the Christian Church Matth. 18.17 4. We are referred in some cases to those institutions God sends us to the Law for light directs us to do as was appointed in the Old Testament So about Womens not speaking in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 So about the maintenance of Ministers Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.13,14 3. New Testament institutions there were some institutions appointed by Christ under the Gospel these are few principally what Officers shall be in the Church The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and the first day Sabbath 1. We must distinguish between Temporal and Perpetual institutions Some institutions were only for a time as the Office of the Apostles So the anointing of the sick with Oyl Jam. 5.14 There are others that are to continue to the end of the World So is Baptism Matth. 20. The Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.26 These Ordinances will not be removed as Jewish Ceremonies Heb. 13.28 2. Distinguish between approved practises and institutions there were many practises and institutions there were many practises in the primitive times that were approved yet not binding to us The Church at Jerusalem had seven Deacons Acts 6.5 They did Baptize in private Houses Act. 10.33 Christ sent out his Disciples two and two Luk. 10.1 This doth not shew that these things were institutions that is meet to be done in one case that is not meet to be done in another One or two Examples shew the Lawfulness of a practise but do not make it a binding Rule CHAP. II. The Nature of Instituted Churches Explained THE Word Church is used Equivocally there are three senses especially wherein it is used in the Scripture First It is taken for those that are Spiritually United unto Christ the mistical Body of Christ Eph. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church Secondly For that part of the World that doth profess the true faith for them that are visible Christians 1 Cor. 15.9 I persecuted the Church of God Thirdly It is taken for an Instituted Church this Church is invested by Christ with Spiritual Power and is thus defined A Church is a Society of Saints joyned togâ—ther according to the appointment of Christ for the constant carrying on of his publick Worship A Church is a Society a single Person is not a Church a Church is a Collection or Congregative Body consisting of many Members 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particulars hence it is compared to a flock and other Câ—…ective Bodies It is a Society of Saints The Members of a Church are Saints by calling 1 Cor. 11.12 To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 In all the Churches of the Saints the Church of the Jews was a Society of Saints Psal 79.12,11 Psal 1. None are to be Members of Instituted Churches but those that are Members of the Catholick Church Particular Churches are but parts and branches of the Catholick Church they are the Churches of God the Body of Christ the Temple of God therefore must be Holy Therefore Societies of Papists are abusively called Churches A Church doth joyn together for the Publick carrying on of the Worship of God A Family joyning together for the private carrying on of the Worship of God is not a Church we read of a Church in the House of Aquila Rom. 16.5 And in the House of Nymphas Col. 4.15 Because there the publick Worship of God was attended The Church doth joyn for the carrying on of publick Worship as the Preaching of the word the Administration of Sacraments and dispensing of Censures in a publick way A Church doth joyn together for the constant carrying on of the publick Worship of God for a Church is a Body Corporate which may continue from Generation to Generation it is not any occasional Meeting together that gives being to a Church A Church is a standing Society not depending on any occasional Meeting Therefore a Congregation that meet together on a Lecture Day from several Towns to hear the Word Preached are not a Church neither have any Ecclesiastical Power Yea a synod that meet now and then occasionally though it may be called a representative Church is not a Church properly the Members thereof are chosen for a perticular occasion A Church doth joyn together according to Christs appointment Christ has given a Rule according to which they ought to joyn together and if Men joyn in Worshiping with a Church irregularly that does not make them to be Members of that Church If a man that lives in one Town where there is a Church doth joyn constantly in worshiping with another Church that doth not make him a Member of that Church Quest VVho are visible Saints Answ This Question hath been matter of great debate and an occasion of great contention in the Church we may not count those only to be Saints who after the strictest Examination give considerable evidence that they are Saints We have no such Rule the practice of the Apostles in admitting Members into the Christian Church doth not Countenance any such Opinion neither are we to make Baptized Persons and Visible Saints to be the same for Persons must be Visible Saints before they are Baptized and some that are Baptized may cease to be Visible Saints neither are they only Visible Saints that make a profession of the true Religion joyned with an Holy Conversation Some Men may behave themselves so as to deserve a sentence of Excommunication and yet be Visible Saints Visible Saintship and real Saintship may consist with a great deal of iniquity in the Conversation for a time Visible Saints are such as make a serious profession of the true Religion together with those that do descend from them till rejected of God 1. Such as do make a serious profession of the true Religion are Visible Saints we find the Apostles did really accept of such not waiting to see what their Conversation would be Act. 16,14,15 So did John Luk. 7.29,30 Such are to be accepted without delay 2. Their Infant Seed are likewise Visible Saints God gives that Testimony for them 1 Cor. 7.14 3. Such also as descend from them from Generation to Generation untill they are rejected by God are Visible Saints for they that are Visible Saints don't cease to be so till God hath cast them off So it was with the Posterity of Abraham if they should carry it wickedly or if they should fall into Heresy yet they are Visible Saints till God hath rejected them and there are two ways whereby God may shew his rejection of them One is when they do depart from the Churches of God to Heathen or Antichristian Societies the other is when the People that they belong unto and they with them are unchurched by God CHAP. III. Of the Nature of a Congregational Church AS a Civil Society doth consist of one Town or more Towns so an instituted Church