CHAPTER 19; OF THE LAW OF GOD Paragraph 1. God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;1 by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience;2 promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and ability to keep it.3 1 Gen. 1:27; Eccles. 7:29 2 Rom. 10:5 3 Gal. 3:10,12 Paragraph 2. The same law that was first written in the heart of man continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall,4 and was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments, and written in two tables, the four first containing our duty towards God, and the other six, our duty to man.5 4 Rom. 2:14,15 5 Deut. 10:4 Paragraph 3. Besides this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits;6 and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties,7 all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are, by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only law-giver, who was furnished with power from the Father for that end abrogated and taken away.8 6 Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17 7 1 Cor. 5:7 8 Col. 2:14,16,17; Eph. 2:14,16 Paragraph 4. To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being of modern use.9 9 1 Cor. 9:8-10 Paragraph 5. The moral law does for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof,10 and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it;11 neither does Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.12 10 Rom. 13:8-10; James 2:8,10-12 11 James 2:10,11 12 Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 3:31 Paragraph 6. Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned,13 yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin;14 together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience; it is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse and unallayed rigour thereof. The promises of it likewise show them God's approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof, though not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works; so as man's doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law and not under grace.15 13 Rom. 6:14; Gal. 2:16; Rom. 8:1, 10:4 14 Rom. 3:20, 7:7, etc. 15 Rom. 6:12-14; 1 Pet. 3:8-13 Paragraph 7. Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it,16 the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.17 16 Gal. 3:21 17 Ezek. 36:27
CHAPTER 20; OF THE GOSPEL AND OF THE EXTENT OF THE GRACE THEREOF Paragraph 1. The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them faith and repentance;1 in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and [is] therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners.2 1 Gen. 3:15 2 Rev. 13:8 Paragraph 2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only by the Word of God;3 neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way;4 much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance.5 3 Rom. 1;17 4 Rom. 10:14,15,17 5 Prov. 29:18; Isa. 25:7; 60:2,3 Paragraph 3. The revelation of the gospel to sinners, made in divers times and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God;6 not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever made, or can do so;7 and therefore in all ages, the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God. 6 Ps. 147:20; Acts 16:7 7 Rom. 1:18-32 Paragraph 4. Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life;8 without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God.9 8 Ps. 110:3; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 1:19,20 9 John 6:44; 2 Cor. 4:4,6
Whateveer. Once again, I told one of these great scholars what I learned and have experienced, showed him the scripture, got trashed by the ...you know the pearls people... and got accused of being in a cult!! If you think this is new for me.... it's not, it's just another day in my life..... I wish I could say life was hard because of all this and I was suffering to prove how devout I am but I can't, life couldn't be easier actually. I have a Chuck Missler DVD going in the background right now, Aapex, what do you think of Chuck Missler? Please tell us where you disagree with his teachings? He comes up with astonishing things that are completely overlooked by "devout scholars" sometimes, makes me laugh.
CHAPTER 21; OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE Paragraph 1. The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the severity and curse of the law,1 and in their being delivered from this present evil world,2 bondage to Satan,3 and dominion of sin,4 from the evil of afflictions,5 the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave,6 and everlasting damnation:7 as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear,8 but a child-like love and willing mind.9 All which were common also to believers under the law for the substance of them;10 but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of a ceremonial law, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.11 1 Gal. 3:13 2 Gal. 1:4 3 Acts 26:18 4 Rom. 8:3 5 Rom. 8:28 6 1 Cor. 15:54-57 7 2 Thess. 1:10 8 Rom. 8:15; 9 Luke 1:73-75; 1 John 4:18 10 Gal. 3;9,14 11 John 7:38,39; Heb. 10:19-21 Paragraph 2. God alone is Lord of the conscience,12 and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word, or not contained in it.13 So that to believe such doctrines, or obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience;14 and the requiring of an implicit faith, an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also.15 12 James 4:12; Rom. 14:4 13 Acts 4:19,29; 1 Cor. 7:23; Matt. 15:9 14 Col. 2:20,22,23 15 1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor. 1:24 Paragraph 3. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practice any sin, or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their own destruction,16 so they wholly destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righeousness before Him, all the days of our lives.17 16 Rom. 6:1,2 17 Gal. 5:13; 2 Pet. 2:18,21
CHAPTER 22; OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE SABBATH DAY Paragraph 1. The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good to all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.1 But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself,2 and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.3 1 Jer. 10:7; Mark 12:33 2 Deut. 12:32 3 Exod. 20:4-6 Paragraph 2. Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;4 not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;5 and since the fall, not without a mediator,6 nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone.7 4 Matt. 4:9,10; John 6:23; Matt. 28:19 5 Rom. 1:25; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10 6 John 14:6 7 1 Tim. 2:5 Paragraph 3. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one part of natural worship, is by God required of all men.8 But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son,9 by the help of the Spirit,10 according to his will;11 with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and when with others, in a known tongue.12 8 Ps. 95:1-7, 65:2 9 John 14:13,14 10 Rom. 8:26 11 1 John 5:14 12 1 Cor. 14:16,17 Paragraph 4. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter;13 but not for the dead,14 nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.15 13 1 Tim. 2:1,2; 2 Sam. 7:29 14 2 Sam. 12:21-23 15 1 John 5:16 Paragraph 5. The reading of the Scriptures,16 preaching, and hearing the Word of God,17 teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord;18 as also the administration of baptism,19 and the Lord's supper,20 are all parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover, solemn humiliation, with fastings,21 and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner.22 16 1 Tim. 4:13 17 2 Tim. 4:2; Luke 8:18 18 Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19 19 Matt. 28:19,20 20 1 Cor. 11:26 21 Esther 4:16; Joel 2:12 22 Exod. 15:1-19, Ps. 107 Paragraph 6. Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth;23 as in private families24 daily,25 and in secret each one by himself;26 so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by his word or providence calls thereunto.27 23 John 4:21; Mal. 1:11; 1 Tim. 2:8 24 Acts 10:2 25 Matt. 6:11; Ps. 55:17 26 Matt. 6:6 27 Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:42 Paragraph 7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. 28 Exod. 20:8 29 1 Cor. 16:1,2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10 Paragraph 8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe a holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations,30 but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.31 30 Isa. 58:13; Neh. 13:15-22 31 Matt. 12:1-13
CHAPTER 23; OF LAWFUL OATHS AND VOWS Paragraph 1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgment, solemnly calls God to witness what he swears,1 and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof.2 1 Exod. 20:7; Deut. 10:20; Jer. 4:2 2 2 Chron. 6:22, 23 Paragraph 2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred;3 yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the word of God;4 so a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.5 3 Matt. 5:34,37; James 5:12 4 Heb. 6:16; 2 Cor. 1:23 5 Neh. 13:25 Paragraph 3. Whosoever takes an oath warranted by the word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he knows to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths, the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns.6 6 Lev. 19:12; Jer. 23:10 Paragraph 4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.7 7 Ps. 24:4 Paragraph 5. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness;8 but popish monastical vows of perpetual single life,9 professed poverty,10 and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.11 8 Ps. 76:11; Gen. 28:20-22 9 1 Cor. 7:2,9 10 Eph. 4:28 11 Matt. 19:1
Sorry, but I believe you are proselytizing. If you were to share you own personal experiences and personal faith that would be one thing, but quoting page after page of some scripture, is not really sharing your own experiences, it is a form of proselyzation..... Christians "witnessing" their belief, is absolutely a form of proselyzation.
CHAPTER 24; OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE Paragraph 1. God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, has ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory and the public good; and to this end has armed them with the power of the sword, for defence and encouragement of them that do good, and for the punishment of evil doers.1 1 Rom. 13:1-4 Paragraph 2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto; in the management whereof, as they ought especially to maintain justice and peace,2 according to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth, so for that end they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions.3 2 2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:3,4 3 Luke 3:14 Paragraph 3. Civil magistrates being set up by God for the ends aforesaid; subjection, in all lawful things commanded by them, ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscienceâ sake;4 and we ought to make supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.5 4 Rom. 13:5-7; 1 Pet. 2:17 5 1 Tim. 2:1,2
CHAPTER 25; OF MARRIAGE Paragraph 1. 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.1 1 Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5,6 Paragraph 2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,2 for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue,3 and the preventing of uncleanness.4 2 Gen. 2:18 3 Gen. 1:28 4 1 Cor. 7:2,9 Paragraph 3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent;5 yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;6 and therefore such as profess the true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolaters; neither should such as are godly, be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy.7 5 Heb. 13:4; 1 Tim. 4:3 6 1 Cor. 7:39 7 Neh. 13:25-27 Paragraph 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the Word;8 nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.9 8 Lev. 18 9 Mark 6:18; 1 Cor. 5:1
CHAPTER 26; OF THE CHURCH Paragraph 1. The catholic or universal church, which (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 fills all in all.1 1 Heb. 12:23; Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:10,22,23, 5:23,27,32 Paragraph 2. All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints;2 and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.3 2 1 Cor. 1:2; Acts 11:26 3 Rom. 1:7; Eph. 1:20-22 Paragraph 3. The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error;4 and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan;5 nevertheless Christ always has 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.6 4 1 Cor. 5; Rev. 2,3 5 Rev. 18:2; 2 Thess. 2:11,12 6 Matt. 16:18; Ps. 72:17, 102:28; Rev. 12:17 Paragraph 4. 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;7 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 exalts himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.8 7 Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11,12 8 2 Thess. 2:2-9 Paragraph 5. In the execution of this power wherewith he is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calls out of the world unto himself, through the ministry of his word, by his Spirit, those that are given unto him by his Father,9 that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience, which he prescribes to them in his word.10 Those thus called, he commands to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which he requires of them in the world.11 9 John 10:16; John 12:32 10 Matt. 28:20 11 Matt. 18:15-20 Paragraph 6. 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;12 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.13 12 Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2 13 Acts 2:41,42, 5:13,14; 2 Cor. 9:13 Paragraph 7. To each of these churches therefore gathered, according to his mind declared in his word, he has given all that power and authority, which is in any way needful for their carrying on that order in worship and discipline, which he has instituted for them to observe; with commands and rules for the due and right exerting, and executing of that power.14 14 Matt. 18:17, 18; 1 Cor. 5:4, 5, 5:13, 2 Cor. 2:6-8 Paragraph 8. 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 intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.15 15 Acts 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1 Paragraph 9. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself;16 and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein;17 and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.18 16 Acts 14:23 17 1 Tim. 4:14 18 Acts 6:3,5,6 Paragraph 10. 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;19 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,20 so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs;21 and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others;22 and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who has ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.23 19 Acts 6:4; Heb. 13:17 20 1 Tim. 5:17,18; Gal. 6:6,7 21 2 Tim. 2:4 22 1 Tim. 3:2 23 1 Cor. 9:6-14 Paragraph 11. Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching 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.24 24 Acts 11:19-21; 1 Pet. 4:10,11 Paragraph 12. 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.25 25 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15 Paragraph 13. 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 any church-order, or absent themselves from the assemblies of the church, or administration of any ordinances, upon the account of such offence at any of their fellow members, but to wait upon Christ, in the further proceeding of the church.26 26 Matt. 18:15-17; Eph. 4:2,3 Paragraph 14. 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,27 in all places, and upon all occasions to further every one within the bounds of their places and callings, in the exercise of their gifts and 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.28 27 Eph. 6:18; Ps. 122:6 28 Rom. 16:1,2; 3 John 8-10 Paragraph 15. In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, 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 that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned;29 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.30 29 Acts 15:2,4,6,22,23,25 30 2 Cor. 1:24; 1 John 4:1