Early Convention. glory of his Father with the holy angels. 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. Lk. 22: 19 He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Rom. 10: 9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. 1 Cor. 11:26 As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 2 Tim. 2: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. 1 Jn. 4: 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. [See 502.] . · CHURCH ORDER, DISCIPLINE, FELLOWSHIP, ETC. 108. An early ecclesiastical convention. Ac. 15: 5 There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul: 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well Fare ye well. Discipline. 109. Church discip.ine. Ps. 141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness end let him reprove ine; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head. Mat. 18: 15 If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 1 Cor. 5: 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters: for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Gal. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Th. 3: 6 We command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Tit. 3: 10 A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. Rev. 2: 2, I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not; and Rules for Elifcation. hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. [See 610.] 110. Directions for the ed fication of churches. Rom. 12: 4 As we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching: 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity: he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.-14: 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 15: 1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself. Ep. 4: 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up intc him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Col. 3: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [Heb. 10: 24, 25.] 1 Th. 5: 11 Comfort yourselves gether, and edify one another, even as also ye dc Heb. 3: 13 Exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. -10: 24 Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day ap proaching. Brotherly Love, Fellowship and Unity. 111. Brotherly love, fellowship, and unity in churches, required and exem• plified. 1 S. 18: 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 2 S. 1: 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. Ps. 133: 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. Is. 52: 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Jn. 13: 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.-15: 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. -17: 20 Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word: 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. Ac. 4: 32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul.-20: 37 They all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, 38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. Rom. 12: 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring o another.-15: 5 The God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1: 10 I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 2 Cor. 13: 11 Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God (f love and peace shall be with you. Brotherly Love, Fellowship and Unity. Gal. 6: 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Ep. 4: 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.-5: 2 Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Ph. 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel. 27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.-2: 1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Ph. 3: 16 Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 1 Th. 4: 9 As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more. Heb. 13: 1 Let brotherly love continue. 1 Pet. 1: 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently -2: 17 Love the brotherhood. 2 Pet. 1: 5 Besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; 7 And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. 1 Jn. 3: 11 This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his |