Page:Short illustration of the commission given by Jesus Christ to his apostles.pdf/21

 clearly defined. “There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all &c." "This union can only become visible in their joint confession of the one faith and hope of the gospel, and declared purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord and to one another, in submitting to his authority. By this they discern one another to be of the truth, and hearing Christ’s voice, and upon this ground they are knit together in love for the truth’s sake.

Out of this union which all have for their object the mutual benefit and edification of the whole, and exhibit the practical exercise of love, answerable to the various circumstances of each other. A new commandment, says Christ, I give unto you, that ye love one another; and in so far as they practised this, were they to be known as his disciples; and the motive enforcing it is the example of the love of God to them; — if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

The ordinances which the Apostolic Churches observed on the first day of the week, or the Lord’s day, may be gathered from the practice of the church at Jerusalem. Having gladly received the word, and being baptized and added to the church, it is said, "They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, in the fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers’, praising God, &c. They not only held fast the doctrine which the apostles taught them, but constantly attended to their public ministry, that they might be further confirmed and edified in these things connected with the faith, hope, and practices of the Gospel; and to this end the Scriptures were regularly read in their assemblies. Preaching and expounding