The First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Part 4 – Covenant
Hitherto of love to God, next of love to man.
Quest. What is that love to man the Law requireth?
Answ. The Law requireth to love thy Neighbour as thy self for the sake of God, and this containeth all the duties of the second Table, Math.22.39. Jam.3.9.
Quest. What doth the fifth Command require?
Answ. The fifth Command requireth to preserve the honour of thy Neighbour, and therefore to behave thy self reverently to Superiours, honour being due to them above thy self, respectively to equals, honour being due to them equal to thy self, and not contemning thy inferiors, 1 Pet.2.17. 1 Tim. 5. 1, 2. Eph. 6.1,2. Isai.3.5. Phil.2.3. Luke.18.9.
Quest. What doth the sixth Command require?
Answ. The sixth Command requireth to preserve the life of thy Neighbour, and therefore to behave thy self meekly, patiently, peaceably, and merciful towards him, Numb.12.3. Luke 21.19. Col.3.13. Rom.15.2. Rom. 12.18,20,21.
Quest. What doth the seventh Command require?
Answ. The seventh Command requireth Chastity, (that is) purity in all things respecting the generating of mankind, and therefore to behave thy self modestly and gravely, observing all things becoming purity, Eph.5.3,4. 1 Tim.2.9. 1 Tim. 3.11. Rom.13.13.
Quest. What doth the eighth Command require?
Answ. The eighth Command requireth to preserve the goods of thy Neighbour, and therefore to behave thy self justly and equally in seeking after, keeping and using worldly goods Eph. 4. 28. Col. 4. 1. Jer. 17. 11. Prov. 3.27. 1 Cor.7.31.
Quest. What doth the ninth Command require?
Answ. The ninth Command requireth to preserve the Name of thy Neighbour, and therefore to have (in your Assertions and Promises (a respect truly and faithfully to the Truth, Psal.15. 2,3,4.
Quest. What doth the tenth Command require?
Answ. The tenth Command requireth to preserve the prosperity of thy Neighbour, and therefore a contentation with thine own things, and not envying another, 3 Epist. Joh.2. Heb.13.5. Gal.5. ult.
Hitherto of Obedience, next concerning helps to Obedience.
Quest. What are special helps to Obedience
Answ. Prayer, and the Sacraments of the New-Testament.
Quest. What is Prayer?
Answ. Prayer is a Religious presenting of our desires before God, by Confession, Petition, and Thanksgiving, according to the will of God, sometimes with others, and sometimes alone as in secret and to Prayer belongeth Religious singing.
1. Prayer is a religious presenting our desires before God, called the pouring out of the heart before God, Psal. 62. 8. the shewing him our trouble, Psal. 142. 2. nextly and directly presented to God, therefore a religious presenting our desires. Psal. 57.1,2.
2. The parts of Prayer. 1. Confession of our sinful unworthiness, Dan.9.4. 2. Petitioning for mercy and grace in the Name of Christ, Dan. 9. 3. Joh.16.24. 3. Thanksgiving for mercy received, or that we hope to receive, Phil. 4. 6.
3. The Rule of Prayer, it is an asking according to the will of God revealed in his Word, 1 Joh.5.14. 1. According to his commanding will. 2. According to his promising will, 2 Sam.7. 27.
And Prayer ought to be, 1. Sometimes with others in publick, 1 Cor.14.16. 2. In the Family, Jer. 10.25. and sometimes alone in secret, Math.6.6. Zach. 12. 13, 14. and to Prayer belongs religious singing of Psalms, Col.3.16. Eph.5.19.
Quest. What are the Sacraments of the New-Testament?
Answ. The Sacraments of the New-Testament are Baptisme and the Lords Supper. Baptisme a Sacrament of entrance into Covenant with Christ, and his Church, and the Lords Supper a Sacrament of our continuance in Covenant and Communion with Christ, and his Church. The one cometh in the place of Circumcision, and is a Gospel Circumcision, Col.2.11,12. The other cometh in the place of the Passover, and is our Gospel Passover, Math.26.17,18,24,27. 1 Cor.5.7,8. Rom.6.3,1 Cor. 12, 13. 1 Cor.20.16,17. 1 Cor. 11.26,27.
Quest. What followeth hence, that Baptisme is a signe and Seal of entrance into Covenant with Christ, and his Church?
Answ. That all Church members ought to be baptized, and therefore the Infants of Parents in Church state ought to be baptized, for they are in Covenant with Christ, and members of his body, and therefore called his Disciples, and a holy Seed.
1. All Church members ought to be baptized, because they are of the body, therefore to be baptized, 1 Cor.12.13. if Church members, then the promises visibly belong to them, and therefore the visible Seal of them, Acts 2.38.39. the Covenant and the Seal are so closely conjoyned by God, that the Seal is called the Covenant, Gen.17.10.
2. The Infants of Parents in Church state are in Covenant with Christ, for God hath promised to circumcise their hearts, and the hearts of their Seed, Deut. 30.6. and the promises belong to them, and to their Children, Acts. 2.39. and an Infant whose Parents, either both of them, or one of them being in Church state, that Infant is a Church member, called therefore a Disciple of Christ,Acts. 15.10. those are called Disciples upon whom the false Teachers would have imposed the yoke of Circumcision according to the Law of Moses, but these were Infants, and these are called a holy Seed, 1 Cor. …. 14.
Quest. What followeth hence in the second place?
Answ. That Baptisme ought to be administred by pouring of water, and so washing, and not by dipping the body in the water, because it is a Sacrament of entrance into Covenant, in which Christ by his Spirit doth apply himself to us.
1. That the Sacrament of Baptisme is a signe and Seal of entrance into Covenant, is plain from the former Scriptures in the description of Baptisme.
2. That Christ doth in the Covenant of grace first apply himself to the Soul is clear, Phil.3.12. he is first in loving us, and cometh to us before we can come to him.
3. Hence that means of administring of Baptisme as is most suitable to the thing signified ought to be attended, but the applying of water to the baptized, this signifieth Christ by his Spirit applying himself, Acts 1.5. baptized with water, and baptized with the holy Ghost, that is baptized by water, and the holy Ghost poured out upon them, Acts. 2.….
4. Hence the body ought not to be dipped into the water, for that would signifie that the baptized is first applyed to Christ, and not Christ to him firstly, Rom. 6.3. buried with Christ in Baptisme. In burying the body there is not a thrusting the body into the dust or earth, but a casting of earth upon the body.
Quest. What followeth hence, that the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of Continuance in covenant and Communion with Christ?
Answ. That those only ought to be admitted to partake of the Lords Supper, who doe hold forth Repentance and Faith, with an ability to examine themselves and discern the Lords body; for he that partaketh, before he doth partake of the Lords Supper, he ought to examine himself and discern the Lords body, 1 Cor. 15.28.29. Hence it followeth,
1. He ought to have Faith and Repentance before he doth partake; for the Lords Supper is instituted, not for Regenaration, but for nourishment and confirmation. 2. Repentance and Faith are the matter concerning which the communicant ought to examine himself with a discerning into the Gospel sense and mistery of the Lords Supper.
2. Hence he that partaketh must have this ability thus to examine himself, otherwise he cannot perform these preparatory dutyes.
2. He ought to hold these forth, 1. To his own conscience, that his own conscience may not condemn him for presumptuous partaking. 1 Cor. 11. 29. Rom. 14. 23.
2. To hold these forth to the judgment of the charity, 1. Of the Church Officers, that so the Minister in the judgment of charity may say, Take, eat, this is the Body of our Lord Jesus given for you. 2. To the judgment of the charity of the Church; for communicants do profess to have communion with Christ and one with another, as one body in him. 1 Cor. 10.15,16,17. And it's the duty of the Church and Officers to put the difference between the clean and the unclean, the holy and the profane, according to their respective capacityes. Ezek.44.7,8,23.
And although Faith be weak and obedience imperfect, and prayers and preparations far short of the perfection of Sanctuary Institutions, yet the Lord will pardon and confirm his favour by the Lords Supper to the humble believing Soul.
FINIS.
You doe take God the only true God to be your God, the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour, your Prophet, Priest and King, and the holy Spirit to be your Sanctifyer and Comforter.
Promising in his name and strength to cleave to him as your chiefest and only good, and by the help of his Spirit and Grace, to walk before him in a faithfull discharge of Covenant duties: and in a regular subjection to, and observation of, all the holy Ordinances and Institutions of Christ, of which (at present) you are capable, as they shall be duly administred within this Church and Congregation: and to refrain,(and what in you lyeth) to reform all sin that is contrary hereto, especially the provoking and growing sins of this time.
ERRATA
The Authors absence from the Press, and his Copy being difficult to read, hath occasioned many mistakes, which the Reader is desired thus to correct.
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End of the text · James Fitch, The First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ (1679)