XIII. OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.

XIII. OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.

We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, [2127] associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; [2128] observing the ordinances of Christ; [2129] governed by his laws, [2130] and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word; [2131] that its only scriptural officers are Bishops, or Pastors, and Deacons, [2132] whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER.

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, [2133] into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; [2134] to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; [2135] that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a Church relation; and to the Lord's Supper, [2136] in which the members of the Church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; [2137] proceeded always by solemn self-examination. [2138]

XV. OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH.

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day, or Christian Sabbath; [2139] and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, [2140] by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations; [2141] by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private [2142] and public; [2143] and by preparation for that rest that remaineth for the people of God. [2144]

XVI. OF CIVIL GOl'ERNMENT.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; [2145] and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; [2146] except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, [2147] who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. [2148]

XVII. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED.

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; [2149] that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in his esteem; [2150] while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in his sight wicked, and under the curse; [2151] and this distinction holds among men both in and after death. [2152]

XVIII. OF THE WORLD TO COME.

We believe that the end of the world is approaching; [2153] that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, [2154] and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; [2155] that a solemn separation will then take place; [2156] that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; [2157] and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness. [2158]

[2062] 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17; 2 Pet. i. 21; 1 Sam. xxiii. 2; Acts i. 16; iii. 21; John x. 35; Luke xvi. 29-31; Psa. cxix. 11l; Rom. iii. 1, 2.

[2063] 2 Tim. iii. 15; 1 Pet. i. 10-12; Acts xi. 14; Rom. i. 16; Mark xvi. 16; John v. 38, 39.

[2064] Prov. xxx. 5, 6; John xvii. 17; Rev. xxii. 18, 19; Rom. iii. 4.

[2065] Rom. ii. 12; John xii. 47, 48; 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4; Luke x. 10-16; xii. 47, 48.

[2066] Phil. iii. 16; Eph. iv. 3-6; Phil. ii. 1, 2; 1 Cor. i. 10; 1 Pet. iv. 11.

[2067] 1 John iv. 1; Isa. viii. 20; 1 Thess. v. 21; 2 Cor. xiii. 5; Acts xvii. 11; 1 John iv. 6; Jude iii. 5; Eph. vi. 17; Psa. cxix. 59, 60; Phil. i. 9-11.

[2068] John iv. 24; Psa. cxlvii. 5; lxxxiii. 18; Heb. iii. 4; Rom. i. 20; Jer. x. 10.

[2069] Exod. xv. 11; Isa. vi. 3; 1 Pet. i. 15, 16; Rev. iv. 6-8.

[2070] Mark xii. 30; Rev. iv. 11; Matt. x. 37; Jer. ii. 12, 13.

[2071] Matt. xxviii. 19; John xv. 26; 1 Cor. xii. 4-6; 1 John v. 7.

[2072] John x. 30; v. 17; xiv. 23; xvii. 5, 10; Acts v. 3, 4; 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11; Phil. ii. 5, 6.

[2073] Eph. ii. 18; 2 Cor. xiii. 14; Rev. i. 4, 5; comp. ii., vii.

[2074] Gen. i. 27; i. 31; Eccles. vii. 29; Acts xvi. 26; Gen. ii. 16.

[2075] Gen. iii. 6-24; Rom. v. 12.

[2076] Rom. v. 19; John iii. 6; Psa. li. 5; Rom. v. 15-19; viii. 7.

[2077] Isa. liii. 6; Gen. vi. 12; Rom. iii. 9-18.

[2078] Eph. ii. 1-3; Rom. i. 18; i. 32; ii. 1-16; Gal. iii. 10; Matt. xx. 15.

[2079] Ezek. xviii. 19, 20; Rom. i. 20; iii. 19; Gal. iii. 22.

[2080] Eph. ii. 5; Matt. xviii. 11; 1 John iv. 10; 1 Cor. iii. 5-7; Acts xv. 11.

[2081] John iii. 16; i. 1-14; Heb. iv. 14; xii. 24.

[2082] Phil. ii. 6, 7; Heb. ii. 9; ii. 14; 2 Cor. v. 21.

[2083] Isa. xlii. 21; Phil. ii. 8; Gal. iv. 4, 5; Rom. iii. 21.

[2084] Isa. liii. 4, 5; Matt. xx. 28; Rom. iv. 25; iii. 21-26; 1 John iv. 10; ii. 2; 1 Cor. xv. 1-3; Heb. ix. 13-15.

[2085] Heb. i. 8; i. 3; viii. 1; Col. iii. 1-4.

[2086] Heb. vii. 25; Col. ii. 9; Heb. ii. 18; vii. 26; Psa. lxxxix. 19; xiv.

[2087] John i. 16; Eph. iii. 8.

[2088] Acts xiii. 39; Isa. iii. 11, 12; Rom. viii. 1.

[2089] Rom. v. 9; Zech. xiii. 1; Matt. ix. 6; Acts x. 43.

[2090] Rom. v. 17; Titus iii. 5, 6; 1 Pet. iii. 7; 1 John ii. 25; Rom. v. 21.

[2091] Rom. iv. 4, 5; v. 21; vi. 23; Phil. iii. 7-9.

[2092] Rom. v. 19; iii. 24-26; iv. 23-25; 1 John ii. 12.

[2093] Rom. v. 1, 2; v. 3; v. 11; 1 Cor. i. 30, 31; Matt. vi. 33; 1 Tim. iv. 8.

[2094] Isa. lv. 1; Rev. xxii. 17; Luke xiv. 17.

[2095] Rom. xvi. 26; Mark i. 15; Rom. i. 15-17.

[2096] John v. 40; Matt. xxiii. 37; Rom. ix. 32; Prov. i. 24; Acts xiii. 46.

[2097] John iii. 19; Matt. xi. 20; Luke xix. 27; 2 Thess. i. 8.

[2098] John iii. 3; iii. 6, 7; 1 Cor. i. 14; Rev. viii. 7-9; xxi. 27.

[2099] 2 Cor. v. 17; Ezek. xxxvi. 26; Deut. xxx. 6; Rom. ii. 28, 29; v. 5; 1 John iv. 7.

[2100] John iii. 8; i. 13; James i. 16-18; 1 Cor. i. 30; Phil. ii. 13.

[2101] 1 Pet. i. 22-25; 1 John v. 1; Eph. iv. 20-24; Col. iii. 9-11.

[2102] Eph. v. 9; Rom. viii. 9; Gal. v. 16-23; Eph. iii. 14-21; Matt. iii. 8-10; vii. 20; 1 John v. 4, 18.

[2103] Mark i. 15; Acts xi. 18; Eph. ii. 8; 1 John v. 1.

[2104] John xvi. 8; Acts ii. 37, 38; xvi. 30, 31.

[2105] Luke xviii. 13; xv. 18-21; James iv. 7-10; 2 Cor. vii. 11; Rom. x. 12, 13; Psa. li.

[2106] Rom. x. 9-11; Acts iii. 22, 23; Heb. iv. 14; Psa. ii. 6; Heb. i. 8; viii. 25; 2 Tim. i. 12.

[2107] 2 Tim. i. 8, 9; Eph. i. 3-14; 1 Pet. i. 1, 2; Rom. xi. 5, 6; John xv. 15; 1 John iv. 19; Hos. xii. 9.

[2108] 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14; Acts xiii. 48; John x. 16; Matt. xx. 16; Acts xv. 14.

[2109] Exod. xxxiii. 18, 19; Matt. xx. 15; Eph. i. ll; Rom. ix. 23, 24; Jer. xxxi. 3; Rom. xi. 28, 29; James i. 17, 18; 2 Tim. i. 9; Rom. xi. 32-36.

[2110] l Cor. iv. 7; i. 26-31; Rom. iii. 27; iv. l6; Col. iii. 12; 1 Cor. iii. 5-7; xv. 10; 1 Pet. v. 10; Acts i. 24: 1 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Luke xviii. 7; John xv. 10; Eph. i. 16; 1 Thess. ii. 12.

[2111] 2 Tim. ii. 10; 1 Cor. ix. 22; Rom. viii. 28-30; John vi. 37-40; 2 Pet. i. 10.

[2112] 1 Thess. i. 4-10.

[2113] Rom. viii. 28-30; Isa. xlii. 16; Rom. xi. 29.

[2114] 2 Pet. i. 10, 11; Phil. iii. 12; Heb. vi. 11.

[2115] 1 Thess. iv. 3; 1 Thess. v. 23; 2 Cor. vii. 1; xiii. 9; Eph. i. 4.

[2116] Prov. iv. 18; 2 Cor. iii. 18; Heb. vi. 1; 2 Pet. i. 5-8; Phil. iii. 12-16.

[2117] John ii. 29; Rom. viii. 5; John iii. 6; Phil. i. 9-11; Eph. i. 13, 14.

[2118] Phil. ii. 12, 13; Eph. iv. 11, 12; 1 Pet. ii. 2; 2 Pet. iii. 18; 2 Cor. xiii. 5; Luke xi. 35; ix. 23; Matt. xxvi. 41; Eph. vi. 18; iv. 30.

[2119] John viii. 31; 1 John ii. 27, 28; iii. 9; v. 18.

[2120] 1 John ii. 19; John xiii. 18; Matt. xiii. 20, 21; John vi. 66-69; Job xvii. 9.

[2121] Rom. viii. 28; Matt. vi. 30-33; Jer. xxxii. 40; Psa. cxxi. 3; xci. 11, 12.

[2122] Phil. i. 6; ii. 12, 13; Jude 24, 25; Heb. i. 14; 2 Kings vi. 16; Heb. xiii. 5; 1 John iv. 4.

[2123] Rom. iii. 31; Matt. v. 17; Luke xvi. 17; Rom. iii. 20; iv. 15.

[2124] Rom. vii. 12; vii. 7, 14, 22; Gal. iii. 21; Psa. cxix.

[2125] Rom. viii. 7, 8; Josh. xxiv. 19; Jer. xiii. 23; John vi. 44; v. 44.

[2126] Rom. viii. 2, 4; x. 4; 1 Tim. i. 5; Heb. viii. 10; Jude 20, 21; Heb. xii. 14; Matt. xvi. 17, 18; 1 Cor. xii. 28.

[2127] 1 Cor. i. 1-13; Matt. xviii. 17; Acts v. 11; viii. 1; xi. 31; 1 Cor. iv. 17; xiv. 23; 3 John 9; 1 Tim. iii. 5.

[2128] Acts ii. 41, 42; 2 Cor. viii. 5; Acts ii. 47; 1 Cor. v. 12, 13.

[2129] 1 Cor. xi. 2; 2 Thess. iii. 6; Rom. xvi. 17-20; 1 Cor. xi. 23; Matt. xviii. 15-20; 1 Cor. v. 6; 2 Cor. ii. 7; 1 Cor. iv. 17.

[2130] Matt. xxviii. 20; John xiv. 15; xv. 12; 1 John iv. 21; John xiv. 21; 1 Thess. iv. 2; 2 John 6; Gal. vi. 2; all the Epistles.

[2131] Eph. iv. 7; 1 Cor. xiv. 12; Phil. i. 27; 1 Cor. xii. 14.

[2132] Phil. i. 1; Acts xiv. 23; xv. 22; 1 Tim. iii.; Titus i.

[2133] Acts viii. 36-39; Matt. iii. 5, 6; John iii. 22, 23; iv. 1, 2; Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark xvi. 16; Acts ii. 38; viii. 12; xvi. 32-34; xviii. 8.

[2134] Matt. xxviii. 10; Acts x. 47, 48; Gal. iii. 27, 28.

[2135] Rom. vi. 4; Col. ii. 12; 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21; Acts xxii. 16.

[2136] Acts ii. 41, 42; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; Acts and Epistles.

[2137] 1 Cor. xi. 20; Matt. xxvi. 26-29; Mark xiv. 22-25; Luke xxii. 14-20.

[2138] 1 Cor. xi. 28; v. 1, 8; x. 3-32; xi. 17-32; John vi. 26-71.

[2139] Acts xx. 7; Gen. ii. 3; Col. ii. 16, 17; Mark ii. 27; John xx. 19; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.

[2140] Exod. xx. 8; Rev. i. 10; Psa. cxviii. 24.

[2141] Isa. lviii. 13, 14; lvi. 2-8.

[2142] Psa. cxiii. 15.

[2143] Heb. x. 24, 25; Acts xi. 26; xiii. 44; Lev. xix. 30; Exod. xlvi. 3; Luke iv. 16; Acts xvii. 2, 3; Psa. xxvi. 8; lxxxvii. 3.

[2144] Heb. iv. 3-11.

[2145] Rom. xiii. 1-7; Deut. xvi. 18; 1 Sam. xxiii. 3; Exod. xviii. 23; Jer. xxx. 21.

[2146] Matt. xxii. 21; Titus iii. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 13; 1 Tim. ii. 1-8.

[2147] Acts v. 29; Matt. x. 28; Dan. iii. 15-18; vi. 7-10; Acts iv. 18-20.

[2148] Matt. xxiii. 10; Rom. xiv. 4; Rev. xix. 16; Psa.lxxii. 1l; ii.; Rom. xiv. 9-13.