OF THE CHURCH

1.  The catholic or universal church, which may be called invisible (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace), consists of the entire number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the Head thereof; and this universal church is the wife, the body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.[1]

2.  All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the Gospel and obedience to God by Christ on its terms, not destroying their own profession by any errors that contradict or overthrow the Gospel fundamentals, or  by unholy behavior, are visible saints and may be regarded as such; and all individual congregations ought to be constituted of such people.[2] 

3.  The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated that they have ceased to be churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ has always had, and always will have a kingdom in this world, to the end of time, of such as believe in Him, and make profession of His name.[3]

4.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, is vested in a supreme and sovereign manner all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head of the church, but he 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.[4]

5.  In the execution of this authority by which He is so entrusted, 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, that they may walk before Him in all the ways of obedience, which He prescribes to them in His Word.  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.[5]

6.  The members of these churches are saints because they have been called by Christ, and because they visibly manifest and give evidence (in and by their profession and walking) of their obedience unto that call of Christ; and they willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving themselves up to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.[6]

7.  To each of these churches thus gathered, according to His mind as declared in His Word, He has given all the 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 exertion and execution of that power.[7]

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 entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.[8]

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 is to be chosen by the common consent and vote of the church itself; and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with the laying on of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any previously appointed elder or elders; and of a deacon that he be chosen by the common consent and vote, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.[9]

10.  Because the work of pastors is to apply themselves constantly to the service of Christ in His churches, in the ministry of the Word and prayer, and by watching for their souls as they that must give an account to Him, it is the pressing obligation 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, so that the pastors may have a comfortable supply that they may not have to be entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; 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.[10]

11.  Although an obligation rests upon the elders or pastors of the churches to be urgently in preaching the Word by virtue of their office, yet the work of preaching the Word is not so exclusively confined to them, but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for the task, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.[11]

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 of that church, according to the rule of Christ.[12]

13.  No church members, upon any offence which has been given them by a fellow member, having performed their duty required of them towards the person who has caused the offense, may disturb any church order in any way, or be absent from the meetings of the church or administration of any ordinances on account of any such offence, but to wait upon Christ, in the further proceeding of the church.[13]

14.  As each church, and all the members of it, are obligated to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ everywhere, 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 that when the churches planted by the providence of God, they also ought to hold fellowship among themselves to promote peace, increasing love and mutual edification as, and when, they enjoy an opportunity to do so to their advantage.[14]

15.  In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, which concern the churches in general in general, or any single church in particular, and which affects their peace, union, and edification; or any member or members of any church are injured because of any disciplinary proceedings not consistent with the Word and correct order: it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together do, through their appointed messengers meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in dispute, and to be reported to all the churches concerned; howbeit these messengers assembled, are not entrusted with any jurisdiction over the churches involved in the problem; or to exercise any censures either over any churches or persons; or to impose their determination on the churches or officers.[15]