For as much as Almighty God, by His grace (Ephesians 2:4-8), has been pleased to call us out of darkness into His marvelous light (2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9), and having been baptized upon a profession of our faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 2:38, 41, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:36 – 37, Acts 18:8), and having given ourselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5), and one another (1 Corinthians 8:5, 1 Corinthians 12:25, John 13:34, Hebrews 3:13, 1 John 3:23, etc.) in a gospel church way to be governed and guided by a proper discipline (1 Corinthians 16:16, Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5, Hebrews 13:17) agreeable to the word of God, we do covenant together by the help of God to keep up the discipline of the church of which we are members in brotherly affection toward each other (Romans 12:10, Hebrews 13:1); to watch over one another (Hebrews 10:24), and if need be in the most tender and affectionate manner to reprove one another (Romans 15:14, 2 Thessalonians 3:15), and not to be whispering and backbiting (2 Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:15 – 16).
We agree that it is our joyful duty to minister of our common things to the necessities of those who preach the Word to us (I Timothy 5:17 – 18, I Corinthians 9:9 – 10), to the necessities of the poor among us (Galatians 2:10, James 2:15 – 16), visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction (James 1:27), and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world (2 Corinthians 6:14 – 18, 7:1, James 1:27). We also agree, if not providentially hindered, (as far as possible) to assemble ourselves together for public worship (Hebrews 10:25), speaking often one to another, singing (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16), praying (Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:1 -2, 8), exhorting (Hebrews 3:13), or preaching (Ephesians 4:11 – 12, 2 Timothy 4:2) as the Lord of the harvest may bestow gifts for the comfort and edification and encouragement of one another.
We agree that it is our joyful duty to minister of our common things to the necessities of those who preach the Word to us (I Timothy 5:17 – 18, I Corinthians 9:9 – 10), to the necessities of the poor among us (Galatians 2:10, James 2:15 – 16), visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction (James 1:27), and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world (2 Corinthians 6:14 – 18, 7:1, James 1:27). We also agree, if not providentially hindered, (as far as possible) to assemble ourselves together for public worship (Hebrews 10:25), speaking often one to another, singing (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16), praying (Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:1 -2, 8), exhorting (Hebrews 3:13), or preaching (Ephesians 4:11 – 12, 2 Timothy 4:2) as the Lord of the harvest may bestow gifts for the comfort and edification and encouragement of one another.