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than to all for this will accuse Christ, as if he had been defective in his own legislation, when more must be added of the same kind."

4. Taking the word "laws" strictly, pastors, as such, have no legislative power. But, taking it laxly for mandates, or directions given by just power, such as a parent or tutor hath, they may make such laws as these: 1. Such as only enjoin the obeying of Christ's own laws. 2. And such as only determine of such mere accidents of doctrine, worship, and discipline, as Christ hath commanded in general, and virtually, and left the particular sort to human determination of governors (as time, place, utensils, &c). 3. Such as are not extended beyond the churches of which they are pastors, to others of whom they are no rulers. 4. Such as, being indifferent, are not made more necessary than their nature and use requireth; nor used to the church's destruction or hurt, but to its edification. 5. Such as, being mutable in the reason or cause of them, are not fixed. And continued when the reason of them ceaseth.h

Christ maketh us ministers that we may not think we are lords of his heritage: our work is to expound and apply his laws, and persuade men to obey them, and not to make laws of our own of the same kind, as if we were his equals, and lords of his church. It is true he hath bid us determine of circumstances to the church's edification, and the pastor is judge for the present time and place, what chapter he shall read, what text he shall preach on, and in what method; what psalm shall be sung, and in what tune, and such like: but who made him lord of other churches, to impose the like on them? or, how can he prove that the very same circumstances are necessary to all, when a day may alter the case with himself, which depends on mutable causes? If all the world or land be commanded on such a day to read the same psalm and chapter, and occurrents make any subject far more suitable, who hath power to deprive the present pastor of his choice, and to suppose ministers unable to know what subject to read or preach on, unless it be they that make such men ministers, that they may so rule them?

Q. 10. Why must there be stated worshipping congregations? A. 1. For the honour of God and our Redeemer, who is best honoured in united, solemn assemblies, magnifying him with one mind, and heart, and mouth.1

Isa. xxxiii. 22; Jam. iv. 12; 1 Tim. iv. 6; 1 Cor. iii. 5, and iv. 1.

h Matt. xx. 27, 28; 2 Cor. i. 24, and iii. 6; 1 Pet. v. 1—3, and iv. 9—11.

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2. For the preservation of religion, which is so best exercised, honoured, and kept up.

3. For the benefit and joy of Christians, who, in such concordant societies, receive encouragement, strength, and comfort.

4. For the due order and honour of the particular churches and the whole.

Q. 11. Is every worshipping congregation a church?

A. The name is not much worthy of a debate: there are divers sorts of christian assemblies, which may be called churches. 1. There are occasional, accidental assemblies that are not stated. 2. There are stated assemblies, like cha pels, which have only curates, and are but parts of the lowest political, governing churches. 3. Christians statedly associated under such pastors as have the power of the church keys for personal communion in holy doctrine, worship, and conversation, are the lowest sort of political governed churches. 4. Synods, consisting of the pastors and delegates; these may be called churches in a lax sense. 5. And so may a christian nation under one king. 6. And all the christian world is one catholic church as headed by Jesus Christ. 7. And the Roman sect is a spurious church, as it is headed by a human, incapable sovereign, claiming the power of legislation and judgment over all the churches on earth.

Q. 12. But how shall I know which is the true church, when so many claim the title; and the papists say it is only theirs?

A. I have fully answered such doubts on the article of the "Holy Catholic Church, and Communion of Saints," in the Creed. Either you speak of the whole church, or of a particular church, which is but a part. If of the whole church, it is a foolish question, How shail I know which is the true church? when there is but one. If of a particular church, every true christian society (pastors and flocks) is a true church, that is, a true society, as a part of the whole.

Q. 13. But when there are divers contending churches, how shall I know which of them I should join with?

A. 1. If they are all true churches, having the same God, and Christ, and faith, and hope, and love, you must separate from none of them, as churches, though you may separate from their sins; but must communicate with them in all lawful exercises, as occasion requireth. 2. But your fixed relation to a particular pastor and church peculiarly, must be chosen, as your

own case and benefit, all things considered, doth require. When you can have free choice, the nearest and ablest, and holiest pastor and society should be chosen when violence interposeth, a ruler's will may do much to turn the scales for a tolerable pastor and society, if it make it most for the common good, and your edification.

Q. 14. May men add any thing to the prescribed worship of God?

A. Worship is a doubtful word; if you will call mere mutable accidents and circumstances by the name of worship, man may add to them, such as is putting off the hat, the metre and tune of psalms, and such like. But men may do nothing which implieth a defect in the law of Christ, and therefore may make no new articles of faith, or religion, or any thing necessary to salvation, or any sacraments or ordinances of worship of the same kind with Christ's, much less contrary thereto.

Q. 15. May we hold communion with a faulty church and worship?

A. Or else we must have communion with none on earth: all our personal worship is faulty; we join with them for christian faith and worship. If the minister say or do any thing contrary, it is his sin, and our presence maketh it not ours. Else we must separate from all the world. But we may not by false professions, subscribing, swearing, or practice, commit any sin ourselves for the communion of any church on earth.k

CHAP. XLV.

Of Baptism.

Q. 1. WHAT is baptism?

A. It is a sacred action, or sacrament, instituted by Christ, for the solemnizing of the covenant of Christianity between God and man, and the solemn investing us in the state of Christianity, obliging us to Christ, and for his delivering to us our relation and right to him as our Head, and to the gifts of his covenant.'

* Luke iv. 16, and vi. 6; Matt. viii. 4.

1 Matt. xxviii. 19; Acts ii. 38, 41; v.ii. 12, 13, 16, 37, 38; xix. 5, and xxi, 16; Rom. vi. 3, 4; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Gal. iii. 27; Eph. iv. 5; Col. F. 12; 1 Pet, iii. 21.

Q. 2. Why did Christ institute such a ceremony as washing in so great and weighty a work as our christening?

A. 1. A soul in flesh is apt to use sense, and needs some help of it. 2. Idolaters had filled the world with images and outward ceremonies, and the Jews had been long used to abundance of typical rites; and Christ being to deliver the world from these, and teach them to worship in spirit and truth, would not run into the extreme of avoiding all sensible signs and helps, but hath made his sacraments few and fitted to their use, to be instead of images, and men's vain inventions, and the Jewish burdens, as meet and sufficient helps of that kind to his church, that men might not presume to set up any such things of their own, on pretence of need, or usefulness.

Q. 3. What doth this great sacrament contain?

A. 1. The parties covenanting and acting. 2. The covenant as on both parts, with the benefits given of God, and the duty professed and promised by man. 3. The outward signs of all. Q. 4. Who are the parties covenanting and acting?

A. God and man; that is, 1. Principally God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and, ministerially under him, the baptising ministers; 2. The party baptised; and if he be an infant, the parent or owner on his behalf.

Q. 5. In what relation is God a covenanter with man?

A. 1. As our Creator and Governor, offended by sin, and reconciled by Christ, whom his love gave to be our Saviour. 2. As Christ is our Redeemer and Saviour. 3. As the Holy Ghost is our Regenerator and Comforter; sent by the Father and the Son. Q. 6. In what relation stands the person to be baptised?

A. As a sinner, miserable by guilt and pravity, and loss of his blessed relation to God, but redeemed by Christ, and called by him, and coming to receive him and his saving grace.

Q. 7. What is it that God doth as a covenanter with the baptised?

A. You must well understand that two covenanting acts of God are presupposed to baptism, as done before. I. The first is God's covenant with Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer, by consent, in which God requireth of him the work of man's redemption as on his part, by perfect holiness, righteousness, satisfactory suffering, and the rest and promiseth him, as a reward, to be Lord of all, and the saving and glorifying of the church, with his own perpetual glory.m

m John xvii. 1-3; iii. 35; v. 22, 27, and vi. 39.

II. A promise and conditional covenant, or law of grace, made to lost mankind by the Father and the Son, that whoever truly believeth, that is, becometh a true Christian, shall be saved."

Now baptism is the bringing of this conditional promise, upon man's consent to be an actual mutual covenant.

Q. 8. And what is it that God there doth as an actual covenanter ?

A. First he doth by his minister stipulate, that is, demand of the party baptised whether he truly consent to his part. And next on that supposition, he delivereth him the covenant gifts, which at present are to be bestowed."

Q. 9. What be those?

A. The relation of a pardoned, reconciled sinner and adopted child of God, or that God will be his God in love through Christ.

2. A right and relation to Christ as his actual Saviour, Head, Teacher, Intercessor, and King.

3. A right and relation to the Holy Ghost, to be to him the illuminating, sanctifying, quickening Spirit of light and love, and holy life; and deliverance from the devil, the world, and flesh, and from the wrath of God.

Q. 10. What is it that God requireth of man, and he professeth?

A. That he truly believe in this God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and presently and resolvedly consenteth to be his in these relations, taking him as his God and Father, his Saviour, and his Sanctifier, repenting of his sins, and renouncing the contrary government of the devil, world, and flesh.¶

Q. 11. What are the outward signs of all this?

A. 1. The water. 2. And the actions of both parties. I. The action of the minister on God's part is to wash the body of the baptised with the water, which, in hot countries, was by dipping them overhead, and taking them up: to signify, 1. That they are washed from the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ. 2. And are as dead and buried to sin and the world and flesh, and risen to a new and holy life and heavenly hope. 3. And that by this act we are solemnly bound by God to be Christians. II. The action of the baptised is, to be a willing receiver of this washing, to signify his believing and thankful receiving

" John iii. 16; 2 Cor. v. 19, 20; P Gal. iii. 27; 1 Cor. 12, 13.

1 John v. 11, 12.

• 1 Pet. iii. 21, 22. 9 Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; 1 John v. 7, 11, 12.

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