
 upon their own free will, but upon the immutabil- 
 ity of the decree of d election, flowing from the free 
 and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon 
 the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus 
 Christ e and union with him, the f oath of God, the 
 abiding of his Spirit, and the s seed of God within 
 them, and the nature of the h covenant of grace ; 
 from all which ariseth also the certainty and infal- 
 libility thereof. 
 
 3. And though they may, through the tempta- 
 tion of Satan, and of the world, the prevalency of 
 corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of 
 means of thefr preservation, fall into grievous * 
 sins, and for a time continue therein ; whereby 
 they incur k God's displeasure, and grieve his Ho- 
 
 b Psalm lxxxix. 31, 32. 1 Corinthians xi. 22. c Mala- 
 chi iii. 6. d Romans viii. 30. and ix. 11, 16. e Ro- 
 mans v. 9, 10- John xiv. 19. / Hebrews vi. 17,18, 
 g\ John iii. 9. h Jeremiah xxxii.f 40 i Matthew xxviV 
 70, 72, 74. h Isaiah lxiv. 5, 9, Ephesians iv. 30. 
 
46 Of the Assurance of Grace, &c. 
 
 ly Spirit, come to have their graces and l comforts 
 impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their 
 consciences wounded, m hurt and scandalize others, 
 and bring temporal judgments" upon themselves, 
 yel 'hey shall renew their repentance, and be pre- 
 served, through faith in Christ Jesus, to the end. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 OF THE ASSURANCE OF GRACE AND SALVATI ON. 
 
 1. Although 'emnorary believers, and other 
 •fmregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves 
 Ifith false hopes, and carnal presumptions, of being 
 ir. the favour of God, and state of salvation, 3 which 
 hope of theirs shall perish ; yet such as truly be- 
 lieve in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, 
 endeavouring to walk in all good conscience be- 
 fore him, may in this life be certainly assured, b 
 that they are in tne state of grace, and may rejoice 
 in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall 
 never make them c ashamed. 
 
 2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and 
 probable persuasion, grounded upon d a fallible 
 hope, but an infallible assurance of faith, founded 
 on the blood and righteousness of Christ 6 revealed 
 
 I Psalm li. 10, 12. m Psalm xxxii. 3, 4. n 2 Sam- 
 uel 12, 14. o Luke xxii. 32, 61, 62. a Job viii 13, 
 14 Matthew vii. 22, 23 b 1 John ii. 3. in. 14, 18, 19, 21, 
 
 34. and v 13. c Romans v. 2, 5. d Hebrews vi. 11, 
 X% e Hebrews vi. 17, 18. 
 
Of the Assurance of Grace, Site. 47? 
 
 in the gospel ; and also upon the inward f evidence 
 of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises 
 are made, and on the testimony of the s Spirit of 
 adoption, witnessing with our spirits, that we are 
 the children of God ; and, as a fruit thereof, keep- 
 ing the heart both h humble and holy. 
 
 3. This infallible assurance doth not so belong 
 to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may 
 wait long, and conflict with many difficulties, be- 
 fore he bei partaker of it ; yet being enabled by 
 the Spirit, to know the things which are freely 
 given him of God, he may, without extraordinary 
 revelation, in the right use of means k attain there- 
 unto ; and therefore it is the duty of every one to 
 give all diligence to make their catling and election 
 sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in 
 peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thank- 
 fulness to God, and in strength aid cheerfulness in 
 the duties of obedience, the proper i fruits of this 
 assurance ; so far is it na from inclining men to 
 looseness. 
 
 4. True believers may have the assurance of 
 their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished and 
 intermitted ; as n by negligence in preserving of it* 
 by ° tailing into some special sin, which woundeth 
 the conscience, a d gri^veth the Spirit; by some 
 sudden or p vehement temptation ; by God's with- 
 drawing the 9 iight of his countenance, and sufrVr» 
 
 / 2 Peter i. 4, 5,10, ll. #• Romans viii. 15,16. 
 
 [i 1 John iii. 1—3. * Isaiah 1 10. Psalm lxxxv.ii.' 
 and lxxvii. 1—12. k 1 John iv. 13 Hebrews vi. 11. 12* 
 I Romans v. 1, 2, 5. and xiv 17. Psalm cxix 32. 
 m Rom ms vi. 1, 2. Titus ii. 11. 12, 14. n C; nticles v. 2 3 
 o P- Am u. 8, 12 14. p I'salm w ill, kxvn.V 
 8. «n4 *Wi. 22* q. Psalm x». T, 
 
48 Of the Law of God. 
 
 ing even such as fear him to walk in darkness, and 
 to have no light ; yet are they never destitute of the 
 J* seed of God, and life » of faith, that love of Christ 
 and the brethren, thai sincerity of heart, and con- 
 science of duty, uot of which, by the operation of 
 the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be t 
 revived ; and by the which, in the mean time, they 
 are n preserved from utter despair. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 OF THE LAW OF GOD. 
 
 1. God gave to Adam a law of universal obedi- 
 ence, a written in his heart, and a particular pre* 
 cept of not eating the fruit of the tree of know- 
 ledge of good and evil ; by which he bound him, 
 and all his posterity, to personal, entire, exact and 
 perpetual b obedience ; promised life upon the 
 fulfilling, and c threatened death upon the breach 
 of it, and indued him with power and ability to 
 keep it. 
 
 2. The same law that was first written in the 
 heart of man, d continued to be a perfect rule of 
 righteousness after the fall, and delivered by God 
 upon Mount Sinai, in e ten commandments, and 
 written in two tables, the four first containing our 
 
 r 1 John Hi. 9. s Luke xxii. 32. t Psalm xlii. 5, 
 
 11 u Lamentations iii. 26 — 31. a Genesis i. 27. Ec- 
 
 . clesiastes vii. 29. b Romans x. 5. c Galatians iii. 
 
 %o, 12. d Romans ii, 14, 15. e Deuteronomy X* 4. 
 
Gf the Law of God. 49 
 
 duty towards God, and the other six our duty to 
 man. 
 
 3. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God 
 was pleased to give lo the people of Israel cere- 
 monial laws, containing several typical ordinances, 
 partly of worship, f prefiguring Christ, his graces, 
 actions, sufferings and benefits ; and partly holding 
 forth divers instructions s of moral duties, all 
 which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the 
 time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ, the true 
 Messiah, and only Law-giver, who was furnished 
 with power from the Father for that end, h abro- 
 gated and taken away. 
 
 4. To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, 
 which expired together with the state of that 
 people, not obliging any now by virtue of that in- 
 stitution ; their general J equity only being of moral 
 use. 
 
 5. The moral law doth for ever bind all, k as well 
 justified persons' as others, to the obedience there- 
 of, and that not only in regard of the matter con- 
 tained in it, but also in respect of the* authority of 
 God the Creator who gave it ; neither doth Christ 
 in the gospel any way dissolve, m but much 
 strengthen this obligation. 
 
 6. Although true believers be not under the law, 
 as a covenant of works, n to be thereby justified or 
 condemned, yet it is of great use to them, as well 
 
 / Hebrews x. I. Colossians ii. 17. g 1 Corinthians v. 
 7. h Colossians ii. 14, 16, 17. Ephesians ii. 14, 16. 
 j 1 Corinthians ix. 8, 9, 10. k Romans xiii. 8, 9, 10. 
 James ii. 8, 10, 11, 12. I James ii. 10, 13. m Matthew 
 v. 17 — 19. Komans hi. 31. n Romans vi. 14. feaTatians 
 ii, 16. Romans viii, 1. and x. 4. 
 E 
 
50 Of the Law of God. 
 
 as to others, in that, as a rule of life, informing 
 them of the will of God and their duty, it directs 
 and binds them to walk accordingly ; ° discover- 
 ing albo the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts 
 and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, 
 ti:?y may come to further conviction of, humilia- 
 tion for, and hatred against sin ; together with a 
 clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and 
 the perfection of his obedience : it is likewise of 
 use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, 
 in that it forbids sin ; and the threatenings of it 
 serve to show what even their sins deserve, and 
 what afflictions in this life they may expect for 
 them, although freed from the curse and unallay- 
 ed rigour thereof. These promises of it likewise 
 show that God's approbation of obedience, and 
 what blessings they may expect upon the perform- 
 ance thereof, though not as due to them by the law 
 as a covenant of works ; so as man's doing good, 
 and refraining from evil, because the law encour- 
 ageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is 
 no evidence of his being p under the law, and not 
 under grace. 
 
 7. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law 
 1 contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweet- 
 ly comply with it, the Spirit of Christ subduing r 
 and enabling the will of man to da that freely and 
 cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the 
 law, requireth to be done. 
 
 o Romans iii. 20. and vii. 7, Sec. p Romans vi. 12 — 
 14. 1 Peter iii. 8—13. q Galatians iii. 21. r Ezekiel 
 xxxvii. 21. 
 
Of the Gospel, &c. 5 1 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 OF THE GOSPEL, AND OF THE EXTENT OF THE 
 GRACE THEREOF. 
 
 1. The covenant of works being broken by sini 
 and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased 
 to give forth the promise of Christ, * the seed of 
 the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and 
 begetting in them faith and repentance ; in this 
 promise, the b Gospel, as to the substance of it, 
 was revealed, and therein effectual, for the conver- 
 sion and salvation of sinners. 
 
 2. This promise of Christ; and salvation by him, 
 is revealed only by c the word of God ; nei'her do 
 the works of creation, or providence, with the light 
 of nature, d make discovery of Christ, or of grace 
 by him, so much as in a general or obscure way ; 
 much less, that men destitute of the revelation of 
 him by the promise, or gospel, « should be enabled 
 thereby to attain saving faith, or repentance. 
 
 3. The revelation of the gospel unto sinners, 
 made in divers times, and by sundry parts, with the 
 addition of promises, and precepts, for the obedi- 
 ence required therein, as to the nations, and per- 
 sons, to whom it is granted, is merely of the f sov- 
 ereign will and good pleasure of God, not being 
 annexed by virtue of any promise, to the due im- 
 
 a Genesis iii. 15. b Revelations xiii. 8. c Romans 
 i. 17. d Romans x. 14, 15, 17. e Proverbs xxix. 18. 
 Tsaiah xxv. 7. and lx. 2, 3. f Psalm cxlvii. 20. Acts 
 ivi. 7. 
 
5 2 Of Christian Liberty] &c. 
 
 provement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of 
 common light received without it ; which none 
 ever did s make, or can so do : and therefore in ail 
 ages the preaching of the gospel has been granted 
 unto persons and nations, as to the extending or 
 limiting of it, in great variety, according to the 
 counsel of the will of God. 
 
 4. Although the gospel be the only outward 
 means of revealing Christ, and saving grace, and 
 is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet 
 that men, who are dead in trespasses, may be born 
 again, quickened or regenerated, there is more- 
 over necessary, an effectual insuperable 11 work of 
 the Holy Spirit, upon the whole soul, for the pro- 
 ducing in them a new spiritual life ; without which 
 no other means will effect 3 their conversion unto 
 God. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY, AND LIBERTY OF CON- 
 SCIENCE. 
 
 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for 
 believers under the gospel, consists in their free- 
 dom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath 
 of God, and rigour and a curse of the law, and in 
 their being delivered from this present evil b world, 
 
 g Romans i. 18, &c. h Psalm ex. 3. 1 Corinthians, ii. 
 14. Kphesians i. 19, 20. j John vi. 44. 2 Corinthians iv 
 4,6. a Galatiatis iii. 13. b Gulatians i. 4. 
 
Of Christian Liberty , bV, 53 
 
 bondage to c satan, and dominion 11 of sin, from the 
 e evil of afflictions, the fear and sting f of death, the 
 victory of the grave, and s everlasting damnation ; 
 as also in their h free access to God, and their yield- 
 ing obedience unto him, not out of a slavish fear,i 
 but a child-like love, and willing mind. 
 
 AH which were common also to believers under 
 the law k for the substance of them ; but under the 
 New Testament, the liberty of christians is further 
 enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the 
 ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was 
 subjected, and in greater boldness of access to the 
 throne of grace, and in fuller communications of 
 the i free Spirit of God, than believers under the 
 law did ordinarily partake of. 
 
 2. God alone is m Lord of the conscience, and 
 hath left it free from the doctrines and command- 
 ments of men n which are in any thing contrary to 
 his word, or not contained in it. So that to believe 
 such doctrines, or obey such commands out of 
 conscience ° is to betray true liberty of conscience ; 
 and the requiring of an p implicit faith, and abso- 
 lute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of 
 conscience and reason also. 
 
 S. They who, upon pretence of christian liberty, 
 do practise any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as 
 
 c Acts xxvi. 18. d Romans viii. 3. e Romans viii. 
 28. / 1 Corinthians xv. 54—57. g 2 Thessalonians 
 i. 10. h Komans viii. 15. j Luke i. 75. 1 John iv. 
 18. k Galatians iii. 9* 14. I John vii. 38, 39. He- 
 brews x. 19—21. m James iv. 12. Romans xiv. 4. 
 n Acts iv. 19. and v. 29. 1 Corinthians vii. 23. Matthew 
 xv. 9. o Colossians ii. 20, 22, 23. p 1 Corinthians iii. 5. 
 2 Corinthians i, 24. 
 
 e2 
 
54 Of Religious TVarshifi, c?c. 
 
 they do thereby pervert the main design of the 
 grace of the gospel i to their own destruction, so 
 they wholly destroy r the end of christian liberty ; 
 which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of 
 all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without 
 fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all 
 the days of our lives. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE SABBATH DAY. 
 
 1. The light of nature shows that there is a God, 
 who hath lordship and sovereignty overall; is just, 
 good, and doth good unto all ; and is therefore to be 
 feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and 
 served, with all the heart, and all the soul, a and 
 with all the might. But the acceptable way of 
 worshipping the true God, is b instituted by him- 
 self, and so limited by his own revealed will, that 
 he may not be worshipped according to the imagi- 
 nations and devices of men, or the suggestions of 
 satan, under any visible representations, or c any 
 other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. 
 2. Religious wor shift is to be given to God the 
 Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to him d alone ; 
 not to angels, saints, or any other e creatures ; and 
 
 q Romans vi. 1, 2. r Galatians v. 13, 2 Peter ii. 18 
 — 21. a Jeremiah x. 7. Mark xii. 33. b Deuterono- 
 my xii. 32. c Exodus xx. 4, 5, 6. d Matthew iv. 9, 
 10. John vi. 23. Matthew xxviii. 19. e Romans i. 25. 
 Colossians ii. 18. Revelations xix. 10. 
 
Of Religious Worship) &c. 55 
 
 since the fall, not without a f Mediator, nor in the 
 mediation of any other but s Christ alone. 
 
 3. Prayer and thankfulness, being one special 
 part of natural worship, is by God required of h all 
 men. But that it may be accepted, U is to be made 
 in the » name of the Son, by the help k of the Spirit, 
 according to l his will ; with understanding, reve- 
 rence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perse- 
 verance, and, with others, in a m known tongue. 
 
 4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and 
 for all sorts of men living, n or that shall live here- 
 after ; but not° for the dead, nor for those of whom 
 it may be known, that they have sinned p the sin 
 unto death. 
 
 5. The § reading of the Scriptures, preaching, 
 and r hearing the word of God, teaching ami ad- 
 monishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spi- 
 ritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to 8 
 the Lord ; as also the administration c of baptism, 
 and u the Lord's supper, are all parts of religious 
 worship of God, to be performed in obedience to 
 him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and 
 godly fear ; moreover, solemn humiliation, x with 
 fastings, and thanksgiving, upon y special occa- 
 sions, ought to be used in a holy and religious 
 manner. 
 
 /John xiv. 6. gl Timothy ii. 5. h Psalm xcv. 1, 7. 
 Psalm lxv. 2. i John xiv. 13, 14. k Romans viii. 26. 
 1 1 John v. 14. m 1 Corinthians xiv. 16, 17. n 1 Timothy ii. 
 1, 2. 2 Samuel vii. 29. o 2 Samuel xii. 21—23. p 1 John 
 r. 16. q 1 Timothy iv. 13. r 2 Timothy iv. 2. Luke viii. 
 18. Ephesians v. 19. s Colossians iii. 16. Ephesians v. 19. 
 t Matthew xxviii. 19, 70. u 1 Corinthians xi. 26. x Es- 
 ther iv. 16. Joel ii. 12. y Exodus xv. 1, &c. Psalm cvii. 
 
56 Of Religious Worshifi^c, 
 
 6. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religi- 
 ous worship, is now, under the gospel, tied unto, 
 or made more acceptable by any place in which it 
 is z performed, or towards which it is directed ; but 
 God is to be worshipped every wherein spirit, and 
 in truth ; as in a private families b daily, and c in 
 secret, each one by himself, so more solemnly in 
 the public assemblies, which are not carelessly, nor 
 wilfully, to be d neglected or forsaken, when God 
 by his word or providence calleth thereunto. 
 
 7. As it is of the law of nature, that in general, a 
 proportion of time, by God's appointment be set 
 apart for the worship of God, so by his word, in a 
 positive, moral and perpetual commandment, bind- 
 ing all men, in all ages, he hath particularly ap- 
 pointed one day in seven for a • sabbath to be kept 
 holy unto him, which from the beginning of the 
 world, to the resurrection of Christ, was the last 
 day of the week ; and from the resurrection of 
 Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,*' 
 Which is called the Lord's day ; and is tobe con- 
 tinued to the end of the world, as the Christian 
 sabbath ; the observation of the last day Of the week 
 being abolished. 
 
 8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, 
 when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, 
 and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do 
 not only observe a holy s rest all the day, from 
 their own works, words and thoughts, about their 
 
 z John iv. 21. Malachi i. 11. 1 Timothy ii. 8. a Acts x. 
 2. b Matthew vi. 11. Psalm If. 17. c Matthew vi. 6. 
 d Hebrews x. 25. Acts ii. 42. e Exodus xs. 8. / 1 Co- 
 rinthians xvi. lj 2. Acts xx. 7. Revelations i. 10. g Isaiah 
 lviii. 13. Nehemiab xiii. 15, 22- 
 
Of Singing ofPsalms^ Zsfc. 57 
 
 worldly employment and recreations, but also are 
 taken up the whole time in the public and private 
 exercises of his worship and in the duties h of ne- 
 cessity and mercy. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 OF SINGING OF PSALMS, &C 
 
 We believe that a singing the praises of God, is 
 a holy ordinance of Christ, and not a part of natu- 
 ral religion, or a moral duty only ; but that it is 
 brought under divine institution, it being enjoined 
 on the churches of Christ to sing psalms, hymns, 
 and spiritual songs ; and that the whole church in 
 their public assemblies (as well as private Chris- 
 tians) ought to b sing God's praises according to 
 the best light they have received. Moreover, it 
 was practised in the great representative church, 
 by c our Lord Jesus Christ with his disciples, 
 after he had instituted and celebrated the sacred 
 ordinance of his holy supper, as a commemorative 
 token of redeeming love. 
 
 h Matthew xii. 1 — 13. a Acts xvi. 25. Ephesians v. 19. 
 Colossians iii. 16. b Hebrews ii, 12. James v. 13. c Mat- 
 thew xx vi. 30. Mark xiv. 26. 
 
58 Of Lawful Oaths and Voivs. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 OF LAWFUL OATHS AND VOWS. 
 
 1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, 
 a wherein the person swearing in truth, righteous- 
 ness and judgment j solemnly calleth God to witness 
 what he sweareth ; b and to judge him according to 
 the truth or falseness thereof. 
 
 2. The name of God only is that by which men 
 ought to swear ; and therein it is to be used with 
 all holy fea? and reverence ; therefore to swear 
 vainly or rashly by thai glorious and dreadful name, 
 or to swear a: all by any other thing, is sinful and 
 to be c abhorred ; ye 1 as in matter of weight and mo- 
 ment, for confirmation of truth, d and ending all 
 strife, an oath is warranted by the word of God; 
 so a lawfui oa'u bein^ imposed, e by lawful autho- 
 rity, in sjiqh matters ought to be taken. 
 
 3. Whosoever taketh an oath, warranted by the 
 wo<d ol God, ought duly to consider, the weighti- 
 pess of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch no- 
 thi but what ht knoweth to be the truth ; for that 
 by aft, false, and vain oaths, the f Lord is pro- 
 v< and for them this land mourns. 
 
 i oath is to be taken hi the plain and s com- 
 •c of the words, without equivocation, or 
 reservation'. 
 
 a'. -•- xs. 7. Deuteronomy x. '.20. Jeremiah iv. 2. 
 
 6 2 Ch i i vi. 22, 23. c Matthew v. 34— 37- James v. 
 
 12. tfHel -ws vi. 16. 2 Corinthians i. 23. e Nehemiah 
 xiii. 25, /Leviticus xix. 12, Jeremiah xxiii. 10. 5' "Psalm 
 xxiv. 4. 
 
Of the Civil Magistrate. 59 
 
 5. A vow, which is not to be made to any crea- 
 ture, but to God alone, »> is to be made and per- 
 formed with all religious care and faithfulness : but 
 popish monastical vows, 1 of perpetual single life, 
 professed k poverty, and regular obedience, are so 
 far from being degrees of higher perfection, that 
 they are superstitious, 1 and sinful snares, in which 
 no christian may entangle himself. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE. ■ 
 
 1. Godd the supreme Lord, and king of all the 
 world, hath ordained civil a magistrates to be under 
 him over the people, for his own glory, and the 
 
 .public good ; and to this end hath armed them with 
 the power of the sword, for defence and encourage- 
 ment of them that do good, and for the punishment 
 of evil doers. 
 
 2. It is lawful for christians to accept and exe- 
 cute the office of a magistrate, when called there- 
 unto ; in the management whereof, as they ought 
 especially to maintain b justice, and peace, accord- 
 ing to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and 
 commonwealth ; so for that end they may lawfully 
 now under the New Testament c wage war upon 
 just and necessary occasions. 
 
 3. Civil magistrates being set up by God, for the 
 
 h Psalm lxxvi. 11. Genesis xxviii. 20 — 22. i 1 Corin- 
 thians vii. 2, 9. k -Ephesians iv. 28. fMatthewxix.il. 
 a Romans xiii. 1—4. b 2 Samuel xxiii. 3. Psalm Ixxxii. 
 3,4. cLukeiii. 14. 
 
60 Of Marriage. 
 
 ends aforesaid, subjection in all lawful things com- 
 manded by them, ought to be yielded by us in the 
 Lord, not only for wrath d but for conscience sake; 
 and we ought to make supplications and prayers 
 for kings, and all that are in authority, e that under 
 them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all 
 godliness and honesty. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 OF MARRIAGE. 
 
 1. Marriage is to be between one man and one 
 woman ; a neither is it lawful for any man to have 
 more than one wife, nor for any woman to have 
 more than one husband at the same time. 
 
 2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help b 
 of husband and wife, c for the increase of mankind 
 with a legitimate issue, and for d preventing of un- 
 cleanness. 
 
 3. It is lawful for e all sorts of people to marry ^ 
 who are able with judgment to give their consent ; 
 yet it is the duty of Christians f to marry in the 
 Lord; and therefore such as profess the true religion 
 should not marry with infidels, s or idolaters; nei- 
 ther should such as are godly be unequally yoked, 
 by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, 
 or maintain damnable heresy. 
 
 rf Romarvs xiii. 5, 6, 7. 1 Peter ii. 17. e 1 Timothy ii. 1, 
 2. a Genesis ii. 24. Malachi ii. 15. Matthew xix. 5, 6. 
 b Genesis ii. 18. c Genesis i. 28. d 1 Corinthians vii. 2, 9. 
 e Hebrews xiii. 4. 1 Timothy iv. 3. / 1 Corinthians vii. 39. 
 g Nehemiah xiii. 25—27. 
 
0/ the Church. 61 
 
 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees 
 of consanguinity h or affinity, forbidden in the word ; 
 nor can such incestuous marriage ever be made 
 lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, L so 
 as those persons may live together as man and wife. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 1. The catholic or universal Church, which, 
 with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and 
 truth of grace, may be called invisible, consists of 
 the whole a number of the elect, that have been, 
 are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, 
 the head thereof j and is the spouse, the body, the 
 fulness of him that filleth all in all. 
 
 2. All persons, throughout the world, professing 
 the faith of the Gospei, and obedience unto God by 
 Christ, according unto it, not destroying their own 
 profession by any errors, everting the foundation, 
 or unholiness of eonversation, b are and may be call- 
 ed visible saints; 9 and of such ought all particular 
 congregations to be constituted. 
 
 3. The purest churches under heaven are subject 
 d to mixture and error; and some have so degene- 
 rated as to become c no churches of Christ, but 
 
 h Leviticus xviii. i Mark vi. 18 1 Corinthians v. 1. 
 a Hebrews xii 23. Coiossians i. 18 Ephesians i. 10, 32, 23. 
 and v. 23, 27, 32. I, 1 Corinthians i. 2. Acfs si, 26. c Ro- 
 mans i. 7. Bphesiami. 20—22. d\ Corinthians v. Revela- 
 tions ii. and iii. t Revelations xviii. 2. 2 Thessalonians 
 ii. 11, 12. 
 
 F 
 
62 Of the Church. 
 
 synagogues of satan; nevertheless Christ always 
 hath had, and ever shall have, a f kingdom in this 
 world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in 
 him, and make profession of his name. 
 
 4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the 
 church, in whom by the appointment of the Father, 
 s all power for the calling, institution, order, or go- 
 vernment of the church, is invested in a supreme 
 and sovereign manner, neither can the pope of 
 Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is h that 
 Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, 
 thatexalteth himself in the church against Christ, 
 and all that is called God ; whom the Lord shall 
 destroy with the brightness of his coming. 
 
 5. In the execution of this power wherewith he 
 is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the 
 world unto himself, through the ministry of his 
 word, by his Spirit, 1 those that are given unto him, 
 by his Father, that they may walk before him in all 
 the k ways of obedience, which he prescribeth to 
 them in his word. Those thus called, he com- 
 mandeth to walk together in particular socieiies, 
 or J churches, for their mutual edification, and the 
 due performance of that public worship, which he 
 requireth of them in the world. 
 
 6. The members of these churches are m saints 
 by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing in 
 and by their profession and walking, their obedi- 
 ence unto that call of Christ ; and do willingly coa- 
 
 f Matthew xvi. 18. Psalm lxxii. 17. and cii. 28. Revela- 
 tions xii. 17. g Colossians i. 18. Matthew xxviii. 18 — 20. 
 Ephesians iv. 11, 12. h 2 Thessalcnians ii. 2 — 9. jjqhn 
 X. 16. and xii. 32. k Matthew xxviii. 20. I Matthew ^iviii- 
 15 — 20. m Romans i. 7. 1 Corinthians i. 2. 
 
Of the Church. 63 
 
 sent to walk together according to the appoint- 
 ment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord 
 and to one another, by the will of God, » in pro- 
 fessed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel. 
 
 f . To each of these churches thus gathered ac- 
 cording to 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 wor- 
 ship and discipline, which he hath instituted for 
 them to observe^ with commands and rules, for the 
 due and right exerting and executing that power. 
 
 8. A particular church gathered, and complete*? 
 ly organized according to the mind of Christ, con- 
 sists of officers and members: and the officers ap- 
 pointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the 
 church, so called and gathered, for the peculiar ad- 
 ministration 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 p 
 bishops, or elders, and deacons. 
 
 9. The way appointed by Christ for the calling 
 of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, 
 unto the office of bishop, or elder, in a church, is, 
 that he be chosen thereunto by the common i suf- 
 frage of the church itself; and solemnly set apart 
 by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of 
 the r eldership of the church, if there be any before 
 constituted therein : and of a deacon s that he be 
 
 n Acts ii. 41, 42. and v. 13, 14. 2 Corinthians ix. 13. 
 ©Matthew xviii. 17, 18. 1 Corinthians v. 4, 5, 13. 2 Corin- 
 thians ii. 6—8. p Acts xx. 17, 28. Philippians i. 1. 
 q Acts xiv. 23. See the Original. r 1 Timothy iv; 14. 
 * Acts vi. 3, 5, 6. 
 
G4 Of the Church. 
 
 ch en by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, 
 and the like imposition of hands. 
 
 10. The work of pastors being constantly to at- 
 tend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the 
 ministry of the word, and prayer l with watching 
 for their souls, as they that must give an account 
 to him ; it is incumbent on the churches to whom 
 they minister, not only to give them all 4ue respect, 
 u but also to communicate to them of all their 
 good things, according to their ability, so as they 
 may have a comfortable supply, without being 
 themselves x entangled in secular affairs; and may 
 also be capable of exercising r hospitality towards 
 others ; and this is required by the z law of nature, 
 and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who 
 hath ordained, that they that preach tlae Gospel, 
 should live of the Gospel. 
 
 1 1. Although it be incumbent on the bishops or 
 pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching 
 the word, by way of office, yet the work of preach- 
 ing the word is not so peculiarly confined to them, 
 but that others also a gifted, and fitted by the 
 Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the 
 church, may and ought to perform it. 
 
 12. As all believers are bound to join them- 
 selves to particular churches, when and where they 
 have opportunity so to do ; so all that are admitted 
 unto the privileges of a church, are also b under 
 
 t Acts vi. 4. Hebrews xiii. 17. wl Timothy v. 17, 18. 
 Galatians vi. 6, 7. x2 Timothy ii. 4. y 1 Timothy iii 2. 
 z 1 Corinthians ix. 6, 14. a Acts si. 19—21. 1 Peter iv. 
 10, 11. b 1 Thessalonians v. 14. 2 Thessalonians iii. 6, 14, 
 15. 
 
Of the Church. 65 
 
 the censures and government thereof, according to 
 the rule of Christ. 
 
 IS. No church-members, upon any offence taken 
 by them, having performed their duty required of 
 them towards the person they are offended at, ought 
 to disturb church order, or absent themselves from 
 the assemblies of the church, or administration of 
 any ordinance, upon the account of such offence at 
 any of their fellow members, but to wait upon 
 Christ, c in further proceeding of the church. 
 
 14. As each church, and all the members of it, 
 are bound to d pray continually, for the good and 
 prosperity of all the churches of Christ, in all 
 places, and upon all occasions to further it, every 
 one within the bounds of their places and callings, 
 in the exercise of their gifts arid graces ; so the 
 churches, when planted by the providence Of God, 
 
 -so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for 
 it, ought to hold e Communion among themselves, 
 for their peace, increase of iove, and mutual edifica- 
 tion. 
 
 15. Cases of difficulty or differences, either in 
 point of doctrine or administration ; wherein either 
 the churches in general are concerned, or any one 
 church, in their peace, union, and edification ; or 
 any member or members of any church are injur- 
 ed, in or by any proceedings in censures not agree- 
 able to truth and order ; it is according to the mind 
 of Christ, that many churches holding* communion 
 together, do by their messing-ers meet to consider 
 * and give their advice in or about the matter in 
 
 c Matthew xviii. 15 — 17. P2phesiuns w. 2, 3, d Ephe- 
 sians vi. IS. Psalm exxii. 6. e Romans xvi. 1, 2. 3 John 
 8-10. /Acts xv. 2, 4, 6, 22, 23, 25. 
 
66 , Of the Communion of Saints. 
 
 difference, lo be reported to all the churches con- 
 cerned ; howbeit these messengers 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 g to impose their de- 
 termination on the chuiches or officers. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 
 
 1. 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 
 a fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resur- 
 rection and glory; and being united to one another 
 in love, they b have communion in each others 
 gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance 
 of such duties, public and private, in an orderly 
 way, c as to conduce to their mutual good, both in 
 the inward and outward man. 
 
 Saints by profession, are bound to maintain a 
 holy fellowship and communion in the worship of 
 God, and in pei forming euch other spiritual ser- 
 vices, d as tend to their mutual edification ; as also 
 
 g 2 Corinthians i. 24. 1 John iv. 1 a 1 John i. 3. John 
 i. 16. Philippians iii. 10. Romans vi. 5, 6 If Epbesians 
 
 iv. 15, 16. 1 Corinthians xii r 7. and iii. 21 — 23. c 1 Thes- 
 salonians v. 11. 14. Romans i. 12. 1 John iii. 17, 18. Gala- 
 tians vi. 10. d Hebrews x. 24, 25. and nl 1% 13. 
 
Of Bafitism and the Lord* s Su/ifier. 67 
 
 in relieving each other in e outward things, accord* 
 ing to their several abilities, and necessities ; which 
 communion, according to the rule of the Gospel, 
 though especially to be exercised by them, in the 
 relations wherein they stand, whether in f families 
 or s churches, yet as God offereth opportunity, is 
 to be extended to all the household of faith, even 
 all those who in every place call upon the name of 
 the Lord Jesus ; nevertheless their communion 
 one with another as saints, doth not take away, or 
 h infringe the title or property which each man 
 hath in his goods and possessions. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 1. Baptism and the Lord's Supper, are ordi- 
 nances of positive and sovereign institution, ap- 
 pointed by the Lord Jesus, the only Law giver, to 
 be continued in his church a to the end of the 
 world. 
 
 2. These holy appointments are to be adminis- 
 tered by those only, who are qualified, and there- 
 unto called according b to the commission of Christ. 
 
 e Acts xi. 29, 30. /Ephesians vi. 4. g- 1 Corinthians 
 xii. 14, 27. h Acts v 4. Ephesians iv. 28. a Matthew 
 xxviii 19, 20. 1 Corinthians xi. 26, b Matthew xxviii. 
 19. 1 Corinthians iv. 1. 
 
6.8 Of Bafitisvu 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 OF BAPTISM. 
 
 J. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testa- 
 ment, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the 
 party baptised, a sign of his fellowship with him in 
 his death * and resurrection ; of his being engraft- 
 ed into him ; of b remission of sins; and of his c 
 giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to live 
 and walk in newness of life. 
 
 2. Those who do actually profess d repentance 
 towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord 
 Jesus, are the only proper subjects of this ordi- 
 nance. 
 
 1 3. The outward element, to be used in this or- 
 dinance, e is water, wherein the party is to be bap- 
 tised, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 4. Immersion, or dipping of the person f in 
 water, is necessary to the due administration of this 
 ordinance. 
 
 a Romans vi. 3, 4, 5v Colossians ii. 12. Galatians Hi. 27. 
 b Mark i. 4. Acts xxvi. 16. c Romans vi. 4. d Mark 
 xvi. 16. Acts viii. 37, 38. e Matthew xxviii. 19, 20. Acts 
 viii. 38. /Matthew iii. 16. John iii. 23. 
 
Of Laying on of Hands, 69 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 OP LAYING ON OF HANDS. 
 
 1. We believe that a laying on of hands, with 
 prayer, upon baptised believers, as such, is an or- 
 dinance of Christ, and ought to be submitted unto 
 by all such persons that are admitted to partake of 
 the Lord's Supper, and that the end of this ordi- 
 nance is not for the extraordinary ,<itts of the Spirit, 
 but for b a farther reception of the Holy Spirit of 
 promise, or for the addition of the graces ot the 
 Spirit, and the influences thereof; to confirm, 
 strengthen, and comfort them in Christ Jesus ; it 
 being ratified and established by the c extraordina- 
 ry gifts of the Spirit in the primitive times, to ai;ide 
 in the church as meeting together on the first day 
 of the week was, Acts ii. 1. that being the day of 
 worship, or christian sabbath, under the Gospel ; 
 and as preaching the word was, Acts x. 44. and as 
 baptism was, Matthew iii. 16. and prayer was, 
 Acts iv. 31. and singing psalms, See. was, Actsxvi. 
 25, 26. so this of laying on of hands was, Acts viii. 
 and xix. for as the whole Gospel was confirmed 
 by d signs and wonders, and divers miracles and 
 gifts of the Holy Ghost in general, so was every 
 ordinance in like manner confirmed in particular. 
 
 a Hebrew's v. 12. and vi. 1, 2. Acts viii. 17, 18. and xix. 6. 
 b Ephesians i. 13, 14. c Acts viii. 7. and xix. 6. d He- 
 brews ii. 3, 4. 
 
-70 Of the Lord's Sufificr. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 1. The Supper of the Lord Jesus, was institu- 
 ted by him, the same night wherein he was betray- 
 ed, to be observed in his churches unto the end of 
 the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and 
 showing forth the sacrifice of himself in his death, 
 a confirmation of the faith of believers in all the 
 benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment and 
 growth in him, their further engagement in and to 
 all duties which they owe unto him ; b and to be a 
 bond and pledge of their communion with him, and 
 with each other. 
 
 2. In this ordinance, 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 c one offering up of himself, by 
 himself, upon the cross, once for all ; and a spirit- 
 ual oblation of all d possible praise unto God for 
 the same. So that the fiofiish 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. 
 
 3. The Lord Jesus hath in this ordinance, ap- 
 pointed his ministers to pray, and bless the ele- 
 ments of bread and wine, and thereby to set them 
 apart from a common to a holy use, and to take 
 
 a 1 Corinthians xi. 23 — 26. b 1 Corinthians x. 16, 17. 
 21. c Hebrews ix. 25, 26, 28. d 1 Corinthians xi. 24. 
 Matthew xxvi. 26,27. 
 
Of the Lord's Sufificr. 71 
 
 and brake the bread ; to take the cup, e and. they 
 communicating also themselves, to give both to the 
 communicants. 
 
 4. The denial of the cup to the people, worship- 
 ing the elements, the lifting them up or carrying 
 them about for adoration, and reserving them for 
 any pretended religious use, f are all contrary to the 
 nature of this ordinance, and to the institution of 
 Christ. 
 
 5. The outward elements in this ordinance, duly 
 set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such 
 relation to him crucified, as that truly, although in 
 terms used figuratively, they are sometimes called 
 by the name of the things they represent, to wit, 
 the s body and blood of Christ, albeit in substance 
 and nature, they still remain truly and only h bread 
 and wine, as they were before. 
 
 6. The doctrine which maintains a change of 
 the substance of bread and wine, into the substance 
 of Christ's body and blood, commonly called tran- 
 substantiation, by consecration of a priest, or by 
 any other way, is repugnant not to scripture » alone, 
 but even to common sense and reason, overthrow- 
 eth the k nature of the ordinance, and hath been, 
 and is the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of 
 gross idolatries. 
 
 7. Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the 
 visible elements in this ordinance, do then also in- 
 wardly, by faith really and indeed, yet not carnally 
 and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed 
 
 e 1 Corinthians xi. 23—26, &c. /Matthew xxvi. 26 — 
 28. and xv. 9. Exodus xx. 4, 5. g X Corinthians xi. 27. 
 h I Corinthians, xi. 26. 28. i Acts iii. 21. Luke xxiv. 6. 
 39. k 1 Corinthians xi. 24, 25. 
 
"72 Of the State of Man after I) eath y Isfc, 
 
 upon Christ crucified l and all ihe benefits of his 
 death : the body and blood of Christ being then not 
 •corporally, or carnally, but spiritually present to 
 the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the ele- 
 ments themselves are to their outward senses. 
 
 8. All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are 
 unfit to enjoy communion m with Christ, so are 
 they unworthy of the Lord's table, and cannot, 
 without great sin against him, while they remain 
 such, partake of these holy mysteries, " or be ad- 
 mitted thereunto: yea, whosoever shall receive 
 unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the 
 Lord, eating and drinking judgment to themselves. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 OF THE STATE OF MAN AFTER DEATH, AND OF THE 
 RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 1. The bodies of men after death return to dust, 
 a and see corruption ; but their souls, which neither 
 die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, im- 
 mediately b return to God who gave them : the 
 souls of the righteous being then made perfect in 
 holiness, are received into paradise, where they 
 are with Christ, and behold the face of God, in 
 light and c glory, waiting for the full redemption 
 
 / 1 Corinthians x. 16. and xi 23—26. m 2 Corinthians 
 vi. 14, 15 n 1 Corinthians xi. 29. Matthew vii. 6. a Ge- 
 nesis iii. 19. Acts xii 36. b Ecclesiastes xiii. 7. cLuke 
 xxiii. 43. 2 Corinthians v. 1, 6, 8. Philippians i. 23. He- 
 brews xii. 23. 
 
Of the Last Judgment, 73 
 
 of their bodies ; and the souls of the wicked arc 
 
 mlT u he "' WhCre they remain in to ™ent and 
 utter darkness reserved to d the judgment of the 
 great day; besides these two places, for souls se- 
 parated from their bodies, the scripture acknow- 
 ledgeih none. 
 
 2. At the last day, such of the saints as are found 
 
 deJH T I' ' SlCe ? bUt bC C Cha ^ ed ! ™* * the 
 dead shall be raised up with the self same.bodies, 
 and f none other; although with different g quali- 
 
 for'ever ^ "^ again t0 their W 
 
 rfkrU? K° dleS °, f tb T. U W St sha11 ' b y lhe P^'er 
 of Christ, be raised to dishonour ; the bodies of the 
 
 rnnf Y k," - V l^ unl ° honour > h and be made 
 conformable to his own glorious body 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 
 
 . j. God hath appointed a day wherein he will 
 judge the world in righteousness, by * J e I us 
 Chnst; to whom all power and judgment is J en 
 
 an'ef s r h a n Cr b ; ,n J W ?*7 «* only the apo'state 
 an b els shall be judged, but likewise all b persons 
 that have lived upon the earth, shall appeaS" 
 
 •John v . 28 00 pk;i: * ■ ■' • h Acts XX1V - ls - 
 
 John v 2 'of a Vr PP T te " 2L rt Acts sv »- »• 
 '^ * 7 ' 6 * Corinthians vi. 3. Jude 6. 
 
74 Of the Last Judgment. 
 
 the tribunal of Christ, c 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. 
 
 2. 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; d and of his justice, 
 in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are 
 wicked and disobedient ; for then shall the righte- 
 ous go into everlasting life, and receive that ful- 
 ness of joy and glory, with everlasting reward, in 
 the presence 6 of the Lotd: but the wicked who 
 know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and f 
 punished with everlasting destruction, from the 
 presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power. 
 
 •3. As Christ would have us to be certainly per- 
 suaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both 
 s to deter all men from sin, and for the greater 11 
 consolation of the godly, in their adversity, so will 
 he have that day unknown to men, that thry may 
 shake off all carnal security, and be always watch- 
 ful, because they know not at what hour the * Lord 
 will come, and may ever be prepared to say k Come, 
 Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen. 
 
 c 2 Corinthians v. 10 Ecclesiastes xii. 14. Matthew xii. 
 36. Romans xiv. 10, 12. Matthew xxv. 32, &c. d Romans 
 ix. 22, ,23. e Matthew xxv. 21, 23, 34. 2 Timothy iv. 8. 
 / Matthew xxv. 46. Mark ix. 48. 2 Thessalonians i. 7— 
 10. g 2 Corinthians v. 10, 11. h 2 Thessalonians i. 5, 6, 
 7. i Mark xiii. 35 — 37. Luke xii. 35, 36. k Revelations 
 x*di. 20. 
 
 THE END. 
 
A 
 
 TREATISE 
 
 CHURCH DISCIPLINE 
 
 ADOPTED BY THE 
 
 SANSOM-STREET 
 
 BAPTIST CHURCH, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 S.oa of Man, show the house to the house of Israel. 
 
 EZEE:Ut 
 
 i • 
 
 These things have I written^ that thpu mayest know, how 
 t!>pa oughtest to behave thyself in the house of Go.d, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 TjrfFSTE© FOn THE SANSOM-STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, 
 BY ANDERSOJf AJTD MEEHA2T 
 
 m.s. 
 
At an adjourned Church meeting, November 
 10, 1817, it was Resolved, that the Discipline pub- 
 lished by Dr. Samuel Jones, under the direction of 
 the Philadelphia Baptist Association, be read for 
 approbation or amendment by the Church; Mr. 
 Theophilus Harris, who holds the copyright, hav- 
 ing given his consent to their printing the same. 
 The Discipline having been read, it was 
 Resolved, That it be printed, omitting the chap- 
 ter relating to Ruling Elders. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE Philadelphia Baptist Association, met at Philadel- 
 phia, October 5th, 1795, judging our former Treatise of 
 Church Discipline to be materially defective, appointed the 
 writer to revise the same, or write a new one against the 
 next association. 
 
 At their next meeting in 1796, he laid before them the 
 reasons why it was not done, which were approved of, and 
 he was requested to prepare it against their next session. 
 
 Being met at Lower Dublin, October 3d, 1797, it was 
 read to them, and they appointed a committee of one per- 
 son from each church to revise it. 
 
 The said committee met at Philadelphia, on Wednesday 
 the 13th of December following, and after making some 
 alterations, chiefly verbal, it was agreed it should be printed 
 for the use of the churches. 
 
 It will be understood, the writer availed himself of all 
 the help he could derive from such writers on the subject 
 as he had by him, or could find ; and he hopes it will ap- 
 pear he has bestowed some pains to render the work ser- 
 viceable, both as to comprehensiveness of matter and plain- 
 ness of manner, so far as the requisite brevity would admit. 
 
 He thinks it unnecessary to add any thing farther, save 
 that he would beg leave to impress on the minds of the 
 brethren the few following particular?. 
 
 First; That they should be careful in the admission of 
 members. Let there be pretty clear evidence of a work of 
 grace. Slackness, or inattention here, has been the bane 
 of the church in all ages. 
 
 Secondly; Let there be most unremitting attention to 
 maintain strict discipline. The glory of the church, the 
 
4> ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 credit of religion, and the prosperity of Zion, depend, in. 
 a high degree, on the circumspect walk of its professors, 
 and the vigilant 2eal of all, especially of the officers, for 
 the support of order and Gospel discipline. 
 
 Thirdly ; That the professors of religion should walk 
 together in love and Christian union, is of material con- 
 sideration. Behold how good, says the psalmist, and how 
 pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity ! 
 '* See how these Christians love one another,'* was the ob- 
 servation of the Heathen, respecting the Christians of the 
 first age What a pity, that the members of the same fa- 
 mily, and even children of the same heavenly Father, and 
 who is also the God of peace, should disagree and wrangle 
 like the sons of darkness ! 
 
 Fourthly ; Be very diligent and circumspect in the dis- 
 charge of the various duties you owe to God, to yourselves, 
 to one another, and to those of the world. Let all have 
 occasion to observe that you have been with Jesus, and 
 learned of him Walk worthy, says the apostle, of the 
 vocation wherewith you are called. 
 
 I will only add ; That you be particularly careful, to 
 maintain arid preserve temper, coolness, and impartiality, 
 in your meetings of business. To be rigid, obstinate, 
 partial, passionate, and overbearing, in administering the 
 concerns of the house of God : how unlike the followers of 
 the meek and lowly Jesus! how unworthy of office under 
 their divine Master ! 
 
 Now, that \he knowledge of God may cover the earth,, 
 and his saving power prevail among all nations ; and that 
 the churches of Christ may shine in purity of doctrine, 
 strictness of discipline, and in the beauty of holiness, is 
 the unfeigned and fervent prayer of, yqur's in all Gospel 
 service, 
 
 SAMUEL J ONE? 
 
 IpWEE Dublin, December 26, 1797. 
 
A TREATISE 
 
 OF 
 
 CHUBCH DISCIPLINE, &<• 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Of a Gos/iel Church. 
 
 1. EKICAESIA, the word in the original for Chord,, 
 signified „ »e called on, ,f : that is, a Gospel church «- 
 TL of such persons, as have been called oot of a state ot 
 n^einto state of grace, called with an effectual caUmg, 
 , t ofthe kingdom of Satan into tne kmgdom of 
 C ivt far Son, or are judged m charity to be soca led. 
 Kom.i.6.7.«u.30. 1 Cor. i .2. Eph..v. 1. Heb. in. 
 
 9 I"' The'; orachurchttnetU.es mean* the whole body of 
 
 1 Cor III 28. ; and those yet to be born. 
 3 But the church, of which we now treat means a 
 
 ,i » R«m xvi 5 " That the church 
 
 that is in thear house horn. sv,. 5 ^ ^ ^ 
 
 may recede ^fymg, ^"^ rf Asia - j Cor 
 
 3fr ^> he dturch that is at Uaby.on," 1 Pet. V. 13. 
 J A particular church is not parochial, as compveheu 
 
 'J 
 
CHURCH DlScII'I.IM.. 
 
 ingallof the same parish; nor diow™, as if one n-tslor 
 mtght have several fcefc... nol . vet p^i^^C 
 .ere man.vchurches in Judea, Gal. i P 22 . Gal ^ , c 
 "T '• Mocedon^ 2 Cor. viii. 1. much less natb ' ° r 
 5 A number of believers are united together into • n „• 
 ■cuhr c , h , by a „ ac , rf conf X at Tor..tav e ' 
 
 to n,, S " a nUmber is f "" nd in »? P l! *e. they ouffht 
 
 o propose among theHtaeW, or others may profit to 
 
 them, to be constituted a church. 
 
 8. For this purpose it will be neceasaryto appoi „ , t in,~ 
 
 ~Aei s ^r , ::r' :,iu,t " r,rcaci ' oiithe -- 
 
 9. After a suitable sermon has been preached, theactuu- 
 munster, bemg furnished with a ,,st of the na^o * 
 ■; nd.dates, ana they standi,,, bcfb „ hi ig t „ intcrro ^ 
 
 church, th fc wJedge of> md 
 
 others q«oh n ca„ n s , and their p>1 ,,, ose ; „ ld res()lutio C , 
 k o, t , c ,. m chureh reUt; , n lovo (o 
 
 ■el ,q ooed.ence to the requirements of Christ h, the 
 
 _k leading parttcnlar. of a church covenant; and after 
 *"? '-e g.ven their assent to the whole, the church co- 
 le** tu '■■ •^H n v h :! t " iT ' "If achur ?' nt ™' «W"»i»>- 
 
 t»c cnuciea, but starves (heirsouls. 
 
c nunc II discipline. 
 
 venant* is to be read to them, which they are then, or 
 afterwards, to sign, and the minister pronounces them, in 
 the name of the Lord Jesus, a regular Gospel church, giv- 
 ing them, or their representative, the right hand of fellow- 
 ship, and wishing them prosperity in the Lord. Is. xliv.6, 
 Amos iii. 3. Acts xi. 23 2 Cor. vi. 14. ix. 33. 
 
 10. It will be understood that prayers and singing ought. 
 to be introduced in their proper places through the whole, 
 and then a suitable address to the constituted elm: ch, with 
 a benediction, will close the solemnity. 
 
 11. It is this mutual consent, confederation., and union 
 
 * Covenant of the Sansom-streel Baptist Church, Philadelphia. 
 
 We, whose names are snbscribcd, being desirous to be 
 constituted a church of" Jesus Christ in this city, and hav- 
 ing all due knowledge of one another as to works of grace 
 on our hearts, our religious principles, and moral charac- 
 ters ; desirous, moreover, of enjoying the privileges which 
 pertaili to the people of God, in a church relation ; having 
 also ob&tirced our letter of dismission for the purpose, from 
 the First Baptist Church in this city: Do, in the name of 
 tiie Lord Jesus, voluntarily give up ourselves unto the 
 Lord, and to one another, according tq his word, to be one 
 body under one head, jointly to exist, and act by the rules 
 of the Gospel ; av.d do promise and engage to do all things by 
 Divine assistance ill our different capacities and relations, 
 that the Lord has commanded and requires of us ; particu- 
 larly to deny ourselves, take ujj our cross, follow Christ, 
 keep the faith, assemble ourselves together, love the breth- 
 ren, submit one to another in the Lord, bear one another's 
 burdens, endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
 bond of" peace; and, finally, to honour and maintain them 
 that have the rule over us in the Lord. 
 
 This is the Covenant into which we solemnly enter in 
 the fear of God; humbly imploring the Divine assistance 
 and blessing, that we may be built up to the glory of God, 
 the advancement of die Redeemer's interest, and the edifi- 
 cation and comfort of our own souls. 
 
 And now to the only wise God, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, be honour and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 .:.;ne at Philadelphia, on 'die 15th day of January, in the 
 
8 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 of persons into one body, as a particular church, that makes' 
 that church distinct from any r»il.< n porch, and that makes 
 the members of it members oil that c'hUich more than of 
 any other, " Onesimus, who is one fyou; Epaphras, who 
 is one of you." Col iv. 9. 12. " So we, being many, are 
 one body in Christ." Rom. x'i 5. 
 
 12 Such particular churches have full power and autho- 
 rity to transact all then own affairs, independent of any 
 other church or churches : such as to choose their own 
 officers, receive members, exercise discipline among them- 
 selves, exclude members, if need be, and in general, do 
 every thing that concerns them as a distinct religious cor- 
 poration. Matt xviii. 17. 1 Cor. v. ■— . 2 Thes. iii. 6, 14. 
 .Acts i. 5, 23. vi. 3. xv. 4. xxi. 22. 
 
 13 No church, however, can be independent of Christ, 
 who is the head of the body, and who, while he has com- 
 mitted the executive power to his church, has retained the 
 legislative in his own hands, or rather, has enacted, by 
 himself or his apostles, all the laws that are necessary, and 
 the church must t.;ke heed how they execute the same, as 
 they Will answer it to their Lord and Master. " One is your 
 Master, even Christ. Hear ye him." Mait xvii. 5. xxiii. 8. 
 " There is one law-giver. M James iv. 12. \ 
 
 14. Under the law, every member of the congregation 
 was a member of the church. The church and coi.grcga- 
 tion were then commensurate, but under the Gospel they 
 are distinct from one another- For though the church be in 
 some sense congregational, yet the church and congrega- 
 tion are two distinct things, so that tlje one word should 
 not be used for the other, as if they were synonymous. 
 
 15. A particular church, constituted as above, is said to 
 be a church essential, but not complete, while destitute of 
 officers. These were either extraordinary or ordinary ; 
 the first comprehending apostles, prophets, and evangelists ; 
 i nd the other, bishops,* or ministers, or elders and deacons 
 to which some add, ruling elders. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 8 o 
 
 •-ft. 
 
 qg,^ 
 
 ►J 
 
 <r* - 
 
 • h- 
 
 H* ^ 
 
 7 ^J 3 2?«^ 
 
 OS 
 
 
 a s ^ 
 
 g a 
 
 
 
 w ^> 
 
 -* 
 
 1-1 
 
 ►-''<* 
 
 
 ^ «o 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 3 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 a 
 
 c 
 
 3 
 3 
 o 
 
 5J3 
 
 IT. 
 
 Ti 
 
 a 
 
 p 
 G 
 
 
 g 
 2. 
 
 Or 
 
 to 
 
 
 5r o 
 
 i ,.-- *r- 
 
 • ^ 7- 
 
 MHtjf 
 
 O 
 O 
 
 O ^ - M 
 
 S t§ 
 
 ■^ S: ►+> 
 pj 03 <-+ 
 
 c • 
 33 8 
 
 o 
 
 p 
 
 "EL 
 
 rr 
 
 a 
 
 rf 
 
 c 
 J/' 
 
 o 
 
 p. 
 
 r. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 O 
 
 S. 
 
 EL 
 
 »_3 
 
 c 
 
 o 
 
 VI 
 
 -a 
 n> 
 
 3 
 
 g 
 
 05 
 
 < 
 
 So * 
 
 ,-► 
 
 2 p\" 
 
 >-i it 
 
 »-* cr 
 
 w p 
 
 (-1 
 
 ^* 
 
 ■^f- 
 
 
 ft> 
 
 O 
 
 
 " 
 
 p 
 
 3. - 
 
 s 1 
 
 opfl 5- 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 > 
 
 O 
 
 C/l 
 
 
 
 
 
 V- 
 
 tr. 
 
 
 05 
 
 SI 
 
 5 § 3 ?: 
 
 3' 
 
 «r 
 
 o" 
 
 
 
 /: 
 
 CJ 
 
 ^ 
 
 "* p • sb 
 
 
 25" 
 
 H^f^-S 
 
 °? 
 
 in 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 • 
 -5 ~ 
 
 
 »" FT 
 
 2.^ < S'S 
 
 ^ <x p ^ 
 
 c c r ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -a 
 
 
 T. f v 
 
 
 to •" 
 
 - - r^ O M. 
 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 C5 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 "* £ 
 
 
 I—" 
 
 v> * - w 2. 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tjjj 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 # 
 
 Si 
 
 «■»■ 
 O 
 
 
 ft P. 
 
 £7 
 
 
 c cc 
 
 C/3 p 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ~ "E. 
 
 
 P 5 2, 
 
 
 Gc" 
 
 p. 
 
 
 
 
 03 
 
 
 
 
 tfr 
 
 0^ » 
 
 o 
 
 f? 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 T^r 
 
 1 
 
 p- 3 
 
 
 Og 
 
 8| | 
 
 
 ca 
 
 cc 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - p." 
 
 
 ^ 3" 
 
 >-""■ 5* 
 
 » 
 
 I-* 
 
 p 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 aq p 
 
 
 5' S' 
 
 2 j no 
 
10 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 The Summary of the English, exclusive of Christ and the 
 Apostles will be; Ministers 14, Elders 14, Teachers 7, 
 Ijishops 3, Stewards 2, Overseer 1, Pastor 1, Preacher 1. 
 Inclusive of Christ and the Apostles, Milliliters 25, Elders 
 17, Teachers 9, Bishops 4, Stewards 3, Overseer 1, Pastor 
 1, Preacher 3. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of Ministers. 
 
 1. The names or titles appropriated to those officers in 
 the New Testament, are either such as seem to belong- to 
 them, in virtue oi their office, as common names, while 
 they have not taken the charge of any particular church, 
 and then they are called teachers or preachers Acts 
 xiii. 1. 1 Cor. xii. 28. Worn x. 14.; or they are such as 
 arise from their taking the charge of some church, and 
 then they obtain relative tilts, and are called pastors. 
 Eph. iv. 11. Overseers or bishops, Acts xx 17, 28. El- 
 ders, 1 Tim. v. 17. Stewards, 1 Cor. iv. 1. Ministers, Col. 
 Lv 7. 1 Tim, iv 6. 
 
 2. The qualifications for this office are pretty clearly 
 pointed out, both in a positive and negative way, natural, 
 moral, and evangelical. Luke xxi. lo. 1 Tim. iii. 2 — 6. 
 Tit i. 5—9. 2 Tim ii, 24. iii. 15, 17. Acts xviii. 24. 
 Horn. ix. 3. xi. 14. 
 
 3 To this office persons rau«t be c died : Firart, of Cod, 
 styled the irtward call, which i-a z .1 for the glory of God 
 
 in the salvu'tion of the souls of v. and a strong desire to 
 
 be made useful in that Way, with, persuasion of God's 
 designation of the person for ihe 6ffc< e. Phis is the voice 
 of God in his conscience. Is. xiix 5. Jer. i. 5 xxiii. 21. 
 Heb. v. 4. 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17. koin. x. 15. Secondly, 
 They must be called of the church, whose duty it is to 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 11 
 
 look out for useful gifts; and when they have reason to 
 liope that they discover some appearance thereof in any, 
 they should move such to the trial of their shifts ; or the 
 person whose mind is impressed, may offer himself, 1 
 Tim. iii. 1. 
 
 4. If, after any one has heen on trial some time, the ap- 
 pearances are promising-, the church ought to give him a 
 letter of license, ' for the exercise of his gifts abroad, his 
 encouragement and further improvement, and to obtain 
 the opinion of others concerning his gifts. " Lay hands 
 suddenly on no man." 1 Tim. v. 22. 
 
 5. After he has been on trial a longer or shorter time, 
 according to circumstances, the church should proceed to 
 invest him more fully with, and confirm him in, the minis- 
 terial office, by ordination. 
 
 6. The essence of ordination consists in the Gall of the 
 church, in their voting in his favour, and designating him 
 by said vote to the ministerial work, which power it was 
 necessary should be lodged somewhere, with a view to 
 maintain order ; that no person who deems himself called 
 and qualified for the office, might enter upon it without 
 the approbation of others, and this power was lodged in 
 
 * To all people, to whom these presents shall come : 
 The Baptist church at , sendeth greeting. The 
 
 bearer hereof, our beloved brother , being a man 
 
 of good moral character, real piety, and sound knowledge 
 of divine things ; and having been called to the exercise oc 
 bis ministerial gifts, whereof we have now had considerable 
 trial, both in private and public ; we have judged him wor- 
 thy ; and do therefore hereby license and authorize him to 
 preach the Gospel wherever he may have a call ; not doubt- 
 mg, but that in due time, circumstances will lead on to a 
 more full investiture of him in the ministerial office, by or- 
 dination. In the mean time, we recommend him to favour 
 and respect, praying the Lord may be with, and abundantly 
 bless him. 
 
 Done at our meeting 
 
I 2 
 
 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the church. Bui nevertheless, it is expedient and necessary, 
 in order to give the designation weight and solemnity, thai 
 there should be a public and formal procedure, when we 
 instate a person in the ministerial office, Luke x. i. Acts 
 xiv. 23. Mark iii. 14. 
 
 7. For this purpose, having called one or more ministers 
 to their assistance, and all met fasting, a sermon should be 
 preached suited to the occasion. Then, after seeing the 
 person's license, and the vote for his ordination, one of 
 the ministers should interrogate him respecting his call of 
 God, his motives, his doctrinal knowledge, his soundness 
 in the faith, and his resolution to persevere with diligence. 
 Having given satisfaction, he is desired to kneel, and the 
 ministers present lay their hands on his head, accompanied 
 with suitable words, and one prays. Then he rises up, 
 and they address him in terms of congratulation, bid him 
 a welcome to take part with them of the holy ministry, 
 and give him the right hand of fellowship. After this a 
 charge is delivered, and prayer, with singing, having been 
 introduced in their proper places through the whole, a 
 benediction closes the solemnity. " With the laying on of 
 the hands of the presbytery, or eldership," 1 Tim. iv. 14. 
 " And when they had ordained them elders in every church, 
 and had prayed with fasting," Acts xiv. 23. " Lay hands 
 suddenly on no man," 1 Tim. v. 22. 
 
 8. The ministers ought to give him a certificate of his 
 ordination.* 
 
 * To all people, to whom these presents shall come, the 
 subscribers send greeting. — Being convened at on 
 
 the d:iy of 1818, at the instance of the Bap- 
 
 tist church of aforesaid, for the purpose of 
 
 setting apart, by solemn ordination, the bearer hereof, to 
 the sacred office of the ministry ; and being, by sufficient 
 testimonials, fully certified of his moral character, real 
 piety, and sound knowledge in divine things, as well as 
 ministerial gifts and abilities, whereof we had otherwise 
 due knowledge : We did therefore, on the said d;iy 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 13 
 
 9. We should now proceed to treat of the duties of tlte 
 ministerial office. Rut although a person, In virtue of his 
 ordination, is fully instated in his office, and has a rig-lit 
 to discharge every part of it, when called thereto, yet 
 while he remains only a teacher or preacher, and is not 
 connected with any church as their pastor or minister, he 
 can have but little to do besides preaching. It will there- 
 fore be proper to defer the consideration of the duties of 
 the pastoral office, until we have treated of his acquiring 
 that title, by means of taking the oversight of some church, 
 which will much enlarge his sphere of action. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Of Deacons. 
 
 1. The business of deacons originally, in the church of 
 Jerusalem, was very extensive, for the church consisted of 
 thousands, and had all things in common, Acts ii. 41—44. 
 iv. 32. v. 14. But, through a change of circumstances in 
 the church, their work is now brought to a less compass. 
 
 2. They are to take charge of the outward concerns of 
 the church, particularly to serve tables, Acts vi. 2, 3. 
 The Lord's table, 1 Cor. x. 21. that of the poor, and the 
 minister's table- They are therefore to see, that the mem- 
 bers of the church contribute to all necessary uses, accord- 
 ing to their abilities, 1 Cor. xvi. 2 2 Cor. ix. 7 '. 
 
 3. Their qualifications a$e set down in Acts vi. 3. 1 Tim. 
 iii. 8—13. 
 
 of , in the presence of sod church, and a full as- 
 
 sembly met, solemnly ordain and set apart, to the said 
 sacred office of the ministry, by imposition of hands, prayer 
 and other rituals among us in that case in use, the said 
 bearer, our worthy and reverend brother , whom 
 
 we therefore recommend, as such, to favour and respect. 
 B 
 
14 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 4. The manner of executing' their office is with impaiv 
 tiality or simplicity, cheerfulness, compassion, tenderness, 
 and faithfulness, Rom. xii. 8. 
 
 5. They are to be set in the office by ordination, much 
 after the same manner as ministers, Acts vi. 3 — 6. 
 
 6. By the faithful discharge of their office, they purchase 
 to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith, 
 1 Tim. iii. 13. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of Settling a Minister. 
 
 1. A person having been regularly ordained a minister 
 of the Gospel, as we have seen in Chap. II. he is qualified 
 to become a pastor or minister of any destitute church. 
 
 2. This is done in consequence of a call and invitation 
 of some church, and his accepting of the call on tbe terms 
 proposed, or such as they may agree upon. Calling of him 
 to preach, ordaining of him, and his being even a member 
 of said church, is not sufficient. There ought to be a 
 mutual agreement between him and the church, whereby 
 he becomes theirs, and they his. Col. i. 7. 
 
 3. How unanimous a church ought to be in the choice 
 and settlement of a minister, it may be hard to say. On 
 the one hand, a bare, or even a large majority, will not be 
 sufficient, while, on the other hand, an unanimous vote 
 may not always be obtained, and, perhaps, in some cases, 
 may not be absolutely necessary. The more unanimous, 
 however, the better. 
 
 4. The congregation also is not to be neglected in this 
 business. For as their good is to be kept in view, and as 
 part of the support is expected to come from them, it ought 
 to be known, that the person proposed to be settled gives 
 pretty general satisfaction. 1 Tinv iii. 7. 3 John X%- 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 15 
 
 5. In settling a minister, having" appointed a time and 
 place, and invited a council from one or two of the neigh- 
 bouring churches to assist, and to witness the transaction, 
 one of the ministers, after praying and singing, should 
 preach a suitable sermon. Then he, or another of the 
 council, is to put such questions to the minister to be set- 
 tled, and to the representative of the church appointed for 
 that purpose, as will draw from each of them promises to 
 fulfil their respective parts of the covenant and agreement 
 between them, upon which he pronounces him, in the pre- 
 sence of God, and of the whole assembly, to be the pastor 
 and overseer of that church, and said church to be his 
 flock and charge. Then the settled minister and represen- 
 tative of the church give each other the right hand of 
 fellowship, with expressions of mutual joy and congratu- 
 lation. 
 
 6. After this a charge should be delivered to the settled 
 minister, Col. iv. 19. and his church ; and then , prayer, 
 singing, and a benediction, will close the service. 
 
 7. The transactions of the day, and particularly the 
 terms of agreement between the settled minister and the 
 church, should be entered at large on the records of the 
 church. 
 
 8. Some may say, that so much formality in the business, 
 with witnesses, is unnecessary, and that a private agreement 
 between the parties is sufficient. But as a public form of 
 marriage is indispensable ; so the above is expedient and 
 useful, as might be shown were it necessary. 
 
 9. The duties incumbent on the pastor of a church, are 
 many and great, and blessed is he who is found faithful 
 therein. 
 
 19. He is to exercise love, care, tenderness, watchful- 
 ness, and diligence, in all the duties of going before, 
 feeding and defending the flock, the sheep and the lambs, 
 the strong, the weak, and diseased, John xxi. 15, 17. Acts 
 xx^ 29. 1 Pet. v. 2. 2 Jer. iii. 15. He is to preach in season 
 
16 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 and out of season — attend funerals — administer the ordi- 
 nances of baptism and the Lord's supper* — take the lead 
 in church government — visit the flock — particularly the 
 sick- -pray for and with them — catechise the young, and 
 defend the faith ; besides the duties of the closet, of the 
 study, and his frequent calls abroad, to visit and supply the 
 destitute, settle differences, attend at ordinations, associa- 
 tions, &c. &c. 
 
 " And who is sufficient for these things <** 2 Cor. ii. 16, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of Dissolving the Connexion between a Pastor 
 and his Church. 
 
 1. The connexion between a pastor and his church is 
 very binding, not unlike that between man and wife, and, 
 like that, it should not be dissolved for every cause. 
 
 2. A manifest and mater.al breach, however, of the con- 
 tract between them, will justify a separation. 
 
 3. To which we my add one cause more ; i. e. when 
 variance, disagreement, animosity, and ill-will, take place 
 between them, op between him and many of them, to such 
 a degree as to preclude a rational prospect of his future 
 usefulness among them.-j- 
 
 * It has been thought by some, that a minister cannot 
 warrantably administer the ordinance of the Lord's supper 
 in or to a church, wi,ere he is not a member and settled. 
 But why he may not do it occasionally, as persons are ad- 
 mitted to occasional communion, where they are not mem- 
 bers, it is hard to say, when he lias the call of the church 
 to do it. It should seem that the call of the church to an 
 occasional act, must be equivalent to its call to stated acts. 
 
 j See Joshua Thomas's History oi the Baptists in Wales, 
 p. 169. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 17 
 
 4. In this case it will not be very material, as to Che 
 separation, who may be to blame. Nor will a majority, 
 even a pretty large one, in the minister's favour, make it 
 prudent for him to continue, any more than it would jus- 
 tify his first settlement among them, Acts xxii. 18. 
 
 5. As a pastor in such circumstances ought not to stay 
 among them in support of a party, so neither ought he to 
 run away from them, nor yet should they use harsh mea- 
 sures with him : but matters of difference ought to be first 
 accommodated in the best manner they can, that they may 
 part in love so far as may be. 
 
 6. For this purpose, it will be necessary to call a council 
 from a neighbouring church or churches, the very same, if 
 they can be had, as were witnesses of the settlement. 
 
 7. At this meeting, peace and an accommodation of all 
 matters of variance should be laboured after, that tlys 
 pastor maybe dismissed and recommended in as respectful 
 a manner as circumstances will admit, in order that his 
 character may not suffer abroad more than need be, nor 
 his usefulness elsewhere be prevented. 
 
 8. Should the church prove refractory, and in their ill- 
 humour, refuse to give the pastor such a character and 
 dismission as he deserves, the council may and ought to 
 give him, from under their hands, a brief statement of 
 matters in variance, together with their opinion, and such 
 a recommendation as they can answer for to God and their 
 own consciences. 
 
 9. If convenient, public worship may close the meeting. 
 
IS crfUTtCH DISCI PLI 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the Duties of Members to their Pastor. 
 
 1. The members of a church owe all their duties in a 
 way of obedience to the will of God revealed in his word. 
 
 2. These are to be performed in love to our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, Joknxiv. 15, who is the great prophet, priest, and 
 king of his church, unto whom all power in heaven and 
 earth is given, Matt, xxviii. 18 our law-giver, Is. xxxiii, 
 22. the head of his church, Eph. i 22 and who is to be 
 honoured, John v. 23. and obeyed in ail things as God over 
 all, bkssed for ever, Rom. x. 5. 
 
 3. All church members, therefore, are under the strict- 
 est obligations to do and observe whatsoever Christ has 
 enjoined on them, in particular the duties they owe to 
 their ministers. 
 
 4 They ought to pray for them, that God would assist 
 them in, and bless their labours, Eph. vi 19. Col. iv. 3. 
 
 1 Thes. v. 25. 2 Thes. hi 1. Ileb, xiii. 18. and that he 
 would support them under all their trials and afflictions, 
 
 2 Thes. iii. 2. 
 
 5. They ought, to obey them in the exercise of every 
 part of their official authority, according to the word, 
 Heb.xiiL 17. 
 
 6. They ought to treat them with respect and esteem, 
 1 Tim. v. 17. 1 Thes. v. 12, 13. Phil. ii. 29. Gal. iv. 15. 
 
 3 John ix. 10 
 
 7. They ought to stand by them in their trials, afflic- 
 tions, and sufferings, 2 Tim. i. 15. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xvi. 10. 
 1 Tim. v. 19. 
 
 8. They ought to contribute towards their maintenance, 
 that they may apply themselves to the extensive duties of 
 their office, Acts vi. 2, 4. See Confession of Faith, chap, 
 xxvii. £ 10. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 19 
 
 9. Pastors of churches have a divine right to their sup- 
 port, if the church is able to give it without being oppress- 
 ed, or so far as they are able, than which nothing is more 
 manifest in the New Testament. " For the workman is 
 worthy of his meat," Matt, x 10. Luke x. 7. " If we 
 have sown unto you spiritual tilings, is it a great thing if 
 We shall reap your carnal things?" 1 Cor. ix. 11. " Do ye 
 not know, that they who minister about holy things, live of 
 the things of the temple ? and they who wait at the altar, 
 are partakers with the altar ? Even so has the Lord or- 
 dained, that, they who preach the Gospel should live of tlie 
 Gospel," 1 Cor. ix 13, 14. '* Let him that is taught in the 
 word, communicate unto him that teaches in all good 
 things," Gal. vi, 6. See 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. 
 
 10. These passages of holy writ are so uncc/uivocal and 
 express, that no one can evade their force. 
 
 11. Mr. Hooker well observes, that " they, who will not 
 pay their ministers, would not ♦ iy any one his due, could 
 they refuse with the same, temporal impunity." Every 
 one knows, that those;, who will not do justice, farther 
 than the law compels them, are destitute of an honest 
 principle. 
 
 12. Nothing but ignorance of his duty, or covetoiisness 
 and want of principle, or both, can induce to neglect or 
 refuse paying; ana a covetous brother should be expelled 
 the church, and kept no company with, 1 Cor. v. U. 
 
 13. When a people neglect their duty in regard to the 
 support of their minister, they are not only wilful neglecters 
 of the divine law, but must otherwise be great losers, both 
 as they forfeit a right to the divine blessing, as also because 
 their minister will be less capable of, and prevented from, 
 serving them to the same advantage, Gal. vi. 6, 7. 2 Cor. 
 ix. 6—3. 
 
 14- This support of the minister should not be done in 
 the way of charity, or aims, but as a matter of right; and, 
 i* the people are able, it ought to exceed his bare necess^ 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ty, that he may be able to be exemplary in acts of hospi- 
 tality, 1 Tim. ill- 2. 
 
 15. If any church and congregation are not able to give 
 their minister a comfortable support, but are willing to do 
 what they can towards it, it will perhaps be duty, at least 
 very commendable, in the minister, to forego a part of his 
 right, rather than leave them, and apply himself to some 
 business to make up their deficiency, 1 Cor. ix. 12. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Duties of Members towards each other. 
 
 The principal of these are the following : 
 
 1. Love one another, John xiii. 34, 35. xv. 12, 17. Rom, 
 xii. 9, 10. xiii. 8—10. Gal. v. 15. 1 Pet. i. 22. 
 
 2. Avoid every thing that tends to cool love, and make 
 disagreeable impressions, Gal. v. 26. In order to this, 
 they should avoid whispering and backbiting, 2 Cor. xii. 
 20. Evil speaking and surmising, James iv. 11. 1 Tim. vi« 
 4. tattling- and being busy-bodies, 1 Tim. v. 13. 
 
 3. No one should indulge shyness in him self towards an- 
 other, but immediate!) make known to the other his griev- 
 ance and suspicion : and when he discovers shyness in 
 another, he should inquire after the reason of it, Matt. v. 
 23, 24. Eph. iv. 26. 
 
 4. Bear with one another, Matt, xviii. 21, 22. Rom. xv. 
 1. Gal. vi. 2. 
 
 5. Promote peace and harmony, Eph. iv. 3. Rom. fch 
 19. 1 Thes. v. 13. 
 
 6. Advance one another's spiritual benefit and edification , 
 1 Cor. xiv. 26. 
 
 7 Watch over one another for good, and admonish one 
 another, when occasion requires, but in much love and 
 venderness, Rom, xv. 11. 2 Thes. iii> 15* 
 
CHURCH DISC4PLLNE. 21 
 
 8. Exhort and stir up one another to a diligent attend- 
 ance on the means of grace, Heb. x. 25. Acts ii. 42. 
 
 9. Stir up one another to zeal in holy living, and in sup- 
 porting the Cospel. 
 
 10. Should not divulge what is done in church meetings, 
 Cant. iv. 11. It is a shame to divulge the secrets of a 
 family, much more those of a church. 
 
 11. Relieve the necessities of the poor, Matt. xxv. 40. 
 John xii. 8. Rom. xii. 13. xv. 26. Gal. ii 10. Deut. xv, 
 7, 11. 1 Cor, xvi. 1, 2. 1 John iii. 17- There is no good 
 reason, however, can be given, why a church should refuse 
 the assistance, which the ^ood and wholesome laws of the 
 land offer : But the deacons ought to agree with the over- 
 seer of the poor at so much a year, and then find a place 
 near the mee r ing house, where they will be taken good 
 *>are of and live comfortably, and if the deacon must give 
 more than he receives from the overseer, let the church 
 make up the difference. 
 
 12. The church should also assist such as are not so help- 
 less or needy as to be put on the town, yet may stand in 
 need of assistance at times, especially when some accidents 
 have befallen them. 
 
 13. In the last place they should not go to law with one 
 another, if matters can be accommodated in the church, or 
 by reference, 1 Cor vi. 1 — 7. It is true, the circumstances 
 of the church being so materially altered now, from wha* 
 they were in the apostolic day, may be thought to render 
 the reason of the injunction in the above text less forcible ; 
 yet the mode of reference is at any time more eligible, not 
 only from prudential considerations, but as being more 
 friendly and kind, and, in some instances, more just. For, 
 although the law always has justice in view, yet justice is 
 not always within its reach, of which a Christian should 
 never take advantage against any one, not to say a brother. 
 But by leave of the church, recourse may be had to th-e 
 civil law. 
 
23 (.'IIUUCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of Admission of Members. 
 
 1. We have already observed, p. 10. that every particular 
 church lias full power and authority, to transact all its own 
 affairs, for its well being, independent of any other church, 
 or combination of churches. 
 
 2. The chief part of church power, exercised under 
 Christ, and according to the rules of the Gospel, is versant 
 about four things : the choice of their own officers, the 
 admission of members, governing of them, and finally their 
 exclusion, when they prove unworthy of a place in the 
 house of God. Rom. xiv. 1. Acts ii. 41. 1 Cor. v. 13. 
 
 3. Admission is either out of the world, or from other 
 churches. 
 
 4. When persons are wrought upon and turned to the 
 Lord, under a real work of conviction and conversion, it 
 will be their duty to offer themselves for baptism, and give 
 themselves members of some Gospel church that may be 
 near them, with whom they may walk in fellowship, and 
 enjoy the privileges of the house of God, appointed for 
 their nourishment and growth in grace. Acts ii. 38. Is. 
 xliv. 5. lvi. 6. 2 Cor. viii. 5. 
 
 5. To this end, it will be proper for the candidate to 
 acquaint the minister or pastor beforehand of his design; 
 which is commonly done, that the minister, after conversing 
 freely with him, may either encourage or discourage. 
 
 6. There is no doubt, but that every Gospel minister has 
 a right, in virtue of the commission, to baptise all such 
 meet subjects, as apply to him for baptism, and afterward 
 the church may receive them on the testimony of said 
 minister, or on their giving in their religious experience. 
 
 7. Rut, since the church has a right to obtain full know- 
 ledge of the experience, religious principles, and moral 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. ~o 
 
 conduct of those that offer themselves for membership ; 
 and forasmuch as it is edifying-, and tends to excite and 
 increase Christian fellowship, to hear persons declare what 
 the Lord has done for them, Psalm lxvi 16. ; and also, as 
 it may be of use to administer the holy ordinance of baptism 
 in a more open and public way; it will be better for per- 
 sons to be examined in the first instance before the church, 
 either on the day of preparation before communion, or at 
 any other time, and then baptised. 
 
 8. The prerequisites for baptism and admission into the 
 church are, godly experience, soundness in the faith, and 
 a regular life. 
 
 9. Knowledge of the first will be best obtained, byfetti ig 
 persons declare, in their own way, the gracious dealings of 
 the Lord with them, such questions being put occasionally 
 as wili assist and lead them on. 1 Peter iii. 15. The se- 
 cond should be confined to the essentials of religion. Rom. 
 xiv. 1. xr. 7. And we attend to the last, as the necessary 
 fruit, without which, their pretension to religion must be 
 vain. Titus ii. 12, 14. iii. 8. 
 
 10. In admitting persons to baptism, and then into the 
 church, all precaution should be attended to, and careful- 
 ness used, that we open not the doors too wide on the one 
 hand, nor on the other keep them too close. Zech. iv. 10. 
 Matt. xii. 20. Isaiah xxvi. 1 — 6. Particularly, when they 
 give in their religious experience, seek to discover, whether 
 they have been convinced of righteousness, as well as of 
 sin ; whether they have only felt the power of the law, or 
 have also discovered the glory of the Gospel. John xvi. 8. 
 
 11. When the church is pretty generally satisfied with 
 the parties' confession und conversation, they are, after be- 
 ing baptised, to be received into tke church as members 
 
 12. In doing this, the minister, after a brief introduction, 
 inquires whether they will watch and be watched over, 
 give and receive admonition and reproof as occasion may 
 require, keep vh^iv nbcesinthe church, contribute accord- 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ing to their abilities towards all necessary uses, and in all 
 things walk in a professed and willing subjection to the 
 commands and institutions of Christ in the Gospel : the 
 which having promised, he gives them the right hand of 
 fellowship, bids them a welcome among the disciples, prays, 
 and gives out a suitable hymn. 2 Cor. viii. 5- Acts ii.41. 
 2 Cor. vi. 14. Those who practise laying on of hands will 
 know when to introduce it. 
 
 13. If the ease of the applicant be pretty doubtful, his 
 baptism, and consequently admission, had better be defer- 
 red : but this should be done with mucli tenderness and 
 suitable encouragement, when there are some hopeful ap- 
 pearances. 
 
 14 Persons are sometimes admitted from oilier churches 
 to transient and occasional communion, without transferring 
 their membership, and this may be done without letters of 
 recommendation, when they are known, but not otherwise. 
 Acts xviii. 27. Rom. xvi. 1, 2. Col. iv. 10 
 
 15. When any member's residence is, in Providence, re- 
 moved to a distance from the church whereof he is a mem- 
 ber, and more convenient to attend with another church 
 of the same futh, he ought to apply to the church of which 
 he is a member, for a letter recommendatory and dismissive 
 to the chyrch more contiguous to him, and the church 
 whereof he is a member ought to give him such a letter, if 
 he is in good standing among them, directed to the church 
 to which he is dismissed, and said church ought to receive 
 him, unless they should have good reason to refuse. Rom. 
 xvi. 1. Acts ix. 2f>, 27. xviii. 27. 
 
 16 Tt is a good general rule, that persons ought to be 
 members of such churches as are nearest to them; for they 
 cannot otherwise so well enjoy the benefit of membership, 
 nor perform the duties that arise out of church relation. 
 
 17- There may be, however, cas? s that will make against 
 this rule, particularly when persons plead greater benefit 
 to themselves in a church more remote ; and they ought 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 2o 
 
 to be attended to, provided the other church be not too 
 remote ; for edification is the first object of church relation, 
 and their entering into the relation at first was a voluntary 
 act ; nor should a church be made a prison of, wherein to 
 confine people against their will. 
 
 18. It is certain there can be no dismission to the world ; 
 and it is doubted, whether it would be regular for a church 
 to dismiss to another church, with which it can hold no 
 communion : but in this case it may give a few lines, signi- 
 fying the person's character and standing with them. 
 
 19 When a person offers, who is a member of a church 
 differing in faith and order, then, satisfaction is to be re- 
 quired touching the points in difference. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of Church Censures. 
 
 1. Client -h censures are properly but two ; admonition or 
 rebuke, and excommunication ; for suspension, in most 
 cases, is rather a delay or postponement of censure. 
 
 2. Admonition and rebuke are nearly synonymous. The 
 first is of the nature of advice, entreaty, warning, 1 Cor. x. 
 11. Acts xxvii. 9. 2 Thes. iii. 15. 1 Tim. v. 1. Tit. iii. 
 10. The other carries in it more of reprehension, severity, 
 and authority, Levit. xix. 17. Lukexix. 39. 2 Tim. iv. 2. 
 Tit. ii. 15. 
 
 3. Admonition or rebuke is either private or public. 
 
 4 Private admonition is when the offence, whether 
 against God, or more especially against a particular person, 
 is private and not much known, Rom. xv. 14. Luke 
 xvii. 3. 
 
 5. In this case, the offended brother is not to divulge 
 the matter, but to go to the offender, and endeavour in a 
 tender, friendly manner, to convince and reclaim his bro- 
 C 
 
26 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ther. If he succeeds, and the offending- brother 1 shows 
 signs of repentance, and promises amendment, the matter 
 is to end there. But if not, the offended brother is to take 
 one or two of the brethren with him, such as he shall j udge 
 most likely to gain on his brother. If this admonition also 
 should take no effect, the matter is to be brought before 
 the church, Matt, xviii. 15 — 17. 
 
 5. This rule holds good, let the offence be of ever so 
 heinous a nature, provided it be private. 
 
 6. When it is brought before the church, after the 
 charge is proved, should he deny it, the minister is to ad- 
 monish, and endeavour in the spirit of meekness to reclaim 
 the offender, 1 Tim. v. 20. Tit. i. 13. Should this prove 
 ineffectual, and the offender continue obstinate and impe- 
 nitent, the church is to proceed to higher acts of censure, 
 and, in some cases, if he is penitent, as we shall see in the 
 17th verse, Matt, xviii. 17. 
 
 8. Should any private matter be brought into the church, 
 before the previous steps have beea taken, the person that 
 brings it in ought to be severely reproved and admonished, 
 and that publicly before the church, for his irregular and 
 injurious conduct therein: yet, nevertheless, the church 
 must now take it in hand, forasmuch as it will then be no 
 longer private, but will require public satisfaction. 
 
 9. Public admonition, or rebuke, also takes place in regard 
 to public offences, of a less heinous nature, but unseemly 
 in Christians, and unworthy of their vocation, Rom. xiv. 22. 
 Matt. v. 22. 1 Cor. viii. 12. 
 
 10. Suspension is to be used, when a person, under the 
 first admonition or rebuke in the church, proves incorrigi- 
 ble. For, since there is to be a second admonition, Titus 
 iii. 10. he ought, while we are waiting to see the effects of 
 the first, to be put under suspension, and debarred the pri- 
 vileges of the church, Rev. ii. 21. 
 
 11. When a charge is brought into the church against a 
 person, if he denies it, and witnesses are not at hand, or. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 27 
 
 some other circumstances make it inconvenient for the 
 present to discuss the matter, it will be necessary to lay 
 him, in the mean time, under suspension from the Lord's 
 table, until the matter can come to a hearing 1 , Lev. chap- 
 ters XIII XIV. 
 
 12. Suspension is also used, when the offence is not suf- 
 ficiently great, or is not yet ripe for the great sentence of 
 excommunication. Such is not to be accounted as an ene- 
 my, but to be exhorted as a brother ; in union, though not 
 in communion. 2 Thes. Hi. 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15. 
 
 13. To the above three cases, wherein suspension is to 
 take place, we may add a fourth, and that is, when a person 
 is called in question for some high misdemeanor, for which 
 he ought to be excommunicated, it is thought, that if there 
 are strong signs of genuine repentance, the infliction of the 
 sentence ought to be dispensed with, yet nevertheless, the 
 guilty person ought to be suspended from communion for 
 a time, as a testimony of the church's indignation against 
 every species of wickedness, and in vindication of the 
 honour and glory of God. Thus the Lord appointed con- 
 cerning Miriam, that she should be shut out of the camp 
 seven days, and then received in again. Numb. xii. 14, 15- 
 
 14. The last and highest act of church censure is excom- 
 munication, to which recourse must be had, when previous 
 censures have not their due effect, in bringing persons 
 dealt with to repentance, provided the matters for which 
 they are under dealing, with the circumstances of aggra- 
 vation during the course of said dealing, manifestly involve 
 immorality or heresy.* 
 
 15. Acts of immorality include not only the particulars 
 of the decalogue, but also the commands, appointments, 
 institutions, and ordinances contained in the New Testa- 
 ment : for a breach of any positive injunction, or require- 
 
 * It is thought that Matt, xviii. 17. 1 Cor. v. 3, 5. refer 
 not to excommunication. 
 
28 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ment of divine authority, must involve in vit a breach of 
 morality. 
 
 16. There should be care taken, however, not to make 
 forced constructions of implicit immoral )iy, as for instance, 
 to charge a person with transgressing- the rule in Heb. x. 
 25. and breach of covenant, because he neglects his place, 
 attends worship elsewhere, and perhaps with those of a 
 different persuasion, but pleads greater edification, and, 
 perhaps, conscience,* lest we should act the part of Dio- 
 trephes. 3 John 10. 
 
 17. When a member is found guilty of some gross act of 
 immorality, and which is notorious and scandalous, the 
 church should proceed to this censure in the first place, 
 without the previous steps of admonition and reproof, in 
 order to vindicate the credit of their holy profession, and 
 to manifest their abhorrence of such abomination, 1 Cor. v. 
 1, 7, 13. 1 Tim. v. 24. 
 
 18. Such as are heretical in their principles, denying 
 some essential doctrine, or holding and teaching such as 
 may be unfounded and scandalous, come under the notice 
 of this ordinance, Gal i. 6, 7. compared with chap. v. 12. 
 1 Tim. i. 10,20. vi. 3— 5. 2 Tim. ii. 16-18. Rev. ii. 
 14, 15, 20. 2 Cor. ii. 6. 
 
 19. The charge being sufficiently proved in the opinion 
 of the church, and they having determined on the person's 
 exclusion, and set the time for that purpose, the minister is 
 to lay open the heinousness of the crime, with the aggra- 
 vating circum stances thereof, and the scandal such an one 
 is become to religion ; he is to apply the particular places 
 of scripture, that may be pertinent to the case, in order to 
 charge the offence home on the conscience of the offender, 
 if present, and that others also may fear; he is to open 
 the nature and end of the censure, expressing the solemn 
 
 * See Dr. Owen on the nature of a Gospel Church, p. 
 109, 225. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 29 
 
 sense of himself mid church on this awful occasion ; and then 
 he is, in the presence of the church, to cut off and seclude 
 such an offender by name from the union and communion 
 of the church> so that he is not, henceforth, to be looked 
 upon, deemed or accounted a brother, or a member of such 
 a church, until God shall restore him again by repentance, 
 for which they pray. 
 
 20. This exclusion is an authoritative putting of such a 
 person out of the church, to keep it pure, and in order to 
 his being- humbled and broken under a sight and sense of 
 his sins, and where there are signs of this, he ought to be 
 restored, 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 21. When a person about to be excommunicated judges 
 himself aggrieved by party influence or otherwise, he has 
 a. right to insist on a council being called from a neigh- 
 bouring church or churches, and the church ought to agree 
 to it, and allow him the choice of one half of the council. 
 
 22. If the church should refuse to call in a council, and 
 cut the person off, or should they do it contrary to the ad- 
 vice of the council, the person aggrieved may lay a state- 
 ment of his case before the Association, who may appoint a 
 council, and if the church should refuse to admit of a 
 rehearing before said council, or should refuse to abide by 
 the decision of the council, the Association may bring said 
 church under dealing, and, if the church continues obsti- 
 nate, a neighbouring church may receive the aggrieved 
 person into their communion* . 
 
 23. In transacting church business, it is not to be expect- 
 ed that unanimity will always prevail : Some will, at times, 
 be in the minority. These have sometimes taken offence, 
 and declined keeping their places in the church for awhile. 
 This is very wrong and irregular. For suppose a church 
 does ever so wrong, yet any individual, after bearing his 
 
 * See the Confession of Faith, Chap. XXVII. § 15. Also, 
 teacti's Glory of a true Church, p. 18. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 testimony against it, lias done his duty, and cleared hia 
 conscience, and ought therefore to keep his place, except 
 in case of material defection from the faith. It has been 
 thought by good men, that our Lord communed with Judas, 
 though lie knew at the time what he was. 
 
 24. Although a church may refuse a person when he 
 offers for membership, if they have good cause to suspect 
 that he is not truly religious, yet they have no right to 
 exclude him afterward, upon the like suspicion. They 
 may at first judge in his favour, but cannot afterwards 
 reverse the sentence. Excommunication is only for immo- 
 rality or heresy. As for their dying away, or seeming to 
 die away in religion, the rule is, " Let them grow together 
 until the harvest," Matt. xiii. 30. 
 
 25. There ought to be meetings of business every month, 
 two months, or quarterly, and not do all their business on 
 days of preparation, lest something should happen that 
 might discompose the minds of some, and so unfit them for 
 the holy communion next day. 
 
 26. Every church should keep a book of records, and 
 enter therein all their transactions, that it may at any time 
 afterwards be known what was done, and 'now it was done. 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. SI 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of the Fellowship, and Communion of Churches 
 
 1. Churches of the same faith and Gospel order, so fa 
 as is necessary to communion ; as they have all drank intc 
 and of one and the same spirit ; as they are branches oi 
 one and the same body, and hold to one and the same 
 head ; and as they have one Lord, one faith, and one bap- 
 tism : they therefore may, and ought to have and enjoy 
 fellowship and a friendly intercourse together, as occasion 
 may require and opportunity serve, in the discharge of 
 those relative duties, which may tend to the mutual be- 
 nefit and edification of the whole- 1 Cor. xii. 13. Eph. iv. 
 5. John xvii. 20—26. To mention a few. 
 
 2. They should be ready to assist one another, when 
 required, in difficult cases. 
 
 ;>. Such as have ministerial gifts to spare, should be 
 ready and willing to supply such as may be destitute. 
 Cant. viii. 8. 
 
 4. Admit one another's members, of regular standing, tb 
 transient communion, when opportunity may serve. 
 
 5. Dismiss and receive members to and from one 
 another. 
 
 6. They should assist one another with money, as well 
 as advice, if need be, and in general perform all acts of 
 kindness towards each other, as neighbouring, though 
 distinct families, or branches of the one great family and 
 household of faith. 
 
 7. And lastly, they have fellowship and communion to- 
 gether, for their mutual benefit, in the social duties of an 
 association. 
 
32 CHURCH DISCIPLINE, 
 
 * 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Of an Association. 
 
 1. As Association consists of delegates, or messengers, 
 from different particular churches, who have agreed to 
 associate together, at stated times, to promote their own 
 interest and the good of the common cause. 
 
 2. This practice is recommended by the reason of things, 
 the spirit of religion, and apostolic practice, Acts xv. 
 
 3. The meeting thus of churches by their delegates is 
 of special use ; to gain acquaiatance with, and knowledge 
 of one another — to preserve uniformity in faith and practice, 
 Phil. iii. 16. — to detect and discountenance heresies — to 
 curb licentiousness in the wanton abuse of church power — 
 to afford assistance and advice in all difficult cases — to 
 contribute pecuniary aid when* necessary — to make appoint- 
 ments of supplies for destitute churches — and every way 
 advance and secure the interest of religion, and strengthen 
 and draw closer the bonds of union and fellowship, 
 
 4. Other churches, besides those that enter at the original 
 constitution, may be admitted, on making application, and 
 giving satisfactory evidence in regard to their faith and 
 practice, regular order and good standing. 
 
 5. The delegates thus assembled are, properly speaking, 
 only an advisory council. They are not armed with coer- 
 cive power, to compel the churches to submit to their 
 decisions ; nor have they any control over the acts or 
 doings of the- churches. Every church still remains in- 
 dependent. 
 
 6. Nevertheless, the associated body may exclude from 
 their connexion any church that may act an unworthy part. 
 This our association did some years ago, as also, virtually, 
 last association. Indeed, it would be absurd to examine 
 churches at their admission, if afterward they are to be 
 
CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 33 
 
 continued in the connexion, let their principles and practice 
 be what they may, see Chap. X. ver. 22 vide also Confes- 
 sion of Faith, Chap. XXVII. § 15. Our late Discipline, p. 
 61. Dr. Oweu on the Nature of a Gospel Church, p. 254. 
 
 7. Let it not. be thought, that this power of the associa- 
 tion over the churches in connexion with it, disannul: 
 destroys the independence of those churches ; for if any 
 church of the associated body should become unsound in 
 their principles, or act irregularly and disorderly, and will 
 not do what may be just and right ; such a church will 
 still remain an independent church, though an heterodox 
 and irregular one ; but it would be inconsistent and wrong 
 in the association, to suffer such a church to continue 
 among them, since, besides other confederations, they 
 would hereby become partakers of their evil deeds. The 
 association can take nothing from them but what it gave 
 them. This, in such circumstances, it certainly may and 
 ought to do. 
 
 8. From what we have said, as well as from considering, 
 that the union of churches in an association, is a voluntary 
 act, a voluntary union or confederation, like the voluntary 
 confederation of members into a church, it follows that 
 every church stands in the same relation to its association, 
 as a member does to his church, and therefore is examined 
 in the same manner on admission. Hence, 
 
 9. Complaints maybe received by the association against 
 any church belonging to it, especially when the complaint 
 is brought in by another church Hence also, 
 
 10. The association has a right to call any delinquent 
 church to account, whether for a wanton abuse of its power 
 towards or over any of its members, neglect of attendance 
 at the association, disregard of those things recommended 
 to them, or any material defect in principle, or practice ; 
 and if satisfactory reasons are not given therefor, nor re- 
 formation, then feo exclude them. 
 
34 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 11. At the first formation of an association, or afterwards, 
 there should be a set of rules, conditions and regulations 
 drawn up, as the ground on which the churches agree to 
 associate together. 
 
 12. For the maintenance of good order, the associated 
 body when met, should choose a Moderator, to regulate, 
 and bring forward what is to come before them, and to 
 preside in their deliberations ; as also a Clerk, to take 
 minutes of their proceedings. 
 
 $m £A». 
 

 

; 
 
 A.NUAI 
 
 
 Wittl