-
16 The Lord’s Supper
The Lord's Supper in its institution, and also as to its symbolic import, as well as in its relation to Christian life and doctrine, has already been considered. It would be useless, in this place, to attempt a history of the rite, especially a detail of the perversions of its uses, the bitter controversies concerning it, or the false claims set up for its sacramental efficacy in working grace in its subjects. The one question with which we are now concerned is a purely denominational one, having reference to the proper subjects of the ordinance, and the spiritual and ritual qualifications of those who partake of it. Also as to the proper and rightful authority of the Church in restricting its use, and judging of…
-
Chapter 19—On Communion, Answering The Charge Of Uncharitableness
Mr. Bridgman: "St. Paul's rule of admission to Christian communion is this, As many as Christ has received, let us receive. Rom. 15:7. The whole of Chap. xiv. is applicable, and especially the 15:5, 6, 7. I wish you could be made to blush for your inconsistency— I mean not yours alone, but of your party." My Reply: 1. Wherein have we differed from Paul's rule in the admission to communion? For that is all still to be discovered and to be proved. You must prove that any one was ever admitted to communion, without being first added to the church, and that there ever was one added to the church without being first baptized on a personal profession of faith in Christ, or that…
-
Chapter 18—On Communion, Answering The Charge Of Denominationalism
Mr. Bridgman: "Yours is a Baptist rule, not an apostolical —not Christian—not Christ's rule. It is the rule of a party, and therefore schismatical, because it rends the beautiful garment of Christian love." My Reply: 1. "Yours is a Baptist rule." This we are quite ready to admit, and are by no means ashamed of it, nor disposed to conceal it, or deny it; for we have a good conscience in it as such, on the authority of the word of God, as we can find no authority therein for any gospel rule to the contrary. For our great Christ was a Baptist, being baptized in the cold water of the river of Jordan; and he was a Baptist minister, for he made, and by…
-
Chapter 17—On Communion, Answering The Proof For Open Communion In John 3:5
Mr. Bridgman: "St. Paul's criterion would not be cold water, little or much, but the living water of the Spirit, such as Christ spoke of to Nicodemus, and at the last day of the feast." John iii. 5. vii. 37. My Reply: 1. If your spirit never be admitted into heaven till you can prove that Paul the apostle as the Lord's servant ever admitted, or that the sentiment as the truth of God ever entered his heart to admit, persons to the table of the Lord without their being first baptized on a personal profession of their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, you will never, no never, see the face of Jesus, my brother. 2. The work of divine grace in the heart,…
-
Chapter 16—On Communion, Answering Another Charge Of Schismatic Communion
Mr. Bridgman: "You call it strict, I call it schismatical communion, because you, not we, keep away the children from their Elder Brother's table, unless they conform to your rules, I say your rules ; for since the national debt is to be paid by one of us, I will pay it twice, if you will find me scripture text which saith, or seem to say, Let men and women first be dipped, and so let them eat of the bread, and drink of the cup." My Reply: 1. Your calling us schismatical is an old popish opprobrium, now and then raked out from among the bats and cobwebs of college cloisters, by the true sons of secular churches, for difference of sentiment only, without…
-
Article 16 – The Constitution Of The Church
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XVI. The Constitution of a Church. We believe that a Church is an independent and organised body of spiritual men and women[1] who have been baptised and are agreed upon the essential truths and ordinances of the Gospel,[2] and have voluntarily given themselves to the Lord and to each other, for their common benefit and the glory of God;[3] and that it is subject (in all spiritual matters) to no authority save that of the Lord as made known in His holy word.[4] ------------------------------- [1] Acts 15:41,42; 18:22; Rom 16:16; 1…