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exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them; but it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

SECT. 4. It is founded upon this great and compre

hensive truth, that Jesus is the Son of God.

When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say, that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered, and said, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered, and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Nathanael saith unto him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel'. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and he baptized him. These are written, that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend unto heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above,) or who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead;) but what saith the righteousness which is of faith? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is the word of faith

6 Matt. xx. 20-27.

§ 4. Matt. xvi. 13—18. b John, i. 49. d John, xx. 31.

VOL. II.

DD

© Acts, viii. 36,37,38.

which we preach; that, 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; for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God'; for whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

SECT. 5. The commission given by our Lord to his

Apostles.

The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven, and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned".

After that Jesus, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen; to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith, Ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord,

• Rom. x. 6--10.

§ 5. Matt. xxviii. 16, 18, 19, 20.

f 1 John, v. 1.
› Mark, xvi. 15, 16.

* 1 John, v. 4, 5.

wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the outermost parts of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following:

SECT. 6. The effusion of the Holy Ghost, and the establishment of the church at Jerusalem.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized; and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfast in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions, and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved". And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of 4 Acts, i. 8, 9. e Mark, xvi. 20.

Acts, i. 1-7. § 6. * Acts, ii. 1—4.

b

Acts, ii. 41-47.

one soul; neither said any of them, that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common c. Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet; and distribution was made to every man, according as he had need d.

SECT. 7. The Gospel preached first to the Jews.

Ye men of Israel, repent ye, and be converted; that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 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. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent". And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again". 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

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that believe, are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses'.

SECT. 8. To the family of Cornelius, as the first fruits of the Gentiles.

as

"When Cornelius, the centurion, by the vision of an angel, had sent for Peter; and that Apostle, by the peculiar direction of the Divine Spirit, had gone to Cæsarea; and preached the gospel to him, and his friends present before God, to hear the things that were commanded of God, Acts, x. 1-43." While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, for they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. And the Apostles and brethren, that were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him". But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them. Adding, for as much then as God gave them the like gift, as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life".

SECT. 9. Preached unto all the Gentiles.

Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as

f Acts, xiii. 38, 39.

§ 8. Acts, x. 44—48. d Acts, xi. 17, 18.

Acts, xi. 1, 2.

© Acts, xi. 4.

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