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Abraham's bosom. Heb. i. 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.

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1 Cor. xii. 12, &c. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that onebody, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 John, i. 7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Rom. xii. 5, 16, &c. So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Be of the same mind one toward another.

*Acts, ii. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Eph. iv. 11, 12. And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

5. Q. Do you not by this account of the present Article, utterly shut out those from any part in it, who yet are more commonly called saints; I mean, such as have departed this life in the fear of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ?

A. No, by no means: I believe them to partake in this communion also; as they are still living members of Christ's holy catholic church.

And therefore I believe, that they have a fellow

ship no less than we, with God and Christ. That they are sanctified by the same Spirit; are visited by the holy angels; have some kind of fellowship with one another; and with us also, however separated by death from us.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Heb. xii. 22, 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels: to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

6. Q. Wherein do you suppose their fellowship with us to consist?

A. I look upon the case to be much the same with us, as it is with members of the same civil society upon earth, when they are in a foreign country, far distant from one another.

*We are members of the same church; * united to the same head; * sanctified by the same Spirit; *heirs of the same promises; * shall in a little time be in the same place and state; and, when the end of the world comes, we shall all be translated to the same glory and happiness in God's heavenly kingdom.

7. Q. To what offices of communion does this be lief oblige us at present towards each other?

A. To the members of Christ's church, still living, it obliges us to love and charity; to mutual prayers for, and help of, each other, in all such things as may promote the salvation of us all. How the saints departed maintain communion with us we cannot tell. Probably it is that they do, in general, pray for us, as it is certain they wish well to us. But for ourselves, who are yet here on earth, we must bless God

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for the grace he was pleased to bestow upon them; and by which they were delivered from the sins and temptations of this evil world, and enabled faithfully to serve him unto the end. We must set before us their examples, and imitate their virtues. We must account of them as living members of Christ's body; and be not only ready, but desirous to go to them, whenever it shall please God to call for us. We must take care decently to dispose of their bodies; and faithfully to fulfil, as much as in us lies, what they have left in trust with us, to be done for them after their departure.

8. Q. What think you of that honour which is paid to them in the church of Rome?

A. It is not only vain, and without all warrant from God's word, but is, indeed, superstitious and idolatrous. To pray to any creature, and he at a vast distance from us; in the house of God with all the outward marks of religious worship; nay, and oftentimes in the same words, and in the same breath in which we pray to God; and that, lastly, with a confidence that the person so prayed to, can hear our prayers, and answer our desires; being evidently to give to the creature the honour due to the Creator, which cannot be done without the peril of idolatry.

SECT. XVIII.

Of the Forgiveness of Sins; and the Power of the Church in that behalf.

1. Q. What is the next privilege which you believe does, of right, belong to those who are the members of Christ's church?

A. The forgiveness of sins.

2. Q. What is sin?

A. It is the transgression of God's law. 1 John, iii. 4. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Whether by our omitting to do what that required us to have done; or by our doing any thing contrary to its commands.

3. Q. What mean you by the law of God?

A. The will of God, howsoever made known to us; whether by the light of our own consciences, or by the declarations of his word; especially that which is delivered to us in the books of the New Testament.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-1 John, i. 7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Psalm xxxii. 1, 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Comp. Rom. iv. 7, 8. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

4. Q. How does God forgive sin?

A. He washes away the stain of it by his sanctifying grace; and remits the punishment of it for the sake and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5. Q. What assurance have we that God will thus forgive us our sins?

A. The covenant of the Gospel is founded upon the promise of such forgiveness: so that if we believe that Christ died for our sins, we must also believe that God, for Christ's sake, will forgive all those who

truly repent of their sins. Luke, xxiv. 47. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Acts, v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith, which is in me. Eph. iv. 32. Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Acts, iii. 26. Unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. xiii. 38, 39. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 1 Cor. xv. 2, 3. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For 1 delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 2 Cor. v. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

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6. Q. Is this the peculiar privilege of the church of Christ?

A. So the Scriptures tell us; there being no other name under heaven given among men, by which we

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