:

30. Of Marriage.

Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and for preventing of uncleanliness.

It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judg ment to give their consent; yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord; and therefore such as profess the true religion should not marry with infidels or idolaters. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the word; nor can such incestuous marriage ever be made lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.

31. Of the Church.

The church of Christ 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. A visible or Gospel church, consists of those who have believed, been baptized by immersion, given themselves to the Lord and to each other as required in the divine word. The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture, and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of satan; 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.

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, 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. 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, that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience which he prescribeth to them in his word. 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.

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; 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.

To each of these churches thus gathered according to his mind, de clared 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 dis cipline, which he hath instituted for them to observe, with commands and rules, for the due and right executing of that power.

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. The apostolic method of ordaining officers in the church was first, that they be chosen of the church herself, and secondly that they be set apart with fasting and prayer, and laying or lifting up of hands, so as to signify their appointment to the work assigned them to fulfil.

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; 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, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; 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, shall live of the Gospel.

Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching of 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.

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. 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.

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, 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 aud 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.Cases of difficulty or differences, either in point of doctrine or administra

tion; 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 messengers meet to consider and give their advice in or about the matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned; 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. 4

32. Of the Communion of Saints..

All saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by his Spirit, and faith, although they are not made thereby one person with him, have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection and glory; and being united to one another in love, they have communion in each others gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way, as to conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.

Saints by profession, are bound to maintain an 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, according to the rule of the Gospel, though especially to be exercised by them, in the relations wherein they stand, whether in families or churches, yet as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended to all the household of faith, even all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus: nevertheless their communion one with another as saints, doth not take away or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and possessions.

33. Of Baptism.

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of re mission of sins; and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life. Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance. The outward element, to be used in this ordinance, is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Immersion, or dipping of the person in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance.

34. Of the Lord's Supper.

The supper of the Lord Jesus, was instituted by him, the same night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and shewing forth the sa

crifice of himself in his death, confirmation of the faith of believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment and growth in him, their further engagement in and to ali duties which they owe unto him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other.

35. Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead.

The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither die or sleep, have an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torment and utter darkness reserved to the judgment of the great day; besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth none. At the last day, such of the saints as are found alive shall not sleep but be changed; and all the dead be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other; although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unte honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious body.

36. Of the last Judgment.

God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ: to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth, shall appear be fore the tribunal of Christ to give an account of their thoughts, words and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.

The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and glory, with everlasting reward, in the presence of the Lord: but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

AMEN.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SWEDENBORGIANS.

A RELIGIOUS Society, who have been so called from Emanuel Swedenborg, in whose theological works are taught the doctrines which they receive. He was born in Stockholm in Sweden, January 29th, A. D. 1689, and died in London, the 29th March, A. D. 1772. His father was Jasper Swedenborg, bishop of West Gothia, and president of the Swedish church in Pennsylvania and London. In the year 1716, at the age of 28, he was associated by Charles XII. with the celebrated Polhamman, called the Swedish Archemides, to assist him in the direction of buildings and mechanical works, and without solicitation appointed extraordinary assessor to the Royal College of the Mines; the King having given him the choice either of this office, or that of professor in the Royal Academy, of Upsal. "An universal knowledge in the belles lettres, (says Monsieur Sandel in his eulogium delivered in the name of the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm) and a remarkable degree of learning, had at that time made his name known both within and without the Kingdom." "You may find him at once, (says the same gentleman,) a happy assemblage of an excellent memory, a prompt conception, and a most clear judgment, united to a desire that was never cloyed, and the strongest inclination of an assiduous study after acquirements of the most certain kind in philosophy, in almost all kinds of mathematics, natural history, chemistry, anatomy, and finally, theology, without enlarging on the Eastern and European languages, in which he was very well versed." In 1718, at the siege of Fredericksall, he executed a work of the greatest importance. By cutting through the mountains and raising the vallies for two miles and an half from Shomstad to Idef-jol, which separate Sweden from Norway, he caused two gallies, five large boats, and a sloop, to be sent there; by which Charles XII. was enabled to have all the great artillery for the siege carried to Fredericksall. In 1719, he was ennobled by Queen Ulrica Eleanora, and named Swedenborg, and took his seat with the nobles of the equestrian order. His various works in philosophy, the belles lettres, mathematics, mechanics, natural history, physics, chemistry, and anatomy, amount to 24 articles, one of which, his Opera Philosophica and Mineralia, published, part at Leipsic and part at Dresden in 1734, com