after the flesh and the like I have answered them already in the doctrine of Baptisme of water I shall now speak a word or two to the Order of the Church Of the Order of the Church which is that sweet decent and due administration of every thing in its right season 1 Cor. 14. 40. this is that which directs how to speak when to speak and what to speak it forbids all confusion many may not speak at once this puts the administration of every Ordinance in its right place it first commands faith after that Baptisme then Church fellowship and breaking of bread it doth not turn things upside down and set the cart before the horse as we use to say as many men doe in matters of religion who will first break bread which is an Ordinance for their building up before they be baptized which visibly demonstrates their new birth This heavenly Order doth not first baptize and then preach conversion but baptizing those that are already converted this is that which the Apostle rejoyced to behold in the churches Col. 2. 5. I should now speak of the Ministry of this Church which is a Of the Ministry of the Church service committed by the Lord into the hands of some particular Members of the Church for the due and orderly edification thereof to whom he hath given the gifts before mentioned for discharge of their said trust which ministry first is evident in the brethren generally afterwards as occasion requires is committed especially by way of office to some particulars wherein I should shew you the true nature ground use and end of a ministry in the Church but I must now hasten a period to this discourse intending hereafter if the Lord affords opportunity to enlarge my selfe on it in the mean time know there may be a true Church without officers which I shall evidence by this demonstration If you search the Scriptures you shall find all officers of any particular Church are to be chosen out of the Church as is evident in the choice of the seven Deacons Acts 6. and so for Elders they were to be ordained in the churches Tit. 1. 5. which cleerly holds forth the Churches were to be before the officers for if the church was not first how could it be said officers must be chosen out of them or ordained in them The last thing I shall now handle is the communion of the The communion of the Church iswith the Father church and that is threefold First with the Father and the Son as saith John truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 1. 3. viz. in prayer prayse breaking of bread and prophecy The cup of blessing that we blesse saith the Apostle is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread that we break is not the communion of the body Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. Secondly Their communion is one with another which is in the With each other light and truth of the Father and the Son communicating light knowledge wisdome relief support succour and assistance each to other joying rejoycing and sorrowing each with other for they being many members are one bread for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. Thirdly and lastly the communion the church hath with other With other Churches churches all the churches of Christ have but one head and as members of that head receive influence from it and ought to seek the good and preservation each of other their visible communion appears in their union in the doctrine of Christ there are two things principally belonging to churches to communicate to each other First Advice in matters doubtfull as is evident Acts 14. 15. c. In advice the church of Antioch sent to the church of Jerusalem for their advice wherein we see a liberty for every brother till they were agreed to give their judgement now this we must not understand to be a dependency one upon another but only a sweet unity and agreement they have each with other Secondly In contributing each to others necessities as if one be over-burthened it is the duty of another church to contribute as In supplying each others wants is evident Rom. 15. 26 27. 2 Cor. 8. and 9. chap. Acts 11. 29 30. The glory of the church of Christ in all these gifts priviledges and spirituall immunities to which it is born by the word of God are innumerable many of them I might here unfold to you but of all which with our Apostle I must conclude saying I cannot now speak particularly Consider seriously what I have written and the Lord give us understandng in all things FINIS Errata Pag. 18. l. 23. for that r. for he that l. 40. for at r. as at p. 21. l. 25. for made r. he made p. 23. l. 12. for appearance r. appearances p. 6 l. 21. for sent you r. sent me unto you p. 25. l. 32. for nothing to r. nothing to p. 30. l. 22. for alone r. done p. 32. l. 1. for God dy r. God should dy l. 14. for nature by r. nature appeareth by p. 43. l. 1. for dow is r. dowes for thing r. things for was r. were p. 51. l. 10. for to give r. would give l. 12. for many r. may l. 25. for yet be r. yet he may be p. 55. l. 22. for to doe r. do p. 56. l. 35. for never r. ever p. 66. l. 1. for though r. thou l. 4. for it r. then l. 40 for copying r. coyning p. 70 l. 39. for chief r. Christs p. 74. l. 2. for heads l r. l. for these r. these heads p. 75. l. 20. for wils r. thus wils p. 76. l 19. for Adam sinned r. Adam been cut off as soon as he sinned p. 79. l. 14. for shall r. that shall p. 83. l. 31. for him r. them p. 90. l. 26. for to come r. to become p. 114 l. 6. for many r. man for their r. his l. 22. for God r. of God p. 116. l. 36. for some r. none p. 119. l. 10. for circumcision succeeds baptism r. bapt succeeds circumcision p. 121. l. 2. for most r. the most p. 132. l. 32. for forge r. forget
Galath 1. 8 9. be accursed Therefore saith he againe He that denies Christ to come in the flesh is Anti-Christ Which coming in the flesh is not a coming in our particular bodies of the flesh for I can or another may say Christ is not so come to thousands and never be judged Anti-Christs for so saying except we may be so called for speaking truth but he is come in the flesh that is to say in that particular forme of flesh he tooke of the Virgin Mary which was of the same nature of our flesh but yet as distinct a body from ours as any of ours is one from another This Gospell is a Mystery made manifest that was hid in God hid from Ages yet now made manifest being hidden onely to them that are lost whose mindes the God of this Ephes 3. 9. Coloss 1. 26. 2 Cor. 4. 3. World hath blinded T is not to be revealed any otherwise then Paul preached it For God made manifest in the flesh is good newes and a great mystery yet revealed to the Saints Thus much for the Gospel it selfe 2. I come next to speake of the Administrator or Preacher of Who are the true Ministers of the Gospel this Gospell and herein I will minde you that the Gospell was preached by Apostles by Evangelists by members of particular Churches and by scattered brethren First By Disciples Math. 10. The twelve are there called Disciples Disciples which he sent forth to preach the Gospell who had a Commission from him while with them in the flesh So the Seventy afterwards were sent out by Christ Luk. 10. Which Disciples did baptize John 4. 2. Secondly By Apostles These Disciples Christ afterwards cals Apostles Apostles to whom he gave a Commission before his death and after his resurrection upon whom the spirit was given in the forme of fire and cloven tongues whose worke was now to beare witnesse of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that not onely to the Jewes as they were before his death but their Commission was enlarged to all the world Jewes and Gentiles Therefore saith Peter Must one be ordained to be a witnesse of his resurrection Now of the Apostles some received a Commission by word of mouth from Christ in the flesh and afterward from him as risen from the dead immediately But Mathias first being chosen by the Church God by lots called him Paul was immediatly called from heaven who received not the Gospell of man nor by man but from heaven These in a speciall manner were sent forth to plant the Gospell to plant Churches to lay the foundation therefore is it said The Saints are built upon the foundation of the Apostles Eph. 2. 20. And Paul saith I have laid the foundation Thirdly By Evangelists God hath set in his Church some Apostles Evangelists some Prophets some Evangelists Philip was an Evangelist that is to say a Preacher of glad tydings who was endued with the Spirit Act. 21. 10. Philip went up and downe preaching the Gospell of Christ baptizing both men and women Acts 8. 5. 12. Now the office of an Evangelist was not to be exercised in a particular Church but was to be exercised in the preaching of the Gospel in severall places And thus did Timothy who is commanded to doe the worke of an Evangelist accompany Paul preaching the Gospell And so Titus Tychicus and others went from place to place preaching the Gospell of whom wee reade not that they had such a particular call by a voice from heaven as the Apostles had but they were filled with the Spirit Members of particular Churches Fourthly By Members of particular Churches As for instance Stephen who was also a Deacon by which office he was not to preach to the world Acts 6. 8 9 10. Whose Commission was this That he was full of the spirit and power And so Philip who was at first a Member of a particular Church then a Deacon being the same Philip as I conceive is called an Evangelist Acts 21. 10. He preached the Gospell and did baptize Yea Barnabas went from Jerusalem to Antioch being sent thither by the Church where he preached And afterwards the same Barnabas was by the Church through the revelation of the spirit separated from them for to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles who was also in reference to this sending by the Church called an Apostle Fifthly and Lastly The Gospell was preached by scattered brethren Scattered brethren preach the Gospell to the world Acts 8. 4. They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word who preached both to Jewes and Gentiles whose Commission I finde onely to be this That the power of God carried them forth to it His presence accompanied them and his blessing upon their labours pointed from heaven from whence they came as it is said And the hand of the Lord was with them viz those scattered brethren which were scattered upon the persecution of Stephen and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. These scattered brethren say some may be some of the Apostles Object Sol. It cannot be so for they were not scattered at that time for they tarried at Jerusalem as it is said Acts 8. 1. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Thus may wee see clearly that one Gospell was committed to severall sorts of Christians to preach it to the world who were all sent of God being called of God according to the working of his owne spirit We confesse say some that you say true these did preach the Gospell but Object all these are ceased the Apostles dead Evangelists dead and the brethren who were then gifted and enabled to preach So that we would now know whether there be any such Ministers of the Gospell in our daies and if there be how we may know them In answer to this I grant that they are dead yet I say the faith Sol. which was required in the Gospell they preached was not confined to their persons but to their doctrine Therefore saith Christ I pray not for these onely but for all them which shall believe in thy name through their word And though those persons are asleepe yet their doctrine is the same there is but one faith one Lord one Gospell that which Paul and the rest preached and the power is the same still that is to say the spirit so that there be Ministers of the Gospell in our dayes that preach glad tydings who have the same spirit and power that they had which to me is manifest where it is said Christ gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the
2. That it consists of people called or separated from the world by the Gospell 3. They are a company of believers 4. They are believers baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus 5. That they are united together by consent in the fellowship of the Gospell all which I shall handle briefly First That Christs Church are onely people I minde this in That Christs Church are only people a way of opposition to that carnall apprehension of ignorant soules who esteeme Houses of stone or timber to be the Churches of Christ not considering that That the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Acts 17. 24. But in the contrite and broken heart Though Heaven and Earth cannot containe him yet he dwels in men Which blind conceite hath begotten such superstition in their hearts that they esteeme such Houses to be Holy and so making an Idol of them they fall downe before them that is to say attribute that to them which is peculiar to the Saints Secondly The church of Christ consists of people called out of Christs Church is a people called out of the world the World wherein you may observe that the very same men and women who were in the world are the subjects of Christs Kingdome 't is not something added to man which is saved in man but the same man is the subject of salvation who before was in the the state or wrath 't is not something besides mens naturall soules and bodies which are the subjects of Christs church but their bodies and soules which before were in an old state of sin and death therefore called old men but now in a new state therefore called new creatures they are Christs members these I say are called or separated from the world the word Church in the Greeke signifies called out the church is called out or separate from the Kingdome of Sathan therefore saith Peter who hath called you out of darknesse 1 Peter 2. 9. and again Coloss 1. 13. Saints are said to be delivered from the power of darknesse and translated into another Kingdome Saints were once as others are but now are they separated from the world in a twofold consideration First From the wicked conversation of the world therefore are the Saints said to be redeemed from the vaine conversation of the They are separated from the vain conversation of the world world received by tradition from their fathers 1. Peter 1. 18. Therefore Paul saith we had our conversation amongst children of disobedience in times past in the lusts of our flesh but God who had mercy on us hath quickened us when we were dead in sins Eph. 2. 2. 3. 4. 5. they are to be separated from all the abominations thereof for the church of Christ is or ought to be a pure Kingdome into which nothing that desilâ—th should enter they are called from the works of the flesh as lying stealing covetousnesse drunkennesse swearing blaspheming railing adulteries and the lusts of the flesh wherein formerly they were conversant as is evident 1 Cor. 6. 4. 10. no such persons that are known to be such are to be admitted into the Church which is the Kingdome of heaven upon earth 2. They are separated from the worship of the World now by the They are separated from the worship of the world worship of the World I meane that seeming worship which men performe to the Lord without a lawfull warrant from the Lord even all the commands of man in the things of God The world through the mighty operation of the man of sin who works in the children of disobedience hath set up a worship among men that hath the name of the service of God when indeed God never commanded them any such thing We are commanded to come forth of Babylon out of confusion and to touch no unclean thing therfore saith the Lord What an agreement hath the temple of the Lord with idols wherefore come out from amongst them and be yee separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. We are to separate from all assemblyes who say they are Churches and yet are not built upon the Rock Christ and the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the corner stone There is much adoe made about churches this day but there is but one true way of entring into a true Church fellowship therefore are we to separate from all those seeming Churches who never were admitted into the Church through the preaching of the Word and beleeving the doctrine of Christ being baptized into his name but were naturally borne into it as all those are who stand in a any Church by right of infant membership or infant Baptism Christs Church consists of a people visibly professing faith all in Christs Kingdome must be able to declare whose they are whom they professe whose subjects they be and to whose laws they conforme therefore we shall finde the Eunuch not to be admitted to baptisme Except he believed with all his heart But may some say many may professe faith and yet not be beleevers so that if Obj. faith be absolutely necessary for the fitting of a man to be a member of a church you will be able to prove few churches to be true because many may be hypocrites What I said before I say now again that visible appearances are Sol. Christs Church consists of people professing faith the true ground of visible administrations with the heart man beleeveth but with the mouth he confesseth unto salvation Had election or a reall interest in the love of Christ beene the only ground of receiving members into fellowship or of baptizing them as some may suppose the Apostles did very evill in baptizing Simon who was in the gall of bitternesse yea if that should be true Christ did very ill in suffering Judas to goe in and out so long with his disciples undiscovered when he knew he was a wicked man but yet Simon professing he beleeved ought not to be denied baptisme so that I say who ever shall say that he beleeveth in the Lord Iesus that is to say professe that he depends upon Christ for salvation and upon him alone and desires to be baptized in the name of Christ professing he beleeves it to be his duty except we know that he hath only a forme of Godlinesse and denyes the power thereof he ought to be baptized and be received a member with the Church I confesse there is a doctrine spread abroad that we must know mens hearts before we can walke visibly with them which truly never was nor shall be the ground of a visible fellowship neither ought we to examine mens spirits or principles so much as their doctrines The church of Christ consists of beleevers baptized in the name The members of Christs Church are baptized beleevers of the Lord Jesus therefore it is said They that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there
were added viz. to the church about three thousand Act. â— 41. this was a doctrine to be preached commanded to be practised and was observed by the Saints of old But doe you thinke there may not be a visible church of Christ without baptisme of water surely all the churches in the Gospell were not baptized persons To this I plainly answer First the Scriptures no where hold Sol. forth any church to us without being baptized for this we find as soone as they beleeved they were commanded to be baptized with water Acts. 10. and to Paul himself beleeving was it said Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized If we looke into the Acts we shall find there very many examples for it and not one to prove or tolerate any other practise Secondly I say there can be no true visible Church without it hath its bottome or foundation from Christ but there is no church consisting of others then baptized persons approved on by Christ for Christ giving forth a rule of visible dispensations bids his disciples first Teach and Baptize them afterwards teach them to observe all that he had commanded them Marke last 19 20. Again if we consider the nature of the Ordinance of baptisme and of the church of Christ it will be evident for the nature of the Ordinance is a cleer manifestation of putting on Christ therfore saith the Apostle Know ye not that as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and the nature of a true Church is of a spirituall nature visibly holding forth that government Christ our head hath in us Again baptism is the first act visibly representing our union with Christ which gives us a visible right to all other Ordinances of Christ But if any shall yet say there may be a true visible church of the Gospel approved of by Christ without a submission to this Ordinance let them produce their grounds from the Scripture and I shall more throughly consider the matter in the mean time let this suffice us that while men walke in other wayes doubtfully without a rule for their practise we walk according to the Scriptures in being baptized and added to the church wheras they say many churches were planted without baptism it is an easy thing to say so but hard for to prove I am very confident all churches were baptized else the disciples of Christ had very ill observed their commands Goe teach and baptize Fiftly It is not enough that Saints be baptized but likewise The Church of Christ is an united company they ought to joyn themselves together first to the Lord then to one another therfore is it that we find it recorded that the Saints are a body compact together and that when many saw the judgement of God upon Ananias and Saphira they durst not joyn themselves to them Now this joyning after baptisme is nothing but the mutuall consent of each other giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another to watch over one another and walke before the Lord in his own wayes which of necessity must be done or else the Saints would be disabled from knowing each other watching over each other and admonishing or reproving each other thus did Paul joyn himself to the churches at Ierusalem but this will appear more plain if you consider what I shall say when I come to speake of the true nature and divine excellency of this church which I have already in a measure described unto you Chap. IX Sheweth the true nature of Christs Church and the power and authority thereof HAving thus described to you what the true church of Christ is I will now shew you its excellent priviledges and duty which I shall unfold to you in eight particulars 1. The nature of this Church 2. The power of this Church 3. The duty of this Church 4. The gifts of this Church 5. The Ordinances of this Church 6. The Order of this Church 7. The Ministry of this Church 8. The Communion and fellowship of the Church The nature of this church I shall first handle which I shall demonstrate The nature of Christs Church It is the house of God to you from the severall names that God hath given it in the Scriptures as first it is called the House of Christ or of the living God 1 Tim. 3. 15. Paul gave many instructions to Timothy how to behave himself in the house of God God dwelleth in the middest of the church the church is Gods houshold Mat. 24. 25. Herein may we see the nature of the church to be a compact and united body a house of living stones 1 Peter 2. 4. 't is not a company of unpolished stones lying scattered up and downe but a house built up whose foundation is Christ yea Christ is the corner stone thereof 't is a houshold whose master is Christ who is the Lord of that family which is called by his name the children of this houshold are Saints those that appear in their wedding garment the servants are the Ministers of the Gospell who are placed there to serve the family their food is the word of God the body and blood of Christ Jesus from whence al unprofitable and wicked servants are tobe cast forth 't is a houshold wherein every son and servant is enrolled by the bond of unity Secondly 't is the City of God Psalm 46. 4. in which city every It is the City of God member is a fellow citizen Eph. 2. 19. 't is a spirituall city that descends from heaven 't is a flourishing city whose inhabitants are made glad through that river whose streames flow from the fountain of life 't is a City walled with the almighty power of the Lord Jesus 't is a City defended with an innumerable company of Angels whose merchandise is not of gold and silver but of bread and water of life of glorious garments of needle worke the cloathing of whose inhabitants is wrought gold 't is the city of Sion of which 't is said Walke about Sion and goe round about her tell the towers thereof marke yee well her bulwarks consider her palaces that ye may tell it to the generation following Psal 48. 12 13. 't is a city incorporated whose citizens have one and the same Charter from heauen whose head is the Lord Jesus whose foundation and gate of entrance is Christ in which mercy and truth meet together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other Thirdly The church of Christ is Christs body Christ is the churches It is Christs body head yea he is the very life and soul of the church 't is his Spirit which quickens all 't is Christs body consisting of severall members every one is placed in the body for the service of the whole therefore saith Paul We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. 5. 't is a body fitly joyned together compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth
according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part making increase thereof edifying it selfe in love Eph. 4. 16. Hence it is that Saints are said to live in Christ and Christ in them Fourthly Christs church is the mountain of the Lord Psal 2. 6. a mountain looking towards heaven ascending from the earth a mountain It is the mountain of the Lord. visible a city on a hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5. 14. Fifthly It is Gods vineyard I am the vine and yee are the branches It is Gods vineyard saith Christ as the branches are all upon one tree so Christ and his are members all of one body branches of that stock which is Christ Jesus who lops of all withered branches Iohn 15. 1 2. Sixtly It is Christs garden that Christ takes delights in to walke It is Christs garden in I am come into my garden saith Christ my sister my spouse he feedeth among the lillies he delights even in his church to gather his pleasant fruitsâ— 't is a walled garden in which is an everlasting fountain to water and refresh it 't is a garden well trimmed continually weeded wherein are all manner of fruits both new and old 't is an orchard of precious plants set by the water side I might further shew you 't is Gods tabernacle in this world moving from place to place till it attaines to its own countrey 't is Gods temple wherein his holinesse dwels 1 Cor. 3. 11. his presence is there the Arke of the Covenant the mercy-seat the incense of a sweet smelling savour unto God are there God is prayed to praised and admired there In the middest of my brethren saith Christ I will sing praise unto thee 't is Christs friend sister and spouse she is the Kings doughter all glorious within her beauty is excellent her relation is noble she is a Queen Psalm 45. 10. united to Christ the king of kings married unto him in everlasting bonds of loving kindnesse 't is a royall priesthood a holy nation a chosen generation born of God united under one king subject to one and the same lawes being a pure and undefiled people she is Christs love dove and undefiled one she is all faire she is but one Cant. 6. 't is a flock of sheep feeding together having one chief shepheard who separates them from the goates and keepes them from wolves who knows them by name 't is his sheepfold wherein all his sheepe are folded together not stragling up and down but in flocks together that follow the Lord Jesus knowing his voyce Chap. 10. 'T is a candlestick of pure gold to hold forth the true light of the Lord 't is a dove innocent and gentle feeding on the choysest food 't is the communion of Saints wherein Christ and Saints mutually communicate each to other Christ to them light life joy freedome and glory they to Christ praise honor reverence and songs of deliverance 't is a Communion wherein they communicate each to other of al those treasures the Father of Spirits hath communicated to them 't is a ship in this world tossed up and down yet safely arrives at the haven of everlasting glory through the guidance of their skilfull Pilot the Lord Jesus It is the Kingdome of priests a Kingdome of kings a kingdome from above the Kingdome of heaven whose head Iawes and inheritance are all heavenly Thus mayest thou see its nature to be spirituall pure peaceable mighty gracious and glorious being one with the Father and the Son and with each other visibly in the Father and the Son I might dwell longer here but I must passe forward The next thing I shall handle is the power of this Church The power of the Church which is very large consider what power a Kingdome family city or body hath for the well-ordering governing and increasing of its selfe this church hath the same I shall branch its power forth in severall particulars 1. In receiving of members 't is a houshold that can admit none to In receiving in members be of the family but such who are enrolled as houshold servants that this power is in them is evident for Paul went to Jerusalem and assayed to joyne himselfe to the disciples but they were all afraid of him Yet they were persons with whom he indeavoured to joyne himselfe which he had ignorantly done had not they a power to receive him Acts 9. 26. 27. Againe Phebe a servant of the Church of Cenchrea being to goe to the church of Rome Paul commends her to them desiring them to receive her in the Lord as becommeth Saints where note Paul commends her to the whole church to all the Saints there who were to receive her but that the church hath this power is evident for as I shall shew you presently they have power to cast out also now this receiving in of members ought to be discharged faithfully any person baptized desiring according to his duty to walk with any particular congregation except any should know by a visible demonstration that he was unworthy ought to be received But how ought the church to receive them that are members of another congregation Quest If a member of one congregation should have occasion to goe Answ to another they ought to be recommended from the Church or some particular brethren to them which is plaine in the case of Phebe's going to Rome Paul wrote a commendation to the Church at Rome desiring them to receive her Rom. 16. so in the case of divers others as when he sent Tichicus to the church of the Colossians he writes to them that he was a beloved brother a faithfull minister and fellow servant in the Lord. Colos 4. 7. 8. Quest But what if by a providence unknown to the Church or unexspected by him a member should be cast into another congregation having no such letter of recommendation may not the church receive him To this I say first if any member knowes him or her to be a brother or a sister his declaration or testimony is sufficient to the Church as is evident in the case of Pauls joyning with the Church at Jerusalem while he abode there it was upon Barna bas his testimony of him Acts 9. Secondly but if none knowes him the Church upon the profession of his faith and obedience to the commands of Christ and of his orderly walking may except they know any thing to the contrary receive him for the reason why the church at Jerusalem received not Paul was because they had heard what mischief he had done but here the church needs much wisdome and if they can I judge they would doe well to inquire of him if he be to remain among them lest he be one that should come in privily to In admonishing and reproving members sow tares amongst the wheate Thirdly The church hath power in admonishing and reprooving their members now admonition is twofold either in instructing of them or a