sword, for defence and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment of evil doers. 2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto; in the management whereof, as they ought especially to maintain (2 Sam. xxiii. 3; Psal. lxxxii. 3, 4) justice and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each kingdom, and commonwealth; so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament (Luke iii. 14) wage war, upon just and necessary occasions. 3. Civil magistrates being set up by God, for the ends aforesaid, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, (Rom. xiii. 5, 6, 7; 1 Pet. ii. 17) but for conscience' sake; and we ought to make supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2) that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.1 1 [This paragraph is not found in the West. and Savoy Confessions. (See Art. 48, Conf. of 1646.) Instead of it, the divines of the Savoy affirm the following important sentiments: Although the magistrate is bound to encourage, promote, and protect the professors and profession of the gospel, and to manage and order civil administrations in a due subserviency to the interest of Christ in the world; and to that end to take care that men of corrupt minds and conversation do not licentiously publish and divulge blasphemy and errors, in their own nature subverting the faith, and inevitably destroying the souls of them that receive them; yet in such differences about the doctrines of the gospel, or ways of the worship of God, as may befall men exercising a good concience, manifesting it in their conversation, and holding the founda- CHAP. XXV. Of marriage. 1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; (Gen. ii. 24; Mal. ii. 15; Matt. xix. 5, 6) 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 (Gen. ii. 18) of husband and wife, (Gen. i. 28) for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and for (1 Cor. vii. 2, 9) preventing of uncleanness. 3. It is lawful for (Heb. xiii. 4; 1 Tim. iv. 3) all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent; yet it is the duty of Christians (1 Cor. vii. 39) to marry [only] in the Lord; and therefore such as profess the true religion should not marry with infidels, (Neh. xiii. 25, 26, 27) or idolators; neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy. 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity (Lev. xviii.) or affinity, forbidden in the word; nor can such incestuous marriage ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, (Matt. vi. 18; 1 Cor. v. 1) so as those persons may live together as man and wife. CHAP. XXVI. 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 (Heb. xii. 23; Col. 2 ["And of the church with an holy seed." West. and Savoy Conf.] i. 18; Eph. i. 20, 22, 23, and ch. v. 23, 27, 32) number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; 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 gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, (1 Cor. i. 2; Acts xi. 26) are and may be called visible saints; (Rom. i. 7; Eph. i. 20, 21, 22) and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted." 3. The purest churches under heaven are subject (1 Cor. xv.; Rev. ii. and ch. iii.) to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become (Rev. xviii. 2; 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12) no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a (Matt xvi. 8; Psal. lxxii. 17, and cii. 28; Rev. xii. 17) kingdom,* in this world to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make professions of his name. 4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church," in whom, by the appointment of the Father, (Col. i. 18; Matt. xxviii. 18, 19, 20; Eph. iv. 21, 22) all power for the calling, institution, order, or government 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 (2 Thess. ii. 2-9) [no other] than antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 5. In the execution of this power wherewith he is so entrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto himself, through the ministry of his word, by his Spirit, (John x. 16, ch. xii. 32) those that are given unto him by his Father, that they may walk before him in all the (Matt. xxviii. 20) ways of obedience, which he prescribeth to them in his word. Those thus called, he commandeth to walk together in particular societies, or (Matt. xviii. 15-20) 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 (Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. 1, 2) saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ; and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another, by the will of God, (Acts ii. 41, 42; ch. v. 13, 14; 2 Cor. ix. 13) in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. 7. To each of these churches thus gathered, according to his mind declared in his word, he hath given all that (Matt. xviii. 17, 18; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, with v. 13; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8) power and authority, which is any way needful, for their carrying on that order in worship, and discipline, which he hath instituted for them to observe, with commands and rules for the due and right exerting and executing of that power. 8. A particular church gathered, and completely organized, according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers, and members and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered) for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which he entrusts them with or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are (Acts xx. 17, with v. 28; Phil. i. 1) bishops or elders, and deacons.6 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 the church is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common (Acts xiv. 23; see the original) suffrage of the church itself; and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the (1 Tim. iv. 14) eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein: and of a deacon, (Acts vi. 3, 5, 6) that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands. 10. The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, (Acts vi. 4; Heb. xiii. 17) 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 due respect, (1 Tim. v. 17, 18; Gal. vi. 6, 7) 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 (2 Tim. ii. 4) entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising (1 Tim. iii. 2) hospitality towards others; and this is required by the (1 Cor. ix. 6-14) law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained, that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 11. 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 preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them, but that others also, (Acts xi. 19, 20, 6 ["Are pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons." Savoy Conf.] 7 [This paragraph is not found in the Savoy Conf.] |