II. Saints, by profession, 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, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. III. This communion which the saints have with Christ, doth one another, even as also ye do. Ver. 14. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. Rom. i. 11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; Ver. 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Ver. 14. I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. 1 John iii. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Ver. 17. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Ver. 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. Gal. vi. 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. II. d Heb. x. 24. And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works: Ver. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Acts ii. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. Ver. 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Isa. ii. 3. And many people shall go. and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk, in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 1 Cor. xi. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. Acts ii. 44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Ver. 45. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 1 John iii. 17. [See in letter. 2 Cor. Chapters viii. and ix.] Acts xi. 29. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea: Ver. 30. Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. III. f Col doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of his Godhead, or to be equal with Christ in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and possessions 8. CHẠP. XXVII. Of the Sacraments. SACRAMENTS are holy signs and seals of the covenant grace, immediately instituted by God, to repre III. f Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. Ver. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. 1 Cor. viii. 6. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Isa. xlii. 8. I am the Lord, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 1 Tim. vi. 15. Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Ver. 16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. Psal. xlv. 7. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with theoil of gladness above thy fellows. With Heb. i. 8. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the scep sent tre of thy kingdom: Ver. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Exod. xx. 15. Thou shalt not steal. Eph. iv. 28. Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Acts v. 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. I. a Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not cir.. cumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Ver. 10. [See below in letter f.] b Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye there G6 fore ) sent Christ and his benefits, and to confirm our interest in him; as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the church and the rest of the worldd; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to his words. II. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other f. fore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. xi. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. 1 Cor. x. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 1 Cor. xi. 25. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Ver. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. * Gal. iii, 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Gal. iii. 17. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. d Rom. xv. 8. Now I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, confirm the promises made unto the fathers. Exod. xii. 48. And when a stranger shall sojourn to III. The with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. Gen. xxxiv. 14. And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us. Rom. vi. 3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized. into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Ver. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 1 Cor. x. 16. [See in letter C.] Ver. 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. II. f Gen. xvii. 10. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; Every man-child among you shall be circumcised. Mat. xxvi. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it: Ver. 28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Tit iii. 5. Not by works of righ teousness, III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments, rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it, but upon the work of the Spirith, and the word of institution; which contains, together with a precept authorising the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers. IV. There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ ✓ our Lord in the gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord; neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the word, lawfully ordained *. 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 New1. teousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. III. & Rom. ii. 28. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: Ver. 29. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. 1 Pet. iii. 21. The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. h Mat. iii. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall bapțize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or CHAP. free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. i Mat. xxvi. 27, 28. [See in letter f.] Mat. xxviii. 19. [See in letter b.] Ver. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. IV. k Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. xi. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. Ver. 28. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. 1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. V. 11 Cor. x. 1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, CHAP. XXVIII. Of Baptism. BAPTISM is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christd, of regeneration, of remission of sins', and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the worldh. ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; Ver. 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; Ver. 3. And did all eat the same spiritual meat; Ver. 4. And did all drink the same spiritual drink: (for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.) I. a Mat. xxviii. 19. [See letter k of the foregoing, Chapter.] b1 Cor. xii. 18. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. II. The who hath raised him from the dead. d Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Rom. vi. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. f Mark i. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Rom. iv. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circum-raised up from the dead by the cised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. With Col. ii. 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Ver. 12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God, & Rom. vi. 3. Know ye not, that' so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Ver. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. h Mat. xxviii. 19. [See in letter k foregoing Chapter.] Ver. 20. Teaching them to observe all things what-. soever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. II. i Mata |