more for clearing that election of Elders belong to the Church the Apostles though infallible would not rob the Church of this right see Act. 14. 23. When they had ordained them Elders by election or lifting up of hands in every Church Cheirotonesai to choose by holding up the hand to create by general voice of suffering and thus all Officers i. e. Evangelists Pastors and Teachers must be chosen by the Churches and by Ordination be authorised to the work 2 Cor. 8. 19. 23. And Officers when thus chosen and seâ— apart to the office and work are to administer all Ordinances in the authority of Christ yet so as to have the Church with them in the work and the Church is to encourage them and be subject to their administrations in the Name of the Lord while they abuse not their authority and yet they are to be accountable to the Church in case of male-administring or abuse of power and authority and the Church who authorized them may again devest them of their authority without repentance and reformation or in case of scandalousness in conversation Yet not withstanding this in matters of rule and order they ought not to seek so much to please men as to displease the Lord for they are the Lords servants as well as the Churches and must endeavour to do all things according to the pattern and right rule and to please the Lord to whom they must give an account though men be displeased therewith and in case they suffer from men on that account yet they will have Peace with God and in their own souls Two things I fear are much wanting in the Churches 1. A Spirit of Government in the authority of Christ as Wisdom Impartiality Courage Meekness Love and the fear of the Lord. 2. A Spirit in the Church to be Ruled and Governed according to the Will of Christ Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves And in case of need we read of helps 1 Cor. 12. 28. Helps Governments in as much as all power is invested in the Church in case Officers be wanting till they may be obtained the Church hath authority to appoint such as are most suitably gifted either upon tryal in order to Eldership or as helps in case of need to carry on all the Administrations of the Church or where are Officers being sick or a way or weak with age the Church may do the like i. e. appoint helps to the Officers in Government or any other of the Administrations of Christ in his Church The fourth sort of Officers in the Church 4. Deacons are Deacons whose work and office is to look after the necessities of the poor and to make a just distribution of the Churches Treasure committed to them on that behalf that as it is an Ordinance of Christ that his should be free to communicate 1. Privately Mat. 6. 34. So likewise by giving into the hands of the Deacons who are to take a general care of the poor and distribute to every one as they have need This is an honourable service and work of the Lord the poor being in the Church in the room of Christ to prove the truth of his peoples love to him Christ saith Me you have not always with you the poor you have always with you You may shew your love to me in loving them when I am gone and in doing good to them hence Christ will say at the last day I was naked and ye cloathed me hungry and ye fed me Sick and in Prison and ye visited me c. What the qualifications and work of the Deacons are you may see 1 Tim. 3. 8. to 13. 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man Minister that is Deacons doe the work of a Deacon let him do it as of the ability that God giveth that is in the Church In a word it is to do that which the Apostles did before and ordained the Elders to do Acts 6. 1 2 3. I shall endeavour to answer one weighty question and so shall conclude this matter Quest Is there no Supream Power and Quest order in the Churches to regulate miscarriages but is every Church absolutely independant and unaccountable in any case if not then to whom must the account in Church miscarriages he given and what way is left to regulate Church miscarriages Answ 1. That a Church may miscarry Answ either in Doctrine Gal. 1. 6. Manners 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. Discipline either in the Non-administring of censures 1 Cor. 5. 1 2. or in the evill and wrong Administring thereof 3 John ver 9 10. is very evident 2. That every Church with their Officers have a like power from Christ in all Administrations without any accountableness to any one above the rest in way of Superiority is likewise clear Yet 3. There must be an accountableness of all the Churches each to other in case of offence and miscarriage though not to any one as Supream above the rest yet a common accountableness must be owned without which their fellowship must necessarily be dissolved the reasons thereof are as followeth 1. From the Law of Relation and unity in the same faith and fellowship which cannot be kept up and maintained but by a Brotherly accountableness as Sister Churches for the mutual help of each other and preservation of the whole in the truth if the laws of Unity in any Society be broken the Society must needs be broken Christ new Covenant Laws in matters of faith and practice are the ground of Christians and Churches unity and society each with other if any Church make a breach there without being accountable for Reformation the foundation of Fellowship is broken therefore for preservation of the foundations of Fellowship of Churches must this brotherly accountableness be maintained 2. To reason from the lesser to the greater as in a particular Church though there be an equality and no Superiority among Members as Members but what God makes in gifts and office yet every Member ought to be accountable each to other especially in matters of offence Mat. 18. 15. c. and so at last to the Church so from the same rule and reason all the Churches in the same faith and practice and having the same relation one to the other as members in the particular Church should have the same care of each other which cannot be unless there be the same accountableness to each others as Churches as is in the members of one and the same Church as all the Members in a particular Church make up the Church so all the Churches are but so many parts and Members of the Universal and should have the same care and keep up the same accountableness and this is without all single Superiority 3. Without this particular Churches are in worse case then Members in particular Congregations who have the benefit of the Laws and Administrations of Christ for their preservation in the Faith the want of which
Officers and Ministers belonging to the Church not extraordinary as the first Apostles but ordinary not infallibly inspired but such as received all their rules relating to their work from the Apostles as the Pastors and Elders did both in their ministerial work and in conversation 1 Tit. 2 3 Chap. and Chap. 4. 11 to 16. and Chap. 5. throughout and 6. 11 12 13. 2 Tit. 2. 14 15 16 22 to 26. So the Epistle to Titus proves the same with many others that might be mentioned 2. There is the same use and need of such a Ministry to preach the Gospel to the World for conversion and gathering and to take care for the establishing of the Churches and Officers therein which as it is Gods order in his Churches so would it be a mercy and a blessing to the Churches and much loss hath befaln the Church in the neglect hereof such a ministry if spirited for the work would be of general advantage to the Churches of Christ 3. That their call unto it was ordinary that is in the primitive times by the Apostles and Churches for there was no extraordinary Ministers but such as was immediately called as the Apostles were and all Officers in the Church besides Apostles were and are ordinary and to continue That they were so called to it is clear Timothy was called to this office by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tit. 4. 14. And these sort of Ministers were called sometimes Evangelists i. e. Gospel Preachers or Cryers 2 Tit. 4. 5. Act. 21. 8. Sometimes Apostles 2 Coâ— 8. 23. The Apostles of the Churches and the Glory of Christ Phil. 2. 25. The Apostle calls Epaphroditus his brother and companion c. and your Apostle that is the Churches Apostle by all which it appears that this official Ministry was ordinary and should be in the Church still and the Church suffereth much in the loss thereof for Gods Ordinances are not in vain and out of the Prophets in the Church should this and other Ministers be chosen according to the order stated First Apostles then Prophets and then Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11. This is the method of God's Order in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. Where Evangelists in the term are left out but very probably included in that of Teachers that including all the official Ministry besides the first Apostles Paul and Barnabas who were not inferior Apostles yet in as much as their call was not from the mouth of Christ in the manner as the rest was they musâ— for order sake be taken out from among the Prophets and sent to the work in the ordinary orderly way of the Gospel Acâ— 13. 1 2 3. 2. Out of the Prophets are Pastors and Teachers to be chosen by the Church and ordained and although there be various Titles given in Scripture to these Officers as Pastors Teachers Elders Bishops c. It imports not variety of Offices but the fulness of the work every Title being significant Pastor to feed Teacher to instruct Elder to rule Bishop to oversee it 's possible that all may be in one man but in as much as these gifts may be more eminent some in one and some in another sutably should they be exercised That those Titles hold not forth any distinction in Office or variety of Offices or any superiority in Office one above another in way of authority though in distinction by gift doth appear Tit. 1. 5 6 7. Where the Apostle first calls them Elders ver 5. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou mightest ordain Elders c. and after ver 7. Bishops for a Bishop must be blameless c. By which it appears that Bishops and Elders are one and the same Office 1 Tit. 3. The Apostle sums up all the Ministry of the Church on this account under the Name of Bishop and Chap. 5. 17. under the Name of Elders by which it appears that Bishops and Elders was one and the same Office only Elders distinguished by ruling and teaching which distinguisheth not the Office but the exercise therein sutable to the gift both in teaching and ruling the like distinction we have Rom. 12. 7 8. distinguished by the Gift more than by the Office Elders may have a gift to teach well and rule well too others may have a gift to rule well and teach but little or teach well and little gift to rule and sutable should they be exercised in the Church Phil. 1. 1. These sorts of Officers are all included in that of Bishops and 1 Pet. 5. 1. They are all included in Elders who were Pastors to feed the flock ver 2. Acts 20. 17. Paul calleth the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to him and ver 28. Calleth the same Elders Bishops Overseers and Peter calleth himself an Elder and a Witness of the sufferings of Christ 1 Pet. 5. 1. So that if any will suppose a superiority in Office among those varieties of Titles there is least ground of all for that of Bishop for Peter himself saith that he was an Elder but he no where calls himself a Bishop and Ordination was performed by the Presbytery not Episcopacy 1 Tit. 4. 14. and Hebr. 13. 7 17. They are summed all under that of rule and guides and these Officers are to carry on the administrations of the Church in an orderly way though the power of all is committed to the Church Matt. 28. 20. Yet the Church are to choose out such persons as God hath gifted and qualified for the Work that although the gift be from the Lord yet the authority of administring must be from the Church electing and Ordination of the Presbytery by Fasting and Prayer and imposition of hands Act. 13. 3. 1 Tit. 4. 14. Act. 6. 3 6. Who were the first Officers ordained in the Church and were ordained Elders though their work was to take care of the poor yet they were ordained Elders 1. All Offices was in the Apostles next to Jesus Christ they were Apostles Evangelists Elders Deacons did all and were all as is evident in this first Church and all other Officers and Offices came from them as necessity called for it and the first Office and Officers ordained in the Church were those Act. 6. and were ordained Elders though then especially to take care of the poor which the Apostles did before and Elders still may do if the work be not too much for them that they were ordained Elders is apparent 1. In that we read of no Officers in that Church but Apostles and Elders Act. 15. 6. ver 22. The whole are summed up in three distinctions i. e. Apostles and Elders and the whole Church ver 23. Apostles Elders and Brethren and Chap. 11. 30. The contribution was sent to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul and without all controversy it was sent to them that had the care of that matter and here they are called Elders I mind this the
pray according to the will of God Ro. 8. 27. persons may pray in their own spirits and be very earnest and will have no nay for that which God would not have them and it may be is not good for them and he may give it them in judgement I believe that many have experience of this truth at this day as his people of old Psal 78. 18. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts v. 29. 30 31. He gave them their hearts desire but while the meat was in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them they must have their lusts fulfilled and their lusts they had but in anger and in wrath with vengeance for their lusting so the same people Israel lusted for a King and would have no nay and God gave them their desire Hos 13. 11. I gave thee a King in my anger and took him away in my wrath It greatly behoves Christians to look to the matter what they pray for that they pray for that which is good for which they have some precept or promise either generally or particularly and that too according to the terms thereof either absolute or conditional that is of submission to the will of God relating either to thing or time 1. What is absolutely promised we may and ought absolutely to pray for as Mortification of sin Sanctification of Life Preservation in the Faith Perseverance in Grace to the end with profiting under the various dispensations of God in the World c. All which comes under some special command or promise either general or particular 2. Some things we must pray for conditionally with submission to the will of God both relating to thing and time as Health Peace deliverance from Affliction prosperity in the world c. because these are things of worldly and temporary concernments and not absolutely necessary to the life of the new Covenant nor absolutely promised Christ our Lord is an example to us in this matter Mat. 26. 39 yet we may pray absolutely in this so far as God hath promised that is Food and Rayment is promised all these things shall be added to you but worldly riches is not promised but Food and Rayment is promised because your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things you cannot live nor subsist without them nor serve God in the world without them That was it which Jacob said that if God would give him Food to eat and Cloaths to put on then God should be his God because without it he could not live if God would keep him alive he would live to God so that for Food and Rayment we ought to pray in faith and to believe the promise all these things shall be added Mat. 6. 33. And as for Deliverance from Afflictions Christians ought to pray absolute for support under them and profiting by them and deliverance in the Lords time time not the deliverance and then you may be absolute and that because you have the promise Ps 50. 15. Isa 45. 17. 2. By whom this duty of Prayer is to be 2. By whom it is to be performed performed and that is by believers though I shall not question the common duty of all men in this matter but none can perform it acceptably but Believers Justified persons God first accepts the person before the service is accepted it is the Prayers of a righteous man that availeth much Jam. 5. 16. as for others see what God saith Ps 50. 16 17. As for the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth c. Prov. 15. 8. The Sacrafice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight chap. 21. 27. it behoves every one to look to it to have some ground of a Turance of relation to the Lord in the New Covenant which will greatly imbolden the soul in this duty although souls may cry and call and obtain too when they lye under doubtings of interest they may cry Abba Father for the acceptation of our persons doth not consist in assurance of interest and relation but in believing the Gospel and cleaving to the Lord therein yet the higher our assurance of interest and relation works the more boldness and confidence will there be in Prayer and sometimes sinkings in spirit on that account may increase fervency but it is the duty of upright ones to worship God to pray unto him and to praise him it becomes them it is sutable to their high calling it becometh the upright to be thankful Ps 33. 1. Praise is comely for the upright all the wicked of the Earth whose persons are unaccepted their Prayers are abomination to the Lord for without Faith it is impossible to please him it was by Faith that Abels Sacrifice was accepted by which he obtained witness that he was righteous 3. That Prayer is a duty of special concernment 3. That its a special duty to be performed to be performed by those concerned therein that is believing righteous justified persons the Children of God and this appeareth 1. From the manifold commands and Exhortations thereunto a few of which I shall mention Mat. 7. 7. Aâ—k and it shall be given seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you a plain command from our Lord with a promise of answer Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit c. 1 Thes 5. 17. Pray continually Col. 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving by all which and many other Exhortations in Holy Scripture it appeareth that Prayer is the special duty of the Saints 2. It appears from the frequent example of the Lords people throughout all ages who were frequently exercised in this divine duty and work as Abraham Gen. 18. 23 to 33. Moses Exod. 32. 30 31 32 33. 13 34. 91. Solomon 1 King 8. 22. David Ps 5. 1 2 3. 17. 1 2 c. 55. 16 17. in the New Testament Christ himself was very often exercised in this work Mat. 14. 23. Luke 6. 12. and Paul Phil. 1. 9. Col. 1. 9. 1 Thes 3. 10. The Apostles Acts 4. 24. to 31. and the whole Church Chap. 2. 42. with multitudes of like examples both in old and new Testament all which confirms the truth that it is the great duty and concernment of the Saints according to the will of God to be frequently exercised therein 3. It appears to be a very acceptable service to the Lord when rightly performed from the acceptance thereof which God hath manifested and the returns that he hath made to the prayers of his people throughout all ages wherein he hath manifested himself to be well pleased with the faithful prayers of his people in his hearing and answering of their prayers see his answer to Abraham in his requests Gen. 18. 21 to 33.
Preserve my soul for I am holy that is I am sanctified to thee and am one of thine holy ones and do love holiness and design holiness this is absolutely necessary in Prayer Ps 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Unholy Prayers are not like to have any acceptance with or answer from the Lord to pray and sin and sin and pray as if persons in Prayer did design to ask leave to sin to be covetous and oppressing to be proud vain and prophane such Prayers the Lord abominates Isa 58. 3 4. They fasted and prayed but their design was not for holiness but for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness this shall never cause their voice to be heard on high No God heareth not sinners that is those who held themselves servants to their lusts that design not holiness Chap. 59. 2 3. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear 10. To pray in a right manner and by 10. It must be in the Name of Christ the Spirit of Christ is to pray in the name of Christ to offer up all our Prayers to God in his Name and not in our own Name or on the account of any worth that is in our selves this is essential to a right manner of Praying for there is no acceptation of our persons or services out of him Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus that must be the manner of our doing Joh. 16. 23. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you that is that is good and according to his will ver 26. And this is by the Spirit of Christ for it is the spirit of the Gospel that leads us to Jesus Christ and to the Father by him but the question will be What it is to pray to the Father in the Quest Name of Christ Answ 1. To come to the Father in the Answ Name of Christ is to come to him in the authority of Christ though Prayer be a common duty to man as related to God his Creator yet on the new Covenant account true Believers stand related to God in Christ on the account of Redemption and that is the Service and Prayer I am speaking of and we must perform every duty to God by virtue of his authority as our Lord and Law-giver in the new and everlasting Covenant so that we are to perform this and every service in his Name that is in his authority by virtue of his commission and command Matt. 7. 7. 8. John 16. 26. 2. To Pray in the Name of Christ is to offer up our Prayers to the Father as persons interessed in Christ by Faith according to the Word believing and expecting acceptance with the Father for the sake of Christ and not for any worth in our selves Jesus Christ Son to the King of Glory being our only way of acceptance both of our persons and services therefore we must by Faith in all our addresses to the Throne of Grace have respect to Jesus as our way and as upon the Throne for us to plead our cause and to present the persons and services of his people in himself to the Father he is our friend in the Court of Heaven and to pray the Father in his Name is to pray the Father for his sake to accept us and grant our requests because by the Law of the new Covenant we belong to him and are the children of God by Faith in him And the reason why we must offer up all in the Name of Christ is because we are imperfect and our service imperfect and can have no acceptance but in him and for his sake who is perfect 1 Pet. 2. 5. 11. As an effect of this acceptation in 11. To pray boldly our dear Lord and for his sake a right Gospel way of praying is to pray boldly an holy humble boldness becometh Christians and God is well pleased therewith He would have them come with boldness to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. He having opened such a new and living way so full of Grace he would have his children to know it and improve it with all holy and humble boldness and confidence believing his readiness and willingness to hear and answer the prayers of his people God would have his people to exercise so much Faith in the way of the Gospel that new and living way as to command of him what he hath promised to give because he hath of his own Grace bound himself to it by his new Covenant Law promise and he takes it as Glory to his Name for his people to believe that he will not cannot with-hold what he hath promised therefore Believers ought to come to God with holy boldness and humble claiming their right by Grace in the blessings and blessed things promised in the new Covenant as the Apostles Acts 4. 24. to 31. 12. To pray in a right manner is to 12. Be constant pray constantly and not to faint and give over if you wax weary either through a carnal carelesness and sluggishness or fainting for fear of not being answered it 's the way to lose all and as a necessary ingredient to constancy and persevering herein you must add patience Ps 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my crie that is it was long before I had an answer but I waited long and patiently and had my desire in the end Christ put forth that Parable Luke 18. 1. to this very end That men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint to assure us that if we wax not weary God will hear and answer in the end Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Eph. 6. 18. Praying alwaies with all supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance This is a duty that Saints must persevere in while they are in this World it 's the way in which God will be worshipped and they have daily need of mercy from him as for times of Prayer there is publick and private Prayer in Church in Family and in Closet all which ought to have its time The Prophet fixes on the morning Ps 5. 3. and 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and crie aloud and he shall hear my voice O that Christians would lay this to heart and not bethink time to spend in this holy and heavenly service to converse with God but according to the exhortation 1 Thes 5. 17. To pray without ceasing that is without being weary or giving over or neglecting so holy acceptable and needful a service it is a note of an hipocrite that does not alwaies call upon God Job 27. 10. but by fits and starts when he hath a mind to it or for fear in time of
accountableness of Churches must necessarily render them 1. The more lyable to sin and miscarry because not accountable And 2. In case of sin and miscarriage are left miserable that is without any means of recovery to repentance which is ridiculous and perverse for any to imagine that Christ should be more careful of particular Members then of particular Churches 4. Without this accountableness of Churches and power of dealing with a transgressing sinning Church for Reformation it must necessarily import a necessity for the whole to have Fellowship with a sinning Church in their sin that principle that leaves sinners without any help from their sins and so leaves them to perish without hope or help and leaves the whole under the gift of their sins and miscarriages by holding fellowship with them in that Estate is to be abhorred of all Christians and Churches of Christ Obj. These are weighty reasons for accountableness Obj. of Churches and appeals in case of sin on any account make Administrations of sensures or wickedness in conversation justified or false Doctrine maintained but in as much as plain Scripture rule is that which binds conscience and justifieth practice some may startle from this for want of plain Scripture rule to warrant in this case or at least make a plea to justifie them in their noâ— accountableness therefore Precept or President would be of use to clear and confirm us in this matter Answ 1. In cases left doubtful and dark Answ in Scripture we must and it s a common received principle resolv'd by Scripture Reason and Scripture Reason is a sufficient rule as that without this Churches must suffer sin in each other without any means of help which is contrary to Lev. 19. 17. 2. Without this there is a necessity for all Churches to have fellowship with an erroneous Church in their sins contrary to Eph. 5. 11. and so justly draw the guilt of sin upon themselves Ezek. 3. 18. Acts 18. 6. and 20. 26. 3. Without this Churches are left in worse case then Members without the means of help and recovery in case of sin Christs Ordinances proves of advantage sometimes to keep from sin sometimes to recover out of sin when insnared therewith therefore those who oppose this accountableness of the Churches are therein no friends unto them nor to Jesus Christ 4. Without this wronged persons in matters of censure could have no redress but must lye under their oppressions without remedy which is that which some have asserted that if a Church cast out its best Members unjustly that there is no help a horrid principle to be hushed out of all Christian Society which would render the Church and Government of Christ more obnoxious and dangerous then any humane Government which in many cases admitteth of appeals on supposition of Male Administrations and uncomfortable for any serious souls to come into the Church who probably some time or other may fall under a Diotrephes without all hope or help But I shall yet propound some further weighty Scripture grounds for confirmation of this practice 1. The many Scriptures that gives us very much light in this matter Acts 15. 2 3. in the case of the difference at Antioch about Circumcision the Church appealed to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem with the whole Church as appears ver 1. 2. with ver 23. The Apostles Elders and Brethren which was the whole Church so in the case of the Incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. 1. the Apostle determines the matter and they follow his advice See chap. 7. 1. c. about the matter of Marriage and putting away of the unbeliever about which they had written to him he resolves the case and that not altogether in way of power without the Church as is evident 2 Cor. 1. 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy So he determines the case of the disorderly Members 2 Thes 3. 6. 1 Joh. ver 9 10. in the case of Diotrephes evil Administration of censures casting out such as he should not Wherefore saith the Apostle I come I will remember his deeds which he doth c. Now what in ordinary cases the Apostles did formerly the Ministers and Churches may and ought to do now in like cases it being patterns for all times as occasion requires in the Administrations of the Church and for the preservation of the peace and purity of the whole Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them that is the Church Baptised Believers with their Ministry to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you So that the Churches have as full power from Christ for preservation of the whole in their Loyalty to him in Purity and in Peace as the Apostles had which is a full and warrantable authority in this matter As an illustration of this matter remarkable to this purpose is that of the two Tribes and half building an Altar Josh 22. 10. which was an act in appearance contrary to the Law of God and so a matter of fact to be inquired into Exod. 20. 24. with Lev. 17. 18. Deut. 12. 5 6. and the rest of the Tribes sent Pheneas and ten Princes with him to inquire after the matter and to lay as they judged sin to their charge and those Tribes owned their brethren in the matter and gave them a good account to their satisfaction ver 22. those Tribes had no Lordship given them over each other yet was it their duty to look to each other that the Law of God was not transgressed and to execute the Law in such cases The like we read about the abuse of the Levites Wise Judg. 19. 20. chap. on his complaint they all as one man joyn in the matter to avenge the sin by all which it appeareth that the Church of God throughut all ages hath had this power to rebuke sin and maintain truth in dealing with either persons or assemblies in case of sin according to the rule of the present ministration under which they lived and without repentance to withdraw Communion from them and in their obstinacy in an evill way to reject 2. This likewise comes under that general rule Phil. 4. 8 9. it is just and honest and lovely makes for Purity and Peace for the Churches to be subject one to another as it behoves Members in this case 1 Pet. 5. 5. So that then it follows 1. That Church which refuseth to be accountable of any of their actions to their neighbour Churches being desired on complaint of miscarriages on this ground that they have no power to inquire after any of their matters and that they are accountable to none but God do hereby make a breach upon the Law of relation and exclude all Churches from their fellowship and so stand by themselves alone 2. That such a Church is no more fit for the Communion of Churches then a Member in a particular Church that will not live under the Law of the Relation and will be accountable to