A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the
person swearing in truth, righteousness and judgment,
solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth,
and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of
what he sweareth.
The name of God only is that by which men ought to
swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and
reverence. Therefore to swear vainly, or rashly, by that
glorious or dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other
thing, is sinful and to be abhorred. Yet as in matters of
weight and moment an oath is warranted by the Word of
God under the New Testament, as well as under the Old; so
a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority in such
matters, ought to be taken.
Whosoever taketh an oath, warranted by the Word of
God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an
act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded
is the truth: neither may any man bind himself by
oath to any thing, but what is good and just, and what he
believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to
perform. Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath touching any
thing that is good and just, being lawfully imposed by
authority.
An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense
of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.
It cannot oblige to sin, but in any thing not sinful, being
taken it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt;
nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.
A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but God
alone, is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought
to be made with the ]ike religious care, and to be performed
with the like faithfulness.
Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed
poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees
of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful
snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.
Chapter 24
Of The Civil Magistrate
God the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath
ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people
for his own glory and the public good; and to this end hath
armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence
and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment
of evil-doers.
It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office
of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the management
whereof, as they ought specially to maintain justice and
peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth;
so for that end they may lawfully now under the
New Testament wage war upon just and necessary occasion.
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 conversations 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 conscience,
manifesting it in their conversation, and holding the
foundation, not disturbing others in their ways or worship
that differ from them; there is no warrant for the magistrate
under the gospel to abridge them of their liberty.
It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour
their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey
their ]awful commands, and to be subject to their authority
for conscience sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth
not make void the magistrate's just and legal authority, nor
free the people from their obedience to him: from which
ecclesiastical persons are not exempted, much less hath the
Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions,
or over any of their people, and least of all to deprive them
of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be
heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.
Chapter 25
Of Marriage
Marriage is to be between one man and one woman:
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.
Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband
and wife; for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue,
and of the Church with an holy seed, and for preventing of
uncleanness.
It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able
with judgment to give their consent. Yet it is the duty of
Christians to marry in the Lord; and therefore such as profess
the true reformed religion, should not marry with infidels,
Papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly,
be unequally yoked by marrying with such as are wicked in
their life, or maintain damnable heresies.
Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguity
or affinity forbidden in the Word; nor can such incestuous
marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man, or consent
of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and
wife.
Chapter 26
Of The Church
The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists
of the whole 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.
The whole body of men throughout the world, professing
the faith of the gospel and obedience unto God by Christ
according to it, not destroying their own profession by any
errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation,
are, and may be called the visible catholic church of Christ;
although as such it is not entrusted with the administration
of any ordinances, or have any officers to rule or govern in,
or over the whole body.
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.
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
Iperdition, 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.
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.
Chapter 27
Of The Communion of Saints
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
nd 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.
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 in the relations
wherein they stand, whether in families or 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.
Chapter 28
Of The Sacraments
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.
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.
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 Spirit, and the word of institution; which contains,
together with a precept authorising the use thereof, a promise
of benefit to worthy receivers.
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 a
minister of the Word lawfully called.
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.
Chapter 29
Of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained
by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptised a sign and seal
of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of
regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto
God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life; which
ordinance is by Christ's own appointment to be continued
in his Church until the end of the world.
The outward element to be used in this ordinance, is
water, wherewith the party is to be baptised in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a
minister of the gospel lawfully called.
Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary;
but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling
water upon the person.
Not only those that do actually profess faith in and
obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both
believing parents are to be baptised, and those only.
Although it be a great sin to conterin or neglect this
ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably
annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or
saved without it; or that all that are baptised are undoubtedly
regenerated.
The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of
time wherein it is administered; yet notwithstanding, by the
right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only
offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost
to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth
unto, according to the counsel of God's own will in his
appointed time.
Baptism is but once to be administered to any person
Chapter 30
Of The Lord's Supper
Our Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed,
instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the
Lord's Supper, to be observed in his churches to the end of
the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and showing forth
of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing of all
benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment,
and growth in him, their further engagement in and to
all duties which they owe unto him, and to be a bond and
pledge of their communion with him, and with each other.
In this sacrament 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 one offering up of
himself upon the cross once for all, and a spiritual oblation
of all 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.
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, and (they
communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants;
but to none who are not then present in the
congregation.
Private masses, or receiving the sacrament by a priest, or
any other, alone; as likewise the denial of the cup to the
people; worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or
carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them
for any pretended religious use; are contrary to the nature
of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.
The outward elements in this sacrament duly set apart to
the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to him
crucified, as that truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes
called by the name of the things they represent, to wit,
the body and blood of Christ; albeit, in substance and nature,
they still remain truly and only bread and wine as they were
before.
The doctrine which maintains a change of the substance
of bread and wine into the substance of Christ's body and
blood (commonly called Transubstantiation) by consecration
of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant not to Scripture
alone, but even to common sense and reason; overthroweth
the nature of the sacrament; and hath been and is the cause
of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.
Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the visible
elements in this sacrament, do then also inwardly by faith,
really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually,
receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits
of his death; the body and blood of Christ being then not
corporally or carnally in, with, or under the bread or wine;
yet as really, but spiritually present to the faith of believers
in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their
outward senses.
All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to
enjoy communion with Christ, so are they unworthy of the
Lord's table, and cannot without great sin against him, while
they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be
admitted thereunto; yea, whosoever shall receive unworthily,
are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and
drinking judgment to themselves.
Chapter 31
Of The State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see
corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep)
having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God
who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made
perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens,
where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting
-for the full redemption of their bodies: and the souls of the
wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torment and
utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day:
Besides these two places for souls separated from their
bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.
At the last day such as are found alive shall not die, but
be changed; and all the dead shall be raised up with the
self-same bodies, and none other, although with different
qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.
The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ
be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit
unto honour, and to be made conformable to his own glorious
body.
Chapter 32
Of The Last Judgment
God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the
world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power
and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only
the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons
that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal
of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words and
deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in
the body, whether good or evil.
The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation
of the glory of his mercy in the eternal salvation of the
elect, and of his justice in the damnation of the reprobate,
who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous
go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and
glory, with everlasting reward in the presence of the Lord;
but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the gospel
of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that
there shall be a judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and
for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity;
so will he have that day unknown to men, that they may
shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because
they Imow not at what hour the Lord will come, and may
be ever prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly,
Amen.
The Institution of Churches, and the
Order Appointed in Them by Jesus Christ
By the appointment of the Father all power for the calling,
institution, order, or government of the Church, is invested
in a supreme and sovereign manner in the Lord Jesus Christ,
as King and Head thereof.
In the execution of this power wherewith he is so
entrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto
communion with himself, those that are given unto him by
his Father, that they may walk before him in all the ways of
obedience, which he prescribeth to them in his Word.
Those thus called (through the ministry of the Word by
his Spirit) he commandeth to walk together in particular
societies or churches, for their mutual edification, and the
due performance of that public worship, which he requireth
of them in this world.
To each of these churches thus gathered, according to
his mind declared in his Word, he hath given all that 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.
These particular churches thus appointed by the authority
of Christ, and entrusted with power from him for the ends
before expressed, are each of them as unto those ends, the
seat of that power which he is pleased to communicate to his
saints or subjects in this world, so that as such they receive
it immediately from himself.
Besides these particular churches, there is not instituted
by Christ any church more extensive or catholic entrusted
with power for the administration of his ordinances, or the
execution of any authority in his name.
A particular church gathered and completed according
to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members. The
Lord Christ having given to his called ones (united according
to his appointment in church-order) liberty and power to
choose persons fitted by the Holy Ghost for that purpose, to
be over them, and to minister to them in the Lord.
The members of these churches are saints by calling,
visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession
and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ; who,
being further known to each other by their confession of the
faith wrought in them by the power of God, declared by
themselves or otherwise manifested, do willingly consent to
walk together according to the appointment of Christ; giving
up themselves to the Lord, and to one another by the will
of God in professed subjection to the ordinances of the
gospel.
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 and
duty which he entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be
continued to the end of the world, are pastors, teachers, elders
and deacons.
Churches thus gathered and assembling for the worship
of God, are thereby visible and public, and their assemblies
(in whatever place they are, according as they have liberty
or opportunity) are therefore church or public assemblies.
The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any
person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Ghost, unto the office
of pastor, teacher or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen
thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself, and
solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of
hands of the eldership of that church, if there be any before
constituted therein. And of a deacon, that he be chosen by
the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition
of hands.
The essence of this call of a pastor, teacher or elder unto
office, consists in the election of the church, together with his
acceptation of it, and separation by fasting and prayer. And
those who are so chosen, though not set apart by imposition
of hands, are rightly constituted ministers of Jesus Christ, in
whose name and authority they exercise the ministry to them
so committed. The calling of deacons consisteth in the like
election and acceptation with separation by prayer.
Although it be incumbent on the pastors and teachers
of the churches to be instant in preaching the Word, by way
of office; yet tlie work of preaching the Word is not so
peculiarly confined to them, but that others also gifted and
fitted by the Holy Ghost for it, and approved (being by lawful
ways and means in the providence of God called thereunto)
may publicly, ordinarily and constantly perform it; so
that they give themselves up thereunto.
However, they who are engaged in the work of public
preaching, and enjoy the public maintenance upon that
account, are not thereby obliged to dispense the seals to any
other than such as (being saints by calling, and gathered
according to the order of the gospel) they stand related to, as
pastors or teachers. Yet ought they not to neglect others
living within their parochial bounds, but besides their constant
public preaching to them, they ought to enquire after
their profiting by the Word, instructing them in, and pressing
upon them (whether young or old) the great doctrines of the
gospel, even personally and particularly, so far as their
strength and time will admit.
Ordination alone without the election or precedent consent
of the church, by those who formerly have been
ordained by virtue of that power they have received by their
ordination, doth not constitute any person a church-officer,
or communicate office-power to him.
A church fumished with officers (according to the mind
of Christ) hath full power to administer all his ordinances;
and where there is want of any one or more officers required,
that officer, or those which are in the church, may administer
all the ordinances proper to their particular duty and offices;
but where there are no teaching officers, none may administer
the seals, nor can the church authorise any so to do.
In the carrying on of church-administrations, no person
ought to be added to the church, but by the consent of the
church itself; that so love (without dissimulation) may be
preserved between all the members thereof.
Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and
instituted as a means of edification, that those who walk not
according to the rules and laws appointed by him (in respect
of faith and life, so that just offence doth arise to the church
thereby) be censured in his name and authority. Every
church hath power in itself to exercise and execute all those
censures appointed by him in the way and order prescribed
in the gospel.
The censures so appointed by Christ, are admonition
and excommunication. And whereas some offences are or
may be known only to some, it is appointed by Christ, that
those to whom they are so known, do first admonish the
offender in private: in public offences where any sin, before
all. Or in case of non-amendment upon private admonition,
the offence being related to the church, and the offender not
manifesting his repentance, he is to be duly admonished in
the name of Christ by the whole church, by the ministry of
the elders of the church; and if this censure prevail not for
his repentance, then he is to be cast out by excommunication
with the consent of the church.
As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular
churches, when and where they have opportunity so to
do, so none are to be admitted unto the privileges of the
churches, who do not submit themselves to the rule of Christ
in the censures for the government of them.
This being the way prescribed by Christ in case of
offence, no church-members upon any offences taken by them,
having performed their duty required of them in this matter,
ought to disturb any church-order, or absent themselves from
the public assemblies, or the administration of any ordinances
upon that pretence, but to wait upon Christ in the further
proceeding of the church.
The power of censures being seated by Christ in a particular
church, is to be exercised only towards particular
members of each church respectively as such; and there is
no power given by him unto any synods or ecclesiastical
assemblies to excommunicate, or by their public edicts to
threaten excommunication, or other church-censures against
churches, magistrates, or their people upon any account, no
man being obnoxious to that censure, but upon his personal
miscarriage, as a member of a particular church.
Although the church is a society of men, assembling for
the celebration of the ordinances according to the appointment
of Christ, yet every society assembling for that end or
purpose, upon the account of cohabitation within any civil
precincts and bounds, is not thereby constituted a church,
seeing there may be wanting among them, what is essentially
required thereunto; and therefore a believer living with
others in such a precinct, may join himself with any church
for his edification.
For the avoiding of differences that may otherwise arise,
for the greater solemnity in the celebration of the ordinances
of Christ, and the opening a way for the larger usefulness
of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost; saints living in one
city or town, or within such distances as that they may conveniently
assemble for divine worship, ought rather to join
in one church for their mutual strengthening and edification,
than to set up many distinct societies.
As all churches and all the members of them are bound
to pray continually for the good or 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 themselves (when planted by the providence of God,
so as they may have opportunity and advantage for it) ought
to hold communion amongst themselves for their peace,
increase of love, and mutual edification.
In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of
doctrine or in administrations, 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 proceeding in censures, not
agreeable to truth and order: it is according to the mind of
Christ, that many churches holding communion together. do
by their messengers meet in a synod or council, to consider
and give their advice in, or about that matter in difference,
to be reported to all the churches concerned. Howbeit, these
synods so 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 to impose their determinations on
the churches or officers.
Besides these occasional synods or councils, there are
not instituted by Christ any stated synods in a fixed combination
of churches, or their officers in lesser or greater assemblies;
nor are there any synods appointed by Christ in a way
of subordination to one another.
Persons that are joined in church-fellowship, ought not
lightly or without just cause to withdraw themselves from the
communion of the church whereunto they are so joined.
Nevertheless, where any person cannot continue in any
church without his sin, either for want of the administration
of any ordinances instituted by Christ, or by his being
deprived of his due privileges, or compelled to anything in
practice not warranted by the Word, or in case of persecution,
or upon the account of conveniency of habitation; he consulting
with the church, or the officer or officers thereof, may
peaceably depart from the communion of the church, wherewith
he hath so walked, to join himself with some other
church, where he may enjoy the ordinances in the purity of
the same, for his edification and consolation.
Such reforming churches as consist of persons sound in
the faith and of conversation becoming the gospel, ought not
to refuse the communion of each other, so far as may consist
with their own principles respectively, though they walk
not in all things according to the same rules of church-order.
Churches gathered and walking according to the mind
of Christ, judging other churches (though less pure) to be
true churches, may receive unto occasional communion with
them, such members of those churches as are credibly testified
to be godly, and live without offence.