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Newness of Life g. Which Sacrament is, by Chrift's own Appointment, to be continued in his Church until the End of the World h.

g Rom. 6. 3, 4. h Matth. 28.

19, 20.

II. The outward Element to be used in this Sacrament is Water, wherewith the Party is to be baptized, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, by a Minifter of the Gofpel, lawfully called

thereunto i.

i Mat. 3. 11. John 1. 33. Mat. 28. 19, 20.

III. Dipping of the Perfon into the Water, is not neceffary: But Baptism is rightly administred, by pouring or fprinkling Water upon the Perfon k.

k Heb. 9. 10, 19, to 22. Acts 2. 41. and 16. 33. Mark 7. 4.

IV. Not only thofe that do actually profefs Faith in and Obedience unto Chrift, but alfo the Infants of one or both believing Parents, are to be baptized m.

/ Mark 16. 15, 16. Acts 8. 37, 38. m Gen. 17. 7, 9. with Gal. 3. 9, 14. and Col. 2. 11, 12. and Acts 2. 38, 39. and Rom. 4. 11, 12. I Cor. 7. 14. Mat. 28. 19. Mark 10. 13, to 16. Luke 18. 15.

V. Although it be a great Sin to contemn or neglect this Ordinance 2, yet Grace and Salvation are not fo infeparably annexed unto it, as that no Perfon can be regenerated or faved without it o; or, that all that are baptized, are undoubtedly regenerated p.

n Luke 7. 30. with Exod. 4. 24, 25, 26. Rom. 4. II. Acts 10. 2, 4, 22, 31, 45, 47. p Acts 8. 13. 23.

VI. The Efficacy of Baptifm is not tied to that Moment of Time wherein it is adminiftred q; Yet, notwithstanding, by the right Use of this Ordinance, the Grace promifed is not only offered, but really exhibited, and conferred, by the Holy Ghoft, to fuch (whether of Age or Infants) as that Grace belongeth unto, according to the Counsel of God's own Will,in his appointed Timer. 1 John 3.5.8. r Gal. 3. 27. Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 25, 26. Acts 2. 38, 41. · VII. The

VII. The Sacrament of Baptifm is but once to be administred unto any Perfon f.

Titus 3. 5.

CHAP. XXIX.

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Of the Lord's Supper.

UR Lord Jefus, in the Night wherein he was be

Ourayed,

Blood, called the Lord's Supper, to be obferved in his Church, unto the End of the World, for the perpetual Remembrance of the Sacrifice of himself, in his Death; the fealing all Benefits thereof unto true Believers, their fpiritual 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, as Members of his myftical Body a.

a 1 Cor. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26.

I Cor. 12. 13.

I Cor. 10. 16, 17, 21.

II. In this Sacrament, Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real Sacrifice, made at all for Remiffi on of Sins of the Quick or Dead b; but only a Commemoration of that one Offering up of himself, by himself, upon the Cross, once for all; and a spiritual Oblation of all poffible Praife unto God, for the fame c: So that the Popish Sacrifice of the Mafs (as they call it) is most abominably injurious to Chrift's one, only Sacrifice, the alone Propitiation for all the Sins of the Elect d.

6 Heb. 9. 22, 25, 26, 28. c 1 Cor. II. 14, 25, 26. Mat. 26. 26, 27. d Heb. 7. 23, 24, 27. Heb. 10. 11, 12, 14, 18.

III. The Lord Jefus hath, in this Ordinance, appointed his Minifters to declare his Word of Inftitution to the People; to pray, and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine, and thereby to fet them apart from a Common to an Holy Ufe; and to Take and Break the Bread, to take the Cup, and (they communicating

alfo

alfo themselves) to give both to the Communicants e; but to none who are not then present in the Congregationf.

e Mat. 26. 26, 27, 28. and Mark 14. 22, 23, 24. and Luke 22. 19, 20. with 1 Cor. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26. ƒ Acts 20. 7. I Cor. II, 20.

IV. Private Maffes, or receiving this Sacrament by a Priest or any other, alone g, as likewife the Denial of the Cup to the People h, worshipping the Elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about for Adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious Ufe, are all contrary to the Nature of this Sacrament, and to the Inftitution of Christ i.

g I Cor. 10. 6. h Mark 4. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 25, to 29. i Mat. 15.9.

V. The outward Elements in thefe Sacraments, duly fet apart to the Ufes ordained by Chrift, have fuch Relation to him crucified, as that truly, yet facramentally only, they are fometimes called by the Name of the Things they reprefent, to wit, the Body and Blood of Christ k, albeit, in Subftance and Nature, they still remain, truly, and only Bread and Wine, as they were before /.

/Mat. 26. 26, 27, 28. /I Cor. 11. 26, 27, 28. Mat. 26. 29.

VI. That Doctrine, which maintains a Change of the Substance of Bread and Wine, into the Subitance of Chrift's Body and Blood, (commonly called Tranfubftantiation) by Confecration of a Prieft, or by any other Way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common Senfe and Reafon; overthroweth the Nature of the Sacrament, and hath been, and is, the Cause of manifold Superstitions, yea, of grofs Idolatries m..

m Acts 3. 21. with 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25, 26. Luke 24. 6, 39.

VII. Worthy Receivers outwardly partaking of the visible Elements, in this Sacrament n, do then also, inwardly by Faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally

"I Cor. 11. 28.

and

and corporally, but fpiritually, receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all Benefits of his Death: The Body and Blood of Chrift being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the Bread and Wine; Yet as really, but fpiritually prefent to the Faith of Believers in that Ordinance, as the Elements themselves are to their outward Senfes o.

• I Cor. 10. 16.

VIII. Although ignorant and wicked Men receive the outward Elements in this Sacrament, yet they receive not the Thing fignified thereby ; but, by their unworthy coming thereunto, are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, to their own Damnation. Wherefore all ig. norant and ungodly Perfons, as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with him, fo are they unworthy of the Lord's Table; and cannot, without great Sin against Chrift, while they remain fuch, partake of thefe holy Myfteries p, or be admitted thereunto q.

I Cor. II. 27. 28, 29. 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16. Cor. 5. 6, 7, 13. 2 Theff. 3. 6, 14, 15. Mat. 7.6.

T

CHAP. XXX.

Of Church Genfures.

HE Lord Jefus, as King and Head of his Church, hath therein appointed a Government, in the Hand of Church-Officers, diftinct from the Civil Magiftrate a. a Ifa. 9. 6, 7. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Theff. 5. 12. Acts 20. 17, 28. Heb. 13. 7. 17, 24. 1Cor. 12. 28. Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20.

II. To thefe Officers the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed; by virtue whereof they have Power, refpectively, to retain and remit Sins; to fhut that Kingdom against the Impenitent, both by the Word and Cenfures; and to open it to penient Sinners, by the Ministry of the Gospel, and by Absolution from Cenfures, as Occafion fhall require b.

b Mat. 16. 19. and 18. 17, 18. John 20. 20, 21, 22, 23. 2 Cor. 2. 6, 7, 8. III. Church

III. Church Cenfures are neceffary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending Brethren, for deterring of others from the like Offences, for purging out of that Leaven which might infect the whole Lump, for vindicating the Honour of Chrift, and the holy Profeffion of the Gospel, and for preventing the Wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they fhould fuffer his Covenant, and the Seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obftinate Offenders c.

1 Cor. 5 Chap. 1 Tim. 5. 20. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 27. to the End,

Mat. 7. 6. 1 Tim. with Jude v. 23.

IV. For the better attaining of thefe Ends, the Officers of the Church are to proceed by Admonition, Sufpenfion from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a Seafon; and by Excommunication from the Church, according to the Nature of the Crime, and Demerit of the Perfon d.

di Theff. 5. 12. 2 Theff. 3. 6, 14, 15. 1 Cor. 5. 4, 5, 13. Mat. 18. 17. Titus 3. 10.

F

CHAP. XXXI.

Of Synods and Councils.

Or the better Government, and further Edification of the Church, there ought to be fuch Affemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councils a.

a Acts 15. 2, 4, 6.

II. As Magiftrates may lawfully call a Synod of Minifters, and other fit Perfons, to confult and advise with, about Matters of Religion 6; fo, if Magiftrates be open Enemies to the Church, the Minifters of Chrift, of themfelves, by vertue of their Office; or they, with other fit Perfons, upon Delegation from their Churches, may meet together in fuch Affemblies c.

6 Ifa. 49. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. 2 Chron. 19. 8, 9, 10, 11. 2 Chron. 29. 30 Chapters. Mat. 2. 4, 5. Prov. 11. 14. c Acts 15. 2, 4, 22, 23, 25.

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