d

с

ence unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, they and their children with them, are, and may be called the visible Catholic Church of Christ, although as such it is not intrusted with any officers to rule or govern over the whole body."

b 1 Cor. 12; Col. 2: 19; c 1 Tim. 1: 19, 20. d 2 Tim. 2 19; Tit. 1: 16. e1 Cor. 7: 14; Acts, 2: 39; Ezek. 16: 20, 21; Rom. 11: 16; Gen. 177. f 1 Cor. 12: 12, 13; Rom. 15: 9, 10, 12.

g Eph. 4: 8, 11, 12;

Rom. 12 6, 7, 8; 1 Cor. 12: 28, 29, 30.

III.

h

The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error, and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan: Nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a visible kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.

k

h 1 Cor. 13: 12; Rev. 2d and 3d chapters; Matt. 13: 24 to 30, 42. i Rev. 28: 2; Rom. 11: 18 to 23. k Matt. 16 18; Psal. 72: 17, and 102 28; Matt. 28: 19, 20.

IV.

There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition that

m

exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." 1 Col. 1: 18; Eph. 1:22. Thes. 2: 3, 4, 8, 9; Rev. 13: 6.

ལ.

m Matt. 23: 8, 9, 10; 2

n

As the Lord, in his care and love towards his Church, hath in his infinite wise providence, exercised it with great variety in all ages, for the good of them that love him, and his own glory; so according to his promise, we expect that in the latter days, Antichrist being destroyed, the Jews called, and the adversaries of the kingdom of his dear Son broken; the churches of Christ, being enlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace, shall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable, and glorious condition than they have enjoyed.

n Acts, 7 1 to 51, and 14: 22, and 8: 1, with 9: 31. • 2 Thes. 2: 8, 9, 10; Rev. 18: 2, 4, 21, and 17: 16. p Rom. 10: 1, and 11: 23 to 32. m Psal. 110: 1, and 2 : 9. r Isa. 11:9; Joel, 2: 28, 29; Isa. 2: 2, 3, 4; Mic. 4: 3; Psal. 87; 2 to end; Dan. 7: 27.

CHAP. XXVII.

OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.

I.

a

ALL saints that are united to Jesus Christ their head by his Spirit and faith, although they are not made thereby one person with him, have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory and being united to one another in love, they have communion in each others' gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.d

с

a Col. 1: 18, 19; 1 Cor. 8: 6; Isa. 42:8; 1 Tim. 6: 15, 16; Psal. 45: 7, with Heb. 1: 8, 9. b 1 John, 13; Eph. 3 16 to 19; John, 1: 16; Eph. 2:5, 6; Phil. 3: 10; Rom. 6 5, 6; 2 Tim. 2: 12. Eph. 415, 16; 1 Cor. 12: 7, and 3: 21, 22, 23; Col. 2: 19. d1 Thes. 5 11, 14; Rom. 1: 11, 12, 14; Gal. 6 10.

II.

1 John, 316, 17, 18;

All saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification, as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities:

which communion, though especially to be exercised by them for the relations in which they stand, whether in families or in churches, yet as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.g

e Heb. 10: 24, 25; Acts, 2: 42, 46; Isa. 2: 3; 1 Cor. 2:20. f Eph. 6:2, 4, 5, 9, and 5: 22 to 26; 1 Tim. 5 : 8; Gal. 6: 10. g Acts, 2: 44, 45; 1 John, 3: 17; 2 Cor. 8th and 9th chapters; Acts, 11: 29, 30.

CHAP. XXVIII.

OF THE SACRAMENTS.

b

a

I.

SACRAMENTS are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by Christ, to represent him and his benefits, and to confirm our interest in him, and solemnly to engage us to the service of God in Christ, according to his Word.d

a Rom. 4: 11; Gen. 17: 7, 10. b Matt. 28: 19; 1 Cor. 11: 23. c1 Cor. 10: 16, and 11: 25, 26. d Rom. 6: 3, 4; 1 Cor. 10:16, 21.

II.

There is in every Sacrament a spiritual relation or sacramental union between the sign, and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass

that the names and effects of the one are attrib

uted to the other.e

e Gen. 17: 10; Matt. 26 27, 28; Tit. 3: 5.

III.

The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them, neither doth the efficacy of the sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it, but upon the work of the Spirit, and the Word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.h

f Rom. 2: 28, 29; 1 Pet. 3:21. g Matt. 3: 11; 1 Cor. 12: 13. h Matt. 26: 27, 28, and 28: 19. 20.

IV.

There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord, in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully called.i

n Matt. 28: 19; 1 Cor. 11: 20, 23, and 4: 1; Heb. 5:4.

V.

The Sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were for substance the same with those of the New.

k1 Cor. 10: 1, 2, 3, 4