b 1 Cor. 12 12. Rev. 1.20 2. It 's a Company of Men not of Angels for Angels are no where called a Church tho a Company c Heb. 12.22 but they surround the Church d Rev. 5.11 and consort in their Adorations with the Church The Angels were not Redeemed by Christ's Blood neither of the Nature of the Head and therefore not the Body of Christ as the Church is e Heb. 2.16 3. It 's a spiritual Company in contra-distinction to humane and civil Societies or Companies gathered together occasionally or statedly f Act 19.39 4. It 's separated from the World all the World is not a Church but it 's called and separated out of the World g John 17.10 15.19 2 Cor. 6.17 as Christ the Head is separate h Heb. 7.26 2 Pet. 2.20 Deut. 14.2 Titus 2.14 so must the Body be 5. They are not a company of scattered Sheep but gathered into a Fold i John 10.16 Stones not lying here and there but brought into a building k 1 Pet. 2.4.5 6. They are embodied or incorporated with the Corner-Stone and to one another and as Members are knit to the Head and one another l 2 Thes 2.1 Eph. 4.16 Ps 122 3. 1 Thes 1 1. Hence Union to Christ the Head and to one another is essentially necessary to the Church of God m John 15 to which Union is requisite cutting off from the old Stock and Implantation into the new n Rom. 11.24 connection knitting and coalition of Head and Members together Members to the Head and they to one another o Eph. 2.21 and lastly an aptitude order and fitness to each other to compleat the whole in usefulness and comeliness p 1 Cor. 12 11 12 13. Eph. 4.16 2.21 § 11. Hence it plainly appears what a Church of God is in the general Nature thereof It is a spiritual company of men separated from the world a 2 Cor. 6.17 congregated and incorporated in Christ Jesus b 1 Cor. 12.12 Congregation is a Genus to Church it 's a spiritual Congregatiion and there is no Church but is so in some sense or other the words in the Old and New Testament always signifie so Cohel and Ecclesia But Congregation seems to be a remoter Genus than Corporation for every Congregation is not incorporated neither is every incorporated Congregation a spiritual Body c Acts 19.39 and therefore a Church but every Church is a Congregation incorporated by the Union afore-mentioned and it 's for the end of him whose it is viz. his Glory in communion with him and of one Member with another CHAP. II. Of the Catholick Church A Church defined A Spiritual Corporation how distinguisht Corporation what How belonging to Christ What Persons a Church is made up of How Membership comes Communion Distribution of Church The Catholick Church Catholick Vnion Communion It s not the Subject of Ordinances No Catholick Visible Church § 1. FROM what hath bin said in the former Chapter it appears that a Church is thus defined viz. That it is a Spiritual Corporation or Body of Christ a Eph. 1.23 Col. 1.24 1 Pet. 2.9 the Head to which many select persons b Tit. 2.14 separated from the World c 2 Cor. 6.16 17. are gathered d 2 The. 2.1 and united e Eph. 5.23 30. and accordingly fitly joined one to another f ch 4.16 for holy Communion in the Lord g 1 John 1.3 § 2. Corporation or a Political Body is the next common Nature to a Church and not Congregation or Assembly for Congregation is either occasional a Act 19.39 41. or fixed and stated by incorporation and this either civil or spiritual a civil is nothing appertaining to our present concern but the spiritual is for a Civil is that which belongs to a Secular or Republican State but spiritual is that that belongs to a Spiritual or Ecclesiastick State b 1 Cor. 10 4. Gal. 6.1 Matth. 7.6 1 Cor. 7.32 33. hence spiritual here is not confin'd to the sence of invisibility but is meant of that which is of a heavenly sacred and supernatural Nature c 1 Cor. 15.40 Heb. 8.5 9.23 1. Pet. 2.5 wherefore a spiritual Corporation or Body Politick is either mystical and invisible or visible professed and manifest to the World § 3. A Corporation is a Community constituted by Law or Charter granted by a Supream Power whereby it is invested with Priviledges and a Governing Power regulated by and subordinated to the Honour and Interest of the said supream Power such are Kingdoms Cities Housholds or Families or any number of persons bound together in any sociable Bond is a Society of this Nature whether implicite or explicite of these the Conjugal is the least though the first and most ancient yea the most honourable of all Civil Societies being the Root from whence they spring wherefore the Relation between Christ and his Church is represented thus to us by the Spirit of God in a most lively manner a Eph. 5.31 32. § 4. The Government Liberties and Priviledges of the Church are given as by Charter to the Lord Jesus Christ by the Father a Psa 2.6 Mat. 28.18 ch 2.6 the administration of which Power by him is either internal and immediate by his Spirit in the hearts of his People and according to the measure of Grace given to every one and of the same nature in the whole Body b Col. 3.15 Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 3.8 17. Gal. 5.16.18.25 1 Pet. 1.2.22 of Christ c Rom. 12.3 1 John 3.24 and is universal and invisible or Christ administers more externally visibly and mediately in particular visible Bodies Politick by his Word instituted Officers and Ordinances for the sake and edifying of his Universal Church d Eph. 4.12 § 5. Every Church of Christ is made of select Persons and separated from the World a 1 Pet. 2.9 Tit. 2.14 2 Cor. 6.16.17 either by Effectual Calling and thereby become Members of the Mystical Body of Christ b Eph. 4.4 1 Cor. 12.12 or by a visible Profession and Confederation and thereby become Members of the visible particular Churches c 2 Cor. 7.13 § 6. A People may be gathered together yea to Christ so as to hear him or his Messengers a Act 13.43 Matt. 13.2 and not thereby become Members of the Body of Christ under any consideration But they must be so gathered to Christ the Head as to come into the bond of the Covenant b Eze. 20.37 Col. 2.19 1 Cor. 6.17 either by receiving Christ by Faith and thereby restipulating personally to the Covenant of Grace and so joining to the Lord. Or it is when a Person doth upon his Profession actually covenant with a particular Church by the first he becomes a Member of the Mystical Body c Col. 3.11 and by the second of a
Institution seem necessary to be observed 1. That it be administred to the whole Church met together a 1 Cor. 11 20. in one place and not to particular Persons or to the Church in distinct parts it being an Ordinance of Communion of a Body of Christ b ib. 10.16 2. That it be not dispensed to Members that are not capable to discern the Lord's Body or to Examine themselves c 1 Cor. 11 28 29. 3. That each Element be distinctly blessed and apart by it self by calling upon God in Christ for a Blessing d 1 Cor. 11 24 25. 4. That after Consecration the Bread broken is to be delivered with the Words of Distribution directed to the whole Church e Mat. 26.26 27. at once and by them divided among themselves and not carried up and down from Party to Party or from Seat to seat After the pouring out the Wine and blessing it it ought to be dispensed with the words of distribution in like manner to the whole Church f Ibid. and not carried up and down as aforesaid which practises came from the Church of Rome and not from Christ or his Apostles 5. The Posture of Receiving is sitting g Mat. 26.20 as Christ and his Disciples not kneeling or standing because its a Feast and signifies our eating and drinking Spiritually with joy and gladness and though Prayer accompany it wherein may be Praying Gestures as in other Ordinances yet Giving and Receiving here is a distinct Ordinance from Prayer 6. The Pastor of the congregation h Mat. 26.26 is to administer and not the Pastor of another who hath no administring Power out of his own Congregation neither hath Christ ordained any Administrators General to his Churches For the Pastor also to take in a Partner in Administration is Will-Worship and Humane 7. When the Elements are blessed by the Church the People ought not to betake themselves to their secret Prayers as if the Table had not bin blessed already none doth so at their ordinary Festivals § 8. Christ hath not in either of these Seals precisely determined the quantity of either Element to be made use of neither what quantity of Bread and Wine each should take or how much Water should be used in Baptism for our eating and drinking in the Lord's Supper is not to satisfie our natural Hunger and Thirst a 1 Cor. 11 21 22. nor is the Washing with Water in Baptism to put away the outward filth of the flesh b 1 Pet. 3.21 But our Saviour having told us what is spiritually intended and signified it is sufficiently manifest that so much of each Element in both Seals as doth hold forth to us the thing signified is enough tho never so little for Christ hath not brought his Churches in the New Testament under a Mosaick Tutorship so as to bind them up to such quantities and qualities of externals in manner as he did the Church of Old § 9. The Administration of the Seals belongs not to any but Teaching Elders being most appropriate to the Pastoral Office to feed the Flock in this peculiar manner for Christ when a Pastor on Earth administred it and therefore other Pastors whom he substitutes when ascended ought to do it Hence no private Member may be occasionally called thereto by the Church if so it renders Christ's Office needless and precarious Nor no Pastor of another Church may for the Pastor to one Church is no Pastor to another nay he hath no power to Vote and therefore not so much as a private Brother to Administer CHAP. XII Of Admitting Church Members The Ends of the use of the Keys What they are How distinguished The Key of Knowledge Of Government How given to Peter Elders for the due Management but primarily given to the Church Women not to exert Ruling Power The Church with Elders useth the Keys Ministerially Admittances ought to be with Exactness with the giving a reason of their Hope and an account of their Knowledge Their Conversation to be enquired into The Manner of Receiving in The Person received gives up his Children He may not Desert He ought to bring his Children Of Occasional Communion and of receiving recommended or dismist Members § 1. HAVING spoken to the Seals of the New Covenant we come to speak to the other Ordinances of Special Communion which concern the use of the Keys in all matters of Church Government a 1 Cor. 12 28. they being Christ's and committed by him to every Visible Congregation to be used according to his Rules and Directions in his Name b 1 Cor. 5.4 and to his Glory The great ends of which Dispensation of his Headship in this kind are the due increase of his Churches c Isa 9.7 Acts 2. ult and their Peace d Psa 122.7 Heb. 7.2 Zach. 6.13 Joh. 20.21 26. 1 Pet. 1.2 5.14 and Purity e Rev. 2.1 18. Ezek. 43.10 11. Isa 5.2 § 2. The Keys are the Power of Christ a Isa 22.22 Rev. 3.7 which he hath given to every particular Congregation to open and shut it self by b Mat. 16.19 and to do all things that belong thereunto in order unto the said ends it being Christ's House c Heb. 3.6 holy Temple d Eph. 2.21 Garden e Cant. 4.12 Vineyard f Isa 5.1 Walled in Hedged and Enclosed § 3. The Keys of Christ are to be distinguished they are his Keys of Hell and Death or his Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven i. e. of the Church His Keys of Hell and Death are the Power by Conquest which he hath obtained over Sin Curse Natural Death and Satan himself a Rev. 1.18 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Mat. 28.20 Heb. 2.14 The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven b Mat. 16.19 are they that he manageth his Visible Churches by and gives a power of opening and shutting a Visible Church by These Keys are that of Knowledge c Luke 11.52 and that of Discipline d Rev. 3.7 § 4. The Key of Knowledge is the Gospel Preached a Lu. 11.52 Mat. 10.7 2 Cor. 2 12 1 Cor. 16.9 the Spirit of Christ working inwardly to open the heart to receive it b Acts 16.14 in this respect this seems to be one of the Keys which our Lord gave to Peter in that he had the Honour of turning the first Key of Conversion after our Lord's Ascention both to Jews c Act. 2.41 and Gentiles d Act. 10.34 11.8 Eph. 3 4 5 6. § 5. The other Key given unto Peter is of Government and Discipline a Isa 9.6 neither of which Keys were given unto him as to a single Person or ruling Head of the Visible Churches neither that of Knowledge nor Government but unto the Church in him tho unto him with the other Apostles as the first Managers thereof their Names being put down in Christ's Charter granted to the Churches b Matt. 28
Congregation to which he is joined and hath given up his Children with himself to the Lord so he is obliged to perform his Promise a Jos 24.15 in bringing his Infant-Seed to Christ in the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith b Rom. 4.11 Mark 10.13 and in after educating and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord c Eph. 6.4 Josh 4.6.22 as to Domestick Instruction And lastly to bring them to the Means of Grace in the Church where he had given up himself and them to the Lord at his Admission d Ps 147.13 115.13 14. 128.1 3 5 6. § 17. As they that be non-non-Members are admitted Members of a Visible Church so they that are Members of one Congregation are sometimes received to the Communion of another either occasionally and transiently by vertue of Communion of Churches for a time by Recommendation or they are received into full Communion and become actual Members which is by Dismission a Ro. 16.1 2 Cor. 3.1 But the Pastor may not admit a Member of another Church to occasional Communion at the Lord's Supper without acquainting the Church therewith and having their consent § 18. A Church is not bound to admit all to their Communion that claim by vertue of Membership to another Church for if any one of the Congregation excepts against such an one that offers himself they ought first to hear the Grounds of Exception against the Party himself or against the Church from whence he came notwithstanding any Commendation that he brings a 1 Cor. 10 31. 2 Cor. 6.3 And if any one brings a Dismission without a Commendation the thing it self carries in it grounds of suspicion that he is an offending Brother and therefore not suddenly to be admitted till further Enquiry be made § 19. If the Church-Member offering himself was of a late Church now scattered and dissolved such an one well known may be admitted to occasional Communion but cannot be dismissed to them therefore if he desire to be admitted into full Communion he must be admitted as a non-Non-Member § 20. Sometimes it is so that a Church denies to give a Dismission when asked if so the Church to which he desires to be dismissed his complaint being made to it ought to send Messengers to that Church desiring satisfactory reasons for the said Refusal and if it plainly appear that it be from a perverse Spirit and no just Reason given but that the said Brother be detained to his manifest wrong and injury and Christ having not made Churches Prisons such an one may be received as a non-Non-Member a 2 Cor. 1.24 § 21. A Church-Member dismist with Commendation against whom there 's no particular exception nor against the Church from whence he is sent hath his Dismission read before the Church and is received by Suffrage according to the tenor of the Covenant he made with the other Church from whence he came and if any desire that he should declare the Reason of his Hope he should be ready to do it a 1 Pet. 3.15 CHAP. XIII Of church-Church-Members Departure from Communion A distinct Vse of the Keys belongs to every Church A Member may not depart at his own pleasure A Members Translation from Church to Church by Recommendation and Dismission A Church may deny Dismission in some Cases What is to be done when unreasonably denied The Keys in tendency to Exclusion Excommunication direct or indirect Direct what Reasons for Direct ought to be great When matter of Fact is notorious and scandalous how When â—ffences aâ—â— private how Admonition what What degrees of it Of Absolution Excommunication indirect Of Suspension § 1. AS the Keys are used in admitting Persons to Communion so in their departure from the Communion of a particular Church And it is either in matters relating to the translating a Member from one Church to another or in such matters as tend to his Exclusion from all church-Church-Communion This and the former use of the Keys necessarily depend on the Nature of a particular Congregation For if there be but one Catholick Visible Church and all other Congregations but so many parts it cannot ly in the power of any part to make one a Member or no Member of the whole the whole of any Corporation being not at the disposition of any minor part But here every particular Church being a whole House a Acts 15.22 1 Cor. 14 23. Ro. 16.23 a distinct Body Politick there can be no regular Admission of Members or departure of any from Communion no not from one Church to another without a Church act both of the one and the other in the use of the Keys § 2. A Member therefore of a Visible Church may not at his own pleasure depart from the Communion of the Church to which he is joined to non-non-Communion with any Church nor to the Communion of another Church without the leave of that Church whereof he is a Member a Gal. 5.13 1 Pet. 2.16 For 1. A Church is a Corporation Priviledged with Rules of Admittance and Demittance which are to be observed b Rom. 12.4 5. 2. Such Departure is rude and dishonourable to any stated Society c 1 Cor. 15 33. 14.40 Phi. 2.3 3. If Members have this liberty Why not Ministerial Officers also d John 10 10 17. 4. Such Departure is fatal and destructive to a Church for the same liberty one may take all may take e ib. 6.67 5. It 's Covenant breaking for every Church Member Covenants to the contrary f Isa 44.5 6. It tends to destroy totally the Relation between the Elders and the People g Mat. 9.36 7. It 's a Member's Usurpation of and stealing the Keys h Amos 6.13 2 Sa. 19.3 8. It 's Schism in the highest degree 9. There is as much reason for coming in at pleasure as going out at pleasure k Rev. 3.7 Mat. 7.12 10. i 1 Cor. 11 18. 1 Cor. 12.25 It 's a High Contempt of Christ and his Government l Jude 19. 11. It 's a grieving-offence to some and a sinning-Offence unto others m Rom. 16 17. 12. It breaks the staff of Beauty and the staff of Bonds n Zach. 11.10 14. 13. It tends to Anarchy And what Communion hath Christ with Belial o Mal. 1.6 1 Thes 4.8 Luk. 10.16 2 Cor. 6.16 14. It destroys what a Man hath formerly built p Ga. 2.18 15 It exposeth the Churches and ways of Christ to the highest Scorn and Contempt q 2 Pet. 2.2 16. Such a Deserter is a felo de se and doth Disfranchise and Excommunicate himself r Hos 13.9 § 3. The Translation of a Member of a Church is when he goes from the Communion of one Church to the Communion of another occasionally or in order to abide He goes Occasionally only when he obtains a Recommendation being a Testimonial under the
particular Congregation d Act. 2.41 § 7. The end of Church-Union is Communion which is with Christ the Head and one another a 1 Joh. 1.3 This is in the Spirit b Phil. 2.1 and belongs to the whole Catholick Body or it is expressed by a visible communion in the Ordinances administred in particular Bodies and is the Communion of particular Churches c Act. 2.43 1 Cor. 10.16 § 8 According therefore to the Dispensation of the Fulness of Christs Headship a Joh. 1.16 Eph. 1.19 3.7 Col. 1.19 20. internally and mystically by his Spirit b John 14.26 16.13 14 15. or externally and ministerially as the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession c Heb. 3.1 8.6 10.1 12.23 Eph. 4.12 The Church and Body of Christ hath its standing mystical and invisible or instituted and visible § 9. The Catholick Church is the Mystical Body of Christ made up of all saved ones Militant and Triumphant a Heb. 12.23 24. Eph. 3.15 united together in one Spirit b 1 Cor. 6.17 for communion therein accordingly c Phil. 2.1 Or It is all the Company of saved ones Militant and Triumphant embodied in Christ Jesus d Ro. 12.5 1 Cor. 12.12 It is called the Mystical Body from that hidden standing which it hath in Christ e Col. 3.3 1 Pet. 3.4 Psal 83.3 every Member being undiscernably as to Men united to Christ and one another f 1 Cor. 12 13. Eph. 4.3 and have communion in the Mystery of God of the Father and of Christ they all eat and drink the same spiritual Meat and Drink g 1 Cor. 10 3 4. whence the matter and form of this Body being not infallibly known to any on Earth h 2 Tim. 2.19 either the particular Members Militant or Triumphant or their bond of Union or their Heavenly communion in the Spirit this Church is fitly called the Mystical Body of Christ to distinguish it from all other considerations of a Church and hence it hath these distinguishing Properties 1. Invisibility as to Men a Heb. 12.22 23. 2. Universality as containing all saved ones on Earth and in Heaven b Eph. 1.10 3.15 3. Perpetuity as to particular Members union and communion their Names being all written in Heaven c Heb. 12.22 23. Luk. 10.20 § 10. The Catholick Union is that whereby a person being cut off from his corrupt standing in the old Adam a Ro. 11.24 he is created b Eph. 2.10 and implanted in Christ Jesus c Ro. 11.24 for righteousness and life d 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 4.24 personally restipulating by Faith to the Covenant of Grace made in Christ Jesus e Gal. 3.22 26.29 such an one becomes vitally f Gal. 2.20 conjugally and federally united to Christ the Head g Eph. 4.23 5.23 Jer. 31.33 32.40 Rom. 12.5 and therefore consequentially and really is a Member of the whole Body of Christ and of every part being so united to the Head h Eph. 1.23 § 11. Catholick Communion of Saints is that which is also invisible a Phil. 2.1 and is not only of the Saints Militant one with another but of the Militant and Triumphant in one body b Heb. 12.22 23. and consists in a coparticipation of the fulness of the Grace of God in Christ c Joh. 1.16 being all Elected Redeemed and Sanctified in him d Eph. 1.4 5 6. gradually here e Phi. 3.13 and perfectly conformed to him hereafter f Heb. 12.23 all partakers of the same Spirit in the measure of each one g 1 Cor. 12 4.11 blessed with the same spiritual Blessings for kind h Eph. 1.3 growing up under the same means of Grace for substance i Eph. 4.15 As likewise it consists in the exercise of the same Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ and Love towards one another k Eph. 6.23 2 Cor. 4.13 1 Joh. 4.7 11 12 2 Tim. 1 13 Coloss 2.2 with all the fruits of both as the matter may require whereby there is always a mutual Heart-Communion at least between all the Saints on Earth l Col. 1.4 and they are come to an actual Communion as well as Union with the glorified Spirits of Just Men made Perfect m Heb. 12.22 c. according to their respective degrees of attainment n Ro. 12.3 more or less whereby they arrive at last in due season to such a determined degree of Sanctity which is their prepared fitness and stature in Christ for the inheritance of the Saints in Light o Col. 1.12 Eph. 4.13 being changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of the Lord p 2 Cor. 3.18 § 12. The Catholick Church as such is not the subject of Officers or Ordinances nor it being not visible can be Christ never instituted any Officers whose Power was of an universal extent except the Apostles and them only in visible Churches nor any Ordinances for a Catholick visible Communion in which all the Saints living in the same Age were to assemble and meet together a 1 Cor. 11 20. for the visibility of a Church is always in some Assembly But the Catholick Church tho it be not as hath been said hath many things peculiar to it wherein it hath its preheminence above all visible Churches In that therein the Administration of Grace and Dispensation of the Rule and Government of Christ is immediately by his Spirit b 2 Cor. 3.3.8 Gal. 5.25 Eph. 3.16 Gal. 6.18 2 Tim. 4.22 1 Pet. 1.2.22 1 Joh. 3.24 2. In that there are many saved ones in this Church that were never Members of any visible Church c 1 Pet. 1.1 3. That all the saved ones of any visible Church belong to this Church d Rev. 13.8 Heb. 12.27 4. That the Institution of visible Churches and Ordinances is for the sake of this Church e Eph. 4.11 12. 5. All adult Persons that are admitted to Membership in a particular visible Church ought to be such as are supposed by their Profession to be Members of this Mystical Body f 1 Thes 1.1 2 ep 2.1 Col. 1.2 6. That of all Churches this shall never be dissolved or one person lost out of it g Mat. 16.18 Psalm 125.1 John 10.28 29. 7. That as this Church is sometimes preserved and fed without instituted Ministry and Ordinances as the Jewish Church in Babylon and the Gospel-Church in the spiritual Babylonish Wilderness h Rev. 12.6 so it shall be most Glorious without them when it hath arrived at its perfect fulness i Rev. 19.8 9. 8. There is no false or superfluous Member in this Church tho many in others some it may be in the best k Eph. 5.27 Col. 1.21 22. Rev. 14.4 9. Death separates from other Churches but not from this l Rom. 8.35 38. 10. The Glorified Saints
more Glorious the Ministration of the Spirit and not of the Letter w 2 Cor. 3.6 the faithful Dispensation of the Son over his own House x Heb. 3.2 6. wherein he is more to be prized and worthy of more honour than Moses a servant could ever be capable of y Ibid. Christ's being a more excellent Ministry in that he was a better Mediator of a better Testament z Heb. 8.6 confirming and sealing it with his own Bloud a Heb. 9.16 17. and now liveth in the full execution of this last Will and Testament b Heb. 8.25 Eph. 4.11 and the glorious Witness thereof before God Angels and Men c Rev. 1.5 18. standing now our High-Priest set down at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High a Minister of the Sanctuary and true Tabernacle which God pitched and not Man d Heb. 8.1 2. § 7. The Constitution of the Church of Israel tho it was National a Exo. 19.6 Gen. 35.11 as being made up according to that part of the promise peculiar to Abraham's natural Seed yet it was Congregational b Exod. 12.6.47 Lev 4.13 1 Kings 8.5 14. 2 Chro. 6.3 according to the other part of the Promise not to be shaken or removed c Heb. 12.28 Gal. 3.8.17 29. Jer. 30.32 37. 33.26 because it was incorporated into one Church by a visible profession of and subjection to Abraham's Covenant d Exo. 34.27 for such as were Infant-Church-Members received the Seal of the Righteousness of faith and when they became adult and stood not to this Profession they forfeited their Church-Membership and thus it was with Ismael and Esau e Gen. 21.10 12. Gal. 4.30 upon which both with their Seed fell off from the Church tho the natural Seed of Abraham and Isaac f Gen. 25.31 And afterward when the Seed of Israel grew up into a National Church in all their Apostacies they were charged with the breach of Abraham's Covenant g Deut. 31 16. Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 11.10 or that made with their Fathers which was the same as therein going a whoring from God and forfeiting the Right of Church-Membership and becoming a Loammi Moreover in all their great Reformations we find their returning to the said Covenant and often their publick renewing and recognition thereof h 2 Chron. 34.31 Psal 105.4 5 c. Ezra 10.3 2. It appears in that all the House of Israel as to their stated Church-Worship worshipped under one visible Pastor in their State after Moses his Settlement one High-Priest and at one Altar in one place i Lev. 1.3 Deut. 12.14 14.23 16.2 7.11 15 16. Josh 22.18 23. and therefore the stated Church-Worship was attended in one Assembly Tabernacle or Temple Thrice every Year where the whole Congregation had Communion in one and the same Worship and acts of Worship k Deut. 16.16 3. This People were a separated People from all others in the World l Lev. 20.24 Deut. 4.7 34. cap. 7.6 14.2 Psa 135.4 4. Jeroboam's Apostacy was condemned by God as an actual Rent and Schism from the visible Church that statedly worshipped God at Jerusalem m 1 King 11.30 31. 5. The Synagogue-Worship was not the Church-Worship neither was the daily Sacrifice or others nor any holy Convocations belonging unto them any more than the meer reading of Moses and the Prophets and Exposition thereof at most sometimes n Act 13.15 6. All Church-Worship of special communion as offering Sacrifices elsewhere than at the place chosen by God for that purpose was condemned witness the frequent complaint made against their High-Places under the Reign even of their best Kings o 1 King 22.43 till Hezekiah's time that destroyed them all p 2 King 18.4 § 8. That a Congregational Church is of Divine Institution appears by these Reasons 1. Either a Congregational Church is of Divine Institution or else God hath no instituted Church for there is no other visible Church of God's Institution spoken of in Scripture 2. The Church of Israel was Congregational as hath bin proved and none will deny that to be of God's Institution 3. The express Type of a Congregational Church under the Gospel was of God's Institution therefore the Antitype or thing Typified much more a Rev. 1.20 Heb. 8.5 6 3.5 6. 4. This Church is Prophesied of by the Prophets of old b Isa 56.5.6 7. Eze. 43.11 Mal. 1.11 12. 5. Christ and his Apostles planted such Churches as appears throughout the History of the Acts. 6. These Christ and his Apostles owned to be his truly instituted Churches not only by the Epistles wrote to them by the Apostles but by those sent to them by Christ himself c Rev. 2. 3. CHAP. IV. Of a Gospel Visible or Congregational Church Restipulation to Abraham 's Covenant double A Gospel Visible Church defined A visible Church always particular not Catholick The Catholick not the Genus of a particular Church but a distinct Species of Church in general Corporation distinguisht into its Species The Political relation of a Church to Christ The immediate matter of a visible Church What is the form of it Separation inseparable from it The immediate Infant-Seed Members by Covenant Communion the end of Church-Vnion § 1. HAVING shewed what a Visible or Congregational Church is in general when the first Institution of it was and where founded viz. in Abraham's Covenant of Circumcision that for the substance of the said Covenant it was immutable both as to the Person Natures Offices Ministry Sacrifice and Exaltation of Christ the Head both Mystical and Political a Gal. 3.8 cap. 4.26 27. so as to the Body of Christ the Church in its Catholick b Eph. 3.5 6. Acts 15.7 9. or Visible relation to him c Deut. 14.2 1 Pet. 2.9 setting aside only the difference of Oeconomies and the Administration thereof called the Old and New Testaments d Heb. 8.6 9.15 it is the everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure e 2. Sam. 23.5 2. Cor. 3.11 to which as to the more mysterious and hidden part under the efficacious work of the Spirit every sincere-hearted Believer doth restipulate when he becomes an actual Member of the Mystical Body f 2 Cor. 11 2 3. Heb. 12 22 and as to the more External Visible and Political part he doth visibly restipulate by confederation and embodying to Christ the Political Head g Isa 56.6 7. 44.5 and with a particular Congregation a Political Body of Christ § 2. The Ecclesiastical Blessings as belonging to the visible State Standing and Priviledges of a Congregational Church unalterable under either Dispensation are these especially First It s Foederal Constitution a Isa 61.8 9. Gen. 17.9 10. Secondly It s Divine Institution b Ibid. Thirdly The Nature of its Church-Membership c Rom. 4.11 12 16. Gal. 3.27 28 29. and the
professing Right thereto to the Believing Parent covenanting and his immediate Infant-Seed in him d Isa 65.23 chap. 44.3 Gal. 4.28 Fourthly The Seal of the Righteousness of Faith given to both Parent and Seed Fifthly The Ministry of the Gospel with all other Ordinances of Christ's Institution which each is capable of for spiritual advantage in the communion of the respective Members thereof e Gal. 3.7 8. § 3. A Visible Church is a spiritual a 1 Pet. 2.5 Body b Rom. 12.4 5. of Believers c 1 Cor. 1 2 with their immediate Seed d Gal. 3.26 27 28. 4.28 separate from the World e 2 Cor. 6.17 and given up unto Christ and one another in a Publick Covenant f 2 Cor. 8.5 Isa 56.6 7. for fellowship g 1 John 1.3 7. Phil. 1.5 1 Cor. 11.20 in all instituted Worship and Ordinances h Mat. 28.20 in one place i 1 Cor. 14.23 to the Glory of God k 1 Cor 10.31 and their own Salvation l Phil. 1.9 11. § 4. A visible Church is always particular a Rev. 1.20 Col. 2.5 a Catholick being not visible as hath bin shewed for a Visible Church is not a Society gathered together and made up of all the select People in the world there is none such can be here but it s such as is limited to a People and Place and is the subject of the Ministry and Ordinances there b 1 Cor. 11.20 14.23 Act 2.41 And though it should be supposed that there is a Catholick visible Church which cannot be granted it is to be observed that the Spirit of God speaks always of Churches in their respective places as distinct Churches each one entire in it self c 1 Cor. 1 2 1 Thes 1.1 not one Epistle wrote to any under the Name of the Catholick visible Church nor to any Church or Congregation as part of it but we read of writing to a Church in such a place d Revel 3.1 c. 1 Cor. 1.1 and divers Churches in a place as Country or Province we find distinguisht by the places where they were as Town City in which they were e Gal. 1.2 Rev. 1.4 Again each particular Congregation had its proper Elders relating to it f Act. 20.17 Phil. 1.1 Act 14.23 and not to others or to a Catholick visible Lastly the Church at Jerusalem the first Primitive was indeed the biggest and largest we read of but to make it any other than a particular Congregation is as weak Divinity as it is Logick for it continued to Assemble together in one place g Act 5.12 and was called but one Church and was not the Church that was visibly Catholick for it contained not the Churches of Samaria h Act 9.31 and Antioch i ib. 15.2 3 soon after gathered § 5. Wherefore the Subject defined by us is a particular Church not because the Catholick is a Genus of it but because the Catholick and a Particular are two distinct Species of Church by proper Adjuncts e. gr A particular Church is visible here on Earth in coetu a Act 5.12 which the Catholick Church is not It assembles in one place b 1 Cor. 11.20 which the Catholick cannot here It 's the subject of external Ordinances Officers and Discipline c Phil. 1.1 1 Cor. 5.4 which the Catholick is not The Members are known by visible Profession and confederation d 2 Cor. 9.13 which the Members of the Catholick are not known by § 6. The next general Nature as we have shewed to a Church is a Body Politick or Corporation for Body is thus distributed in Scripture Acceptation it is Natural or Political Political is Civil or Spiritual the Spiritual is a Church which is a spiritual Body Politick and that is invisible and Catholick or visible and Particular Here we are on a Particular Congregation which we say is a spiritual visible Body Politick a Rom. 12.4 5. 1 Co. 12.27 That it is a Body in a Political sence is most manifest for the Scripture calling it so it must be concluded that it cannot be so in any rational sence but as it is a Body Corporate not Civil but Spiritual it being of spiritual Matter b 1 Cor. 3. 1 Gal. 6.1 spiritual Form c 1 Pet. 2.5 and for spiritual Ends d 1 Cor. 12 3.3 7.8 Eph. 5.19 1 Pet. 2.5.9 Neither is it invisibly spiritual for spiritual things are both visible and invisible e Col. 1.16 18. 2.5 1 Pet. 2.5 but its spiritual in opposition to civil Hence the Church we are speaking of is a visible spiritual Body-Politick and as such having a special and peculiar Relation to Christ the Political Head f Heb. 3.1.6 wherein the special Glory and Excellency of this Church doth ly § 7. The great Concern therefore of this Body is its true Political Relation to Christ as the head thereof a Eph. 4.15 16. that it be by its visibility at least Christ's Corporation b 1 Cor. 12.27 1. By his Purchase c Act. 20.28 2. By his Charter and Institution being founded upon his Doctrine Rules and Appointments d Mat. 28.20 3. That the Dispensation be Christ's so that all things therein transacted be in the Name and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ e Col. 3.17 and to God's Glory by him f Eph. 3.21 4. That the Matter of this Church be visibly approved as Members of Christ's Mystical Body and so in Christ Jesus by Faith visibly at least g Phil. 1.1 2 Cor. 6.15 16. 5. That their association into one Body be by explicite Covenant first to Christ the Head and to one another as visible Members of Christ supposed faithful and Loyal to him h Rom. 15.6 7. Isa 56.7 1 Pet. 5.9 6. The great ends of it are 1. A freedom in Christ i Gal. 5.1 and the Spirit k 2 Cor. 3.17 from all other Political Heads as such in this spiritual relation and all pretendedly Ecclesiastical l 2 The. 2.4 or Civil m Isa 26.13 or Pastoral compulsion and Arbitrary Government within themselves n 1 Pet. 5.3 3 John 10. 2. The great enjoyment of the Presence and Blessing of Christ o Rev. 3.1 Eph. 1.3 3. Their communion in Christ with one another p 1 Cor. 10 16. and thereby their edification in Grace q 1 Cor. 14 26. and continued growth in Christ r Eph. 4.15 in the solemn and sacred use of all his holy Institutions and Appointments All which they look upon not as Bondage but their desirable Enjoyments and Priviledges granted to them by the Charter and Seal of the New Testament ſ Eph. 1.3 Col. 2.19 Eph. 1.18 19. § 8. As it is and ought to appear a spiritual Body a 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore visible it must be made up of such Members
as if a Man could not be seen or known that comes upon so weighty and Publick an Undertaking but they must point at him and tell the People who he is as if the Churches Election and his publick Acceptance were not enough to shew the Man 9. This Ceremony hath bin abominably abused by Papists to Superstition and Idolatry and greatly idoliz'd by Protestants r 2 Kings 18.4 and always a Bone of Contention even in the more Reformed Churches ſ 1 Tim. 1.6 Titus 3.9 a great offence and Stumbling-Block to many Therefore it is of great Concern to the Churches for the promoting Peace and Truth to throw it out altogether having no Ground or Warrant for the continuance of it § 12. It will be then enquired In what manner a Church should Ordain its own Ministers The Way is plain and easie if Men make it not hard knowing That Ordination of any one to an Office is no more than the Publick and Solemn Recognition of the Call with his like Declaration of his Acceptance whereby he is enstated in and enters upon his Function and Charge Therefore this Solemnization ought to be before competent Witnesses i. e. Churches by themselves or Pastors and Messengers and ought thus to be performed decently to the Honour of Christ a 1 Cor. 14 40. on a Day of Solemn Prayer set a-part for this End by the Church b Acts 14.23 the neighbouring Churches acquainted therewith and their Presence desired beforehand on the said appointed Day Either a Ruling Elder or other if there be any or a Delegated Brother after first Application unto God by Prayer c Phil. 4.6 Eph. 6.18 puts this Question unto the Church Whether they do freely choose A. B. to be their Pastor Teacher Ruling Elder as the Relation is to be the Ordination of all being alike to be such an one to them And whether they submit to him in the Lord To which Answer being made in the Affirmative the Brethren only holding up their Hands d Ibid. 1 Tim. 2.12 The Elected Elder declares his Acceptance in all Gravity and Humility e 1 Pet. 5.2.3 c. So is the Day filled up with suitable Exhortations and Supplications by the assistance of neighbouring Pastors and the Ordination is finished and the Pastor Ordained enters on his Office in the Conclusion of the Solemn Work of that Day § 13. In the same manner a Deacon is ordained differing only in some respects of Publick Solemnity and that the words of the Question import him not to be a Governing Minister § 14. A Church ought to have a due regard to the Person whom they Call and Ordain a Pastor or Teaching-Elder that he be a Man sound in the Faith a 2 Tim. 1.13 of good Report b 1 Tim. 3.7 Tit. 1.6 no Novice c 1 Tim. 3.6 of Exemplary Grace and Piety d ib. 4.12 1 Pet. 5.3 and approved Abilities to Teach e 1 Tim 3.2 rightly divide the Word of God f 2 Tim. 2.15 and defend the Truth g Tit. 1.9 § 15. The Conceit that Ordination may not be repeated is a Popish and vulgar Error For as Churches are no more Prisons to Ministers than People and there may be sufficient reason for the Pastor Elder or Deacon to remove from one Church to another in such a Case a Man is to be Ordained again and so if he change to another Church afterward for one Churches Ordination of a Man cannot make him Pastor to another § 16. He that Preacheth to a People for Conversion needs no other Ordination than the due Approbation and Mission of a Church of which he is a Member accompanied with their Solemn Prayers for a Blessing on his Ministry CHAP. X. Of Ordinances of General Communion Of the reason of the Word Ordinance Christ's Offices shine forth in Ordinances The Church obliged to wait on Christ in them Ordinances General or Special Which General Publick Preaching what Publick Prayers what Praises of the Church and singing Psalms Contribution Observation of the Lord's Day Of Church Fasts § 1. HAVING shewed what Christ's Ordination of Persons is we come to shew what Christ's Ordination of things is and it is His Enacting divers Ordinances a 1 Cor. 11.2 and Appointments for the Order and Government of his own House b Heb. 3.6 Hence his positive Laws of this kind are called Ordinances because Ordained by him or made by his Ordination c Acts 16.4 § 2. The Lord Jesus Christ exerts his Headship of our Profession by his Institution and Ordination of such Ordinances wherein his Offices may eminently shine forth in some appearing as the Apostle of our Profession a Heb. 3.1 in others as High-Priest i. e. Melchisedech a Kingly High-Priest b Ibid. ch 7.16 17. In the Word Preached c Eph. 2.17 as our Apostolick Prophet d Acts 3.22 In the Seals of the Covenant his Priestly Vertues and Excellencies are held forth e 1 Cor. 11 25 26. Acts 2.38 In the Keyes of Rule and Government his Kingly Office shines forth f Rev. 3.7 Zac. 6.13 And thus he is symbolically described in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks the Churches g Rev. 1.13 14 c. § 3. A Gospel Ordinance of Christ is some visible Means of Grace a Acts 20.32 Eph. 4.7 8 Heb. 12.28 Ordained by Christ as Head of our Profession b He. 3.1.2 wherein a Church of Christ and all the Members thereof are obliged to wait on him Socially or in Communion c Acts 2.42 1 Cor. 10.16 Heb. 10.23 25. for his Presence and Blessing d 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 1.13 Ps 132.15 in one place e 1 Cor. 11 20. 14.23 § 4. Christ hath appointed some Church Ordinances to be dispensed in a Publick and General way promiscuously and some to be attended upon in a more peculiar way of Communion being appropriated to the Churches only The Ordinances that appertain to the General Publick Communion of the Church as well as to the separate and retired are Preaching the Word a Acts 11.26 Prayers b Eph. 6.18 Praises c Heb. 13.15 and Contributions d Gal. 6.6 1 Tim. 6.18 Heb. 13.16 § 5. The Publick Preaching of the Word of God is the Reading a Neh. 8.8 Luke 4.16 Expounding b Neh. 8.8 Acts 17.3 28.3 rightly dividing the Word of God c 2 Tim. 2.15 to all spiritual Ends and Uses d ib. 3.15 in order to the Edification of Believers e Acts 20.32 and Conversion of Unbelievers f Acts 26.18 Which Preaching ordinarily belongs to the Teaching Elders g 1 Tim. 5.17 tho occasionally others may Exercise Gifts among them as the Elders of other Churches h 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 2.4 or Brethren when Called thereto who are able to speak to Edification Exhortation and Comfort with submission to the Judgment of the
19. as is usual in the Charters granted by Earthly Kings yea a priority of time seems to be given to Peter as appears by the event on both accounts as to the first Management being the first Apostle that presided in Government c Act. 1.15 in taking in and excluding Church-Members d Act. 2.41 ch 5.1 as we see he was the first that opened by his Doctrine the Door unto Jews and Gentiles but in all this it appears that he was but a Steward to Christ and his Church and that although the present management of them was in Peter and the Apostles yet it was the Church that was the subject of them e Mat. 18.17 § 6. Tho Christ hath wisely provided for his Honour and the well-being of his Churches in that he hath set Elders in his Churches to manage the Keys in an orderly and honourary manner a 1 Cor. 12 28. yet he hath committed the propriety of 'em next to himself and in his own Name unto the Church whether Organized or Essential only as to a spiritual Body corporate which he hath endowed with this Priviledge among others of having and keeping the Keys b Rom. 3.2 Acts 7.37 38. Rev. 3.7 and it appears that the Church as such is the first subject of the Keys under Christ because 1. The End of them is to preserve the being of a Church as well as for its well-being and therefore they must belong to it as soon as the Church becomes essential c 1 Cor. 5.7 12.28 2. As soon as the Church becomes a Body Corporate in Christ the whole Charter for Priviledges belongs to it and therefore all that appertain to its preservation which cannot be without the power of the Keys d 1 Cor. 7.17 12.26 27. 3. Without the use of the Keys they cannot Organize themselves with Elders and Deacons for to let in any Person into Office must be by the use of them e Acts 14.23 4. A Church before it hath Ministerial Officers may admit Members or reject a Scandalous Member for its preservation therefore hath the use of the Keys for embodying into a Church doth not so shut them up that none can either come in to them or be cast out before they have chosen a Pastor f Gal. 5.1 2 Cor. 6.14 15. 5. A Church that hath Elders may be by Providence deprived of them how can they be re-supplied without the use of the Keys especially if they call such as are not of their Body None can be an Officer in a Corporation but he that is incorporated first as a Member g Acts 6.3 Rom. 12.4 6. In proceeding with an offending Member the first degrees thereof are by Members not in Ministerial Office h Mat. 18.15 7. Elders are but Stewards to Christ and his Church for the due management of the Keys they are entrusted with and are accountable to Christ and his Church and are to use them with its consent in all Cases not to make advantage by them to Lord it over God's Heritage by assuming an Arbitrary and Despotick Power to themselves exercising Dominion over the Church-Members Faith instead of being helpers of their Joy i 1 Pet. 5.3 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Cor. 4.1 8. Suppose an Elder there being but one Pastor or other come to fall under just cause of Censure Who must use the Keys in deposing and censuring this offending and incorrigible Elder but the Body of the Church k Col. 4.17 3 John 9. § 7. By what hath bin said it clearly appears the Keys of Government primarily are placed in a Church as a Body Corporate because the disposal of the orderly Management of them to Officers belongs to the Church under Christ and the use of them for their preservation belongs to them before such Ministerial Officers are Ordained by them in that mean time the power of the Keys is exerted by the Church by the hands of the Brethren for tho each Sister is a true Member of this Corporation and accordingly upon that ground should Vote yet Christ having made a particular Exception upon that account that Women may not speak or exercise Authority in the Church a 1 Tim. 2.12 1 Cor. 14.35 therefore whatever passeth in the Church by the Majority of the Brethren is a Church act so that it be done in a Congregation the Sisters present otherwise it s no Church-Meeting b 1 Cor. 14.23 § 8. A Church Organized with Elders useth the Keys Ministerially exerting the power of Christ committed to it in and by the Elders going along with them in an◠explicite consent to all things agreeable to the Order of the Gospel a 1 Pet. 5.3 which power is exercised in the admitting Persons into Church-Fellowship or in debarring of Members from the Communion of the Church b 3 Joh. 10 and in all matters that tend to the one or other § 9. They that are said to be coming into the Church are either such as are not actual Members to this Church but Members of other Churches a Rom. 16.1 Or else they are Non-Members to any Church b 1 Cor. 5.12 And there are some Rules of Order to be observed before admitting and some in Admittance of such of each sort § 10. The Word of God requiring all exactness in Admitting Church-Members least the Childrens Bread be cast to Dogs a Mat. 7.6 15.26 and that the House of God be not made a Den of Thieves b Mat. 21.13 and in order to the future Peace and Purity of the Church The Elders as Stewards who ought to be found faithful c 1 Cor. 4.1 2. when any one propounds him or her self to join in Fellowship ought to make impartial Enquiry into three things 1. To ask the Reason of his Hope d 1 Pet. 3.15 2. What competency of knowledge in the Principal Doctrines of Faith and Order e 1 Tim. 2 4 5. he hath arrived at so far at least as to be fundamentally grounded therein to be able to discern the Lord's Body f 1 Cor. 11 29. 3. Enquiry ought to be made whether his Conversation answer this Profession and adorn the Gospel g Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. § 11. A Person 's giving a reason of his Faith and Hope is his Declaring what he hath Experienced of the Grace of God upon his heart a 1 Pet. 3.15 Psal 66.16 through the Means of Grace that he hath sate under b 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Acts 2.41 26.17 18. and the Operation of the Spirit c John 16.8 9. in the production of his Repentance unto Life and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ d Heb. 6.1 which a true Believer is ready to give an account of e 1 Pet. 3.15 to any one that enquires of him seriously especially to a Church of Christ which he applieth himself unto that is so highly concerned therein for they that
are added to a Visible Church ought to be such as are judged by their Profession to be such as shall be saved f Act 2. ult Rom. 12.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 2.5 the judgment of infallibility being peculiar to God g Joh. 6.64 Deu. 29.29 § 12. Without a Competency of Knowledge for all have not the same degree the heart cannot be good a Pro. 19.2 therefore without some knowledge of God in his glorious Attributes of the Doctrine of the Trinity the Person and Natures of Christ the Nature of the Law of the Fall by Sin and the Curse Man's State by Nature in the Guilt and Pollution of Sin Original and Actual and his miserable undone Estate thereby a Child of Wrath The Nature of the Redemption wrought by Christ in Satisfaction to God's Justice Reconciliation of Sinners to God and Purchase of Eternal Life for them that our Sins were Imputed to Christ and his Righteousness alone to us unto Justification received by Faith alone c. Likewise to know how these Mysteries of Life and Salvation are held forth to a Believer in the Seals of the Covenant a 1 Cor. 11.29 And the knowledge of these things is the more particularly to be enquired after by the Elders of Churches because many Professors build their Conversion upon meer common Convictions and only some general Notions of God and Christ when indeed they are very strangers unto and ignorant of the Great Mysteries of the Gospel b 15.34 Yet such as these ought not to be discouraged nor the smoking flax quenched c Isa 42.3 Mat. 12.20 but to be led on with gentle Instructions to a further knowledge of Divine Truth d Eph. 4.2 which if there be any beginnings of True Grace in the heart they will with a great and sincere spiritual Appetite receive as new-born Babes e 1 Pet. 2.2 and the Church ought to be careful not to reject any that they judge have the least degree of saving Grace wrought in them f Rom. 14.1 § 13. Such a Conversation is to be looked after as becomes the Gospel a Phil. 1.27 which shews the Professors Faith by his works b James 2 18. and blameless demeanour in the World as the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth c Titus 2.11 12. The afore-mentioned Course is not often taken and therefore there are so many corrupt Members in Churches Tho the exactest may be deceived a 2 Tim. 3.5 yet the carelesness b Eze. 34.7 8 10. and carnal Minds of Churches and their Elders ambition to encrease their Churches into great Numbers for the external Pomp thereof and for Wordly Advantage are the great prevailing causes of the Corruption and Apostacy of Churches c 1 Tim. 6 5. 1 Pet. 5.2 § 14. The Pastor or Elders thus receiving satisfaction that the Person offering himself is a fit Stone for Christ's Building a 1 Pet. 2.5 he is in a Church-Meeting to be Propounded to the Church b 1 Cor. 14 23. and a competent time alotted to the Church for converse with the said Person c Acts 9.26 27. and enquiry after his Christian Deportment that all the Members of the Congregation may be satisfied in a Person whom they admit to so holy a Communion with them which time being expired and nothing objected against the said Person the Elders bring him before the Church to give the Reasons of his Hope either by Word of Mouth or by Writing if bashfulness hinder him or her from speaking d Rom. 14.16 19 20. 15.1 2. which the Elder or Pastor reads and if any Brother desire any further Question should be asked it ought not to be denied The Person owning the Declaration read and no Objection made the Elder puts the Question Whether the Church are satisfied in the Party propounded and do consent to his Admission e Phil. 2.2 desiring them to answer in the Affirmative by their Suffrage in lifting up their Hands and then if any be otherwise minded to speak or shew their disagreement by the same Sign Which agreed the Pastor or Elder doth ask the Party thus approved Whether he doth in the strength of Christ yield professed subjection to the Gospel f 2 Cor. 9.14 Act 11.23 and promise to walk with that Church in the Communion of the Faith and Order thereof g Col. 2.5 giving up himself and his Seed to the Lord and the Congregation h Ro. 12.1 2 Cor. 8.5 according to the Tenor of Abraham ' s Covenant i Rom. 15.7 8 9. or words of a foederal obligation to Christ and the Church to the same purpose Which he promiseth solemnly to do by the Help of God Whereupon the Elder doth in the Name of Christ receive him into Church-Fellowship promising on the behalf of the Church and himself To watch over him in the Lord k Heb. 13.17 and discharge towards him those incumbent Duties which may promote his edification in the ways of God l 2 Cor. 1.24 ch 10.8 8. Or Words to that purpose § 15. A Person thus joined to a Congregation is joined to and become a Member of a spiritual Corporation a 1 Cor. 12 27. Isa 56.3 Acts 5.36 Rom. 12.5 to the whole Body not to the Pastor or Elder only as some ignorant People think and therefore run away when the Pastor or Elder disgusts them or dieth but are by Covenant united to the Church and are not Discharged while that lasts without the Church's leave tho all the Officers die Moreover he is now obliged by his Covenant Relation to attend ordinarily upon the Ministry and Ordinances administred in that Church b Act 2.42 Heb. 10.25 and seek the Prosperity thereof for if a joined Member to one Church ordinarily attend the Ministry of another upon pretence of better Edification or upon any other pretence He 1. Hereby condemns his own Choice c Gal. 2.18 2. He cannot expect better Edification where God hath not placed him d 1 Cor. 7.24 Psal 92.13 3. If he cannot Edifie at Home he should ask his Dismission and not feed abroad every day 4. There is ordinarily some Corruption lies under that Plea 5. It is a living in continual breach of a solemn Covenant 6. It is quite contrary to the Primitive Practices 7. It destroys the end of Churches which is that Brethren should walk together in Vnity Unanimity and Fellowship e Ps 133.1 8. It discourageth and breaketh the hearts of faithful Pastors and Elders 9. It is a Practice that Christ will not bless because it so directly strikes at his Glory in his Churches 10. The Apostle makes such Deserters to be in the High-way to Apostacy f Heb. 10.25 26. 11. God is most glorified in every ones keeping his own Vineyard and not others § 16. As a Church-Member hath covenanted to walk in Communion of all Ordinances with hat
hand of the Pastor or other Elders that he is a Member of such a Church walks as becomes the Gospel and is not under any Censure or Dealing for any Offence This falls short of a dismission for 1. It needs not any Vote of the Church it being a Testimonial 2. It needs not be directed to any particular Church but to all it may concern 3. There 's no transferring of Church Membership 4. Such takes place only when a Church-Member is called for a Season only by Providence to communicate with another Church 5. In Case there be no Elders in the Church a Testimonial under the Hands of some of the Brethren may be sufficient a Acts 18.27 2 Cor. 3.1 § 4. A Dismission or Letter of Dismission is that which is wrote from one Church to another by the hand of the Elders or in case ther 's none by some Brethren by the consent and in the Name of the Church wherein the Member asking the said Dismission and obtaining it is discharged from his original Relation to that Church and is transferred to the constant Communion Watch and Care of the other Church to which he is dismissed a Rom. 16.1 2. And in such a Dismission these things are to be observed from the Nature of the thing it self 1. That the said Brother dismissed be not under the Censure or Dealing of the Church dismissing him 2. That the Letter of Dismission may be either with or without Commendation as the Case may require or the carriage of the said Member hath bin tho he hath not bin under the Dealing of the Church for any censurable action Many a good Man proving an ill Church-Member as such an one may be an ill Husband not carrying himself orderly and duely in his Relation 3. That a Dismission be granted either upon good Reason alledged by him or upon his peremptory insisting upon it for the Peace of the Church 4. A Church-Member is not to be dismissed at large to join to what Church he pleases for 1. This is to dismiss him to himself and not to a Church the Church to which he is dismissed being not specified 2. To discharge him from the Watch and Care of one Church and not to transfer him to the Communion of another is the putting him out of all Church Communion and therefore an interpretative Excommunication a 1 Cor. 5.13 3. A Church may not dismiss a Member to them that it hath no Church Communion with and therefore not to the wide World b Joh. 15.19 17.21 2 Cor. 6.14 15. 4. As a Church is to watch over a Brother while he walks with it so their Watch and Care ought to be extended to him when he departs to see him lodg'd in safe hands c He. 13.17 5. To dismiss a Brother to his own pleasure or to the wide World is to expose him to Temptation and accordingly many so dismissed have cast off all Church-Watch and joined to none at all d Ro. 14.13 6. No other Church can duely receive a Brother so dismissed but as a Non-Member to any Church e 1 Cor. 5.12 13. 7. It argues no small disregard to the Order of the Gospel to grant such a Dismission and likewise it becomes a great Reproach to the Church and Elders f Heb. 8.5 6. 3.3 § 5. A Church may in some Cases deny a Dismission asked As 1. When the said Brother is under Church Dealing 2. When he desires only a Dismission at large to the World 3. When he asks a Dismission to a False or Heretical Church But if he ask a Dismission to a Church of the same Order and give no satisfactory reason for it and yet remains Peremptory in such Demand the Church ought not to refuse the granting of it for so to do is 1. To keep a Man forcibly and to make the Church a Prison a 2 Cor. 1.24 2. It is to Lord it over God's Heritage b 1 Pet. 5.3 3. It is to lay a stumbling-Block in his way and to tempt him to rend himself off schismatically from the Church c Ro. 14.13 4. It 's to destroy his Edification for he cannot edifie by Means he is forceably kept under d Eph. 4.16 Rom. 15.2 5. It 's contrary to Christ's Golden Rule e Mat. 7.12 6. It may prove dangerous to the whole Church proving a Root of bitterness that may infect many f Heb. 12.15 § 6. Some Churches or pretended at least that walk by their own Wills rather than by any of Christ's Rules will never grant a Dismission regularly to any In such Cases a Regular Church is necessitated to take such Discharges of Members as an Irregular Church will give And if upon the use of all due means they will grant none the Church-Member so refused may join himself upon the terms of a non-Member and so be admitted by the more Regular Church § 7. The management of the Keys in such Cases as have a tendency to exclusion from all Church Communion are such as look that way by reason of the falls and offences of Church-Members and so comprehend all due means that are to be used for the Recovery of such as are fallen a Gal. 6.1 and that are to be taken in case of incorrigibleness § 8. Excommunication is by the use of the Keys in a Judicial Proceeding of the Church in the Name of Christ whereby a Person is excluded and cast out of Communion in all the Special Ordinances thereof a John 9. 22 34. 12.42 1 Cor. 5.1 § 9. Excommunication may be considered as direct or more indirect Direct is the sentence of the Church in the Name of Christ for the casting out of an impenitent or notorious Sinner from Communion of the Church a Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.4 which is always to be understood of the Special Ordinances for Publicans and Sinners are not excluded from the Ordinances of general Communion such as Preaching and Praying and Excommunication puts a Person but into the condition of Publicans and Sinners in respect of Ordinances § 10. A Church ought not upon every slight occasion to proceed unto Excommunication of a Brother but upon the account of Matters of great weight wherein the Honour of Christ the Purity of Ordinances and the Soul of the Offender are concerned and such offences do either call for immediate proceeding to this Sentence or for a more gradual and mediate proceeding thereto a Jude 22 23. § 11. When the matter of fact is most notorious and scandalous past all Dispute and publickly known a 1 Tim. 1.20 5.24 1 Cor. 5.4 then the Church is called immediately to proceed unto Censure notwithstanding any present signs of Conviction and Remorse for the necessary Vindication of the Glory of God the Church and their Holy Profession and to manifest their just indignation against such wickedness b 2 Cor. 7.11 So as it
were to snatch the Sinner as a firebrand out of the fire waiting for a well-grounded and tried evidence of his unfeigned Repentance under the Censure the first and great End whereof is the Sinners Salvation not his Destruction c 2 Cor. 2.6 7 8. 2 Cor. 10.8 1 Cor. 5.5 § 12. In case of Sins not so notorious and more privately committed the Churches proceeding must be more gradual by all endeavours in the spirit of meekness to restore such an one to Repentance a Matt. 18 15 16 17 which being obtained there 's no occasion for further proceeding as to Censure § 13. And here Admonition is of great use which is an holy tender and wise Endeavour to convince the offending Party of matter of fact and of the sin of it with the aggravating circumstances attending as also to lead him to his Duty thereupon charging it upon his Conscience in the sight of God with due application of the Word of God which concerns his condition And this belongs not to the Elders in the first and second degrees of proceeding in this Case but to all private Members in their places as matters may concern them and are known unto them more or less a 1 Thes 5.12 Rom. 15.14 2 Thes 5.14 Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 9.25 Heb. 12.15 § 14. There are three degrees of Admonition a Matt. 18 first by a single Brother or Sister that is first acquainted with the Sin committed The second is upon the non-Repentance of the offending Party whereupon the first Admonisher takes to him one or two more and admonisheth the offender the second time which Admonition taking no effect the Church is to be acquainted with the offence And the Church by the Elders gives a third Admonition which if the Sinner receives not but continues impenitent the Church proceeds to Censure b Ibid. v. 15 16 17. unless the Church see reason to wait longer And it follows from hence 1. That every Church Member tho of private capacity only has somewhat to do in his place as well as the Elders c Heb. 12.15 2. That in case of private offences it is preposterous to publish them or acquaint the Elders therewith before the two lower degrees of Admonition are duely proceeded in and not heard by the Offender 3. That when Matters come to the Elders Ears all private proceedings cease and all things are to be laid before the Church 4. When matters come before the Church the Offendor rejecting the first and second Publick Admonition at most is to be judged incorrigible d Titus 3.10 11. § 15. This great Censure is to be proceeded to in this manner the Question is put by an Elder Whether the Church adjudge the person offending all due means having bin used according to the Rules of Christ to be guilty of matter of fact as charged and remain incorrigible Which being answered in the Affirmative the Judgment is fallen into the Pastor's or Elder 's hand as after the Verdict of a Jury into the hands of the Judge and accordingly he goes on to pass Sentence as the Duty of his place requires And first with much Solemnity after he hath laid open the Sin with several aggravations he shews likewise the Awful Nature of this great Censure and the main End thereof for the Salvation and not the Destruction of the Sinner and accordingly calls upon God for his gracious Presence and Blessing upon this Sacred Ordinance that the great end thereof may be obtained still expressing the deep sence the Church hath of the Fall of this Brother with great Humiliation of the Church with remorse for the Sin thus committed and persisted in Lastly In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ before the Congregation whether the offending Brother be present or withdrawn the Elder cuts off and secludes such an one by Name from the Union and Communion of the Church declaring the said Exclusion carries in it the sense of our Saviour See Mat. 18.17 c. 1 Cor. 5.4 5 6. 2 Thes 3.14 1 Tim. 1.10 in saying He shall be as an Heathen Man and a Publican and the full sense of the Apostle's Charge to the Corinthians to deliver up such an one to Satan c. Which is no more than the putting him out of Communion of the Church the Kingdom of Heaven into the World the Kingdom of Satan for the humbling and breaking of him in the sight and sense of his sins which is all that 's meant by the destruction of the flesh § 16 A Member thus judicially cast out may through the Grace of God blessing this Ordinance be brought to a great sight of his Sin and remorse for it with great longing desires to return to the Communion of the Church again In this Case Christ's Keys are to be used to open the Door and receive the excluded Party into the Church again For after a full proof of the truth of the Sinner's Repentance he is brought by the Elders to make his Publick and Solemn Manifestation of his deep Remorse c. Which acknowledgment being received by the Church with satisfaction and tender compassion towards him he is by an Elder absolved from the aforesaid Censure See Mat. 16.19 18.18 and re-admitted into full Communion with the great joy of the Congregation and Expressions of thankfulness unto God Thus he that was bound is now loosed § 17. Besides this direct way of proceeding against an offending Member there is another much of the like nature which we call indirect because the Church puts not the Party out of its Communion before the Party hath secluded himself and not by any regular way but indirectly and contrary to all Rules of Order For it is when a church-Church-Member by reason of some offence taken at the Church or some Member thereof not discharging his own Duty withdraws himself and separates from the Communion of the Church A Person having thus Excommunicated himself as it were the Church ought to consider what is their Duty and though a particular Member or more hath usurped to himself the power of the Keys See Rom. 16.17 2 Thes 3.6 the Church ought not to acquiesce therein but maintain that Power which Christ hath committed to it and tho it cannot hinder the inordinateness of a Brother's unruly Passions and ungovernable Temper when God leaves him to it but that he will run away from the Church rend himself off breaking all Order and Covenant Obligations in opposition to all fraternal endeavours to stay him in the place that Christ hath set him in the Church is bound to shew and assert the power of Christ which he hath entrusted it with and judicially shut the Door and turn the Key upon so sinful and disorderly a Departer from them declaring that he having sinfully departed from the Communion of that Congregation he is no longer under its Care and Watch and is not to return to the Communion of the Church as before
till he hath given satisfaction to the Church § 18. Some speak much of and practice a Censure of Suspension when an offending Brother is forbid by the Church to come to its Communion in the Lord's Supper till it appear whether he be guilty or no of the Sin charged on him Our Lord Jesus Christ hath given no such Rule to Churches to walk by For till a Brother is fully Convict before the Church the Church hath no power to deprive him of any Church-Priviledges that belong to him by reason of his Membership and while the Church is in the way of its Duty it is not guilty of the Sin of a particular Member Hence Brethren sin greatly in withdrawing from a Church's Communion because a Brother or more lyeth under the charge of some Sin which they have not yet convinced him of before the Church either for the matter or Nature of the thing till both which is done in the Judgment of the Church he is not Convict nor can be excluded from Ordinances but being Convict and incorrigible he is fully ripe for the Censure of Excommunication and there is no room for Suspension therefore Suspension before Conviction is unjust and Suspension after is needless and comes short of Christ's Institution But if to gratifie some through weakness startled at the presence of a suspected un-convict Person at the Lord's Supper who is under the Church's dealing in order to Conviction the suspected Brother will forbear Communion it is to be lookt on as an act of his own but no Censure of the Church CHAP. XIV Of Communion of Churches That there is Communion between Churches Some things incommunicable in Churches Some communicable and what Wherein Communion of Churches consists In Cases of Difficulties and Differences what is to be done § 1. VIsible Communion is of Members in particular in a Visible Church a Body Politick or Corporate which we have spoken unto It remains that something be spoken of the Communion of those Bodies viz. Churches between whom there is a Visible Communion And it is such a common participation of visible Priviledges of the Means of Grace in the instituted Ordinances of Christ and a mutual Communication of benefits as occasion may serve as is between co-ordinate Bodies Politick without infringement of their particular and appropriate Priviledges limited to and bounded within themselves only § 2. The Priviledges of a particular Church are to be considered in Communion of Churches as incommunicable and as communicable They that are incommunicable are such as one Church cannot hand over to or communicate to another without breaking the Charter and overthrowing their own Constitution and they are such as these 1. A Church chooseth its own Elders and Deacons but cannot choose either for another Church 2. Such Ministerial Officers being chosen the relation stands firm between them in the Church which chose them and they are not Elders or Deacons to another Church the Pastor and Deacon to the Church at Coloss are not Pastor and Deacon to the Church of Ephesus 3. The doing of any Act which is inseparably distinguishing to that Office Relation in the execution thereof cannot be communicated or carried from Church to Church As for Example the Administration of Seals or use of the Keys are such acts therefore a Minister to one Church cannot dispence them in another because they are performed by vertue of his Office that is limited to one Church nor can he transfer his relation or the proper Adjuncts thereof 4. There is also a peculiar Corporation-Relation and Priviledge that a Brother hath in the Church of which he is a Member and can have neither in any other where he is not an actual Member as Membership in stated Fellowship under the Watch and Government of the said Church this he hath no where else Likewise he can Vote and give his Suffrage in any Church acts which he cannot do elsewhere Wherefore one Church cannot have Communion with another in choosing or ordaining Elders or Deacons any further than to look on and be Eye-Witnesses of what they do nor in admitting or casting out of Members 5. There can be no Communion by way of mixing or conjoining powers as there cannot be of transferring any more than the Corporation of Bristol and Glocester can mix and conjoin their Juridical Power § 3. But there are some things wherein Communion of Churches according to the Nature of them doth consist as in Natural Bodies there are things and actions wherein they can communicate to each other so far as is consistent with their Nature to commix or conjoin but there are some things wherein its impossible they should as in Sensation or in the use of the Senses we may hear see taste c. with one another but cannot transfer our Hearing Tasting Smelling or Seeing to one another So in Bodies Politick there are some things we can enjoy or participate of together and can communicate to each other but there are others that we cannot So it is in the Communion of Churches 1. We may benefit by each others Gifts and Graces the exercise whereof are separable from any particular Relation that any one hath to a Church Such things belong to general Communion as to Expound Preach and Pray c. These the Pastor of one Congregation may exercise in another without any consideration of his Pastoral Relation only as one that is Gifted for such Services to common advantage 2. There is Communion in counsel and advice and such there was between the Church of Jerusalem and that at Antioch a Acts 15. 3. There is Communion between Churches in giving and in receiving b Phil. 4.15 4. There is Communion in respect of Members so as one may recommend or dismiss Members to another but this cannot be in Officers one Church cannot dismiss an Elder or Deacon as such to another Whatever Office a Man bears in a Church it 's so in all Civil Corporations he cannot be dismist with his Office but only as to his Membership The Mayor of Glocester may be transferred to Bristol and taken in a common Member but cannot be transferred as Mayor to the Mayoralty of Bristol no not for one Sessions Day or Hour 5. They may communicate with each other as to fraternal Entertainments in spiritual Feasts so far as to give each other the right hand of Fellowship as to the Members of true Churches of Christ and hence the Members of one Church as occasion is do partake in Ordinances with another so far as Office-Relation is not concern'd So the Member of one Congregation partakes in the Lord's Supper with another or brings his Child to be there baptized where the Pastor is administring in his proper Place and Relation But the Pastor cannot come and administer either Seal in a Congregation to which he hath no Pastoral Relation nor can be owned in any Pastoral act there The Pastor himself may receive in a Neighbouring Church as a Brother
of another Congregation but not as a Pastor much less can he administer there as a Pastor It 's one thing to communicate as a private Member and another thing to dispense as a Ministerial Officer A Member of the Corporation of one City yea the Mayor himself may be received with much welcome as an approved Member of a Neighbouring Corporation at Festival Entertainments but must not sit on the Bench there to do any act of Office out of his Place and out of his Power whether the Mayor or chief Magistrate be alive or dead So whether the Pastor of a Church be alive or dead the Pastor to another Church hath nothing to do there as a Pastor § 4. In Cases of Difficulties and Differences arising in Churches many Churches holding Communion together may by their Elders and Messengers meet together to consult and advise about the said Matters and report to the respective Churches Howbeit these Assemblies as such are not trusted with any coercive Power or Jurisdiction over the Churches to impose their determinations on them or their Officers Besides these occasional Assemblies and Councils there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ by way of Subordination to one another CHAP. XV. Of Maintenance of Ministers Christ appointed the Support of Ordinances and Ministry That Ministers are to be maintained proved from Christ's Mission of the Disciples And by the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul § 1. CHRIST Jesus in his infinite Wisdom having instituted Churches and external Ministers and Ordinances in those Churches hath also appointed such outward ways and means for the support thereof as is necessarily conducible to his Honour and Interest in his established Worship in the World and therefore hath ordained Churches should minister of their Temporals to the upholding and maintaining of Spirituals both Ordinances and Ministry § 2. The Subject which we shall chiefly speak to now with much brevity is To prove that those Ministers who labour in the Word and Doctrine ought to be maintained in a competent manner by the Churches or People that partake of their labours so far at least as they are able And it appears § 3.1 In that Christ when he Ordained and sent forth his first Preachers of the Gospel chargeth them not to go forth at their own Charges both the Seventy a Luke 10.3 4 5. and the Twelve b Mat. 10.10 Luke 9.1 3 4. to make no Provision for themselves either Food Raiment or Money but into whatever House they went there to stay Eating Drinking and Lodging and if they were not welcome and freely entertained they were to shake off the dust of their feet against them in detestation of them and he gives them likewise to understand that he sent them not about as Common Beggars but that there was Moral Justice in it that they should be maintained by the People to whom they Preached for the Workman is worthy of his Meat c Mat. 10.10 nay he tells them how dangerous it shall be to those that refuse them to save their Charges It shall be more tolerable for Sodom c. d Ibid. v. 14 15. § 4.2 The Apostle Paul insists much upon it as a Duty that he saw the Churches were backward enough to in his day and would be more afterward For He Argues from the Law of Nature and common Justice Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox c a 1 Tim. 5.18 It 's an unnatural thing to starve the labouring Ox and not suffer him to take now and then a Mouthful of the Corn he treadeth out Again he argues from common Justice The Day Labourer by the Rules of Commutative Justice is to have his Hire Again he argues from the less to the greater Doth God take care for the poor dumb Oxen b 1 Cor. 9.9 and doth he not take care for his labouring Ministers And he tells us this was the Moral sence of Moses his Law not to muzzle the Ox c c Deut. 25.4 1 Cor. 9 10. Again he argues from the reasonable expectation of all labourers in worldly Affairs he instanceth in the Souldier that goes not a Warfare at his own Charges The Planter of a Vineyard expects Fruit thereof The Shepherd that feeds the Flock expects to eat of the Milk and the Plowman and Thresher d 1 Cor. 9.7 10. If all these reasonably expect outward subsistance from their labours Why should not he that labours in the Word and Doctrine Again the Apostle argues by way of comparison of Temporal and Spiritual things together shewing that spiritual things are much more worth than carnal And hence saith If we sow to you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things e 1 Cor. 9.11 Rom. 15.27 Again he removes an Objection that they would be apt to make from his own Example and saith That although he took nothing of them for some special reasons yet he assured them that he had power to do it as well as others f 1 Cor. 9.4 5. implying that other Apostles did take Maintenance He Argues also from the practice under the Law by God's Appointment That they which did minister about Holy Things liv'd on the Temple and Altar and that God hath not taken less care of his Ministers about Holy Things in the days of the Gospel but hath made Maintenance of Ministers an Ordinance He hath Ordained That they that Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel g Ibid. v. 13 14. You will say Where did Christ Ordain it It is enough if we be told so by an Inspired Man but it is easie to see that he Ordained so at his first Mission of Gospel-Preachers the Twelve and the Seventy Obj. Paul took nothing of the Corinthians Ans He tells us why Upon the account of the Corinthians and False Teachers That he would not be cut off from his Triumph upon this account to stop their Mouths but yet he saith he robbed other Churches i. e. he took more of them than otherwise he would have done even what he should have had of the Corinthians taking Wages of them to do the Corinthians service h 2 Cor. 11.8 § 5. It may be Enquired In what Proportion the Maintenance of a Minister ought to be The Apostle calls it Wages and therefore 't is the sence of our Saviour and the Apostle too That it should be a comfortable Provision for themselves and Families according to that Way and Degree of Living which the generality of sober People have to whom they Preach the Apostle telling us Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things a Gal. 6.6 Obj. But it may be said How much of all good things I will give little enough Ans The Apostle in the context says enough to stop Mens Mouths here b Ibid. v 4. Let every Man prove his own Work c. immediately after the Text mentioned c Ib. v. 7.8 Be not deceived God is not mocked c. Object You will say It seems to be a low and Mean Thing for a Preacher of the Gospel to take Maintenance Ans Is any Ordinance of Christ low and Mean Doth he Ordain Low and Mean Things And why did Christ himself take Maintenance rather than provide for himself Miraculously d Luke 8.3 Much more might be said but this will be enough to any one that hath any deference for the Authority of the Scriptures FINIS
belong to this and not to other m Heb. 12.23 § 13. The Catholick Church is but one onely a Eph. 4.4.5 1 Cor. 12.12 and it cannot be visible as Catholick for the greatest part are not seen by us being Saints in Heaven b Eph. 1.10 3.15 Elect Infants and many not known by Profession and if Men apply Catholick to the Professors of Christianity living at the same time upon the Earth and call them the Catholick Visible Church it is a mistaken Appellation for they are neither a Visible Church nor Catholick Not a Visible Church because 1. Christ hath instituted none such 2. They are never seen in coetu or in a Congregation as a Visible Church is nor can be till the last Day c Mat. 13.41 3. Christ never gave Ordinances for such a Communion 4. All these are not under any visible bond of Confederation together which is the form of a Visible Church Profession is no Bond but a proper requisite only thereto 5. Christ never instituted such a Church Ministry but what were set in a particular Church and exercised in such The Apostles Christ's extraordinary Ministers were first set in the Church at Jerusalem d Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 and were first Officers there and tho their Commission reached to the Planting and Governing other Churches that should succeed yet they exercised not their Ministry or Apostolick Power to any supposed Catholick Church Visible nor wrote to such but gathered particular Churches out of the World and in them settled a distinct Ministry and Ordinances peculiar to each wherein they exercised their own power as far as necessary for their Settlement and Edification Again there is no Catholick Visible Church for 1. If there be there is two Catholick Churches which is a contradiction and contrary to that Creed called the Apostles 2. All visible Professors if a Church cannot be Catholick because they are not all the Members of Christ on Earth and they that profess at large at least are not Members of Christ many if not most of them 3. It is not a Catholick Church because it 's not a Body-Corporate in any visible manner nor are capable of answering the ends of such in Government Order or Priviledges 4. If there be a Catholick visible Church it 's rational there should be a Catholick visible Pastor and from these Principles arose the Pope and the Papal Jurisdiction established throughout the professing World In the first Ages after Christ each particular Church called it self Catholick from the Profession of that Doctrine which was called the Catholick Faith because received by all the Churches Afterward the Word Catholick was applied to a supposed Universal Visible Church and became not only serviceable to the rising of the Mystery of Iniquity but a great Foundation of the Antichristian Fabrick which was afterward built thereon with all the Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Papal Superstitious Pomp imaginable The Protestants that have cast off the Universal Pastorship of one and will not endure a Catholick single Pastor do most of them retain the Notion of an Universal Visible Church as also of divers Catholick Pastors dividing that Catholocy which they will not allow the Pope among themselves each one exercising the Office and Power of a Catholick visible Pastor where-ever he comes having bin ordained by a Presbytery of a Catholick Constitution to a Catholick Pastorship to the Catholick Church To conclude Our best Protestants in opposition to the Papists have still denied the being of a Catholick Visible Church amongst whom was Famous Dr. Whitaker whose Arguments upon this Question against Duraeus are Quoted by Mr. Hooker in his Survey ch 15. p. 265. Our Savoy Confession allows the Name but denies the Nature Ch. 26. § 2. Institution of Churches § 6. for it saith it s not entrusted with the Administration of any Ordinances nor hath any Officers to Rule and Govern as such and what a kind of Visible Church is that that is neither the subject of Ordinances or Officers Mr. Hooker saith Church is the Genus of all particular Churches but a Visible Church in the generical consideration can no more be found existing out of individual particular Churches than a Man can be found existing under the generical consideration of Man out of individual Men. But that a totum aggregatum of all Churches in this World can be made and be a visible Church he denies upon Learned and convincing Reasons which will stand their Ground against all contradiction To whom for brevity sake we refer the Reader where also he evinceth that there 's no Catholick Visible Church considered as a totum Representativum i. e. as a Representative Church in all the Pastors that there cannot be a Catholick Visible Representative Church and that there is no such thing as a Representative Church of any kind of greater or lesser extent § 14. What the Scripture speaks of a Church is either of a Church in general and indefinitely belongs to any or of a Church in Specie either Catholick and invisible or particular and visible but saith nothing of a Catholick Visible CHAP. III. Of a Congregational Church in General Of Christ's Dispensation as Head A visible Church defined Revealed Worship exercis'd first in Families then in Instituted Churches The Foundation of visible Churches laid in Abraham's Covenant Two parts thereof The Church of Israel First Essential then Organized The difference between the Mosaical and Gospel Oeconomy The Church of Israel Congregational § 1. THE Lord Jesus Christ exerts his Headship not only by the more immediate Administration of his Spirit a 1 Cor. 2.11 12. 12.4 7.13 Eph. 4.3 7. internally in the hearts of his People whereby he constitutes his Mystical and Catholick Body but also as the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession b Heb. 3.1.2 6. by external Means of Grace Constituting and Ordaining particular visible Churches and in them Ministry and Ordinances suited to the State and respective Ages of the World c Heb. 9.1.8.10 Deut. 29.1 for the filling up and edification of his Mystical Body d Eph. 4.12 13. and blesseth such accordingly to his great Glory and good of his Chosen e Eph. 3.21 Ps 106.45 Exo. 20.24 Deut. 4.8 § 2. A Visible Church is a Particular Assembly of Professing Believers a 1 Cor. 1.2 visibly embodied in Christ b 1 Cor. 12.27 for a stated and holy Communion c Act 9.31 in one place d 1 Cor. 11 20. with God and one another in all instituted Ordinances e Act 2.42 appertaining to themselves and their immediate seed f Act. 2.39 Isa 61.9 65.23 Eph. 6.4 for God's Glory in Christ g Eph. 3.21 and their mutual Edification h 1 Cor. 14 5.12.26 § 3. God's External Worship by Revealed Religion was first celebrated in Adam's Family a Gen. 4.3 4. and continued in the Families of the Faithful till the time of Abraham
as to the adult part are Professors of their Mystical Relation to Christ b Eph. 5.30 for the truest Believer cannot be known but by such Profession that must come into visibility before any one can have any approved Church-Membership or any fair or plausible pretence to a right thereto c Jam. 2.18 Act 11.23 2. Tho Professing Believers with their immediate Infant-Seed are the true and fit Matter for a Visible Church d Act 2.39 yet is not their Profession the Visible Form of a Church Stones may be good and well squared for a Building but do not give Form to any House e 1 King 6 7. till they be visibly conjoyned and knit together to a Corner-Stone f 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.21 therefore the Band must be visible in this Building of Christ all the sitted parts as living Stones freely coming to Christ the Corner-Stone and by common consent uniting themselves to Christ and one another to make a spiritual House a Habitation of God by his Spirit g Eph. 2.21 22. every one of which being supposedly at least united to Christ the Mystical Head h Eph. 4.15 and so becoming living Stones do now come to Christ by a second explicite visible Union in a Political Body of his i Rom. 12.1 4 5. which can be no other than Confederation whereby each one with his immediate Infant-Seed is given up unto Christ and associated to the said Members in one Corporation or Body Politick § 9. That explicite confederation gives form to a visible Church appears beyond all doubt 1. From the nature of its being a Body Politick or Corporation a Ro. 12.4 5. 1 Cor. 12 12 13 14 27. for all Civil Corporations are in this manner made a Body 2. Men may be very honest and good Subjects under the King's Government but not incorporated in any distinct Body Corporate under the King 3. They that are incorporated are bound by a promise of Fidelity to the King the Political Head and by a promise obliging to Membership with and fidelity to that particular Body 4. There is no Person governable by any such Body Politick that is not thus bound to it by such confederations for what hath it to do with such as are without b 1 Cor. 5.12 5. It is not fit that any should partake of the granted Liberties and Priviledges of any particular Society without becoming a fast Member thereof and how can any one that is at his choice whether he will or will not be made a fast Member thereof without a declared mutual obligation between him and such Society As all these Reasons hold good as well in a spiritual Body Politick as a Civil and bear a great Analogy with the Natural Body of a Man therein So likewise it appears in the second place from the Word of God speaking of a Church as such a Body 1. The first constitution of a Congregational-Church in Abraham and his Seed was by Covenant c Gen. 17.2 10. and so the great Reformations thereof afterwards were by renewing Abraham's Covenant 2. All the descriptions of a Visible Church by allusion to a Natural Body d Ro. 12.4 5. to a House e Eph. 2.21 22. 1 Pet. 2.5 or Temple hold forth such an explicite Band of parts together as well as the whole to the Head as parts of a Body or House are knit together which nothing can do in a Body Politick but a voluntary Confederation 3. The expressions of joining to the Lord and adding to the Church f Act. 2.47 5.13 14. 4. Church-Covenanting under the Gospel is foretold g Isa 56.6 62.5 5. The Apostle is express about it when he treats purposely and directly of the true matter of a Church and foederal form of it h 2 Cor. 6.15 16 c. Act. 11.23 6. Professed Subjection to the Gospel is explicite covenanting i 2 Cor. 9.13 as also in that place speaking of giving up ones self to the Lord and one another k 2 Cor. 8.5 § 10. Hence as it is a Covenanting Body so a Body separate from the World Heathenish and Antichristian a 1 Cor. 10 19.20 Rev. 18.3 2 Cor. 6.16 17. A Church cannot be a peculiar and select People without separating from communion in Church Ordinances with visible unbelievers and from false Worship of all kinds whatever b 2 Cor. 6.15 16. 1 Pet. 2.9 § 11. The immediate Infant-Seed of the Confederate-Believer becomes given up unto God and receives Church-Membership in and by the Parents Covenant a 1 Cor. 7.14 Gal. 4.28 Rom. 9.8 for such was the Constitution of the first Congregational-Church which remains un-altered for the righteousness of faith and the Seal of the righteousness of Faith remaining to Believers b Ro. 4.11 12. as the Gospel preached c Gal. 3.8 to Abraham was the Blessing that came on the Gentiles d ibid. 14. it belongs to them to whom he was the Father even in that respect e Rom. 4.11.16 and they are Heirs according to the Promise f Gal. 3.29 being the Children of God by Faith in Christ g ib. v. 26. ib. v. 9. are blessed with faithful Abraham h ib. v. 27 yea as many as have bin baptised into Christ have put on Christ as Abraham did both in respect of the righteousness of Faith and the Seal thereof i Ro. 4.11 12. the Priviledge he hath for himself and Seed in Covenant and both Jew and Greek Male and Female are all one as to this respect in Christ Jesus k Gal. 3.28 And being Abraham's Seed l Ro. 4.16 yea his Children as Isaac was they inherit the Blessing in the righteousness of Faith and the Seal thereof to themselves and Seed But this Blessing as it comes upon the Gentiles as fellow-heirs of the same Promise made to Abraham m Eph. 3.6 which neither the makeing or abrogation of Moses his Constitution did or could disannul n Gal. 3.17 comes not on this or that Nation or Race of any Family specified as it was upon Abraham's but it comes only in the right of a confederating Believer o Rom. 9.6 7 8. and therefore on him and his immediate Seed only for the Child of a Believer when he comes to be adult by his non-profession of Abraham's Faith and non-covenanting accordingly his Membership ceaseth and his Seeds and therefore the Grandfather's Faith cannot give the Grand-Child any right to the seal of the righteousness of Faith but the Infants Membership and Right to any Church-Priviledge as it must ly in the immediate Parent so the unbelief of the immediate Seed cuts off from any right to that Seal § 12. The ends of Visible Church-Union are very great viz. The constant and frequent waiting and attending upon God in his Worship and that by a People assembling together for this end and purpose with one Heart and Mind
Sabbath m Col. 2.16 17. but the Lord's Day are 1. Then Christ finished Redemption and Rose from the Dead n Mat. 28.1 Luke 24.1 2. Then he appeared after his Resurrection to his Disciples assembled o Joh. 20.19 3. On this Day the Churches held their Solemn Assemblies for Preaching and administring the Lords Supper and Contributions p Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.12 4. On this Day John was in the Spirit and it 's called the Lord's Day q Re. 1.10 because more peculiarly appropriated to his Service as the Lord's Supper § 10. It is not in the Power of Churches to set apart any stated times Yearly or Monthly to be observed for that would be Superstition and Will-Worship a Gal. 4.10 Col. 16.17 But Days of Fasting and Humiliation may be appointed by any Church of Christ according as weighty Reasons lead it thereunto b Acts 14.23 CHAP. XI Of Ordinances of Special Communion Kinds of Ordinances of Special Communion A Seal what it doth and signifies New Testament Seals but Two What Baptism is What the Lord's Supper is What is to be observed in its Administration § 1. HAVING shewed what are Christ's Ordinances in a Visible Church of General or more common Communion we come in the next place to speak of Ordinances of Special Communion peculiar only to such as are Church-Members and these are such Appointments of Christ as concern the Administration of the Seals or such as concern the Administration of the Keys § 2. A Seal of the Covenant under the New Testament is a visible and sensible Ratification thereof wherein Christ our High Priest doth eminently shew forth unto us the glory of his Priestly Office in makeing himself a Sacrifice for Sin bearing the Charge and Curse of Sin satisfying God's Justice reconciling us to God and procuring Eternal Salvation to us a 1 Pet. 2.9 Heb. 9.26 Col. 1.21 22. Heb. 9.12 who as such is the great Condition of the Covenant of Grace b Isa 42.6 i. e. of Abraham's Covenant c Ro. 4.13 Gal. 3.17 whereby we have upon Profession right to claim all Church-Priviledges Mystical and Visible in the State of Grace and that of Glory hereafter d Gal. 3.9.28 29. In all the Old Testament Seals and in the New especially Christ in the Covenant of Grace is in a most lively manner represented and shewed forth in the Church e 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26. Col. 2.11 12. as to Condition and Promises he being not only the great Condition but the Yea and Amen of all the Promises f 2 Cor. 1.20 which are therein Applied and Sealed at least Ministerially g Gen. 17.7 10. Rom. 4.11 12. Gal. 3.27 § 3. The Seals of the New Testament are Two and no more Baptism and the Lord's Supper which are the only Instituted Rites or Ceremonies in a Church that are ordained by Christ to continue till he come a Matt. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. All Jewish Ceremonies are vanisht as Shadows and abolished b Heb. 8.5.13 2 Cor. 3.14 as all Ceremonies attending the bestowing Miraculous Gifts are also ceased c 1 Cor. 13.8 such as Imposition of Hands on well or sick Vnction washing of Feet this being but a didactical Ceremony used by Christ to teach the Apostles Humility and not to Lord it over his Churches and was never intended for a standing Ordinance And as none of these which many are fond of and even Idolize some one and some another and upon as good Grounds all as any for each one had any Sanction for continuance so their significancy ceasing the Sign also comes to nought § 4. Baptism is a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness of Faith wherein Washing with Water into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost a Mat. 28.19 doth represent and shew forth at least Ministerially a Sinners washing from his Sins in the Bloud of Christ b Rev. 1.6 Act 2.38 his New Birth and Renovation by the Spirit of Christ c Titus 3.5 and his Covenant Obligation to be the Lords d Gal. 3.27 28. eib 3.9.26 The Subjects of this Seal are all those who by Profession of Faith in Christ e ib. 3.9.26 which is Abraham's Faith are become Covenant-Members accordingly of a Visible Church and their immediate Infant-Seed f Act. 2.39 they being blessed with faithful Abraham g Gal. 3.7 8 14. and having all essential Church-Blessings come upon them And therefore the Blessing of Membership to the professing Body of Christ h Rom. 15.8 9. ch 4.11 12 and Gospel Church Priviledges as they belong to one or other respectively are Ministerially to be applied of which Baptism is none of the least being the Ordinance of Christ in which only a Believer can bring his Infant-Seed to Christ and he cannot bring it to Christ out of an Ordinance therefore it being his Duty to bring it to Christ it must be in this Ordinance to be blessed with Abraham's Blessing spiritually as he and his Seed are Ecclesiastically the reason that Christ gives for his Command of bringing Infants to him i Matt. 19.14 15. Mark 10.14 16. Luk. 18.16 is That they are Church Members of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and it 's known that Christ means his visible Church in the days of the Gospel by the Kingdom of Heaven and he took them in his Arms received them visibly laid his Hands upon them which is more than for any Ministers to Baptize them and blessed them And doth Christ Bless with any Blessing besides the Blessing of Abraham that comes on the Gentiles § 5. The Lord's Supper is a special Ordinance of Church Communion a 1 Cor. 10.16 instituted and continued by Jesus Christ b 1 Cor. 11 26. wherein by the Giving and Receiving the outward Elements of Bread and Wine c Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.23 Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.23 the Death Satisfaction and Merits of Christ are in a lively manner shewed forth and he who through Christ is a worthy Receiver doth spiritually and really by Faith partake of his Body and Bloud with all the high Benefits thereof and not Ministerially only as he doth who is only an outside professed Member It is called the Lord's Supper d 1 Cor. 11 20. because it is of the Lord's Institution and for this end to shew forth his Death e 1 Cor. 11 26. and because he first Celebrated it the Evening before his Death f ib. v. 23. § 6. This being instituted for so spiritual and solemn Ends and Purposes a 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26 27. Luk. 22.19 cannot be administred or attended upon for any other Purposes such as to qualifie Men upon a secular account without great Prophanation thereof b Mal. 1.11 12. John 6.26 27. Ex. 20.4 7 Rev. 13.16 17. § 7. In the Administration of this Ordinance these things according to the Primitive