Chapter 27
Of the Church
- 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.1
- 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 error, everting the
foundation, or unholiness of
conversation, are and may be called
visible saints;2 and
of such ought all particular
congregations to be
constituted.3
- The purest churches under heaven are
subject to mixture and error;4 and some have so degenerated
as to become no churches of Christ, but
synagogues of Satan;5
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.6
- 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;7
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.
8
- 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,9 that they may walk before
Him in all the ways of obedience, which
He prescribeth to them in His
Word.10 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.11
- 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;12 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.13
- 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 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.14
- 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
entrusts them with, or calls them to, to
be continued to the end of the world, are
bishops, or elders, and
deacons.15
- 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;16 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:17 and of a
deacon that he be chosen by the like
suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and
the like imposition of hands.18
- 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;19 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,20 so
as they may have a comfortable supply,
without being themselves entangled in
secular affairs;21
and may also be capable of exercising
hospitality towards others;22 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.23
- 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.
24
- 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.25
- 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
church order, or absent themselves from
the assemblies of the church, or
administration of any ordinance, upon the
account of such offence at any of their
fellow members, but to wait upon Christ,
in further proceeding of the
church.26
- 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,27
in all places, and upon all occasions to
further it, 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.28
- 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
messenger, meet to consider, and give
their advice in or about the matter in
difference, to be reported to all the
churches concerned;29
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.30
Footnotes:
1. Heb
12:23; Col 1:18; Eph 1:10,22-23;
5:23,27,32.
2. 1Co
1:2; Ac 11:26.
3. Ro
1:7; Eph 1:20-22.
4. 1Co
5:1-13; Rev 2:1-29; 3:1-22.
5. Rev
18:2; 2Th 2:11-12.
6. Mt
16:18; Ps 72:17; 102:28; Rev 12:17.
7. Col
1:18; Mt 28:18-20; Eph 4:11-12.
8. 2Th
2:2-9.
9. Jn
10:16; 12:32.
10.
Mt 28:20.
11.
Mt 18:15-20.
12.
Ro 1 :7; 1Co 1:2.
13.
Ac 2:41-42; 5:13-14; 2Co 9:13.
14.
Mt 18:17-18; 1Co 5:4-5; 5:13; 2Co
2:6-8.
15.
Ac 20:17,28; Php 1:1.
16.
Ac 14:23.
17.
1Ti 4:14.
18.
Ac 6:3,5-6.
19.
Ac 6:4; Heb 13:17.
20.
1Ti 5:17-18; Gal 6:6-7.
21.
2Ti 2:4.
22.
1Ti 3:2.
23.
1Co 9:6-14.
24.
Ac 11:19-21; 1Pe 4:10-11.
25.
1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:6,14-15.
26.
Mt 18:15-17; Eph 4:2-3.
27.
Eph 6:18; Ps 122:6.
28.
Ro 16:1-2; 3Jn 8-10.
29.
Ac 15:2,4,6,22-23,25.
30.
2Co 1:24; 1Jn 4:1.
©1998 Limerick Free
Baptist Church
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Free
Baptist Church of Limerick