“For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Rev. 17:14.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,” etc. 1 Pet. 2:9; Ex. 19:6; Rev. 5:10; John 18:36,37; Ps. 22:28.
Of his government, read: “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.” Is. 55:4.
“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy,” etc. Jas. 4:12; 1 Cor. 9:21; Matthew 12:8; 28:20; Jas. 1:25.
ARTICLE XVIII.
Of the church of God and the communion of believers. Concerning this we believe and confess: Whereas men by reason of the natural birth of the flesh, follow sin and wickedness when they attain to their understanding, and thereby depart from God their Creator; therefore the high and holy God, before whom the sinners and ungodly cannot stand, from the beginning of the world, called and chose, from all the unbelieving nations of the world, an own special people, and separated them from all other nations. These are they who turn their ears to the calling voice of God, and thereby have separated themselves from the world with all its sinful lusts, and all false worship, and have again united themselves to Christ, bowing, as obedient members and sheep of Jesus Christ, under his head and commanding voice, and shunning everything strange which militates against this. These are they who are renewed in the inward man, and are circumcised, changed, and converted, and live after the Spirit.
This church of God was first commenced on earth, with Adam and Eve in paradise, and afterwards, with Enoch, Noah, and all those who with them honored and called upon the high name of God; which was the first period of time, that is, before the law.
After this God the Lord established his covenant or church with Abraham and his seed, giving them circumcision as a sign of the covenant, together with many laws, ceremonies, statutes, and customs; which continued till the coming of Christ, and was the second period, or the time of the law of Moses.
Finally God sent his Son, who, as a potentate in heaven and earth, established a new and perfect covenant with the house of Israel, calling to the same all the Gentiles and nations of the earth, all those who amend their sinful life, and obediently yield their bodies under this covenant. With all these Christ has established his church and congregation; this is the third and last period, which shall thus continue, without change in faith, walk, and laws, until the reappearing of Christ from heaven.
And though the people of God in these three periods, had different and special laws and ceremonies, according to which they had to live and walk; yet this was the will of God, and they were nevertheless only one people of God, and were moved and led by one Spirit.