21 ; 1 Pet. iv. 20, 21) 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 themselves 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 (1 Thess. v. 14; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15) under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule of Christ.

13. 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 any church order, or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church or administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ, (Matt. xviii. 15, 16, 17; Eph. iv. 2, 3) in the further proceeding of the church.

14. As each church, and all the members of it, are bound to (Eph. vi. 18; Psal. cxxii. 6) 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 and graces) so the churches (when planted by the providence of God so as they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it) ought to hold (Rom. xvi. 1, 2: 3 John 9, 10) communion amongst themselves for their peace, increase of love, and mutual edification.

15. In cases of difficulties 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 injured, in or by any proceedings in censures not

8 ["So that they give themselves up thereunto." Savoy Conf.]

agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do by their messengers meet to consider (Acts xv. 2, 4, 6, and xxii. 23, 25) and give their advice in or about that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned; howbeit, these messengers1 assembled, are not entrusted 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 (2 Cor. i. 24; 1 John iv. 1) to impose their determination on the churches, or officers.2

CHAP. XXVII.

On 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 (1 John i. 3; John i. 16; Phil. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 5, 6) fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory; and being united to one another in love, they (Eph. iv. 15, 16; 1 Cor. xii. 7; 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23) have communion in each other's gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way (1 Thess. v. 11, 14; Rom. i. 12; 1 John iii. 17, 18; Gal. vi. 10), as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man. 2. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy

9

["In a synod or council." Savoy Conf.]

1 [Synods:" Savoy Conf.]

[The divines of Savoy have appended to the Westminster Confession a lengthened statement of their views on Church polity. A portion is adopted in the baptist confession now before us. The omissions are

striking. Among them is a paragraph affirming, that a church, in which there happens to be no teaching officers, cannot enjoy the adininistration of the seals, nor can it " thorise any so to do." The whole of the propositions may be seen in Hanbury's Hist. Mem. iii. pp. 545--548.]

au

fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services (Heb. x. 24, 25; with ch. iii. 12, 13) as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in (Acts xii. 29, 30) outward things, according 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 (Eph. vi. 4) families, or (1 Cor. xii. 14-27) 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 (Acts v. 4; Eph. iv. 28) infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Of baptism and the Lord's supper.3

1. Baptism and the Lord's supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be continued in his church (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; 1 Cor. xi. 26) to the end of the world.

2. These holy appointments are to be administered by those only who are qualified, and thereunto called, according (Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. iv. 1) to the commission of Christ.*

["Of the sacraments:" West. and Savoy Conf.]

[This article is framed on the 27th Article of the Confession of 1676. It will suffice to quote the first sentence of the Savoy Confession :-" -"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." The Westminster Confession defines the object of sacraments to be, "to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the church, and the rest of the world."]

CHAP. XXIX.

Of baptism.

1. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained. by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him in his death (Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5; Col. ii. 12; Gal. iii. 27) and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of (Mark i. 4; Acts xxvi. 16) remission of sins; and of his (Rom. vi. 2, 4) giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

2. Those who do actually profess (Mar. xvi. 16; Acts viii. 36, 37) repentance towards God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus, are the only proper subjects of this ordi

nance.

3. The outward element to be used in this ordinance (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20, with Acts viii. 38) is water, wherein the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.s

4. Immersion, or dipping of the person (Matt. iii. 16; John iii. 23) in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance.

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CHAP. XXX.

Of the Lord's supper.

1. The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches unto the end of the world, for the perpetual

5 ["Wherewith the party.... by a minister of the gospel lawfully called." West. and Savoy Conf.]

6

[The West. and Savoy Confessions say: "3. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly adminis

tered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person. 4. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized; and those only."]

remembrance, and showing forth the sacrifice of himself in his death, (1 Cor. xv. 23, 24, 25, 26) 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, (1 Cor. x. 16, 17, 21) 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 (Heb. ix. 25, 26, 28) one offering up of himself by himself upon the cross, once for all; and a spiritual oblation of all (1 Cor. xi. 24; Matt. xxvi. 26, 27) possible praise unto God for the same. So that the popish sacrifice of the mass (as they call it) is most abominable, injurious to Christ's own only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect.

3. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed his ministers to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use, and to take and break the bread; to take the cup (1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26, &c.), and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants.

4. The denial of the cup to the people, worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and reserving them for any pretended religious use (Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 28; Matt. xv. 9; Exod. xx. 4, 5) 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

1 ["The sealing of all benefits thereof unto true believers :" West. and Savoy Conf.]

8

["Sacrament:" West. and Savoy

Conf.]