XL. That the way and manner of the dispensing this ordinance is dipping or plunging the body under water; it being a sign, must answer the things signified, which is, that interest the saints have in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and that, as certainly as the body is buried under water, and risen again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints be raised by the power of Christ, in the day of the resurrection, to reign with Christ.1

The word baptizo signifies to dip or plunge (yet so as convenient garments be both upon the administrator and subject with all modesty).

XLI. The person designed by Christ to dispense baptism, the Scripture holds forth to be a disciple; it being nowhere tied to a particular Church officer, or person extraordinarily sent, the commission enjoining the administration being given to them as considered disciples, being men able to preach the Gospel.2

XLII. Christ hath likewise given power to his Church to receive in and cast out any member that deserves it; and this power is given to every congregation, and not to one particular person, either member or officer, but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and fellowship.3

XLIII. And every particular member of each Church, how excellent, great, or learned soever, is subject to this censure and judgment; and that the Church ought not, without great care and tenderness, and due advice, but by the rule of faith, to proceed against her members.4

XLIV. Christ, for the keeping of this Church in holy and orderly communion, placeth some special men over the Church, who, by their office, are to govern, oversee, visit, watch; so, likewise, for the better keeping thereof, in all places by the members, he hath given authority, and laid duty upon all to watch over one another.5

1 Matt. iii. 6, 16; Mark i. 5, verse 9 reads [into Jordan] in Greek; John iii. 23; Acts viii. 38; Rev. ii. 5, and vii. 14; Heb. x. 22; Rom. vi. 3—6; 1 Cor. xv. 28, 29.

2 Isa. viii. 16; Eph. iii. 7; Matt. xxviii. 19; John iv. 2; Acts x. 7, and xi. 20. 1 Cor. xi. 24, and x. 16, 17.

3 Rom. xvi. 2; Matt. xviii. 17; 1 Cor. v. 4, 11, 13, xii. 6, and ii. 3; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7.

4 Matt. xviii. 16, and xvii. 18; Acts xi. ii. 3; 1 Tim. v. 19, etc.; Col. iv. 17; Acts xv. 1-3.

5 Acts xx. 27, 28; Heb. xiii. 17, 24; Matt. xxiv. 45; 1 Thess. v. 2, 14; Jude iii. 20; Heb. x. 34, 35, and xii. 15.

XLV. Also, such to whom God hath given gifts in the Church may and ought to prophecy, according to the proportion of faith, and so to teach publicly the Word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church.1

XLVI. Thus, being rightly gathered, and continuing in the obedience of the Gospel of Christ, none are to separate for faults and corruptions (for as long as the Church consists of men subject to failings, there will be difference in the true constituted Church), until they have in due order and tenderness sought redress thereof.2

XLVII. And although the particular congregations be distinct, and several bodies, every one as a compact and knit city within itself, yet are they all to walk by one rule of truth: so also they (by all means convenient) are to have the counsel and help one of another, if necessity require it, as members of one body, in the common faith, under Christ, their head.3

XLVIII. A civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set up by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well: and that in all lawful things commanded by them, subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord, not only for wrath but for conscience' sake; and that we are 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.4

The supreme magistracy of this kingdom we acknowledge to be the king and parliament (now established) freely chosen by the kingdom, and that we are to maintain and defend all civil laws and civil officers made by them, which are for the good of the commonwealth. And we acknowledge with thankfulness, that God hath made this present king and parliament honorable in throwing down the prelatical hierarchy, because of their tyranny and oppression over us, under which this kingdom long groaned, for which we are ever engaged to bless God, and honor them for the same. And concerning the worship of God: there is but one lawgiver, which is able to save and destroy,5 which is Jesus Christ, who hath given laws and rules

1 1 Cor. xiv. 3, etc.; Rom. xii. 6; 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11; 1 Cor. xii. 7; 1 Thess. v. 19, etc.

2 Rev. ii. and iii.; Acts xv. 12; 1 Cor. i. 10; Heb. x. 25; Jude 19; Rev. ii. 20, 21, 27; Acts xv. 1, 2; Rom. xiv. 1, and xv. 1-3.

3 1 Cor. iv. 17, xiv. 33, 36, and xvi. 1.

Ps. cxxii. 3; Eph. ii. 12, 19; Rev. xxi. ; 1 Tim. iii. 15, vi. 13, 14; 1 Cor. iv. 17; Acts xv. 2, 3; Cant. viii. 8, 9; 2 Cor. viii. 1, 4, 13, 14.

4 Rom. xiii. 1, 2, etc.; 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14; 1 Tim. ii. 1—-3.

5 James iv. 12.

sufficient in his word for his worship; and for any to make more, were to charge Christ with want of wisdom, or faithfulness, or both, in not making laws enough, or not good enough, for his house: surely it is our wisdom, duty, and privilege, to observe Christ's laws only. So it is the magistrates' duty to tender the liberty of men's consciences2 (which is the tenderest thing unto all conscientious men, and most dear unto them, and without which all other liberties will not be worth the naming, much less enjoying), and to protect all under them from all wrong, injury, oppression, and molestation; so it is our duty not to be wanting in nothing which is for their honor and comfort, and whatsoever is for the well-being of the commonwealth wherein we live, it is our duty to do; and we believe it to be our express duty, especially in matters of religion, to be fully persuaded in our minds of the lawfulness of what we do, as knowing whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And as we cannot do anything contrary to our understandings and consciences, so neither can we forbear the doing of that which our understandings and consciences bind us to do. And if the magistrates should require us to do otherwise, we are to yield our persons in a passive way to their power, as the saints of old have done. And thrice happy shall he be that shall lose his life for witnessing (though but for the least tittle) of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.4

XLIX. But in case we find not the magistrate to favor us herein, yet we dare not suspend our practice, because we believe we ought to go on in obedience to Christ, in professing the faith which was once delivered to the saints, which faith is declared in the holy Scriptures, and this our confession of faith a part of them, and that we are to witness to the truth of the Old and New Testaments unto the death, if necessity require, in the midst of all trials and afflictions, as his saints of old have done; not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brethren, sisters, yea, and our own lives, dear unto us, so we may finish our course with joy; remembering, always, that we ought to obey God rather than men, who will, when we have finished our course, and kept the faith, give us the crown of righteousness; to whom we must give an account of all our actions, and no man being able to discharge us of the same.5

L. It is lawful for a Christian to be a magistrate or civil officer;

1 Psalm ii. 6, 9, 10, 12.

2 Eccl. viii. 8.

3 James v. 4.

4 1 Peter v.; Gal. v. 5 Acts ii. 40, 41, iv. 19, v. 28, 29, and xx. 23; 1 Thess. iii. 3; Phil. i. 28, 29;

Dan. iii. 16, 17, and vi, 7, 10, 22, 23; 1 Tim. vi. 13–15; Rom. xii. 1, 8; 1 Cor. xiv. 37; Rev. ii. 20; 2 Tim. iv. 6–8; Rom. xiv. 10, 12; 2 Cor. v. 10; Psalm xlix. 7, and 1. 22.

and also it is lawful to take an oath, so it be in truth, and in judgment, and in righteousness, for confirmation of truth, and ending of all strife; and that by rash and vain oaths the Lord is provoked, and this land mourns.1

LI. We are to give unto all men whatsoever is their due, as their place, age, and estate, require; and that we defraud no man of anything, but to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us.2

LII. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, and every one shall give an account of himself to God, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.3

THE CONCLUSION.

Thus we desire to give unto Christ that which is his; and unto all lawful authority that which is their due; and to owe nothing to any man but love; to live quietly and peaceably, as it becometh saints, endeavoring in all things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every man (of what judgment soever) as we would they should do unto us, that as our practice is, so it may prove us to be a conscionable, quiet, and harmless people (no ways dangerous or troublesome to human society), and to labor and work with our hands, that we may not be chargeable to any, but to give to him that needeth, both friends and enemies, accounting it more excellent to give than to receive. Also, we confess that we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many things which we desire and seek to know; and if any shall do us that friendly part, to show us from the Word of God that we see not, we shall have cause to be thankful to God and them; but if any man shall impose upon us anything that we see not to be commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, we should in his strength rather embrace all reproaches and tortures of men, to be stripped of all outward comforts, and, if it were possible, to die a

1 Acts. viii. 38, and x. 1, 2, 35, 44; Romans xvi. 23; Deut. vi. 13; Romans i. 9; 2 Cor. x. 11; Jer. iv. 2; Hebrews vi. 16.

2 1 Thess. iv. 6; Rom. xiii. 5—7; Matt.

xxii. 21; Titus iii.; 1 Peter ii. 15, 17, and v. 5; Eph. v. 21, 23, and vi. 1, 9; Titus iii. 1-3.

3 Acts xxiv. 15; 2 Cor. v. 10; Rom. xiv. 12.

thousand deaths, rather than to do anything against the least tittle of the truth of God, or against the light of our own consciences. And if any shall call what we have said heresy, then do we with the apostle acknowledge that, after the way they call heresy, worship we the God of our fathers, disclaiming all heresies, rightly so called, because they are against Christ, and to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in obedience to Christ, as knowing our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord.1

Arise, O God, plead thine own cause; remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily. Oh, let not the oppressed returned ashamed, but let the poor and needy praise thy name.

Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

1 Psalm lxxiv. 21, 22.