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Christ, which is the Church, is no such monster. As there is "one body," so there is only "one Lord." Christ has not delegated his authority either to popes or princes; and though he is now in heaven as to his bodily presence, yet he needs no deputy to act for him in the Church below. Before he ascended up on high, he gave this precious promise to his disciples: "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world:" and "where two or three are gathered together in his name, there he is in the midst of them." Matt. xxviii. 20; xviii. 20.

Daring encroachments have been often made upon this royal prerogative of Christ, both by ecclesiastical and civil powers. Long has the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition blasphemously arrogated universal headship and lordly domin ion; and when the Reformation took place in England, the headship over the Church was only transferred from the Roman Pontiff to the British Sovereign. Henry VIII. was recognized as "supreme head of the Church of England;" and it was enacted, "that the king, his heirs, &c., shall be taken, accepted, and reputed, the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England, called Anglicana Ecclesia; and shall have and enjoy, annexed and united to the imperial crown of this realm, as well the title and style thereof as all honours, dignities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity of supreme head of the said Church belonging and appertaining." It was also enacted, that his majesty hath full authority to exercise "ecclesiastical jurisdiction;" and "that the archbishops and bishops have no manner of jurisdiction ecclesiastical, but by, under, and from the royal majesty." In the commencement of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the metaphorical term head was changed into supreme governor; but both terms signify the same thing. No part of the power or authority which had been possessed by her royal predecessors was relinquished; for, at the same time, it was enacted, that "all jurisdictions, spiritual and ecclesiastical, should for ever be united and annexed to the imperial crown." This sacrilegious usurpation of spiritual authority, and impious invasion of Christ's sovereignty, is sanctioned by the Church of England, in her 37th Article. It runs thus: "The queen's majesty hath the chief power in this realm of England, and other her dominions; under

*The 26th, Henry VIII., cap. 1. The 37th, Henry VIII., cap. 17.

whom the chief government of all estates of this realm, whether they be ecclesiastical or civil, IN ALL CAUSES doth appertain." Some Churchmen, indeed, seem to be ashamed of recognizing the sovereign as head or supreme governor of the Church, and have attempted to palliate or explain away the real import of the title. But the attempt is vain; of the spiritual jurisdiction which the title involves, and of the Erastian bondage under which the Church of England is held, numerous proofs can be easily adduced. Who knows not, for example, that the appointment of all her bishops belongs to the sovereign, that her clergy cannot meet in convocation without the permission of her majesty; and that the convocation has actually been suspended, or virtually abolished, for upwards of a century? That a Church so completely fettered is utterly powerless for the suppression of heresy, and for the exercise of discipline, recent events have too clearly demonstrated.

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Those who assume a headship over the Church of Christ, are guilty of an impious usurpation of his prerogatives; and his faithful subjects are bound to display their loyalty to him, by asserting his sole right to reign and rule in his own Church, and by giving no countenance to a claim so degrading to the Church, and so dishonouring to her alone king and head.

CHAPTER XXVI.

OF COMMUNION OF SAINTS.

SECTION I.-All saints that are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by his Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory., And being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces;2 and are obliged to the performance

11 John i. 3. Eph. iii. 16-19. John i. 16. Eph. ii. 5, 6. Phil. iii. 10. Rom. vi. 5, 6. 2 Tim. ii. 12.

2 Eph iv. 15, 16. 1 Cor. xii. 7; iii.

21-23. Col. ii. 19.

of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.3

SECTION II.-Saints, by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.5

31 Thess. v. 11, 14. Rom. i. 11, 4 Heb. x. 24, 25. Acts ii. 42, 46. Isa. 12, 14. 1 John iii. 16-18. vi. 10.

Gal.

ii. 3. 1 Cor. xi. 20.

Acts ii. 44, 45. 1 John iii. 17. 2 Cor. viii.; ix. Acts xi. 29, 30.

EXPOSITION.

Communion is founded in union. The above sections embrace-First, The union of the saints to Jesus Christ, and their communion with him; Secondly, The union and communion of real saints with one another; Thirdly, The union of saints by profession, and the communion which they are bound to maintain.

1. All saints are united to Jesus Christ. This is not an essential union, such as subsists between the sacred persons of the Godhead; nor a personal union, such as exists between the divine and human natures in the person of Christ; nor merely a political union, like that between a king and his subjects; nor a mere moral union, like that between two friends. Between Christ and believers there is a legal union, like that betwixt a surety and the person for whom he engages. This union was formed from all eternity, when Christ was appointed their federal head. But, besides this, there is a spiritual union formed between them in time, of which our Confession here treats. It is a profound mys tery, and, for this reason, is usually denominated a mystical union. But, though deeply mysterious, its reality cannot be questioned. Sometimes it is expressed in Scripture by believers being in Christ: "There is now, therefore, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Rom. viii. 1. At other times Christ is said to be in believers: "Know ye

not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Sometimes both modes of expression are joined together: "Abide in me, and I in you." John xv. 4. This union is exhibited and illustrated in Scripture by various similitudes. It is compared to the union between a tree and its branches, (John xv. 5); to the union between the building and the foundation by which it is supported, (1 Pet. ii. 4, 6); to the union between husband and wife, (Eph. v. 31, 32); and to the union between the head and the members of the body. Eph. iv. 15, 16. These similitudes, though they come far short of the union which they represent, yet clearly import its reality. In all unions, there is something which binds together the things or persons united. As the union between Christ and his people is spiritual in its nature, so are its bonds; and these are the Holy Spirit on Christ's part, and faith on their part. Christ apprehends them by his Spirit, and they receive him by that faith which his Spirit produces in them. Hence he is said to dwell in their hearts by faith. So close and intimate is this union, that Christ and believers are said to be one spirit: “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit" with him. 1 Cor. vi. 17. But it is the crowning excellence of this union, that it can never be dissolved. The Holy Spirit will never depart from any in whom he has taken up his residence. John xiv. 16, 17. Satan and all his agents, with all their combined strength and subtilty, cannot separate one soul from Christ. Rom. viii. 38, 39. Death will break all other ties, and separate the soul from the body, but it cannot dissolve the union between Christ and believers. Hence they are said to "die in the Lord," and to "sleep in Jesus." Rom. xiv. 13; 1 Thess. iv. 14.

Being thus united to Christ, believers have fellowship with him in his sufferings and death, and are therefore said to be "crucified and dead with Christ." Rom. vi. 6, 8. They have also fellowship with Christ in his resurrection; for they are "raised up together with him," and have communion with him in his life. Eph. ii. 6; Gal. ii. 20. They have fellowship with him in his victories. He spoiled principalities and powers, overcame the world, destroyed death, and vanquished the grave for them; and they shall be made more than conquerors over all these enemies, through him. Rom. viii. 37. They have communion with him in all the benefits which he purchased; hence they are said to be "made par

takers of Christ," and to be "complete in him who is the head of all principality and power," (Heb. iii. 14; Col. ii. 10); they have an interest in his righteousness, by which he fulfilled the law in their room, and are thus entitled to the blessing of justification; they are adopted into the family of heaven, and made heirs of God, and joint heirs with his Son Jesus Christ; they are sanctified in soul, body, and spirit, being enabled by his grace to die more and more unto sin, and live unto righteousness; they now sit in heavenly places with Christ as their representing head; and, in due time, they shall be glorified in their own persons together with him. Eph. ii. 6; Col. ii. 4. In short, all things are theirs, as the apostle Paul asserts; and he founds their title to all things upon their union to Christ: "All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23.

2. All real saints are united to one another, and have communion among themselves. They form one body, are all united to Christ as their common head, and are partakers of one Spirit. They have all obtained like precious faith; and their faith, as to the leading doctrines of the gospel, is substantially the same. They are also united in love, which is called "the bond of perfectness." So perfectly were the primitive Christians knit together by this bond, that they were "of one heart and of one soul." Acts iv. 32. There is nothing which our Saviour more earnestly inculcated upon his followers than mutual love; he represented it as the best proof to themselves, and the most decisive evidence to others, that they were his genuine disciples: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." John xiii. 34, 35. As the saints "love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," so they love all in whom they can perceive the image of Christ. Being thus united to one another, they have communion with each other in their gifts and graces. As the natural body consists of many memberssome of superior, and others of inferior use, and each member is serviceable to its fellow-members, and contributes to the good of the whole-so the mystical body of Christ is composed of many members, endued with different gifts and graces; and the several members ought to be profitable to

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