with them in every State and Condition with all Love and Compassion 4. And to shew them in all respects as near as he can a good Example in Conversation Charity Faith and Purity that his Ministry may be the more acceptable to all and the Name of God be glorified and Religion delivered from Reproach 5. He must see he carries it to all with all Impartiality not preferring the Rich above the Poor nor lord it over God's Heritage nor assume any greater Power than God hath given him but to shew a humble and meek Spirit nay to be clothed with Humility The Office and Work of Deacons THE Work of Deacons is to serve Tables viz. to see to provide for the Lord's Table the Minister's Table and the Poor's Table 1. They should provide Bread and Wine for the Lord's Table 2. See that every Member contributes to the Maintenance of the Ministry according to their Ability and their own voluntary Subscription or Obligation 3. That each Member do give weekly to the Poor as God has blessed him 4. Also visit the Poor and know their Condition as much as in them lies that none especially the aged Widows be neglected Of the Duty of Church-Members to their Pastor 1 st 'T IS the Duty of every Member to pray for their Pastor and Teachers Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may run and be glorified Again saith Paul Praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the Mystery of Christ. Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him They that neglect this Duty seem not to care either for their Minister or their own Souls or whether Sinners be converted and the Church edified or not They pray for their daily Bread and will they not pray to have the Bread of Life plentifully broken to them Motives to this 1. Ministers Work is great Who is sufficient for these things 2. The Opposition is not small which is made against them 3. God's loud Call is as well as Ministers themselves for the Saints continual Prayers and Supplication for them 4. Their Weakness and Temptations are many 5. The Increase and Edification of the Church depends upon the Success of their Ministry 6. If they fall or miscarry God is greatly dishonoured and his Ways and People reproached 2 dly They ought to shew a reverential Estimation of them being Christ's Ambassadors also called Rulers Angels c. they that honour them and receive them honour and receive Jesus Christ. Esteem them very highly in Love for their Work sake Again he saith Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in Word and Doctrine that is as I conceive such that are most laborious 3 dly 'T is their Duty to submit themselves unto them that is in all their Exhortations good Counsels and Reproofs and when they call to any extraordinary Duty as Prayer Fasting or days of Thanksgiving if they see no just cause why such days should not be kept they ought to obey their Pastor or Elder as in other cases also Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves 4 thly It is their Duty to take care to vindicate them from the unjust Charges of evil Men or Tongue of Infamy and not to take up a Reproach against them by report nor to grieve their Spirits or weaken their Hands 5 thly 'T is the Duty of Members to go to them when under Trouble or Temptations 6 thly It is their Duty to provide a comfortable Maintenance for them and their Families sutable to their State and Condition Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Who goeth a Warfare at his own Charge who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof c. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things They should minister to them chearfully with all readiness of Mind Ministers are not to ask for their Bread but to receive it honourably The Ministers Maintenance tho it is not by Tythes c. as under the Law yet they have now as just a right to a comfortable Maintenance as they had then the equity of the Duty is the same Our Saviour saith Dr. Owen and the Apostles plead it from grounds of Equity and Justice and all kind of Laws and Rules of Righteousness among Men of all sorts calls for it 7 thly It is their Duty to adhere to them and abide by them in all their Trials and Persecutions for the Word Ye were not ashamed of me in my Bonds c. 8 thly Dr. Owen adds another Duty of the Members to their Pastor viz. to agree to come together upon his Appointment When they were come and had gathered the Church together c. Query Are there no ruling Elders besides the Pastor Answ. There might be such in the Primitive Apostolical Church but we see no ground to believe it an abiding Office to continue in the Church but was only temporary 1. Because we have none of the Qualifications of such Elders mention'd or how to be chosen 2. Because we read not particularly what their Work and Business is or how distinct from preaching Elders tho we see not but the Church may if she sees meet choose some able and discreet Brethren to be Helps in Government We have the Qualifications of Bishops and Deacons directly laid down and how to be chosen and their Work declared but of no other Office or Officers in the Church but these only Quest. May an Elder of one Church if called warrantably administer all Ordinances to another Answ. No surely for we find no warrant for any such Practice he being only ordained Pastor or Elder of that particular Church that chose him c. and hath no Right or Authority to administer as an Elder in any other where he is not so much as a Member Quest. May a Church call out a Teacher that is no ordained Elder to administer all Ordinances to them Ans. You may as well ask May a Church act disorderly Why were Ministers to be ordained if others unordained might warrantably do all their Work if therefore they have no Person fitly qualified for that Office they must look out from abroad for one that is Yet as we say Necessity has no Law provided therefore they can't do either it is better their Teacher be called to do it than that the Church should be without their Food and Church-Ordinances neglected yet let all Churches take care to organize themselves and not through Covetousness or neglect of Duty rest incompleat Churches and so
and not after the Traditions he received from us This is not a delivering up to Satan Excommunicating of dismembring the Person for this sort are still to be owned as Members tho disorderly ones the Church must note him so as not to have Communion or Company with him in that sense yet court him not as an Enemy but exhort him as a Brother if any Man obey not our Word note that Man It appears that such who refuse to adhere to what the Pastor commands and exhorts to in the Name of Christ are to be deemed disorderly Persons as such are who meet â—ot with the Church when assembled together to worship God or â—hat neglect private or family Prayer or neglect their attendance on the Lord's-Supper or to contribute to the necessary Charges of the Church or suffer any Evils unreproved in their Children all such may be lookt upon disorderly Walkers and ought to be proceeded against according to this Rule or divulge the private Resolves of the Church as well as in many like cases Of private Offences of one Brother against another 1. AS touching private Offences the Rule Mat. 18. is to be observed only this by the way must be premised viz. if but one Brother or two have the knowledg of some Members Crime yet if it be publickly known to the World and the Name of God be reproached it being an immoral Act 〈◊〉 private Brother is not to proceed with such an Offender according to Mat. 18. but forthwith to brinâ— it to the Church that the publicâ— Scandal may be taken off 2. But if it be a private Offencâ— or Injury done to a Brother 〈◊〉 Sister in particular and not beiâ—â— a notorious scandalous Sin thaâ— Brother must not mention it to one Soul either within or without the Church until he hath proceeded according to the Rule 1. He must tell his Brother his Fault Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault betwixt thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Thou must labour in Love and all Affections to convince him oâ— his Fault but if he will not heaâ— thee 2. Thou must take one or two more but be sure see they are discreet Persons and such that arâ— most likely to gain upon him and they with thee are to labour with all Wisdom to bring him to the sense of his Fault 't is not iust to speak to him as if that were enough no no but to take all due Pains and to strive to convince him that so the matter may be issued and the Church not troubled with it But if he will not hear thee take one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established 3. But if he will not hear them after all due Means and Admonitions used then it must be brought to the Church and if he will not hear the Church he must be cast out The Elder is to put the Question whether the offending Brother be in their Judgments incorrigible and refuseth to hear the Church which passing in the Affirmative by the Vote of the Congregation or the Majority of the Brethren by the lifting up of their Hands or by their Silence the Pastor after calling upon God and opening the nature of the Offence and the Justness of their Proceedings in the Name and by the Authority of Christ pronounces the Sentence of Eâ— communication to this effect That A. B. being guilty of great Iniquity and not manifesting â—â—feigned Repentance but refusing to hear the Church I do in the Name and by the Authority of Christ committed unto me as Pastor of this his Church pronounce and declare that he is to be and is hereby excommunicated excluded or cast out of the Congregation and no longer to be owned a Brother or a Member of this Church and this for the destruction of the Flesh that his Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And this we believe is the substance of that which the Apostle calls a delivering up to Satan he being cast into the World which is called the Kingdom of Satan where he rules and reigns The delivery unto Satan saith Dr. Chauncy signifies only the solemn Exclusion of a Person from the Communion of the Church the visible Kingdom of Christ and disinfranchizing him or divesting him of all visible Right to Church Privileges casting him into the Kingdom of the World where the Prince of Darkness rules in the Children of disobedience And this being done he is to be esteemed to be no better than an Heathen Man or Publican or as an evil Person and not to have so much as intimate civil Communion withal Of Scandalous Persons guilty of gross Acts of Immorality IF any Member fall into any gross Acts of Sin as Swearing Lying Drunkenness Fornication Covetousness Extortion or the like and it is known and publickly spread abroad to the great scandal and reproach of Religion and of the Holy Name of God his Church and People the said Offender so charged the Church must send one or two Brethren to him to come before the Congregation if he will not come but doth slight and contemn the Authority of the Church that will bring farther Guilt upon him for which Offence he incurs the Censure before mentioned But if he doth appear his Charge is to be laid before him and the Witnesses called and after he haâ— made his Defence and said all he hath to say and the Congregation finds him Guilty then the same Censure is to pass upon him to the end he may be brought to unfeigned Repentance and the Name of God cleared and some time must be taken to make it appear that he hath true Repentance by the Reformation of his Life and holy walking afterwards before he be received again and the Censure of the Church in a solemn manner be taken off Dr. Chauncy puts this Question Quest. How is a Church to proceed in case of open and notorious Scandals The Answer is ' the matter of Fact as such being beyond all question the Church is to proceed immediately to censure to vindicate the Honour of Christ and his Church and to manifest to the World their just Indignation against such Notorious Offenders and wait for a well-grounded and tryed Evidence of his true Repentance under that Ordinance of Christ which is appointed to that end Observe It is the opinion of the Doctor that tho the Person be penitent yet because his Sin is open and scandalous he ought to be cast out to vindicate the Honour of Christ and the Church as part of his just Punishment that being one reason of the Ordinance of Excommunication as well as to bring the Person to thorow Repentance and we are of his Mind Paul takes no notice in the case of the Incestuous Person of his immediate
Jesus Christ hath born for thee 2. What a Burden thou hast to bear of thine own 3. Mayst not thou in some things be a Burden to thy Brethren 4. Wouldst thou not have others bear thy Burden 5. May not God cause thee to bear a more heavy Burden because thou canst not bear thy Brother's 6. 'T is a fulfilling the Law of Love nay the Law of Christ. XV. The Glory and Beauty of a Congregation is the more manifest when the Authority of the Church and the Dignity of the Pastoral Office is maintained How great was the Evil of the gain-saying of Corah The Apostles speaks of some that are Selfwilled Presumptious who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities God has put a Glory and high Dignity upon the Church and in it's Authority and Power Whom ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Moreover the Pastoral Office is an Office of Dignity they are called Rulers Angels Fathers For any therefore to cast contempt on the Church or Pastor is a great evil and a reproach to Christ and tends to Disorder and Confusion Lastly When Holiness Righteousness Charity Humility and all true Piety is prest upon the Consciences of every Member and appears in the Minister also that all strive to excell therein with their uttermost Care and Diligences The Conclusion KNow my Brethren That God loves the Gates of Sion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob Therefore the publick Worship of God ought to be preferred before private 1. This supposeth there must be a visible Church 2. And that they frequently meet together to worship God 3. That they have an orderly Ministery and one ordained Elder at least to administer all Publick Ordinances 4. Moreover that all Persons have free liberty to assemble with the Church and to partake of all Ordinances save those which peculiarly belong to the Church as the Lord's Supper holy Discipline and days of Prayer and Fasting Then the Church of Old separated themselves from all Strangers Yet others may attend on all other publick Ordinances with the Church as publick Prayer Reading and Preaching the Word and in Singing God's Praises as hath formerly been proved May others my Brethren join in Prayer with us and not praise God with us But O my Brethren let me beseech you to shew your high Value and Estimation for the publick Worship of God Motives hereunto 1. Since God prefers it thus Or has so great Esteem of his publick Worship 2. Because he is said to dwell in Sion It is his Habitation for ever The place where his Honour dwells 3. Here God is most Glorified In his Temple every one speaks of his Glory My Praise shall be in the great Congregation 4. Here is most of God's gracious presence as one observes it 1. His effectual Presence in all Places Where I record my Name thither will I come and there will I bless thee 2. Here is More of his intimate presence Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them He walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks 5. Here are the clearest manifestations of God's Beauty which made holy David desire to dwell there for ever See the appearance of Christ to the Churches Rev 2. cap. 3. 6. In that it is said that those that should be Saved in the Apostles days God added unto the Church 7. Here is most Spiritual Advantage to be got Here the Dews of Hermon fall they descend upon the Mountain of Sion Here God commands the Blessing even Life for evermore I will abundantly bless her Provision and satisfie her Poor with Bread Here David's Doubt was resolved 8. Here you received your first spiritual Breath or Life many Souls are daily Born to Christ. That good which is most Diffusive is to be Preferred but that good which most partake of is most Diffusive O magnifie the Lord with me let us exalt his Name together Live Coals separated soon die 9. Brethren as a worthy Divine observes the Church in her publick Worship is the nearest Resemblance of Heaven especially in Singing God's Praises What Esteem also had God's Worthies of old for God's publick VVorship My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts 10. See how the Promises of God run to Sion or to his Church He will bless thee out of Sion O let nothing discourage you in your waiting at the Posts of Christ's Door David desired Rather to be a Door-Keeper in the House of God than to Dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Yet nevertheless do not neglect for the Lord's sake private Devotion viz. Secret and Family-Prayer O pray to be fitted for publick Worship Come out of your Closets to the Church What signifies all you do in Publick if you are not such that keep up the Worship of God in your own Families O neglect not Prayer Reading and Meditation And take care also to Educate and Catechise your Children and live as Men and Women that are dead to this World and walk for the Lord's sake as becomes the Gospel See that Zeal and Knowledge go together a good Conversation and a good Doctrine go together These Two together are better than One. Brethren he that makes the VVord of God his Rule in whatsoever he doth and the Glory of God his end in what he doth shall have the Spirit of God to be his strength This is like Solomon's Three-fold Cord that will be One or it will be Three it can't be Two not can it be broken The Solemn Covenant of the Church of Christ meeting in White-street at it's Constitution June 5. 1696. WE who desire to walk together in the Fear of the Lord do through the Assistance of his Holy Spirit profess our deep and serious Humiliation for all our Transgressions And we do also solemnly in the Presence of God of each other in the Sense of our own Vnworthiness give up our selves to the Lord in a Church state according to the Apostolical Constitution that he may be our God and we may be his People through the Everlasting Covenant of his Free grace in which alone we hope to be accepted by him through his blessed Son Jesus Christ whom we take to be our High Priest to justify and sanctify us and our Prophet to teach us and to subject to him as our Law-giver and the King of Saints and to conform to all his Holy Laws and Ordinances for our growth Establishment and Consolation that we may be as a Holy Spouse unto him and serve him in our Generation and wait for his second Appearance as our glorious Bridegroom Being fully satisfied in the way oâ— Church-Communion and the Trutâ— of Grace in some good measure upon one anothers
Rule pretending they would not be lookt upon as Contentious Persons but hereby they may become guilty of other Mens Sins and also suffer the Name of God and the Church to lye under Reproach and all thro their neglect This is a great Iniquity IV. When an Elder or Church shall know that some persons are Scandalous in their Lives or Hereretical in Judgment and yet shall bear or connive with them V. When Members take liberty to hear at other Places when the Church is assembled to worship God this is nothing less than a breaking their Covenant with the Church and may soon dissolve any Church For by the same Rule one may take that liberty another nay every Member may Moreover it casts a Contempt upon the Ministery of the Church and tends to cause such who are Hearers to draw off and to be Disaffected with the Doctrine taught in the Church they knowing these Dissenters do belong unto it I exhort therefore in the Name of Christ this may be prevented And any of you that know who they are that take this Liberty pray discover them to the Church We lay no restraint upon our Members from hearing such who are sound in the Faith at other times VI. The Liberty that some take to hear Men that are corrupt in their Judgments and so take in unsound Notions and also strive to distil them into the Minds of others as if they were of great Importance Alas how many are Corrupted in these days with Arminianism Socinianism and what not This causes great trouble and disorder VII When one Church shall receive a Member or Members of another Congregation without their Consent or Knowledge Nay such that are Disorderly and may be loose Livers or cast out for Immorality or Persons filled with Prejudice without cause This is enough to make Men Atheists or contemn all Church Authority and Religion For hath not one regular Church as great Authority from Christ as another VIII Another disorder is when Members are received without the general Consent of the Church or before good Satisfaction is taken of their Godly Lives and Conversations Or when a Church is too remiss in the reception of her Members IX Another disorder is when a Church shall receive a charge against a Member it being an Offence between Brother and Brother before an orderly proceed has been made by the offended Person X. When Judgment passes with Partiality some are connived at out of favour or affection Levi was not to know his Father or Mother in Judgment XI When Members do not constantly and early attend our publick Assemblies and the worship of God on the Lord's-day especially but are remiss in that matter This is a great Evil. XII When part of a Church shall meet together as dissatisfied to consult Church-matters without the knowledge or consent of the Church or Pastor This is disorderly and tends to division and such should be marked XIII Another thing that tends to disquiet the Peace of the Church is when there are any undue heats of Spirit or Passion shewed in the Pastor or others in managing the Discipline of the Church Have we not found by experience the sad effect of this Therefore things must be always managed with coolness and sweetness of Spirit and moderation every Brother having liberty to speak his mind and not to be interrupted until he has done nor above one speak at once XIV When one Brother or more Dissents in the sentiments of their Minds from the Church in any matters circumstantial either in repect of Faith Practice or Discipline and will not submit to the Majority but raise Feuds nay will rend themselves from the Church rather than consent I Quaery what reason or ground hath any Man to refuse Communion with a Church that Christ hath not left but hath Communion with XV. When any Member shall divulge or make known to Persons not of the Congregation nor being concerned in those matters what is done in Church-meetings the Church in this respect as well as in others is to be as a Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed This oft times occasions great Grief and the disorderly Person should be detected Is it not a shame to any of a private Family to divulge the Secrets of the Family But far greater shame do these expose themselves unto XVI Another disorderly Practice is this viz. When a Member shall suggest and seem â—o insinuate into the minds of other Members some evil against their Pastor yet will not declare what it is and may only be evil Surmisings out of Prejudice and yet refuses to acquaint the Pastor with what it is This is very abominable and a palpable violation of the Rule of the Gospel and Duty of Members to their Minister Such a person ought to be severely rebuk'd and if he confess not his Evils and manifesteth unfeigned Repentance to be dealt with farther Moreover it is a great evil in another to hear such base Insinuations and neither rebuke the Accuser and so discharge his Duty nor take two or three more to bring the Person to Repentance If he deal thus by a private Brother it is a great Evil but far worse to an Elder whose Name and Honour ought with all Care and Justice to be kept up as being more Sacred XVII Another disorderly Practice is which causes much trouble When the publick Charges of a Church are not equally born but some too much burdened when others do but little or nothing And also when every one does not Contribute to the Poor as God has blessed them on every Lord's day or first day of the Week as he hath Commanded XVIII Another disorder is this When Members refuse to communicate with the Church at the Lord's table because some person or persons they think are guilty of Evil and yet they have not proceeded with them according to Rule These either Excommunicate the Church or themselves or those Persons at least they censure unwarrantably I beseech you for Christ's sake that this may never be any more among you You ought not to deal thus with them or refuse your Communion tho faulty until the Church has dismember'd or withdrawn from them or at least Suspended them XIX When one Member shall believe or receive a report against another before he knows the truth of the matter XX. When an Accusation is brought against an Elder contrary to the Rule which ought not be without two or three Witnesses as to the matter of Fact XXI When the word of God is not carefully attended upon on Week or Lecture-days by the Members generally tho the said Meeting being appointed by the whole Church XXII VVhen Days of Prayer and Fasting and of publick Thanksgiving or when days of Disciplining are not generally attended upon Lastly VVhen Gifted Brethren are not duely encouraged