Son, and the Holy Ghost, and in the incarnation, justification or
redemption, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus
Christ, and the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment;
and where, besides, the ordinances of the Lord, as baptism, Supper,
separation, and the like, are rightly observed, according to Scripture,
and Christ is followed therein, in the clean fear of the Lord, and in
the regeneration--there is the city and church of the living God, the
pillar and firm ground of the truth, the tabernacle of God with men, in
which God will dwell and walk with his Spirit. Such a body [church] has
Christ for its Head, Preserver, and Savior. But where said marks do not
exist, and where the ordinances of men are the rule of action, there is
no church of God, but a vain boasting of the same.
How the true faith is to be known, read: “So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17.
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:28.
“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God.” 1 Cor. 2:5.
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6; Heb. 11:1;
Hab. 2:4; Heb. 10:38; Rom. 1:17.
How the children of God are to be known by regeneration or the new
birth, read: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” 1
Pet. 1:23.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have
followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the
throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel.” Matt. 19:28.
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature.” Gal. 6:15; John 3:8; 2 Cor. 5:17.
How the true members of Christ are to be known from their godly
conversation, read: “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall
know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven.” Matt. 7:19–21; 5:16; 12:50; John 15:14; Syr. 19:24.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings; that ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst
of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the
world; holding forth the word of life.” Phil. 2:14–16.
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness
is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the
devil.” 1 John 3:7,8.
How the people of God are to be known from this that they have
separated themselves from all other people, and put themselves
under Christ their Head, hearing only his voice, and observing his
commandments, read: “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot
be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” 1 Cor.
10:14,21.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion
hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” 2 Cor.
6:14,17; Rev. 18:4. Is. 52:11; Jer. 15:19; 51:6.
“As I said unto you, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him;
for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:26,27,5.
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
Matt. 28:20; 2 Thess. 2:15; John 8:31; 14:21; 15:10; Matt. 11:28. 1
John 3:7.
How the false prophets are to be known and distinguished from the true
servants of Jesus Christ, read: “Beware of false prophets, which come
to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye
shall know them by their fruits.” Matt. 7:15,16; Deut. 13:1.
“He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh
his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in
him.” John 7:18.
“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.” John 3:34; 8:31;
1 Pet. 4:11.
“But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear
my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and
from the evil of their doings.” Jer. 23:22,31; Is. 55:11; Matt. 23
throughout; Col. 1:6; read also Tit. 1:6; 1 Tim. 3 throughout.
How Christians are to be known by their love, read: “A new commandment
I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that
ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34,35; 1 John 3:23.
“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that
loveth not his brother.” 1 John 3:10; 15:12; Matt. 22:39; Eph. 5:2; 1
Pet. 1:22; 2 Pet. 1:7.
ARTICLE XX.
_Of the ordinances of the church of God, and the sending and electing
of ministers._ Of this we confessed: That, as a house, city, or
country cannot subsist unless it have laws and ordinances by which
to be governed and upheld, and as no human body can subsist without
the members performing the service appointed by God for the needs of
the body; so also, God the Lord has appointed in his church divers
ordinances, laws and commandments, by which it is to be built up,
edified, and improved.
And, as the necessities of the body require, as its chief and most
indispensable members, eyes, mouth, hands and feet, to see, speak,
and labor for the body, that it may thereby be fed and sustained; so
Christ the Lord ordained as necessary in his church, first, by his
own, present, commanding voice, his apostles, whom he sent out to
preach the Gospel among all nations, and to teach them to observe his
commandments, which he caused to be confirmed by signs and miracles.
This the apostles, through the Holy Spirit again enjoined upon their
followers; namely, that they should elect, in the church, pastors,
teachers, helpers and rulers, who as fit shining stars, by their good
walk and sound doctrine, should shine to edification in the spiritual
firmament, and, as messengers of peace, proclaim the good new tidings
everywhere, that thereby men may be turned from their evil ways, added
to the church, and thus the body of Christ be perfected and edified.
And since it is a known fact that a lack of faithful ministers, and
the erring of the sheep because of the lack of good doctrine, arise
principally from the unworthiness of the people; therefore the people
of God, needing this, should not turn to such as have been educated in
universities, according to the wisdom of man, that they may talk and
dispute, and seek to sell their purchased gift for temporal gain; and
who according to the custom of the world do not truly follow Christ in
the humility of regeneration. But the true members of Christ, must,
according to the counsel of God, with humble fasting and praying,
turn to the Father of the harvest, who is the true Sender, that by
his divine wisdom he will raise up men, whom he may set as faithful
and wise stewards over his household, that they may give them proper
meat in due season, and may enkindle them in their hearts with his
Spirit, and urge them into his harvest, that they may feed the flock of
Christ, not for the milk and wool, but of a ready mind, with knowledge
and understanding, and lead them on the right way to the kingdom of
God; and thus execute the ministry imposed upon them by God, with the
strength which God gives.
Hence, believers who are in need, in this respect, shall, after having
sought the face of God with ardent prayer, turn their eyes to a pious
brother, who keeps under his own body, and brings it into subjection,
and in whom the fruits of the Holy Spirit are perceived and seen.
Having been chosen thereto by the voice of the Church, he shall be
examined in the faith by the elder and pastors of the church, whether
he, according to the word of God, agrees with the church in every
article, that he may teach others the way of truth, which he himself
knows. And having been found to be sound, he may stand forth in the
name of the Lord, to proclaim the will of God unto the people. And when
it has thus been found that God has committed the preaching of the
Gospel to him so that he rightly divides the word of God, and brings
forth fruits with it, the church, if she require it, and he, after
examination, has been found, according to the word of God, to be of the
same faith with the church, may, by the voice of the church, choose
him as an elder and teacher in the full ministry, and cause him to be
confirmed by the imposition of the hands of the elders, and ordain
him to labor and work in the vineyard of the Lord, and to administer
and execute Christian baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, with all that
pertains thereto.
In like manner, the church shall, by the voice of the church, elect
deacons over the poor, and, after they have been examined in the faith,
and found to be sound, cause them to be confirmed by the imposition of
the hands of the elders, as helpers and governors, that willing givers
may give their contributions to them, that they may thereby supply the
wants of the poor members of Christ who according to their ability
diligently labor and work with their hands, and still are not able to
support themselves; that there may be found no poor among the people of
God, nor any want in temporal things, and that the good gifts of the
donor may be hidden from men, but become manifest before God, according
to the doctrine of Christ.
And if any of said ministers depart in faith or conversation from the
adopted way of truth, the church which elected him when he was pious
and sound, shall punish or remove him, according as his deeds deserve.
Matt. 18:8; 1 Tim. 1:20.
Of the ordinances of the church of Christ, read: “Joying and beholding
your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” Col. 2:5; 1
Corinthians 11:33; 14:40; 2 Cor. 8:19.
How men are to pray to God, who is the true Sender, for faithful
laborers, read: “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are
few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
laborers into his harvest.” Matt. 9:37,38; Luke 10:2; Matt. 23:34; Luke
11:49; John 13:20; Matt. 10:40; Luke 10:16; Matt. 25:14; Luke 19:12;
John 20:21.
How necessary these ministers are, and how they shall teach the word
of God, and be qualified, read: “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits
of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before
them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and
which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as
sheep which have no shepherd.” Num. 27:16,17.
“I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you
with knowledge and understanding.” Jer. 3:15.
“For him whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God,” etc. John
3:34; 7:18.
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man
minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in
all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ,” etc. 1 Peter 4:11.
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21.
“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order
the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had
appointed thee: if any be blameless,” etc. Tit. 1:5,6.
Of their qualifications, and how they are to minister after their
examination, read: 1 Tim. 3 throughout; 1 Cor. 12:28; Rom. 12:7; Eph.
4:11.
Concerning the mode in which they are to be chosen, read: “We have sent
with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the
churches; and not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches
to travel with us, with this grace, which is administered by us to the
glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind.” 2 Cor.
8:18,19; Acts 1:23.
“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them,
they sent them away.” Acts 13:2,3; 20:28.
“The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same
commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2
Tim. 2:2.
“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but
of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock.” 1 Pet. 5:2,3.
Of the election and confirmation of deacons, read: “It is not reason
that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore
brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the
Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” “Whom
they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid
their hands on them.” Acts 6:2,3,6; 1 Tim. 3:8–10.
ARTICLE XXI.
_Of Christian baptism_ we confess: That the same is a divine,
evangelical transaction, practice and ordinance, which was first
commenced by the man of God, John the Baptist, by the counsel and will
of God, and was received by the worthy Son of God, Christ Jesus, who
humbled himself as a true example, and to whom the aforesaid John led
and pointed with his doctrine and baptism, as being the true Baptizer
with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He proceeded and came from God with
full power in heaven and earth, and sent out his apostles, commanding
them to preach the Gospel to all nations, and to baptize all true
hearers and believers of it, in the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost, and to teach them, before and after baptism, to observe
all things which he had commanded them.
This the apostles of Christ, as obedient ministers of God, practiced
according to this manner, beginning at Jerusalem, and preaching the
Gospel in every country. And all who heard, believed and gladly
received this heavenly doctrine were made disciples and followers,
and were baptized with water, in the name of the triune God, and
thus entered into covenant with Christ, to observe whatsoever he had
commanded them.
And inasmuch as the doctrines and commandments of Christ are not
instituted for a certain time, but are commanded to be kept until the
appearing of Jesus Christ from heaven; and as he will continue with
his Spirit to the end of the world with his followers; therefore all
believers and followers of Christ are bound in no wise, to alter or
reject according to human opinions, these doctrines and commandments
which God has commanded; but to practice and observe them constantly
according to the form and institution of Christ, and the practice
of his highly enlightened apostles; to preach the Gospel to the
people; and all who believe the same, manifest repentance from sin
and amendment of life, and submit to the will of God, shall, by an
unblamable minister ordained to this purpose, be baptized once with
water, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
This outward baptism with water does not properly constitute the
entrance to the kingdom of God, nor does the visible element of the
water contain any power or holiness; neither is it able to give any
grace and salvation; but, as the waters of Jordan and Siloam did not,
properly speaking, heal leprosy and blindness, but only the power
of God, to which they were herein subject and obedient, so also the
water in baptism has no power to forgive our sins, and to cleanse the
filthiness of our flesh, but is simply a token and proof of the grace
and blood of Christ in the washing away of sin, which man, through
faith and regeneration, by grace, has received, in the heart, before
baptism, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, which is
proclaimed in baptism; and without this internal baptism with the Holy
Ghost and with fire, the external, visible, water baptism is as useless
and vain, as the seal on an empty letter.
Since, then, Christian baptism is of such a nature that it was ordained
and commanded by Christ only upon faith, repentance, and reformation,
and was practiced and taught by his high apostles in this, and in
no other wise; therefore we herewith reject, with good reason, the
baptism of unintelligent, speechless infants, which we regard as a
human institution, etc.,[220] which ought justly to be rooted out and
rejected. The principal originators of the same found this their infant
baptism upon the fall of Adam, saying[221] that thereby all men are
born and placed into the world in an unsaved and condemned state, and
that by the power of water baptism they are translated and changed
from this unsaved and condemned state into a saved and God-pleasing
condition; thus binding not only the salvation and condemnation of
infants, but also the saving grace, death, and atonement of Christ to
the willingness or unwillingness of man, and the weak element of water;
so that when an infant is baptized it is instantly saved, and when this
is neglected, it dies condemned.
[220] _Invented in the kingdom of antichrist_, says the writer.
[221] This is an expression of the belief of the papists, who attach
forgiveness of sins and salvation to the external water of baptism.
Who that fears God can in any wise accept with a good conscience this
human infant baptism, instead of the ordinance of God, since in the
whole New Testament not the least is commanded or written concerning
it, either by Christ or by his apostles.
The pedobaptists themselves plainly confess, that in the sending forth
of the apostles into the whole world by Christ, to teach and baptize,
infant baptism is not commanded, nor comprehended in these passages;
neither is there any advocate of the same able to point out in the
word of God the author and first foundation of infant baptism (though
every divine ordinance has its beginning where it was first commanded
by God)--how then shall this fabric of infant baptism, of which no
foundation can be found, stand in the sight of God?
Infant baptism is in fact nothing less than a contemning and trampling
under foot of the true baptism of Christ, militating in many respects
against it; since Christ has attached to baptism the doctrine of the
Gospel, faith and repentance, as a seal and token of the same.
And, as infant baptism does not accord with, but militates against the
baptism of Christ, even so does it not agree with the circumcision
of the Jews, which was not commanded to children but to adults,
namely, that on the eighth day, every male child among them should
be circumcised, on pain of being cut off. But it is not so with the
baptism of Christ, concerning which no command is given to the parents,
much less to any one else, to baptize their children, or to have them
baptized. But baptism is an ordinance of Christ, similar in part to
the Supper, which no one is commanded to cause to be administered to
another, but which Christian ordinance each must desire and receive by
his own faith, for which reason it does in no wise apply to new born
infants.
And as unqualified as infants are to observe the Supper (in which
every reasonable person will agree with us), even so unfit are they
also to receive Christian baptism. And, as infant baptism, for want of
testimony from the divine Scriptures, is demonstrated only by arguments
and uncertain conclusions, so also, by such and similar conclusions,
the Supper may be appropriated to infants, as was formerly done in the
Roman church. And as we may by no means, on such human conclusion,
admit infants to the Supper, just as little may we on these conclusions
admit them to baptism; but in all this all of us who do not wish to
be seduced and deceived must necessarily adhere to the doctrine of
Christ and his apostles. But, as the Jews adhered unchangingly to the
circumcision on the eighth day, without following in any wise their
own opinion, even so should all Christians still much more adhere
unalterably to the doctrine of Christ, and administer baptism only upon
faith and repentance, as Christ has ordained.
But all Christians are commanded and in duty bound to walk before
their children with a good example, and to bring them up in the fear
of the Lord, by good teachings and instructions, without using on them
baptism, the Supper, or any other ceremonies; since it is known that
it is impossible for any one to unite another to the Lord, without his
will and knowledge.
But as soon as men grow up and arrive at the years of discretion, it
is found, that through their innate sinful nature they live after the
flesh, and thereby fall from grace, to which they had been bought by
the blood of Christ. Their souls then need the hearing of the word
of God, whence proceed faith and regeneration, and, as a consequence
thereof, Christian baptism; which by Christ has been appended to faith
and regeneration, and may never be separated therefrom; and which is
represented as a grave in which men are to bury their own actual sins
which they have put off, and are thus to rise with Christ to newness of
life, and walk after the Spirit.
And as no bath to wash off the filth of the body can be used on an
unborn child, but the child must first be born; so Christian baptism,
which is compared to the washing of new born infants, can, according
to the will of God, be given to none but those who are regenerated by
faith, dead to sin, desire the same, rise from the death of sin, and
walk in newness of life, observing whatsoever Christ has commanded them.
Hence no one can be recognized as a brother or sister in the church of
Christ, with whom any Christian ordinance may be practiced, unless they
have previously, according to the word of God, received upon faith the
Christian baptism here spoken of, which is the first ordinance and the
reception into the Christian communion, by which we submit and obligate
ourselves to actually observe all the commandments and ordinances of
God. And as there is but one faith and one God, so there is only one
Christian baptism, which, having been once received upon true faith,
according to the institution of Christ, may not be repeated or renewed.
Of the baptism of John, and how he as a messenger and forerunner
sent before Christ, preached the baptism of repentance, and pointed
to Christ, read: “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mark 1:4; Matt.
3:6,11.
“I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Luke 3:16; John 1:31.
How Christ Jesus commands his disciples to preach the Gospel, and
to baptize only hearers and believers of it, and not unintelligent,
ignorant children, read: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:18–20.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16.
How the apostles, pursuant to this high injunction, preached the
Gospel, and baptized only the hearers, believers, and self-desiring
recipients, read: “When they heard this, they were pricked in their
heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins.” “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized.” Acts
2:37,38,41.
“And the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went
down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized
him.” Acts 8:36–38.
How the apostles, according to this foundation, taught and baptized
several households, after they had heard the word of God, had believed,
had been filled with the Holy Ghost, ordained to the ministry of the
saints, and regarded as believers, read: Acts 10:37; 16:15,32; 1 Cor.
16:15; Acts 18:8.