1) The catholic or universal church, which (with
respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace)
may be called 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.a
(a Hebrews
12:23, Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:10,22,23, Ephesians 5:23,27,32)
2) All persons throughout the world, professing the
faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according
unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors
everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and
may be called visible saints;b and of such
ought all particular congregations to be
constituted.c
(b 1
Corinthians 1:2, Acts
11:26; c Romans
1:7, Ephesians
1:20-22)
3) The purest churches under heaven are subject to
mixture and error;d and some have so
degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of
Satan;e nevertheless Christ always hath had,
and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof,
of such as believe in him, and make profession of his
name.f
(d 1
Corinthians 5, Revelation 2, Revelation 3;
e Revelation 18:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12;
f Matthew 16:18, Psalms 72:17, Psalm
102:28, Revelation 12:17)
4) The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in
whom, 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; g
neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is
that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, 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.h
(g Colossians 1:18, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:11,12;
h 2
Thessalonians 2:2-9)
5) In the execution of this power wherewith he is so
intrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto himself,
through the ministry of his word, by his Spirit, those that are
given unto him by his Father,i that they may
walk before him in all the ways of obedience, which he
prescribeth to them in his word.j Those thus
called, 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
the world.k
(i John
10:16, John
12:32; j Matthew
28:20; k Matthew
18:15-20)
6) 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;l and do willingly consent to walk
together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up
themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God,
in professed subjection to the ordinances of the
Gospel.m
(l Romans.
1:7, 1
Corinthians 1:2; m Acts
2:41,42, Acts
5:13,14, 2
Corinthians 9:13)
7) 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 in 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.n
(n Matthew
18:17,18, 1
Corinthians 5:4,5, 1
Corinthians 5:13, 2
Corinthians 2:6-8)
8) A particular church, gathered and completely
organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers
and members; and 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 or
duty, which he intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be
continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and
deacons.o
(o Acts
20:17,28, Philippians 1:1)
9) The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any
person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of
bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by
the common suffrage of the church itself;p and
solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of
hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before
constituted therein;q and of a deacon that he
be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the
like imposition of hands.r
(p Acts
14:23; q 1
Timothy 4:14; r Acts
6:3,5,6)
10) The work of pastors being constantly to attend the
service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word
and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give
an account to Him;s it is incumbent on the
churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due
respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things
according to their ability,t so as they may
have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in
secular affairs;u and may also be capable of
exercising hospitality towards others;v and
this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order
of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the
Gospel should live of the Gospel.w
(s Acts
6:4, Hebrews
13:17; t 1
Timothy 5:17,18, Galatians 6:6,7;
u 2
Timothy 2:4; v 1
Timothy 3:2; w 1 Corinthians 9:6-14)
11) Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors
of the churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of
office, yet the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly
confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the
Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may
and ought to perform it.x
(x Acts
11:19-21, 1 Peter
4:10,11)
12) As all believers are bound to join themselves to
particular churches, when and where they have opportunity so to
do; so all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church, are
also under the censures and government thereof, according to the
rule of Christ.y
(y 1
Thessalonians 5:14, 2
Thessalonians 3:6,14,15)
13) No church members, upon any offence taken by them,
having performed their duty required of them towards the person
they are offended at, ought to disturb any church-order, or
absent themselves from the assemblies of the church, or
administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such
offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ,
in the further proceeding of the church.z
(z Matthew
18:15-17, Ephesians 4:2,3)
14) As each church, and all the members of it, are
bound to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the
churches of Christ,a in all places, and upon
all occasions to further every one within the bounds of their
places and callings, in the exercise of their gifts and graces,
so the churches, when planted by the providence of God, so as
they may enjoy opportunity and advantage for it, ought to hold
communion among themselves, for their peace, increase of love,
and mutual edification.b
(a Ephesians 6:18, Psalms
122:6; b Romans
16:1,2, 3 John
8-10)
15) In cases of difficulties or differences, either in
point of doctrine or administration, 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 proceedings 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 to consider, and give their advice in or about
that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches
concerned;c howbeit these messengers assembled,
are not intrusted 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 determination on the churches or
officers.d
(c Acts
15:2,4,6,22,23,25; d 2
Corinthians 1:24, 1 John
4:1)