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worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine," ver. 17. "against an elder receive not an accufati on, but before two or three witneffes. Them that fin, rebuke before all, that others may fear," &c. ver. 19. 21. (3) To lay on hands for the miniftry: "Lay hands fuddenly on no man," ver. 22 (4) To choose men for the preaching of the gospel: "The things that thou haft heard of me among many witneffes, the fame commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others alfo," 2 Tim. ii. 2. And throughout these two epiftles, St. Paul addreffes himself to Timothy as one who had the chief fuperintendance over the private members of his church, and in all the affairs thereof. He alfo authorizes Titus to ordain elders (a peculiar part of the epifcopal office) and to regulate every thing: "For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou fhouldeft fet in or der the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee," Titus i. 5.

Nor is it lefs evident, that the feven angels of the feven churches. of Afia Minor (the feven ftars held in the right hand of Christ) mentioned in the 2d and 3d chapters of the Revelation, poffeffed all the parts and requifites of the epifcopal office. For our Lord would never have addreffed thofe epiftles, which fo deeply concerned the interefts of thofe churches, to fingle individuals, if those fingle individuals had not been, by the fuperior offices with which they were invested, proper reprefentatives of thofe churches refpectively. We must also observe, that each of thofe churches belonged to a great metropolitan city, to which many other cities, towns, and villages, were confidered as adjoined: fo that as Titus, bishop of Crete, was required to "ordain elders and to fet in order the things that were wanting, in every city" in the lile of. Crete, fo the other bishops (as foon as poffible) had each an ex✈ tenfive diocefe, through which they travelled, and over which they fuperintended."

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Nor must we omit to obferve, that each diocefe had a college of elders or prefbyters, in which the bishop prefided. So that the bishop by no means fuperintended his diocefe in a defpotić manner, but was rather the chief executor of thofe regulations, which were made in the college of prefbyters, which answered to the convocations, fynods, or conferences of all the well-organized churches in modern times.

But in all we have obferved on this fubject, we by no means intend to speak difrefpectfully of the prefbyterian church, or of any other: we only defire to defend our own from the unjuft ca lumnies of its opponents.

The chief city of a nation.

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49)

SECTION II.

Articles of Religion.

I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

HERE is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invifible. And in unity of this God-head, there are three perfons of one fubftance, power, and eternity;-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft.

NOTE S.

This article is proved from the following fcriptures, viz. (1) John iv. 24. God is a fpirit. Ephef. iii. 9. God, who created all things by Jefus Chrift. (2) John i. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. viii. 54. Jesus answered-it is my Father that honoureth me. x. 29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all. (3) John i. 1. The Word was God. Ifai. 9. 6. Unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and his name fhall be called The mighty God. John *x. 28. Thomas faid unto him [Chrift] my Lord and my God. Acts xx. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Rom. ix. 5. Chrift, who is over all, God bleffed for ever. Phil. ii. 6. Who [Chrift Jefus] being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Tit. ii. 13. The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jefus Chrift. Heb. i. 8. Unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. I John v. 20. His Son Jefus Chrif This is the true God, and eternal life. (4) John xiv. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghoft,-fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you. xv. 26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will fend unto you from the Father;-he fhall testify of me. xvi. 8. When he [the Comforter] is come, he will reprove the world of fin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. (5) 1 John v. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft and these three are one. Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Luke 3. 22. The Holy Ghoft defcended in a bodily fhape, like a dove, upon him [Christ] and a voice came from heaven, which faid, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghoft, be with you all. Amen.

II. Of the Word, or Son of God, who was made very Man.

HE Son, who is the Word of the Father, the

Father, took man's nature in the womb of the bleffed Virgin; fo that two whole and perfect natures, that is to fay, the God-head and manhood, were joined together in one perfon, never to be divided, whereof is one Chrift, very God and very man, who truly fuffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a facrifice, not only for original guilt, but alfo for actual fins of men.

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This article is proved by many of the above-quoted as well as by the following fcriptures, viz. (1) John i. 14. And the Word [who was God, ver. I.] was made fefb. Phil. ii. 7, 8. Chrift Jefus, [who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, ver. 5, 6.] was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs. 1 Tim. iii. 16. Without controver fy, great is the mystery of godlinefs, God was manifeft in the feb. (2) Col. i. 14. In whom [God's dear Son] we have redemp tion through his blood, even the forgiveness of fins. Ephef. ii. 13, 16. Now, in Chrift Jefus, ye who fometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Chrift. For he is our peace, that he might reconcile both [Jews and Gentiles] unto God in one body by the cross, having flain the enmity thereby. 1 Tim. ii. 6. Who [Christ Jefus] gave himself a ransom for all.

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III. Of the Refurrection of Christ.

HRIST did truly rife again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he afcend

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ed into heaven, and there fitteth until he return to judge all men at the laft day.

NOTES.

Matt. xxviii. 6. He [Jefus] is not here; for he is rifen, as he faid. Luke xxiv. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myfelf. Handle me, and fee: for a fpirit hath not fiesh and bones, as ye fee me have. Mark xvi. 19. After the Lord had fpoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and fat on the right hand of God.

IV. Of the Holy Ghost.

OHE Holy Ghoft, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one fubftance, majefty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

NOTE S.

(1) John xiv. 16, 17. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. John xiv. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my name, &c. (2) Rom. viii. 9. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you: now if any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. Gal. iv. 6. Because ye are fons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. (3) 2 Cor. iii. 3. The Spirit of the living God. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I Pet. iv. 14. The Spirit of glory and of God refteth upon you.

V. The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for
Salvation.

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TOLY Scripture containeth all things necessary to falvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, or may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it fhould be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to falvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture, we do understand those

canonical books of the Old and New Teftament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the church.

The Names of the Canonical Books

GENESIS,

Exodus,

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Ecclefiaftes, or the Preacher,

Cantica, or Songs of Solomon,
Four Prophets the greater,

Twelve Prophets the less:

All the Books of the New Teftament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

NOTE S.

2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All fcripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Pet. i. 19, 20, 21. We have also a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day-ftar arife in your hearts;

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