CHAPTER XXVI
Of the Communion of Saints
All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by His Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.
1 John i. 3; Eph. iii. 16, 17, 18, 19; John i. 16; Eph. ii. 5, 6; Phil. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 5. 6; 2 Tim. ii. 12; Eph. iv. 15, 16: 1 Cor. xii. 7; 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23; Col. ii. 19; 1 Thess. v. 11, 14; Rom. i. 11, 12,14; 1 John iii. 16, 17, 18; Gal. vi. 10.
II. Saints by profession are bound to maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God; and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities, and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
Heb. x. 24, 25; Acts ii. 42, 46; Isa. ii. 3; 1 Cor. xi. 20; Acts ii. 44, 45; 1 John iii. 17; 2 Cor. viii and ix chapters; Acts xi. 29, 30.
III. This communion, which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise, partakers of the substance of His Godhead; or to be equal with Christ, in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and possessions.
Col. i. 18, 19; 1 Cor. viii. 6; Isa. xlii. 8; 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16; Ps. xlv. 7, with Heb. i. 8, 9; Exod. xx. 15; Eph. iv. 28; Acts v. 4.
CHAPTER XXVII
Of the Sacraments
Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him; as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church, and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.
Rom. iv. 11; Gen. xvii. 7, 10; Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 23; 1 Cor x. 16; 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26; Gal. iii. 17; Rom. xv. 8; Exod. xii. 48; Gen xxxiv. 14; Rom. vi. 3, 4; 1 Cor. x. 16, 21.
II. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.
Gen. xvii. 10; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; ***. iii. 5.
III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them: neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it: but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.
Rom. ii. 28, 29; 1 Pet. iii. 21; Matt. iii. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
IV. There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 20, 23; 1 Cor. iv. l; Heb. v. 4.
V. The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New.
1 Cor. x. 1, 2, 3, 4.
CHAPTER XXVIII
Of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church; but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life. Which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Rom. iv. 11 with Col. ii. 11. 12; Gal. iii. 27; Rom. vi. 5; ***. iii. 5; Mark i. 4; Rom. vi. 3, 4; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
II. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the Gospel, lawfully called thereunto.
Matt. iii. 11; John i. 33; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.
Heb. ix. 10, 19, 20, 21, 22; Acts ii. 41; Acts xvi. 33; Mark vii. 4.
IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptized.
Mark xvi. 15, 16; Acts viii. 37, 38; Gen. xvii. 7, 9, 10 with Gal. iii. 9, 14 and Col. ii. 11, 12 and Acts ii. 38, 39 and Rom. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. vii. 14; Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark x. 13, 14, 15, 16; Luke xviii. 15.
V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.
Luke vii. 30 with Exod. iv. 24, 25, 26; Rom. iv. 11; Acts x. 2, 4, 22, 31, 45, 47; Acts viii. 13, 23.
VI. The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will in His appointed time.
John iii. 5, 8; Gal. iii. 27; Titus iii. 5; Eph. v. 25, 26; Acts ii. 38, 41.
VII. The sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person.
Titus iii. 5.
[Note: The FPC allows some liberty of conscience on Baptism. To quote the Articles of the FPC, "The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, under Christ the Great King and Head of the Church, Realizing that bitter controversy raging around the mode and proper subjects of the ordinance of Christian baptism has divided the Body of Christ when that Body should have been united in Christian love and Holy Ghost power to stem the onslaughts and hell-inspired assaults of modernism, hereby affirms that each member of the Free Presbyterian Church shall have liberty to decide for himself which course to adopt on these controverted issues, each member giving due honor in love to the views held by differing brethren, but none espousing the error of baptismal regeneration.]
Of the Communion of Saints
All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by His Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.
1 John i. 3; Eph. iii. 16, 17, 18, 19; John i. 16; Eph. ii. 5, 6; Phil. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 5. 6; 2 Tim. ii. 12; Eph. iv. 15, 16: 1 Cor. xii. 7; 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23; Col. ii. 19; 1 Thess. v. 11, 14; Rom. i. 11, 12,14; 1 John iii. 16, 17, 18; Gal. vi. 10.
II. Saints by profession are bound to maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God; and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities, and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
Heb. x. 24, 25; Acts ii. 42, 46; Isa. ii. 3; 1 Cor. xi. 20; Acts ii. 44, 45; 1 John iii. 17; 2 Cor. viii and ix chapters; Acts xi. 29, 30.
III. This communion, which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise, partakers of the substance of His Godhead; or to be equal with Christ, in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and possessions.
Col. i. 18, 19; 1 Cor. viii. 6; Isa. xlii. 8; 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16; Ps. xlv. 7, with Heb. i. 8, 9; Exod. xx. 15; Eph. iv. 28; Acts v. 4.
CHAPTER XXVII
Of the Sacraments
Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him; as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church, and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.
Rom. iv. 11; Gen. xvii. 7, 10; Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 23; 1 Cor x. 16; 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26; Gal. iii. 17; Rom. xv. 8; Exod. xii. 48; Gen xxxiv. 14; Rom. vi. 3, 4; 1 Cor. x. 16, 21.
II. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.
Gen. xvii. 10; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; ***. iii. 5.
III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them: neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it: but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.
Rom. ii. 28, 29; 1 Pet. iii. 21; Matt. iii. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
IV. There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 20, 23; 1 Cor. iv. l; Heb. v. 4.
V. The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New.
1 Cor. x. 1, 2, 3, 4.
CHAPTER XXVIII
Of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church; but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life. Which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Rom. iv. 11 with Col. ii. 11. 12; Gal. iii. 27; Rom. vi. 5; ***. iii. 5; Mark i. 4; Rom. vi. 3, 4; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
II. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the Gospel, lawfully called thereunto.
Matt. iii. 11; John i. 33; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.
Heb. ix. 10, 19, 20, 21, 22; Acts ii. 41; Acts xvi. 33; Mark vii. 4.
IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptized.
Mark xvi. 15, 16; Acts viii. 37, 38; Gen. xvii. 7, 9, 10 with Gal. iii. 9, 14 and Col. ii. 11, 12 and Acts ii. 38, 39 and Rom. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. vii. 14; Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark x. 13, 14, 15, 16; Luke xviii. 15.
V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.
Luke vii. 30 with Exod. iv. 24, 25, 26; Rom. iv. 11; Acts x. 2, 4, 22, 31, 45, 47; Acts viii. 13, 23.
VI. The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will in His appointed time.
John iii. 5, 8; Gal. iii. 27; Titus iii. 5; Eph. v. 25, 26; Acts ii. 38, 41.
VII. The sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person.
Titus iii. 5.
[Note: The FPC allows some liberty of conscience on Baptism. To quote the Articles of the FPC, "The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, under Christ the Great King and Head of the Church, Realizing that bitter controversy raging around the mode and proper subjects of the ordinance of Christian baptism has divided the Body of Christ when that Body should have been united in Christian love and Holy Ghost power to stem the onslaughts and hell-inspired assaults of modernism, hereby affirms that each member of the Free Presbyterian Church shall have liberty to decide for himself which course to adopt on these controverted issues, each member giving due honor in love to the views held by differing brethren, but none espousing the error of baptismal regeneration.]
