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- 05650
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- 05651
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 1) The light of nature shows that there is a God who has lordship
- and sovereignty over all; is good, and does good to all; and is
- therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in,
- and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with
- all the might.
-
- # Ro 1:20 Ac 17:24 Ps 119:68 Jer 10:7 Ps 31:23 18:3
- # Ro 10:12 Ps 62:8 Jos 24:14 Mr 12:33
-
- but the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted
- by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may
- not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of
- men, of the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation,
- or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.
-
- # De 12:32 Mt 15:9 Ac 17:25 Mt 4:9,10 De 15:1-20 Ex 20:4
- # Ex 20:5,6 Col 2:23
- 05652
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 2) Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and
- Holy Spirit; and to him alone:
-
- # Mt 4:10 Joh 5:23 2Co 13:14
-
- not to angels, saints, or any other creature:
-
- # Col 2:18 Re 19:10 Ro 1:25
-
- and since the fall, not without a Mediator; not in the mediation
- of any other but Christ alone.
-
- # Joh 14:6 1Ti 2:5 Eph 2:18 Col 3:17
- 05653
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 3) Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious
- worship,
-
- # Php 4:6
-
- is by God required of all men;
-
- # Ps 65:2
-
- and, that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the
- Son,
-
- # Joh 14:13,14 1Pe 2:5
-
- by the help of his Spirit,
-
- # Ro 8:26
-
- according to his will
-
- # 1Jo 5:14
-
- with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love,
- and perseverance;
-
- # Ps 47:7 Ec 5:1,2 Heb 12:28 Ge 18:27 Jas 5:16 1:6,7
- # Mr 11:24 Mt 6:12,14,15 Col 4:2 Eph 6:18
-
- and, if vocal, in a known language.
-
- # 1Co 14:14
- 05654
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 4) Prayer is to be made for things lawful,
-
- # 1Jo 5:14
-
- and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter;
-
- # 1Ti 2:1,2 Joh 17:20 2Sa 7:29 Ru 4:12
-
- but not for the dead,
-
- # 2Sa 12:21,22,23 Lu 16:25,26 Re 14:13
-
- nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the
- sin to death.
-
- # 1Jo 5:16
- 05655
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 5) The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear;
-
- # Ac 15:21 Re 1:3
-
- the sound preaching,
-
- # 2Ti 4:2
-
- and conscious hearing of the word, in obedience to God, with
- understanding, faith, and reverence;
-
- # Jas 1:22 Ac 10:33 Mt 13:19 Heb 4:2 Isa 66:2
-
- singing of psalms with grace in the heart;
-
- # Col 3:16 Eph 5:19 Jas 5:13
-
- as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the
- ordinances instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary
- religious worship of God:
-
- # Mt 28:19 1Co 11:23-29 Ac 2:42
-
- besides religious oaths
-
- # De 6:13 Ne 10:29
-
- and vows,
-
- # Isa 19:21 Ec 5:4,5
-
- solemn fastings,
-
- # Joe 2:12 Es 4:16 Mt 9:15 1Co 7:5
-
- and thanksgivings upon special occasions,
-
- # Ps 107:1-43 Es 9:22
-
- which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in a
- holy and religious manner.
-
- # Heb 12:28
- 05656
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 6) Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is, now
- under the gospel, either tied into, or made more acceptable by,
- any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed;
-
- # Joh 4:21
-
- but God is to be worshipped everywhere
-
- # Mal 1:11 1Ti 2:8
-
- in spirit and truth;
-
- # Joh 4:23,24
-
- as in private families
-
- # Jer 10:25 De 6:6,7 Job 1:5 2Sa 6:18,20 1Pe 3:7 Ac 10:2
-
- daily,
-
- # Mt 6:11
-
- and in secret each one by himself;
-
- # Mt 6:6 Eph 6:18
-
- so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not
- carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by
- his word or providence, calls to it.
-
- # Isa 56:6,7 Heb 10:25 Pr 1:20,21,24
- # Pr 8:34 Ac 13:42 Lu 4:16 Ac 2:42
- 05657
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 7) As it is of the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion
- of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his word, by
- a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in
- all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a
- sabbath, to be kept holy to him:
-
- # Ex 20:8,10,11 Isa 56:2,4,6,7
-
- which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of
- Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection
- of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,
-
- # Ge 2:2,3 1Co 16:1,2 Ac 20:7
-
- which in Scripture is called the Lord's Day,
-
- # Re 1:10
-
- and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian
- Sabbath.
-
- # Ex 20:8,10 Mt 5:17,18
- 05658
- Chapter 21 - Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
-
- 8) This sabbath is then kept holy to the Lord, when men, after a due
- preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their hearts, and
- ordering of their common affairs before hand, do not only observe
- an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and
- thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations;
-
- # Ex 20:8 16:23,25,26,29,30 31:15,16,17 Isa 58:13 Ne 13:15,16
- # Ne 13:17-22
-
- but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private
- exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
-
- # Isa 58:13 Mt 12:1-13
- 05659
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 1) A lawful oath is part of religious worship,
-
- # De 10:20
-
- wherein, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calls
- God to witness what he asserts or promises; and to judge him
- according to the truth or falsehood of what he swears.
-
- # Ex 20:7 Le 19:12 2Co 1:23 2Ch 6:22,23
- 05660
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 2) The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and it
- is to be used with all holy fear and reverence;
-
- # De 6:13
-
- therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful
- name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be
- abhorred.
-
- # Ex 20:7 Jer 5:7 Mt 5:34,37 Jas 5:12
-
- 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;
-
- # Heb 6:16 2Co 1:23 Isa 65:16
-
- so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such
- matters, ought to be taken.
-
- # 1Ki 8:31 Ne 13:25 Ezr 10:5
- 05661
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 3) Whoever takes an oath, ought duly to consider the weightiness of
- so solemn an act, and in it to avouch nothing but what he is
- fully persuaded is the truth.
-
- # Ex 20:7 Jer 4:2
-
- Neither may any man bind himself by oath to anything but what is
- good and just, and what he believes so to be, and what he is able
- and resolved to perform.
-
- # Ge 24:2,3,5,6,8,9
-
- Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath touching anything that is good
- and just, being imposed by lawful authority.
-
- # Nu 5:19,21 Ne 5:12 Ex 22:7,8,9,10,11
- 05662
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 4) An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the
- words, without equivocation or mental reservation.
-
- # Jer 4:2 Ps 24:4
-
- It cannot oblige to sin; but in any thing not sinful, being
- taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt;
-
- # 1Sa 25:22,32,33,34 Ps 15:4
-
- nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.
-
- # Eze 17:16,18,19 Jos 9:18,19 2Sa 21:1
- 05663
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 5) A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to
- be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with
- the like faithfulness.
-
- # Isa 19:21 Ec 5:4-6 Ps 61:8 66:13,14
- 05664
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 6) It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone:
-
- # Ps 76:11 Jer 44:25,26
-
- and that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out
- of faith, and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for
- mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want; whereby we
- more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other
- things, so far and so long as they may fitly lead to it.
-
- # De 23:21-23 Ps 50:14 Ge 28:20-22 1Sa 1:11 Ps 66:13,14
- # Ps 132:2-5
- 05665
- Chapter 22 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
-
- 7) No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the word of God, or
- what would hinder any duty commanded in it, or which is not in
- his power, and for the performance of which he has no promise of
- ability from God.
-
- # Ac 23:12,14 Mr 6:26 Nu 30:5,8,12,13
-
- In which respects, monastic 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.
-
- # 1Ti 4:3 Mt 19:11,12 1Co 7:2,9 Eph 4:28 1Pe 4:2 1Co 7:23
- 05666
- Chapter 23 - Of the Civil Magistrate
-
- 1) God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained
- civil magistrates to be under him over the people, for his own
- glory, and the public good; and to this end, has armed them with
- the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them
- that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers.
-
- # Ro 13:1-4 1Pe 2:13,14
- 05667
- Chapter 23 - Of the Civil Magistrate
-
- 2) It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a
- magistrate, when called to it:
-
- # Pr 8:15,16 Ro 13:1,2,4
-
- in the managing of it, as they ought especially to maintain
- piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of
- each commonwealth;
-
- # Ps 2:10-12 1Ti 2:2 Ps 82:3,4 2Sa 23:3 1Pe 2:13
-
- so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament,
- wage war upon just and necessary occasions.
-
- # Lu 3:14 Ro 13:4 Mt 8:9,10 Ac 10:1,2 Re 17:14,16
- 05668
- Chapter 23 - Of the Civil Magistrate
-
- 3) The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration
- of the word and ordinances, or the power of the keys of the
- kingdom of heaven.
-
- # 2Ch 26:18 Mt 18:17 16:19 1Co 12:28,29
- # Eph 4:11,12 1Co 4:1,2 Ro 10:15 Heb 5:4
- 05669
- Chapter 23 - Of the Civil Magistrate
-
- 4) It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,
-
- # 1Ti 2:1,2
-
- to honour their persons,
-
- # 1Pe 2:17
-
- to pay them tribute and other dues,
-
- # Ro 13:6,7
-
- to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their
- authority for conscience' sake.
-
- # Ro 13:5 Tit 3:1
-
- Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the
- magistrate's just and legal authority, nor free the people from
- their due obedience to him:
-
- # 1Pe 2:13,14,16
-
- from which ecclesiastic persons are not exempted.
-
- # Ro 13:1 1Ki 2:35 Ac 25:9,10,11 2Pe 2:1,10,11 Jude 1:8-11
- 05670
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 1) Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it
- lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor any woman to
- have more than one husband, at the same time.
-
- # Ge 2:24 Mt 19:5,6 Pr 2:17
- 05671
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 2) Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife;
-
- # Ge 2:18
-
- for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the
- church with an holy seed;
-
- # Mal 2:15
-
- and for preventing of uncleanness.
-
- # 1Co 7:2,9
- 05672
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 3) It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with
- judgment to give their consent:
-
- # Heb 13:4 1Ti 4:3 1Co 7:36-38 Ge 24:57,58
-
- yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.
-
- # 1Co 7:39
-
- And therefore such as profess the true Christian religion should
- not marry with infidels, unbelievers or other idolaters: neither
- should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with
- such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain
- damnable heresies.
-
- # Ge 34:14 Ex 34:16 De 7:3,4 1Ki 11:4 Ne 13:25-27
- # Mal 2:11,12 2Co 6:14
- 05673
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 4) Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or
- affinity forbidden in the word;
-
- # Le 18:1-30 1Co 5:1 Am 2:7
-
- nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law
- of man, or consent of parties, so as those person may live
- together as man and wife.
-
- # Mr 6:18 Le 18:24-28
-
- The man may not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood
- than he may of his own, nor the woman of her own.
-
- # Le 20:19-21
- 05674
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 5) Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being
- detected before marriage, gives just occasion to the innocent
- party to dissolve the contract.
-
- # Mt 1:18-20
-
- In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the
- innocent party to sue out a divorce,
-
- # Mt 5:31,32
-
- And, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending
- party were dead.
-
- # Mt 19:9 Ro 7:2,3
- 05675
- Chapter 24 - Of Marriage
-
- 6) Although the corruption of man be such as apt to study
- arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God has joined
- together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such
- wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church, is
- cause sufficient of disolving the bond of marriage:
-
- # Mt 19:8,9 Ro 7:2,3 1Co 7:15 Mt 19:6
-
- wherein in public and orderly course of proceedings is to be
- observed, and the persons concerned in it not left to their
- own wills and discretion in their case.
-
- # De 24:1-4
- 05676
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 1) The church consists of the whole number of the elect that have
- been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ its head;
- and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that fills all
- in all.
-
- # Eph 1:10,22,23 5:23,27,32 Col 1:18
- 05677
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 2) The visible church under the gospel, is not confined to one
- nation, as before under the law, and consists of all those
- throughout the world that profess the true religion,
-
- # 1Co 1:2 12:12,13 Ps 2:8 Re 7:9 Ro 15:9-12
-
- and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ,
-
- # Mt 13:47 Isa 9:7
-
- the house and family of God,
-
- # Eph 2:19 3:15
-
- out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
-
- # Ac 2:47
- 05678
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 3) To this visible church Christ has given the ministry, oracles,
- and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the
- saints in this life, to the end of the world; and does by his own
- presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them
- effectual to it.
-
- # 1Co 12:28 Eph 4:11-13 Mt 28:19-20 Isa 59:21
- 05679
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 4) This church has been sometimes more, sometimes less visible.
-
- # Ro 11:3,4 Re 12:6,14
-
- And particular churches, which are its members, are more or less
- pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and
- embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed
- more or less purely in them.
-
- # Re 2:1-3:22 1Co 5:6,7
- 05680
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 5) The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and
- error;
-
- # 1Co 13:12 Re 2:1-3:22 Mt 13:24-30,47
-
- and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ,
- but synagogues of Satan.
-
- # Re 18:2 Ro 11:18-22
-
- Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth to worship
- God according to his will.
-
- # Mt 16:18 Ps 72:17 102:28 Mt 28:19,20
- 05681
- Chapter 25 - Of the Church
-
- 6) There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ:
-
- # Col 1:18 Eph 1:22
-
- nor can any man in any sense be its head.
-
- # Mt 23:8-10
- 05682
- Chapter 26 - Of Communion of Saints
-
- 1) All saints that are united to Jesus Christ their head by his
- Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces,
- sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory.
-
- # 1Jo 1:3 Eph 3:16-19 Joh 1:16 Eph 2:5,6 Php 3:10 Ro 6:5,6
- # 2Ti 2:12
-
- And being united to one another in love, they have communion in
- each other's gifts and graces;
-
- # Eph 4:15,16 1Co 12:7 3:21,22,23 Col 2:19
-
- and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and
- private, as do lead to their mutual good, both in the inward and
- outward man.
-
- 1Th 5.11,14 Rom 1.11,12,14 1Jno 3.16,17,18 Gal 6.10
- 05683
- Chapter 26 - Of Communion of Saints
-
- 2) 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;
-
- # Heb 10:24,25 Ac 2:42,46 Isa 2:3 1Co 11:10
-
- as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to
- their various abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God
- offers opportunity, is to be extended to all those who in every
- place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
-
- # Ac 2:44-45 1Jo 3:17 2Co 8:1-9:15 Ac 11:29,30
- 05684
- Chapter 26 - Of Communion of Saints
-
- 3) This communion which the saints have with Christ does 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.
-
- # Col 1:18,19 1Co 8:6 Isa 42:8 1Ti 6:15,16 Ps 45:7 Heb 1:8,9
-
- Nor does their communion one with another, as saints, take away
- or infringe the title or property which each man has in his goods
- and possessions.
-
- # Ex 20:15 Eph 4:28 Ac 5:4
- 05685
- Chapter 27 - Of the Ordinances
-
- 1) Ordinances are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace,
-
- # Ro 4:11 Ge 17:7,10
-
- immediately instituted by God,
-
- # Mt 28:19 1Co 11:23
-
- to represent Christ and his benefits, and to confirm our interest
- in him;
-
- # 1Co 10:16 1Co 11:25,26 Ga 3:27,17
-
- as also to put a visible difference between those that belong to
- the church and the rest of the world;
-
- # Ro 15:8 Ex 12:48 Ge 34:14
-
- and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ,
- according to his word.
-
- # Ro 6:3,4 1Co 10:16,21
- 05686
- Chapter 27 - Of the Ordinances
-
- 2) The grace which is exhibited in or by the ordinances, rightly
- used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither does the
- efficacy of an ordinance depend upon the piety or intention of
- him that administers it,
-
- # Ro 2:29,29 1Pe 3:21
-
- but upon the work of the Spirit,
-
- # Mt 3:11 1Co 12:13
-
- and the word of institution; which contains, together with a
- precept authorising its use, a promise of benefit to worthy
- receivers.
-
- # Mt 26:27,28 28:19,20
- 05687
- Chapter 27 - Of the Ordinances
-
- 3) There are only two ordinances ordained by Christ our Lord in the
- gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord;
- to be administered by those only, who are qualified and called to
- it according to the commission of Christ.
-
- # Mt 28:19 1Co 11:20,23 1Co 4:1
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