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
is either Congregational or that which consists of Divers Congregations A Congregational Church is a Church that is bound by the appointment of God to assemble together in one place in a constant way for the Celebration of his Publick Worship A Congregational Church is a Church consisting of one Congregation Such we read of Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 14.23 The form of a Congregational Church is that they are bound by the appointment of God to assemble in one place in a constant way for the Celebration of his Publick Worship Some have thought that the form of a Congregational Church is a Church Covenant explicite or implicite wherein they bind themselves to walk together according to the order of the Gospel It is thought that the Children of Israels Covenanting with God is a Foundation for this whereas that Covenant of theirs is no other then what all Christians do make when they make a profession of Faith and Obedience we never read of any partiâ—…lar Covenant made in the Synagogues which Answer to our Congregations whereby the Members of one Synagogue were bound one to another It is pleaded that nothing else can bind aâ—…e People one to another but an Ecclesiastical Covenant but there 〈◊〉 somewhat else that binds a free People in the same Town to mutual subjection to the Government of the Town and tho Christians are a free People yet they have not a Licentious Liberty but are bound by God and likewise by their own profession to the Rule of the Gospel Neither is there any necessity of such a bond to distinguish one Church from another and to avoid confusion of Churches we read of no such particular Covenant in the New Testament we have no precept for it we have no president for it we read of many Congregational Churches but there is no Syllable in the Word of God intimating any such thing neither is there any need of it The Members of a Congregation are bound to carry on the Worship together this is Gods appointment that his People that live together should carry on his Worship together the Christians at Corinth are the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Christians at Ephesus are the Church of Ephesus Order calls for it that where Men live there they joyn together to carry on the Work of Christ If a Christian live in a Town where there is a Church he is immediately bound to joyn with that Church and that Church is bound to him to govern him and give him Christian Priviledges there be some cases wherein there is need of humane prudence in determining how many Churches shall be in some Towns Some Towns arise to be numerous so that it is fit they should be joyned in several Societies And some are so small and lye so near together that it is fit that two or more should make one Church in such cases God has appointed that the bounds of Churches be set either by General agreement or by order from Authority but there is no occasion that every Member should Covenant particularly with the Church Grant this particular Covenant to be the form of a Church and then a Christian may continue a considerable time without any relation to a particular Church tho he lives where there is a Church And then a Man may be a Member of the Church of Corinth for seven years together and live all that while in Communion with the Church at Jerusalem a Covenant which he lives in the continual breach of makes a Member at Corinth and according to some gives him a right to all Ordinances Grant this particular Covenant and we shall be to seek what Church many Children do belong to the father is in Covenant with one Church the Mother with another the Child was Baptized in a third and lives in a fourth This Doctrine of the particular Covenant which is wholly unscriptural is the â—…on that many among us are shut out of the Church to whom Church Priviledges do belong CHAP. IV. of the Priviledges of Congregational Churches THE great Priviledge of Congregational Churches is to choose their own Officers they have a liberty given to them by God to choose suteable Persons to Office they are limited to Persons fitly qualified but the Priviledge of choosing them doth belong unto the Church it is very probable that the Synagognes of the Yews had liberty to choose their own Ministers if they were confined to the Tribe of Levi yet out of the Levites they choose for themselves However thus it ought to be in Christian Churches the Apostles ordered the Church of Jerusalem to choose their own Deacons Act. 6.3,4 They did not take upon them to prescribe who the Persons should be and impose Deacons on them but referred the matter to their own choice and the People nominated two out of which God chose one to be an Apostle Act. 1.23 Besides it is the Priviledge of all free Societies to choose their own Officers such Countrys as are conquer'd don't chuse their own Rulers nor such Countrys where the Government is Hereditary but such as are free neither under the Power of Conqueroes nor the Bond of a Covenant do choose their own Officers either mediately or immediately All the Power that Men have over a free People is by their own consent directly or indirectly excepting such cases wherein God is pleased to â—…oint Rulers or some who shall appoint Rulers over them God appointed Aaron and his Posterity to the Office of the Priesthood in Israel but God hath not appointed any Officers in Churches now neither hath he appointed any that shall impose Officers over them but hath left them to their free choice Yea where a Church hath teaching or Ruling Elders or both there is no necessity that they should consent to the choice if they do not consent yet if there be the consent of the Major part the choice is vallid the Officers ought to submit thereto unless they have some weighty Objection the Act of the Major part is the Act of the Community that which is the Priviledge of the Community must not be wrested out of their hands It is beyond the Power of the Officers to disanul their Act. And as the Church hath Power to choose their own Officers so in case of need they have Power to choose those that shall supply the want of Officers for a time the Church is entrusted with sufficient Power in order to the carrying on of Gods work Therefore in case of the vacancy of a Pastor they may choose one to Preach to them for a time in case they have no Elders they may choose a Moderator In case they have no Deacons they may choose one to do the Deacons work yea in case there be need they may choose some other Minister of the Gospel to Administer the Seals of the Covenant or perform some Act of Government upon a particular occasion By the same reason that a Church may choose its own Officers it may also