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dren; and is the kingdom of the Lord Jefus Chrift d, the house and family of God e, out of which there is no ordinary poffibility of falvation f.

IIL Unto this catholic vifible church, Chrift hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the faints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth by his own prefence and fpirit, according to his promife, make them effectual thereunto g.

among the Gentiles, and fing unto thy name. . to. And again he faith, Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people. v. 11. And again, Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and laud him all ye people, v. 12. and again Efaias faith, there fhall be a root of Jeffe, and he that fhall rife to reign over the Gentiles; in him fhall the Gentiles traft.

er Cor. vii. 34. For the unbelieving husband is fanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is fanctified by the hufband: elfe were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Acts. ii, 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call. Ezek. xvi. 20. More over thou haft taken thy fons and thy daughters, whom thou halt born unto me, and thefe haft thou facrificed unto them to be devoured: is this of thy whoredoms a fmall matter? v. 21. That thou haft flain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? Rom. xi. 16. For if the firft fruit be holy, the lump is alfo holy; and if the root be holy, fo are the branches. Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy feed and her feed it fhall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruife his heel. Gen. xvii. 7. And I will eftablifh my covenant between me and thee, and tby feed after thee, in their genera.

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IV. This

tions, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God: unto thee, and to thy, feed after thee.

d Mat. xiii. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. Ifa. ix. 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and no esta. blifh it with judgment and with juftice, from henceforth even for e-, ver the zeal of the Lord of hofts will perform this.

e Eph. ii. 19. Now therefore ye are no more ftrangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the... faints, and of the houshold of God. Eph. iii. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,, f Acts ii. 47. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily fuch as fhould be saved.

III. g 1 Cor. xii. 28. And God, hath fet fome in the church, first apoftles, fecondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues. Eph. iv. 11. And he gave fome, apoftles and fome, prophets: and fome, evangelifts and fome, paftors and teachers: y. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift: v. 13. Till we all

come

Chap. XXV IV. This catholic church hath been fometimes more, fometimes lefs vifible b. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or lefs pure, according as the doctrine of the gofpel is taught and embraced, ordinances adminiftred, and public worship performed more or lefs purely in them i.

V. The pureft churches under heaven are fubject both to mixture and error k; and fome have fo degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but fynagogues of Satan I. Never

theless,

come in the unity of the faith, and given two wings of a great eagle, of the knowledge of the Son of God, that the might flee into the wilderunto a perfect man, unto the mea- nefs, into her place where the is fure of the ftature of the fulness of nourished for a time, and times, and Christ. Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye half a time, from the face of the therefore and teach all nations, bap- ferpent. tizing them in the name of the Fa- (Rev. ii. and iii. chap. throughther, and of the Son, and of the out.) I Cor. v. 6. Your glorying is Holy Ghoft: v. 20. Teaching them not good: Know ye not that a little to obferve all things whatsoever I leaven leaveneth the whole lump? have commanded you and lo, I am v. 7. Purge out therefore the old with you alway, even unto the end leaven, that ye may be a new lump, of the world. Amen. Ifa. lix. 21. as ye are unleavened. For even As for me, this is my covenant with Chrift our paffover is facrificed for them, faith the Lord, My Spirit that us. is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, fhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feeds feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for

ever.

IV. Rom. xi. 3. Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they feek my life. v. 4. But what faith the answer of God unto him? I have referved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Rev. xii. 6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where the hath a place prepared of God, that they fhould feed her there a thoufand two hundred and threescore days. v. 14. And to the woman were

V. k 1 Cor. xiii. 12. For now wẻ see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part but then fhall I know even as alfo am known. (Rev. ii. iii. chapters.) Mat. xiii. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Another parable put he forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man, who fowed good feed in his field: Bnt while men flept, his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was fprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also, &c. v. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind.

/Rev. xviii. 2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Ba

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theless, there fhall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will m.

VI. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jefus Chrift n. Nor can the pope of Rome in any fenfe be head thereof; but is that antichrift, that man of fin, and fon of perdition that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God ..

bylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Rom. xi. 18. Boaft hot against the branches: but if thou boaft, thou beareft not the foot, but the root thee. v. 19. Thou wilt fay then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in, v. 20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandelt by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. V. 21. For if God fpared not the natural branches, take heed left he alfo fpare not thee. v. 22. Behold therefore the goodness, and feverity of God: on then who fell, feverity; but to wards thee, goodness; if thou continue in his goodness: otherwife thou shalt be cut off.

m Mat. xvi. 18. And I fay alfo unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell fall not prevail againft it., Pfal. Ixxii. 17. His name fhall endure for ever: his name thall be continued as long as the fun and men fhall call him bleffed. Pfal. cii. 28. The children of thy fervants fhall continue, and their feed fhall be established before thee. Mat, xxviii, 19, 20. (See in letter g.)

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VI. Col. i. 28. And he is the head of the body, the church; who

CHAP.

is the beginning, the first-born from the dead: that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. Eph. i. 22. And bath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

• Mat. xxiii. 8. But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren. y. 9. And call no man your Father, upon earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. v. 10. Neither be ye called mafters; for one is your Master, even Christ. 2 Theff. ii. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day fhall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition; v. 4. Who oppofeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; fo that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God. v. 8. And then fhall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the Spirit of his mouth, and fhall deftroy with the brightnefs of his coming; v. 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders. Rev. xiii, 6. And he opened his mouth, in blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven,

I. Joha

A

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Communion of Saints.

LL faints that are united to Jefus Chrift their head, by his Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, fufferings, death, refurrection and glory a: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each others gifts and graces b; and are obliged to the performance of fuch duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man c.

I. a John i. 3. That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift. Eph. iii, 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthoed with might, by bis Spirit in the inner-man; v、 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being root. ed and grounded in love, v. 18. May be able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; v. 19. And to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Johni, 16. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift; (by grace ye are faved). v. 9. And hath raifed us up together, and made us fit to. gether in heavenly places in Christ Jefus. Phil. iii. 10. That I may know him and the power of his refurrection, and the fellowship of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Rom. vi. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death; we shall be alfo in the likeness of his refurrection. v. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,

IL Saints

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b Eph. iv. 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. v. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint fupplieth, according to the effectual working in the meafüre of every part, maketh increafe of the body, unto the edifying of itfelf in love 1 Cor. xii. 7, But the manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 1 Cori iii. 21. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours: v. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things prefent, or things to come, all are yours; v. 23. And ye are Christ's, and Chrift is God's. Col. ii. 19. And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment miniftred, and knit together, increafeth with the increase of God.

c1 Theff. v. 11. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as alfo ye do. v. 14. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort

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II. Saints, by profeffion, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing fuch other fpiritual fervices as tend to their mutual edification d, as alfo in relieving each other in outward things, according to their feveral abilities and neceffities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all thofe who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jefus e. III. This communion which the faints have with Chrift, doth not make them in any wife partakers of the fubftance of his Godhead, or to be equal with Chrift in any refpect: either of which

the feeble-minded, fupport, the weak, be patient toward all men. Rom. i. 11. For I long to fee you, that I may impart unto you fome fpiritual gift, to the end ye may be established: v, 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me, v. 14. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wife, and to the unwife. 1 John iii. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. v, 17. But whofo hath this world's good, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his bowels of compallion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? v. 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, efpecially unto them who are of the houthold of faith.

II. d Heb. x. 24. And let us confider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works. ver. 25. Not forfaking the affembling of our felves together, as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one another: and fo much the more, as you fee

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the day approaching Acts ii. 42. And they continued ftedfaftly in the apoftles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. v. 46. And they continuing daily, with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to houfe, did eat their meat with gladness and fingleness of heart. Ifa. ii. 3. and many people fhall go and fay Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the houfe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will wak in his paths: for out of Zion fhall go furth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerufalem. 1 Cor, xi. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's fupper.

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e Acts ii. 44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common, v. 45. And fold their poffeffions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 1 John iii. 17. (See in letter c.) (2 Cor. viii, and ix. chapters.) Acts xi, 29. Then the difciples, every man according to his ability, determined to fend relief unto the brethren who dwelt in Judea. v. 30. Which alfo they did, and fent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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